It was well established now that the big submarine and the Sea Pigeon were two different vessels, though they might be working in conjunction. But either or both of the German craft would be welcome prey to the United States destroyer. The latter continued her tedious work of “combing the sea” for these despicable enemies.
CHAPTER XVI—STATIONS
Since sailing out of Brest and before receiving her special orders by wireless telegraph, the Colodia had made no base port where the crew could receive either mail or cablegrams. Two weeks and more had passed. Philip Morgan and George Belding had no idea where the Redbird was, or whether or not their relatives were safe.
“The fate of a ship at sea is an uncertain thing at best,” Phil Morgan said seriously to his friend, “in spite of the old salt’s oft-repeated prayer: ‘Heaven help the folks ashore on this stormy night, Bill!’”
“Don’t joke about such serious matters,” Belding replied. “Wonder how far the folks have got toward Bahia?”
“Well, you know where we stuck the pins in the chart to-day, boy?”
“To be sure. But we don’t really know a thing about it.”
“Courage!” urged Whistler. “We are just as likely to be right in doping out the Redbird’s course as not.”
“It’s the confounded uncertainty of it that gets me,” said Belding bitterly, and then changed the subject.
Interest in the Colodia’s search for German raiders and submarines did not flag even in the minds of these two members of her crew. For several days, however, the destroyer plowed through the sea, hither and yon, without picking out of the air a word regarding either the Sea Pigeon or the huge submarine which some of the boys believed they had surely seen in the mirage reflected against the morning sky.