mmercialism may be
all right on land, but when you come right down to the bones of the
thing, there's mighty few men on salt water that'll ever do a dirty
trick to another man."

"Right you are," agreed Homer; "a shellback is the real thing in a
pinch. By ginger," he continued, "doesn't she burn! Surely there can't
be anybody on board of her."

The _Itasca_ was now rapidly approaching the burning steamer. Amid the
roar of the flames and the hiss of the sea against heated iron was heard
the thin whine of the speaking tube whistle.

"Call from the burning steamer, sir, I think," said the operator, "but
there's no meaning to it."

The captain spoke rapidly to the first lieutenant and the good ship
began to tremble from stem to stern as the engines were reversed and
the helm shifted so as to bring the sea a little on the port bow.

"Mr. Sutherland," came the first lieutenant's voice, "clear away the
starboard whaleboat."

Eric stepped forward, for this was his station. The boat's crew sprang
to their stations, the whaleboat was lowered to the rail, and as the
_Itasca_ lost her headway, the boat was neatly dropped in the water. The
sea had looked a bit rough from the bridge, but down at the water's edge
the waves were distinctly high.

Lieutenant Sutherland, who was also the instructor in mathematics, was
an absolute wonder in many ways, but small boat work was not much in his
line. Still, he handled her well. To Eric, of course, the rough sea did
not matter. He was used to that in his life-saving work, and, indeed,
every one forgot the danger as the boat pulled on in the lurid crimson
of the burning ship. They came close, and hailed.

There was no answer, nothing but the dull roar of the flames in the hold
and the spitting hiss as some spray was flung over the vessel's side. No
one appeared on deck. The bow, where it was high above the water was
cherry red hot, and even the more submerged stern seemed absolutely
untenable.

"There can't be any one on board," said the third lieutenant. "You
didn't hear a hail?"

"No, sir," answered Eric, "but Jenkins caught another call just before
we left."

"Very strange," commented the officer, looking thoughtfully at the
derelict. The boat was pulling up towards the lee side and the smoke was
stifling. The burning steamer was rolling heavily and there was a litter
of wreckage to leeward.

"Can't board there," the officer said to himself. He gave orders to pull
again to w