Calmly he let go the rope and commenced to scramble.

More than once his foot slipped, but he was always in a position to save himself.

The time came at last when he stood upon the pebbly beach, surprised to find that his knees were shaking and his breath coming fast.

The little place was so enclosed that when he looked upwards it seemed as though he were at the bottom of a pit, as though the stars and the doubtful moon had receded and he was somehow in the bowels of the earth instead of being on the sea level.

There were only a few feet of the shingle dry, and a great wave, breaking amongst the huge rocks, drenched him with spray.