They were now in the wheel house again and, pressing their ear against the partition, they could hear him as he was evidently testing the different parts of the set.
"Hope he doesn't loose his temper and smash anything," Jack whispered as they heard something drop on the floor.
"I don't think he'd dare do that."
"Nor I. But you never can tell what a man of his stripe will do."
For several minutes after that there was no sound from the wireless room and then the sparking was heard again.
"He's trying to send again," Jack whispered.
"Well, he can't do any harm at that," Bob whispered back. "I only wish we could read his stuff."
"He's sending the same thing over and over again."
"You mean he's trying to," Bob chuckled.
Then all was quiet again and the boys judged that he must be listening again for a reply to his message. Five, ten and then fifteen minutes passed without a sound. Then suddenly they heard the door open and, a moment later, footsteps approached the wheel house. Bob nudged Jack as a signal to make no noise and Jack nudged him back in token of his understanding. For some time the mate stood on the bridge moving uneasily from time to time and finally he entered the room and sat down in the chair which stood directly in front of the wheel.