The lieutenant¹ and the crew of the whaleboat, at first aghast with horror and amazement², speedily recovered their wits.  
Springing to his feet, the officer made a grasp for the dangling³ rope. Before he could reach it, a long wave swept along the rolling hull⁴ and caught the whaleboat upon its crest⁵.
 
There was a surge and a violent wrench⁶, and over went the luckless officer headlong into the sea. The frail⁷ craft was swept under the sloping stem, dashed once against the hull, and then it capsized, throwing the whole crew into the water.
 
All this was witnessed by the Monongahela’s crew, and excitement reigned⁸ on board.
 
Captain Brookes took personal charge of affairs, and under his able direction two boats, the cutter and sailing launch, were lowered and manned.
 
In the latter went Trolley⁹ and Joy, both managing to slip aboard during the excitement.
 
As yet the full extent of the tragedy was not known. Clif had been seen to climb over the railing, but the unearthly cry and the appeal for help had not reached the practice ship. Then came the capsizing of the whaleboat, and the instant necessity of action.
 
Lieutenant Watson took command of the cutter, which was the faster of the two. He was an able man, and he soon had the crew bending to their oars¹⁰.
 
The gale¹¹ was now a thing of the past; and the sea was rapidly subsiding¹². Clear skies overhead, and a brightly shining sun robbed the scene of much of its former grewsomeness.
 
In the sailing launch Trolley and Joy were laboring¹³ with might and main, as indeed all were. But the two young plebes had an added interest in reaching the strange derelict from the fact that Clif Faraday, their friend and chum, was on board the craft whence those horrible cries had come.
 
It was not long before the cutter reached the capsized whaleboat. Clinging to the keel were five of the crew. They were instantly dragged on board and a start made for the stern of the derelict.
 
The lieutenant and the rest of the crew were either swimming in that vicinity or holding on to the rudder.
 
The rather clumsy launch dashed up in time to rescue the officer, who had managed to keep himself afloat by strenuous¹⁴ efforts. As he was lifted over the side by willing hands, he gasped¹⁵, hurriedly:
 
“Quick! board that vessel¹⁷. Faraday is there, and he is in trouble.”
 
Trolley exclaimed something in Japanese, and sprang to his feet. Nimbly stepping forward, he made a flying leap from the launch’s bow, and caught the rope dangling from the derelict’s stern.
 
“Stop!” sternly cried the officer in charge. “Wait until you are ordered to leave the boat.”
 
But the young Japanese paid no heed¹⁸ to the words. The impetus¹⁹ caused by the leap sent him swinging and scraping along the slimy side of the strange craft, but he drew himself up inch by inch, and finally gained the rail.
 
“Stand by to catch a rope,” called out the lieutenant, making the best of the situation. “Make it fast to—— What’s the matter?”
 
Splash!
 
It was Trolley. The Japanese youth had suddenly turned, and, with a shriek²⁰ of fear, had plunged²¹ headlong into the sea.
 
The crews of the cutter, launch and whaleboat exchanged glances of undeniable terror. Several seamen²² began shoving the boats away from the derelict with their oars.
 
“Belay that!” shouted Lieutenant Watson, in a rage. “Aboard the launch! pick up that cadet, and stand by to board. Here, Brown, steady this rope. I’ll see what’s up on this confounded craft.”
 
The last words were addressed to the coxswain, who instantly grasped the lower bight of the line and held it while the fearless officer ascended²³. Halfway²⁴ to the top he held himself with one hand, and loosened his sword in its scabbard with the other. Then he began again to draw himself upward.
 
His progress was watched with breathless interest below. Suddenly the officer in charge of the sailing launch gave a muttered order. The crew fell to the oars and the launch dashed ahead toward the bow.
 
In the meantime, Trolley, dripping wet and evidently badly frightened, had been dragged from the water. His teeth were chattering²⁵, and his face had assumed a grayish pallor.
 
“For Heaven’s sake, what’s the matter up there?” queried²⁶ Joy, in a frenzy²⁷ of excitement. “Speak! where is Clif?”
 
The Japanese youth crouched²⁸ in the bottom of the boat and muttered and shook his head like one demented.
 
Suddenly all eyes were drawn²⁹ to the railing above by the horrible, unearthly cry first heard during the gale. It rang out with such blood-curdling intensity³⁰ that the faces of the listeners blanched³¹.
 
“We haven’t any business fooling here!” hoarsely³² muttered one of the oarsmen. “This consarned Flying Dutchman is ha’nted. I move we git as fast as we can.”
 
“And leave Faraday and Lieutenant Watson behind?” fiercely demanded Joy. “That’s a fine suggestion.”
 
Just then the sailing launch reached the bow. A quick scrutiny³³ revealed several broken bolts and beam ends where the bowsprit and stays had been torn away. A fragment of chain was hanging down and swinging with a harsh, grating sound against the side.
 
“Climb up there, one of you,” called out the officer in charge.
 
Joy, who was nearest started to obey, but before he could leave the boat a prodigious³⁴ hubbub³⁵ came from aft.
 
Looking in that direction he saw Lieutenant Watson striking fiercely with his sword at something behind the rails.
 
An indescribable pandemonium³⁶ came from the deck. Harsh cries and groans³⁷, wild shrieks³⁸, moans and a queer grunting³⁹ sound which seemed more unearthly than all the rest.
 
One of the cutter’s crew was climbing the rope as fast as his arms could lift him, and another was preparing to follow.
 
Almost frantic⁴⁰ with excitement, Joy fairly scaled the bow of the derelict. As his hand touched the broken rail, he heard the heavy breathing beneath him. A familiar voice gasped:
 
“Hurry, hurry, Joy! Me want to come, too. Hurry! I no afraid any more, even if I see plenty devil. Quick!”
 
The next moment Joy threw one leg over the bulwark⁴¹ and dropped to the deck. Th............