As the hours went by, and there came no sign of the thinning of the cloudy veil around, the engineer grew anxious.
What if his friends returned while he was still absent? Naturally, after his promise they would instantly believe that the vessel had been destroyed in some manner, and perhaps would leave the beach, never to return.
The thought maddened him, and he had just determined to make an effort to get the Seal afloat again without waiting for the lifting of the mist when, as suddenly as it had come, the cloud rolled upward and vanished.
Then the full extent of his misfortune became apparent to the engineer. The submarine had grounded for almost her entire length, and it needed but a glance to tell him that her re-floating would be a matter of great difficulty, if, indeed, it could be managed at all.
By the character of the ground around Wilson surmised that he must be far from his starting-place, and this afterwards proved to be the case.
Before him lay a stretch of stony beach, perhaps one hundred yards in width, and beyond that rose a towering wall of cliffs, looming grim and gaunt through the twilight.
The engineer’s first movement was to start the engines at full speed astern; but, though the propellers whirled madly, the vessel remained motionless, and it became apparent that, despite his wish to be moving, Wilson would have to wait for the turn of the tide ere making any effort to once more float the Seal.
Part of the time Wilson passed in making an examination of his craft, both inside and out, and glad indeed was he to find that she had sustained but little damage, and that only of a minor character.
All too slowly the water rose, the incoming waves lapping the submarine’s hull playfully as they danced and shivered in the rays of the searchlight.
At intervals the engineer tried the engines, and at last, after a long wait, the water rose high enough to answer his purpose.