Down shot the Comet, as Jerry shifted the depression rudder. Down, down, closer and closer to the surface of the ocean, where rolling sluggishly, showing her water-logged condition, was the wrecked steamship. Anxiously the boys looked to see if she should prove to be the craft for which they were looking. She seemed silent and deserted—as though all had fled from her, or had, perhaps, been washed away by the angry sea.
“Stand by to lower the hydroplanes!” called Jerry to Ned and Bob. “We’ll try a landing on them.”
“Is it calm enough?” asked Professor Snodgrass, who had, on hearing of the sighting of the wreck, left his scientific work to give the boys any aid that might be needed.
“Yes, there’s only a gentle swell,” answered the tall steersman. “It will be safe to use the hydroplanes.”
On these the motorship could float, motionless if need be, while the boys investigated the wreck.
“All ready there, Ned?” asked Jerry.
“All ready, old man.”
“Here, Bob, you give me a hand with this wheel. I may have to make a sudden turn in case the wreck drifts too close to us.”
“All right, Jerry,” and the stout lad, who had been in the galley up to the time of sighting the steamer, hurried to the pilot house.
“Professor, you might give Ned a little help,” went on the steersman. “Those planes haven’t been used lately, and they may be a trifle stiff.”
“Of course, Jerry,” and the scientist, laying aside his precious notes, went out on the main deck.
Nearer and nearer to the wreck went the Comet. Every moment the boys dared spare from the wheels and levers they peered at the steamship, rolling lazily on the swell below them.
Would she prove to be the Hassen?
“Can you make out any name?” asked Ned, standing ready with his hand on the hydroplane lever.
“Not yet,” answered the professor.
It was Bob who made the welcome discovery, and perhaps, since it was Bob’s relatives they had come to save, it was very fitting that the stout lad should have had this honor. Bob gave a cry, which caused Jerry to turn and look at him.
“What is it?” asked the tall lad.
“That steamer! She’s the Hassen, all right! I just caught a glimpse of the name under her stern as she rolled that time.”
“Are you sure?”
“Positive! There! You can see for yourself!”
Jerry looked, as the vessel rolled again, and he, too, saw the name in gold letters on the black paint of the stern. The wreck was indeed that of the Hassen.
“Well, we’ve found her,” said Jerry in a low voice. “Now to see if anyone’s aboard. It doesn’t look so. Here we go, Ned! Down with that lever!”
“Down she is!”
A moment later Jerry shut off the power from the big propellers, and the Comet swept gently to the surface of the sea, where she floated close to the wrecked steamer.
“Well, she didn’t sink after all,” said Bob. “I wonder what became of the passengers and crew? For there doesn’t appear to be a soul aboard.”
“That’s right,” agreed Ned, “and she doesn’t seem to be sinking, even. There’s a sort of mystery about her.”
“Perhaps not so much,” put in Jerry, as he watched to note the drift of the wreck and the airship. He did not want a collision which might damage the frailer craft. “Possibly in the storm some water came in, or the engines may have stopped. That would cause a panic, and the boats may have been lowered, and have taken everyone off, although, all the while, the steamer was in good condition. I’ve read of such cases.”
“That is very true,” said Professor Snodgrass. “In time of storm and peril one loses control of one’s self, and does things one would not otherwise do. Probably the poor souls who deserted this ship would have done better to stay aboard.”
“Too bad!” exclaimed Bob, mournfully. “If my uncle and cousin had stayed here they might be alive now.”
“And they may be still!” cried Jerry, quickly. “We’re not going to give up yet. Why, I think it’s good luck that we located the wreck. We did it sooner than I expected. And when we go aboard we may find some message they left—we may even find that mysterious object, or whatever it was, that your uncle was bringing to this country, Bob.”
“Are you going aboard?” asked Ned.
“Certainly. Why not? The sea is calm, and it will be safe to make our craft fast to the ship. We’ll take a look around and then start off again and search for the small boats. It’s them we want, for if any persons were saved from the Hassen they’ll be drifting about in small boats.”
The Comet was some distance from the Hassen now, but Jerry slowly started the propellers, which would take the air craft up to the ship over the surface of the water on the hydroplanes as well as though they were sailing through the air, though not so swiftly.
“Stand by with a line to make her fast, if you can see anything to tie to, Ned,” called Jerry, as they approached closer to the wreck.
“Hadn’t we better go around on the other side? We may find an accommodation ladder down, or part of one, and that will make it easier to board her,” suggested Bob.
“That’s right, Chunky!” exclaimed Jerry. “Hold on there a minute, Ned. I’ll put her around.”
On the other side of the Hassen the boys saw part of a ladder dangling over the side.
“That’s good!” exclaimed Bob, with a sigh of content. He was getting stouter than ever and he did not relish the idea of any unnecessary gymnastics in boarding the wreck.
“Make fast to that, if you can’t see anything else, Ned,” suggested Jerry. Ned, however, found a projection on the side of the wrecked craft, and took a couple of turns of the rope about it. The Comet was now drifting with the Hassen.
Up the broken ladder scrambled the boys, followed by the professor. The decks were a scene of confusion, showing the power of the gale, and also the terror that must have inspired passengers and crew as they were leaving what they believed to be an ill-fated ship. One or two life boats were found with their sides or bows stove in, showing that the waves must, at times, have swept over the vessel.
“She’s entirely deserted,” said Jerry, in a low voice. “Not a soul left aboard. And yet, if they had only known she would keep afloat, how much safer they all would have been here.”
“Well, I guess if we’d been here, and had seen the big waves,” suggested Ned, “we’d have gone in the boats, too. Though with a heavy sea running I’d hate to trust myself in even a big life boat.”
“Suppose we go below,” said Jerry. “We may find some trace of Bob’s uncle and cousin.”
“Will it be safe?” asked the stout lad.
“Safe! Why not?” Ned wanted to know.
“I mean she may suddenly sink while we’re below.”
“Nonsense! This steamer, aside from the wreck of her upper works, and possibly of the engines, is sound and tight,” declared Jerry.
“That’s right,” agreed Ned. “She doesn’t seem to have taken in much water, either. This steamer would be valuable if we could get her to port. There’s the cargo, too. It’s a good find for someone.”
Looking about them, and making sure their airship was well fastened so that it would not drift away, the boys and the professor started below. They were wondering what they would find. But even in their wildest imaginings they did not dream of finding what confronted them a moment later.
For, as they started to descend, they heard a noise from below, and up a companionway came a voice calling:
“Who’s there? What do you want? I’m in command here, and I’m going to salvage this craft. Avast and belay! Who are you, anyhow, boarding me on the high seas? Who are you?”
The boys started back, and a moment later there jumped into view a grizzled sailor—who had been in sole possession of the wrecked ship. He held a boiler slicing bar in his hand, and he glared, rather than looked, a welcome at our friends.
“What do you want here?” growled the lone sailor.