Biff couldn’t stand the suspense any longer.
“And what did you find? Was it a sloop? Was it the Sea Islander?”
“Yes to both questions, Biff.”
“Whoopee! Eeeowie! We’ve found it! We’ve found it!”
Biff grabbed Li by the shoulders and whirled him around.
“You sure, Li? You’re positive it’s the Sea Islander?”
“I’m sure, Biff. There was a life preserver still attached to the side of the sloop’s cabin. I could make out the letters spelling the boat’s name. And those letters sure did spell out Sea Islander.”
“What condition’s she in?”
“Well, I couldn’t tell much. She’s heeled over on her starboard side, I think. Not all the way. Her mast is broken off, as far as I could tell. Some of her ropes are still attached. I brushed against them both going down and coming back up.”
Li had stretched out on the deck of the Easy Action. Strength was flowing back into his body. Staying submerged as long as he had takes a lot out of a person physically.