“I’d like to put on that harness myself,” said Belding. “We had a wireless on the roof of our house in New York before the war. Government made us wreck it.”
“Jinks!” exclaimed Whistler, waiting for the operator to write out the message received and slip it into an envelope. “Do you know how to work one of these things, George?”
“I know something about it,” admitted Belding. “What’s it all about?” he asked the operator.
“Orders for us,” said the man. “You’ll know soon enough. We’re due for new cruising grounds, boys. But keep your tongues still till the com eases the information to all hands.”
He had finished the receipt and “repeat” of the message. Whistler took the envelope and sprang away with it to the commander’s quarters.
He knew by the expression on Mr. Lang’s face when he scanned the message that there was something big in view. The commanding officer of the Colodia swiftly wrote a reply and gave it to Whistler for the radio man. Belding was still hanging about the wireless room. His face was flushed and his eyes shone.
“Do you know what it is all about, Phil?” he whispered.
“Not a thing. But the Old Man,” said Whistler, “is some excited.”
Rumor that changed orders had reached the Colodia spread abroad before muster and inspection. The usual physical drills were gone through while the boys’ minds were on tiptoe. Even the order at four bells to relieve the wheel and lookout startled the crew, so expectant were they.
But nothing happened until just before retreat from drill at eleven-thirty. Commander Lang then made his appearance. He went to the quarter and addressed the crew.