Under the spotlight thrown by the car, it was like a scene from some epic drama, staged by the gods for their own amusement--man against the elements, courage against the unknown-life against death.
"He's feeling for his knife," thought Archey.

"He's got it!" Paul ran his blade around the cloth and had soon tossed the tarpaulin over the dam.

Then he made a gesture of helplessness.

From the bridge, they could see that the stern of the boat was heavily boxed in.
"It's under there!" groaned Hutchins.

"He can't get to it!" Archey ran to the car for a hammer, but Paul had climbed to the bow and was looking at the ring in which was fastened the cable that held the boat in place.