object doesn't support error calling Java applet

I just wrote my first Java applet and it appears that I am getting the "Object doesn't support this property or method" error when it returns a message to the calling JavaScript code in my web page.

I have looked at the code for a while with no luck. Perhaps a few extra sets of eyes will see something that I can't. :D

The Java applet is a small, simple socket routine. It sends a text message to a server and waits for a reply message. It returns either the reply or an error message to the JavaScript code which displays it in the textarea.

The <applet> code in the html:

Code:

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<APPLET NAME="w2hsocket" CODE="wclient.class" HEIGHT="1" WIDTH="1"></APPLET

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The calling code. The error occurs on the highlighted line.

Code:

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      requestRec = typeStr + commandStr + fileName + "  " + custName;   
      // display request & send it to the FTP app                       
      objForm.output.value += "Sending request: <" + requestRec + ">\n";
      replyRec = w2hsocket.sendRequest(requestRec);
      objForm.output.value += "Reply received: " + replyRec + "\n";

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The Java applet.

Code:

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import java.net.*;
import java.io.*;
import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.event.*;

public class wclient extends java.applet.Applet

 {
  private int port = 6711;
  private String server = "109.15.1.147";
  private Socket socket = null;
  private String errMsg;
  private String replyRec;
  private int statusFailed = 1;
  private int statusOK = 0;

  public String sendRequest(String requestRec)

  {
    // connect to the host & send request
    if (send2Host(requestRec) == statusFailed)
      {
        return (errMsg);
      }

    return (replyRec);

  }

  // create the socket and connect to the host
  // send the request & wait for reply
  // close the socket
  private int send2Host(String requestRec)

  {
    try
    {
      // connect to server
      socket = new Socket(server, port);
      OutputStream recOut = socket.getOutputStream();
      InputStream recIn = socket.getInputStream();

      // send the request to server
      ObjectOutputStream objrecOut = new ObjectOutputStream(recOut);
      objrecOut.writeObject(requestRec);
      objrecOut.flush();

      // get the reply from the host
      ObjectInputStream objrecIn = new ObjectInputStream(recIn);
      replyRec = (String)objrecIn.readObject();

      // close the connection
      socket.close();
    }

    catch (ClassNotFoundException err)
    {
      errMsg = err.getMessage();
      return (statusFailed);
    }
 
    catch (UnknownHostException err)
    {
      errMsg = err.getMessage();
      return (statusFailed);
    }
    catch (IOException err)
    {
      errMsg = err.getMessage();
      return (statusFailed);
    }

    return (statusOK);

  }

 }

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Chances are, I'm getting an exception. Am I handling the message correctly in my catch code? Or is there something about the way Java & JavaScript pass strings to each other that I am not aware of?