“I was just thinking of that,” he shouted back.
Without further delay he did what is often done on board sinking vessels, what, indeed, was probably done by the operator of the Herculanea when the latter sent out his calls for help. The effect was so to reduce the amplitude of the outgoing ether waves that they might be received over a wide receiving range.
“He got it!” exclaimed the boy operator. “He’s trying to answer.”
There was more tuning of wave lengths for a minute or two and finally Walter got this message to the liner:
“We are a small yacht with forty survivors of the Herculanea wreck. We need help. Will you take us on board?”
Almost immediately came the question:
“Where are you?”
“A few miles off your port bow,” Walter answered.
“Come this way,” was the ship’s next message. “Will answer in a few minutes.”
Walter waited three minutes with the receivers at his ears. Then came the following.