Bert Wilson, Wireless Operator

art of th

ea of glass, the noon-day sun poured its golden light. It was a perfect day at sea, and so thought the p

, paraded her decks or lay at ease in their steamer chairs, or upon the softly-upholstered couches and divans of her gorgeous saloons. Japanese servants glided noiselessly to and fro, ministering to the slightest wish of these favored children of fortune. Everywhere were signs of wealth and ease and careless gaiety. Sounds of music and merry laughter floated over the quiet waters. P

fectly appointed smoking-room and scan the faces of the gentlemen, quietly smoking and readin

couples of young people are enjoying the dance to the utmost. Groups of interested o

s officers. Perfect appointments here also, but evidently they do not appeal to these men at thi

se anxiety. But the captain knew and realized, as few on board beside himself could, that the ship was nearing the coast of Japan, the

pid fall of the barometer. No wonder that, with the responsibility of the lives and sa

passengers who, if they noticed it at all, were only conscious of an added sense of comfort in the softening of the almost too brilliant sunshine, but enough to deepen the pallor of the captain's face and quicken his pulse with the realization of a great, impending

e quick, decisive orders. With the rapidity of lightning his orders are executed and

e whole aspect of sky and sea had changed. The surface of the ocean was lashed into mountainous waves which raced befo

ror, they awaited they knew not what. The wind increased, and now the heavens opened and the rain came in suc

rasp of the dreaded typhoon. The darkness thickened, the wind increased, and suddenly they felt themselves caught in a great wave which t

as. The captain, calm and self-controlled in the midst of this terrible scene, went about among them, restraining, soothing, speaking words of encouragement and hope, but in his heart he had no hope. A fireman rushed up with the report that the engine-rooms were flooded and the

life-boat for they had all been shattered and washed away by the sea. There is but one hope left, and quickly ascertaining that the wireless is still O. K., the captain orders the call for help. For who can tell at what moment the a

come signal a flash, a whirring and snapping, tells him that the apparatus has gone dead! They must wait for the weary danger-fraught moments to bring them the knowledge. Thank

s plows through mountainous billows tha

usual, Tom and Ralph sitting in a favorite attitude with arms across the back of a chair in front of them, while Dick walked exc

always wanted to see a genuine storm a

eal more storm to-day than you longed for

u could watch the storm without sharing the danger. There was one ti

and I guess Captain Mannin

n, "that the storm didn't last long. If it had kept on

Manning fine through

cts of one of the most thrilli

y in a desperate effort to keep his ship from going to the bottom. That they had come through safely with no greater damage than the washing away of her life-boats was largely due to C

as Bert suddenly straightened up from his lounging position, and, with kindling eye and every faculty alert, grasped the key of his instrument

that sinking ship. Could she make it? Hearts felt and lips asked the question as the Fearless raced over the water, and all eyes were strained in a vain effort to catch a sight of the ship to whose succor they were going long before ther

nd from a rescuing ship? The typhoon had passed very quickly, but what havoc it had wrought in so short a time! The floating palace that ha

feared, what the captain and crew knew, that in a very little while would come the end. Even if a vessel should appear now, the captain feared that only a few could be saved, as it must be a work of time to transfer those hundreds of passengers from one ship to another. As all the life-boats had been smashed and carried

med like hours. A great quiet had fallen over them, the paralyzing stupor of despair. Nearly all had ceased

gan shouting, "Sail ho! a sail! a sail!" For a moment all was wildest confusion, and it was with greatest difficulty that the captain, who had prepared for just this outbreak, could control these frantic people and restore discipline among them. By this time, the lookout on the Fearless had made out the wreck and a heartening toot-toot from her stea

ery limit of her speed, comes nearer and nearer, till at

ship to lower her boats; and equal was the consternation on board the sink

redibly short space of time, a rough life buoy was knocked together. They worked with a will for they knew that every second might mean a life. The buoy consisted of a rude

he air, it landed just within the wrecked ship's rail. Eager hands prevent it from slipping and there is no lack of helpe

, and as it rushed back toward the waiting Fearless, with its load of women and children, a great cheer goes up. A moment, and the fo

now, willing hands! Already the bow of the sinking steamer is buried beneath the waves. Another moment or two, and it will be too late. Only a few feet more. Speed, speed, life buoy! She reaches the rail. Eager hands draw the two last voyagers over and cut the now useless life line. As the men step to the deck of the Fearless the w