Of course, as the tide went out more and more, the surface of the water was continually falling, and the depth growing less and less all the time. The boys could easily perceive the increasing shallowness of the water, as they looked over the side of the boat, and watched the appearance of the bottom.
A new danger. A discussion.
“Now here’s another trouble,” said Antony. “If we don’t look out, we shall get left aground. I’ve a great mind to pull up the anchor, and let the boat drift on a little way, till we come to deeper water.”
“Oh no,” said Larry, “don’t let us go out to sea any farther.”
“Why, if we stay here,” said Antony, “until the tide falls so as to leave us aground, we may have to stay some hours after the tide turns before we get afloat again.”
“Well,” said Larry, “no matter. Besides, if you go adrift again, the water may deepen suddenly.”
“Yes,” said Antony, “and then we should lose hold of the bottom altogether. We had better not move.”
“Unless,” added Antony, after a moment’s thought, “we can contrive to warp the boat up a little.”
Warping the boat.
So saying, Antony went forward to examine into the feasibility of this plan. He found, on looking over the bow of the boat, that the water was very shallow, and nearly still; for the tide, being nearly out, flowed now with a very gentle and almost imperceptible current. Of course, as the water was shallow, and the rope that was attached to the anchor was pretty long, the anchor itself was at a considerable distance from the boat. The boys could see the rope passing obliquely along under the water, but could not see the anchor.