Indeed, Dave was running the lee gunwale under water half the time, trusting to the human ballast supplied by his comrade to keep them afloat.
"See anything now?" demanded Dave.
"No," uttered Dan, "though I'm working my eyes three shifts to try to make out something. I'll have to go to an oculist as soon as I get through with this. This eyestrain is awful."
Midshipman Dan Dalzell was really unconscious of the fact that he was joking. It was second nature with him; he would have jested—unconsciously—with death in its most awful form.
"There, I see a head—two of them!" cried Midshipman Dave suddenly, as he half rose and pointed.
"Hurrah!"—from Dan.
Dan let the boat's head fall off a point in order that he might see better around the mast on the weather side, just where he must head his craft in the last dash in.
"It's Foss and Ella Wright," called Dan, as the flying sailboat got in closer over the foam-crested waves. "No, it isn't; Foss has Susie."
"Can you make out Canty and Ella?" demanded Darrin hoarsely.
"Not a sign, Dave. Maybe he's gone under trying to save Ella."