They could see that he would not desert them, that their fortune was his fortune.

He was wounded, Robert did not yet know how badly, but he never yielded to his hurt.

He was a figure of strength in the boat, and the men drew courage from him to struggle for life against the overmastering sea.

Somehow, for the time at least, Robert looked upon him as his own leader, obeying his commands, willingly and without question.
He was drenched anew with the salt water, but as they were in warm seas he never thought of it.

Now and then he rested from his oar and helped bail the water from the boat.
A pale dawn showed at last through the driving clouds, but it was not encouraging.