A MESSAGE IN CODE.
"What happened?" was Raynor's next question.
"Oh, he came in here and offered me untold gold to send a code message
for him. I fancy that it was about the _Ruritania_, telling her
whereabouts and so on."
"So that was his game, eh?"
"Well, he didn't work it. I got mad and told him that he needn't bother
to conceal his identity from me, and that if he bothered me any more I'd
show him up to the first British officer that again boarded us."
"Phew! Going some. How did he take it?"
"I thought he was going up like a balloon for a minute," laughed Jack.
"Now, if we only could identify Schultz, we'd have both of them where we
want them."
"That's going to be a hard job," declared Bill. "They don't go about
together. At least, I've watched closely, but never saw Radwig talking
with anyone on board."
"No, I guess they keep pretty well under cover for fear of accident. I
wish I could have gotten a look at them that night I overheard them
talking."
"Yes, it would have simplified matters a good deal," Bill admitted,
"but, as you say, I don't think either of them will try to bother us
again."
The day passed uneventfully. In the afternoon they sighted a small
British freighter making her way west, and later on overtook a French
oil ship bound for Holland. Jack flashed them the latest war news, for
they had a small wireless outfit, and in return received the information
that two German cruisers were somewhere in the vicinity and that the
French ship was in fear of capture at any time.
That evening the wind blew rather hard. A high sea was whipped up by the
gale and the _St._ _Mark_, big as she was, rolled and pitched violently.
It was what sea-faring men would have called "a fresh breeze," but to
the passengers, that is, such of them as were unseasoned travelers, it
was a veritable storm.
Jack and Bill rather enjoyed the rough weather, coming as it did after a
monotonous calm. After dinner they ascended to the boat deck and paced
up and down, chatting for some time. Inside the wireless room Muller was
at the key. Now and then, as they passed and repassed, they would
exchange a word with him. It was on one of these occasions that Muller
hailed them excitedly.
"There's a ship just wirelessed the S. O. S.!" he exclaimed.
"Great Scott," cried Jack, "and on a night like this. What's the
trouble?"'
"Don't know yet. I'm trying to get them again. Notify the captain, will
you?"
"On the jump," cried Jack.
He despatched his errand in a few minutes, and was back in the wireless
room with instructions to "stand by" and get further information as soon
as possible.
"Anything new?" he asked Muller.
The wireless man shook his head.
"Nothing but that first S. O. S.," he said.
Suddenly there came a shout from Bill, who was standing in the door.
"Look, Jack, what's that off there?" he exclaimed, pointing to the
horizon.
A dull glow was reflected against the night sky in the direction he
indicated. Now it flashed bright as a blown furnace, and again it sank
to a faint glare. Jack was not long in deciding what it was.
"It's a ship on fire," he declared.
At almost the same moment a hoarse shout from the forward lookout and a
shouted reply from the bridge told that the glare had been observed from
there, too.
Possibly there is nothing at sea that thrills like the sight of a vessel
on fire. Jack, it will be recalled, had witnessed such a spectacle
before, but yet his heart bounded as he watched the distant glare now
bright and glowing, now dull and flickering.
"Hullo, the old man has rung for full speed ahead!" exclaimed Bill, as
the next moment the _St. Mark's_ speed was perceptibly quickened and her
course changed.
Several seamen in charge of the third officer, a Mr. Smallwood, came
trampling aft. They busied themselves loosening the fastenings of one of
the boats and getting it ready for launching. Presently they were
joined, and three additional craft were made ready for the work of life
saving.
All this time the glow had been getting brighter as the _St. Mark_
approached the burning ship. But the distance was as yet too great to
make out what manner of vessel she was.
"I'd give anything to get in one of those boats," observed Jack to Bill,
as the two lads watched the preparations for lowering away.
"So would I," agreed Bill. "Do you think there's a chance?"
"I don't know. I 'deadheaded' a radio for Mr. Smallwood to his sick
mother the day we sailed. That might have some influence with him. I'll
ask him anyhow."
Jack vainly pleaded with the at first obdurate officer, but after a long
interval, he returned to Bill with a smile on his face.
"It's all right," he announced. "It was a hard job to get him to
consent. I won him over at last. We go."
"Hurray!" cried Bill. "Now for some oilskins! It's not the sort of night
to be without them."
"I've got mine in the cabin," said Jack. "I'll borrow Muller's for you."
"Good for you. Gosh! Look at those flames. Seems to be a big steamer."
Both boys paused a moment to look at the awe-inspiring spectacle of the
blazing ship.
As they did so, something occurred which chilled the hot blood in their
veins and caused them to exchange startled, bewildered looks.
Over the dark, heaving waters that divided them from the blazing vessel
there was borne to their ears what sounded like an awful concerted groan
of agony. Again and again it came, rising and falling in a terrible
rhythm. It was not human. It sounded like the sufferings of demons.
"Wow! But that's fearful!" exclaimed Bill, paling. "What under the sun
can it be?"