{Illustration: "HE FIRED TWO SHOTS IN QUICK SUCCESSION" [p.[42]}
He fired two shots in quick succession, then handed the still smoking weapon to his companion.
"Keep it out of the water a bit," he said. "My hand's getting rather numb .... She's broadside on to us, I'm afraid. Surely she heard those reports. How long have we been here—an hour?"
Colin could give no definite information on the subject. He was feeling exhausted himself. In spite of the warmness of the water his limbs were stiff and cold. But gamely he held the revolver above the water, while Van der Wyck chafed his own benumbed limbs.
"Time to fire again," he observed. "Hand me the pistol."
Colin, from the opposite side of the buoy, handed him the revolver. He felt Van der Wyck's fingers close over the butt, then he heard a muttered exclamation of annoyance. The revolver, slipping from the Afrikander's nerveless fingers, was sinking rapidly, rapidly through three miles of water to the bed of the Atlantic.
"That's about the limit," he remarked dejectedly. "They'll never find us in the darkness, I'm afraid."
* * * * *
The moment Tiny Desmond realised that his chum had leapt overboard he ran for'ard. His shouts of "Man overboard!" had been heard by a few passengers only, and they were helpless in the matter. The noise of the band had drowned his voice, and the warning was unheard by any of the ship's officers and crew.