Page:The Wireless Operator with the U.S. Coast Guard.djvu/249

 and slowly revolved the radio compass. Very indistinct was the signal from the Rayolite. Again and again the young operator revolved his compass, uncertain when the sound came loudest, so faint was it at all times. But finally he decided upon a bearing, and through the speaking tube called up this bearing to the quartermaster on the monkey bridge. A true compass was located on the monkey bridge. The compass in the radio shack deviated from this, so that it was necessary to correct young Belford’s bearing. This the quartermaster did, and conveyed the resulting information to the captain. There was a deviation table in the radio shack that Belford could have consulted, but he had had little experience with the radio compass.

Now the Iroquois was headed straight in the direction indicated by the radio compass. Every fifteen minutes Henry flashed out the call of the Rayolite and got a reply. For some time these replies grew constantly stronger, and then became fainter, yet the ship signaled that she could hear the Iroquois with increasing distinctness. It was evident that the tanker’s wireless was failing.

Henry went up to the bridge and told the captain. The captain considered a moment, and Henry looked about while he waited. The storm had abated not a particle. The view was still