ther the torpedo struck or not. The
excitement grew in intensity. Gradually the group of fighting ships
drew nearer the swimmers. They were not more than half a mile away.
Another great hulk went down. The Zeppelin, with broken wings wide
spread, floated on the sea. They could scarcely see it except when a
wave made by a falling shell lifted some of its delicate framework.

"There goes another ship!" exclaimed Zaidos. "I wish I could tell what
they are. I can't see any flags or emblems from here."

"I don't care what becomes of them," Velo said irritably. "I'm
water-soaked. I feel queer. I'll never get out of this."

"Oh, brace up!" cried Zaidos, speaking in English. He reflected that
Velo could not understand a word of the language, and proceeded to give
vent to his feelings in a tongue that he had found extremely expressive
in times of need. He glared at the drooping boy, while the guns
continued to thunder.

"You make me sick! You make me tired!" he exploded. "Great Scott, you
are the worst baby I ever saw! I wish to goodness you were wherever
you want to be, wrapped up in cotton batting, I suppose, and tied with
pink string, and laid on a shelf in a safety deposit vault. You are a
regular jelly fish! I wish I had some fellow along who had a real
spine! I--" he paused for breath.

"I don't know what you are saying," complained Velo.

"It doesn't matter," said Zaidos in Greek. "It was nothing of
consequence. I think I told you once or twice before just about what I
thought about things. If you feel better to whimper around all the
time and complain about things, why, so ahead! I suppose we _will_
drown. I'm getting pretty tired myself, but I mean to hang on as long
as I can.

"If this fight ends before nightfall, that Red Cross ship is sure to
come back and pick up all they can, and you can see for yourself just
the position it is in now. It can't get to the battleships without
coming past us. So we have a good chance. I've been in the water
longer than this without much damage. But I wish you could manage to
keep yourself together, Velo. I'm sure we will come out all right.
I'm not going to die now, before I have a chance to do something worth
while." He shook the water from his face.

"Well, I believe they are going to quit," he said. "I wonder how many
fellows have seen anything like this. Three dreadnaughts and a
Zeppelin sunk and wrecked, and I don't know which is which or