I won't swim fast.

Ready ?" There was no answer.
"Are you ready, I say?
I want to give the word, and for us all to take the water together." Still neither of us answered; and we stood there, bundles in hand, unwilling to quit the firm rock on which we stood knee-deep, for the treacherous sea.
"I say, boys! Are you ready!" cried Bigley again.
Still there was no answer, and the reluctance to stir would have continued longer, but an unexpected termination was put to our indecision by a larger wave sweeping over us, and making Bob Chowne slip and stagger.
He tried hard to recover himself, and we to catch him, but the wet rock was bad for the feet, or he placed his foot upon a piece of sea-weed.
At all events over he went with a splash and disappeared.
We two followed, bundles and all, and as Bob rose we were one on each side, and started swimming level with the shore so as to round the point between us and the western side of the Gap.
Driven to it as we were, Bob Chowne and I forgot our dread and began to swim steadily and well; but we had not been in the water five minutes before I found that we had undertaken to do that which was impossible, and that we had quite forgotten all about this being a dangerous spot for bathing.
I think we all discovered it about the same moment, but Bigley was the first to speak.
"Be cool, boys, as the doctor says," he called out to us.

"This is no use.

We're not going with the tide, but fighting against it." "But the tide's coming in," I said.
"Yes, underneath," cried Bigley; "but the top part of the water's running out like a mill-race, and we must go with it now.

Follow me." There was no help for it.