on. At last he saw
Merriwell turn about and swim again toward the raft, when it became
evident that he could not overtake the sloop.

"That is enough to kill Merry!" he thought sympathizingly. "And Inza saw
us, too! I wonder what she thinks?"

Slowly and with seeming weariness Merriwell came back toward the raft.
Bart lifted himself as high as he could to mark the spot where the raft
lay tossing. When lifted on the crest of a wave, Merriwell came plainly
in sight; but when either Frank or the raft slipped down the glassy
surface of those big, green rollers, he seemed to sink into the sea.

"I'm afraid he is going to have a hard pull! He must be tired out."

He shook his fist at the sloop. It was growing smaller and smaller. A
haze was again creeping over the sea.

"My God! What if the fog should settle down again and keep Merry from
finding the raft?"

Bart shuddered at the thought. But Merriwell was so strong a swimmer
that Bart's hopes rose again almost immediately. There were indications
that the fog was once more descending, but Merriwell was now swimming
straight toward the raft with a bold, firm stroke, and with considerable
speed.

"Right here, old man!" Bart encouragingly called.

"I'm coming!" Merriwell shouted, and his tones did not show exhausting
fatigue.

Then he swam up to the raft, and Bart helped him to climb upon it.

"What was the matter with those scoundrels?"

"Deaf!"

"What?"

"Deaf as posts, both of them!" Merriwell explained, resting on the
boards and panting from his exertions. "They didn't look this way simply
because they didn't hear us. I'm sure of that, from the way they acted.
I began to think so when I told you to hang to the raft. I believed that
if I could overtake the sloop, and could climb aboard and make myself
known, or knock them down, as my intention was, I could then release
Inza and sail the sloop over here and get you. But I couldn't swim fast
enough."

"You went through the water like a fish!"

"But the sloop went faster. If that breeze hadn't sprung up, I think I
could have made it."

"And what are they doing with Inza?"

"I don't know. But I'm glad of one thing. She isn't dead."

"Deaf!" muttered Bart. "Deaf as posts! Well, that does make the thing a
bit clearer."

The reaction from the tremendous exertions which Merriwell had put forth
made itself felt now. The excitement having passed, he felt almost
exhausted. He climbed up as high as he could on t