ELEPHANT ISLAND 
ready, boys, the Boss may come to-day." And sure enough, 
one day the mi-st opened and revealed the ship for which they 
had been waiting and longing and hoping for over four months. 
Marston was the first to notice it, and immediately yelled out 
' Ship 0 ! ' The inmates of the hut mistook it for a call of 
* Lunch 0 ! ' so took no notice at first. Soon, however, we 
heard him pattering along the snow as fast as he could run, 
and in a gasping, anxious voice, hoarse with excitement, he 
shouted, ' Wild, there's a ship ! Hadn't we better light a 
flare ? ' We all made one dive for our narrow door. Those 
who could not get through tore down the canvas walls in their 
hurry and excitement. The hoosh-pot with our precious limpets 
and seaweed was kicked over in the rush. There, just rounding 
the island which had previously hidden her from our sight, we 
saw a httle ship flying the Chilian flag. 
" We tried to cheer, but excitement had gripped our vocal 
chords. Mackhn had made a rush for the flagstaff, previously 
placed in the most conspicuous position on the ice-slope. The 
running-gear would not work, and the flag was frozen into a 
solid, compact mass ; so he tied his jersey to the top of the 
pole for a signal. 
" AVild put a pick through our last remaining tin of petrol, 
and soaking coats, mitts, and socks with it, carried them to 
the top of Penguin HiU at the end of our spit, and soon they 
were ablaze. 
Meanwhile most of us had gathered on the foreshore 
watching with anxious eyes for any signs that the ship had 
seen us, or for any answering signals. As we stood and gazed 
she seemed to turn away as if she had not seen us. Again and 
again we cheered, though om' feeble cries could certainly not 
have carried so far. Suddenly she stopped, a boat was lowered, 
and we could recognize Sir Ernest's figure as he climbed down 
the ladder. Simultaneously we burst into a cheer, and then 
one said to the other, ' Thank God, the Boss is safe,' For I 
think that his safety was of more concern to us than was our 
own. 
Soon the boat approached near enough for the Boss, who 
was standing up in the bows, to shout to Wild, * Are you all 
239 
