Page 413 - tender-is-the-night

slowly began to rise.
The people in the boat, watching closely, saw that he was
having difficulties. He was on one knee; the trick was to
straighten all the way up in the same motion with which
he left his kneeling position. He rested for a moment, then
his face contracted as he put his heart into the strain, and
lifted.
The board was narrow, the man, though weighing less
than a hundred and fifty, was awkward with his weight and
grabbed clumsily at Dick’s head. When, with a last wrench-
ing effort of his back, Dick stood upright, the board slid
sidewise and the pair toppled into the sea.
In the boat Rosemary exclaimed: ‘Wonderful! They al-
most had it.’
But as they came back to the swimmers Nicole watched
for a sight of Dick’s face. It was full of annoyance as she ex-
pected, because he had done the thing with ease only two
years ago.
The second time he was more careful. He rose a little
testing the balance of his burden, settled down again on his
knee; then, grunting ‘Alley oop!’ began to rise—but before
he could really straighten out, his legs suddenly buckled
and he shoved the board away with his feet to avoid being
struck as they fell off.
This time when the Baby Gar came back it was apparent
to all the passengers that he was angry.
‘Do you mind if I try that once more?’ he called, treading
water. ‘We almost had it then.’
‘Sure. Go ahead.’

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