Part 42 (2/2)

”No, sir.”

”Quick! Give him another warning!”

”He does not answer, sir.”

”There goes the signal line! It's fouled, sir!”

A violent wrench on the supporting line with which the diver was to be hoisted to the surface tore it loose from its fastening on board the diver's boat.

”The line's gone, sir!”

All hands were standing up in the rocking boats. The sky had suddenly become overcast and spray was das.h.i.+ng over them in blinding sheets.

Sam stood as if dazed. He did not catch the full significance of the scene, but his mind was working. Like a flash it dawned upon him.

”There goes the air tube. That settles him, sir!”

”What does it mean?” stammered Sam.

”The diver is drowning three fathoms under the sea. Nothing can save him,” groaned some one.

An instant of silence followed.

Dan threw up his flag signaling, ”accident.”

Then a body flashed through the air. The dazed spectators caught sight of a white service uniform, as the intrepid Dan Davis plunged into the sea, disappearing beneath the waves.

Sam's flagstaff struck the gunwale with a bang an instant later, toppled over and was quickly carried away. Ere it had reached the water, however, the second Battles.h.i.+p Boy had leaped to the bow of the boat and before they could utter a word of warning, he had followed his chum Davis with a long, clean dive into the ocean.

CHAPTER XXIII-HEROES TO THE RESCUE

”Men overboard from the wherry!” bellowed a voice in the motor boat that had brought out the second diving suit.

”Stand by to pick them up!” roared the ensign.

”They'll never make it. Shall we go over, sir, and help them out when they come up?” asked a seaman.

”Stand by! Not a man of you goes over. You couldn't live in this sea.

The fools-to do a thing like that!”

The wind had increased to a gale, great walls of water hurling themselves against the frail craft and breaking over them in quick succession.

”Bail boat,” commanded the ensign.

”Aye, aye, sir.”

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