“I guess the ship’s been badly hit,” said Joe, as they made for the door. “See how she’s heeling over.”
“Yes, we’d better try to locate the others and get on deck as quickly as possible,” replied Bob.
In spite of the shock and the danger, they were both cool and ready to meet any emergency that might present itself.
Luckily, they met Herb and Jimmy and Mr. Strong in the passageway, and with very few words they hurried up on deck.
Everywhere there was tremendous excitement and confusion. The heavy fog still hung thickly over everything, and through it they could see pale, terrified faces, with here and there an officer going swiftly about his business with jaw grimly set.
All this the boys saw at the first glance. In the confusion it seemed impossible to learn what had happened or how imminent was the danger. Bob, as usual, came forward with the first practical suggestion.
“Let’s go up to the wireless room,” he proposed. “They’ll know what’s happened, and we can get the information first hand.”
“Good idea,” said Mr. Strong, briefly, and without further discussion they made for the radio room. Progress was slow, as people were rushing aimlessly about in every direction, and they had many collisions before they finally reached the radio headquarters.
The boys’ acquaintance with the operator now stood them in good stead, for otherwise they would not have been allowed to enter the cabin at all. But the operator only nodded briefly and went on with his business. His calm and collected actions were in striking contrast to the terror and confusion reigning without. For a while he was too busy with his instruments to answer questions, and the boys had more sense than to ask any. At length, however, Pearsall, the wireless man, took the headset from his ears and turned to them.
“Well, what’s the verdict?” asked Bob. “Are we bound straight for Davy Jones’ locker, or have we got a chance of keeping afloat?”