hat's up?"

"Nothing," returned Dalzell soberly. "Canty's down--just gone down
again."

"I hope he's gone down trying to find and rescue Ella," murmured Dave.

They were now so close that the young midshipmen would have been able to
hear the shouts of the imperiled ones had it not been that the wind blew
the sounds of voices away from the would-be rescuers.

"Better ease off the sheet a bit, I guess, Davy," called Dan, as he
suited the action to the word. "We don't went to run 'em down."

"No."

As he spoke, Dave Darrin brought the boat slightly around. They were now
close enough to see that Tom Foss was supporting dead weight in the
person of Susie, who was unconscious.

"Waiting the word from you on the sheet, Davy," nodded Dan, as the boat
drew close to the only pair of survivors now visible.

"Let go the sheet!" called Dave an instant later, and Dan let it run off
clear, handing the end of the rope to Darrin.

"Can you head Susie this way, Foss?" Dalzell called.

"I'd rather have help," came the faint answer. Tom Foss was evidently
well spent by his exertions in keeping up the girl so long.

Splash! Dan Dalzell was in the water, without waiting to hear more. The
athletic young midshipman swam with a steadiness and speed that was
glorious to see. Many an excellent swimmer, in smooth water, would dread
buffeting with such waves as were now rolling.

Dave Darrin, meanwhile, held on to the tiller and the paid-out sheet,
ready to manoeuvre the now pitching, rolling boat at an instant's notice.
It took all his seamanship to keep the craft afloat, though the sailboat
was far better modeled for such water than the motor launch had been.

"Give her over to me, and save yourself," commanded Dalzell cheerily, as
he reached Tom Foss. "Think you can make it, old fellow?"

"If I can't, I ought to drown," retorted Tom Foss, as he struck out, none
too strongly. "This is all my fault. You fellows gave me better advice
than I had sense to follow."

Dan, with a skill that he had acquired directly from the excellent
instruction given him by the swimming master at the Naval Academy, was
now piloting the unconscious form of Susie Danes toward the sailboat.

Even encumbered as he was, Dan made the boat before Tom Foss could
accomplish that feat alone. Truth to tell, Foss was very nearly "all in."
Had rescue been delayed a few moments longer, Foss and his fair companion
must have sunk.

"Get hold of her, Davy," called D