Then the young woman gracefully thanked all who had had any share in her rescue, and that of her brother. It took a lot of thanking, which everyone of the late heroes tried to dodge.
Then the visitors were taken off, and the midshipmen bundled below until dry clothing could be had for them.
The commanding officer of the "Hudson," having learned that something had happened was now heading the gunboat toward the "Farnum." In another half hour the naval fleet was together again, while the "Greytown" was rapidly vanishing along the northern horizon.
On receiving a report by megaphone, Lieutenant Commander Mayhew's first act was to order all of the drenched, and now chilled, midshipmen aboard the parent vessel. Here they were treated with rub-downs, dry clothing and hot black coffee. Even Jack Benson had been ordered on board, and he had to pass before Doctor McCrea at that.
"Oh, I'm all right," asserted Benson, who was the first to go before the doctor, while the middies were receiving their rub-downs. "You can't kill a salt-water dog with a dash of brine."
"Yes, you're in good enough shape," agreed the Navy medical officer.
Lieutenant Commander Mayhew now began to ask questions about the late occurrence.
When he had finished, Jack broke in with:
"By the way, sir, you were going to question your prisoner, Sam Truax, to see what you could learn about his reasons for acting the way he did on the 'Farnum.'"
"I didn't forget, either," replied the gunboat's commander. "I had him before me last night, and again this morning."