uld enable her to cruise and cover the
greatest amount of space without doubling. At about four bells in the
afternoon watch the speaking tube on the bridge whistled.

"Something that looks like a derelict, sir," came the message from the
man in the crow's-nest, "bearing about a point and a half for'ard of the
port beam."

The officer of the deck gave a sharp order to change the course and the
_Miami_ swung round. The captain was on the bridge at the time.

"Observed anything, Mr. Hamilton?" he queried.

"Lookout reports an object, now right ahead, sir," was the reply. He
picked up the tube again.

"Can you see the derelict now?"

"Yes, sir," came the reply; "we're a-raisin' her fast."

"She must be nearly flush with the water," said the officer of the deck,
handing the glass to the captain; "I don't see her yet."

In half an hour, however, there was no doubt that this was the derelict
that had been reported by the _Marie-Rose_. As the _Miami_ neared her it
was evident that she was heavily water-logged. Her bow was deep under
water, only her stern appearing above the surface. On the poop rail had
been hung a shirt, the white gleam of which might have been the distress
signal referred to in the message of the _Marie-Rose_. The _Miami_
slowed up as she neared the derelict to survey the wreck. Suddenly there
came an order,

"Clear away both cutters! Lively now, lads!"

The men sprang to stations at the word.

"Lower away together! Easy now! Let go all!"

And with the routine of clockwork two of the _Miami's_ boats were in the
water and off for the derelict. The sea was choppy but not high, and the
water-logged bark lay so heavily that she scarcely moved. The waves came
up and dashed over her almost like a rock. One of the second
lieutenants, who was in charge of the large boat, was first to round the
derelict. From the lee side, he pointed with his finger.

"There must be somebody aboard her," said Eric, rightly guessing the
meaning of the gesture. Then, noting the manner in which the other boat
kept away, he realized that the wreckage was on that side. Wrenching the
tiller round, he called,

"Back starboard!"

The boat spun round like a top, sweeping right under the vessel's stern.

"Give way to starboard! Easy port!"

The boat slid up alongside the derelict as though coming to a landing
place. The men trailed their oars, the bow oar grappled with a boat-hook
and Eric leaped for the poop rail of the v