The pan righted itself immediately it was relieved of Jimmy's weight,
and Bobby, realizing what Jimmy had done, and that his friend had
sacrificed himself for his sake, stood bewildered and stunned, gazing
blankly at the spot where Jimmy had sunk.
CHAPTER XXI
WHO WAS THE HERO?
Bobby did not lose his head. After his manner in emergencies, he thought
quickly, and acted instantly, and now his bewilderment was for only a
moment.
Seizing the harpoon which Jimmy had dropped upon the ice, he gave a yell
that brought Skipper Ed to the water's edge in a hurry, and when Skipper
Ed came running down Bobby had already thrown off his _netsek_ and his
mittens and was knotting the loose end of the harpoon line around his
waist. Grasping the harpoon, he cast it upon the main ice, with the
command:
"Grab it, and hold it!"
"My God!" gasped Skipper Ed. "What has happened? Where is Jimmy? Where
is Partner?"
"In there! Stand by and help!" directed Bobby, who had not taken his
eyes off the dark water where Jimmy had disappeared, save for the
fleeting instant when he cast his harpoon to Skipper Ed.
Presently Jimmy, hampered by his _netsek_, weakly struggled to the
surface, already apparently overcome by the awful cold of the plunge.
Bobby saw him and instantly sprang after him, seized him about the waist
and held him with the desperation of one who fights with death. A
moment'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 pulled
Bobby, still grasping Jimmy about the body, rose again to the surface,
and Skipper Ed giving impetus to the line, drew them to him, seized them
and quite easily drew them upon the ice.
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