o the west of me. I went around to look at
it, when I saw a sight that made me stop short in dismay. This was
nothing less than the flat, drifting outward around the point. The
swell and suction of the water around the rock must have pulled her
loose--and I was a prisoner! At first my only feeling was one of
annoyance. Then a thought flashed into my mind that made me dizzy with
fear. The tide would be high that night. If I could not escape from
Island Rock I would inevitably be drowned.

I sat down limply on a ledge and tried to look matters fairly in the
face. I could not swim; calls for help could not reach anybody; my
only hope lay in the chance of somebody passing down the shore or of
some boat appearing.

I looked at my watch. It was a quarter past three. The tide would
begin to turn about five, but it would be at least ten before the rock
would be covered. I had, then, little more than six hours to live
unless rescued.

The flat was by this time out of sight around the point. I hoped that
the sight of an empty flat drifting down shore might attract someone's
attention and lead to investigation. That seemed to be my only hope.
No alarm would be felt at Uncle Richard's because of my
non-appearance. They would suppose I had gone to Uncle Adam's.

I have heard of time seeming long to a person in my predicament, but
to me it seemed fairly to fly, for every moment decreased my chance of
rescue. I determined I would not give way to cowardly fear, so, with a
murmured prayer for help, I set myself to the task of waiting for
death as bravely as possible. At intervals I shouted as loudly as I
could and, when the sun came to the proper angle for the best view of
the "Hole in the Wall," I took the picture. It afterwards turned out
to be a great success, but I have never been able to look at it
without a shudder.

At five the tide began to come in. Very, very slowly the water rose
around Island Rock. Up, up, up it came, while I watched it with
fascinated eyes, feeling like a rat in a trap. The sun fell lower and
lower; at eight o'clock the moon rose large and bright; at nine it was
a lovely night, dear, calm, bright as day, and the water was swishing
over the highest ledge of the rock. With some difficulty I climbed to
the top and sat there to await the end. I had no longer any hope of
rescue but, by a great effort, I preserved self-control. If I had to
die, I would at least face death staunchly. But when I thought of my