"Hurry, my man!" But there was no haste.

Limbs and fingers made stiff by long exposure and cramped position, clinging desperately to prevent himself and his burden from falling into the sea, were not now likely to be nimble; but in a few minutes, which, however, seemed a long time, some words were spoken by the man on the anchor, the command to haul in was given, and slowly the nearly-unconscious form of a young woman was drawn up to safety.
"Now, my man, your next," shouted the officer.

The rope soon dangled down again, the man reached out a hand for it.

The ship cut into a big wave, whose crest touched the man below.

He grasped wildly for the rope, missed it, and fell with a cry into the sea.