With that he made his way back to the cockpit to steady the yacht on her helm. Then it was that he found that Oswald had acted with discretion as well as bravery, for before leaping he had taken a turn of the end of the mainsheet round his waist. Rescuer and rescued were trailing astern at the end of forty feet of rope.
Hauling the Diomeda's headsails to windward, Hamerton soon had the yacht hove-to, though forging slowly through the water. It was then a comparatively easy task to get the mainsheet in until Detroit and the seaman were alongside. Then waiting till a wave brought the man within arm's length, the Sub clutched hold of him, and with a powerful heave lifted him on deck and into the well.
Without assistance Detroit scrambled up, and assisted his comrade to attend to the rescued seaman.
[Illustration "WAITING TILL A WAVE BROUGHT THE MAN WITHIN ARM'S LENGTH, THE SUB CLUTCHED HOLD OF HIM">[
"He's alive all right," announced Hamerton. "A lump of a fellow, by Jove!" he added, critically regarding the stalwart, fair-haired Teuton. "We'll get those wet clothes off him and carry him below. You will do well to change. Never mind about the boat, she'll take care of herself for a while."
The destroyers were now out of earshot, swallowed up in the still dense watery mist. More than likely the absence of the unfortunate seaman would not be noticed for some considerable time, and then it was doubtful whether the vessels of the flotilla would retrace their course far enough to come in touch with the Diomeda.
"I'm glad I didn't miss that sight, by Jove!" said Hamerton, with unstinted praise. "Those Germans know how to handle their torpedo craft. Fancy taking them at that bat through a fog!"
"It's fools' work," said Detroit, who was struggling into a change of clothing.