Bert Wilson, Wireless Operator Part 8

"Why," remarked d.i.c.k, "you'd have been nothing but an appetizer to this fellow, if he had caught you, Ralph. He sure is some shark."

"Well, I won't contradict you," said Ralph, "but I don't think this shark was the same one that chased me. Why, it seems to me that that fellow was nothing but teeth. That's all I remember noticing, at any rate."

"Yes, but this rascal seems to have quite a dental outfit," said d.i.c.k.

"Just think what it must be to a shark if he starts to get a toothache in several teeth at once. It must be awful."

"I'm certainly glad our teeth aren't quite as numerous," laughed Bert.

"Just think of having to have a set of false teeth made. A person would have to work about all his lifetime to pay for a set like that."

"It would be fine for the dentists, though," remarked Ralph, but then he added, "I wonder what they're going to do with this fellow, now that they've caught him."

"Throw him overboard, I suppose," said Bert. "I don't think he's of much use to us, seeing that we're not like the savages Ralph was telling us about."

And that is just about what they did do. First, however, the sailors secured a number of the shark's teeth, and these were distributed among the pa.s.sengers as souvenirs. Then the great carca.s.s was hoisted up until it dangled over the water, and the hook was cut out. The dead monster struck the water with a splash, and slowly sank from view.

"Well, Ralph, now you've had your revenge, anyway," said Bert. "I don't think there's much doubt that that was one of the pair that came so near to ending your promising career. He looked to be about the same size as the one that almost had you when we hauled you out."

"Oh, I guess it's the same one, all right," agreed Ralph, "and I owe everyone a vote of thanks, I guess. I hope I never come quite so near a violent death again. It was surely a case of nip and tuck."

The crew now set to work to clear up the mess that had been made on the deck, and soon all mementoes of the b.l.o.o.d.y struggle were removed.

Shortly afterward the chief engineer reported that the break in the machinery had been repaired, and it was not very long before the ship renewed its interrupted voyage.

At the dinner table that night little else was spoken of, and Ralph was congratulated many times on his lucky escape.

And one of the pa.s.sengers voiced the general sentiment, when he said with a smile that "he was satisfied if the ship broke down often, provided they always had as exciting an experience as they had had to-day."

CHAPTER IX

IN THE HEART OF THE TYPHOON

Over the quiet ocean so calm that, except for an occasional swelling foam-tipped wave it seemed like a sea of gla.s.s, the noon-day sun poured its golden light. It was a perfect day at sea, and so thought the pa.s.sengers on board the swift ocean greyhound that plowed its way through the quiet waters of the Pacific.

A stately ship was she, a palace upon the waves. No deprivation here of any comfort or luxury that could be found on land. Her shining bra.s.s work gleamed in the sunshine like molten gold. The delicate colors in her paneling blended with the tints of the soft rugs on her polished floors. On deck, in the saloons, and staterooms, all was luxury. Gay groups of pa.s.sengers, richly dressed, paraded her decks or lay at ease in their steamer chairs, or upon the softly-upholstered couches and divans of her gorgeous saloons. j.a.panese servants glided noiselessly to and fro, ministering to the slightest wish of these favored children of fortune. Everywhere were signs of wealth and ease and careless gaiety.

Sounds of music and merry laughter floated over the quiet waters. Pain, fear, suffering, disaster, danger, death,--what had such words as these to do with this merry company? If anyone had mentioned the possibility of peril, of calamity, the idea would have been scouted. Why, this great ship was as safe as any building on land. Was it not fitted with water-tight compartments? Even such an unlikely thing as a collision could bring no fatal catastrophe.

That this feeling of absolute security is felt by all can be very plainly seen. Go to the perfectly appointed smoking-room and scan the faces of the gentlemen, quietly smoking and reading, or talking in friendly fashion together, or enjoying a game of cards. Every face is serene.

Pa.s.s on into the music-room. A waltz is being played by the piano and violin, and gay couples of young people are enjoying the dance to the utmost. Groups of interested older people look on with smiles. No anxiety here. Nothing but happy, care-free faces.

But come into the captain's private cabin where he is standing, listening earnestly to one of his officers. Perfect appointments here also, but evidently they do not appeal to these men at this moment. No smiles of gaiety here. The captain's face pales as he listens to his officer's words.

"The barometer has fallen several inches in the last hour and a half,"

was the announcement. Not enough in this, one may think, to cause anxiety. But the captain knew and realized, as few on board beside himself could, that the ship was nearing the coast of j.a.pan, the lat.i.tude most frequently visited by the dreaded typhoon, and also that this mid-summer season was the most dangerous time of the year.

Among the first signs of danger from one of these terrible visitors is an unusually rapid fall of the barometer. No wonder that, with the responsibility of the lives and safety of hundreds of people resting upon him, his face should blanch with apprehension.

Verifying his officer's statement by a quick look at the barometer, he went hastily on deck. Here his quick eye noticed the change in weather conditions; not very great as yet, only a slight cloudiness which dimmed the brightness of the sun. Not enough to trouble the pa.s.sengers who, if they noticed it at all, were only conscious of an added sense of comfort in the softening of the almost too brilliant sunshine, but enough to deepen the pallor of the captain's face and quicken his pulse with the realization of a great, impending danger. Even as he looked the heavens began still more to darken, the clouds increased in size and blackness and began to move wildly across the sky. The wind freshened and the quiet sea broke into billows which grew larger and more angry-looking each pa.s.sing moment.

Taking his stand on the bridge, the captain summoned all his officers to him and gave quick, decisive orders. With the rapidity of lightning his orders are executed and soon everything is made snug. Every possible measure is taken to safeguard the ship.

But, now it was evident to all that more than an ordinary storm threatened them. In an almost incredibly short time the whole aspect of sky and sea had changed. The surface of the ocean was lashed into mountainous waves which raced before the terrible wind. The heavens darkened until an almost midnight blackness settled down over the appalled voyagers.

Vanished are the sounds of music and laughter. Gone the happy, care-free look from the faces. Filled with terror, they awaited they knew not what. The wind increased, and now the heavens opened and the rain came in such a torrential downpour that it seemed almost as if the great, staunch ship would be beaten beneath the waves.

With a feeling of agonized despair, the captain realized that that which he so feared had come upon the vessel, and that she was in the grasp of the dreaded typhoon. The darkness thickened, the wind increased, and suddenly they felt themselves caught in a great wave which tossed the ship about like a child's toy. Back and forth twisted the great ship, completely at the mercy of this remorseless wind and sea.

Thunderous crashing was heard as the upper works of the ship were torn away by the gigantic waves that washed over her. The pa.s.sengers were panic-stricken and rushed wildly about, seeking those who were dear to them, their cries and groans drowned in the roaring of tumultuous seas.

The captain, calm and self-controlled in the midst of this terrible scene, went about among them, restraining, soothing, speaking words of encouragement and hope, but in his heart he had no hope. A fireman rushed up with the report that the engine-rooms were flooded and the fires out; and then, with blows that made the great ship tremble, part of timbers were torn away by the great seas which made no more of iron girders or sheets of riveted steel than if they were strips of cardboard. The sea rushed in from more than one jagged opening in her side.

Now at last, the captain realized that his splendid ship was doomed. The great vessel was slowly sinking. One hour, a little more, a little less, would see the end. And, to make their doom more certain, he could not launch a single life-boat for they had all been shattered and washed away by the sea. There is but one hope left, and quickly ascertaining that the wireless is still O. K., the captain orders the call for help.

For who can tell at what moment the apparatus might be disabled?

Eagerly the operator bends above his key and forth across the angry waves, defying the forces of wind and wave and torrent that have sought to cut them off from all succor, goes that pitiful cry for help.

With every nerve strained to the utmost tension he awaits the response that will a.s.sure him that his call is heard and that help is coming; but, before his ear can catch the welcome signal a flash, a whirring and snapping, tells him that the apparatus has gone dead! They must wait for the weary danger-fraught moments to bring them the knowledge. Thank G.o.d the cry for help was sent in time. There is a chance of its reaching some ship near enough to rescue them; but near indeed that ship must be or she will bring help too late.

Twenty miles away the good ship _Fearless_ plows through mountainous billows that, breaking, drench her decks with spray.

In his wireless room Bert is sitting with his receiver at his ear on the alert for any message. His three chums are with him as usual, Tom and Ralph sitting in a favorite att.i.tude with arms across the back of a chair in front of them, while d.i.c.k walked excitedly up and down the room. Quite a difficult task he found that for the ship was rolling considerably. As he walked he talked.

"Well, fellows," he was saying, "I have always wanted to see a genuine storm at sea, and to-day I think I've seen it."

"It seems to me that you've seen a great deal more storm to-day than you longed for or ever care to see again," Tom commented.

"You're just right there," d.i.c.k agreed. "It would be all right if you could watch the storm without sharing the danger. There was one time this afternoon when I thought it was certainly all over with us."

"It sure did look that way, and I guess Captain Manning thought so, too," Tom said.

"It was a lucky thing for the _Fearless_," Ralph broke in, "that the storm didn't last long. If it had kept on much longer we shouldn't be here talking about it now."

"But wasn't Captain Manning fine through it all?" said Bert.

They were all feeling the effects of one of the most thrilling experiences of their lives.

The _Fearless_, fortunate in not being in the direct course of the typhoon, had felt its force sufficiently to place her in great danger and to make every man Jack of her crew do his duty in a desperate effort to keep his ship from going to the bottom. That they had come through safely with no greater damage than the washing away of her life-boats was largely due to Captain Manning's strength and courage, and the young fellows were filled with admiration. Each in his heart had resolved to prove himself as brave if a time of trial should come to him.

With this thought in mind they had sat very quietly for a few moments after Bert's last remark, but now they all thrilled with a new excitement as Bert suddenly straightened up from his lounging position, and, with kindling eye and every faculty alert, grasped the key of his instrument. The others knew that he had caught a wireless message and feared from the sudden flushing and paling of his face that it was a call for help.

In the twinkling of an eye all was again excitement on board the _Fearless_. The ship's course was altered and, with full steam pressure on her engines, she fairly flew to the rescue. Twenty miles, and a trifle over fifty minutes to reach that sinking ship. Could she make it?

Hearts felt and lips asked the question as the _Fearless_ raced over the water, and all eyes were strained in a vain effort to catch a sight of the ship to whose succor they were going long before there was even the remotest possibility of sighting her. Their own peril was so recently pa.s.sed that all on board the _Fearless_ throbbed with pity for those so much more unfortunate than themselves, and prayed heaven that they might be in time.

But if eyes were strained on the _Fearless_, how much more earnestly did everyone of those on the ill-fated steamer look for some sign or sound from a rescuing ship? The typhoon had pa.s.sed very quickly, but what havoc it had wrought in so short a time! The floating palace that had seemed so secure was now reduced to a dismantled, twisted hulk, water-logged and slowly carrying her unfortunate pa.s.sengers to destruction.