But this did not remain upright more than an instant, but yielded to his weight, and the end of it which he held went down with him.

As he sank, the captain, in his first bewilderment, did not loosen his grasp upon what had been his support, and which still prevented him from sinking rapidly.

But in a moment his senses came to him, he let go, and a few downward strokes brought him to the surface of the water.

Then he struck out for the point of rock for which he had been aiming, and he was soon mounted upon it.
"Hi!" shouted Ralph, who had been so frightened by the captain's sudden sinking that he nearly fell off his narrow seat, "I thought something had pulled you down." The captain did not explain.

He was spluttering a little after his involuntary dive, and he wanted to get back as soon as possible, and so wasted no breath in words.