登陆注册
5258600000077

第77章 CHAPTER XL. A SCENE NOT ON THE BILLS.(8)

It was about two o'clock when Hubert had entered the gorge. It was after three when his father had roused him, and made his vain effort to save him. Hubert was now left alone with the rising tide, whose waters rolled forward with fearful rapidity. The beach inside was nearly level and he saw that in an hour or so it would be covered with the waters. He tried to trust to his father's promise, but the precious moments passed and he began to look with terror upon the increasing storm; for every moment the wind grew fiercer, and the surf rolled in with ever increasing impetuosity.

He looked all around for a place of refuge, and saw nothing except the rock which arose at the extremity of the place, at the foot of the overhanging cliffs. It was about five feet high, and was the only place that afforded anything like safety.

Up this he clambered, and from this he could survey the scene, but only to perceive the full extent of his danger. For the tide rushed in more and more swiftly, the surf grew higher and higher and he saw plainly that before long the water would reach the summit of the rock, and that even before then the surf in its violence would sweep him away.

The moments passed slowly. Minutes seemed in his suspense to be transformed to hours. The sky was overspread now with black clouds; and the gloom increased. At length the waves rolled in until they covered all the beach in front, and began to dash against the rock on which he had taken refuge.

The precious moments passed. Higher and higher grew the waters. They came rolling into the cave, urged on by the fury of the billows outside, and heaping themselves up as they were compressed into this narrow gorge. They dashed up around the rock. The spray was tossed in his face.

Already he felt their inexorable grasp. Death seemed so near that hope left him. He fell upon his knees with his hands clasped, and his white face upturned. Just then a great wave rolled up and flung itself over the rock, and over his knees as he knelt, and over his hands as he clasped them in prayer. A few more moments and all would be over.

As hope left a calmness came--the calmness that is born of despair. Face to face with death, he had tasted the bitterness of death, but now he flung aside the agony of his fear and rose to his feet, and his soul prepared itself for the end. Just then, in the midst of the uproar of wind and wave, there came a sudden sound, which roused to quick, feverish throbs the young lad's heart. It was a voice--and sounded just above him:

"HUBERT!"

He looked up.

There far above him, in the gloom, he saw faces projecting over the edge of the cliff. The cry came again; he recognized the voice of his father.

For a moment Hubert could not speak. Hope returned. He threw up his arms wildly, and cried:

"Make haste! Oh, make haste!"

A rope was made fast about Hubert's father, and he was let down over the edge of the cliff. He would allow no other than himself to undertake this journey.

He had hurried away and gathered a number of fishermen, whose stout arms and sinewy hands now held the rope by which he descended to save his son.

It was a perilous journey. The wind blew and the rope swayed more and more as it was let down, and sometimes he was dashed against the rocky sides of the precipice; but still he descended, and at last stood on the rock and clasped his son in his arms.

But there was no time to lose. Hubert mounted on his father's shoulders, holding the rope while his father bound his boy close to him. Then the word was given, and they were slowly pulled up.

They reached the summit in safety, and as they reached it those who looked down through the gloom saw the white foam of the surf as it boiled in fury over the rock where Hubert had been standing.

同类推荐
  • 苏沈良方

    苏沈良方

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 无心论

    无心论

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 武宗外纪

    武宗外纪

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 开福道宁禅师语录

    开福道宁禅师语录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • Ozma of Oz

    Ozma of Oz

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 剑证苍生

    剑证苍生

    因一字而乱天下,舍一身可救众生。且看一人一剑,如何荡尽寰宇,得证苍生!?
  • 跟着乌龟去修仙

    跟着乌龟去修仙

    李侠被龟丞相咬了一口,与众不同的修仙之路就在这小小的农村开始展开。
  • 我最喜欢吃白菜

    我最喜欢吃白菜

    “你的头为什么那么大!胸还那么小!鲈鱼了解一下”“哭唧唧,你才是鲈鱼。”Ps:还有书友群754451538
  • 农门辣妻:霸个汉子来种田

    农门辣妻:霸个汉子来种田

    穿越了?还是个臭名远扬的二嫁寡妇?附带小包子一只?家徒四壁揭不开锅,还被极品亲戚各种欺压?茶艺在手,天下我有!赚钱养家养包子,吃香的喝辣的,日子美滋滋。极品婆家?虐!极品娘家?滚!
  • 我到异界放卫星

    我到异界放卫星

    新书:异界铁血商途已经上传。带着3008年的资源卫星,穿越到异界。炼武什么的弱爆了,啥秘籍弄不到?打仗什么的兄弟真不会,可敌人在哪儿,看一眼就知道了。赚钱啥的就不说了,守着资源卫星。首富啥的,真心懒得作,钱够用就行。
  • 王者荣耀:捡了把剑送个大神

    王者荣耀:捡了把剑送个大神

    【2018王者荣耀文学大赛·征文参赛作品】【爆笑,轻松,痛快,蠢萌蠢萌的无敌文】国服第一甄姬段天骄赛场失误,却意外捡到一把剑还赠个大神!还穿越到了游戏世界里…青莲剑仙李白是师父,元歌是挚友,诸葛亮听说挺难撩?最后还不成了姐的小跟班!呜这小日子过得呵呵呵…日常发糖的信白CP,乔策爱的守护,百里兄弟的约定,白昭虐心爱恋,凯皇露娜的兄妹情仇…江东魔道,繁华长安,凛冬之海,长城二畔故乡情,王者大陆的秘密一但撕开个口,就一发不可收拾,究竟还隐藏着多少不为人知的秘密?方舟引擎已启动,集合准备团战【QQ群稻米小窝:184129152】
  • 腹黑男神超难搞

    腹黑男神超难搞

    逃离海外,生下宝贝儿子,再度回归,为赚钱辣妈弃医从娱。选秀夺冠,不料签到了宝贝儿子们的亲爹的门下。“唐冥,你不会想跟我抢儿子吧?”“不,我想抢的是你。”……季凝:娱乐圈水可真深,想做个安静赚钱的辣妈不容易!唐冥:那你就安安静静做我的老婆,乖乖站老公背后数钱花钱好了。
  • 原女主逆袭手册

    原女主逆袭手册

    【本文1v1】陆冰云坠机身亡,强行绑定原女主逆袭系统,从此穿梭在各个时空中,走上了替原女主逆袭的巅峰,顺带攻略攻略男神。干掉翻身女配!踢开逆袭炮灰!陆冰云and系统:“我们是穿梭在银河的逆袭火箭队!”某男神危险挑眉:“……嗯?我只是顺带?”陆冰云连忙宠溺的摸摸头:“不不不,男神你是我的心我的肝我的宝贝甜蜜饯儿~”男神撩她入怀:“既然你诚心诚意的认错了,那我就大发慈悲的原谅你。”陆冰云:“……”不要仗着我宠你,就上天好么?
  • 独宠魔瞳财女

    独宠魔瞳财女

    一场阴谋,她身染剧毒。走出戒毒所,迎接她的却是哥哥的死讯。重生,花季年华从此不再平凡。前有黑道压榨,没事,数月后便知这是谁的天下。后有喽啰炸桥,没事,数月后,便知谁才是他们的女王。华夏传言,13少女,数天之内,成为神秘的古玩专家;数月之内,将黑道玩弄于股掌;数年之内,成为商界传奇。重生,抢黑帮,控黑道,玩商战,拼古玩!神挡杀神、佛挡杀佛。只为一件事——财!黑道教父,强势来袭。痴情兄长,不离不弃。商界美男,甘心臣服。古玩妖少,玩味进攻。今生重来,又岂会耽念男色?玩转人世,赚尽钱财,位及至尊,方为大乐。◆◆◆◆◆男强女强、无虐爽文◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆结局一对一◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆收藏要给力◆◆◆◆◆
  • 证仙录

    证仙录

    仙路漫漫,谁人登顶。王信然,一名普通山村少年,机缘巧合下得一方仙土。孕育万年灵药,放养极品灵兽,仙丹法宝,唾手可得!更得逆天灵眼,勘破万法!从此以后,斗仙道宗师,诛邪道大魔,与仙子赏花,陪妖女喝茶,威震天下,屹立顶端。天地浩浩我为尊,仙者亦本出凡尘。谈笑春秋一语尽,不若佳人舞纷纷。