As they were close together, they could hold council, conversing all the
time in something louder than a whisper. There was no risk of their
being overheard. Though scarce a cable's length from the shore, the
hoarse soughing of the surf would have drowned the sound of their
voices, even if uttered in a much louder tone; but being skilled in the
acoustics of the ocean, they exchanged their thoughts with due caution:
and while encouraging one another to remain firm, they speculated freely
upon the chances of escaping from their perilous predicament.

While thus occupied, a predicament of an equally perilous and still more
singular kind, was in store for them. They had been hitherto advancing
towards the water's edge, in regular progression with the influx of the
tide, all the while upon their knees. This, as already stated, had
enabled them to sustain themselves steadily, without showing anything
more than three-quarters of the head above the surface.

All at once, however, the water appeared to deepen; and by going upon
their knees they could no longer surmount the waves, even with their
eyes. By moving on towards the beach, they might again get into
shallower water; but just at this point the commotion caused by the
breakers came to a termination, and the flakes of froth, with the
surrounding spray of bubbles here bursting, one after another, left the
surface of the sea to its restored tranquillity. Anything beyond a
cork, or the tiniest waif of seaweed, could scarce fail to be seen from
the strand, though the latter was itself, constantly receding as the
tide flowed inward.

The submerged middies were now in a dilemma they had not dreamed of. By
holding their ground, they could not fail to "go under". By advancing
farther, they would run the risk of being discovered to the enemy.

Their first movement was to get up from their knees, and raise their
heads above water by standing in a crouched attitude on their feet.
This they had done before, more than once, returning to the posture of
supplication only when too tired to sustain themselves.

This they attempted again, and determined to continue it to the last
moment, in view of the danger of approaching nearer to the enemy.

To their consternation they now found that it would no longer avail
them. Scarce they had risen erect before discovering that, even in his
position, they were immersed to the chin, and after plunging a pace or
two forward, they were