A fire at sea is the sailor’s worst terror.  Urgent as was his own errand, Smith could not pass without at least inquiry, so he sank still lower, steering as close alongside the vessel on the windward side as the planes would allow.  He perceived now that she was dismasted and had a bad list.  Lifting his megaphone, he shouted—­

“Ahoy there!  Who are you?”

No answer reached him, though he saw that the crew were crowding on deck, gazing up at him, and one man, no doubt the captain, was making a trumpet of his hands.

“I can’t hear owing to the noise of my engine,” shouted Smith.  “Haven’t you got a megaphone?”

He was acutely conscious at that moment of two disadvantages which the airman had not yet been able to surmount.  He had not yet invented a noiseless engine, nor could he keep the aeroplane motionless in the air.  If Smith could have transformed his vessel for a few minutes into a Zeppelin airship he would gladly have done it.

Now a megaphone had been brought to the captain, and his words came, though faintly, to the ears of the airmen.

“Barque Elizabeth, from Calcutta to Dundee with jute.  Dismasted in a cyclone ten days ago west of the Andamans; been adrift ever since.  Fire broke out in cargo in the fore hold; had as much as we could do to keep it under; no time to rig a jury mast.  Afraid of flames bursting through any minute.”

He asked no questions and showed no surprise about the aeroplane.  It was evident that he could give no thought to anything but the desperate plight of his vessel.

Smith was in great perplexity.  He could do nothing for the ship; perhaps his best course would be to make all speed for the nearest port and send a steamer to her assistance.  An idea struck him.

“Can’t you get off in your boats?” he called.

“All carried away but one.  She won’t hold half of us.  Besides, can’t desert the ship.”

“Many passengers?”

“Only my daughter.”

“His daughter, Roddy.  I wish we could do something, but I don’t know what.”

“Ah! go down and lift her off, mister.”

Smith reflected.  A girl would probably weigh little more than the petrol they had consumed.  The suggestion was feasible, and if the captain’s daughter had pluck enough to risk the journey, no doubt her father would be glad to know that she at least was safe.

“We can but make ’em the offer,” he said to Rodier; then shouted through the megaphone:  “We’re coming down.  Get your men to clear the deck aft, and show lights and stand by to lend a hand.”

All this time the aeroplane was moving slowly in circles over the vessel, being still careful to keep on the windward side for fear of sparks.  When Smith’s instructions had been carried out, he selected a landing place just abaft the mizzen and, warping his planes alternately, brought the aeroplane gently to the deck.  Fortunately the bulwarks were sufficiently low not to catch the planes or the stays supporting them.