"Help me! I'm sinking!" she screamed, as she threw up her hands. Then
some of the water washed into her mouth.

"No; you're not sinking, either!" shouted Jack, encouragingly, as he
redoubled his efforts at water sprinting.

He darted in, catching at her with one hand just as the girl's head sank
under a wave.

In a jiffy Jack Benson had a secure hand-hold.

"Save me--oh, save me!" choked the girl, in terror, as her head came
once more above.

"Keep cool; do just as I tell you, and--No! Don't grab me like that,
or you may drown us both!" remonstrated the submarine boy.

But the girl acted as though possessed solely by the demon of terror.
She succeeded in wrapping both arms in a frenzy about the submarine
boy.

"You _must_ leave my arms free," urged Jack, desperately, "or we shall
go down together."

He struggled, but her strength, in her despair, was something past
belief. Jack trod water while trying to make her understand.

It was of no use. She clung the tighter. There was but one course
that would save time--to strike her a blow on the forehead that would
render her senseless. But Jack could not bring himself to strike a
woman.

As she felt herself going down the girl only wrapped her arms the more
tightly about her would-be rescuer.

Then the water closed over them. Jack felt himself slipping down and
down into the watery grave that awaited them.

No strength can combat the power of frenzy. Though Jack Benson
struggled, he realized that it was a losing battle. The girl's arms
seemed locked in a deathless grip around his own.

By the time that the first of the midshipmen reached the spot there was
no trace either of Jack Benson or of the girl whom he had sought to
save.

CHAPTER XXII

JACK SIGNALS THE "SAWBONES"

Though he realized the deadly peril of the situation, Jack Benson, when
he found himself in that frantic embrace, slipping below the waters,
did not lose his head.

"She'll weaken before I do," was his first thought.

He had taken in no water. A strong, expert swimmer, the submarine boy
could hold in his breath for some time to come.

"If I could only free one hand, now!" thought the submarine boy.

He tried, but some instinct in the girl made her resist his efforts.

Even had he wanted to, the chivalrous youngster could not now have
struck the blow that, depriving the young woman of her senses, would
give him a chance to control her. His arms were pinned t