“We’ve mistaken the high-water mark altogether, boys. It must have been high tide when we came on board. We’ve been drifting off ever since.” “Couldn’t we wade ashore?” said Arthur. Bruce seized a boat-hook, and plunged it over the vessel’s side into the water. “Couldn’t do it,” he said, slowly. “There are eight or nine feet of water.” “Can’t we swim?” “Will you try it?” Each one looked at the other, but there was no assent to this. It was not the mere distance, but the other perils of the deep that deterred them, and more than all, the remembrance of their last panic. XVII. _On the briny Deep, and on the muddy Shore.--The Fisherman’s Boat.--Reappearance of old Friends.--Remonstrances, Explanations, and Confessions._ MEANWHILE,--even while they were speaking,--every moment drew them farther away from the shore. They saw Tom and Phil standing on the beach, which they had reached by this time, and waving their hands with frantic gesticulations. They heard them, shout, “Come back! You’re adrift!” and other words not intelligible. They shouted back again to encourage them, though they, themselves had but little hope. “We haven’t any anchor, boys,” said Bart; “but let’s put down what we have. It may hold, or, at least, prevent our drifting so fast.” “Well, there’s nothing else to be done,” said Bruce; “so I suppose we may as well try it. Come along, boys. We must do what we can.” Saying this, he led the way to the windlass, and the remnant of the anchor was let go. They waited a little while to see what effect this would have, but in a few moments saw that very-little was produced. “No go,” said Bruce. “Suppose we give her the whole chain.” “Yes,” said Bart. “It may hold her if it is all out.” “At any rate,” said Arthur, “it will prevent her drifting somewhat.” “Down she goes, then,” said Bruce, as the chain ran out. Soon it was out at its fullest extent, and they again watched to see what effect would be produced. By this time they had gone very much farther from the shore, and Tom and Phil were just discernible. “It checks her a little,” said Bart, “yet very little. As to holding her, that is out of the question.” “And yet there can’t be much of a current here.” “I don’t know as to that. It is difficult to tell anything about it. There are currents in all sorts of places around the bay.” “Perhaps, if we let it drag for a while,” said Bruce, “it may catch somewhere and hold. I’ve heard, of such things.” “There’s very little chance, I’m afraid,” said Bart, in a despondent tone. “If we only had half a fluke I wouldn’t care; but as it is, we have no fluke at all, and that’s why we can’t do anything.”