Word was passed along and soon Sam and Dick came rushing on deck.

“Tom is missing!” cried Sam.

“If that is so, I’m afraid, boys, you have seen the last of your brother,” said Captain Blossom.  He turned to his crew.  “Do any of you know anything of this affair?”

There was a dead silence.  Then he questioned the man at the wheel.

“Don’t know a thing, cap’n,” was the answer.

“It’s queer.  He must have pressed on the rail very hard..  Here are half a dozen nails torn from the wood.”

While this talk was going on Dick and Sam had passed along the rail from the place of the accident to the stern.

“Perhaps he caught hold somewhere,” said Sam, who was unwilling to believe that his brother had really perished.

They had just gained the stern and were looking over when a call came from out of the darkness.

“He—­help!  Help!”

“It’s Tom!” screamed Dick in delight.  “Tom, is that you?”

“Yes!  Help!”

“Where are you?”

“Holding on to a rope.  Help me quick.  I—­I can’t hold on mu—­much longer!”

“We’ll help you,” answered Dick.

Captain Blossom was called and more lanterns were lit, and then a Bengal light, and Tom was seen to be holding fast to a rope which had in some manner fallen overboard and become entangled in the rudder chain.

By the aid of the boat-hook the rope was hauled up and to the side of the Golden Wave.  At the same time the sails were lowered, and then a rope ladder was thrown down.  Dick descended to the edge of the waves, and, watching his chance, caught Tom by the collar of his coat.  Then the brothers came slowly to the deck.

A cheer went up when it was found that Tom was safe once more, and Nellie Laning could not resist rushing forward and catching the wet youth in her arms.  Tom was so exhausted he dropped on the nearest seat, and it was several minutes before he had recovered strength enough to speak.

“I would have been drowned had it not been for that rope,” he said when questioned.  “As I slid along the side of the ship the rope hit me in the face.  I clutched it and clung fast for dear life.  Then when I came up and swept astern I called as loudly as I could, but it seemed an age before anybody heard me.”

“It was a narrow escape,” said Dick.  “You can thank a kind Providence that your life was spared.”

“You must have leaned on the rail awfully hard,” put in Nellie.

“Leaned on the rail?” repeated Tom.  “It wasn’t my fault that I went overboard.  It was Dan Baxter’s.”

“Dan Baxter!” came from several.

“Exactly.  He tackled me in the dark, and we had it hot and heavy for a minute.  Then he crowded me on the rail, and it gave way.  He jumped back and let me go overboard.”

“The rascal!  I’ll settle with him!” cried Dick.  “I’ll teach him to keep his distance after this!”