A great wave of relief and joy almost stopped Tom's heart for an instant.

Then his hand went out and caught one of Steve's wrists.
"It's all right, Steve," he gasped weakly.

"Don't grab me.

They're coming with the boat." There was no reply from Steve, and Tom, pulling the arm over his shoulder, as he had seen Steve himself do so many times in the tank when illustrating the way to rescue a drowning person, felt the weight of the inert form on his back as he turned and strove to swim slowly back toward the cove.

To swim with one arm, even to keep himself afloat so, was no light task for Tom, and now, with the weight of Steve's body bearing him down, he found the struggle too much for him.