Sergeant Michael Dorlan had also seen that for which he was looking and like a flash he had gone to the rescue. From the height of over twenty feet his body shot like a meteor in the direction of the drowning boy. To the officers and crew on board the flagship it seemed an eternity before a commotion below them and a spurning and churning of the water announced his reappearance. And Dorlan did not come to the surface alone, for it was seen that he was supporting the form of the boy he had gone to rescue. A great cheer filled the air as the crew of the ship spontaneously gave vent to their relief, and a few seconds later the unconscious lad was hurried up the gangway by willing hands, followed unassisted by his four drenched and solicitous comrades. CHAPTER III UNCLE SAM’S UNINVITED GUESTS "Right down to the sick bay[#] with him," ordered an officer as Tommy was carried over the side in the strong arms of Sergeant Dorlan, who, on climbing up the gangway, had tenderly taken the boy from the sailor holding him. "Hurry along, Sergeant, the surgeon is already there waiting." [#] Sick bay--The ship’s hospital. After giving these directions the officer turned to the four dripping lads and said: "Are you boys injured in any way?" "No," they replied as if with one breath. "You look as though you had been struck in the eye pretty badly," said the officer, giving Dick’s bruised cheek a close scrutiny, and for a moment the boy blushed as if caught in a misdemeanor. "I was hit in the eye yesterday," he finally managed to stammer; "it wasn’t caused by anything that happened to-day," and then to change the subject if possible, he inquired: "May we have permission to go down where they have taken Tommy Turner? We are all mighty anxious about him." "Don’t you all want to get on some dry clothes first?" inquired the officer. The boys preferred, however, to hear first the news as to their friend’s condition; consequently they were taken below, where already the ship’s surgeon and his assistants were working hard to restore life to the still unconscious Tommy. Sitting on a mess bench which some men had placed for them, each boy wrapped in blankets furnished by other thoughtful members of the crew, they waited silently and with palpitating hearts while a long half hour slowly ticked away. Though many sailors were continually passing to and fro they were all careful not to disturb the four shipwrecked boys who sat there with eyes fastened in anxious hopefulness on the door to the "sick bay," as the hospital is called on shipboard. After what seemed an eternity, the door opened and Sergeant Dorlan came out quietly, closing it behind him. Immediately the watchers jumped to their feet. "Is he all right?" whispered Dick, plucking at Dorlan’s wet sleeve. "Is he----"