But barely had the astronomer placed the receivers to his ears and reached forward to adjust the apparatus, before a startling event forestalled his call.
CHAPTER XII
THE VOICE OF SCIENCE
At the precise instant when Dr. Gresham seated himself at the radio of the Albatross, the great Consolidated News Syndicate, which dealt with newspapers all over the world, was broadcasting a “flash” of terrible import:
An hour ago New York had been wiped out by a stupendous tidal wave!
Details of the disaster still were lacking.
And then, before the astronomer could lift a hand to send his call, some instantaneous and terrific disturbance of the atmosphere blotted out all wireless communication!
What this disturbance might be, or what it might portend, seemed to arouse in my companion the gravest alarm. His face looked ashen as he sat there at the key. Over and over he sought to get Mare Island, but without success: the ether was as unresponsive as if his instruments were dead.
Presently he rose without a word and, motioning me to follow, sought Ensign Hallock on the bridge. Briefly he told the young officer about the destruction of Manhattan, adding:
“Something serious has happened somewhere in the world, since then, completely to disorder the atmosphere. It may be the earth’s final struggle for existence. Unless the Seuen-H’sin’s power is broken at once, the end is near! It is too late to wait for reinforcements. We must tackle the job ourselves—at any cost! The question is: how are we going to do it?”
Hallock thought a few moments, and then replied: