Pagina 186 di 416

"You did!" cried Ellinwood in amazement. "I didn't see her, but I

heard her, an' I got a message from her for you. It was night

when they come up on us an' hailed.

"They said they had news of you, an' would we send a dory over.

Would we? They was about six over in as many minutes. But they

wouldn't let us aboard. No, sir; kept us off with poles an' asked

for me.

"When I got in clost they told me the Rosan had found you, and

handed me an envelope with a message inside of it. Just as I was

goin' away there came the most awful clickin' an' flashin'

amidships I ever saw--"

"Wireless," said Code.

"Wal, I've heard of it, but I never see it before; an' I come

away as quick as I could."

"And the message?" asked Code curiously.

Pete laboriously unpinned a waistcoat-pocket and produced an

envelope which he handed to Code. It was sealed, and the skipper

tore away the end. The mystery and interest of the thing played

upon his mind until he was in a tremble of nervous excitement.