Together they saw first a great, gray cloud of smoke. It was too dark and too low to be a part of the sky on such a morning. Then, moving slowly toward them, still many miles away, appeared the dim outline of a magnificent gray bulk of a ship. Jimmy Lawton's face, which was white and thin from its long imprisonment, flushed deeply. His voice shook when he turned to Phil. "Miss Alden," he whispered quietly, "I am afraid to say so, but I believe I see a man-of-war coming this way. It must be going in to Hampton Roads. If it only comes near enough to hear us, I mean to fire a signal of distress with this rifle." The next quarter of an hour was a strenuous one for every passenger on board the "Merry Maid." [Illustration: The Battleship Drew Nearer.] Slowly the majestic, gray craft drew nearer to the little houseboat. The party crowded forward. No one spoke. Nailed to their flagstaff, two torn and ragged sheets that had so long appealed in vain for rescue flapped and rustled in the wind. The women and Jeff saw Lieutenant Lawton raise the rifle to position. Still he waited five, ten minutes. All this time the beautiful battleship steamed nearer. Now her prow was just across the line of the stern of the houseboat. The houseboat party could see the Stars and Stripes floating gloriously in the breeze. While it was easy for the passengers of the "Merry Maid" to behold an immense battleship it was another matter for the crew on the man-of-war to discover the small pleasure craft adrift on the waters. Jimmy Lawton fired his rifle. The signal of distress rang sharp and true. The clear air carried the sound magnificently. At first there was no response from the battleship. "She has not heard us!" exclaimed impatient Madge in despair. "Wait!" commanded the young lieutenant. A splendid boom broke on the air. It was the answering salute from the war vessel. She had heeded the call of the "Merry Maid." Jimmy repeated his signal of distress. A few moments after the great battleship slowed down. A small boat was dropped over her side. A boat's crew in their blue uniforms rowed swiftly out to the houseboat. A voice called up: "Who's there, and what can we do for you?" "Lieutenant James M. Lawton, U.S.N., with six friends, five of them women," returned Jimmy Lawton. "We have drifted from land in a houseboat and ask you to take us aboard." Soon after Miss Jenny Ann and the girls were safe on board a battleship belonging to the American Navy. The officer in command gave them his hand of welcome. A group of sailors, their faces beaming with curiosity and kindness, crowded as near them as discipline would permit. The man-of-war took on headway again. Her engines thumped. The superb ship began to move. The houseboat party knew that their peril was over. Home and friends lay safe ahead of them. Yet neither Miss Jenny Ann nor one of her four girls looked perfectly happy. "Won't you let me show you to your cabins?" one of the officers suggested.