Others followed, and, in addition, great flares were set alight in the upper works of the steamer. How far they would penetrate the fog was a problem, but their possibilities were cheering.
In addition to the lights, the powerful foghorn of the vessel boomed out at intervals to help guide the rescuers groping about in fog and darkness.
And the hearts of the Radio Boys leaped with gladness when in one of those intervals they heard a muffled, answering blast that seemed to be not more than a mile or two away. Shortly afterward a second, and later on a third horn were sounded on the other side of the boat.
“They’re coming!” cried Bob, buoyantly.
But the water was coming too, faster than the helping boats, and almost as soon as Bob’s voice died away the word was passed along that all were to take to the boats. The captain had waited till he dared wait no longer.
Mr. Strong, during all this time, had been keeping in constant touch with the boys, but at the moment the order came had returned to his cabin to get something that he had forgotten.
Before he returned the passengers had been herded into groups by the officers according to the capacities of the boats that were awaiting them. That to which the boys had been assigned already had its quota full, and when Mr. Strong came back he was compelled to join another boat’s company, despite his request that his party might be kept together. But there was no argument possible at a moment like that. As the plan was for the boats to keep together until they were picked up, it did not seem, anyway, to be a matter of much importance.
One by one, the boats were filled, until all the passengers and crew had been accounted for except the captain and the wireless operator. They stayed on board, keeping the wireless and the foghorn going until the last minute possible. Then, when the convulsive movements of the doomed vessel told them the time had come, they got into the boats, which pulled away to a safe distance, where they lay with just enough movement of the oars to keep their heads to the waves.
They had been there for perhaps five minutes when there was a terrific roar as the boilers exploded and the ship went down. Though in no danger of being sucked down in the maelstrom, owing to the distance at which they lay, the boats were tossed up and down like chips for several minutes before the tumult of the waters subsided.
To the lot of the Radio Boys had fallen one of the smaller boats, of which they and some members of the crew were the only occupants.