"The leading transport is signaling, and so are the destroyers in the lead," Greg announced, peering ahead.
In their path, and coming nearer four columns of dense smoke could be observed ascending as though coming up out of the water.
"More destroyers, or some cruisers, coming out to meet us," Dick conjectured. "As yet they're too far away to be seen from this deck. Yes, I must be right. Look at the watch officers on the bridge. They are using their marine glasses and looking forward."
"More craft coming to help us?" Greg called up, after having walked nearly under the bridge end on the port side.
"Yes, sir," replied one of the watch officers. "Four American destroyers coming up to strengthen the escort."
Then he named the oncoming craft, whereat Dick Prescott started with pleasure.
"The first two are the craft commanded by Darry and Danny Grin,"
Dick murmured to his chum.
"That's right," Greg nodded. "I wonder if they know we're here."
"Probably not. And they wouldn't recognize us, even if they saw us at a distance. The uniform tends to make all men look alike at a very little distance. It will seem tough, though, to be so near Darry and Danny Grin and not have even a wave of the hand from them."
"What part of the ocean are we in?" Greg called up to the obliging bridge officer.