Hardly had Smith cast off the hawser and the crew of the Boxer gathered it aboard when the destroyer set off at full speed in order to intercept the drifting airship.
Having set staysail, jib, and mizen, the skipper of the Diomeda shaped a course as indicated by the Boxer, while Smith's telescope was brought into constant use by one or the other of the crew.
"She's descending," announced Stirling. "By Jove, she'll fall into the sea in a minute—no, she's steady. They have evidently emptied the water-ballast tanks. Here, you take the telescope."
The Boxer had apparently come within the proper distance of the airship, for although it was almost an impossibility to gauge relative distances through a telescope, Stirling could see the destroyer circling to starboard.
"They've got a line on board," he declared excitedly. "The airship is turning head to wind. The Boxer is returning. I say, what luck for the Westminster Daily Record! 'Exciting salvage of a Zeppelin by a British destroyer in the North Sea—by our Special Correspondent.' How will that look?"
"I shall be able to look the better if you'll kindly hand me the telescope," said Smith grimly. "Thanks! I am a rotter though. If I had only had the forethought to bring a camera—can't be helped. She's badly damaged, I can see. No one on board. Yes, there is, by Jove. There's a fellow in a greatcoat standing just in front of the midship car, or whatever they call it."
Nearer and nearer came the destroyer, with the Zeppelin straining and seesawing at the end of a hawser against the fairly stiff breeze. Presently the semaphore on the Boxer's bridge began to work.
As soon as Smith made the acknowledgment he seized a pencil and jotted down the movements of the signal arms; then by the aid of a diagram in the signal book he deciphered the message.
"Carry on under sail. Cannot take you in tow. Have sent by wireless to Harwich for assistance."
"I understand," replied the Diomeda's skipper by semaphore; then taking up the telescope he directed it towards the airship.