Suddenly, when the two craft were almost together, the engineer, after throwing over his wheel, held up one hand.
Before Dave could guess what the gesture meant, the "Duncan" loomed up on the sail-boat's port bow, coming on at unabated speed.
There was an instant scampering of midshipmen for safety. Then bump! the motor boat's bow crashed into the sailboat, cutting a great gap in her.
The force of the shock threw most of the midshipmen into the water.
The rest jumped.
Now, the "Duncan" responded to her engine by backing off. But the motor boat, too, had received her deathblow. Ere she had backed off a hundred and fifty feet she began to fill rapidly. Owner and engineer had only time to adjust life-preservers and leap overboard. Then the "Duncan" went down.
At the moment of collision there was a crash of spars and a snapping of cordage. The sailing craft's mast had gone by the board, though not much before the sailboat itself had filled.
Dave himself was pitched headlong. He sank below the water, but had no fear for himself, for he was wholly at home in the water.
Yet, as he found the water closing over him, Dave Darrin felt a great thrill of terror for others run through him.
"My boat crew is the poorest in the class in swimming!" he gasped, with a throb of agony. "Not more than half of them know how to take care of themselves! And I, as captain, am responsible for their safety!"