The captain looked dumfounded. Then he gave a vigorous shake of the head.
“I wouldn’t be responsible for sending you boys on such a voyage.”
“There would be no real danger. We have a capable ship. We know how to handle her. She is as good on the water as on land.”
“I know all that, Jack, but what would your father say?”
“That it is our duty to go to the aid of those poor fellows on the Sky Eagle.”
The captain scratched his head in bewilderment.
“I don’t know what to say,” he said hesitatingly, at length.
“Hold on, here’s a message coming now,” he said.
“Ah! That’s the Sky Eagle,” said the captain. “We worried ourselves unnecessarily, after all.”
But it was not the Sky Eagle that was wirelessing. The captain’s rejoicing had been premature. Hutchings held up his hand to enjoin silence.
Then as the dots and dashes came out of space into the watch-case receivers at his ears he read off the message as it came.
“Scatiute Wireless Station.--Big dirigible seen drifting east. Making signals of distress. Do you know anything about her?”
“Great guns!” puffed the captain. “Just as I thought, she’s drifting out to sea sure enough. Raise ’em at Scatiute, Hutchings. Ask ’em what appears to be the matter with her.”
Hutchings applied himself to his key and in a few minutes he had this answer.
“Impossible to tell what is trouble. Appears to be in gas bag but not sure. Should send help, if possible.”
“That settles it!” cried Jack, “we’ll go after her.”
“I ought to say no, but somehow, all I can say is ‘Go ahead, my boys, and good luck’!” cried the captain, clasping the boy’s hand.
No time was to be lost and the boys hastened from the wireless office to where the Electric Monarch stood surrounded by an admiring crowd. There was great excitement as the boys were seen climbing on board. People came running from all parts of the grounds for, early as the hour was, there was still quite a small crowd scattered about inspecting the various air craft.
“What is it?” “Are they going to make a flight?”
These and a hundred other questions were bandied about from mouth to mouth. The boys worked like beavers and it was evident even to the dullest-witted onlooker that there was something unusual in the wind.
In ten minutes everything was ready. At the last moment Jack had requested a coil of good strong rope, which was loaned to him by one of the dirigible men. When this had been taken on board all was ready for the start. The boy took his place in the pilot house and the others assumed their stations. Ned oiled up the motor and Tom saw that the stern propeller bearings were in good working order.