"You'll find Mr. Wickett on the after bridge," the officer of the deck said; and the wireless man came up the bridge ladder and saluted:
"You raised the Clermont, Wesson?" Wickett's voice was eagerly anticipatory.
"No, sir, I could not. She has no wireless."
"Oh-h!"
"But I raised the Cape station, and they reported she passed there on schedule time."
"On time? Good! Thank you, Wesson; that's all."
"Were you expecting somebody on the Clermont?" asked Carlin, when the wireless man had gone.
"Not really expecting. My home is a thousand miles from here, and my pay won't allow of my family travelling around everywhere to meet me. But I like to dream of rosy possibilities, don't you?"
A cool night breeze was blowing. Wickett bared his head to it. Presently he began to hum:
"And it's O you little baby boy
A-dancing on my knee—
Will it be a belted charger
Or a heaving deck to sea?
Is't to be the serried pennants
Or the rolling blue Na-vee?
Or is't to be——"