The cold waters closed around him.
He tried to swim, to keep afloat, but the oil-skin suit hindered him.
He battled with the desperation of despair. It was a terrible fight he
made for life there in that inky blackness, with the water surging
about him, and trying to win him for its victim. It seemed that he had
been struggling for a long time, and could resist no longer. His
strength was going, and he had little power for any further effort.
Just at this critical moment a firm strong hand clutched him like a
vise, and he knew that the captain had come to his rescue. This roused
him to new hope and energy.
"Keep cool, now," the captain cried. "I've got hold of the riggin'
here."
All this had happened so suddenly that for a few seconds the doctor was
dazed. He could see nothing, but he knew by the cry of the boy, and
the startled roar from the captain, that something was seriously wrong.
Then he heard the splash as the latter went over the side. In dismay,
he waited, peering through the darkness in an effort to find out what
had become of his companions. It seemed like an age that he stood
there until he heard the captain's voice bidding him to give a hand,
and pull him in.
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