It's the stillness which makes it feel so cold. The harder we swim
the less we will feel it."
It was with a deep feeling of relief that Malcolm saw something
loom just in front of him from the darkness, and knew that he was
close to the land. A few more strokes and he touched the bushes.
Looking back he saw that the two lights were nearly in a line.
Stopping swimming he let the stream drift him down. Two or three
minutes more and one of the tiny lights seemed exactly above the
other.
"This is the spot, Grant," he said in a low voice; "land here as
quietly as you can."
CHAPTER XI THE CAPTURE OF OPPENHEIM
The two swimmers dragged themselves on shore, but for a minute or
two could scarce stand, so numbed were their limbs by the cold.
Malcolm took from his belt a flask of brandy, took a long draught,
and handed it to his companion, who followed his example.
The spirit sent a glow of warmth through their veins, and they
began to search among the bushes for the boat, one proceeding each
way along the bank. They had not removed their leathern doublets
before entering the water, as these, buoyed up as they were, would
not affect their swimming, and would be a necessary protection when
they landed not only against the cold of the night air but against
the bushes.
Malcolm's beacon proved an accurate guide, for he had not proceeded
twenty yards before he came against a solid object which he at once
felt to be the boat.
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