inarily a fifteen-knot boat,
would have reached them in two hours. Under the weather conditions of
this wild night it was much later when the two craft were within
hailing distance by signal lights. Hank was now in command of the
deck, Skipper Tom and Powell Seaton being with Joe.

"Shall we try to send you a line for a tow?" came the demand from the
liner.

"Yes," replied Halstead. Then, with a grimace he added:

"But the salvage charge for such a tow will call for more than we can
raise, Joe, old fellow. I reckon the 'Restless' will have to be put up
for sale to pay her own bills."

"Do you think I'd let you boys stand the towing charges?" demanded
Powell Seaton, indignantly. "Whatever charges there are are mine to
pay, and I'm at least good for the entire purchase price of a few
boats like even this good little old salt water wizard!"

Tom soon afterwards made his way to the deck, but Mr. Seaton, weak and
almost ill after the hours of anxiety, threw himself upon a cushioned
seat near the wireless sending table.

As Tom stood on the bridge deck he studied the liner's lights as that
larger craft manoeuvred in to the leeward of the motor craft.

Once she had gained this position at a sufficient distance to make any
collision on this wild sea unlikely, the liner steamed ahead.

"Stand ready to receive our line!" came to Joe in clicks through the
watch-case receivers over either ear. He swiftly transmitted the order
through the speaking tube to Halstead on the bridge.

Then the liner burned another light. Tom answered with one held in his
own hand. It was the signal to look for the line, and the answer.

Through the darkness came a sudden, red flash from the after deck of
the liner. The wind was so heavy that those on the bridge deck of the
"Restless" could not be sure that they heard the report of the gun.
But a missile whizzed over their heads, and to this blessed projectile
trailed a thin line that fell across the top of the cabin deck.

Tom and Hank made a simultaneous bolt to get hold of that line. It was
young Butts who secured it. He passed it on to the young captain,
and, together, they leaped to the bridge-deck with it. From there they
crawled forward over the raised deck, slipping the line, at last,
between the two raised ends of the towing bitt.

"Now, haul in with a will," glowed the young skipper, as they crept
back to the bridge-deck. A great wave swept over them on their way
back. Tom saw it c