, he walked out as far as
he could and swam boldly towards the head of the island, where he meant
to land.

To his horror he found a couple of boats in the way, both of them well
filled with men, and it was only by letting himself float down with the
stream that he was able to pass them unnoticed. This, however,
completely carried him out of his reckoning, for on striving once more
to reach the head of the island, he was too low down, and was swept
right away. He tried for the landing-place, but he could not near it,
and in spite of his desperate efforts he was drawn on lower and lower by
the heavy stream, so that he could not even grasp at the drooping trees
at the lower end of the island, but found himself carried right away
towards the lights of the corvette, where she lay a quarter of a mile
lower down.

Knowing that he could not catch at anything on the smooth sides of the
steamer, he made another frantic effort to reach the side of the island,
but it was labour in vain, and at last, weak, exhausted, and with the
water rising higher and higher about his lips, he felt that he was being
carried right away, and that, unless help came, he would be drowned.

He grew excited and struggled harder, but only to weaken himself. He
was confused by the darkness, and found that he had miscalculated his
powers. The strain upon him during the past two days, and the efforts
he had made that night, had been greater than he was aware of; and now,
in spite of the sterling stuff of which he was made, the chill, dread
thought came upon him that he was about to die.

The lights of the steamer seemed very near, and yet far-distant, for a
blinding mist was before his eyes; and though he swam bravely, over and
over again the swift current seemed to suck him down. He essayed to cry
for help, but the water choked him; and at last he felt that all was
over, that he should in another minute be swept past the steamer, when,
trying to turn over and float, he went under, rose to the surface once
more, struck against something and clutched at it, to find it slimy and
hard to hold; but it enabled him to hold his head above water a few
moments, while he cried for help--lost his hold, and was swept away once
more, when all seemed dreamy and strange. The water thundered in his
ears, his limbs were helpless, and it was as if he were being wafted
into a strange and troublous sleep, when he knew no more, for all seemed
blank.

CHAPTER THI