Part 24 (1/2)

”Wonder what sort of a cipher that is,” mused Jack, as he waited for an answer to his call. ”Looks to me as if it's one of those numerical ciphers where every second or third or fourth or fifth word is taken from the context and composes a message. Guess I'll try and work it out some time. It'll be something to do. And, hullo, he signs himself 'F'.”

Jack looked up at the printed pa.s.senger-list that hung before him.

”Professor F. Dusenberry” was the last of the ”D's”

”His initial,” thought Jack, ”but it's a funny coincidence that it should be the same as that of the man the diamond merchant was warned to watch out for, and that it should have been the professor's door outside of which he was struck down.”

CHAPTER XXVI.

A ”FLASH” OF DISTRESS.

Having dispatched the message, Jack sat back in his chair and mused over the future of the Universal Detector. It was a fascinating subject to day-dream over, but his reverie was rudely interrupted by a sharp summons from s.p.a.ce.

”Yes--yes--yes,” he shot back, ”who--is--it?”

”This is the _Oriana_,” came back the reply, ”Hamburg for New York. We are in distress.”

”What's the trouble?”

The spark crackled and writhed, as Jack's rapid fingers spelled out the message.

”We struck a half submerged derelict and our bow is stove in. We believe we are sinking. This is an S. O. S.”

Then followed the position of the craft and another earnest appeal to rush to her aid. Jack roughly figured out the distances that separated the two s.h.i.+ps.

”Will be there in about two hours,” he flashed, and then hurried to Captain Turner's cabin with his message.

The captain scanned the message with contracted brow.

”The _Oriana_,” he muttered, ”I know her well. Rotten old tramp. We must have full speed ahead. Stand by your wireless, Ready, and tell them we are rus.h.i.+ng at top speed to their aid. Confound it, though,” he went on, half to himself, ”this will lose us the race with the Britisher, but still if we can save the lives of those poor devils I shall be just as well satisfied.”

The captain hastened to the bridge to issue his orders and change the big s.h.i.+p's course. Jack went quickly back to his cabin and began flas.h.i.+ng out messages of good cheer. About half an hour later Captain Turner came along.

”Any more news, Ready?” he asked.

”No, sir. Their current is getting weak. The last time I had them the operator said that the s.h.i.+p was slowly settling, but that they had the steam pumps going and would keep them working till the water reached the fires. The officers were keeping the firemen at their work with revolvers.”

”I've been through such scenes,” remarked the captain. ”It's part of a seaman's life, but it's an inferno while it lasts.”

”Notify me if you hear anything further,” said Captain Turner a few moments later.

”Yes, sir. Hullo, here's something coming now. It's the _Borovian_, of the Black Star line. She got that S. O. S. too, and is hurrying to the rescue. But she's far to the south of us.”

”Yes, we shall reach the _Oriana_ long before she does,” said the captain. ”By the way, Ready, I've heard that you have quite a reputation for loving adventure.”

Jack colored. He did not quite make out what the captain was ”driving at,” as the saying is.

”I do like action, yes, sir,” he replied.