Before those flashing eyes Mr. Baldwin took a step backward. At sea the captain, not the owner, commands, and Joseph Baldwin quickly realized it.
"Captain!" roared down Ab Perkins's voice from the bridge.
On the point of giving the lowering-away order, Tom turned to look where the first officer pointed.
In another second Captain Halstead commanded, hoarsely:
"Stand by your posts at the davits!"
Then he darted forward along the rail, taking in the inspiring sight that greeted his eyes.
Though Dick Davis had met with bad luck, he did not mean to let it turn into disaster.
Seeing two of his boat's crew safe for the moment, Dick succeeded in helping two more sailors to gain the boat. Still another was making stubborn headway over the waves toward the side of the schooner, where one of the crew of the wreck stood ready to cast a rope.
And now the master of the "Alert" made a splendid cast with a line that shot far out, uncoiling until it lay across the overturned boat.
"Good old Dick!" breathed young Halstead, as he saw his second officer catch the rope and pass the end quickly back past the others who clung to the keel of the overturned life-boat.