Dick found that he could remain on the deck only with the greatest of difficulty. Several life lines had been stretched around and he clung to one of these.
"What has happened?" he asked of one of the sailors. "What did we strike?"
"Struck a small boat," was the answer. "It had a colored man in it. We've just hauled the fellow on deck."
"Is he all right?"
"No; he's about half dead. But the captain thinks he may get over it, with care," and the sailor hurried away.
Dick now saw several men approaching, carrying the form of the rescued one between them. He looked at the unconscious man and gave a cry of amazement.
"Alexander Pop! What a strange happening!"
"Do you know the man?" questioned Captain Cambion.
"I know him very well," answered Dick. "He used to work at the military academy where my brothers and I were cadets." And the boy told Captain Cambion the particulars of Alexander Pop's disappearance from Putnam Hall. "I am glad that I will be able to tell him that his innocence is established," he concluded.
"All providing we are able to bring him around to himself, Master
Rover," returned the captain gravely.