“Icebergs ahead.”
The look-out in the crow’s nest of the _Thespis_ sang out the
warning sharply. Officers and men of the smart revenue cutter were
instantly on the alert.
“Where away?” came from the bridge.
“Two points off the starboard bow, sir,” was the response.
The officer leveled his binoculars on a huge mass of ice about two
miles off. It glittered like polished steel. It rose into two huge
points like the steeples of a cathedral. Jack emerged from his
wireless cabin and secured from the officer the latitude and
longitude.
Then he returned to his instruments, and within half an hour every
ship within reaching distance on the Atlantic track knew of the
great berg and its position, rate of progression and probable
course. For some days this had been Jack’s daily work.
He went forward to the bridge to make his report on the ships he had
warned. Captain Simms was there eyeing the steely blue ice mountain.
“I’d like to dynamite that fellow just as I would a derelict that
imperiled navigation,” he said.
“I’ve been thinking the same thing, sir,” said Jack respectfully,
“and I’ve thought up a new method of doing it.”
“What’s that, my lad?”
“I could blow that berg up by wireless!”
The commander looked at the boy as if he thought Jack had taken
leave of his senses or had had the temerity to joke with his
commanding officer. But Jack was never more serious in his life.
“I mean it, sir,” he said steadily.
“Explain yourself, Ready. I must confess that your statement set me
aback.”
“I’ve been figuring out a method,” rejoined the boy, “of firing
torpedoes, guns and mines by wireless. I think I have it perfected,
but if you would permit an experiment on that big iceberg yonder, it
would be a magnificent opportunity to put my theories to the test.”
“Jove, boy, I’ve half a mind to do it. To destroy that berg is
certainly in the line of duty.”
“Undoubtedly, sir. If you will allow me six men and a boat and the
necessary explosives I think I can guarantee to blow that berg into
smithereens within an hour by a simple pressure of the key in my
wireless-room.”
“It sounds incredible--yet, great guns and little fishes, lad,--I’m
going to let you try. Harley!”
The coxswain hailed, stepped up, and saluted smartly. “Aye, aye,
sir.”
“Is the Number Two cutter in good condition?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Very well. You will take a crew of six and report to Mr. Ready,
here, for his orders.”
The man saluted and hurried off. Before long the crew and the cutter
were ready. In the meantime the explosives Jack wanted were brought
on deck and then loaded in the boat. This done, Jack vanished into
his cabin and emerged before long carrying a coil of copper wire and
several powerful batteries.
“Now, if I could have two extra oars,” he said, briskly addressing
Commander Simms, who had gazed on the preparations with interest but
had asked no questions.
“All right, my boy. I’ve no idea what you want them for but you
shall have them. Coxswain, get two more oars.”
“Yes, sir.”
At last all was ready, and the boat shot away from the side of the
cutter. The six brawny jackies making up the crew pulled for the
berg with quick, strong strokes. This trip was a welcome diversion
from the monotony of the iceberg patrol duty. They made good time
over the water, and soon the berg was reached.
A close view showed that a sort of valley bisected it between the
towering steeples of ice that rose at each end. It was an easy
matter to scramble up on the low-lying ledges of the edge of the
berg. Half the party landed, while those remaining in the boat
handed up the explosives and other apparatus to them. At last
everything was ready. Jack ordered the men still remaining in the
boat on to the berg.
They obeyed with alacrity, all eagerness to know what was coming
next. Among the supplies brought were six crowbars, for the
ice-patrol craft carried every kind of tool for dealing with ice.
Jack set the men to work digging holes,--like post holes in the ice
at regular intervals right across the valley. When this had been
done an oar was set up at each end of the row of holes.
“Now we’ll load ’em,” said Jack, and into each hole a “capped”
charge of explosive was placed, being tamped down carefully.
When this had been done the copper wire was stretched from one oar
to the other like a telegraph wire. From this main wire branch,
wires were led to each of the loaded holes and there carefully
attached to the fulminate of mercury caps. When all this had been
done to Jack’s satisfaction, he electrified the system with his
batteries, attaching them to the main wire.
“Now we’ll pull back to the ship,” he said.
“Beg pardon, sir, but ain’t you going to touch off all that
dynamite?” asked the coxswain.
“And blow ourselves up as well as the berg? Not much,” laughed Jack,
“come on, boys, give way lively now, and before long you’ll see
fireworks.”
In a short time they were back on the ship. Jack reported to Captain
Simms that everything was in readiness for the long distance
explosion. All eyes turned curiously on the lad as he walked aft to
the wireless room, for word had spread through the ship of the
experiment that was to be tried.
Jack tested up his instruments carefully. Then he adjusted the
dynamo for an extra heavy current of “juice.” When this had been
done, he sat down coolly at the key.
“Now watch the berg!” he shouted, and the cry was taken up and
passed along the decks.
He pressed down the key. There was a snap and a crackle as the live
flame leaped between its points. Far above from the aërials, an
invisible wave of electricity rolled.
It struck the copper wire on the berg and rushed along it and down
the wires leading to the capped explosives.
Simultaneously there was a mighty roar.
“There she goes,” yelled the sailors.
The berg was seen to split in half and then dissolve as if it had
been melted. Five minutes later nothing was to be seen where it had
been but a cloud of yellowish smoke.
The pressure of a finger on a wireless key two miles away had
destroyed the titanic berg and left not a trace of its dangerous
existence.