things."

"Is he swimming?" demanded the younger lad.

"Yes, but only with one hand. He must be injured. He can just manage
to keep afloat. Put in a little closer. We've passed the worst of the
Teeth. It's deep water here, isn't it?"

"Yes, as near as I can tell. I haven't been here very often. It's too
dangerous, even in calm weather, to say nothing of a storm."

The wind was now a gale, but the boys had their sailboat well in hand
and were managing her skillfully. They came nearer to the feebly
swimming lad.

"There he goes--he's sunk--he's under!" yelled Andy, peering beneath
the boom.

"Too bad!" muttered Frank. "We're too late!"

Eagerly he looked into the tumult of waters Then he uttered a joyful
cry.

"There he is again! He's a plucky one. We must get him, Andy!"

"But how? I daren't steer in any closer or I'll have a hole in us and
we'll go down."

"We've got to save the poor fellow. I wonder who he is?"

"It's tough," murmured Andy. "See, the fire on the motor boat seems to
be out."

"Yes, probably the explosion blew it out. The boat floats well. Maybe
we can save that."

"Got to get this poor boy first. Oh, if he could only swim out a
little farther we could throw him a line. Hey there!" he called to the
lad, "we're coming! Can you make your way over here? We daren't come
in any closer."

There was no answer, but the desperately struggling lad waved his one
good arm to show that he had heard. Then he resumed his battle with
the sea--an unequal battle.

"Plucky boy!" murmured Frank. "I'm going to save him. He can never
swim out this far."

Andy had thrown the boat up in the wind, had lowered the sail so that
she was now riding the waves comparatively motionless, for there came a
lull in the gale.

Then, even as Frank spoke, the unfortunate lad again disappeared from
sight.

"He's gone--for good this time I guess," spoke Andy, and there was a
solemn note in his faltering voice.

"No! There he is again!" fairly yelled Frank. "I'm going overboard
for him."

"You can't swim in this sea!" objected his brother. "There'll be two
drowned instead of one."

"I _can_ do it!" firmly declared the older lad. He began to take off
his shoes, and divest himself of his heavier garments.

"You're crazy!" cried Andy. "You can't do it!"

"Just you watch," spoke Frank calmly. "I can't stand by and see a lad
drown like that. Have we a spare line aboard?"

"Yes, plenty.