Promptly came the response, “NTE—NTE—NTE—de—WXY—K.”
“Can you see anything of the Iroquois?” asked Mr. Sharp. “We see a big freighter off our starboard bow, but don’t know if she is the Viking. Please give us your bearing on Iroquois. Will stand by for reply.”
Presently came an answer. “Can see you plainly. Bearing is south three-quarters east. You are only four or five miles distant.”
“That’s the Viking over there, without question,” said the wireless man as he shut off his power. “Her bearing from us is exactly the opposite of our bearing from her. That would make it north three-quarters west. Take a look at the chart and you will see how it is.”
Henry ran to the chart-room and laid a ruler along the course indicated. It pointed straight from the position of the Iroquois in the direction of the oncoming tramp. Then Henry stepped to the bridge.
Rapidly now the two steamships drew nearer, converging toward a common point. As they approached closely enough for each to examine the other well, the sailors on the Iroquois crowded to the forward rail, while a row of sailors could be seen lining the side of the Viking. The latter was a large, clumsy-looking cargo-boat, and was quite evidently not in the best of condition. She needed paint badly. Great rusty blotches marred her dark sides. Her rigging looked rickety. Huge derricks rose fore and after, and the derrick-booms were lashed horizontally, producing a peculiar appearance. At a little distance she looked as though she were equipped with elevated plank-walks. Her decks were littered with cargo. When the two vessels had come close to each other, both were stopped, and preparations were made to put the doctor aboard the Viking.
A small boat was lowered on the leeward side of the Iroquois, and the doctor and the crew stepped into her as she dropped level with the rail. The doctor carried his medicine case. Suddenly Henry turned to the captain, who was watching operations. “Might I go along?” he asked.
“Do you want a passenger, Mr. Hill?” asked the captain, for the lieutenant was in charge of the boat. “Mr. Harper here would like to go.”
“Jump in,” was the lieutenant’s reply, and Henry scrambled over the rail into the waiting boat.
In another moment the boat was far on its way to the Viking, the men bending vigorously to their oars. How she did rise and fall. But Henry was not now alarmed by the motion, as he might have been earlier. A ladder was lowered from the Viking as the small boat drew near. The little craft was laid skillfully alongside, the sailors made fast with their boat-hooks, and the doctor scrambled up the ladder, followed by the lieutenant and Henry. Some of the sailors also came aboard.