Lieutenant Hill turned his boat toward the Iroquois. A few minutes later the dripping craft once more hung on its davits, securely lashed to its strongback. The men had returned to their stations, the propeller was churning the salty sea, and the Iroquois was speeding back to her anchorage off Staten Island, with her task accomplished, and the pathway of the ocean freed of one more menace.
Truly, Henry thought, it was a great thing to belong to the Coast Guard. If there was any way by which he could accomplish it, he meant to become a wireless man on a Coast Guard cutter. His decision had been made. He knew he would never be satisfied until he, too, wore a blue uniform with red electric flashes and some red bars on his blue sleeve. But how he was to accomplish his end was quite another matter. There was evidently no place for him on the Iroquois, and probably every other cutter in the service had likewise its full complement of wireless men.
CHAPTER VI
A CALL FOR HELP
Yet Henry, having come to a decision, proceeded with characteristic directness to try to accomplish his purpose. The minute he had an opportunity to speak to the commander alone, Henry said to him, “Captain Hardwick, I’ve decided that I should like to become a Coast Guard wireless man. Ever since my old chum, Roy Mercer, became wireless man on the Lycoming, I’ve thought that I should like to have a similar job. Yet I wasn’t quite sure that I should like the sea. Now that I’ve seen the ocean, I have come to a decision. Is there any way I can get a job in the Coast Guard as a wireless man?”
“Just at present we have our full complement of wireless men aboard the Iroquois,” replied Captain Hardwick, “so there is no opening on this vessel. There might be on some other ship. But in any case, you would have to take an initial examination at the hands of a ship’s chief radio man. You might as well take an examination here and now. Mr. Sharp will put you through your paces, if you like, and you will know whether you are competent to fill the place you want. If you are not, Mr. Sharp would be glad to coach you, so that you could become competent. So, whether there is an immediate opening or not, this really looks like an opportunity for you, doesn’t it? And if you prove to be competent, I can recommend you to another commander.”
“You are very kind, Captain Hardwick. I see that it is a real opportunity. And if Mr. Sharp is willing to examine me, I’ll be only too thankful to him and to you.”
The captain rose and rang his call-bell.
“Rollin,” he said, when his attendant appeared, “tell Mr. Sharp that I would like to speak to him.”
In a few moments the chief electrician knocked and entered the cabin. The commander said to him, “Our young friend here,” indicating Henry, “has decided that he wants to become a Coast Guard radio man. I told him we had no opening for him on the Iroquois, but that we would examine him anyway and see whether he is qualified. I wish you would see what he can do, Mr. Sharp. Test him out thoroughly, and if he is a little weak, I would like it if you would coach him a bit. When will it be convenient for you?”
“I go on my regular watch in half an hour, Captain, and we would then be uninterrupted. I could give him a thorough examination.”