He took one or two turns on the deck, and then hailing the mast-head, desired me to come down.

But I _could not_; my limbs were so cramped with the wind blowing upon my wet clothes, that I could not move.

He hailed again; I heard him, but was not able to answer.

One of the topmen then came up, and perceiving my condition, hailed the deck, and said he believed I was dying, for I could not move, and that he dared not leave me for fear I should fall.

O'Brien, who had been on deck all the while, jumped up the rigging, and was soon at the cross-trees where I was.