Alternately Dan and Dave tried the effect of rising as far as they could and frantically waving an arm. There was not a cap to wave among the three of them.
"I'm beginning to feel discouraged," grunted Dave in disgust at last. "They must have spent a full half day already looking for us."
"Merciful powers!" gasped Dan at last, as they rode half way up the slope of a big wave. "I just caught sight of the 'recall of boats' flying from the flagship!"
"No!" gasped Dave incredulously.
"Yes, I did!"
"But—"
"They've failed and have given up the search," spoke Dan rather despairingly.
"But—"
"We may as well face it," muttered Dan brokenly. "They don't believe that any of us has survived, and we've been abandoned."
"Then," spoke Dave Darrin very coolly, "there's nothing left for us but to die like men of the American Navy."