n his last embarkation. But no sign came
of any sound of that sort, and he heard nothing but the gentle dash of
the water against the sides of the boat. Thus about five minutes
passed. At the end of that time, he raised the sail, which he had laid
along the bottom of the boat, and examined underneath it. The first
touch of his fingers at the bottom lessened very largely the hope that
was in him, and at once chased away the feeling of exultation that was
rising. For there, in the bottom of the boat, he felt as much as an
inch of water. After the first shock, he tried to believe that it was
only the water that was in the boat before; and so, taking comfort in
this thought, he waited for further developments, but at the same time
took the dipper, so as to be ready to bale out the water, and have a
struggle for it in case the worst should happen.

Another minute assured him that this was not the water which had been
in the boat before. A new supply was entering, and in the space of
that short time of waiting it had risen to the height of another inch.
Tom felt a sudden pang of dismay, but his stout heart did not quail,
nor did his obstinate resolution falter. Since it was the sea water
that was coming in, he determined to have a fight with it for the
possession of the boat. So he set to work bravely, and began to bale.
He pulled up the sail, so as to have plenty of elbow-room, and worked
away, dipping out the water; but, as he dipped, he perceived that it
was gradually getting deeper. He dipped faster, but without any
visible improvement, indeed, his efforts seemed to have but very little
effect in retarding the entrance of the water. It grew deeper and
deeper. One inch of water soon deepened to two inches, and thence to
three. Soon after four inches were felt.

And now the water came in more rapidly. It seemed to Tom as though it
had been delayed at first, for a little time, in finding an entrance,
but that now, after the entrance was found, it came pouring in with
ever-accelerated speed. Tom struggled on, hoping against hope, and
keeping up his efforts long after they were proved to be useless. But
the water came in faster and faster, until at length Tom began to see
that he must seek his safety in another way. Flinging down his dipper,
then, with a cry of vexation, he started up, and, seizing his bit of
board, he looked around for the shore.

He had been caught by some side current, and had been carried a