A vessel fifty miles away was trying to obtain a repetition of a message from Niton. Part of it she had received, but her operator was doubtful about the preamble and the words following overcoat. It was a purely private message, of no interest to anyone save the sender. Niton was trying to make the operator stop sending, as there was an SOS message coming from somewhere. The ship's operator for some reason was persisting in his inquiries for the words following overcoat. In addition a distant high-power station was chipping in, and there were also "atmospherics" of high frequency.
Out of this chaotic "jam" Mostyn was trying to isolate the urgent wireless call for aid.
Almost deafened by the exaggerated reverberations of the ear-pieces as Mostyn pursued his efforts to tune in, Selwyn watched with unabated interest the Wireless Officer's deft manipulations of the set. Greek the doctor understood, but this was something far beyond his ken.
At last. Faintly, almost indistinguishable from the cackling of the atmospherics, came the despairing SOS. It emanated from a vessel in dire distress. Peter knew that she was using her comparatively low emergency set. That indicated the fact that her ordinary sending apparatus had broken down.
"SOS. S.S. Passionflower 17 miles s. by w. of Owers. Boiler explosion, ship making water rapidly; pumps inadequate."
"Message received," sent Mostyn, then handing Selwyn the paper on which he had written the fateful message, "Captain, please," he said.
The doctor removed his telephones and departed on his errand. Meanwhile Mostyn was listening in for other vessels in the vicinity replying to the general and urgent call for aid.
In the chartroom the Old Man and Preston held a hasty conference. Only an hour previously the West Barbican must have crossed the track of the disabled Passionflower, within a few miles of her. Now a distance of between fifteen and twenty miles separated the two vessels, and to render assistance the former vessel would have to retrace her course. At fifteen or fifteen and a half knots it would take her more than an hour to close with the Passionflower. If she did, would she be the first on the scene?
Both the Old Man and the Acting Chief Officer doubted it. This part of the Channel was a busy one. Not only was there the "up and down" traffic, but a large number of vessels was plying between Southampton and the Normandy ports. In addition, the Passionflower was within an hour's run of Portsmouth, where there were Government tugs and destroyers ready to render aid.
The navigating officer's doubts were confirmed when Mostyn appeared with a report that already five vessels were proceeding to the rescue of the Passionflower. So the West Barbican held on her course.