case later."

It did not prove to be the English steamer. Instead it was a powerful
fruiter, hailing from New York, and Russ and Mr. Sneed were soon aboard,
the _Ajax_ being hoisted to her deck. Then she resumed her course, but
it was a different one.

For, on the earnest plea of Russ and Mr. Sneed, the steamer's captain
consented to turn back and search for the _Mary Ellen_.

"I don't know as I'll find her," he said, "but we can't let all those
poor souls perish."

So the search began. It lasted three days, during which the storm nearly
blew itself out. And on the morning of the fourth day, when the sullen
sea was trying to calm itself, and when the wind had died down to a
moderate gale, the lookout of the _Sirius_ called out:

"Sail ho!"

"Where away?" came the demand.

"Dead ahead. She's a schooner, low in the water, and she's flying a
signal of distress!"

CHAPTER XXV

CLEAR SKIES

Instantly there was commotion and excitement on board the _Sirius_, for
Russ and Mr. Sneed had told their story of the starting out to make a
pictured shipwreck, which shipwreck had evidently, now, become real.

"That's the _Mary Ellen_, I'm sure of it!" Russ cried as he caught a
glimpse of the sighted schooner. "But what has happened to her?"

"Masts are gone, and she's sinking," one of the steamer's officers told
him. "I guess we can't get to her any too quickly."

And it was high time a rescue was made, for Captain Jepson, and Mr.
Pertell had decided to take to the boats with all on board.

The _Mary Ellen_ _was_ sinking; there was no doubt of that. All that
could be done had been done, but to no avail.

But hope revived when the steamer was sighted.

A little later, the _Sirius_ stood by. And high time, too. As a last
resort, when it was found that the repaired pumps could not keep the
water down in the hold, so big was the leak, the signal of distress had
been hoisted. And, after many anxious hours, it had been thus
providentially answered.

Then a thought came to Mr. Pertell. The weather had cleared. The
schooner would keep afloat a few hours more. Why not make the pictures
of the shipwreck now? It would be his only chance. True, they would not
be just as planned, but they would be better than losing all the efforts
that had been made.

There was a brief talk with the captain of the _Sirius_. He consented to
stand by until the sea drama, quickly revised, was acted out--at least,
until shipwreck scenes