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Fantasy Fan, v. 1, issue 9, May 1934

Page 133

May, 1934, THE FANTASY FAN     133

Munro led the way to the upper deck; the four men followed after him, bracing themselves against the gale. On the upper deck they were met by the first mate.
Captain Henderson raised his binoculars and stared vainly into the pall of darkness broken every few minutes by vivid, jagged flashes of lightning. Huge waves obstructed his vision at regular intervals. "Can't see a thing," he shouted. Then he swept the raging sea and sky once more. Abruptly, lights on the water came into view.
"There they are," shouted the first mate.
"Java lights," said the captain.
The first mate shouted again. "No, no, not Java, sir; they wouldn't bob about like that."
The lights were coming closer now. The first mate raised his binoculars and fixed them on the approaching lights. "That's a ship, sure," he said.
"Any distress signal?" asked the captain.
"No."
"Odd. Ship's in distress -- plain as a pikestaff."
Munro had been peering through his glasses in silence; he lowered them suddenly and turned to the captain. "Some lettering just now, sir. I saw it quite clearly. An 'm' and the end of a word, which I took to be land."
"English ship, then." shouted the captain. " 'M'--yes."
The first mate raised his glasses. "I can see lettering, but I'm damned if I can make it out."
A man came along the deck toward the little group, breasting the furious wind. It had stopped raining, now, and the lightning flashes were not as frequent as they had been. Even the wind had lessened considerably.
Munro saw the oncoming man and shouted to the captain, "here's our distress signal, sir."
The man came up to them, and handed a tightly folded slip of paper to the captain. Henderson opened the paper, and with the aid of the first mate's flash light, read:
"H. M. S. Cumberland calling. Send Harry to us."
"What's this?" shouted the captain.
"Mr. Rogers got only those words, sir; nothing more."
"Must be some mistake!"
"No mistake, sir. I heard that come in myself."
The first mate shouted suddenly. "The lights have vanished." Even as he spoke, there came a sudden brilliant flash in the sky, a flash that was not made by lightning, followed by a thunderous detonation.
Then came a sound that held them, fascinated them -- a sound fraught with terror--a woman's voice, clear as a bell, calling from where the lights had been,t he voice distinct above the roar of the wind.
"Harry...Harry...Harry..."
The wind brought the sound to them. magnifying it, subduing it. Immediately after, came a chorus of voices, calling as if from a great distance, "Harry...Harry...Come to us...Come..." the woman's voice yet strong above them all.
The captain muttered something incoherent. Then he turned to the three men who had followed him from the cabin and shouted, waving the message from the radio operator, "Cumberland calling! Something's wrong."

Saving...

May, 1934, THE FANTASY FAN 133 Munro led the way to the upper deck; the four men followed after him, bracing themselves against the gale. On the upper deck they were met by the first mate. Captain Henderson raised his binoculars and stared vainly into the pall of darkness broken every few minutes by vivid, jagged flashes of lightning. Huge waves obstructed his vision at regular intervals. "Can't see a thing," he shouted. Then he swept the raging sea and sky once more. Abruptly, lights on the water came into view. "There they are," shouted the first mate. "Java lights," said the captain. The first mate shouted again. "No, no, not Java, sir; they wouldn't bob about like that." The lights were coming closer now. The first mate raised his binoculars and fixed them on the approaching lights. "That's a ship, sure," he said. "Any distress signal?" asked the captain. "No." "Odd. Ship's in distress -- plain as a pikestaff." Munro had been peering through his glasses in silence; he lowered them suddenly and turned to the captain. "Some lettering just now, sir. I saw it quite clearly. An 'm' and the end of a word, which I took to be land." "English ship, then." shouted the captain. " 'M'--yes." The first mate raised his glasses. "I can see lettering, but I'm damned if I can make it out." A man came along the deck toward the little group, breasting the furious wind. It had stopped raining, now, and the lightning flashes were not as frequent as they had been. Even the wind had lessened considerably. Munro saw the oncoming man and shouted to the captain, "here's our distress signal, sir." The man came up to them, and handed a tightly folded slip of paper to the captain. Henderson opened the paper, and with the aid of the first mate's flash light, read: "H. M. S. Cumberland calling. Send Harry to us." "What's this?" shouted the captain. "Mr. Rogers got only those words, sir; nothing more." "Must be some mistake!" "No mistake, sir. I heard that come in myself." The first mate shouted suddenly. "The lights have vanished." Even as he spoke, there came a sudden brilliant flash in the sky, a flash that was not made by lightning, followed by a thunderous detonation. Then came a sound that held them, fascinated them -- a sound fraught with terror--a woman's voice, clear as a bell, calling from where the lights had been,t he voice distinct above the roar of the wind. "Harry...Harry...Harry..." The wind brought the sound to them. magnifying it, subduing it. Immediately after, came a chorus of voices, calling as if from a great distance, "Harry...Harry...Come to us...Come..." the woman's voice yet strong above them all. The captain muttered something incoherent. Then he turned to the three men who had followed him from the cabin and shouted, waving the message from the radio operator, "Cumberland calling! Something's wrong."