The sole survivor of the whaler's party was not long in recovering consciousness. His surprise at finding that his rescuers were the British officers whom he had last seen as prisoners on board the _Pelikan_ was almost ludicrous. Soon he became communicative, and confirmed the sub's surmise that the whaler was bent on a minor raiding expedition. The long night passed slowly. The last of the food supply had been exhausted. A few coco-nuts, which being freshly gathered contained liquid only, formed the sole sustenance of the four men. With the dawn the wind fell but the sea still ran high. Eagerly the horizon was scanned, but nothing save a waste of tossing water met the eye. "In another hour or so we'll be able to have a shot at righting the whaler," said Denbigh. "By that time the sea will have subsided. If you don't mind, you fellows, I'll have a caulk. I have more arrears to make up than you have." Quite worn out Denbigh stretched himself on the bottom of the canoe and dropped off into a sound sleep. It seemed to him that he had not closed his eyes more than half a minute when the mate roused him. "What are those beacons on our starboard bow, do you think?" he asked. Denbigh was awake in an instant. Looking in the direction indicated he saw three triangular objects at a distance of nearly three miles away. One glance was enough. "Pat, you chump!" he exclaimed. "Do you mean to tell me you don't know what they are? And you must needs make Armstrong wake me out of my beauty sleep." "Hanged if I can see hardly anything," announced the Irishman. "The salt's bunged my eyes up completely. What about it, then?" "Those beacons, as you call them, Armstrong," replied Denbigh joyously, "are the tripod masts of three of our monitors." "They are heading our way, then?" asked the mate. "Either that or they're stern on to us. The former most likely. Stand by with the rifle. We must not let them miss us." In about half an hour the three warships had approached sufficiently for their outlines to be discerned. They were moving at a slow pace--barely five knots. All that was visible of each of the monitors consisted of a low-lying hull of great beam, on which was placed a turret mounting two gigantic guns. Abaft the turret was a small superstructure, culminating in a bridge and chart-house. Immediately behind the bridge rose a lofty tripod mast, its height being seemingly out of all proportion to those conforming to the recognized measurements of naval architecture. Perched above the junction of the tripods was a large square structure whence the fire-control arrangements were conducted, while a stumpy topmast completed the incongruity. Abaft the mast was a single funnel. Two of the monitors were evidently sister-ships. The third was of a much smaller tonnage, although her armament was identical with that of her consorts. "They're passing to windward of us," declared Denbigh. "Give them a couple of rounds."