We tried to hold on, but he was going so straight down that the boat was almost swamped, and we had to slack off to prevent our being pulled under water.
Before many yards of the line had run out, one of the coils in the tub became entangled.
"Look out, lads!" cried Tom, and at once throwing the turn off the logger-head, he made an attempt to clear it.

The captain, in trying to do the same thing, slipped and fell.

Seeing this, I sprang up, and, grasping the coil as it flew past, tried to clear it.

Before I could think, a turn whipped round my left wrist.

I felt a wrench as if my arm had been torn out of the socket, and in a moment I was overboard, going down with almost lightning speed into the depths of the sea.
Strange to say, I did not lose my presence of mind.