ht without difficulty have weathered the
storm.

Another reason there was why it would have been the best place for me.
Had I succeeded in mounting up there before nightfall, some one upon the
shore might have noticed me, and then the adventure would have ended
without all this peril. I even thought at the time of those things, and
while clambering up the shaft entertained hopes that some one might
observe me. I afterwards learned that some one did--more than one--
idlers along shore; but not knowing who it was, and very naturally
believing that some Sabbath-breaking boys had gone out to the reef to
amuse themselves--part of that amusement being to "swarm" up the
signal-staff--I was set down as one of those, and no farther notice was
taken of me.

I could not have continued to go up the staff. It speedily tired me
out; besides, as soon as I perceived the necessity for erecting the
platform, I needed every second of the time that was left me for that
work.

All the above thoughts did not pass through my mind while I was in the
water struggling back to the staff, though some of them did. I thought
of the impossibility of climbing up above the barrel--that was clear to
me; and I thought also of what I should do when I reached the post, and
that was not clear to me. I should be able to lay hold upon the staff,
as I had done before, but how I was to retain my hold was the unsolved
problem. And it remained so, till I had got up and seized the staff,
and indeed for a good while after.

Well, I reached the pole at length, after a great deal of buffetting,
having the wind and tide, and even the rain in my teeth. But I reached
it, and flung my arms around it as if it had been some dear old friend.
Nor was it aught else. Had it not been for that brave stick, I might as
well have stayed at the bottom.

Having clutched hold of it, I felt for some moments almost as if I had
been saved. I experienced no great difficulty in keeping my limbs
afloat so long as I had such a support for my arms, though the work was
irksome enough.

Had the sea been perfectly calm I could have stood it for a long time;
perhaps till the tide had gone out again, and this would have been all I
could have desired. But the sea was not calm, and that altered the
case. There had been a short lull with the smoother sea just as I
returned to the staff, and even this was a fortunate circumstance, as it
gave me time to rest and recover my breath.