The "Greytown," in the meantime, had manoeuvered as close as was safe for such a big craft to come. The ship's doctor put off in a lifeboat, and soon declared his patient fit to be removed to the liner.
While all this was going on, Jack had slipped quietly below. He took a brisk rub-down, donned dry clothing, and speedily appeared on deck, looking as though nothing had happened.
"Drink some of this," ordered Eph, holding a pint cup of coffee toward the young skipper. Jack finished it all in a few gulps. Then, as his blood warmed, he began to smile over his late adventure.
Supported on the arm of the ship's doctor, Elsie Carruthers turned to ask:
"Where is the midshipman who first reached me—the—the one I so nearly drowned. I—I want to thank him, oh, so heartily, and to apologize."
"Here he is," cried Ensign Trahern, shoving Benson forward.
"But I'm not a midshipman, nor anything else in the Navy—no such luck," laughed Jack.
"If you're not in the Navy, you ought to be, you splendid fellow." cried the girl, weakly, holding out her hand in sheer gratitude. "And, oh, I was such a coward, and so unreasoning!"
"I guess anyone would be unreasoning if drowning and unable to swim," chuckled Jack Benson. "I know I would be."
"That's good of you," cried the girl, gratefully. "Awfully good, but I'm not deceived. I realize, now, what a criminal ninny I was to, act in a way that came so near to drowning both of us."