He clutched the timber as a drowning man clutches the proverbial straw,
and tried to draw himself to the surface of the lake, only to discover,
to his horror, that there were timbers to both sides of him, cutting
off his further progress upward.

"Must I be drowned like a rat in a trap!" was the agonizing thought
which rushed through his brain, and then he pushed along from one
timber to another until the last was reached and he came up, almost
overcome and panting heavily for breath.

"Help! help!" he cried feebly, and presently heard his brothers answer
him. Then the lifeline was thrown, but it fell short and did him no
good. By the red fire and the rockets he saw the position of the
_Swallow_, and saw his brothers, but was too weak to even signal
to Sam and Tom.

It was with an effort that he at last drew himself to the top of some
of the lumber. This movement came none too soon, for a moment later one
of the outside chains of the raft broke, and fully a third of what was
left of the lumber was scattered in all directions.

"Hullo, Bragin! is that you?"

The cry came from out of the darkness and from the other end of the top
lumber.

"Are you calling to me?" replied Dick, in as loud a voice as he could
muster.

"Is that you, Bragin?" repeated the voice.