Page:The Wireless Operator with the U.S. Coast Guard.djvu/167

 Meantime empty kegs had been prepared. A light line was made fast to one of them, and it was thrown into the sea. Rapidly it floated to leeward, and as fast as the sea carried it shore-ward the line was paid out. The searchlight of the Iroquois was broken out and its beam kept on the floating keg. Slowly this bore down on the Capitol City, but it was too far to one side for that ship to get it. The line was hauled in, and again it was floated toward the helpless ship. This time a sailor hurled the keg far to one side of the Iroquois, in the hope that it might now come close enough to the stranded ship to be caught. But again the attempt failed. The ebb tide, with its cross current, carried it farther away from the Capitol City than it had been before.

“Lower the surfboat,” ordered the commander, when he saw the attempt was useless. Then he called for volunteers. By the dozen the sailors leaped forward.

“Boatswain Johnson,” said the captain, “I’m going to put you in charge. Pick your crew.”

The boatswain selected eight sturdy sailors for oarsmen. A life belt was strapped round each. The boat was lowered to the rail, and the crew stepped carefully aboard. At a favorable moment the craft was launched. Quickly she shot away from the side of the Iroquois, and be