"This steamer used to be a pretty good boat," said Phil, "but she is getting old now, and I heard dad say something about laying her up for repairs next Fall."
"Wonder if we'll get a chance to do any rescue work," observed Ben.
"I guess we'll do all we can," returned Shadow.
"Look! Look!" cried Dave, pointing with his hand. "The smoke is getting thicker than ever!"
"Maybe the poor people on that steamer will have to jump overboard before we can reach them," said Phil. "A fire like that must be pretty hot."
Soon the youths knew by the pounding of the engine that the Eaglet was running at increased speed. The course had been changed, and now the craft was headed directly for the burning boat.
"She's a rather small affair, that's certain," remarked Roger.
"Looks to me as if she might be a pleasure boat," remarked Phil, who, taking after his father, knew considerable about sea-going matters. "She's a private steam yacht, to my way of thinking." And later on this proved to be the case.
As the Eaglet drew closer to the burning vessel, the boys saw that there was great excitement on board the steam yacht. Sailors and others were rushing to and fro over the deck, and two streams of water from hoses were being directed to one part of the vessel, down a hatchway. The smoke was as thick as ever, and sometimes, as the wind shifted, the steam yacht was hidden entirely from view.
Fortunately the sea was comparatively calm, there being only a slight breeze from the northeast. As the Eaglet drew closer, the boys heard Captain Bradley giving directions to some of the sailors to get ready to launch two of the small boats.