's name.

"He's all right," Kelly said urgently. "Relax, Rick!"

Rick caught the words, and they penetrated. How did Kelly know Scotty
was all right? But the lieutenant had spoken with authority, so he
relaxed.

Kelly towed him to the landing stage of the ship Rick had seen, a
destroyer escort. Willing hands lifted him from the water. He slumped
down on the edge of the stage, shaking his head to clear it while Navy
frogmen stripped his aqualung harness from him and pulled the mask from
his face.

A voice said, "Drink this."

A mug of steaming black coffee was thrust into his hand and he sipped,
grateful for the spreading warmth it brought.

Suddenly he started again. "Scotty! Where is he?"

"Up here, Rick, with me."

He looked up, and his eyes focused again--on Tony and Zircon!

A motor whaleboat drew up to the landing stage, and two husky frogmen
handed up a suited figure. "Here's one, Lieutenant," a frogman called.

"All right, Danny. Where's the other?"

"Heading for the reef at top speed. Jonesy's after him."

"Go help Jonesy haul him in."

"Yes, Sir." The motor whaleboat veered off and sped toward shore.

A frogman surfaced almost at Rick's feet. He instinctively drew back,
and the frogman gripped the edge of the stage, spat out his mouthpiece,
and pulled up his mask with the other hand.

Rick found himself looking at Steve Ames! What was he doing here?

"Where's the brass ball?" Steve asked.

"I don't know."

With an effort Rick pulled his scattered wits together. His mind began
to work again. Obviously, through some miracle Steve and Zircon had
arrived on a Navy ship with Jimmy Kelly and a detachment of Navy
frogmen.

Scotty called from on deck. "It's at the octopus cave, Steve. I saw one
of the frogmen drop it there."

Steve hauled himself out to the landing stage. He grinned at Rick.
"Feeling better?"

"Much," Rick said. He was beginning to feel nearly human again.

"Let's go on deck. I want to find out about this octopus cave."

Rick stood up, and was surprised to find that he didn't wobble. He
followed Steve up the ladder to the deck and found Scotty seated on a
canvas stool, sipping coffee.

Zircon asked anxiously, "Are you all right, Rick?"

Tony said, "Here's the doctor for a look at you."

A young Navy officer joined them and motioned Rick to a canvas stool. He
applied a stethoscope and listened, then grunted his satisfaction. "He
seems all right. Pulse a little fast, but