, brace up! The ships searched for us a long time, and
some launches were put out after us. But they couldn't see our little
heads above the big waves, and so----"

"They've gone away and left us?" queried Hallam, guessing at once. "Now,
fellows, I don't mind so much for myself, but it's fearful to think that
I've dragged you into the same fate. It's awful! Why couldn't you have
left me to my fate?"

"Would you have done a thing like that?" demanded Dave dryly.

"Oh, well, I suppose not, but--but--well, I wish I had been left to pay
the price of my tomfoolery all alone. It would have served me right. But
to drag you two into it--"

Hallam could go no further. He was choking up with honest emotion.

"Don't bother about it, Hally," urged Dave. "It's all in the day's work
for a sailor. We'll just take it as it comes, old fellow."

To not one of the trio did it occur to let go of the life buoys and sink
as a means of ending misery. In the first place, human instinct holds to
hope. In the second place, suicide is the resort of cowards.

"None of you happened to hide any food in his pockets at breakfast, I
take it?" asked Dan grimly, at last.

Of course they hadn't.

"Too bad," sighed Dan. "I'm growing terribly hungry."

"Catch a fish," smiled back Darrin.

"And eat it raw?" gasped Dalzell. "Darry, you know my tastes better than
that."

"Then wait a few hours longer," proposed Dave, "until even raw fish will
be a delicacy."

Hallam took no part in the chaffing. He was miserably conscious, all
the while, that his own folly had been solely responsible for the
present plight of these noble messmates.

Thus the time passed on. None kept any track of it; they realized only
that it was still daylight.

Then suddenly Dave gave a gasp and raised one hand to point.

His two classmates turned and were able to make out the mastheads of a
craft in the distance.

How they strained their eyes! All three stared and stared, until they
felt tolerably certain that the craft was headed their way.

"They may see us!" cried Hallam eagerly.

"Three battleships and as many launches failed to find us," retorted
Dan. "And they were looking for us, too."

As the vessel came nearer and the hull became visible, it took on the
appearance of a liner.

"Why, it looks as though she'd run right over us when she gets nearer,"
cried Dave, his eyes kindling with hope.

"Don't get too excited over it," urged Dan. "For my part, I'm gro