“There he goes!” cried Jimmie pointing away to the north.
“Where?” inquired Ned looking in the direction indicated. “Oh, I see him,” the lad went on. “He’s swimming a good stroke, too!”
“Is he crazy or just disgusted with the company on board the ‘U-13’?”
“Perhaps he thinks he’ll be picked up by that boat!” stated Jimmie again directing the attention of his comrades to a small fishing craft. “They seem to be heading a course that will reach Mackinder.”
“He was wise enough to take one of the life preservers,” said Harry indicating a space from which a buoy was missing.
“Sure enough!” agreed Ned. “He’s no fool at any rate!”
“Let’s wait a while to see if they pick him up,” suggested Jimmie.
“If they don’t get him, we’ll chase over there and take him aboard again. What do you say?” asked Ned of the others.
There was no dissenting voice raised to this suggestion. Eagerly the lads watched the boat momentarily drawing nearer the swimmer.
In a short time the boat rounded to, losing her way in the water. A sharp skiff was quickly launched over the side. Into this tumbled two men. They soon covered the distance between their vessel and the swimmer. Without difficulty they succeeded in assisting Mackinder into the skiff, then put quickly back to the sailing vessel.