Now I could think of nothing else but was it possible that I could keep on long enough for the boat to reach me; and, instead of steadily trying to decrease the distance, and so help the boatman, I began to make very bad progress indeed.
"Hooray!" shouted Bigley just then.

"Keep up, boys, and don't lose your bundles.

It's father, and he'll soon pick us up." Bundles ?--bundles?
Where was my bundle?
I dared not turn my head to look, but it was not by me, and I must have let it float away just when most excited by the coming of the boat, but I could say nothing then.
"Steady!" shouted Bigley again, checking his own speed, for he had been getting ahead of us, and he waited till we were abreast of him, both swimming too heavily and fast.
"Don't do that," he cried.

"Go steady.

Go--" He said no more, poor fellow, for the curious dread that unnerves people in the water, and robs them of the power and judgment that are their saving, seemed to have attacked him, and he began to swim in a more and more laboured fashion.
His example affected us, and away went all coolness.