were now half way
to the battleship.

"Thirty-five!"

The little boat was beginning to send a shower of spray over the backs
of the oarsmen. Other boats were astern of them now, but four leaders
had a good start.

"Thirty-eight! Make a good showing. We're going to pass our ship now.
Give them a run for their money. 'Idaho,' 'Georgia' and 'Connecticut'
now have the lead. Take it easy, boys; don't get excited. We'll drive
them out pretty soon. 'Idaho' is splashing and 'Georgia' just caught a
crab."

The gig was rapidly closing the gap that lay between it and the three
boats ahead of them. The fourth one was abreast, the others, a short
distance astern.

"We've got them, boys. They shot their big guns at the start. Now
keep her going as if you were an old family clock."

A roar sounded in their ears as they plunged past the battleship. The
huge cage masts were white with jackies, yelling and swinging their
hats, while every inch of rail on that side of the ship was occupied by
officers and men. The turn was made. The "Long Island's" gig was
leading the second boat by three boat lengths.

"Snap!"

The stroke oar tumbled over backwards. Sam's oar had snapped short off.

A great groan went up from the decks of the "Long Island."

"It's all off," cried an officer. "The stroke oar is broken."

"Wait! What's going on over there?"

"Jump!" shouted Coxswain Davis. "Jump, I say!"

Sam hesitated, for an instant; then the purpose of his chum dawned upon
him as he rose, crouching, from his seat.

Dan gave his companion a mighty push and Sam Hickey went overboard. A
life ring went soaring after him.

"Into his place, number two!"

The man who had been Joe Harper's stroke oar slipped over into the seat
vacated by Sam Hickey.

Dan sprang up on the rear seat with the tiller between his legs.

"Go! One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten," he
counted rapidly, to get the new stroke started in his pace.

The "Idaho" and "Connecticut" had gained a slight lead over Dan's boat
in the brief delay.

Observing Coxswain Davis' remarkable act, the sailors once more set up
a yell, and such a yell as it was!

A boat was quickly manned and a crew of jackies pulled to the place
where the red-haired Sam was clinging lazily to the life ring that Dan
had cast to him.

"He threw me overboard," complained Sam.

"That is the greatest piece of quick wit that I ever saw in my life,"
laughed th