The awaited message came about an hour later.
“It’s as I thought,” remarked the captain, as he read the message that the wireless operator had translated from the code. “We’re ordered to blow her up as a menace to navigation. She can’t be salvaged, and she’s sure death to any vessel that might run into her.”
Orders were given at once in accordance with the instructions. The boys stood at the rail nearest the doomed vessel, taking care to keep out of the way of the crew, and watched with fascinated attention the busy preparations going forward.
Two boatloads of men were detailed to row over to the vessel with charges of explosives that were carefully planted at the most vulnerable points. Time fuses were attached, and then the boats returned, were hoisted to their davits, and the Meteor drew away to a safe distance, where she moved about slowly, waiting for the explosion to take place.
“It’s almost like waiting to see a man hung,” said Jimmy, in an awed whisper.
“Hardly as bad as that,” replied Bob. “Luckily, boats can’t feel.”
“Think of the difference between this and her launching,” murmured Joe. “Then, no doubt, there were flags and bunting and speeches and champagne broken over the bow and cheers from a big crowd when she slid off the ways. I wonder how they’d all have felt if they’d had second sight and could have seen the end of her.”
“She’ll have lots of company where she’s going,” put in Herb. “Gee, I suppose the ocean floor is just thick with wrecks. I don’t suppose you could walk a hundred feet on the ocean floor without stumbling over something that once belonged to a ship.”
“No doubt, at this moment there are more ships beneath the waves than above them,” conjectured Bob. “But there she goes now!” he cried, as a great cloud of smoke rose from the vessel and a roar like that of thunder smote their ears.
The steamer seemed to rise in the middle like some great monster in a convulsion. The air was full of flying giant fragments. Great waves were stirred up that raced across the water and tossed the Meteor up and down as though it had been a chip.