by Oliver Optic
CHAPTER XXI
WHO WAS THE HERO?
Bobby did not lose his head. After his manner in emergencies, he thoughtquickly, and acted instantly, and now his bewilderment was for only amoment.
Seizing the harpoon which Jimmy had dropped upon the ice, he gave a yellthat brought Skipper Ed to the water's edge in a hurry, and when SkipperEd came running down Bobby had already thrown off his _netsek_ and hismittens and was knotting the loose end of the harpoon line around hiswaist. Grasping the harpoon, he cast it upon the main ice, with thecommand:
"Grab it, and hold it!"
"My God!" gasped Skipper Ed. "What has happened? Where is Jimmy? Whereis Partner?"
"In there! Stand by and help!" directed Bobby, who had not taken hiseyes off the dark water where Jimmy had disappeared, save for thefleeting instant when he cast his harpoon to Skipper Ed.
Presently Jimmy, hampered by his _netsek_, weakly struggled to thesurface, already apparently overcome by the awful cold of the plunge.Bobby saw him and instantly sprang after him, seized him about the waistand held him with the desperation of one who fights with death. Amoment's struggle followed and then both lads went down.
Skipper Ed now comprehended Bobby's suddenly formulated plan of rescue,and he pulled with all his strength upon the line, and as he pulledBobby, still grasping Jimmy about the body, rose again to the surface,and Skipper Ed giving impetus to the line, drew them to him, seized themand quite easily drew them upon the ice.
Jimmy had already lost consciousness and Bobby was so overcome by theshock that he could scarcely speak, and Skipper Ed, lifting Jimmy intohis arms, ran with him to the _igloo_, calling to Bobby as he did so:
"Come! Run! Run, or you'll freeze!"
Bobby tried to run--tried very hard--but he fell. The water in aninstant formed a coat of mail upon his body. He rose, but his legsrefused to respond, and again he fell, and when Skipper Ed, who camerunning back when he had dragged Jimmy into the _igloo_, reached him hefound Bobby on his hands and knees and nearly helpless.
"Come!" he shouted into Bobby's ear, at the same time passing his armaround Bobby's body and lifting him to his feet. "Come, lad! Don't giveup!" he encouraged, half dragging the boy forward and pushing him intothe _igloo_.
"Undress, Bobby! Get into your sleeping bag!" he commanded.
"Jimmy--Jimmy--" said Bobby, in a voice which he hardly recognized ashis own.
"I'll take care of Jimmy," broke in Skipper Ed. "Get into your sleepingbag! Quick!"
And Bobby in a dazed manner obeyed.
Fortunately the stone lamp was burning. Skipper Ed closed the door ofthe _igloo_ with a block of snow, and working rapidly he stripped thefrozen clothing from Jimmy, wrapped him in a caribou skin, turned himupon his face, and resorted to artificial respiration to restore him toconsciousness.
Jimmy responded quickly to the treatment, for he was suffering ratherfrom shock than from the amount of water that had entered his lungs, andin a little while Skipper Ed was gratified to observe that he wasbreathing naturally and making an effort to speak.
"Where's--Bobby?" he asked faintly.
"Bobby's safe," said Skipper Ed with a strange choking in his voice."Bobby pulled you out, Partner. My brave partner!"
Without delay Skipper Ed now tucked Jimmy into his sleeping bag, andwrapping an additional caribou skin around each of the boys, set himselfat once to brewing some hot strong tea, which he forced them to drink,and until they had drunk it and were thoroughly warmed he commanded themto do no talking, though in spite of the injunction Bobby asked:
"Is Jimmy all right?"
"He's all right," reassured Skipper Ed, "as snug as can be, in his bag.Now don't say another word until I give you permission. Go to sleep."
"Where's my _netsek_? Did you find it? And my mittens? I'll need 'emagain," persisted the practically disposed Bobby, who was alreadythinking of the future.
"You young rascal! Go to sleep, I say, and don't let me hear anotherword," insisted Skipper Ed. "I'll go find 'em. Keep quiet now and go tosleep."
Skipper Ed found the _netsek_ and mittens, as he had promised he would.The tide had driven the piece of ice upon which Bobby had left them backagain to the main ice. Then he fed the dogs, and when he returned to the_igloo_ both lads were sleeping soundly.
He filled his pipe, and sat for two hours, and until darkness settled,smoking and ruminating. He did not know yet the full history of theaccident. He only knew that Jimmy had in some manner got into the water,was overcome by the icy bath and was perishing when Bobby called, andthat Bobby by quick thought and quick action had saved his youngpartner.
"They're both as tough as nuts or they never would have come out ofthat dip so well," he said to himself. "Bobby's a hero, and as unselfishas the day is long.
"I wonder what he'd have been if he'd never gone adrift and had nevercome to this rugged land. I wonder if his rich parents, or the luxuriesand frivolities of civilization, would have spoiled him, and made himgrow up into a selfish, cowardly, and perhaps dissipated, weakling? Iwonder if it's the rugged country and the rugged, hard life he lives,that have given him a rugged, noble heart, or whether he'd have had itanyway?
"It's God's mystery. God holds our destiny in His hands, and our destinyis His will. Perhaps He sent the lad here to mould his character uponthe plan of the great wide wilderness and boundless sea, and to fit himfor some noble part that he is to play some time in life."
Skipper Ed knocked the ashes from his pipe.
"Perhaps after all," he mused, "my life here has not been wasted.Perhaps my part in life was to teach these boys and help to broadentheir life. Perhaps that was the reason I drifted here and remainedhere. Every misfortune and every sorrow is just a stepping stone tosomething higher and better."
"Skipper!" Bobby was awake and Skipper Ed's musings were at an end.
"Yes, son." He called Bobby "son" sometimes, as a special mark ofaffection.
"Did you find the _netsek_ and mittens?"
"Yes, you practical young scamp."
"That's good," said Bobby, "for I couldn't hunt tomorrow without them."
"Hunt tomorrow!" exclaimed Skipper Ed. "Is that the first thing youthink of when you wake up? I'm not sure I'll let you hunt tomorrow. Imay keep you in your sleeping bag."
"I'm all right, Skipper," declared Bobby, "I'm going to get out of mybag right now. I'm so hungry I'll be eating it if I don't."
"Stay where you are!" commanded Skipper Ed. "I'll feed you right there.I have some fresh seal meat all cooked, and I'll make tea."
"Is Jimmy asleep, and is he all right?"
"Yes, he's sleeping, and I've no doubt he'll be all right in a day ortwo."
"Skipper," said Bobby, as Skipper Ed threw a handful of tea into thesimmering teakettle, "do you know what Jimmy did?"
"Why, yes. He fell into the sea, and would have perished if you hadn'tbeen so prompt in making a human fishhook of yourself."
"What I did wasn't anything any one wouldn't have done," declared Bobbydeprecatingly.
"But we were on that cake of ice and it began to turn over, and Jimmyjumped into the water to save me. If we'd both gone in we'd both havedrowned, for we couldn't have got out with our _netseks_ on in thatparalyzing cold, and Jimmy knew it, so he just jumped in to save me, andI'm sure he never expected to get out himself. That's the greatest thinganybody could have done."
"Jumped in to save you? My partner a hero, too! I knew it was in him,though. You're a pair of the bravest chaps I ever knew, and I'm proud ofyou both," and Skipper Ed's voice sounded strange and choky.
"Oh, it was nothing for me to do! I was safe on the end of the line! Iwas sure of getting out--but Jimmy!"
"Here," said Skipper Ed, "is some fine tender seal meat and a hardbiscuit. Drink down this hot tea. It's good for you. And stop talking. Iknow what you did, you young husky."
Bobby laughed, and sipped the steaming tea.
Jimmy always insisted that he would have gone into the water anyhow whenthe ice t
urned over, and therefore had no choice, and deserved no creditfor what he did, but that Bobby did a very brave act. And Bobby insistedthat Jimmy had risked his life to save his, and was the bravest chap inthe world. And Skipper Ed insisted that both lads were wonderful heroes.So it comes about that you and I will have to decide for ourselves whichwas right, and who was the hero.