and launched. A half dozen sailors sprang in and
took up the oars. Frank and Jack leaped in after them.

The oars glistened in the glare of the searchlight as the men raised
them and awaited the word.

"Give way," said Jack.

The boat sped over the smooth surface of the sea.

Close to the wreckage of the Zeppelin it approached; and cries told
Jack that some of the Germans still lived.

"Hurry!" he cried, and the men increased their stroke.

Near the wreckage Jack gave the command to cease rowing. A German swam
toward the boat. Hands helped him in and he lay in the bottom panting.
Other forms swam toward them. These, too, were lifted in the boat. And
at last Jack counted fifteen Germans who had been saved.

"Are you all here?" he asked of a German officer.

"All but Commander Butz, sir," was the man's reply.

Jack commanded his men to row closer to the wreckage.

"Ahoy there!" he shouted, when he had come close.

The lad thought he heard a muffled answer, but he could not make sure.
He called again. This time the answer came plainer.

"Where are you?" asked Jack.

"Under the wreckage," was the reply.

Jack scrutinized the wreckage closely.

"Looks like it might sink any minute," he said "But we can't leave him
there."

"What are you going to do?" asked Frank.

For answer Jack arose in the boat. Quickly he threw off his coat and
kicked off his shoes. Then he poised himself on the edge of the boat.

"I'm going after him," he replied.

Before Frank could reply, he had dived head first into the sea.

With a cry of alarm, Frank also sprang to his feet and divested himself
of his coat and shoes.

"Stay close, men!" he commanded. "I'll lend a hand if it's needed."

He, too, leaped into the water.

Rapidly, Jack swam close to the wreckage. He continued to call to the
German, and while he received an answer each time, he could not locate
the man. Twice he swam around all that remained of the huge Zeppelin.
By this time Frank had come up with him.

"Can't you find him?" he asked.

"No," returned Jack, "and I am rather afraid to swim under there. The
balloon may sink and carry me under. But if I were certain in exactly
what spot the man is imprisoned, I'd have a try at it."

Frank listened attentively; and directly the German's voice came again.
To Frank it seemed that the voice came from directly ahead of him.

"Lay hold of this end here," he said to Jack. "If you can lift it a bit
I'll go under