A "FLASH" OF DISTRESS.
Having dispatched the message, Jack sat back in his chair and mused over
the future of the Universal Detector. It was a fascinating subject to
day-dream over, but his reverie was rudely interrupted by a sharp
summons from space.
"Yes--yes--yes," he shot back, "who--is--it?"
"This is the _Oriana_," came back the reply, "Hamburg for New York. We
are in distress."
"What's the trouble?"
The spark crackled and writhed, as Jack's rapid fingers spelled out the
message.
"We struck a half submerged derelict and our bow is stove in. We believe
we are sinking. This is an S. O. S."
Then followed the position of the craft and another earnest appeal to
rush to her aid. Jack roughly figured out the distances that separated
the two ships.
"Will be there in about two hours," he flashed, and then hurried to
Captain Turner's cabin with his message.
The captain scanned the message with contracted brow.
"The _Oriana_," he muttered, "I know her well. Rotten old tramp. We must
have full speed ahead. Stand by your wireless, Ready, and tell them we
are rushing at top speed to their aid. Confound it, though," he went on,
half to himself, "this will lose us the race with the Britisher, but
still if we can save the lives of those poor devils I shall be just as
well satisfied."
The captain hastened to the bridge to issue his orders and change the
big ship's course. Jack went quickly back to his cabin and began
flashing out messages of good cheer. About half an hour later Captain
Turner came along.
"Any more news, Ready?" he asked.
"No, sir. Their current is getting weak. The last time I had them the
operator said that the ship was slowly settling, but that they had the
steam pumps going and would keep them working till the water reached the
fires. The officers were keeping the firemen at their work with
revolvers."
"I've been through such scenes," remarked the captain. "It's part of a
seaman's life, but it's an inferno while it lasts."
"Notify me if you hear anything further," said Captain Turner a few
moments later.
"Yes, sir. Hullo, here's something coming now. It's the _Borovian_, of
the Black Star line. She got that S. O. S. too, and is hurrying to the
rescue. But she's far to the south of us."
"Yes, we shall reach the _Oriana_ long before she does," said the
captain. "By the way, Ready, I've heard that you have quite a reputation
for loving adventure."
Jack colored. He did not quite make out what the captain was "driving
at," as the saying is.
"I do like action, yes, sir," he replied.
"Well, then," said Captain Turner, "you've got a little excitement due
to you for your prompt action last night in the case of the assault on
that diamond merchant. If you want to go on the boats to the _Oriana_,
you may do so. Get Thurman to stand by the wireless while you're gone.
You can make the time up to him on some other occasion."
Jack's eyes danced. He could hardly express his thanks at the
opportunity for a break in the rather monotonous life on shipboard. But
the captain had turned on his heel as he finished his speech and left
the grateful lad alone.
Thurman was sleeping when Jack roused him. When he learned that Jack was
to make one of the boat parties and that he (Thurman) was to remain on
duty, the second wireless man's temper flared up.
"That's a fine thing, I must say," he growled. "You're to go on a junket
while I do your work. I won't stand for it."
"Pshaw, Thurman," said Jack pacifically. "I'll do the same for you at
any time you say. Besides, I heard you say once you wouldn't like to go
in the small boats."
"Think I'm afraid, eh?"
"I said no such thing," retorted Jack, "I----"
"I don't care, you thought it. I'll complain to Captain Turner."
"I would not advise you to."
"Keep your advice to yourself. I've got pull enough to have you fired."
"This line treats its employees too fairly for any such claim as a
'pull' to be advanced."
"You think so, eh? Well, I'll show you. You've been acting like a
swelled head all the way over, Ready," said Thurman, forgetting all
bounds in his anger. "I'll find a way to fix you----"
"Say, you talk like an angry kid who's been put out of a ball game,"
said Jack. "I hope you get over it by the time you come on duty."
An angry snarl was Thurman's only rejoinder as Jack left the wireless
operator's sleeping quarters. But the next instant all thought of
Thurman was put out of his mind. The lookout had reported from the
crow's-nest. On the far horizon a mighty cloud of dark smoke was rising
and spreading.
Before many moments had passed it was known that fire--that greatest of
sea perils--had been added to the sinking _Oriana's_ troubles.
As the news spread through the ship the passengers thronged to the
rails. Suppressed excitement ran wild among them. Even Jack found
himself unable to stay still as he thought of the lives in peril under
that far-off smoke pall. All communication with the stricken ship had
ceased, and Jack knew that things must have reached a crisis for her
crew.
Then came an order to cast loose four boats, two on the port and two on
the starboard side. Officers and men obeyed with a will. By the time
they were ready to be dropped overside, the outlines of the burning
steamer were plainly visible. She looked very low in the water. From her
midships section smoke, in immense black clouds, was pouring.
But to Jack's surprise no boats surrounded her, as he had expected would
be the case. Instead, on her stern, an old-fashioned, high-raised one,
he could make out, through his glasses, a huddled mass of human figures.
Suddenly one figure detached itself from the rest and Jack saw a pistol
raised and aimed at the lower deck. Spurts of smoke from the weapon
followed. Thrilled, Jack was about to report what he had seen to the
bridge when the third officer, a young man named Billings, came up to
him.
"You're in my boat," he said. "Cut along."