Page:Barbour--For the freedom from the seas.djvu/306

 fits of laughter over Mart's quandary. Nowhere was there a boat within signaling distance, and everyone was far too busy to give ear to Mart's troubles. Nelson sought the officer of the deck and held a hurried consultation, and presently returned with word that, if they found a chance of sending Mart back, they would do so, but that it looked very much to the officer as if he would have to swim or stay aboard!

"Oh, well, that's all right," said Mart. "I'll get Hail Columbia, of course, and be shot for desertion, but who cares? I say, Nep, when you get a chance see if you can persuade the radio shark to report me to the Q-4, will you?"

Nelson agreed and hurried off to his station, leaving Martin a bit worried and Tip chuckling. The Gyandotte turned and passed down the channel, signaling for the gate, and slid forth to the sea in the glory of a sunshiny November afternoon. Once past the mine fields she picked up her heels and went plunging southward in the teeth of a chill breeze dashing the foam from her bow and playing a tune on her aerial that sounded like the first efforts of a jew's-harp performer. Although Mart watched and hoped until Kinsale Head was lost to sight, nothing offered in the way of transportation back to Queenstown, and, for 281