ing on the
ship!"

"On the _Kirkmore_?"

"Yes, sir. And Jenkins says he is sure that it's not the regular
operator. It's an amateur."

"That sounds as if there were some people still left on the ship. Ask
him what the message is?"

Eric transmitted the request.

"He says it's the same call, sir, exactly."

"The first one?"

"Yes, sir. That every one is in the boats. Only he says it's given
jerkily and very slow."

"Find out what you can about it, Mr. Swift."

"Yes, sir."

Eric ran down to the wireless room.

"Acts like a man who doesn't know much about wireless, sir. I'm sure,
sir, that it couldn't be the operator, not even on a tramp steamer.
There's hardly an amateur who would make such a mess of it," said the
operator.

"What does he say?" asked Eric. "Can't you get word to him?"

"No, sir. That's what's puzzling me. I've called and called, and he pays
no attention."

"Do you suppose your sending apparatus is in good order?"

"Yes, sir," the operator replied. "Working perfectly. There's two or
three other ships calling the _Kirkmore_, and she doesn't answer them
either. I've talked to most o' them, sir."

"Who's the nearest?"

"We seem to be nearest to the ship, sir," said the operator, "but the
_Lucania_ is the nearest to the boats. They seem quite a bit to the
south'ard."

"Running into the line of travel, I suppose," said Eric. "What do you
think is the meaning of that call?" he added.

"I think, sir," said the operator, "somebody must have been forgotten
and left behind."

"But why doesn't he answer?"

"Maybe the receiving apparatus is broken down. There it is again, sir,"
the Coast Guard operator paused. "No, sir, it's not the operator. I
don't think I could even tell what he means if it hadn't been gone over
so often."

"Well," the captain said, when Eric reported the circumstances, "if the
_Lucania_ is nearer the boats than we are, and we are nearer the ship,
we'd better find out who's sending that call."

"Yes, sir," Eric answered formally.

In the meantime the knowledge of the disaster had spread through the
ship, and there was much excitement, when, one point off the port bow,
the glare of the burning steamer showed against the murk of midnight.

Every one not on duty, and those on duty who were able, ran to the port
rail. As the _Itasca_ steamed on, under forced draught, quivering as
her engines throbbed under her, the flare on the bow increased in
brightness. In half a