The Boy With the U. S. Life-Savers Part 24

"The fourth boat is still missing."

"What's that craft over there, I wonder?" queried Eric, pointing to the starboard bow where a searchlight flickered into the sky.

"That's the _La Savoie_, I heard some one say," his friend replied; "she must have been coming up on the jump. We'll have half a dozen big liners here before morning."

"It's a wonderful thing, the wireless," the boy said meditatively; "from hundreds of miles away, every one rushes to the rescue. When you realize that every extra ten miles means hundreds of dollars out of the pockets of steams.h.i.+p companies and every hour's delay may be a serious inconvenience, it does look great to see the way every one drops personal concerns to go to the rescue."

"I wonder what would happen if a captain didn't?"

"There'd be a whale of a row. Court-martial and all that sort of thing."

"You can't court-martial a merchant-service man," protested Homer.

"He'd lose his s.h.i.+p, anyway."

"But suppose he made out he didn't hear the call?"

"Be sensible," Eric retorted. "How could he do that? Bribe the operator, or threaten him?"

"That's true," said Homer, thoughtfully. "It would look pretty bad if the wireless outfit on a s.h.i.+p was shut down, as soon as an 'S O S' came in."

"I don't believe there's a wireless operator in the business who'd stand for it," the boy declared. "They're a high-grade bunch of men. I'd be willing to bet if any operator got such an order, before he quit he'd send out a message to the nearest station or s.h.i.+p, telling the whole story."

"And then what?"

"Why, if the wireless was shut down then, and the operator told the truth of it, they'd tar and feather that skipper. Commercialism may be all right on land, but when you come right down to the bones of the thing, there's mighty few men on salt water that'll ever do a dirty trick to another man."

"Right you are," agreed Homer; "a sh.e.l.lback is the real thing in a pinch. By ginger," he continued, "doesn't she burn! Surely there can't be anybody on board of her."

The _Itasca_ was now rapidly approaching the burning steamer. Amid the roar of the flames and the hiss of the sea against heated iron was heard the thin whine of the speaking tube whistle.

"Call from the burning steamer, sir, I think," said the operator, "but there's no meaning to it."

The captain spoke rapidly to the first lieutenant and the good s.h.i.+p began to tremble from stem to stern as the engines were reversed and the helm s.h.i.+fted so as to bring the sea a little on the port bow.

"Mr. Sutherland," came the first lieutenant's voice, "clear away the starboard whaleboat."

Eric stepped forward, for this was his station. The boat's crew sprang to their stations, the whaleboat was lowered to the rail, and as the _Itasca_ lost her headway, the boat was neatly dropped in the water. The sea had looked a bit rough from the bridge, but down at the water's edge the waves were distinctly high.

Lieutenant Sutherland, who was also the instructor in mathematics, was an absolute wonder in many ways, but small boat work was not much in his line. Still, he handled her well. To Eric, of course, the rough sea did not matter. He was used to that in his life-saving work, and, indeed, every one forgot the danger as the boat pulled on in the lurid crimson of the burning s.h.i.+p. They came close, and hailed.

There was no answer, nothing but the dull roar of the flames in the hold and the spitting hiss as some spray was flung over the vessel's side. No one appeared on deck. The bow, where it was high above the water was cherry red hot, and even the more submerged stern seemed absolutely untenable.

"There can't be any one on board," said the third lieutenant. "You didn't hear a hail?"

"No, sir," answered Eric, "but Jenkins caught another call just before we left."

"Very strange," commented the officer, looking thoughtfully at the derelict. The boat was pulling up towards the lee side and the smoke was stifling. The burning steamer was rolling heavily and there was a litter of wreckage to leeward.

"Can't board there," the officer said to himself. He gave orders to pull again to windward.

"Men," he said suddenly, "there may still be some one aboard that craft.

Who'll volunteer?"

A chorus answered him. Almost every man of the crew volunteered.

"Which of you is the best swimmer?"

There was a moment's pause and then one of the sailors answered,

"Maryon is, sir."

"Do you think you can get on board?" the officer said, turning to the sailor mentioned.

"I can get to her all right, sir," the sailor answered, "and I'll try to get on board."

"You may try then," was the reply; "we'll drop you right by her. You can swim around the stern and try the lee quarter."

The sailor stripped, and fastening a light line under his arms, waited for the boat to take the required place. How Eric wished that the Eel were there! But Maryon was a fair swimmer, and as soon as he struck out for the s.h.i.+p, the boy felt that he need have no fears for him. The sailor was still a couple of fathoms away from the side of the s.h.i.+p when, suddenly, a piece of wreckage up-ended on a sea and struck him.

Those in the boat could not see how heavy was the blow, but it was clear that the sailor was incapacitated, and the crew hauled him inboard. He had a nasty cut on his cheek and his collar-bone was broken. While his hurts were being attended to, Eric saluted the officer.

"Well, Mr. Swift?"

"Mr. Sutherland," he said, "I've done a lot of life-saving work, sir."

"Well?"

"I'd like to volunteer, sir, if I might," the boy replied.

"You don't think it's too much for you?"

"No, sir."

"I remember. You are an expert swimmer, are you not?"

"Yes, sir."

"You are sure of yourself?"

"Yes, sir."

"Very well, Mr. Swift," the officer answered, looking over him keenly, "You may go."

With a quick pulse in his ears throbbing in excitement and elation, the boy slipped out of his cadet uniform and tied the life-line round him. A swirl of eager oars brought the boat again beneath the stern of the burning steamer. Eric plunged into the sea, the thought flas.h.i.+ng through his mind as he did so that he wished he could make a spectacular dive like those he used to envy in the Eel. That he was a swimmer showed itself the minute he touched the water. Without appearing to use one-half the effort Maryon had needed, the boy covered the distance between the boat and the flaming vessel in a few long strokes, watching warily for wreckage.

There was a treacherous suction as the vessel rolled, but Eric, trained to every form of danger in the line of rescue, kept close guard. He knew better than to make a false move from too great haste, and swam round cautiously, seeking for a place to board. The heat from that floating ma.s.s of belching flame was terrific, and more than once, as a gust brought down a cloud of fumes over him, the boy thought he would suffocate.

At last he saw, trailing over the quarter, a wire rope, one of the stays of the after derrick, and he made ready to climb. The stay evidently had been melted through at the derrick head, but the heated end had fallen in the water and cooled. Up this the swimmer swarmed, though the frayed wire drew blood from his hands and legs at every point he touched it. At last he reached the bulwark, grasped it and jumped aboard.