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第19章 岩岛奇遇 2（第1页）

第19章岩岛奇遇（2）

Iscrambleduptherodarouerhereacefandfromwhiecapitalviewscouldbeobtaiheseaabouttherockwascalm，buttherewasquiteaswellonandanoff-shorebreezewasblowing。Therewerenoboatsvisible。Thetidewaslow，leavihecuriousdheadlandsalongshore，andIseumberofexapshots。Itwasnowthreeo'ustwaitanotherhouryetbeforeIcouldgetthebestviewofthe"HoleintheWall"—ahuge，arch-likeopeningthroughajuttiothewestofme。Iwentaroundtolookatit，whenIsawasightthatmademestopshortindismay。Thiswasheflat，driftingoutwardarouheswellandsuofthewateraroundtherockmusthavepulledherloose—andIrisofirstmyonlyfeelingwasoneofahenathoughtflashedintomymindthatmademedizzywithfear。Thetidewouldbehighthatnight。IfIotesIslandRockIwouldiablybedrowned。

Isatdownlimplyoriedtolookmattersfairlyintheface。I;callsforhelpotreayoheebodypassingdowntheshoreorofsomeb。

Ilookedatmywatch。Itastthree。Thetidewouldbegintoturnaboutfive，butitwouldbeatleastteherockwouldbecovered。Ihad，thehansixhourstoliveunlessrescued。

&wasbythistimeoutofsightarou。Ihopedthatthesightofadriftingdhtattraeone'sattentiooiioobemyonlyhope。NoalarmwouldbefeltatUncleRichard'sbeyheywouldsupposeIhadgooUncleAdam's。

Ihaveheardoftimeseeminglongtoapersoni，buttomeitseemedfairlytofly，foreverymomentdecreasedmyceofrescue。IdeterminedIwouldocowardlyfear，so，withamurmuredprayerforhelp，Isetmyselftothetaskofwaitihasbravelyaspossible。AtintervalsIshoutedasloudlyasId，whenthesuheprleforthebestviewofthe"HoleintheWall，"Itookthepicture。Itafterwardsturobeagreatsuccess，butIhaveolookatitwithoutashudder。

Atfivethetidebegantoein。Very，veryslowlythewaterrosearoundIslandRock。Up，up，upitcame，whileIwatcheditwithfasatedeyes，feeliinatrap。Thesunfellloweraeighto'eandbright;atwasalovelynight，dear，calm，brightasday，aerwasswishihehighestledgeoftherock。WithsomedifficultyIclimbedtothetopaoawaittheend。Ihadnolongeranyhopeofrescuebut，byagreateffort，Ipreservedself-trol。IfIhadtodie，Iwouldatleastfacedeathstaunchly。ButwhenIthoughtofmymotherathome，ittaskedallmyeokeepfrdownutterly。

SuddenlyIheardawhistle。Neverwassouoodupandpeeredeagerlysharou;HoleintheWall"headland，ontopofthecliffs，Isawaboyandadog。Isentawildhallshore>

&arted，stoppedaowardsIslandRoextmomenthehailedme。ItwasEr'svoiditwasLaddiewhbesidehim。

"Er;Ishoutedwildly，"runforhelp—quick!quick!Thetidewillbeovertherohalfanhour!Hurry，oryouwillbetoolate!"

&artingoffatfullspeed，asIexpectedhimtodo，Eroodstillforamoment，aopickhisstepsdoathoverthecliff，follo>

"Er;Ishoutedfrantically，"whatareyoudoing?Whydon'tyougoforhelp?"

&hadbythistimereaarrowledgeofrockjustabovethewater-liicedthathewasgsomethingoverhisarm。

"Itwouldtaketoolong，"heshouted。"BythetimeIgottothedaboatcouldrowbackhere，you'dbedrowned。LaddieandIwillsaveyou。Isthereanythingthereyoutiearopeto?I'veacoilofropeherethatIthinkwillbelooreachyou。I'vebeendowntothedAlesentituptoyouru;

Ilookedaboutme;asmooth，roundholehadbeehroughathinpartoftheapexoftherock。

"IcouldfastentheropeifIhadit!"Icalled。"Buthowyougetittome?"

ForaiedabitofdriftwoodtotheropeandputitintoLaddie'smouth。Theethedogwasswimmingouttome。AssoonashecamecloseIcaughttherope。Itwasjustloostretshoretorock，alloleofhitcheswhiestgavearoundasmallboulderoiedmycamerayheadbymearingIfoundihehewaterand，holdingtotherope，wenthaotheshorewithLaddieswimmingbesideme。Erotheshorewardendoftheropelikegrimdeath，ataskthatwasnolightoneforhissmallarms。WhenIfinallyscrambledupbesidehim，hisfaceiiorembledlikealeaf。

"Ern，youareabrick!"Iexclaimed。"You'vesavedmylife!"

"No，itwasLaddie，"saidErotakeaall。

WehurriedhomeaUncleRichard'saboutten，justastheyweregoingtobed。WhenUncleRichardheardeurnedverypale，a;ThankGod!"Aumeoutofmywetclothesasquicklyaspossible，putmeawaytobedinhotblasahgiea。Isleptlikeatopaheworseformyexperiem。