As it struck the water, the dampness reached the bottle of chemicals attached to the life-saving contrivance. Instantaneously a dull, ghostly glare lit up the surrounding waves. The light was blue and uncanny, and rendered the scene still more disheartening. As the light struck the tossing waves, it turned them to a steely, unearthly bluish hue.
But if Tom were swimming anywhere near at hand he would be able to see the buoy and strike out for it.
"Look! Look there!" cried the professor, suddenly pointing off into the blue glare of the chemical buoy.
The others hastily glanced in the direction indicated, and, for a second, they could see a head bobbing about on the wave crests.
"Turn the ship ar-oond!" bellowed Sandy.
"I daren't. If we got into the trough of those seas, we'd be swamped in an instant."
Jack spoke the truth. To have attempted to turn the Sea Ranger in the sea that was running might have meant disaster, swift and certain.
"There comes the other craft!" cried Jack suddenly.
As he spoke, he saw a large tug, pitching and heaving fearfully in the heavy sea, come wallowing into the circle of light cast by the chemical buoy. Several men were on her decks. Jack could see that one of them held a line, which he threw out toward the bobbing head on the wave crests.
With the idea of aiding the men on the tug in their work, Jack switched the searchlight over toward them. Its rays fell on the craft just in time for those on board the Sea Ranger to see Tom's limp form being hauled on board.