This was a long chase; and Mr. Larkin, who was suffering as he saw how
little we gained, cried out--
"Pull, lads--I'll double the captain's prize. Pull, lads, for the sake
of mercy, pull!"
A convulsive effort at the oars told how willing the men were to obey,
but their strength was gone. One of the poor fellows splashed us twice
in recovering his oar, and then gave out; the other was nearly as far
gone. Mr. Larkin sprung forward and seized the deserted oar.
"Lie down in the bottom of the boat," said he to the man; "and, captain,
take the other oar; we must row for ourselves." I took the second man's
place.
Larkin had stripped to his Guernsey shirt; as he pulled the bow I waited
the signal stroke. It came gently, but firmly; and the next moment we
were pulling a long, steady stroke, gradually increasing in rapidity
until the wood seemed to smoke in the oar-locks.
We kept time with each other by our long, deep breathing. Such a pull!
At every stroke the boat shot ahead like an arrow. Thus we worked at the
oars for fifteen minutes--it seemed to me as many hours.
"Have we almost come to it, Mr.
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