The ship was in the stream by this time and it was Raynor’s turn on watch. As he dived below, he took occasion to turn and grin at Jack.
“We ought to make a good run home,” said he.
“Oh, maybe a certain young lady has hold of the tow rope,” and, before Jack could reply, he had dived below.
The _Ajax_ made the run through the Channel and out on to the broad Atlantic without incident. Coming through the Channel, they encountered fog and some bad weather, but on the whole the skipper was pleased with the conditions and the ship’s behavior.
They had been two days on the ocean and a fairly high sea was running one night, when Jack, who was seated in the wireless room, where he had been exchanging information and wireless small-talk with half a dozen other operators, noticed a sudden bustle on the deck outside.
A grimy fireman had run forward from the fire-room companionway and then the captain had hastened aft. He went to the door and looked out. He was just in time to see several men carrying up a limp form from the engine-room and taking it into the captain’s cabin.
“An accident!” exclaimed the boy. “Somebody hurt! I wonder who it can be?”
He hailed a passing fireman who was coming off watch and going forward.
“I was just coming off watch and didn’t stop to inquire.”
He made off and then Jack saw the captain hasten past and come hurrying back with his surgical case. Jack would have asked him, if he had dared. As it was, he buttonholed another grimy stoker on his way to the forecastle and put his question again.
“Sure I know,” was the reply, “one of the engineers hurt.”
“The third. Name’s Raynor, I guess.” And the man hurried on, leaving Jack standing there aghast.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
While he still stood there, the captain emerged from his cabin and, to Jack’s surprise, came up to him.
“Know anything about surgery, Ready?” he asked.
“Why, no, sir. I heard there had been an accident. My friend Raynor. Is he badly injured, sir?”
The question was put with painful eagerness.
“Not necessarily, my lad. His arm was crushed in a shaft while he was oiling it. The deuce of it is, we’ve no doctor on board and I don’t know how to care for it. I may have to amputate it. I did that once on a sailing ship; and in that case, I’ll need assistants. That is why I asked you if you knew anything of surgery.”