Page:Last Cruise of the Spitfire.djvu/149

Rh and gaining the rail before they could catch me again.

Splash! I was over the side and into the water.

I had taken as good a dive as possible, and now I remained under water as long as my breath would allow. Consequently, when I again came to the surface I was all of a hundred feet behind the Spitfire. I lost no time in striking out for the shore.

But weighed down as I was by my clothing, my progress was slow. Realizing how I was encumbered, I paused long enough to pull off my coat and vest and kick off my shoes, and then I struck out once more.

In the mean time Captain Hannock was letting forth a flood of vile language at everything and everybody. He wanted to know who had aided me to escape and he threatened to shoot me if I did not turn around and swim back.

The threat rather alarmed me, but as I did not see any firearm in his hand I paid no heed to it, but kept on, until the distance between me and the schooner was considerable.

But now, to my chagrin, I saw the sails on the schooner being lowered. Then I heard the captain give the command to lower the boat.

Desperately I struck out for the shore, still so far away. I knew I could not make land, but I was in