Ned nudged his two chums as they stood in the now almost complete darkness, waiting near their boat station for what was next to happen.

“Did you hear that?” asked Ned Slade in a low voice.

“I did,” answered Jerry. “Don’t repeat it.”

“But, if we’re disabled,” whispered Bob, “doesn’t that mean we’ll sink sooner or later? And I haven’t noticed any other ships near us—not since we started the second time.”

“Disabled doesn’t mean that we’re sinking,” said Jerry, “and there’s no use starting another near-panic by scattering that word broadcast. If we’re disabled it may only mean that we can’t proceed under our own steam.”

“How else are we going to proceed?” demanded Ned.

“Send out a wireless call for help and be towed back to port,” was Jerry’s answer. “That’s easy.”

“I didn’t think of that,” murmured Ned. “But[69] say, isn’t it bad luck to have to go back to port twice on the same voyage?”

“Not half as bad luck as it would be to go once to Davy Jones’s locker!” declared Jerry, with a trace of mirth—just a faint trace, for the situation was still too tense to admit of any great feeling of jollity.

“Well, of course there’s something in that,” admitted Ned.

“A whole lot in it!” came from Bob. “Say, have you fellows got anything to eat?” he demanded, still speaking in a whisper, for the word of “silence in the ranks” had gone forth.

“Eat!” exclaimed Jerry in tense tones. “What do you think we are, anyhow? Walking cupboards?”

“I didn’t know but what you might have stowed away a cake or two of chocolate apiece,” sighed Bob. “Lots of times they forget to provision the boats when they abandon ship in a hurry. Chocolate is nourishing. I’ve got three big cakes. That’s one each. Here,” and he extended one to Ned and another to Jerry.

“What’s the idea?” demanded the tall lad, with amused curiosity.

“We might get separated,” answered Bob. “Better take this when you can get it. That cake of chocolate will keep you alive several days.”

“He’s got it all figured out,” said Ned. “Well,[70] you aren’t so bad at that, Chunky. It may come in handy!” and he put his cake away.

Jerry did likewise, and then they stood waiting for the next development. It was not long in coming.

Following the conference of the colonel and his army officers with the captain of the Sherman there was a tense period for a little while, until the colonel made another announcement.

“I regret to inform you, men,” he said, “that the accident in the engine room is more serious than at first was thought. The transport is disabled, and will not be able to proceed under her own power—at least, not until extensive repairs are made. An effort will be made to have the engines patched up, but this may not be possible.

“In the latter case we shall have to be towed back to France. I know that seems hard,” he said quickly; “but it is better than sinking in mid-ocean, and that possibility confronted us all for a time.

“Now we shall all be saved, but it may take some little time. The ship’s captain will at once order wireless calls for assistance to be sent out, and we should have an answer within a short time. Then, in another day, or, at most, two, we should receive help. So make the best of a bad situation. You will presently be ordered back to your sleeping quarters, for there is no danger of the ship’s[71] sinking. She will float for years in this condition. Only one compartment is flooded, and that has been shut off from the rest of the craft.

“The wounded will first be carried back to the hospital quarters, and then the others may go back to bed. I regret this occurrence, but you, who have fought in the Great War, will recognize this as only a minor happening compared to others.”

“Three cheers for the colonel!” called some one, and right heartily they came.

“Three cheers for Captain Munson!” some one else demanded, and the tribute to the commander of the disabled vessel was no less genuine.

The taking back of the wounded who had been brought up on the boat deck to be ready for quick transfer to the small craft went on in orderly fashion, though not so quickly as they had been brought from the hospital. The same need of speed was not present.

Then Ned, Bob, Jerry and the others were allowed to go back to where they had been sleeping, or trying to. And once more peace and quiet seemed to settle down over the ship. The list had been corrected somewhat, though in what manner the three friends did not know, and the Sherman was now riding more easily, though she was still without forward motion, save that perhaps imparted to her by the wind or the ocean currents.

............