it was about three o’clock in the afternoon when we noticed that the ceiling seemed to be drawing nearer to our heads. the change was very gradual and at first we could not be sure. then gale said:
“it’s getting closer, boys—there’s no doubt of it. we’re probably down to tide-water, and i believe we’re hitting it just about right—it can’t fill up along here.”
we steered the boat toward the side of the passage and examined the ice closely as we passed. then he indicated a faint line about three feet above us.
“there’s where it gets to, here,” he said; “of course it gets higher farther down. if it gets too high, well——”
he did not finish, and we went on at full speed.
lower and lower descended the wall above. at half-past four it was within two feet of our heads, when we sat upright, and stretching away into the blackness on either side it seemed an irresistible 302mountain mass that was to crush us beneath the flood. we felt that we were going slower, too, for the tide had opposed and checked the current.
at quarter of five i was obliged to stoop.
“low bridge,” said gale, but less than an hour later the situation lost its last vestige of humor, even for him.
from the bottom of the boat where we were lying, he called:
“nick, i forgot one thing. the ebb tide and the incoming tide probably meet about here. i think we’re goners.”
i lay in the bow, which still lacked a few inches of touching the ice above. i had my eyes lifted as high as possible, looking ahead. the world weight of ice was coming down—down—the world of water rising, and steadily rising from below. between, the space was narrowing from feet to inches, and the line of meeting seemed just ahead. once i thought i saw there a tiny spark that was not of our own light. then it disappeared, came again, disappeared—i could not look. i felt already that i was being crushed, smothered, drowned.
the ice above brushed against my hair. i lowered my head quickly until like the others i lay full length in the bottom of the boat.
“gale—sturritt,” i groaned, “forgive me! i got you into all this.”
303chauncey gale’s smothered voice was first to answer.
“not a word, nick! we went into the game with our eyes open. besides, this deal is mine.”
and from mr. sturritt:
“it’s—it’s all right. i—i’m with the admiral!”
and now the bow was touching and sliding on the ice above. it was several inches higher than the stern, but presently that touched also. we were being pressed slowly, surely downward. i don’t know what the others were doing, but i was praying, hard.
lower, and still lower. water splashed cold against my face, and choked the good-by i was about to utter. then came another splash, and another—then a great cold stream, and then——
a sharp grating above—a roaring of waters all about—a lifting—a tossing—and a burst of something that brought me suddenly upright to god’s daylight, and the fresh salt air of bottle bay!
behind us, the rising tide was roaring into the opening of the tunnel, that was now open and now closed by the billows. our boat was more than half filled with water and we were choking and gasping, but above us was blue sky, and before us, not two hundred yards away, our stanch, our noble, our beautiful billowcrest. somebody was on deck. somebody with a peaked fur hood—somebody who 304gave a great shout that brought others from everywhere. and a moment later we were on board—welcomed by those who loved us!
“biff,” said gale, as he greeted him, “have you got up steam?”
“a little, and i can get up a good deal more in five minutes.”
“well, get her up, and let’s pull out of here, quick!”
then turning to me:
“come, nick, break away there, and let’s get these wet clothes off while johnnie’s looking after something extra for dinner. i told you we’d get here in time.”
