"Steamer! I don't see any steamer!" exclaimed Mr. Sneed, as he looked in the direction toward which the face of Russ was turned.
"You will when we both come on top of a wave at the same time," was the answer. "You see we lie so low in the water she can't see us, and we can't glimpse her until we're both on a crest together. She's off to the east there. Watch and you'll see her. Look now!"
At that moment the Ajax rose on a mighty wave, which lifted her high toward the sky, in which were now rifted clouds. Mr. Sneed glanced to where Russ pointed, and saw the long, black hull of a steamer, from whose stacks belched forth clouds of smoke, showing that her engines were being driven at top speed to overcome the storm.
"There she is!" cried Russ. "Now if we can only reach her, we'll be all right, and we can help the others."
"The others," murmured the actor.
"Yes, those on the Mary Ellen. She must be in trouble in this storm, for she isn't built for this sort of thing. It's a wonder she lasted as long as she did."
"Maybe she's at the bottom now," suggested Mr. Sneed.
"Cheerful, aren't you?" remarked Russ. "I thought you'd given that sort of thing up."
"I meant to. I really did. I'm sorry!" the other exclaimed, contritely enough. Really he was a different sort of Mr. Sneed from the "human grouch" who often made matters so unpleasant for members of the Comet Film Company. Since he and Russ had so nearly faced death, Mr. Sneed was much braver and more cheerful.
"I think she'll keep afloat for some time," Russ went on, "as she is all wood, you know. She may be pretty well battered, though."