I came back to knowledge of where I was with a start, trying to make out from which direction it sounded.
"This is a nixie trying to lure me to the depth," I thought.
"Truly, he need not take the trouble; for thither I must go shortly, without any coaxing." I turned myself in the water, trying to see if I could make out the singer, but I could not.

Seeing that no other was likely to be swimming in Portland race but myself, I had no thought that the song was human.
But I could find nothing.

When my face was seaward, I saw far off the ships I had left, indeed; and one seemed to have set her sail, for it showed as a square patch of blackness against the sky, but no voice could come from them to me.

Presently I thought that somewhat dark rose and fell on the little waves between me and her, but that was doubtless the tunic I had given to the water.

I did not think of wondering why I still saw it after all this long swim, but I seemed to have made no headway from the ships, which were as near as when I last looked at them.
So I turned again and swam easily, as I thought, shoreward.