The thrust of his heel drove home her sentence, and with scream after scream--the sand holding her past hope--she plunged and fought for her life.

Still as she screamed, George, silent and panting, thrust against her, thrust savagely against the quivering body, once his pride for beauty and fleetness.
"Pull!" he gasped, freeing his other foot with a wrench which left its heavy riding-boot deep in the sucking mud; and catching a new grip on the crutch-head, flung himself forward.
Taffy felt the sudden weight and pulled--and while he pulled felt in a moment no grip, no weight at all.

Between two hateful screams a face slid by him, out of reach, silent, with parted lips; and as it slipped away he fell back staggering, grasping the useless, headless crutch.
The mare went on screaming.

He turned his back on her, and catching Joey by the hand dragged him away across the melting island.

At the sixth step the child, hauled off his crippled foot, swung blundering across his legs.