Very fortunate was it for Tom, at that moment, that he had not pushed out farther from the shore.  When the boat went down he was not more than three or four yards off, and he did not sink lower than up to his neck.  But the shock was a sudden one, and for a moment almost paralyzed him.  The next instant, however, he recovered from it; and looking round, he saw the box of biscuit floating within his reach.  Making a wild dash at this, he secured it, and waded ashore with it in safety.  He then turned mournfully to look after the boat, and found that it was visible, floating on the surface.  As he left it, it had floated up, his weight being the only thing that had sent it below.  The tide was still coming in, so that it did not float away.  Tom flung off his coat and waistcoat, and hurrying into the water, soon caught and dragged it as near as he could to the beach.  Then he secured it once more, and waited.  Standing there, he looked gloomily at the vessel, wherein such precious hopes had been freighted only to be lost.  What had happened?  Why could not the boat float?  What was the matter with her?  These were the wondering questions which occurred to him without his being able to give any answer.

One thing he saw plainly, and that was, that he had lost this tide.  The next high tide would be after midnight, and the next would be between one and two on the following day.  If he could find out what was the matter with the boat, and fix it, he would have to wait till the next day, unless he chose to watch for his chance after midnight, and make the journey then.

He was not a boy who could be long inactive; so now, after a brief period, in which he gave up to the natural despondency of his soul, he stirred himself up once more, and sought comfort in occupation.  The box of biscuit did not seem much injured, it had not floated long enough for the sea-water to penetrate it.  Assuring himself of this, he next turned to the boat and took out its contents.  These were the old sail, the coil of rope, and the baling dipper.

By this time the tide had reached its height, and after the usual time of delay, began to fall once more.  The boat was secured to the shore, and after a time the water began to leave her.  Tom sat at a little distance, wondering what could be the matter with her, and deferring his examination until the boat should be left aground.  It was a mystery to him how this sudden change had occurred, and why the boat, which had floated so well during his long drift, should now, all of a sudden, begin to leak with such astonishing rapidity.  Something must have happened—­something serious, too; but what it was, or how it had happened, he could not, for the life of him, conjecture.

As Tom sat there, the tide gradually left the boat; and as the tide left, the water ran out, keeping at just the same level inside as the water outside.  This showed, even to his inexperienced eyes, that the leak must be a very large one, since it admitted of such a ready flow of water in and out.  The water descended lower and lower as he sat, until, at last, the boat was left by the retreating waves.  The water had all run out.