he tried to get a few more revolutions out of the fly wheel.

In spite of their brave front, Russ and his companion were sufficiently
miserable. Their boat constantly shipped water, and they had to use the
hand force pump, which, fortunately, was in the craft. A pump was
connected with the cylinder cooling apparatus, designed to free the
cockpit of bilge water, but the pump would not work.

Russ and Mr. Sneed were wet through, for the cabin could not be entirely
closed against the spray. And they had nothing to eat except cold
victuals. There was a gasoline stove aboard, but there was nothing to
cook, for only an emergency ration had been put in the craft, and that
was more because of a whim on the part of Jack Jepson, than because he
really thought it would be needed.

But more than once as they drank of the water, and nibbled the hard
biscuits, or crackers, in the water-tight box, Russ and his companion
blessed the forethought of honest Jack Jepson--I beg his pardon,
Captain Jepson it was now, though neither Russ nor Mr. Sneed knew that.

"I think I'll hoist a signal," said the actor, as they drove on, now
seeing the steamer, and again losing her.

"Good idea," Russ agreed, as he busied himself with an oil can.

Mr. Sneed managed to lash an oar upright, and on it he fastened a bit of
canvas. It stood out straight, like a board, so strong was the wind that
whipped it.

"I hope they see that," commented the actor.

"I hope so, too," added Russ. "It doesn't do any good to yell, for the
wind is blowing from them to us."

More than once, as they urged their craft on a long slant toward the
steamer, they almost gave up hope. But it sprang up again, and finally,
as a break in the clouds let out a little rift of light, someone on the
watch aboard the steamer saw the fluttering signal.

"She's seen us! She's seen us!" cried Russ in delight.

"How can you tell?" demanded his companion.

"She whistled. I saw the steam. You'll hear the blast in a second."

And they did. Light travels faster than sound. They saw the steam from
the powerful whistle before they heard the hoarse blast; even as one
sees the flash of a gun before hearing the report.

The steamer changed her course, and came on toward the motorboat.

"Suppose it's the English one, that wants to capture poor Jack,"
suggested Mr. Sneed.

"That doesn't make any difference," Russ said. "She'll save us, and then
look for the schooner. We can take up Jack's