"What?"
"Any sailing vessel headed our way, hearing four horns, is likely to steer well out of the way of the whole fleet, thus lessening the danger of collision."
Barely two minutes later another sound intensely interested the watchers aboard the "Panther."
Out of the white gloom ahead, some hundreds of yards, and almost bow-on from the "Panther," came the long-drawn-out hail:
"He-e-elp!"
"What's that?" demanded Joseph Baldwin, starting.
"He-elp!" came the appeal once more.
"Sounds like the latest trick from our friends on the 'Victor,'" grinned Captain Tom Halstead.
Ab Perkins, with the megaphone in his hand, had pushed his way up to the very peak of the bow.
"Ahoy!" he bawled, lustily, through the voice-carrier. "Who's in need of help?"