“Probably would only mislead them,” said Johnny. “Besides, I think it’s rather too late. Unless I mistake their position, they’re due to go aground any minute.”
With strained and expectant faces the three stood watching the bobbing light. Now it appeared, now it was lost to sight, but at each new appearance it seemed to gleam more brightly, as if coming nearer.
They were troubled by this new turn of affairs. There could be little doubt but this was the ship they had seen struggling in the grip of the typhoon, the ship which had come to dismantle the wreck. If she went aground, it would be their duty to assist the unfortunate sailors in every way possible, yet, in doing so, they would doubtless be bringing disaster down upon their own heads. These were rough, unscrupulous men. They would at once suspect the two boys and the Professor of treachery. After that, what would happen? Who could tell? Yet, they were men and, in time of disaster, they must be given every assistance.
The three of them had scarcely thought this through, each in his own way, when Johnny exclaimed suddenly:
“There she goes!”
They caught their breath and waited. The light had disappeared. For a moment they looked in vain for it; then it reappeared, rose higher than ever before, then hung gleaming there like a fixed star.
“Hard aground!” exclaimed Johnny.
“And likely to break up at any minute,” answered Pant.
A moment later there burst out above the ship a ball of fire, then another and another.
“Sending up rockets,” said Pant. “I wonder how they expect to get aid from these desolate shores? No ship could come near them without going aground. No lifeboat could ride such a sea.”