CHAPTER XVIII
ONE STRIKE AND OUT
The two young baseball players and the girls joined the throng that was racing toward the stern.
A number of people were pointing wildly over the port side at a small object some distance behind the ship.
They followed the pointing fingers and saw the head of a man who was swimming desperately toward the receding ship.
The steamer, which had been taking advantage of the favorable weather and had been ploughing ahead under full steam, found it hard to stop, although orders had been given at once to shut off steam.
It was maddening to the onlookers to see the distance increase between the giant ship and that bobbing, lonely speck far out in the waste of waters.
With all the celerity possible the great steamer swung round in a circle and bore down upon the 151 struggling swimmer, while at the same time preparations were made to lower a boat as soon as they should be near enough.
“They’re going to save him!” cried Mabel, half-sobbing in her excitement. “Oh, Joe, they’re going to save him after all!”
It seemed as though there were no doubt of this now, for the man was evidently a strong swimmer and seemed to be maintaining himself without great effort, and it was certain that within the next few minutes the boat, already filled with oarsmen and swaying at the davits, ready to be lowered, would reach him.