"Hold it," the frogman called, and lifted his face mask.
Rick stopped moving, staring numbly.
Jimmy Kelly! Lieutenant Kelly!
"I'll tow you to the boat," the lieutenant called. "Relax."
Rick obeyed, head spinning. He was a little groggy, and he couldn't make sense out of things. How had Kelly got here?
And Scotty! Where was Scotty? He started struggling again, calling his friend's name.
"He's all right," Kelly said urgently. "Relax, Rick!"
Rick caught the words, and they penetrated. How did Kelly know Scotty was all right? But the lieutenant had spoken with authority, so he relaxed.
Kelly towed him to the landing stage of the ship Rick had seen, a destroyer escort. Willing hands lifted him from the water. He slumped down on the edge of the stage, shaking his head to clear it while Navy frogmen stripped his aqualung harness from him and pulled the mask from his face.
A voice said, "Drink this."