"I believe she would," muttered young Somers, excitedly. "Marine orderly!"
A sea-soldier came quickly up the bridge stairs, saluting.
"Mr. Somers's compliments to Mr. Fullerton, and will the executive officer come to the bridge?"
Again saluting the marine vanished aft. It doesn't take a naval officer long to report, even when he has to rouse himself out of a sound sleep to do it.
Ensign Fullerton reached the bridge rubbing his eyes, but he listened intently to what the two younger ensigns had to say.
"Marine orderly!" called the executive officer. "Mr. Fullerton's compliments to the commanding officer, and will he come to the bridge?"
Barely a minute later, Jack Benson stood on the bridge, listening to his subordinate officers and staring across the gap of water at the unknown craft.
"Mr. Fullerton," directed the young commander, "prepare to fire a signal shot and to lower the power launch. Make up the boarding party as usual. Mr. Somers, you will go in command of the launch. And I will accompany you this time. Mr. Fullerton, when I leave the bridge, you will assume command."
Both officers, as they received their orders, saluted.
Bang! The signal gun barked out, the flash from the muzzle sending a long tongue of red through the darkness.