Part 18 (1/2)
”Because we have just crossed the equator. We went over the imaginary line three minutes ago.”
”I was wondering what made it so warm,” said Jack.
”I guess you dreamed it was hotter,” spoke the professor. ”It has been just as hot as this for the last few days. Crossing the line makes no difference.”
”Then we are really in the southern hemisphere now,” said Mark.
”That's where we are,” replied Mr. Henderson.
He put his instruments away.
”Well, we may as well go below the surface again,” he remarked.
”Come quick! Hurry up!” yelled Was.h.i.+ngton from the deck. ”Dar's a s.h.i.+pwreck up heah! Somebody's on it!”
CHAPTER XV
THE STRANGE s.h.i.+PWRECK
The professor, followed by the boys and Tom, Bill and Andy hastened on deck. They saw Was.h.i.+ngton pointing excitedly off to the west. There, rising and falling on the easy swell, was the wreck of a large vessel.
She had been a three masted schooner, but now only the stumps of the masts remained and the craft was rolling to and fro. It had settled low in the water, and was quite deep by the head, so that, at times, the waves broke over the bow in a shower of spray.
But what attracted the attention of the adventurers more than anything else was the sight of two figures near what had been the after cabin of the s.h.i.+p.
There they stood, frantically waving their hands toward those on the submarine. Across the water that separated the two craft, there came a faint hail.
”I suppose they are nearly dead,” exclaimed the inventor. ”We must save them.”
He ordered the _Porpoise_ sent ahead slowly toward the wreck. The distance was about half a mile, and was soon covered. As the submarine approached closer those on the schooner could be observed more plainly.
”One of 'em is a woman!” exclaimed Jack, who was using the gla.s.ses.
”Let me see,” spoke the professor.
”You're right,” he added. ”The other is a little girl.”
A few minutes later the _Porpoise_ was alongside. The woman and child came to the rail of the schooner, which was barely five feet above the waves.
”Can you jump down, or shall I come aboard and get you?” asked Mr.
Henderson seeing the woman hesitate.
”I can jump down, if you will catch the child,” said the woman. ”Oh I am so glad you came,” she added. ”We are almost dead from hunger and thirst, and the wreck is ready to sink and cannot last many hours longer.”
”Pa.s.s the little girl down to me,” spoke Andy. ”Then you jump. We'll save you all right.”
The little girl reached the deck in safety, and the woman, who proved to be her mother, followed.