“Maybe you had better back her, Ralph,” suggested Jack, and at once the engine was started up again and set in reverse.
“There she is! On our right!” called out Randy, a moment later.
“She’s heading this way!” screamed Fred.
“Back her, Ralph! Back her, or we’ll be cut in two!” bellowed Gif.
Like a great ghost the bow of the steamer shone forth in the rays of the motor-boat searchlight. There was a clanging of bells, and the big steamer veered off while the Fancy continued to back. As the stern of the large vessel swept within twenty feet of the smaller craft, the boys caught sight of many passengers and some officers peering anxiously over the rail at them. Then the big steamer was swallowed up again in the fog and the motor boat and its occupants were left to themselves.
It must be admitted that all of the cadets had been scared, and with good reason. Now that the peril was over, each felt a sinking sensation, and Fred and Spouter were close to fainting. It was several seconds before any one felt like speaking.
“It’s a good thing you backed, Ralph,” said Gif, soberly. “If you hadn’t done it we might have been cut in two.”
“We’ve got Jack to thank for that,” answered the young commander of the Fancy. “It certainly was a close shave, wasn’t it?” he added, with a sigh of relief.
“Well, we’re not yet out of our troubles,” came from Randy. “Where there is one boat like that there’s apt to be more. I think we had better head for the Cape as quickly as we can make it.”
“Oh, we can’t afford to run fast,” broke in Fred. “The best thing to do is to run as cautiously as possible.”