They soon gained the deck and the captain started to throw on the switch that connected the lights with the dynamo below. He was in the act of doing this, when not more than a few yards off he saw gleaming through the dark, like brilliant jewels, a red and a green light. They were the side lamps of a large steamer and she was coming straight for the Lightship!
“Quick!” shouted Nat, at the top of his voice. “Cap, look! Look, there!”
“Hallelujah!” exclaimed the captain, “if those lights won’t light, there’ll be a bad night’s work on Pancake Shoals!”
With hands that trembled he threw the switch, and the next instant the captain and Nat set up a simultaneous and joyous shout. From the twin mast-heads of the Lightship a brilliant glare shone out.
From the ship came shouts and hasty orders, and they saw her turn and swing off like some live thing that had been suddenly alarmed.
“Boy,” said the captain very solemnly, “it was Providence that sent you here to-night. You’ve done more’n help me. You’ve saved a valuable ship and maybe some human lives, for no craft that ever went ashore on the Pancake Shoals sailed the seas again.”
CHAPTER XVII.
ABOARD THE LIGHTSHIP.
“Waal, I want to know!” exclaimed the captain.
Nat had just explained to him his eagerness about the wireless equipment of the Lightship. The explanation had followed Nat’s story of how he came to be adrift in the Harleys’ boat, which story had frequently been compelled to halt while the captain interjected such remarks as “Great whales and little fishes!” “Land o’ Goshen!” and “Shiverin’ top-sails!” When Nat had related the villainy of the Harleys and Minory, the old man had thumped the table savagely with his fist.