Page:Cruise of the Dry Dock.djvu/114

 came running down the deck with another buoy and a big clasp knife.

The American looked at these fellows. “Caradoc, you can't possibly hold out that distance; you're weak.”

“I've done ten miles in—at home.”

Greer said nothing, but rapidly undressed.

All three kept on their hats and undershirts as protection against sunburn. As Madden walked from the awning through the stinging sun rays, crimping up his naked feet from the blistering deck, Galton called to him.

“If we git a lot of grub, sir, couldn't it be hextra, and carn't we 'ave a spread to-night, sir?”

“Something like that,” agreed Madden, tossing his buoy into the water. The two other swimmers followed example, then all three dived off the twelve foot pontoon toward their floats. They came up shaking the water from ears and eyes. Madden was immersed in tepid water. His men were cheering stolidly. The schooner looked very, very far away now that he was at the surface of the water. Between him and his goal streaked mazes of sargassum. It suddenly