LOST—­THE STORM.

Jack now surveyed the field of action with some satisfaction.

“Well, I managed to lay ’em all out at last,” he told himself.  “Now to see how Frank and the others are.”

He hurried first to Frank’s side.  The latter was just returning to consciousness and raised himself on one elbow as Jack kneeled beside him.

“How do you feel, old man?” asked Jack gently.

“I don’t feel so much,” was Frank’s reply.  “Say, that fellow must have given me a pretty good crack.”

“He did,” said Jack dryly.  “I can vouch for that.  He landed on your head with that revolver like a ton of brick.  Do you think you can stand?”

“I guess so.  Lend a hand, will you?”

Jack helped his chum to his feet.  Frank staggered a bit at first, but in a minute or two announced that he was fit for whatever might come.  He followed Jack aft, where lay the bodies of Edwards and Williams.

Jack passed his hand over Edwards’ face and the man stirred feebly.

“Water, Frank,” said Jack.

Frank hurried forward again and returned in a moment with water.  This Jack sprinkled over Edwards’ face.  Five minutes later Edwards sat up.

“What’s the matter?” he asked.

Jack explained.

“I remember now, sir,” said Edwards, trying to smile.  “And did you lick ’em?”

“I did,” said Jack.

“And Williams, sir?  How is he?  I saw him go down just before I went under.”

“We’ll see,” replied Jack briefly.

He led the way to where Williams still lay prone, Frank and Edwards following.

Jack bent over the man, then placed a hand over his heart.  Then he got slowly to his feet.

“Is he——­,” began Edwards.

“Dead,” replied Jack quietly.

For a moment there was silence; then Edwards spoke brokenly.

“The best shipmate a man ever had, sir.”

He knelt beside his dead companion and tears streamed down his face.  Jack and Frank did not speak as he mourned silently for some minutes.  At last Edwards got to his feet.

“War is war, sir,” he said quietly.

He moved aft.

“Well,” said Frank, “I guess we may as well be getting back to The Hawk.  Lord Hastings will be worried.”

“Right,” said Jack.  “You take the wheel.  I’ll try and coax the engine along.”

They took their respective places.

“Which way, Jack?” called Frank.

“By Jove!  You know as much about it as I do,” was the reply.  “I don’t know where we are.”

“Must be off to the left,” declared Frank.  “We’ll steer that way, anyhow.”

“All right,” said Jack.

The engine began to sputter and directly the motorboat moved.

“We may as well go this way as another,” Frank shouted to make himself heard.  “It’ll be daylight soon, anyhow, and we can probably pick up The Hawk.”