Just at this moment there seemed to be some excitement on the deck up forward. Two officers who stood on what the children had learned was called the quarter were talking excitedly to one of the lookout men. They were pointing ahead, and one of the officers put a double-barreled glass to his eyes and stared ahead.
The operator came to the doorway of his cabin and looked forward, too. He could see over the bulwarks and marked what had caused the excitement.
"Ah-ha!" he said. "Come up here, little folks, and you can see it too."
Russ and Rose were quite excited. They stepped up into the doorway beside the wireless operator. They both saw at once the two-masted vessel that was rolling sluggishly in the sea. Her rail seemed almost level with the water and from one of the masts several flags were strung.
"What is it?" cried Russ. "That ship looks as though it was going down."
"I guess you've hit it right. She does look so," said the operator. "She has sprung a leak, sure enough. And she's set distress signals."
"Those flags?" asked Russ. "Do those flags say she is sinking?"
"Those flags ask for help. That schooner doesn't carry a wireless outfit as this vessel does. Few small vessels do. I guess we will have to help her out," said the wireless operator.