t as he came up he caught at the object and
held fast to it. It was a large crate, empty, and with considerable
difficulty he climbed on top.

"This is better than nothing," he thought. And then, catching his
breath, he set up a long and lusty cry, in the meantime watching with
a sinking heart the lights of both steamers as they faded from view.

A quarter of an hour passed--it seemed much longer to poor Dick,--and
the lights disappeared entirely. His heart sank like lead in his bosom.

"They won't come back for me now," he reasoned. "Perhaps the steamboat
is sinking and the others have enough to do to think of saving
themselves."

The crate Dick was upon was not extra large, and it merely allowed
him to keep his head and shoulders out of water. Fortunately the
night was not cold, so he suffered little from his involuntary bath.
But he realized the seriousness of his situation and was correspondingly
sober.

"I must be a good way from land," he reasoned. "I'll have my own
troubles saving myself, even if the mist clears away."

Another quarter of an hour went by and then Dick thought he heard
voices. He strained his ears.

"I think Dick went overboard too, although I am not sure," came, in
Sam's tones.

"Yah, I dink dot," answered Hans Mueller. "Und I dink Tom he falls
ofer also alretty!"

"Hullo, there!" cried Dick.--"Is that you, Sam?"

"Who calls?" came the answering query. "It is I, Dick Rover!"

"Dick!" came from Sam and Hans.

"Where are you?"

"This way!" called Sam, and kept on calling until Dick drew closer
and at last made out his brother and the German boy clinging to
another crate.

"This is lucky--as far as it goes," said Sam. "Are you hurt?"

"Not at all. And you?"

"I got a scratch on my wrist, that is all, and Hans says he twisted
his left ankle a little. But we are glad we weren't drowned."

"What of the others?"

"I am almost sure Tom went overboard. I think the others remained on
the steamer."

"Was she sinking?"

"I think she was. I heard somebody say there was a big hole stove in
her near the port bow."

After that the three youths pulled the two crates together. A grass
rope was fastened to one of the affairs and they used this in joining
the two, and then the castaways made themselves as comfortable as
possible on their improvised raft.

The thought that Tom might have been drowned cast a gloom over Sam
and Dick and also made Hans feel bad. Consequently but little was