sers; but on my
return from that expedition, and before I had got as badly scared as I
became afterwards, I had drawn my clothes on again. The air had turned
rather chilly all of a sudden, and this it was that influenced me to
re-robe myself. All a piece of good fortune, as you will presently
perceive.

What use, then, did I make of the jacket? Tear it up into strips, and
with these tie myself to the staff? No. That might have been done, but
it would have been rather a difficult performance for a person swimming
in a rough sea, and having but one hand free to make a knot with. It
would even have been out of my power to have taken the jacket off my
body, for the wet corduroy was clinging to my skin as if it had been
glued there. I did not do this, then; but I followed out a plan that
served my purpose as well--perhaps better. I opened wide my jacket,
laid my breast against the signal-staff, and, meeting the loose flaps on
the other side, buttoned them from bottom to top.

Fortunately the jacket was wide enough to take in all. My uncle never
did me a greater favour in his life--though I did not think so at the
time--than when he made me wear an ugly corduroy jacket that was "miles
too big" for me.

When the buttoning was finished, I had a moment to rest and reflect--the
first for a long while.

So far as being washed away was concerned, I had no longer anything to
fear. The post itself might go, but not without me, or I without it.
From that time forward I was as much part of the signal-staff as the
barrel at its top--indeed, more, I fancy--for a ship's hawser would not
have bound me faster to it than did the flaps of that strong corduroy.

Had the keeping close to the signal-staff been all that was wanted I
should have done well enough, but, alas! I was not yet out of danger;
and it was not long ere I perceived that my situation was but little
improved. Another vast breaker came rolling over the reef, and washed
quite over me. In fact, I began to think that I was worse fixed than
ever; for in trying to fling myself upward as the wave rose, I found
that my fastening impeded me, and hence the complete ducking that I
received. When the wave passed on, I was still in my place; but what
advantage would this be? I should soon be smothered by such repeated
immersions. I should lose strength to hold up, and would then slide
down to the bottom of the staff, and be drowned all the same--although
it might be s