make fire until we found the hut. ”
Gray felt a tinge of embarrassment even though Lex was not correct. He could have made fire using a bow and a stick and suspected Shinobu could have started a fire also. “I love you Lex for taking the heat off me. We might have been able to make fire, though.”
“Can’t we still set it afire?” Lex asked.
“The oil slick is gone. Evidently the safety valves and fuel tank technology are preventing any further significant volume from leaking out.”
That brought some groans of disappointment. Gray said, “The slick and the debris are still out there drifting west. As the search radius widens there’s a chance it will be seen and the ocean currents are known so they could extrapolate where it came from.”
“So, we h just wait?” Keegan asked.
“ Not just wait. There are some things we can do,” Gray replied. “Has anyone seen any contrails?”
The others began looking up and then most said they had not been paying attention. “You have not been missing them,” Gray said. “I started looking yesterday but have not seen any directly overhead. We are just not near any major air routes. But if we are where I think we are we might be near a major shipping lane. I found an old pair of binoculars yesterday and I’m thinking we can climb this peak here and maybe spot a ship.”
That brought some cheerful comments but Lex asked, “But how can we signal them?”
“You always ask the good questions, Lex. There are at least three ways we might signal them. Did anyone see a mirror at the hut yesterday?”
The other four that were at the hut shook their heads. “I did not see one either but we should look for one today. Or even a sheet of shiny metal.”
“The airplane had bathroom mirrors… but no way can we get to them,” Anna said.
“But , we might find a piece of metal in the water around the wreck. Worth a look,” Gray said. “We can light a fire and make smoke, but smoke of the scale we can make is alone probably not going to get a ship’s captain to thinking someone needs rescue. But smoke in three big puffs might. Three shots is an international signal of distress. I’m thinking three puffs of smoke are also. Can anyone confirm that?”
Shinobu grinned and slapped his leg. “Every boy scout knows that.”
The others laughed. “Okay, good,” Gray said. ‘If we add three huge booms to the three puffs of smoke that should make it doubly good.”
“Three booms?” Anna asked.
“The mines. A Claymore makes a pretty big boom.”
“Awesome, dude!” Lex said, raising both fists.
“The bad thing about signaling a ship is that if we are where I think we are, we are also in a prime ship hijacking area. It is possible that a ship’s captain may think the signal is an attempt to lure him closer to pirates.”
That brought a variety of comments including one from Melanie of, “You and your pirates!”
Paolo did not comment but just looked at her and pointed his index finger at his forehead.
Gray said, “Melanie, I can’t help it if you never read international news. But pirates are a factor in this part of the world.” Shinobu, Paolo and Dayah nodded agreement.
An angry expression came to Melanie’s face as it reddened. Gray could not decide whether he owed the young woman an apology or not , nor could he think of a way to do it without sounding patronizing so he went on. “What I hope will happen is a ship’s captain will see the signal and at least pass the information along, hopefully to some nation’s naval vessel.” When he received a positive reaction from that, he pointed to the peak and said, “I’m going to climb up there and see if I can find a place where we could plant three mines and not blow up the guy on lookout.”
With some of the survivors l aughing at his comment about blowing up the lookout, they started planning out the day and their tasks. Shinobu again
Gray felt a tinge of embarrassment even though Lex was not correct. He could have made fire using a bow and a stick and suspected Shinobu could have started a fire also. “I love you Lex for taking the heat off me. We might have been able to make fire, though.”
“Can’t we still set it afire?” Lex asked.
“The oil slick is gone. Evidently the safety valves and fuel tank technology are preventing any further significant volume from leaking out.”
That brought some groans of disappointment. Gray said, “The slick and the debris are still out there drifting west. As the search radius widens there’s a chance it will be seen and the ocean currents are known so they could extrapolate where it came from.”
“So, we h just wait?” Keegan asked.
“ Not just wait. There are some things we can do,” Gray replied. “Has anyone seen any contrails?”
The others began looking up and then most said they had not been paying attention. “You have not been missing them,” Gray said. “I started looking yesterday but have not seen any directly overhead. We are just not near any major air routes. But if we are where I think we are we might be near a major shipping lane. I found an old pair of binoculars yesterday and I’m thinking we can climb this peak here and maybe spot a ship.”
That brought some cheerful comments but Lex asked, “But how can we signal them?”
“You always ask the good questions, Lex. There are at least three ways we might signal them. Did anyone see a mirror at the hut yesterday?”
The other four that were at the hut shook their heads. “I did not see one either but we should look for one today. Or even a sheet of shiny metal.”
“The airplane had bathroom mirrors… but no way can we get to them,” Anna said.
“But , we might find a piece of metal in the water around the wreck. Worth a look,” Gray said. “We can light a fire and make smoke, but smoke of the scale we can make is alone probably not going to get a ship’s captain to thinking someone needs rescue. But smoke in three big puffs might. Three shots is an international signal of distress. I’m thinking three puffs of smoke are also. Can anyone confirm that?”
Shinobu grinned and slapped his leg. “Every boy scout knows that.”
The others laughed. “Okay, good,” Gray said. ‘If we add three huge booms to the three puffs of smoke that should make it doubly good.”
“Three booms?” Anna asked.
“The mines. A Claymore makes a pretty big boom.”
“Awesome, dude!” Lex said, raising both fists.
“The bad thing about signaling a ship is that if we are where I think we are, we are also in a prime ship hijacking area. It is possible that a ship’s captain may think the signal is an attempt to lure him closer to pirates.”
That brought a variety of comments including one from Melanie of, “You and your pirates!”
Paolo did not comment but just looked at her and pointed his index finger at his forehead.
Gray said, “Melanie, I can’t help it if you never read international news. But pirates are a factor in this part of the world.” Shinobu, Paolo and Dayah nodded agreement.
An angry expression came to Melanie’s face as it reddened. Gray could not decide whether he owed the young woman an apology or not , nor could he think of a way to do it without sounding patronizing so he went on. “What I hope will happen is a ship’s captain will see the signal and at least pass the information along, hopefully to some nation’s naval vessel.” When he received a positive reaction from that, he pointed to the peak and said, “I’m going to climb up there and see if I can find a place where we could plant three mines and not blow up the guy on lookout.”
With some of the survivors l aughing at his comment about blowing up the lookout, they started planning out the day and their tasks. Shinobu again
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