"I don't think there's much fear of that," answered the girl, and described her interview with the bos'n on the preceding evening.
"You see," she concluded, "the men are helpless."
"There's something in that," Smith admitted. "By crikey, you're a bloomin' knock-out, and no kid," he added admiringly.
"I must leave you now," she said, going to the door, "but I'll look in again later on."
"Right you are, sir," replied the patient jocularly.
When she entered the foc'sle to see the injured quartermaster some of the men, impelled by a rude courtesy, rose to their feet, but there were others who regarded her with an air of aloofness which almost amounted to defiance. Having ascertained that the patient was progressing as favourably as could be expected, she left the foc'sle and was met on the for'ad deck by the bos'n, who appeared to be in an agitated state of mind.
"Been looking for you everywhere, Miss," he said breathlessly. "Didn't you 'ear the gun?"
"Gun! What gun?"
"A signal from somewheres astern. Struck me it might be the Satellite in trouble, Miss."
The only thing to do under the circumstances was to search for the vessel in distress. The girl went on the bridge, and, telling the quartermaster to stand aside, took the wheel herself. At the same moment she heard the distant boom of a gun, obviously a signal for help. It now became necessary to bring the Hawk round in a semi-circle and this, in such a sea, was a task which called for extremely nice judgment and skilful seamanship. Yet the amazing young woman accomplished it without mishap, though once, when broadside on to a beam sea, those on board experienced a few nasty moments with a solid mountain of green water towering above them, and looking as if it must fall upon the ship and crush her under its stupendous weight.