"No, sir. The searchlight doesn't seem able to find the schooner."
"Then we need trouble ourselves no further about her. It's a good job, Coates," smiled the captain, rubbing his palms together in keen satisfaction. "We have rescued the crew of a disabled ship in one of the worst gales that I ever saw on the Atlantic coast. We have lost none of our own men and only one of the seamen belonging to the schooner. Of course I'm sorry that he was lost, but we did all that human beings could accomplish."
"We did, sir."
At that moment the captain's orderly approached.
"What is it?" demanded the captain, observing that the orderly wished to say something to him.
"Seaman Sam Hickey asks permission to speak to the commanding officer, sir."
"What does Seaman Hickey wish to say to me?"
"He did not say, sir."
"I will see him."
Sam, his red hair standing straight up, for he was hatless as well as coatless still, approached the captain, came to attention and saluted.