Could we reach it?
Slower and slower we arose.

Now the gap was but a yard off--but we were motionless--were tottering! Drake's arms wrapped round me.

With a tremendous effort he hurled me into the portal.

I dropped at its edge, writhed swiftly around, saw him slipping, slipping down--thrust my hands out to him.
He caught them.

There came a wrench that tortured my arm sockets as though racked.