"They'll not desert us--of that we may be certain," I replied; and I thought how heart-broken Captain Frankland would be when he found that his son had fallen overboard and was in all probability lost.  Strange to say, I did not think at all of my own perilous position.  I had gone to save Jerry, and it seemed a matter of course that I must save him. It must be remembered that our heads were very little above the level of the water, and that although the sea had gone down considerably, we were surrounded by masses of foam--now sinking into the trough, now rising to the top of a wave.  Our view, therefore, was very limited.  We were looking out eagerly for the ship through the thickening gloom.  Happily, when the life-buoy was let go, the trigger was pulled.  This set off a sort of blue light, which burned at the top, and which water could not extinguish.  We felt sure, therefore, that as long as that light continued burning we should be seen by those on board.  Our great dread was that the light would go out before the ship could get back to us. We strained our eyes in the direction of the ship.  The thickening gloom and mist were rapidly encircling her, and shrouding her from our sight.