As the boat approached the wreck, an officer, who had climbed the
shrouds, shouted out:

"Will your boat hold another?"

"Yes," Walter shouted back. "She will hold two more."

"I will try and swim to you," the officer said.

He threw off the long cloak, in which he was wrapped, and unbuckled his
sword and let it drop, unbuttoned and took off his military coat, and,
with some difficulty, got rid of his high boots.

"Can you come a bit nearer?" he shouted.

"We daren't," Walter said. "A touch from one of those floating timbers
would send us to the bottom."

The officer waved his hand, and then sprang head foremost into the sea.
So long was he in the water, that Walter began to think he must have
struck against something, and was not coming up again; when suddenly he
appeared, within twenty yards of the boat. They rowed towards him,
instantly.

"You must get in over the stern," Walter said.

The officer was perfectly cool, and, placing his hands on the stern, drew
himself partly over it, and Walter, grasping his hand, dragged him in. No
sooner was he in, than Walter again hailed the wreck.