His retreat was cut off.
He was in for a wetting, that was sure.

However, there was no help for it, so he waded in.

The water filled his boots there, it gurgled about his hips, and beyond, as he could see, it seemed to grow deeper and deeper.

The current was surprisingly strong; he found it difficult to keep his footing in the soft sand.

It looked as though he must swim for it, and to swim in that tide would be no joke.
Then, from behind him, came a hail.