was up to my chest, and in spite of gleams of hope,
despair whispered truly that it was now higher up my chest than before.
True; but one wave in so many always came higher than the others. The
tide might still be at its height, and this be that particular wave.

I moved again and again, but ever with the same result; and at last,
despairingly, I was clinging to a shell-covered piece of timber at the
side, with the water at my chin.

A noise, a clanking noise as of chains rattling and iron striking iron;
and now hope fled, for I knew that this must be the opening of the doors
of the gowt; but, to my surprise, no rush of water followed; only a
little came, which lapped against my lips, while a rush of air smote my
forehead.

Voices, shouts, and Hodson's name uttered; but I could not shout in
reply. Then my own name; and I gave some inarticulate cry by way of
answer, while once more reason seemed to get the better of the dread,
for I knew that the far doors of the gowt had not been opened, and that
they kept up the drainage, while the pair nearest to me had only had the
pressure upon them of the water escaping from the first. And now a good
bold swim, and I could have been in the big pit-like opening between the
two pairs of gates; but the spirit was gone, the nerve was absent and
still clinging to the shelly piece of timber, I closed my eyes, for I
felt that near as rescue seemed, I could do nothing to aid it. As for
Hodson, in this time of dread, I had forgotten him--forgotten all but
the great horror of the water lap, lap, lapping at my lip, and
occasionally receding, its fizzing spray in my nostrils.

Higher and higher, covering my lip; but by a desperate effort I raised
myself a few inches, but only to go through the same agonies again, as
the water still crept up and up, slowly but surely, while in this my
last struggle my head touched the top timbers, the weed washed and swept
over it, and as I forced my fingers round the timber to which I clung,
my body floated in the water.

Another minute, and I felt that all was over, for the water covered my
face once, twice; and half strangled, I waited gasping for the third
time; but it came not. Half a minute passed, and then again it washed
over my face, seeming as if it would never leave it; but at last it was
gone, and too unnerved to hope, I awaited its return, but it came not.

I dared not hope yet, till I felt that the water was perceptibly lower,
and then