The rail swung loose at the same instant, and Tony, who had been
leaning heavily against it with his arms folded, was precipitated
backwards into the sea!
Screams of horror and consternation broke from all the women, and Myra
sprang to her feet and made a dash towards the side of the yacht.
Whether or not she intended to fling herself into the sea in the hope
of rescuing Tony, she could not afterwards have told. As it was, Don
Carlos seized her, hurled her aside, and flung off his coat.
"Man overboard!" he yelled at the top of his powerful voice, and as he
did so he dived overside.
His cry was heard and repeated instantly by several of the crew. There
was a clang of bells in the engine room as the chief officer on the
bridge shot over the indicator, signalling "Full Speed Astern," at the
same time shouting orders that sent men racing to swing out a boat from
the davits, while others ran with life-buoys to the stern of the
vessel, ready to fling them to the men in the water if the opportunity
presented itself.
The Killarney had been going full speed ahead when Standish went
overboard, and at first Myra, when she began to recover her scattered
wits, could see no trace of either Tony or Don Carlos. Then she
glimpsed a black head, and saw Don Carlos swimming strongly towards a
fair head, which she knew was Tony. A pair of hands shot up and the
fair head disappeared just when Don Carlos had almost reached it, and a
sob of anguish broke from Myra's white lips.
"He's gone down! He's drowning!" she gasped, and as the words passed
her lips Don Carlos also disappeared--to reappear, however, a minute
later, swimming on his back and supporting Tony.
He seemed to be having difficulty in keeping afloat, and it seemed to
all those anxiously watching that he might go under before help could
reach him. Again the engine-room bells clanged, and this time the
signal from the bridge was "Stop"; the boat, fully-manned, was lowered
with a run, and at the same time one of the sailors at the stern of the
yacht slung a lifebuoy overside with such force and accuracy that it
hit the water with a splash within ten yards of Don Carlos, who
propelled himself towards it, and with its aid succeeded in supporting
himself and Tony until the boat reached him and he and Tony were safely
hauled aboard.
Orders were shouted from the bridge, sailors scurried to let down the
accommodation ladder and stood by with ropes, awaiting the return of
the boat, which was being rapidly rowed back to the Killarney.