By a violent effort he rose half out of the water, waving his cap, and uttering a loud shout peculiar to sailers.

This time he was both seen and heard, and the tartan instantly steered towards him.

At the same time, he saw they were about to lower the boat.
An instant after, the boat, rowed by two men, advanced rapidly towards him.

Dantes let go of the timber, which he now thought to be useless, and swam vigorously to meet them.

But he had reckoned too much upon his strength, and then he realized how serviceable the timber had been to him.