The clouds grew blacker, the sea ran higher, and the wind whistled more viciously.
Over the black waters, dimly seen, the bounding light carried on board the lifeboat was seen to draw nearer and nearer.
The ship’s lights were burning brightly to guide the daring rescuers back to safety.
“They are pulling for their lives,” said the executive officer, somewhat anxiously, and then came the low response of Captain De Long:
“They have need to.”
Nearer and nearer came the leaping light in the boat, and the storm was keeping pace with it, perhaps outracing it, for so many believed.
Once it struck the ship before the lifeboat reached it, and the rescuers would share the fate of those they had risked their lives to rescue.
CHAPTER XLIII.
A DEBT OF GRATITUDE.
The suspense on board of the cruiser was terrible, the more so because perfect discipline kept it under, and it could find no vent in words.