For the first few seconds he was only aware that a heavy sea had been shipped, and had wet him through and through with its unexpected deluge.

A moment later, he was dimly conscious that his companion had slipped from his grasp, and was nowhere visible.

The violence of the shock, and the slimy nature of the sea water, had made him relax his hold without knowing it, in the tumult of the moment, and had at the same time caused Muriel to glide imperceptibly through his fingers, as he had often known an ill-caught cricket-ball do in his school-days.

Then he saw he was on his hands and knees on the deck.

The wave had knocked him down, and dashed him against the bulwark on the leeward side.