It seemed an eternity before he rose to the top.

He opened his mouth and drew a great gulp of air into his lungs.
The next instant a great rock reared like a living thing in his face; he plunged against it, was beaten over it, and again he was going down--down--in that deadly clutch of maelstrom and undertow.

Again he fought, and again he came to the surface.

He saw a black, slippery wall gliding past him with the speed of an express train.

And now it seemed as though a thousand clubs were beating him.