"There are Mr. Darrin and Mr. Page!" shouted a voice.
Splash! splash! Two classmates were over in the water, swimming superbly toward the exhausted Dave.
"Keep up a moment or two longer, Mr. Darrin!" hailed the voice of Midshipman Hallam encouragingly.
All these young midshipmen were on duty. Therefore, throughout the mishap and its attendant circumstances the ceremonious use of "Mr." had been followed.
"Won't I keep up, though!" thrilled Dave, as he heard the cheering hail.
All but forgetting himself, Dave turned to make sure that Page's mouth was kept above water.
"Let me have Mr. Page!" called out Midshipman Botkin, ranging up alongside and taking charge of Darrin's burden.
"How are you, Mr. Darrin? Enjoy a little help?" queried Midshipman
Hallam, throwing out a supporting arm to his classmate.
"I'm nearly all in," confessed Dave, with a ghastly smile.
"But not all in? Good enough! Get hold of my arm, and don't try to do much more than float. They're gathering the men in fast, now."