He held it, and retained his consciousness long enough to know from that time forth that the hand had actually been in his--a living, struggling hand, not cold, but warm.

He felt, too, in that wonderful power which we have in extreme moments of noting detail, that the hand had a ring upon it--it was the left hand--and he thought it was a plain gold ring, but it did not occur to him to think of a wedding-ring.

Then he knew that this dear hand that he had captured was working him woe, for by it he was drawn beneath the water.
Even then he did not let go, but, still holding the hand, struck out to regain the surface in one of those wild struggles to which inexpert swimmers resort when they feel the deep receiving them into itself.
It would have been better for him if he had let go, for in that vehement struggle he felt the evidence of the sea-maid's power.

He remembered--his last thought as he lost consciousness--that with the fishy nature is sometimes given the power to stun an enemy by an electric shock.

Some shock came upon him with force, as if some cold metal had struck him on the head.