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A Runaway Brig; Or, An Accidental Cruise

by James Otis · English · Gutenberg #34799 · 387,490 chars · public domain (US)

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Title: A Runaway Brig; Or, An Accidental Cruise

Author: James Otis


        
Release date: December 31, 2010 [eBook #34799]

Language: English

Other information and formats: www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/34799

Credits: Produced by David Garcia, David K. Park and the Online
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        file was produced from images generously made available
        by The Kentuckiana Digital Library)


*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A RUNAWAY BRIG; OR, AN ACCIDENTAL CRUISE ***




Produced by David Garcia, David K. Park and the Online
Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This
file was produced from images generously made available
by The Kentuckiana Digital Library)








[Illustration: Harry pointed seaward, toward the brigantine, moving
through the water slowly.--(See page 9.)]




      A RUNAWAY BRIG;

      OR,

      An Accidental Cruise.

      BY  JAMES OTIS,

       _Author of_

      "The Castaways," "Toby Tyler," "Mr. Stubbs' Brother," "Left Behind,"
      "Raising the Pearl," "Silent Pete," etc., etc.

       ILLUSTRATED.

       [Illustration]

       NEW YORK:
       A. L. BURT, PUBLISHER.




       COPYRIGHT 1888, BY A. L. BURT.




A RUNAWAY BRIG.




CHAPTER I.

THE SALLY WALKER.


"I'm going down to the beach to find Jim Libby. If you'll come along
we'll have a prime sail; and most likely this is the last chance we
shall have to go out with him, for his vessel leaves in the morning."

"How can I go when I've got to mind this young one all the forenoon just
'cause the nurse must go an' have a sick headache? I don't believe she
feels half as bad as I do!" And Walter Morse looked mournfully out over
the blue waters with but little care for his baby sister, who was
already toddling dangerously near the long flight of steps leading from
the veranda of the large summer hotel.

"Can't you coax off for a couple of hours?" the first speaker, Harry
Vandyne, asked.

"It's no use. Mother has gone to ride, and said I was to stay here until
she came back."

Harry started toward the beach, determined not to lose a single hour of
pleasure because of his friend's engagements; but before he had taken
half a dozen steps a sudden, and what seemed like a very happy thought,
occurred to him.

"I'll tell you how it can be fixed. Hire one of the other nurses to take
care of your sister till we get back. Any of them will do it for a
quarter, an' we'll be home before your mother comes."

The boys were spending the summer at the Isle of Shoals, off the New
England coast. Harry's father was Robert Vandyne, the well-known
ship-owner of New York, and Walter's was equally prominent in the
wholesale dry-goods business on Broadway. During their stay at this
summer resort they had made the acquaintance of Jim Libby, "cook's
assistant and everybody's mate" on the fishing-schooner Mary Walker, a
craft which visited the Shoals once each week to supply the hotels with
fresh fish.

Jim was at liberty to follow the dictates of his own fancy several hours
each day while in port, and the boys found him ever ready to take them
out sailing in the square-bowed, leaky tender belonging to the schooner.
As Harry had said, this was Jim's last day on the island until the end
of another cruise, and Walter was so eager to blister his hands and wet
his feet once more by rowing the Sally Walker--the tender was dignified
with a name--around the shore that he really did not stop to consider
all Harry's advice implied.

He wanted to go on the water; Bessie would have even better care from
one of the nurses than he could give her; and it was not difficult to
convince himself that, under all the circumstances, he would be
warranted in disobeying the positive commands of his mother.

"She didn't know Jim was going away in the morning, or I'm sure she'd
'a' fixed it so's I could take one more trip in the Sally."

"Of course she won't care," Harry said in such a decided tone that
Walter, who was more than willing to be convinced by the most flimsy
argument, made his decision at once.

"Come on; there's Mrs. Harvey's maid, and we'll ask her."

The bribe of twenty-five cents was sufficient to enlist the good-natured
girl's sympathies, and five minutes later the two boys were running at
full speed toward the shore, while Bessie, apparently well content with
the change of nurses, looked so happy that Walter really began to
believe he had done the child such a very great favor that his mother
could not but be pleased.

The unwieldy-looking Sally Walker was drawn up in a little cove which,
owing to a line of rocks just outside, made a most convenient
landing-place, and on the bow sat Master Jim, his face striped with dirt
but beaming with good-nature, and his clothes as ragged as they were
redolent of fish.

"I'd jes' begun to think you couldn't come, an' was goin' back," he
cried as his neatly-dressed acquaintances came into view. "If we wanter
do any sailin' it's time to be off, 'cause this wind's dyin' out mighty
fast."

"It's better late than never, Jim," Harry cried cheerily as he commenced
to push at the bow of the boat. "Let's get the old craft afloat, and do
our talking afterward."

To launch the Sally into deep water was quite a hard task owing to her
breadth of beam; but after that had been done the labor was ended for a
time, save such as might be necessary with the bailing-dish.

Jim stepped the short mast with its well-worn leg-of-mutton sail, got
one of the oars aft as a rudder, and the full-bowed clipper began to
move through the water slowly, but with a splashing and a wake
sufficient for a craft ten times her size.

"We can't run along the coast very well 'cause the wind's blowin'
straight out to sea, an' she don't stand up to it like a narrower boat
would," the skipper said as he settled himself back comfortably in the
stern-sheets while he pulled the fragment of a straw hat down over his
eyes.

"Let's sail before the wind two or three miles and then row back,"
Walter suggested. "I'd like to get to the hotel before mother comes."

"It'll be a tough pull," Jim replied as he glanced at the clumsy oars.
"I'd rather row the Sally one mile than two."

"Harry and I will do that part of the work."

"Then let her go," and as Jim eased off on the sheet the old craft came
around slowly, for she was by no means prompt in answering the helm.

"See that ship over there? How far away is she?" Harry asked as he
pointed seaward, when the Sally was well under way.

"That ain't a ship," Jim replied with a slight tone of contempt because
his companions were so ignorant. "She's a brigantine, an' hard on to
three miles from here."

"Let's run over to where she is. We can row back by dinner-time easily
enough."

Since his crew were to do all the work on the return trip Jim would have
been perfectly willing had the distance been twice as far, and he gave
assent by nodding his head in what he intended should be a truly
nautical manner.

The brig, which was now the objective point of the trip, appeared to be
a craft of about three hundred tons, and moving through the water
slowly, under the influence of the rapidly-decreasing wind, on a course
at right-angles with the one the Sally was pursuing. She was running
with yards square, under her upper and lower topsails, foresail, jib and
foretop-mast stay-sail, and the head-sheets were flowing.

"She ain't goin' so fast but what we can come up with her before the
breeze dies away, I reckon, an' if she's becalmed they won't say
anything agin our goin' aboard," Jim said after a few moments of
silence, during which all hands gazed intently at the stranger.

The idea of visiting a vessel at sea was very enticing to the city boys,
and they were now as eager for a calm as they had previously been to
have the wind freshen. The Sally took in so much water between her
half-calked seams that it was necessary to keep the bailing-dish in
constant use, consequently there was little time for speculation as to
where the brig was bound until, when they had sailed not more than a
mile and a half, Jim said in a tone of mild disappointment:

"It's no use, fellers, we can't get there. It's dead calm, an' we ain't
makin' a foot an hour."

"What's to prevent our rowing?" Harry asked. "You take down the sail and
keep the bailing dish going while Walter and I show you how to make the
Sally walk."

"I'm willin' if you are," and Jim unshipped the stumpy mast. "My vessel
won't get under way before mornin', an' it makes no difference if I
ain't back till sunrise."

To make the Sally "walk" required a great deal of hard work; but since
it was under the guise of play Harry and Walter went at it with a will,
while Jim wondered what sport boys could find in pulling a heavy boat,
for this was the one portion of a fisherman's life at which he rebelled.

Slowly but surely the little craft gained upon the larger one, which
swung to and fro on the lazy swell, and when they were about a quarter
of a mile apart Jim said, in a tone of disapprobation:

"The crew on that brig are worse'n fishermen. Every one of 'em must be
below, for I haven't seen so much as a feller's nose yet. Perhaps some
of the crew have gone ashore--the gangway's unshipped."

Unacquainted with nautical matters as the city boys were, they did not
think there was anything strange in such a condition of affairs, but
kept steadily at work with the oars until Jim scrambled into the bow to
fend off, the journey having been finished.

"I'll make fast here while you go aboard," he said as he seized the
ladder of rope and wood which hung over the rail as an invitation to
visitors.

"We'd better find out first whether they're willing to have us," Harry
suggested.

"That'll be all right," and Jim spoke very confidently. "If you're
afraid I'll go first; but it seems kinder strange that somebody don't
hail us."

Having made the Sally's painter fast, Jim clambered over the side
closely followed by his companions; but not a person could be seen on
deck. The fore hatch was lying bottom upward, and the appearance of the
ropes indicated decided carelessness on the part of the crew, yet no
sound was heard save the creaking of the booms as they swung lazily to
and fro.

"What's the matter?" Harry asked in a whisper as he noted the look of
fear which came over Jim's face.

"I'm sure I don't know. Let's see if we can raise anybody;" and then Jim
shouted, "Ahoy below! ahoy!"

No reply came. Again and again was the cry repeated, until Walter asked,
impatiently:

"Are you afraid to go into the cabin and stir them up?"

Jim would have braved many dangers rather than be thought a coward, and
without answering the question he leaped down from the rail, running
first into the forecastle and then the cabin, after which he returned to
his companions with a very pale face as he said, in a tremulous whisper:

"Boys, there ain't a single soul on this 'ere brig but ourselves, an'
there's a sword on the cabin floor! Do you s'pose pirates are anywhere
around?"




CHAPTER II.

THE BONITA.


Harry and Walter remained motionless and speechless on the rail staring
at Jim for several moments after this startling announcement had been
made, and there was a decided look of fear on the faces of all three.
The mere suggestion of pirates was enough to send the cold chills down
their spinal columns, while the mystery connected with the abandonment
of an apparently sound craft caused them to feel very uncomfortable in
mind.

Walter glanced apprehensively over his shoulder as if expecting to see
some terrible sight seaward, and the slightest ominous sound would have
sent the visitors into the Sally as the only place of refuge.

It was fully five minutes before Harry succeeded in gaining the mastery
over his fears, and then he said, with an evident attempt to make his
voice sound firm as he leaped from the rail:

"Say, boys, we're making fools of ourselves by getting frightened at an
empty ship! Suppose the pirates _have_ been on board; there are none
here now, and I don't see any reason why we shouldn't go below."

"I'm with you," Jim replied; but by taking up his position at Harry's
side he showed very plainly that it was not his intention to lead the
exploring party.

"I'll go, too, rather than stay on deck alone; but, according to my way
of thinking, we'd better start for the Isle of Shoals instead of staying
on a vessel like this." And once more Walter looked over the rail at the
Sally, which was taking in water quite rapidly now that the bailing-dish
was idle.

Harry and Jim had started toward the cabin before Walter ceased
speaking, therefore he had no choice save to follow them, and with an
undefined feeling of awe the three went down the stairs into a
comfortably but not expensively furnished saloon, from each side of
which led the eight state-rooms.

To judge by the general appearance of affairs one would have said that
the officers had but just gone on deck. On the long, stationary table
were sewing materials and a woman's work-basket; in one of the chairs an
open book, and on a locker was the log-slate with the reckoning
partially worked out.

The only suspicious object to be seen was a sword, which had been
withdrawn from its scabbard and thrown on the cabin floor. The blade was
covered with spots which might have been blood-stains or nothing but
rust, and the visitors gathered around the sinister-looking weapon
without offering to touch it.

"The sword doesn't prove that pirates have been here," Harry said, after
a long silence. "There couldn't have been much of a fight or we should
see more signs of it. Perhaps somebody is in one of the state-rooms."

"It won't take long to find out." And Jim boldly opened the nearest
door, a goodly portion of his courage having returned since the search
thus far had failed to reveal any very horrible sight.

In rapid succession the searchers went from one room to another,
stopping at each only long enough to make sure no person was concealed
therein, and to take a general but hasty survey of its contents.

Every tiny apartment showed signs of recent occupancy. A sea-chest,
clothes hanging on the walls, and such belongings as a sailor would deem
necessary for a long voyage, could be seen. In one state-room was a set
of gold studs and sleeve-buttons and a new quadrant. In another, which
Jim confidently asserted was the captain's, a watch hung at the head of
the berth, while a small writing-desk was littered with papers.

"All hands have gone somewhere, that's certain," Jim said when the
search was concluded; "an' before we go ashore it won't do any harm to
have dinner. If the pantry has been left like the cabin, we stand a good
chance of finding plenty of grub."

"I'm hungry enough to eat almost anything," Harry replied with a laugh.
"So if you know where the food is kept we'll have lunch before beginning
the long pull home."

Jim was thoroughly well acquainted with the general arrangement of
vessels of this size, and without hesitation he led the way to the
pantry, where was found a large assortment of delicacies for the cabin
table.

In this room were many boxes and packages which had not been broken, and
as each bore the mark "Brig Bonita," the name of the craft was known as
well as if the boys had seen the gilt letters under the stern.

Just at this time, however, the visitors gave but little heed to
anything connected with the abandoned craft save the provisions, and
these they sampled generously, beginning with nuts and ending with jam;
each one eating until it was an absolute impossibility to swallow
another mouthful.

During the varied but hearty meal they failed to notice that the brig
had heeled over slightly, or that there was considerable more motion
than when they first came aboard. The feast drove all thoughts of the
general condition of affairs from their minds until it was finished, and
then Jim said:

"Now, what's to be done? It seems a pity to leave this craft and all
these things; but I don't s'pose we could tow her in to the Shoals."

Even though Harry and Walter knew nothing about seamanship, they
understood how ridiculous it would be to make any attempt at towing a
three-hundred-ton brig with a crazy little boat like the Sally, and
their merriment was so great when Jim made this remark that he thought
it necessary to defend himself by saying:

"I've seen folks tow bigger vessels than this; an' I was only thinkin'
how fine it would be to take her in, for since there's nobody aboard
we'd own everything."

"Well, so long as it can't be done we'd better go back," Walter said as
he suddenly remembered his neglect of duty and the very grave reason why
he should be at the hotel before his mother returned.

Neither Harry nor Jim believed there was any necessity for making a
hurried departure, and fully half an hour more elapsed before they were
ready to go on deck. Even then they would have delayed still further had
not a violent motion of the vessel caused Jim to cry, as he sprang
toward the companion-way:

"The wind has freshened, and if we want to get back to-night it's time
we were off!"

Then, as he gained the deck, fear and surprise took the place of his
suddenly aroused anxiety. The wind had sprung up and must have done so a
long while before, for now there was no sign of land in either
direction, unless, indeed, a dark smudge far down to windward might be
the island which had been so close aboard a few hours previous, and the
Bonita was working on a zigzag course seaward. Owing to the fact that
the head-sheets were flowing, each time she fell off sufficiently to get
the wind abaft the beam she would fill her topsails and gather way, then
come to, stop, and again fall off; making, as a sailor would say,
"boards and half-boards."

Harry and Walter were so thoroughly amazed and alarmed by this sudden
disappearance of the land, as it were, that they gave no heed to
anything around them, but stood by the port rail amidships, searching in
vain with their eyes for the island.

Jim's knowledge of seamanship was decidedly limited; but he understood
fully why the Isle of Shoals was no longer in sight, and his one thought
was how they could leave the vessel, which was literally running away
with them. Springing to the main chains where the Sally had been made
fast, a single glance was sufficient to show of what little service she
would be to them just then. Leaking as she did, and towed now and then
at a rapid rate, the little craft was filled with water, nothing save a
very small portion of the bow upheld by the painter being visible.

Hardly knowing what he did, the young fisherman ran fore and aft in a
distracted way until Harry, aroused from his stupefaction by Jim's
apparently aimless movements, asked in a sharp tone of nervous
irritation:

"What are you doing? Are we to stay here without trying to get back?"

"I wish you would tell me what we can do;" and Jim stopped short as he
plunged his hands deeply in his pockets, looking Harry squarely in the
face. "The Isle of Shoals must be a dozen miles away by this time; the
Sally is swamped, an' there's nothin' in the shape of a boat on board."

"But we _can't_ stay here and be carried out to sea!" Walter cried in a
shrill tone of fear.

"If you think it's possible to swim back we won't stay; but I don't know
of any other way to get there!"

For an instant Walter acted as if he intended to make the attempt; and
then, as Harry seized his arm to prevent him from leaping overboard, the
poor boy gave way to the most passionate grief, he began to realize the
full consequences of his disobedience, and could he have been
transported to the land just at that moment, Bessie would have opened
her eyes wide in surprise at the great display of brotherly affection.

It seemed as if Walter's tears served to restore to Jim at least a
portion of his senses, for he immediately assumed a business-like tone
as he said:

"Now see here, fellers, we're in a scrape of course; but it won't do any
good to give up like this, 'cause if we try to help ourselves things may
turn out all right."

"If we can't get back in the Sally I don't see how we're going to help
ourselves very much," and Harry made every effort to appear brave that
Walter might be cheered.

"Some vessel will surely heave in sight before long, an' we can signal
to her. The first thing is to find a flag an' set it half-mast,
union-down. Any craft would try to find out what the matter was after
seein' a thing like that, an' jes' as likely as not we'll be picked up
before dark. Then we must get some of this canvas off of her so she
can't sail so fast, an' when that's done matters won't be so very bad,
for we can keep goin' straight ahead till we come out somewhere."

Jim spoke in such a matter-of-fact tone that the courage of his
companions was revived at once. They had not thought of the possibility
that a vessel might be sighted; but now it seemed very probable, and the
two boys set about the proposed task with hopeful hearts.

The wind continued to freshen, and in her limping way the Bonita worked
slowly but surely seaward with a wide expanse of ocean before her, while
the force on board was hardly sufficient to keep the helm steady in
heavy weather.




CHAPTER III.

A SMALL CREW.


As they searched for the flag-locker Jim did his best to keep hope alive
in the hearts of his companions by talking as if it was impossible they
could run many hours longer without meeting some craft from which
assistance could be procured; but even as he spoke he knew it would not
be strange if a week, or even more, elapsed before anything larger than
a sea-bird's wing came within their range of vision. He had been in the
Mary Walker on the fishing banks when it was known there were many
vessels in the vicinity, and yet not a sail was seen for ten days. While
the wind held in the same direction the Bonita would be too far north to
sight any of the coastwise traders, and Jim was well aware that it might
be a long while before they could summon aid.

The flag-locker was found after a short search, and when the stars and
stripes were hoisted as a signal of distress the bright colors appeared
to afford Harry and Walter no slight amount of relief.

"If a vessel comes within sight that must attract attention," Harry said
hopefully. "I don't suppose any captain would pass us by without at
least asking what was the matter."

"It would be a pretty mean sailor who wouldn't try to help us," Jim
replied; and then, as the thought came that it might be many days before
the flag would be seen by any one save themselves, he added in a voice
which was far from steady, "Now let's try to hoist the Sally inboard.
She'll be knocked to pieces if we tow her, an' there's no knowin' how
soon she may be needed."

"Tell us what to do and we'll obey orders," Harry said cheerily. "I'm
not sure but we can run this craft as well as a full crew could, so long
as you know enough to be captain."

Jim was thoroughly well aware of his own ignorance; but no good could be
gained by admitting such a fact, and he began to give commands in a very
loud tone, as if the noise would drive away his dismal forebodings.

There was no lack of blocks which could be used, and by fastening a whip
to the Sally's bow she was soon hauled in over the rail minus her cargo
of water.

"If we stay here long enough we must calk the seams," Jim said as he
wiped the perspiration from his face. "It won't be a hard job, an' we
may need her pretty bad."

"Why not do it now?" Walter asked.

"Because we ought to got some of this canvas in before it blows any
harder; but it would puzzle a better sailor than I am to know how it's
to be done unless we leave everything loose."

Neither Harry nor Walter could give any advice, and Jim was forced to
work out the problem unaided.

"I'll tell you what it is," he said, after studying the matter in
silence several moments. "It won't do to strip her entirely, for then we
couldn't keep steerage-way on. The jib, foretopsail, and mainsail won't
be more'n enough to steady her, and if the wind don't come any stronger,
I reckon we can take care of the helm."

"Do you mean that we're to pull down them big pieces of canvas?" Walter
asked in dismay.

"If I did mean that, it couldn't be done. By carrying the halyards to
one of the winches, though, we can clew them up after awhile; but it'll
be kinder hard work."

Then Jim set about the task which at first sight appeared to be
impossible, and, incredible though it may seem, had before dark stripped
the brig of all the canvas save what he proposed to keep her under while
the weather remained fair. His slight knowledge of seamanship was
sufficient to show him how work should be performed, and with the winch
as a very material aid the huge squares of canvas were clewed up after
rather a clumsy fashion.

When this had been done Jim went to the helm, which he lashed in one
position when the task of shortening sail was first begun, and soon the
Bonita was sailing properly dead before the wind, but in a lazy manner,
as if sulking because deprived of so many of her white wings.

"That's a good job well over," he said with a long-drawn sigh of
relief. "Now, if it blows very hard, we can soon get rid of the mainsail
and jib."

"Where are we heading for?" Harry asked, the severe labor having in a
certain measure dulled the grief in his heart.

"I don't know--straight across the ocean I reckon," Jim replied; and
then observing that his companions had noted the look of anxiety on his
face, he added in a lighter tone, "It seems kinder funny that we three
boys should be sailin' this craft like as if she was our own--don't it?"

"I wish we'd never seen her nor the Sally Walker," Walter cried
passionately. "Nobody knows when we can get back, and our parents will
think we meant to run away!"

"Now, don't get to feelin' bad ag'in," Jim said soothingly. "It won't do
any good, an' you'll be jes' so much the worse off. We've got to have
supper, an' who'll be cook?"

"I'll do what I can toward it; but I don't believe I'd know how to make
even so much as a cup of tea," and Harry rose to his feet.

"Jes' bring up a lot of grub from the pantry; that'll be enough.
To-morrow I'll show you how to steer, an' take a turn in the galley
myself."

Harry beckoned Walter to follow him; for, if the truth must be told, he
felt rather nervous about going into the cabin alone. Now that they were
on the open ocean, at the mercy of wind and wave, the deserted saloon
seemed peopled with things none the less horrible because unseen. Every
inanimate object had suddenly taken on a most sinister appearance; and
the rusty sword on the floor seemed to bear witness of the tragedy which
had caused a sound, well-found vessel to be abandoned in such haste.

Neither of the boys cared to look around the saloon in which the shadows
of night were gathering. They walked swiftly through into the pantry,
selected such articles of food as were nearest at hand, and then went on
deck very quickly.

Jim had lashed the helm again and was in the maintop looking seaward in
the vain hope of seeing a sail, and his apparent calmness, together with
the warm breeze, the water sparkling under the rays of the setting sun,
and the regular movement of the brig as she rose and fell on the swell,
served to banish the fears caused by that desolate-looking cabin.

When twilight came, that time when homesickness always appears with
redoubled violence, the three involuntary voyagers were eating a meal
composed chiefly of delicacies, and Jim understood that his companions
must be prevented from dwelling upon their own condition; therefore, as
a means of cheering all hands, himself included, he proposed to spin a
yarn in true sailor fashion.

From the number of so-called ghost stories which the crew of the Mary
Walker were wont to relate during their leisure moments he chose the
most horrible, and some time before it was concluded he understood that
he had succeeded in banishing homesickness at the expense of an
invitation to fear. Even he himself began to be afraid because of his
own "yarn," when it was told on the deck of a vessel so mysteriously
abandoned as had been the Bonita, and the sighing of the night-wind
through the rigging sounded very "ghostly" in his ears.

The three boys huddled close together, neither speaking above a whisper
until after the moon rose, and then matters began to seem more cheerful.
Jim changed the unpleasant current of thought by speculating upon the
strange sights they might see if it was possible for them to keep the
brig on the same course until they made land, and by ten o'clock all
hands had so far gained the mastery over fear that the young captain
proposed an arrangement for the night.

"We can't stay awake all the time," he said sagely, "so s'posin' you
fellers go below an' turn in. If the wind dies out much more I'll lash
the wheel an' join you; but if it don't one of you will have to spell me
'long toward mornin'."

"I don't care about going below," Walter replied in a half-whisper. "Why
can't we sleep out here on deck?"

"There's nothin' to prevent it; but you'll be cold before mornin' if you
don't get some blankets from the cabin."

Even Harry was timid about venturing into the saloon since that
particularly horrible ghost story had been told; and very likely Jim
understood this fact, for he said, after a brief pause:

"If you'll hold the wheel, Walter, an' Harry will come with me, I'll get
the bedclothes."

This proposition was accepted, and a few moments later a mattress and
half a dozen blankets were spread out on the deck aft, the whole forming
such a bed as even less tired boys would not have despised.

There was yet sufficient food remaining from the supply brought for
supper to serve as a lunch in case any of the party grew hungry before
daylight; therefore, as Jim said, "they were pretty well fixed for the
night." The wind was decreasing each moment, and, regardless of the
possibility that it might spring up again from a different quarter, the
helm was lashed amidships that all hands might sleep.

"I reckon some of us will wake up if it blows hard, an' considering that
we don't know where we're goin', it can't make much difference whether
anybody is at the wheel or not."

The young fisherman laid down as he ceased speaking, and his companions,
in blissful ignorance of the possible danger to be incurred by this
unseamanlike proceeding, seeing nothing rash or strange in thus leaving
the brig to care for herself, followed the example of their commander.

The bed was hardly as soft as Harry and Walter had been accustomed to
sleeping on, perhaps; but it was not uncomfortable, and in a few moments
all three were in dreamland.




CHAPTER IV.

A VOICE FROM THE SEA.


The small crew of the Bonita were weary almost to the verge of
exhaustion. Excitement and grief had fatigued them even more than the
long pull in the Sally; therefore all three slept as soundly as if they
had been snugly tucked-up in bed at home, and when the sun came from his
bath in the sea they were yet unconscious that another day had dawned.

When Jim, who was the first to awaken, opened his eyes, he rose suddenly
to a sitting posture with a misty idea that his slumbers had been
disturbed by the sound of a human voice.

It was several seconds before he fully realized where he was; but the
deserted deck of the brig and the Sally upturned on the main hatch soon
brought back to his mind all the strange occurrences of the previous
day, after which he began to speculate whether it was in a dream that he
heard a low, feeble hail of "Brig ahoy!"

Harry and Walter were both asleep, consequently neither of them had
spoken. Rising to his feet he gazed eagerly over the placid ocean, but
without seeing the ardently-longed-for sail.

"I reckon I was dreaming," he said to himself, and then the thought of
their lonely position drove everything else from his mind. "We must be
out of the track of vessels or one would be in sight by this time; and
when the next storm comes up it'll be good-by all hands, for we can't
manage a craft like this in a gale. I ain't sure, but----"

"Brig ahoy! ahoy!"

This time there was no mistake. It was a hail hardly more than a
whisper, but yet so distinct as to prevent any possibility that it was a
trick of the imagination. One would have said it came from the sea
directly beneath the brig's stern, and Jim's face grew pale with fear as
he looked quickly around without seeing so much as a floating timber.

"There's something wrong about this craft," he muttered, "Sailors don't
run away from a sound vessel without a pretty good reason, an' I reckon
she's haunted!"

"Brig ahoy! Help a dying man! Ahoy on board!"

The words were spoken more feebly than before, and Jim, thoroughly
convinced he had heard something supernatural, awakened his companions
by shaking them nervously.

"Get up quick!" he said in a hoarse whisper. "This brig has been hailed
three times, an' there isn't even a fly in sight!"

Harry and Walter were on their feet in an instant gazing around in
bewilderment; but seeing nothing, and after Jim had told his story, he
asked in a voice trembling with fear:

"What shall we do? I'd rather take my chances on the Sally, even if we
are out of sight of land, than stay here another minute. This brig has
got ghosts aboard!"

"I don't hear anything," Harry said, the bright sun and sparkling water
investing the vessel with a sense of life and animation directly at
variance with any supposed supernatural visitations. "You're mistaken,
Jim, that's all."

"Wait a little while," Jim replied, shaking his head gravely as if the
subject was too serious to admit of any discussion.

The boys were destined to be skeptical but a few seconds longer. Before
another moment had passed a low groan was heard as if coming from
beneath their feet, and all three instinctively ran across the deck to
the starboard rail, to put the greatest possible distance between
themselves and the unearthly sound.

This short flight was the one thing needed to reveal the seeming
mystery; for as Jim leaped into the main rigging with the intention of
going aloft, if the ghostly voice was heard again, he involuntarily
glanced downward.

"Look! Look there!" he cried excitedly, pointing toward the water; and,
following with their eyes the direction indicated by his trembling hand,
the boys saw a Whitehall-built boat about twenty feet long made fast to
the main-chains. An oar lashed to one of the thwarts served as a mast,
and fastened to this was a small piece of canvas.

All these details were not at first remarked, for in the bottom, lying
face downward as if dead, was a man. His outstretched hands looked like
claws, so tightly was the skin drawn over the bones, and even though
covered with clothing it could be seen that his body was wasted almost
to a skeleton.

Unaccustomed though Harry and Walter were to such sights, it was not
necessary for Jim to explain that the occupant of the boat was a
shipwrecked sailor in the last stages of starvation. The night had been
calm, and he probably propelled his craft with oars after the wind died
away, making her fast to the main-chains as he uttered the cry which
awakened Jim, and ceasing his appeal for help only when consciousness
deserted him.

It was several moments that the boys stood gazing at these mute
evidences of agony without making any effort to relieve the sufferer,
and then Harry asked:

"Can't we do something to help him? Perhaps instead of being dead he has
only fainted."

"I ought to be kicked for standin' here like a fool!" Jim exclaimed as
he clambered over the side, and an instant later he was lifting the man
to a sitting posture, crying, meanwhile: "Bring some water quick!"

Walter ran into the cabin, all fear of the place having been banished by
the desire to aid the sufferer, and in a few seconds passed a pitcher of
water into the boat.

Jim was an awkward nurse; but his patient had more vitality than was
apparent at the first glance, and before the boy could bathe his face
thoroughly he had revived sufficiently to grasp the pitcher with both
hands, drinking most greedily.

"Don't let him have all he wants!" Harry cried. "I've heard that people
who have been almost starved shouldn't have too much at a time."

Jim tried to wrest the pitcher from the man's desperate clutch, but he
swallowed the liquid more eagerly, and the boy was forced to exert all
his strength in order to accomplish his purpose.

"Wait a bit," he said as he held the vessel behind him. "You can drink
till you bu'st, after a spell, but I reckon Harry's right about takin'
too much just now."

The man looked fiercely at Jim for an instant as if about to spring upon
him and thus obtain that which would quench his burning thirst, and
then, controlling himself with an effort, he asked in a whisper:

"Where are the crew?"

"There ain't any on board. Us three boys are alone. Have you got
strength enough to climb over the rail?"

Instead of answering the question the man attempted to rise to his feet,
but his limbs refused to obey the will, and he sank back on the thwart
as if about to relapse into unconsciousness again.

"Here, drink some more water," Jim cried quickly; and when the sufferer
had swallowed half a dozen mouthfuls eagerly, he shouted to the others:
"Lean over the rail and try to get hold of him!"

At the same moment he lifted the emaciated form--he had often raised
heavier burdens--until those above could seize him under the arms, after
which the remainder of the task was easy of accomplishment.

Harry and Walter carried the sailor to the mattress on the port side,
lying him upon it tenderly; and while they were thus occupied, Jim
climbed on deck once more, running directly to the pantry.

A case of canned soup was among the stores, and without waiting to
select any particular kind he seized one of the tins and carried it to
the galley.

To build so much of a fire as would be sufficient to heat the soup was
but the work of a few moments, and then he carried a bowl full of the
nourishing food aft, saying, as he handed it to the starving man:

"I don't reckon it'll do you any harm to eat this. I'll get a spoon, an'
one of us fellers will feed you."

There was no necessity for any such preparation. The sailor still had
strength enough to raise the bowl to his lips, and in the shortest
possible space of time it had been drained of its contents.

"I s'pose you could pump two or three gallons into him before he'd know
there was anything inside," Jim said in a low tone to Harry as the
sufferer laid back on the pillows with closed eyes. "What'll we do? Give
him some more?"

"Hold on a few minutes and see if he asks for it. I think he's going to
sleep."

Jim went forward again, where he could be alone while thinking over
this addition to their number, and instead of finding relief in the
coming of the stranger it seemed to him as if the matter had grown more
complicated.

"It was tough enough for us before," he said as he went into the galley;
"but what we're goin' to do with a sick man on our hands beats me."

He was not in so much despair as to forget that as yet they had not
breakfasted, however, and he at once set about preparing a reasonably
elaborate meal.

The wind was not sufficient to lift the narrow thread of blue which hung
from the mast-head. The brig rose and fell on the lazy swell, swinging
her bow from one point of the compass to another under the influence of
ocean currents or eddies, and there was nothing to claim Jim's attention
save the culinary duties he had thus voluntarily assumed.

Before breakfast was ready Harry came into the galley for more soup,
explaining that the stranger had awakened and asked for food; and by the
time the invalid was fed again Jim called his companions to partake of
the result of his labors.

The boys talked of little else, while they were eating, save regarding
the man who slumbered on the mattress aft. His coming had temporarily
driven from their minds the sorrow caused by the enforced absence from
home, and in this respect, at least, it was productive of good.

"There's one thing about it," Jim said, when the conversation was ended
with the meal, and they had failed to realize that the shipwrecked man
might be of great assistance in the future, "his boat is a long ways
ahead of the Sally, an' I wouldn't be afraid to sail anywhere in her.
She ought to be hoisted inboard, an' if he's asleep now we'd better try
to hook her on the davit-falls."

The man was asleep, and before washing the breakfast dishes Jim made
preparations for securing the boat, which he rightly believed would be
so valuable when the time came to abandon the Bonita.

This work was by no means easy of accomplishment, even though there was
neither sea nor wind to interfere with the laborers; but it was finally
finished successfully, and the young captain had no slight satisfaction
in the thought that he and his crew were now well prepared for the
worst.

It was two hours past noon before the rescued man awakened again, and
Jim had more soup heated, this time allowing his patient to eat and
drink all he wished.

"Go ahead," he said as he served the food aft, placing a number of
dishes on the house, "for there's plenty aboard to fill up a man twice
your size. Call on us for what you want an' I reckon we can find it."

The sailor was greatly refreshed by this third meal, and when it was
concluded the ghastly look on his face had given place to what appeared
very much like evidence of returning strength.

"Tell me how you boys happen to be on board here alone?" he asked; and
Jim began at once to relate their misadventures, which commenced with
the cruise in the Sally.

"We don't feel very much like stayin' on this vessel, for of course
there's something wrong about her or the crew wouldn't 'a' left
everything behind!" he said in conclusion; "but we couldn't start away
in the Sally, 'cause she leaks so bad. Now that we've got your boat, we
can say good-by to the brig as soon as you're well."

"What's the use of abandonin' a good craft like this?"

"'Cause we can't manage her, an'--an'--Well, to tell the truth, I'm
kinder afraid."

The stranger smiled as if he thought Jim's fears very foolish; but at
the same time he could give no reasonable guess as to why the Bonita had
been abandoned.




CHAPTER V.

BOB BRACE'S STORY.


As a matter of course the boys were eager to hear the sailor's story;
but no one asked any questions, believing he would relate the
particulars of what was evidently a disaster when he had recovered his
strength sufficiently to spin a lengthy yarn.

And in this they were not mistaken.

Before sunset he was able to sit up, and greatly to the satisfaction of
his companions he volunteered the information they were so impatient to
gain.

"Most likely you're wantin' to know how Bob Brace, able seaman, got
pulled down to a reg'lar bag of bones like this?" he said toward the
close of the afternoon while the boys were gathered around him.

"I reckon you've been wrecked," Jim replied, "an' we'd like to know
about it, but don't want you to talk till you're feelin' all right."

"A sailorman picks up mighty quick after he's where he can get hold of a
well-filled mess-kid, an' when its cabin grub that's poured inter him
the rarity of the thing helps out amazin'. I reckon I'm the only one of
the Trade Wind's crew that's alive. We sailed from New York for Cardiff
five weeks ago, an' had the best kind of weather for twenty days when a
reg'lar nor'-easter struck us the afternoon of Thursday, nine days past
as near as I can figger. There was time to get in the royals an'
to'gallant sails before night; but the gale kept growin' worse so the
spanker was downed, the main course hauled up an' furled, an' she was
put fair before the wind, which had been workin' around to the east'ard.
By the next mornin' we was snugged down with nothin' but the
main-topsail, foresail an' fore-stays'l showin', an' the old hooker
duffin' into it mighty hard.

"It looked as if she'd weather it all right till eight bells on Friday
mornin', when every thread of canvas was blown off the spars, leavin' us
wallowin' in a chop sea that stove the bulwarks an' swept the decks
clean before we could heave her to on the port tack by settin' the lower
main-tops'l. By this time the fo'castle was drownded out, an' all hands
bunked in the cabin till Saturday, when there was no more watches below,
for she was takin' water so fast that everybody up to the captain had to
stand by the pump. We managed to keep the old barkey afloat till Sunday,
when the long-boat an' yawl--the gig had been stove--were launched.

"There ain't much use to tell the rest, for it's like what you must 'a'
heard many times. We in the yawl had six gallons of water, an' them in
the long-boat had a bag of bread. Before we could divide the stores the
bark went down, one of her spars striking the long-boat, an' we never
saw a soul of 'em ag'in. I reckon pretty nigh every one was killed by
the ruffle. The yawl held six, all told, an' I'm the last. The lack of
food wasn't so bad till the water give out, an' then the weakest went
first. Yesterday I threw the last body overboard, an' this mornin' after
it fell calm your craft hove in sight.

"I didn't believe I could lift an oar; but it was life or death for
sure, an' I managed to do it, losin' my head entirely after makin' fast
to the main-chains an' not gettin' any answer to the hail. That's the
whole of the story. It ain't very much in the tellin'; but, lads, the
livin' of it was somethin' a man don't like to think about very long at
a time. The question to be settled now is, where are we, an' what's the
course to the nearest port? Did you find anything below that looked like
a log-book?"

"We didn't hunt round in the cabin very much, but if it'll do any good
we'll overhaul things now," Jim replied, the sense of companionship
which had come when Bob Brace revived sufficiently to tell his story
causing him to lose a certain portion of his fear at going below.

"The log-book would tell us where the brig was when the crew abandoned
her, an' from that we might shape some kind of a course. Help me over to
the wheel, an' I can manage to hold her steady while you boys are
rummagin'."

The knowledge that immediate action was necessary to save their lives,
as well as what might prove to be a valuable cargo, had a beneficial
effect on Brace, and Harry fancied he could see him growing stronger
each moment. With but little aid he seated himself near the wheel, after
which the boys went below to make a thorough search of the saloon and
state-rooms.

The approach of night had already filled the cabin with gloom, and to
dispel this Jim lighted the swinging lamps, thus giving to the interior
a less sinister appearance. The sword still remained on the floor,
however, and all felt that this reminder of what had possibly been a
deadly encounter must be removed before the place could be divested of
its horrors.

"It ain't anything but a piece of steel, no matter what's been done with
it," Jim said by way of reassuring himself; and then, lifting the weapon
very gingerly, he threw it under the berth in one of the state-rooms,
closing and locking the door quickly, as if fearing that by some
supernatural agency it might spring upon him.

This horror of an inanimate object may sound foolish when read in print
with nothing in one's surroundings to inspire terror; but if the
situation of these three boys be taken into consideration, together with
the mystery attending the abandonment of the brig, very many excuses can
be found for their superstitious fears.

The search was made thoroughly, but no log could be found. The slate, on
which the brig's position had been partially worked out, was the only
article which might have thrown any light on the matter, and this Bob
Brace could not understand.

"You see I ain't much of a navigator at the best, an' this bit of
figgerin' beats me," he said when the boys returned with the fruit of
their labor. "If we can't get any idee of our true position we'll have
to make a guess at it. How far do you reckon this 'ere brig has sailed
since you come aboard?"

Jim frankly confessed that he was ignorant on that point. He described
the position of the canvas when they found the Bonita, and the probable
time she had been under shortened sail; but this was not very valuable
information. The statement was hardly concluded when Bob interrupted him
by asking angrily, as his gaze fell upon some object forward:

"Wasn't you in trouble enough when the brig carried you off but that it
must be made worse by turnin' that hatch over?"

"We didn't do it," Harry replied quickly. "It was in that position when
we came aboard."

"Then it's no wonder the crew took to the boats," and Bob wiped his
forehead with the sleeve of his coat, apparently as much disturbed by
this trifling matter as the boys had been at the sight of the sword.

"Why?" Jim asked, disturbed in no slight degree by the look of fear on
the old sailor's face. "How can a little thing like that do any harm?"

"If you'd seen as much as I have you wouldn't call it a little thing,"
Bob replied in a solemn tone. "I had a messmate in the old Sea Queen
what shipped on a English bark, an' the second day out one of the green
hands turned the main hatch bottom up. What happened? Why, in less'n a
month the bark turned turtle on 'em, an' all but four went to Davy
Jones' Locker. It's a bad sign, lads, an' one that I never knew to
fail!"

"What is it a sign of?" Harry asked impatiently.

"Didn't I jes' tell you? It's a sign that this 'ere craft will turn
bottom up afore reachin' port, an' we're in big luck to have the Trade
Wind's yawl hangin' at the davits."

"Well, we'll fix that mighty sudden!" And Jim ran forward as he spoke;
but the heavy hatch was more than he could lift unaided.

"It won't do any good to turn it now, for the mischief has been done,"
Bob said in a lugubrious tone; "but you boys had better go for'ard an'
help him set it ship-shape."

Harry and Walter did as was suggested; but they did not move with
alacrity, for the old sailor's superstitious fears had plunged them
again into deepest despair.

"Don't act as if you'd lost your best friend," Jim said in a whisper
when the two came forward. "It's only a mess of sailor's nonsense."

"But he says the sign always comes true!" Walter replied mournfully.

"That don't make it so. If every fore-hatch what got turned upside down
sunk a ship there wouldn't be many vessels afloat. He's all in a heap
through bein' starved so long, an' most likely doesn't know more'n half
of what he's talkin' about."

The boys refused to be comforted. It was but natural that they should
believe the eldest member of the party, and he an old sailor, rather
than the youngest, more especially as the ominous prediction seemed to
be in keeping with all that had happened since they boarded the brig.

It was a mournful-looking group which clustered around the wheel when
the sun descended behind the waste of waters, for even Jim could not
appear cheerful while his companions were so gloomy; and as the darkness
settled down over brig and sea Bob repeated the story of his sufferings
in the open boat, until the sighing of the light wind through the
rigging sounded in their ears like the moaning of some unearthly
visitant.

"What are you goin' to do about standin' watch?" Jim asked, in order to
change the dismal current of thought.

"You and I'll have to take the most of it," replied Bob. "I don't know
as we can do any better than keep her steady as she goes till some kind
of a course is figgered out, for we ain't makin' much headway with this
wind. I'll take Harry in my watch an' give you Walter; then if we should
have luck enough to sight a craft, a flare can be started without the
helmsman's leavin' the wheel. Hunt in the pantry for alcohol--you'll
find some there; get a basin outer the galley, an' a bunch of oakum from
the fo'castle. We'll have everything ready to signal, an' if a ship does
heave in sight there won't be any time lost."

Jim didn't fancy searching through the deserted forecastle and cabin in
the night; but it was necessary some one should set an example of
courage to Harry and Walter, and he went below without a show of
hesitation, returning a short time later with the materials Bob desired.

When the flare was arranged to the old sailor's satisfaction, he
proposed that Jim should stand the first watch, and with a few words of
advice relative to the method of using the signal, in case it should
become necessary, he and Harry went below, leaving the other two sole
occupants of the deck.




CHAPTER VI.

A CHANGE OF WEATHER.


Walter could be of but little assistance on deck, owing to his ignorance
of nautical matters; yet in Jim's estimation he formed, as companion to
himself, a very important portion of the watch. Brave though the young
fisherman tried to appear, nothing short of actually saving his own life
would have tempted him to remain on the Bonita's quarter-deck alone in
the night; and even with an assistant it seemed necessary for him to
whistle very loud during several minutes after Bob and Harry disappeared
in the cabin before he had sufficient control over his voice to hide the
fear which came upon him.

Then he said in what was intended to be a cheery tone:

"Well, Walt, I reckon this is the last night we'll run dead before the
wind, unless it blows in our favor. By mornin' Bob oughter be strong
enough, if he keeps on eatin' same as he has to-day, to help work ship,
an' then the brig'll be headed toward home."

Walter sighed deeply. Just at that moment he was thinking of the loved
ones whom he knew must be mourning his absence, and the word "home"
caused such an uncomfortably big lump to rise in his throat that it was
impossible to make any reply.

Perhaps the same syllable sent Jim's thoughts straying in a similar
direction, for he began to whistle once more, and continued to do so
until a voice from the companion-way asked, in a querulous tone:

"What's the matter? Short-handed as we are, do you think it's goin' to
help out by havin' more wind!"

"It ain't blowin' any harder than it was when you went below," Jim
replied in surprise, understanding by the tone of the voice that it was
Bob Brace who had spoken.

"That's jes' why you wanter tie up the whistle. It'll bring a gale if
you keep on much longer!"

Then the sound of footsteps told that the speaker had returned to the
cabin, and Jim said, in a low tone, to Walter:

"Them old sailors are as full of whims as a dog is of fleas. Some of
them on the Mary Walker had signs for everything a feller did; but I
never saw any come true. Tom Downey, the mate, allers fussed when birds
flew 'round the schooner, 'cause he said they'd bring on a gale, an' in
a dead calm he'd either whistle or wish he had a cat to throw
overboard."

"What for?"

"So's to bring a wind. He says it'll allers come when you do that; but
of course its foolishness. Then again, if _I_ happened to whistle, no
matter how calm it was, I'd get a rope's endin' 'cause they think a boy
mustn't so much as squeak. If I'd believed Bob could hear me I'd know'd
enough to hold my tongue."

"Did you get whipped very often on the Mary?" Walter asked, with a mild
curiosity.

"More times than I've got fingers an' toes. Whenever any of 'em, from
the captain down to the cook, wanted something to do they'd stir me up,
an' it makes a feller dance when he gets a good stout heavin'-line
across his back; but I'd be willin' to take a pretty big dose of it if I
could be on board the old schooner just now."

There was no necessity for Walter to repeat this last sentiment. A
severe punishment from his father at that moment would have been a
positive pleasure. The lightest word in reference to home caused him to
realize more keenly each hour the distance between those whom he loved
and himself, and Jim's words seemed but the echo of his own thoughts.

During fully half an hour the two remained in silence at the wheel,
steering the brig through the darkness on a course indicated only by the
wind, and then the young fisherman was suddenly recalled from memories
of the Mary Walker to the Bonita.

The breeze was increasing perceptibly, and the moisture in the
atmosphere told that rain might be expected very soon. While the boys
had given themselves up to reverie the clouds were gathering, until now
it seemed as if they actually enveloped the brig as with an impenetrable
vapor, and the waters dashed against the bow with that peculiar sullen
sighing which betokens a storm. The Bonita no longer sailed freely, but
tossed and plunged like some living thing harassed by obstacles in its
path until wearied with the constant strife.

Jim knew the meaning of this change in wind and wave, and he roused
himself suddenly as does one who is rudely awakened.

"I reckon it would be better if we 'tended to our business instead of
whinin' about what can't be helped," he said grimly, clutching yet more
tightly the spokes of the wheel. "You'll have to go below an' tell Bob
that a storm is comin' on, so's we can get in some more of this canvas,
if he thinks we're carryin' too much."

Walter noted the change in his companion's voice rather than in the
elements; but that was sufficient to cause him to move very quickly.

It became necessary to look in several of the tiny apartments before
finding the two who were enjoying their watch below, after which it was
an affair of only a few seconds to arouse them. Bob sprung to his feet
before Walter had repeated Jim's words, and he awakened Harry by saying,
as he pulled him from the bunk:

"Come on deck, lad; for we shall need the whole workin' force unless our
fisherman has made a mistake!"

To have seen Bob ascend the companion-way ladder one would hardly have
supposed he had been so near death a few hours previous. The necessity
for action seemed to call back all his strength, and on reaching the
deck there was no evidence of weakness in his movements.

"Well, the wind you was callin' for has got here," he said to Jim,
looking out into the darkness. "I never knew much good to come of boys
whistlin' at sea, an' I don't reckon any one else ever did."

Jim had nothing to say. He didn't believe he was responsible for this
sudden change in the weather; but long and sad experience had taught him
how useless it would be to deny the imputation, and he asked meekly:

"Do you think we're goin' to have much of a storm?"

"It looks like it; but if we had half a crew aboard there wouldn't be
any reason for touchin' a rope. The way we're fixed now makes things
different, an' we'd better get her snugged down. I'll take the two boys
for'ard, an' you ease her up a bit so we can furl the jib. Come on,
lads; there ain't much time to waste."

Harry and Walter followed Bob without the slightest idea of what was
required. They could carry out his instructions when he set the example,
however, and in half an hour the Bonita was plunging heavily into the
rapidly-rising sea with nothing save the foretopsail drawing. She had no
more canvas than might have been shown in the most furious gale; but,
under the circumstances, it seemed to be all that was consistent with
safety, for no one could say how much wind lurked behind the inky
clouds.

"Now light the binnacle lamp, Jim, so's we'll have some idea of where
we're headin', an' then try your hand at makin' tea. I reckon this will
be an all-night job for me, an' as I don't feel so very chipper yet,
somethin' warm won't do any harm."

Bob took the wheel as he spoke, and Jim obeyed orders, the other boys
following him closely, for the stuffy galley was preferable to the deck,
where the huge waves, roaring astern, appeared ever on the point of
ingulfing the brig.

By the time a pot of tea had been steeped the storm was full upon them,
causing the Bonita to pitch and toss in what Harry and Walter thought a
most dangerous manner. Jim did not feel disturbed by it, however, for in
his mind was the knowledge of that greater peril concerning which his
companions were ignorant. The brig was dashing on literally at the mercy
of the gale, and at any moment might strike a reef or the mainland, to
the destruction of all on board as well as her own stout timbers, for
the helmsman had no idea of what lay before them.

When Jim carried a pannikin of tea aft, leaving the other boys in the
galley awaiting his return, Bob said in a low tone, as if fearing his
words would be overheard:

"You must take the wheel awhile, lad, so I can hunt for the charts. It
won't do to storm along like this without a little smatterin' of what's
ahead, an' we'll make some kind of a guess as to where the brig was when
you picked me up."

Jim grasped the spokes firmly, as much for the purpose of steadying
himself against the vessel's furious plunging as to hold her before the
wind, and after draining the pan of its bitter contents Bob Brace went
into the cabin.

Owing to the violent motion of the brig the boys in the galley made no
effort to join the young fisherman at the helm, and he was left alone
during half an hour, when Bob returned.

"Did you find the charts?" Jim asked eagerly.

"Yes; an' I reckon there's no call to worry ourselves very much. We're
runnin' pretty nigh south, an' if the brig was a hundred miles off the
coast when I came aboard there's nothin' between us an' the Bahamas.
We've got thirteen or fourteen hundred miles of clear water, an' this
breeze will blow itself out before----"

"Look! Look there!" Jim cried excitedly, heaving the wheel down to port
as rapidly as he could handle the spokes.

Bob turned quickly, and but one brief glance was sufficient to cause him
to spring to the helmsman's aid.

There was good reason why the two were alarmed. Directly in the Bonita's
course, less than half a cable's length away, a huge fabric of canvas
and cordage came out of the gloom like a phantom, as if bent on running
down the brig.

The stranger had all lowersails set, and a collision would have been
fatal to the smaller craft because her headway was so much less than
that of the other.

"Up with the helm, lad, to meet her as she comes around!" Bob screamed,
when the wheel had been jammed hard down for a second, and the Bonita
heeled over while responding to the rudder's sudden swing. "We shall
clear her, but it'll be a rub."

The stranger had also changed her course by this time, and as the two
vessels swept past each other on a heaving, screaming sea of foam,
hardly twenty feet apart, Jim sprang toward the flare.

"You can't bring her to now, lad," Bob shouted as the boy ran into the
galley with the basin of alcohol-saturated oakum. "Even if they were
willin', we couldn't wear ship."

Jim's excitement was so great that he did not hear the old sailor's
words. When he emerged from the galley the spirit was sending up a blue
flame which illumined the entire after-part of the brig; but the
stranger had vanished in the gloom to starboard, and strain his eyes as
he might it was impossible to see any answering signal.

"You needn't spend much time lookin' for that craft, lad. We've been
nearer to her than we shall ever be again, an' you'd better chuck the
basin overboard before your fingers get burned."




CHAPTER VII.

AN UNEXPECTED DANGER.


During the remainder of that night Bob Brace stood at the wheel, save
now and then when Jim took his place that he might go into the galley to
light his pipe or solace himself with a pannikin of tea.

When the young fisherman lighted the flare both Harry and Walter firmly
believed that the ship which had almost run them down would heave to and
offer assistance; therefore, as the Bonita plunged on through the dense
gloom and over the howling waters without receiving any answer to the
mute appeal for aid, their despair was intense. To have been so near
those who might have given help seemed to make their position even more
desolate than it was before, and after watching in vain for some show of
a light from the stranger the boys gave way to grief.

"Now see here, fellers," Jim said gravely as he entered the galley and
found them weeping, "feelin' bad won't help matters, an' it'll only make
'em worse. Bob says there wasn't a chance for them on the ship to lend
us a hand, even if they wanted to, an' we must keep a stiff upper lip
till the weather clears a bit. By this time to-morrow there may be a
full crew on board, an' the brig standin' up for the coast; so don't
take on so hard. It won't be any use to stay on deck 'cause neither Bob
nor me can turn in, so you'd better go below. I'll sing out if there's
need for help."

Neither of the boys protested against following this advice. Both were
perfectly willing to go where they could not witness the conflict of the
elements, and when Jim went aft again they sought refuge in the cabin
with but little heed to what a few hours previous had been a place
peopled with phantoms of the imagination.

They were yet below when another day dawned, and Jim prepared an
appetizing breakfast before awakening them.

The gale still continued in all its fury. With the single piece of
canvas the Bonita plunged and rolled on her way southward, for the
wind's direction had not changed by so much as half a point, and the
watch on deck looked haggard and worn from the long vigil.

During the early hours of the morning, while the sun, through its cloudy
veil, was trying to dispel the gloom of night, Jim asked if it was not
possible to stand nearer the land in the hope of making some port, and
Bob replied very decidedly in the negative.

"It can't be done, lad. The boys below wouldn't be of any account in
makin' sail, an', besides, we'd stand a good show of plumpin' on the
coast where there wouldn't be the ghost of a chance to get ashore.
We'll keep her as she goes till this wind blows itself out, an' then
take to the boat if there's no craft in sight. This brig never'll reach
port, 'cordin' to my way of thinkin', and I'll be the first to say
'leave her' when the time comes."

On this day there was but little change in the condition of affairs. The
gale held strong from the north, but no sail appeared within the anxious
watchers' range of vision. Harry and Walter were eager to be of some
assistance; but beyond taking a few lessons in steering there was
nothing they could do, and their time was passed in comparative
idleness.

Bob and Jim alternately stood watch and slept until, when night came
again, they were in fair bodily condition for the work before them, and
once more Harry and Walter retired to the cabin, knowing they ought to
do a full share of the labor, but too ignorant to give any save the most
trifling aid.

Before midnight the wind fined down to a light breeze, still holding
from the north, however; and Bob said, with a sigh, as Jim made ready to
stand his trick at the wheel:

"Ah, lad, if we only had a couple of good men aboard how quick the old
hooker's head would be turned toward the coast."

"In case we don't sight a vessel why can't you put her about, anyhow?"

"We'll make a try to get the lower canvas on in the mornin'. You an' I
must have a good bit of help from the watch below, an' they'd be worse
than wooden boys in the night."

This was not the only reason why Bob made no attempt to get sail on at
once. He was yet feeble from the exposure and privations of the nine
days in the Trade Wind's yawl, and although there was but little labor
involved in such watches as had been kept since coming on board the
Bonita, the anxiety prevented an immediate return of strength.

"I've heard of vessels comin' in mighty short-handed," Jim said
thoughtfully, as if trying to bring forward some argument which might
induce the old sailor to take greater risks. "There was a fishin'
schooner from Newburyport what lost all her boats in a fog, an' the
captain brought her home with nobody but the cook to help."

"I ain't a questionin' that, lad. The packet-ship Three Brothers, in the
Chinese trade, anchored inside of Sandy Hook ten years ago, an' nobody
aboard able to lift a hand but two men and the captain's wife--all the
rest down with fever. I could spin yarns from now till daylight 'bout
jes' sich cases; we're fixed different. None of us knows navigation, an'
its got to be all dead reckonin', which is a pretty shaky way of runnin'
even a fishin' schooner. Then, again, Harry an' Walter ain't strong
enough to handle the wheel in any kind of a decent breeze, an' it's only
you an' me. We must lay by till somethin' more'n a good fair chance
comes, else we'll find ourselves in a bad scrape."

"Of course you're the one that knows what we ought to do, an' I ain't
sayin' a word if we run way down to South America; but it's kinder tough
on the boys. I can see 'em, when they think I ain't lookin', wipin'
their eyes an' actin' like as if it wouldn't take much to make both yell
right out. If they didn't have no more of a home than I've got neither
would bother 'bout how long the cruise is likely to last."

"I s'pose it does seem rough," Bob said reflectively; "but what's to be
done? I reckon they'd rather loaf 'round here a good many days than take
chances on a raft. Sailorizin' is a mighty risky thing for green hands,
an' while I can hold my own among the best of 'em in the fo'castle, I'd
make a poor fist of navigation. They'll have to grin an' bear it same's
many a good man has done before 'em."

Jim had no reply to make. Even before the conversation was begun he
realized the difficulty of reaching port unless under the most favorable
circumstances; and now since Bob had spoken so freely he resolved to be
patient, no matter how long they might remain at sea.

The old sailor, instead of going below, where there would be some
trouble to awaken him in the event of a sudden emergency, laid down on
the deck to leeward of the house, and a few seconds later his loud
breathing told of unconsciousness.

To remain at the wheel, the only one of this small crew awake, and in a
certain degree responsible for the safety of all, was a task from which
even a more experienced sailor than Jim might be excused for shrinking;
but it was a matter which could not well be bettered, and the boy stood
up to it bravely. Now and then the white crest of a wave in the distance
caused him to start with joy, only to be correspondingly depressed a few
seconds later as the true nature of the object was discovered; and thus
amid alternate hope and despondency the two long hours of his watch were
passed.

Then Bob took his trick at the wheel, Jim camping down on the deck in
the place so lately vacated by the old sailor; and when his eyes were
closed in slumber he did not open them again until the sun began to send
long shafts of golden light across the leaping waters.

"What made you let me sleep so long?" he asked, with just a shade of
irritation in his tone. "I was better able to stand watch than you, an'
a couple of hours' sleep would a'-fixed me up all right."

"Well, lad, somehow the thinkin' of what might be the end o' this 'ere
queer cruise kept me awake, an' when I wasn't sleepy there could be no
reason for pullin' you out. We'll square it before dark, though. Now
s'posen we get a little grub, call the watch below so's they can take a
few lessons in steerin', an' be ready for settin' the canvas."

Jim, feeling that he was in a certain degree responsible for having thus
unconsciously shirked his duty, carried out these instructions with the
greatest alacrity. When Harry and Walter were awakened they went aft to
their teacher in seamanship, while the amateur cook prepared a hearty
breakfast, which was served on the top of the house in order that all
might eat at the same time.

Then Bob went below for what he called a "double dose of snoozin'."
Walter set things to rights in the galley, and Harry steered while Jim
stood beside him to make sure the Bonita was kept on the course,
exercising as much care as if it was the only one which could be pursued
with safety.

Although Bob had fully determined to turn the brig toward the coast on
this day, there was no change in her course at noon, and for a very good
reason. Before daylight the breeze had died away entirely, and at nine
o'clock the Bonita was rising and falling on the glassy ocean with not
air enough stirring to lift the narrow thread of blue bunting at the
main-truck.

The involuntary crew had spread the yawl's sail from the house to the
starboard rail as an awning, for the heat in the cabin was too great to
admit of their remaining below, and under this all sought shelter from
the sun's fervent rays.

Bob found a reasonably large stock of tobacco among the Bonita's stores,
and with this and a short black pipe he occupied himself during the
hours of enforced idleness, while the boys thought of home and the loved
ones whom they might never see again. The seconds came and went until
the sun was directly overhead, and the old sailor had but just settled
down for a noonday nap when all four sprang to their feet in alarm, as
the deafening crush of an explosion was heard.

The brig quivered from stem to stern as if from the effects of a torpedo
beneath her keel, and the fore hatch was flung high in the air while a
dense cloud of what appeared to be smoke arose from the hold.

Astonishment and fear rendered the younger members of the crew incapable
either of speech or movement, and they might have remained staring
stupidly forward an indefinite length of time if Bob had not shouted,
excitedly:

"It's a case of fire, lads! Jump to it for what provisions an' water can
be got out in a hurry! There's no time to be lost if we want to leave,
for most likely the hold is one mass of flame."

These hurriedly-spoken commands aroused the boys from their
stupefaction, and in an instant all three leaped toward the pantry. Each
took what was nearest at hand, and in a very few moments there was a
reasonably large but varied collection of canned provisions in the yawl.
No water had been put on board for the very good reason that they could
not find a breaker; and Jim shouted, after they had searched several
moments in vain:

"We shall have to leave without anything to drink, for we can't get one
of the scuttle-butts on the boat."

"I'll stand a pretty good scorchin' afore startin' like that," Bob said
decidedly, "'cause you see I know what it is to be thirsty. Fill half a
dozen of the fire-buckets while I hunt after bottles."

During all this time the smoke had been pouring from the fore hatchway
in dense clouds, apparently giving evidence of some mighty conflagration
below; but before a supply of water could be put on the yawl it had
fined down to a thin curl of vapor, and to this Jim called Bob's
attention just as they were preparing to lower the boat.

"It looks as if somethin' had put the fire out," he said; and Bob
replied, as he let go the davit-falls:

"Make fast there, lads, an' I'll take a look below. We don't want to
abandon the brig while there's a chance of standin' by her."

The old sailor went forward, the boys remaining aft ready to lower away
at a moment's notice, and in a few seconds, to the surprise of all, he
was seen going below.

"Now, that's what I call queer!" Jim said after five minutes had passed
and Bob did not make his appearance. "He couldn't stay down there very
long if the fire amounted to much."

"Perhaps he's been suffocated and can't get back," Harry suggested in a
low, tremulous tone.

This idea was sufficient to alarm the other boys, and stopping only long
enough to make the falls fast they rushed forward, reaching the fore
hatchway just as Bob began to ascend.

"Is the fire very big?" Jim asked; and the reply astonished them quite
as much as had the explosion.

"There ain't even a spark!"

"Then what caused the smoke?"

"The brig is loaded with alcohol in casks made of red-oak. That kind of
wood is porous, an' the fumes escapin' have formed a gas that looked
like smoke, but which had force enough to blow off a hatch that wasn't
battened down." Then, as Bob seated himself on the combing and wiped the
perspiration from his face, he added: "Now we can have a pretty good
idee as to why this craft was abandoned. There was an explosion same as
happened a few minutes ago, an' all hands thought what we did--that the
brig was on fire. They hove her to an' got the boats over, most likely
meanin' to lay at a safe distance until it was possible to find out what
would happen. The mainsail was stowed, so she had no after-canvas to
hold her steady. Then she got stern-way-on an' backed off till the wind
filled her topsails, when she started like a rocket, leavin' the crew
behind. Of course she would run a couple of miles, then come to, an'
before the men could catch her she'd be off once more. The chances are
that them maneuvers were kept up till night set in, when she was lost
entirely."

The three boys listened with the utmost attention to this very plausible
explanation of what had previously been such a deep mystery, and when
Bob concluded there was a look of most intense relief on their faces. Up
to this moment the brig herself terrified them because of what had
possibly happened on board; but now all seemed changed, and she was
suddenly transformed from something supernatural to the most innocent
and peaceful of traders.

"Then there's no reason for abandoning her?" Harry said
half-interrogatively.

"Not a bit of it, lad. We'll leave the hatch open to let the gas out,
an' run her in on the coast if we don't speak a craft that can lend us
two or three hands."

"S'posin' you could get some more sailors, then how would you fix it?"
Jim asked, remembering what the old man had said regarding his ignorance
of navigation.

"Take the chances of keepin' off the shore till we sighted a New York
pilot-boat, an' then lay claim for a fat salvage."

"And we should be landed at home!" Walter exclaimed in delight. "We
might stop in front of Harry's father's store, which is close by the
wharves; and I guess there'd be a big time when Mr. Vandyne found out
who had brought in the Bonita!"

"Don't count too much on anything like that, Walt," Harry added gravely.
"Bob said he would try to make that port if he could find some sailors
to help him; but according to the looks of things now it'll be a long
while before such good luck comes."

"We can believe it will be here any moment, and then the nights won't
seem so lonely, nor the days so long."

"That's right, lad; don't trouble trouble till trouble troubles you.
Keep a stiff upper lip whatever happens, an' you'll stand a better show
of pullin' through!" Bob cried in a cheery tone. "I was shipmate once
with a chap what was allers worryin' 'bout findin' hisself on a haunted
vessel. He never'd put his mark to the articles till after he'd asked
all about the craft, an' whether there was any ghosts aboard. Now, you
let a man go nosin' 'round expectin' to see things, an' it happens that
what he's huntin' for most allers comes, or else he conjures 'em up.
Well, so it was with Tom--Tom Byard, he called hisself. He got drunk one
night, an' the next mornin' awoke on a ship bound 'round the Horn with a
cargo of railroad iron.

"It wasn't long before he commenced to hunt after ghosts, 'an this time
he didn't have to look very far. I reckon the liquor--he'd been on a
four days' spree--had considerable to do with his eyes; an' that very
night, while they was within sight of Sandy Hook, he saw, or thought he
did, the biggest kind of a ghost makin' right for him with a bloody
knife. Tom was on the maint'gallant-yard with another chap when the
thing come. He give a big yell, singing out that he knowed it would be
there some time, an' over he went. Nobody ever saw hide or hair of him
afterward, an' the captain put in the log-book as how it was delirium
tre--tre--tremenjus, or somethin' like that, what killed him."

The point that Bob sought to make was forgotten owing to the length of
the story, and even he himself appeared to have lost sight of any moral;
therefore, what had been intended as a strong argument why people should
not seek out trouble passed for nothing better than a very improbable
yarn.

The boys were eager to see the cargo which had given them so much alarm,
and had also possibly been the cause of the brig's abandonment by her
original crew; therefore they went below on a tour of investigation,
which was not very satisfactory because there was nothing but a quantity
of casks to be seen.

Ten minutes in the hot hold was sufficient to gratify their curiosity,
and then the amateur cook sat about preparing the noonday meal.




CHAPTER VIII.

ANOTHER SIGNAL OF DISTRESS.


Now that the boys had lost all fear of the Bonita, half their troubles
seemed suddenly to have vanished. As a matter of course, Harry and
Walter grieved because of the sorrow their unexplainable absence must
have caused at home; but their distress of mind was lessened very
materially by the belief that they would soon be in a condition to
return.

Even Bob appeared to be relieved by what was evidently the solution of
the mystery, and it was quite a jolly party which gathered in the saloon
to partake of the dinner prepared by Jim.

"Now that things seem to be straightened up a bit, an' all hands are
feelin' kinder nat'ral-like, I reckon we'll get some sail on the old
hooker this afternoon," Bob said when the meal was finished and he had
begun to make ready for the after-dinner smoke.

"There ain't wind enough to lift a pocket-handkerchief," Jim suggested,
"so why do you want more canvas?"

"I don't reckon it'll hold calm a great while, an' we must be ready when
the breeze does come. There's time now to give Harry an' Walter a
lesson in workin' ship, an' they need it."

The boys had no objection to make, for a certain amount of labor was
necessary if they ever hoped to reach home again, and they signified
their willingness to begin at once; but the old sailor insisted on
finishing his smoke before doing anything else.

"There's plenty of time," he said lazily, "an' we'll lay under the
awnin' till the sun gets a little nearer the water."

Then he arose from the table, and as the boys followed on deck they were
electrified by hearing him shout, as he shaded his eyes from the glare
and gazed southward:

"There's a steamer, lads! Now all we've got to do is hook on an' be
towed into port. Set the flag so's they'll know we're in distress, an'
we'll overhaul the hawsers to save time."

Before he ceased speaking the boys had made out that which caused Bob so
much excitement. It was a small craft coming toward them under steam, as
could be told from the thread of smoke which floated on the still air,
and after one glance at her Jim hoisted the signal of distress while the
others gathered in the bows to watch the welcome approach.

"It ain't a very big steamer," the young fisherman said as he rejoined
his companions.

"Most likely she's a tug what's got blown out to sea," Bob replied as he
went into the cabin for a glass; and when he came on deck again the boys
waited impatiently to learn what could be seen.

During fully ten minutes the old sailor held the glass to his eyes,
while a mystified expression came over his face as he said to Jim:

"Here, take this an' see what you can make out. It puzzles me, for a
fact."

"She looks like a tug," the boy said, after gazing at the approaching
craft several seconds; "but there's something queer on her bow."

"What about her spars?" Bob asked impatiently.

"She's got two short masts, and----Why, what's that? She's flying a
signal of distress!"

"That's about the size of it," Bob exclaimed as he brought his hand down
on the rail with a vigorous slap as if to give emphasis to his words.

"I thought my eyes must be playin' me a trick, so that's why I asked you
to look. Her bow has been stove, an' she's workin' up this way for
help."

"Well," and Jim lowered the glass with a gesture of disappointment,
"she's comin' to a pretty poor place, for we've got our hands full
tryin' to help ourselves."

During the next half hour hardly a word was spoken, so occupied were all
hands with watching the stranger, which approached very slowly, and at
the end of that time she was almost within hailing distance.

It was a small tug with a flag run half-way up the stumpy mainmast, and
her bow stove from the cut-water nearly to the pilot-house. A stream of
water coming from the starboard side told that the steam-pump was
necessary to keep her afloat; but no person save a boy about eighteen
years of age, who was at the wheel, could be seen.

"She must be pretty nigh as short-handed as we are," Bob said; and then
came a hail.

"Brig ahoy!"

"Ahoy on the tug!"

"Can you send me some men? The steamer is sinking, and I am the only one
on board."

"Who's running the engine?" Bob shouted.

"I am, and trying to steer at the same time."

"There's only one man an' three boys here. Can't you manage to come
alongside?"

The helmsman waved his hand as if in reply and disappeared, when the
steamer's speed was checked. Then he entered the pilot-house again,
going below once more to stop the machinery entirely when within fifty
yards of the brig.

By this means the tug was brought so near that a heaving-line could be
thrown aboard, and ten minutes later she was lying alongside the Bonita
as a tired, hungry-looking boy stepped over the brig's rail.

"I reckon you've been havin' a decently tough time," Bob said by way of
starting the conversation.

"Since yesterday morning I've been trying to keep her afloat. If some
craft hadn't hove in sight to-day I should have given up, and probably
gone to the bottom with her."

"How did you get in such a mess?"

"An ocean steamer ran into us at sunrise yesterday. Before she could
clear herself every one of the tug's crew, except myself, climbed on
board over the bow. I was the engineer, and had an assistant. He was on
duty at the time, and I asleep in the after cabin. The shock of the
collision threw me out of the bunk and stunned me, I reckon, for when I
came on deck there was no craft in sight. Since then I've kept steam on
so the pump would work, and run in the hope of sighting some craft."

"Where do you hail from?"

"Philadelphia. The Sea Bird is a new boat, and we were taking her to
Cuba."

"How long have you been out?"

"Five days from the Capes."

"Then we've made more of a southin' than I reckoned on," Bob said half
to himself, and seeing a look of inquiry on the stranger's face he gave
a brief account of the Bonita from the time the boys came aboard;
saying, in conclusion: "We're better off than you, for the brig is
sound; so you'd best bring your traps over the rail an' let the steamer
sink when she gets ready. I reckon with your help we can crawl in toward
the mainland an' make a tidy bit of salvage at the same time. What's
your name?"

"Joseph Taylor. The only work I have ever done on ship-board has been in
the engine-room, and I'm afraid I sha'n't make much of a sailor."

"You've got strength an' pluck," Bob said approvingly, "an' that's
enough."

"But I don't like to give up trying to save the Sea Bird. She isn't
stove below the water-line, is new, and is worth fifteen thousand
dollars."

"I'm afraid, lad, that we haven't got force enough to do very much in
the way of ship-building;" and Bob shook his head gravely as if to say
he thought it a hopeless case. "Howsomever, while there's no wind we
sha'n't be wastin' time, so it won't do any harm to have a look at her."

Joe Taylor led the way over the rail, and the three boys, eager to see
the little steamer, followed directly behind Bob, Jim whispering to his
friends:

"If this cruise don't end pretty soon we shall have a reg'lar cripples'
crew aboard. Here's me, who come from the Mary Walker; you, that never
belonged to any craft; the old Bonita, with nobody to work her; Bob, as
a remnant of the Trade Wind, an' now another feller with a sinkin' tug.
It's a nice crowd to talk about salvage when they can't help
theirselves!"

"Just let us get ashore once more, an' I'll be satisfied to have
somebody else make money by taking these crafts into port!" and Walter
leaped on to the deck of the tug in a discontented way, as if he fancied
the shuttered steamer had brought fresh trouble and complications upon
them.

The litter of splintered timbers, loose ropes and general wreckage on
the forward deck of the Sea Bird gave her the appearance of having
suffered more injury than really was the case. Instead of a sharp,
narrow bow, as is usual on crafts of her kind, the hull flared very
decidedly from the water-line to the deck, thus giving her greater
carrying capacity; and it was this upper portion which had been cut
into, leaving the lower part in fair condition.

All this Bob saw at a glance after going on board, and he at once began
a careful examination with a view to ascertaining how badly her seams
had been strained.

"What amount of coal have you got?" he asked, coming on deck after
spending fully half an hour in the hold.

"Enough to run three or four days."

"That wouldn't carry her to the Capes, if your reckonin' is right as to
the time she's been out; but we might manage to make some nearer port,"
he said half to himself; and then added, in a louder tone: "I calculate
the hole might be patched up with spare canvas an' plenty of tar; but
we'd need fair weather till the job was done."

"If you could manage that part of it I can tow the brig, providing one
of your party steers," said the engineer eagerly. "Why not tackle the
job? If the weather should change it would be only the loss of a few
hours' time."

Before committing himself to such a plan Bob made one more examination
of the shattered timbers, looked again in the hold, and then, after
lighting his pipe in the most deliberate manner, replied decidedly:

"We'll do the best we can, lad, pervidin' the balance of the Bonita's
crew is agreeable; an' by patchin' the steamer up I reckon it'll be
possible to pull the brig out of what looks like a bad mess."

He gazed inquiringly at the boys as he ceased speaking, and Harry,
answering for the others as well as himself, said in a reasonably
cheerful tone:

"We'll do all we know how; and it won't be our fault if we don't
succeed!"

But even as he spoke he doubted the wisdom of taking another burden on
their already overloaded shoulders; and that this opinion was shared by
Jim and Walter could be told from the expression of their faces.

Nevertheless, Bob's intentions were good. With the tug the brig could be
towed in a calm, and her progress stayed entirely, or checked, during
the hours of darkness when the danger of striking a reef would be
greatest. An engineer and a helmsman was all the force needed by such an
arrangement, and thus the voyage might be brought to a speedy conclusion
without other aid.




CHAPTER IX.

THE HELMSMAN'S MISTAKE.


Although the three boys had agreed with Bob that an attempt be made to
so far repair the tug that she might be gotten into port, all of them
believed she should have been left to sink. By making Joe Taylor a
member of the crew the brig could be worked under lower sails, and there
was little doubt but that she would soon reach the coast; whereas, by
trying to save the steamer both crafts might be lost.

The old sailor had already decided what should be done, and when the
question was settled he went at once to the lazaret for such materials
as would be needed. Joe Taylor disappeared in the Sea Bird's
engine-room, and the boys were left standing by the rail, where they
could discuss the matter privately.

"If we didn't have hands enough to work the brig I'd like to know how
much better we're off by taking charge of another craft?" Walter asked
disconsolately; and Jim replied, in what he intended should be a cheery
tone:

"Bob knows what he's about. If the tug is kept afloat she can tow us
in."

"Unless her coal gives out," Harry added; "and then we'll be worse off
than before."

"We shall only have lost jes' so many days, for she can be abandoned at
any time," Jim replied.

"And it is the possible loss of those days which makes me feel that we
ought not to make any attempt at saving her. Walter's father and mine
would be willing to pay what she cost if they could find us, and every
hour makes their sorrow greater."

"Well," Jim said slowly, "it can't be helped, so we might as well look
cheerful. Neither Bob nor the engineer would listen to us if we said the
tug ought to be abandoned, and our only chance is to hurry up with the
work."

"I don't see why Bob even thinks of such a thing." And Walter spoke in a
tone of discontent. "Here we are so far from the coast that the tug was
five days out at the time of the collision, which means ten for a
sailing vessel, and with half enough coal to get her back. What good
will it do to patch her up if we can't keep on steam?"

"That's somethin' I ain't able to answer," Jim replied gravely. "These
old sailors are queer fish, an' nobody can ever tell what kind of a
scheme they're likely to strike. This much is certain, though. Bob
wouldn't listen to us, 'cause he thinks we don't know the meanin' of
sich work."

"It seems to me that it would be better to abandon the brig, which we
can't navigate, and go on the tug as far us her coal will carry us,"
Harry suggested; but to such an idea the young fisherman made the most
decided objections.

"To leave a sound craft for one that's pretty nigh knocked to pieces
would be foolish. I'd rather take my chances ten days' sail from the
coast on the brig than go aboard a steamer like her for a trip half the
distance. We're pretty sure of keepin' afloat here, but on the tug, Davy
Jones' Locker seems mighty near!"

By this time Bob had come on deck with a spare studding-sail, and the
boys were prevented from holding any further discussion by the necessity
of immediate action.

There was not so much as a breath of air stirring. The sea was like
glass, save for the lazy swell which caused both crafts to rise and fall
in regular measure, and everything seemed favorable for the proposed
task.

"It ain't sich a big job, lads," the old sailor said, as, dropping the
canvas on deck, he made his way toward the carpenter's-room. "I've seen
crafts bunged up worse'n she is, an' yet finish the biggest end of a
voyage."

When Bob had collected such tools as might be needed he summoned all
hands, and the work was begun by spreading a double thickness of canvas
over the shattered portion of the hull outside, fastening it down firmly
with copper nails. This temporary stoppage of the leak was carried as
far below the surface as was possible without diving, and when the
aperture had been thus closed a heavy coat of tar was put on over the
entire canvas. Outside of this, again, were nailed light boards which
could easily be bent to conform with the curve of the hull, and then
another coat of tar.

This portion of the work was hardly completed when night came, and the
laborers rested only long enough to partake of a hearty meal, prepared
by Jim, after which the old sailor said:

"We are pretty nigh through, lads, an' it stands us in hand to finish
the job while this calm lasts. We've got to brace our canvas on the
inside so it'll stand a heavy sea without givin' way, an' we can work
below in the night as well as after sunrise."

The air was so still that the flame of a candle would hardly have
flickered, and the motion of the sea had subsided until the two crafts
rose and fell without so much chafing as would even rub the paint. There
was no reason why all hands, save one to stand watch, should not work in
the hold, for they could be of no assistance on deck; and leaving Harry
as lookout in case a steamer should pass within hailing distance, the
remainder of the party followed the old sailor.

By tearing out the bulk-head of the Bonita's forecastle Bob secured such
timbers as were needed, and with every one working industriously the
task was completed before midnight.

A sort of frame-work had been erected on the side where the timbers were
stove, and directly against the canvas. As a matter of course it was
impossible to fasten this except at the ends, and a heavy sea would soon
wrench it off; therefore, braces running up from the keelson and down
from the deck were put in to hold the whole in place.

This was by no means a substantial job, as even the most inexperienced
knew. In anything approaching stormy weather the tug would soon founder;
but during such a "Dutchman's hurricane" as was now raging she would be
as buoyant as when first launched.

That the water no longer made its way through the hull of the Sea Bird
could be told from the fact that the siphon, which had been in constant
use to keep the furnace from being flooded, now pumped her almost dry,
and the old sailor announced as his belief that she was in fit condition
to weather any thing save a full gale.

"We won't lose much time gettin' under way," he added, after an
inspection had been made. "How soon can you raise steam?"

"There's half a head now," the engineer replied, "and in ten minutes we
can start."

"Very well. While you are lookin' after the engine we'll get the hawsers
out. The tug must tow alongside, unless the sea gets too high; for
seein's how Jim an' me have got to do all the steerin', we're obliged to
work it so's to catch a cat-nap now and then."

Joe Taylor went into the engine-room, and before he had raised the
necessary pressure two stout hawsers were made fast fore and aft, while
more fenders were lowered to prevent chafing.

"Are you goin' south any further?" Jim asked when the work was
completed.

"No; we'll haul around an' steer due west, now that it don't matter
which direction the wind comes from. Harry an' I'll take the first
watch, so you an' Walt'd better turn in, for it's little sleep we'll get
the balance of this cruise, even if we scoop in every spare minute."

Those comprising the watch below did not wait for this suggestion to be
made a second time. The labor of the past fifteen hours had very nearly
exhausted them, and their heads hardly touched the pillows before both
were sleeping soundly.

By the arrangement Bob had made, Joe Taylor was the only one who could
not be relieved from duty, and when the old sailor went to consult him
as to how it would be possible to keep the tug running, he replied:

"We can fix that easily enough. I'll let you know when I can't keep my
eyes open any longer, and then take cat-naps on one of the bunkers. If
you ring the gong once every fifteen or twenty minutes I shall be
awakened to see that everything is working properly. It's risky, I know;
but under the circumstances there's nothing else that can be done."

Then he announced that there was a full head of steam, and Bob went into
the pilot-house. The Bonita's helm had been lashed amidships, and, save
in the event of very heavy weather, both crafts could readily be steered
from the tug.

After explaining the bell signals to the old sailor Joe started the
machinery, and for the time being all desire for slumber was driven from
Harry's eyes by the pleasure of knowing that at last the brig was
heading directly toward home.

Very likely Joe Taylor was affected in a similar manner, because,
although having had no rest for many hours, he stood at his post during
Bob's watch without intimating the need of sleep.

The weather could not have been more propitious than when what was hoped
would prove to be the homeward cruise began. It is true the night was
dark, even the stars being obscured by fleecy clouds; but not a breath
of wind ruffled the waters, and the waves had sunk to rest.

The Sea Bird towed the heavily laden brig at the rate of six or seven
knots an hour, and it seemed to Harry that nothing could prevent their
sighting the mainland before the tug's coal was exhausted. He walked
fore and aft on the brig's deck in order to keep awake; but during the
entire watch his services were not required, and at three o'clock in the
morning Bob shouted:

"Call Jim and Walt. We won't take too long stretches on this voyage, an'
my eyes feel as if they were glued together."

The sleepers were awakened after some difficulty, and, when Jim went
into the Sea Bird's pilot-house Bob gave him his orders as follows:

"Keep her as she heads, due west, an' have your eyes open for signs of
land. I don't reckon there is any very near; but for all that we may be
to the east'ard of the Bahamas, an' it would be pretty tough to bring up
on them just now. The brig drags a bit an' that must be allowed for; but
you'll soon get the hang of it."

Then the old sailor went into the Bonita's cabin, and Jim was left alone
at the wheel, trying to drive away the slumber which still hung heavily
on his eyelids.

Walter adopted Harry's plan for keeping awake; but the exertion was
great and his body weary; therefore, in five minutes after the other
watch had gone below he went into the pilot-house, stretching himself
out on the cushioned locker as he said:

"I'm only going to rest myself a little, and won't go to sleep. It don't
seem as if we were below ten--min--minutes--before----"

The sentence was finished with what sounded suspiciously like a snore,
and Jim made no effort to arouse him. He knew by his own condition how
difficult it was to remain awake, and griping the spokes of the wheel
more tightly to quicken the circulation of blood, he muttered:

"Let him take comfort if he can; there's really no need of both standing
watch."

During the next ten minutes he alternately tried to peer through the
dense gloom, and looked at the compass-card, which was faintly illumined
by a tiny lamp. The throbbing of the engine, the long, waving lines
which marked the faint swell, and the whispering of the night air lulled
the senses, despite every effort to perform his duties faithfully,
until, without being conscious of the fact, his eyes closed in slumber
even while standing at the wheel.

In the engine-room Joe Taylor was battling against the same desire to
which Jim had yielded. He shoveled coal, raked the fires, polished
portions of the machinery which already shone like silver, and performed
other needless tasks in order to prevent sleep from overcoming him, but
ignorant of the fact that both brig and tug were running wild.

The first hour of the watch passed, and yet the occupants of the
pilot-house remained unconscious. Leaning over the wheel, with his head
resting between the spokes, Jim heeded not the gray light in the sky
which heralded the approach of day.

Had his eyes been open he would have seen through the rapidly-vanishing
gloom a long, low, black line which half encircled the two crafts and
told that they were running into a harbor or bay.

But he slept on, and each turn of the screw carried them nearer and
nearer the dark mass until suddenly the brig staggered, rolled to
starboard for an instant, when the tug came to a full stop with a crash
and a quiver which sent the helmsman reeling backward against his
companion as a rush and roar of steam from the engine-room told of a
second disaster.




CHAPTER X.

AGROUND.


As may be imagined, Jim felt very wide awake when he staggered to his
feet, after being thrown so violently against Walter that both rolled to
the floor, and his first thought was that all the trouble had originated
in the engine-room.

The escaping steam enveloped both brig and tug in a fog-like vapor so
dense as to be almost stifling, and for several moments it was
impossible to distinguish objects a dozen feet distant.

That the old sailor had gained the Bonita's deck with wonderful celerity
could be told from the shouts of inquiry which he uttered in rapid
succession; and before the first bewilderment, caused by the shock, had
passed away, Jim was outside the pilot-house trying to answer the
questions.

"Steamer ahoy! What's the matter?" Bob shouted.

"I don't know; but it seems as if the tug has exploded somewhere!"

"That can't be if she's still afloat," Bob cried testily, and from the
sound of his voice Jim knew he was making his way toward the rail.

"I must have fallen asleep for a second, an' was awakened by bein'
knocked down," Jim said penitently.

At that instant a dark figure could be seen coming from the engine-room,
and a faint voice cried:

"One of the boiler-tubes blew out when we struck the rock. Somebody must
help draw the fires, for I'm burned pretty bad about the arms and face."

"Struck a rock?" Bob shouted fiercely, as he made his way toward Joe,
who had retreated aft to free his lungs of the deadly vapor. "Are we
aground, Jim?"

"Not that I know of," the young fisherman replied in a tone of
bewilderment. "My eyes couldn't have been shut more'n a minute; an'
there was nothin' in sight when I closed 'em."

"Get out the lead-line while I see if Joe is hurt very much."

The steam was yet pouring from the engine-room in such volumes as to
prevent a view from either side, and Jim groped his way to the brig,
Walter following close at his heels like one dazed. Master Libby
remembered having seen the lead-line under the port rail forward, and
but a short search was necessary to find it. Fully expecting they were
yet in deep water, he reeled off twenty fathoms or more before casting,
and to his surprise the greater portion remained on the rail instead of
slipping through his fingers.

"Why, we're--we're on a shoal!" he stammered as he pulled in the cord
until the weight could be felt. "There isn't much more than two fathoms
out."

"An' as the brig don't draw less'n fourteen or fifteen feet, we can
count on your havin' slept pretty nigh through the whole watch!" Bob
said sharply.

Jim made no reply. He realized now that his eyes must have been closed
many minutes instead of one, and was well aware that all which had
happened was the result of his own carelessness.

"I'm in for it now," he whispered disconsolately to Walter. "Even if Bob
don't use up a rope's end on my back I'll know that by goin' to sleep
I've shut off our chances of gettin' home."

"I must be just as much to blame as you," Walter replied, in a trembling
voice. "My business was to stand watch, and the very first thing I did
was to go to sleep."

"But I had the helm, you see, an' oughter kept the sharpest lookout. I
wish Bob would turn to an' give me the worst whalin' I ever got, 'cause
it seems as if it might make me feel better."

"Can't we get the brig off somehow?" Walter asked with a sob.

"Seein's how the crew's so slim it don't seem very likely, an' everybody
will say I cast 'em away when we was sure of gettin' home."

"They'll have to say the same of me," Walter added, as if this thought
might give his companion some consolation. "Let's go an' have it out
right away."

With clasped hands the two boys walked aft, fully expecting to receive a
terrible punishment for their almost criminal carelessness; but no
blows, however severe, could have caused as much pain as was already in
their hearts.

Time was too precious just then for the old sailor to spend any with the
authors of this last trouble, even had he been so disposed. Matters in
the engine-room required immediate attention, and Joe was ready to
venture amid the scalding vapor once more; therefore he followed, to
render all possible assistance.

"Bend your head low, and keep this bit of waste over your mouth," the
engineer said, thrusting a roll of cotton-threads in the sailor's hand
as he went below.

The engine-room was filled with steam, to breathe which would be severe
agony, if not death; but neither of the brave fellows faltered. By
keeping their faces covered as much as possible they were able to
continue on, groping their way amid what would have seemed like a dense
fog but for the intense heat, while the roaring of steam as it escaped
gave warning of further disaster if precautionary measures were much
longer delayed.

Bob was unfamiliar with the interior of the tug; therefore it was
necessary the engineer should lead the way, and after no slight trouble
they succeeded in reaching the boiler from which the vapor was pouring
in clouds.

The most important work was to draw the fires, and by following Joe's
example Bob so far aided in this that five minutes later the glowing
coals were in the ash-pan or strewn on the cement flooring immediately
in front of the furnace door.

Short though this time was, it seemed very long in such a place, and ten
seconds after the task had been accomplished the two were leaning over
the rail aft, drinking in long draughts of pure, cool air.

When they had recovered from the effects of the heat sufficiently to pay
attention to their surroundings, it was possible to see where Jim's
carelessness had brought the brig and tug. The steam had thinned down
until it hardly obstructed their view, and at the same time day had been
approaching so rapidly that near-by objects could be plainly
distinguished.

The brig was on a level keel in the cove of a small island, or key, the
low-lying land, which was covered with luxuriant vegetation, hardly more
than three hundred yards distant in either direction. Had Jim tried to
steer her into this sheltered spot he could not have done it more
exactly; and the fact that she would lie there without thumping, except
when the wind blew from the east, was the only bit of comfort Bob could
extract from the situation.

The boys were on the Bonita's forecastle silently gazing at the odd
foliage everywhere around, while Joe and the old sailor stood on the
after deck of the tug, the latter saying, as he concluded a long survey
of the scene:

"It might be worse, for a fact; but I reckon both crafts will be tied up
here till we're sick of lookin' at mangrove trees."

"Where do you suppose we are?" Joe asked.

"This must be some part of the Bahamas. Look at the keys all around.
There is but one other place anywhere near the spot we oughter be which
shows up like it, an' that is the Florida reefs. We couldn't a' made
them without sightin' Cuba or the Bahamas, consequently we must be
further to the nor'ard."

"Should we be near any seaport?"

"Nassau is somewhere about; but it may be two or three hundred miles
away, an' seein's how I can't take an observation, we wouldn't know
whether it was north or south. Did you get burned very bad?"

"I thought so at first," Joe replied with a laugh; "but I guess it's
only skin deep--more painful than serious."

"You got out of it luckily; how can the engine be patched up again?"

"If no more damage has been done than the blowing out of a tube I will
soon have it in working order."

"We'll get something to eat, and then see what's to be done. Jim!" he
added, raising his voice, "cook the best breakfast you know how, to make
up for this mess you've brought us into."

Master Libby, who had been expecting a sound rating at the very least,
because of his carelessness, was so thoroughly surprised at the friendly
tone that he lost no time in obeying this order, and, as a partial
atonement for his misdeeds, prepared a meal which in quantity and
variety would have been sufficient for twenty hungry men.

The sorrow which all hands felt because of the disaster did not prevent
them from doing full justice to the unskillfully prepared food, and the
table had been relieved of a large portion of its burden before any
attempt at conversation was made.

"While you're seein' how much damage has been done to the tug, me an'
the boys will get an anchor out aft so's the brig can't work further
inshore." Bob said to the engineer. "If you can get up steam, an' the
tug's afloat, it oughtn't take very long to pull us off this sand-bank."

"So far as I know it's only a case of blowing out one of the tubes," Joe
replied.

"Can it be fixed without much work?"

"Yes, by driving in a piece of soft wood to hold the steam; but of
course it'll make no end of bother until it is repaired properly. For a
job like pulling the Bonita off the mud a plug will be as serviceable as
a new tube, which can't be had until we reach some port."

"Then you're to find out exactly what's needed, an' after the brig is in
deep water agin we can lay here a day or two to get things ship-shape.
Perhaps some craft will come in sight, an' we'll be able to find out
just where we are."

"I'll let you know----"

Joe stopped speaking suddenly as what sounded very like a human voice
rang out on the still air, and in obedience to his gesture all listened
intently until it was repeated.

"Brig ahoy! ahoy!"

Bob actually looked alarmed. He had believed the key to be uninhabited,
and, knowing there was no craft in sight when they came below, all his
superstitious fears were aroused by the cry. Just for an instant he
hesitated, as if not daring to go on deck, and then ran up the
companion-ladder, closely followed by the remainder of the party.

Surely there was nothing in that which met their gaze to cause alarm. On
the shore stood three men, and when the old sailor made his appearance
one of them repeated the hail.

"Ahoy on shore," he replied.

"Send a boat, will you? Our craft went away leaving us here, and we've
been cooped up on this island nearly a week."

"It won't do much good for us to take you aboard. We're hard and fast
aground."

"Somethin' to eat is what we're wantin' pretty bad," the man on shore
cried; and Bob said, as he turned to Joe:

"I reckon we oughter go after 'em; but somehow I don't jes' believe his
yarn."

"Why not?"

"'Cause there's no reason why an honest vessel would stop here long
enough for her crew to go ashore; an' then, agin, they haven't got a
sailor cut about 'em."

Having thus given words to his suspicions, Bob set about lowering the
Trade Wind's yawl with as much alacrity as if some one in sore distress
stood in need of their services, and five minutes later he and Joe were
rowing ashore.

The strangers stepped into the boat the instant her bow grated on the
sand with the air of persons who are conferring rather than receiving a
favor, and making no attempt to push the craft into deep water.

"It's a sailor's rule for the last aboard to shove off," Bob said with
just a shade of anger in his tone, and the man in the bow leaped ashore
to perform that duty, after which the yawl was pulled toward the brig.

The three boys were standing at the rail forward watching all which
occurred, but saying nothing until the boat was near enough to admit of
their seeing the strangers clearly. Then Jim whispered:

"That's what I call a mighty hard-lookin' crowd, an' I don't wonder Bob
says they haven't got the sailor cut. I wouldn't like to meet either one
of 'em alone in the dark."

Two of the three strangers appeared to be Americans, but of a
disagreeable type, while the third was unmistakably a Mexican; and it
was this last upon whom Jim looked with the most suspicion.

There was no further opportunity for him to criticise them, however,
since the boat was rapidly approaching the brig, and Bob had already
shouted:

"Heave that gangway-ladder over, an' then set about gettin' up another
breakfast."

The first order was quickly obeyed, and Jim went into the galley to
comply with the second as the new-comers stepped on board and halted
near the mainmast to gaze curiously around, as if taking a mental
inventory of the brig's general condition.




CHAPTER XI.

THE STRANGERS.


The new-comers were by no means pre-possessing in appearance, and would
hardly have inspired confidence even had their manners been more
agreeable.

He who acted as spokesman for the party was a stout man with a very long
body and short, bowed legs, that caused him to roll to and fro like a
ship in a gale when he walked. It was his nose which attracted the most
attention, for it was not only the most prominent feature of a not
remarkably pleasing-looking countenance, but so enlarged and red at the
end that one could well fancy he had fastened a boiled beet to his face
as a partial disguise.

The other American was exactly the reverse in form and feature. He was
tall and thin, with a sickly yellow complexion and a little snub nose
which looked as if made of putty for a much smaller face--one that might
have been bought at auction because it was cheap, if noses could ever be
sold.

The Mexican would answer for a type of that class known as "greasers,"
save for the fact that he had discarded his national costume in favor of
a dirty pair of duck trousers and a blue flannel shirt.

In the boys' eyes, at least, the three appeared more like hardened
villains than honest sailors; and this opinion was strengthened rather
than lessened when they were better known.

Although Bob doubted the story they told, he had no proof that it was
false; therefore he treated them as if believing every word, and as the
first move toward ministering to their alleged necessities had ordered
Jim to prepare breakfast.

As a matter of fact, the account which these men gave of themselves was
such as could not well be questioned in the absence of evidence to the
contrary.

They were a portion of the crew of a turtling-schooner hailing from
Nassau; so the red-nosed man had said during the short pull from the
beach to the brig. Five days previous their craft put into this cove,
and they, with two others, came ashore to search for turtles. At this
work they followed around the shore of the key until so far away that
night came on before the return journey could be made.

The other two men had traveled in an opposite direction, consequently
they were alone, but not at all disquieted at being forced to remain
over night on the island, because in their business such incidents were
of frequent occurrence. With never a thought of trouble they made
themselves comfortable in the thicket, returning to the cove as soon as
possible after sunrise.

To their great surprise the schooner was no longer there, nor could the
other members of the crew be found. They had been deserted; but why,
neither of the party could even so much as guess. The Bonita and the tug
were the first crafts the men had seen, and, quite naturally, they lost
no time in hailing the crew.

Jim was not an expert cook; therefore the work in the galley was done
very slowly. It would have been nearly noon before the second meal could
be served had not Harry and Walter assisted to the extent of making the
table ready, and afterward carrying the food below.

Bob and Joe had gone about their task of ascertaining the exact
condition of the brig in order to form plans for floating her, and Jim
was forced to announce breakfast when his culinary labors were ended.

"You've been about it long enough to cook dinner for the President!" the
man with the red nose said, in a surly tone. "If I was the skipper of
this 'ere brig I'll find a way to make you more lively!"

"Well, so long as you ain't the skipper, but only a sailor what says
he's starvin' to death, s'posin' you buckle down to the grub that's
cooked, so's I can get the cabin cleaned up!" Jim replied saucily; and
before the words were hardly out of his mouth he received a blow on the
side of his head which sent him reeling against the rail.

Then, as if the uncalled-for punishment had been a kindly reward for
services performed, the red-nosed man led the way below, followed by his
companions, who seemed to think that gentleman's method of treating
their hosts was something very comical.

Jim was too much surprised to make any outcry. After looking around to
learn if Bob had been a witness of the injury he retreated to the
galley, soothing his anger by shaking his fist in the direction of the
cabin.

"You jes' wait," he muttered, seating himself on an empty mess-kid where
he could nurse his sore face. "You jes' wait an' see if I don't fix the
whole crowd! Talk about bein' sailors an' then cuffin' the cook when
you're goin' to eat aft! I'll bet not one of them villains knows how to
reef a jib, an' before they leave this vessel I'll show what I can do."

It is not probable that Jim had any very clear idea as to what kind of
punishment he would mete out to this man who had struck him without
provocation; but he believed an opportunity of avenging his wrongs would
present itself in the near future, and this thought had a wonderfully
soothing effect.

Harry and Walter, as attendants upon the guests, were treated with no
more consideration than that shown Jim. When the men seated themselves
at the table, both boys went toward the companion-way as if to go on
deck; but the thin man cried gruffly:

"Stay here, you young cubs! We may need somethin' more, an' in that case
you're to bring it!"

Just for an instant Harry glanced at Walter, as if questioning whether
they should obey, and then, evidently concluding discretion was the
better part of valor, he retreated to one corner of the cabin, where he
would be ready to obey the commands of these strange guests.

During the next ten minutes the men ate voraciously--not as if they had
been on the verge of starvation, but like pigs; and at the end of that
time he with the red nose asked, as he rested both elbows on the table
and picked his teeth with a fork:

"Where does this brig hail from?"

"I don't know," Walter replied, after waiting in vain for Harry to
speak.

"Don't know? Haven't you got sense enough to tell where you come from?"

"_We_ belong in New York. While we were at the Isle of Shoals, Jim and
Harry and I rowed out to the brig, and found her abandoned. Then the
wind sprung up and she ran away with us."

"Where did the old sailor come aboard?" the man asked, after exchanging
glances with his companions.

Walter told him in the fewest possible words how Bob had become a member
of the party, and also in what condition the Sea Bird was when Joe
linked his fortunes with theirs.

"How happened it that you run ashore here?" the Mexican asked, and this
question Harry answered.

"Then you've got no more right aboard this craft than we have," the
first speaker said, "an' I reckon we'll stick by the ship. Do you know
where there's any tobacco?"

"No, I haven't seen a piece except that which Bob has."

"Then hunt for some. In a well-found craft like this there's sure to be
plenty."

"We don't know anything about it, and do not intend to look!" Harry
said decidedly, as he retreated toward the companion-way, taking up his
stand directly in front of Walter.

"I'll have to give you a lesson, the same's I did the other fellow!" the
red-nosed man cried in an angry tone. "Are you goin' to obey orders?"

"I'm willing to do any necessary work, but I don't intend to wait upon
you!" and Harry tried very hard to prevent his voice from trembling.

"That's jes' what you will do!" the man cried, as if beside himself with
passion, and seizing a plate from the table he hurled it with better
intent than aim directly at the boys, grasping another the instant the
first had left his hands.

The second he did not throw, however. As the crockery was shivered into
fragments against the companion-ladder, passing within an inch of
Harry's head, Bob appeared at the hatchway.

"What's goin' on in here?" he asked sternly.

"Them boys were givin' us some of their impudence, an' I was showin' 'em
the proper place aboard ship, that's all," the red-nosed man replied in
a mild, friendly tone, as if he had simply been doing his host a favor.

"Look here, my friend," and it could be plainly seen that Bob was trying
hard to control his temper. "It won't be well for you to show any one
on this craft what his place is. We took you aboard believin' you were
sailors an' starvin'; but we'll set the whole lot adrift mighty quick if
I see any more of this kind of work." Then turning to the boys, he
added, "Go on deck or stay here, as you choose; but don't play servant
to a single person on the brig."

"I allow you're lookin' at this matter wrong," the thin man said in a
conciliatory tone, as Harry and Walter ascended the companion-ladder.
"We haven't said or done anything out of the way. How was we to know but
they was the reg'lar cabin-boys, an' when they insulted us jes' 'cause
we'd lost our vessel an' luck was agin us, we only did what you would."

As a matter of course, Bob was not absolutely certain but that there
might be some truth in the man's statement, although from what he knew
of Harry and Walter it did not seem probable; therefore he said, with
less show of anger:

"We'll let the matter drop; but you must understand that the boys are to
be treated as I am. The one who acts as cook has been to sea a little,
and can stand harder work than the others, who were never on board a
vessel before. Neither of 'em are to be bossed or scolded, for all do
what they can willingly, an' I'm standin' right by 'em. Now that you've
had somethin' to eat, an' ain't sufferin', what do you propose doin'?"

"You're short-handed, even if you had only the brig to look after; so
what's to hinder our workin' a passage to sich port as you calculate on
makin'?" and the red-nosed man spoke very humbly.

"We reckon on leavin' the tug here," Bob replied gravely. "She's
aground, an' what's worse, bunged up so bad that three weeks wouldn't be
any too long for repairs. 'Cordin' to my figgerin' the brig can be
floated reasonably easy; an' with Joe Taylor aboard I can run her to the
mainland pretty nigh as quick as if we had more of a crew."

"Do you mean that you don't care about takin' us along?" the slim man
asked.

Bob hesitated an instant, hardly caring to say plainly that he had no
desire for their company, and then he replied:

"It ain't wholly as I say. Considerin' what has been done, an' that the
Sea Bird was disabled through the carelessness of one of my party, Joe
has got as much interest here as I, an' he'd have to agree."

"Does he make any objection to helping us out of this hole if we're
willing to do our full share of work?" the Mexican asked.

"I don't say he does, 'cause, you see, we haven't made any talk about
sich a plan."

"Then find out jes' what he's willin' to do;" and the thin man spoke
very earnestly. "We'll agree to obey orders like as if we'd signed
articles, an' before the brig reaches the coast you'll be mighty glad of
our help."

"Do you know what island this is?" Bob asked as if desiring to change
the conversation.

"It's one of the Double-Breasted Keys," the thin man replied.

"On the Bahama Bank?"

"Yes; pretty nigh the northern point of the shoal."

"Then we're not more than three days' sail from Nassau?"

"About that; but you can't get in without a pilot, an' it ain't much
further to some port in the United States."

To this Bob made no reply, but turned as if to leave the cabin when the
Mexican stopped him by asking:

"Will you say whether we are to be given a passage, or must we go ashore
to starve?"

"I'll talk the matter over with Joe. If he's agreed I won't say a word
ag'in it, though I'd much rather take the brig in alone." And then Bob
hurried up the companion-ladder, as if eager to escape from his guests.

When the three men were alone their entire bearing changed, and the one
with a red nose said in a whisper, as he shook his fist threateningly in
the direction Bob had vanished:

"We'll whine 'round only till the brig's afloat, an' then if we can't
get away in her, leavin' that crowd behind, we deserve to stay!"

"And when we do have a craft of our own we'll pay off some old scores to
that meddlin' fool who broke up our little game in Nassau!" the thin man
added.

"It will be well if we do not show our hand too quickly," the Mexican
said. "Without even so much as a revolver, we cannot hold possession in
case they should decide to set us ashore."

"What a coward you are!" And he with the red nose spoke in a tone of
contempt. "There are only two of them, for the boys don't count, an'
marlin'-spikes or belayin'-pins comes as cheap to us as any one else. If
we wanted to drive that crowd over the rail it wouldn't be very hard
work, unless we two was the same chicken-hearted lubbers you are!"

The Mexican turned upon his heel as if the conversation was decidedly
too personal; but he made no attempt to resent the insult, and the thin
man said, in a soothing tone:

"You're talkin' sense now, pardner; but we need them fellers worse'n
they do us. The brig must be afloat before anything is done."

"Of course she must. You don't think I'm sich a fool as not to think of
them tricks. Leave me to boss the job, an' it won't be many hours till
we have everything our own way."

Then the three men went on deck apparently the most honest sailors to be
found on the sea; and from his place of refuge in the galley Jim watched
them distrustfully.




CHAPTER XII.

SIGNS OF TROUBLE.


Bob was decidedly disturbed by this desire of the men to be taken from
the key. If the story they told was true, he had every reason to expect
from the first that such would be their request; and yet, now that he
began to discern their true character, it was with considerable surprise
he learned that they wished to link their fortunes with his, at least to
the extent of leaving the island.

"I don't want sich as them around," he muttered as he left the cabin and
went forward to where Joe was sitting in the shade of the jib with his
chin in his hands, trying to devise some simple plan for pulling the
brig into deep water.

"There's no way it can be done except by setting the sheet anchor thirty
or forty fathoms toward the mouth of the harbor and working down to it
by sheer expenditure of muscle."

"Never mind that just now," Bob replied gloomily, "for there's another
question to be settled. What do you s'pose that crowd in the cabin
want?"

"I reckon they're counting on our taking them away," Joe replied
laughingly. "Most any fellow who had been marooned on this key would
like to leave."

"But I don't believe their yarn about bein' left behind, unless they
were up to some mischief an' the captain didn't know what else to do
with 'em."

"They ain't very pleasant-looking customers, for a fact; but yet they
may be honest sailors."

"I don't take any stock in it, or they'd never carry sail as they do.
The red-nosed fellow was heavin' plates at Harry when I went below, an'
they tried to make me believe the boy had been givin' 'em impudence. Now
they promise to do full work if we'll take them with us."

"And I reckon that's just about what you'll have to do, Bob. It would be
cruel to leave them here; and, besides, we shall need the whole crowd
before the Bonita can be floated. If I could repair the tug in any
reasonable length of time, it would be another matter; but since that
can't be done, on account of the damage to the steam-chest, there's a
good deal of heavy work ahead."

"Then your advice is to tell 'em they can stay aboard," Bob said
moodily.

"I don't see what else you can do, more especially since it might be
awkward if they should conclude to remain whether we wanted them or
not."

Bob was silent several moments, and then he said impatiently:

"I reckon you're right; but it goes mightily agin the grain to take sich
cattle as them along. Howsomever, 'what can't be cured must be
endured;' but I'll have my weather-eye liftin' all the time, so they'd
better keep out of mischief. The sooner we get an anchor over the
better, an' I'll call 'em, so's they can give us a sample of their
work."

He was spared the labor of going below again, for just at that moment
the three men came on deck, and at once made their way forward.

"I hope you ain't goin' to refuse us a chance to give you a lift," the
red-nosed man said in a whining tone; and Bob replied, without so much
as looking at his guests:

"Joe thinks we haven't got the right to say no; an', besides, we shall
need a pretty big force to work the brig off the sand. S'posin' you take
hold an' help us lay out an anchor astern?"

"All right! You boss the job an' we'll stand by for every pound of
strength we've got."

Since there was no possibility of using the tug, it would be necessary
to set about the task as Joe had said, and Bob explained to the
apparently willing workers exactly how it was to be performed.

"We've got to lay out the sheet-anchor, backin' it if the holdin'-ground
ain't good," he said, addressing his conversation to the strangers, but
looking directly at Joe. "She plumped on here pretty strong, I'll allow;
but it wasn't more'n half-tide when we struck, an' she oughter be worked
off in two or three floods. One of you get the boat around, an' I reckon
it won't take very long to make ready for the job."

The yawl was staunch enough to stand up under the weight of the
stream-anchor, and while the Mexican was pulling her to the port bow,
Bob rove a tackle on the yard-arm by which to raise the heavy mass of
metal.

Seeing that some important work was in progress the three boys came to
assist; but the old sailor quickly dispensed with their services.

"Stay aft, lads. There's force enough here for this job, an' by 'tendin'
to the grub I reckon you'll be doin' your full share."

Neither of the boys objected to this plan. They had good reason to
dislike the strangers, and were not desirous of coming in any closer
contact with them than was absolutely necessary.

By the aid of the tackle the five men soon had the anchor in the boat
with a manilla hawser, one end of which was made fast to the winch,
coiled on top.

Then the red-nosed man and Bob pulled the yawl straight away from the
brig's stern, while the Mexican hove the fakes overboard as the distance
was widened. This portion of the task was slow and wearisome, for the
weight of the hawser caused the boat to hang despite the vigorous
efforts at the oars; but the desired position was finally gained, and
after a great deal of tugging and straining the anchor was dropped.

Joe had two or three turns of the cable around the winch, and all hands
began heaving on the bars until the stout rope was fairly taut, after
which a sloper was put to it, and the laborers sat down in the shade
for a breathing spell.

The work was now completed until the tide should rise; and then, if the
brig could not be pulled off, it would be necessary to break out some of
the cargo in order to lighten her.

The most captious could have found no fault with the new members of the
crew while this portion of the task was being performed. They pulled and
hauled with a will, making no effort to shirk any particularly severe
duty, and striving earnestly to finish the job in the least possible
space of time.

When the heavy anchor was laid-out astern Joe congratulated himself on
this addition to their number, and said to Bob, as they were stretched
out on the deck while the strangers had gone toward the scuttle-butt:

"It seems as if our taking them aboard was a big piece of luck. I'll
admit that they are not over and above pleasant-looking; but think of
the difference in the work. With no one but the boys to help us, you and
I would have been all day setting the anchor. Now we've got a good crew
of five, and there's no question about our being able to sail the brig."

"You're right, Joe," Bob said thoughtfully; "an' I s'pose I'm a reg'lar
old woman. The way they acted at first riled me so much that I couldn't
see any good in 'em; but we'd be in a mighty tight place, now the tug is
disabled, if they wasn't here."

Then the two discussed matters relative to hauling the brig from her
bed of sand, and gave no heed to the strangers, who were amidships
conversing in low tones, as if fearful of being overheard.

Their consultation was evidently satisfactory to all concerned, for the
red-nosed man said, as the question under discussion was brought to a
close:

"She'll come away in a couple of tides at the longest. As near as I can
make out she only hangs from the waist up, and if the anchor holds, five
of us ought to yank her off without much trouble. We must be ready to
carry out our plans at a moment's notice."

Then the men separated to walk about the after part of the brig in an
apparently aimless manner; but all three met in the cabin a few moments
later, much to the discomfort of Walter, who was clearing off the table
and putting things to rights generally.

It seemed as if the strangers had not counted on finding any one below,
for they looked at each other questioningly a moment, and then the thin
man asked:

"Why don't you go into the galley, where you belong?"

"Because it's my turn to clear up the cabin," Walter replied as he
continued his work. "Harry is washing the dishes and Jim's cooking
dinner."

The boy had no fear of violence since Bob interrupted the scene at the
breakfast-table; and, besides, he was engaged in necessary work;
therefore after answering the question he paid no further attention to
the men, save that he noticed the Mexican walking to and fro, peeping
into such of the state-rooms as were open.

"Well, you needn't stay any longer," the thin man said gruffly. "If
you're goin' to live aboard ship the first thing to learn is that you've
got no business aft, when any one else is here, except while waiting on
the table."

"I can't go till the work is done," Walter replied innocently, as he
continued the task with no change of manner save to move more quickly.

"What do you mean by answering in that manner?" the red-nosed man asked
angrily as he seized the boy by the collar and dragged him toward the
companion-way. "If you don't know your place it's time somebody gave you
a few lessons."

Walter was both surprised and alarmed by this sudden attack. It had not
occurred to him that he was doing anything wrong by remaining; but the
grip on his neck was so strong, and seemingly vicious, that it was
certain some terrible punishment would follow, and he screamed loudly
for Harry.

Up to this moment it is hardly probable that the man had any idea of
doing more than eject him from the cabin, because he did not wish to
arouse Bob's anger again; but Walter's screams made him furious, and he
boxed the boy's ears half a dozen times with no gentle force.

Matters were in this condition when the other boys came running aft, and
one glance was sufficient to call forth all their anger.

"Hi! Bob!" Jim yelled, and Harry rushed boldly into the cabin as he
cried:

"If you touch him again I'll knock you down!"

Having been summoned from his labors so suddenly, he had not stopped
even to lay aside the coffee-pot he was cleaning, and this now served as
a weapon. Raising it above his head he ran forward to strike Walter's
assailant; but he had hardly taken half a dozen steps when a blow from
the red-nosed man felled him senseless to the floor.

Quickly as all this happened, Bob answered Jim's shrill appeal before
another move could be made, and Harry had but just fallen when the old
sailor leaped below.

"What mischief are you scoundrels up to now?" he cried angrily as he
assumed a position of defense after pulling Walter from the man's grasp.
"It seems to me you're playin' a pretty high hand for sailors who have
been saved from starvin'!"

"So far we've minded our own business and done all the work we could,"
he with the red nose said firmly; "but because you've helped us off the
key there's no reason why we should take all the airs these cubs choose
to put on. After you've heard their story an' cooled down a bit we'll
talk with you, but not before!"

Then with a swagger which was probably intended as a show of dignity the
man went on deck, followed by his companions, just as Joe came below to
see if his services were required.




CHAPTER XIII.

DEFIANCE.


It was some moments before the little party could discuss the apparently
serious turn which affairs had taken, for Harry remained as he had
fallen, and all their thoughts were centered on restoring him to
consciousness.

A vigorous application of cold water soon had the desired effect,
however, and in ten minutes after the self-invited guests went on deck
he was apparently as well as ever, save for a big red lump under his
left ear.

"Do you feel all right, now?" Bob asked as the boy recovered from the
bewilderment caused by the blow and began hunting for the coffee-pot,
which had rolled under one of the lockers.

"My ear aches pretty bad; but the rest of my body is sound enough,
though it's hard to tell how long we fellers will be able to keep on our
feet if those starving sailors stay aboard."

"They'll go ashore mighty quick if this kind of work is kept up. Tell us
what you did that started 'em?"

"I don't know anything about it." And Harry rubbed his sore ear gently
to soothe the pain. "Jim and I came when Walter screamed, and saw the
red-nosed fellow pounding him. I was going to take his part with the
coffee-pot, but before there was time to strike a blow one of them
knocked me down."

Then Walter gave a truthful account of all that had been said and done
in the cabin, and Bob thought over the matter in silence several moments
before speaking.

"It looks as if they wanted to know what there is below here," he
finally said half to himself. "I mistrusted them from the minute they
got into the yawl without takin' the trouble to shove her bow off, an'
if I ain't mistaken there'll be mischief done before this 'ere brig
reaches port!"

"I suppose they think we can't get along without them--which comes
pretty near being a fact--and so feel at liberty to ride a high horse,"
Joe suggested.

"They shall soon know that we'll lay aground all summer rather than let
sich a crowd of sharks bully us!" Bob cried angrily. "Come out with me,
Joe, an' we'll settle this matter one way or the other mighty quick!"

"Keep your temper somewhere within soundings," the engineer said
soothingly, "for they're three against two, and if it should come to a
fight we might get worsted."

"If I ain't a match for three sich lubbers as them I'll soak my head in
the harness-cask." And with this promise, which savored strongly of
boasting, the old sailor went on deck, Joe joining him as he walked
forward.

The strangers were lounging near the forecastle, apparently indifferent
to the disturbance which had been made in the cabin. When Bob came on
deck they glanced toward him as if there was no cause for angry
thoughts, and then resumed their conversation.

"Don't be hasty, now!" Joe whispered. "Talk the matter over calmly, to
make sure Walter told the whole truth, and try to find out what they
mean to do, before you threaten."

Bob shook his head as if the advice was distasteful; but he followed it,
nevertheless. Advancing until he stood opposite the men, he asked in a
tone which to make sound calm required considerable effort:

"Will you explain what caused the trouble in the cabin just now?"

"I told one of them cubs to get out--they've got no right below--an' he
yelled blue murder when I took hold of his coat to make him obey orders.
That brought one of the others, who tried to hit me with a coffee-pot,"
the red-nosed stranger said without hesitation. "That's about all there
is to it. We did jes' as you or your friend would do when a boy aboard
ship was impudent."

"Now see here," and it could be plainly perceived that Bob was
struggling to keep his temper within bounds, "them lads are here by
accident, an' two of 'em don't know what work is, yet they turn to like
little men. I consider that they've got the same rights on this craft as
I have, an' the man who tries to make 'em obey foolish orders is bound
to have considerable trouble with me!"

"There won't be any row if they stay in their place an' do a full share
of the work," the red-nosed gentleman said very decidedly.

"It ain't for you to say what their place or work is!" and now Bob's
temper was gaining the ascendancy.

"That's a matter of opinion," the man said in an offensive tone. "Me an'
my mates reckon we've got jes' as much to say on this 'ere brig as you
have. In the first place she was abandoned by her proper crew; the cubs
were carried off in her, an' you jes' the same as drifted aboard. All
you've done toward savin' her has been to run on this shoal. The tug's
rightful engineer is in charge, so we've got nothin' to say about her;
but we're calculatin' on stickin' to what's as much ours as yours!"

If Bob had been alone it is most probable he would have struck the
speaker, and thus precipitated a fight, which very likely was just what
the strangers desired; but Joe held him back as he said, in a low tone:

"Keep your temper, old man; this is no time for a row. Wait awhile."

"I'll soon show how much right I've got here!" he cried angrily,
struggling to release himself from Joe's detaining grasp, and paying no
attention to the wise advice.

"You couldn't do better than begin now," the red-nosed man said
sneeringly as he and his companions put themselves in an attitude of
defence. "Talk is cheap when a man hasn't got the nerve to back it up!"

"Have some sense about you," Joe whispered angrily. "Can't you see that
a row is just what they want?"

Fortunately for all save the strangers, Bob realized the truth of this
remark, and instead of rushing blindly forward to what would have been
certain defeat, he stepped back a few paces to the foremast where he
could reach a belaying-pin in case weapons became necessary, and Joe
continued the conversation by saying:

"This talk about your rights is all bosh. I was in charge of the tug,
and picked up this vessel, towing her in here. Any court would recognize
my claim as a just one. You wouldn't have a leg to stand on if it came
to legal rights, for both crafts had a crew on board, and nobody asked
for assistance. We propose to hold our ground, and before proceeding to
extremities allow you ten minutes in which to leave this brig. If you go
peaceably we will give you one of the Sea Bird's boats and a reasonable
supply of provisions; but in case force is necessary, it may be a matter
of swimming ashore!"

"A reg'lar sea-lawyer, eh?" the red-nosed man said with a contemptuous
laugh, in which his companions joined. "We've told you our ideas on the
subject, an' if so be that they don't jes' agree with yours, then I
s'pose we'll have to be put ashore--providin' it can be done without too
much harm to them as tackles the job!"

This speech afforded the strangers no slight amount of amusement, and as
they laughed boisterously Bob seized a belaying-pin with the evident
intention of deciding the question at once.

"Be careful," Joe whispered. "Can't you see that they've got the
capstan-bars ready for use? We should be knocked over like nine-pins
before it would be possible to strike a blow. There may be some
fire-arms aft, and if we get hold of them first all the advantage will
be on our side."

Bob had turned to follow the very sensible advice when the red-nosed man
shouted, this time in a threatening tone:

"Seein's how you've laid down the law for us, I reckon we'd better give
you a dose. I don't say you've got to go ashore whether or no, for it's
our way to let everybody have a chance. If you're willin' to say that
we're on the same footin' as you, share an' share alike, there'll be no
trouble. In case you don't look at it in that light, then somebody must
take to the island; but it won't be any of us!"

"Don't answer him," Joe said, as he literally pushed Bob aft. "They
reckon on settlin' matters by a fight now, when they've got the best of
it, an' we must be careful not to do anything foolish."

The old sailor walked swiftly away, as if fearing to trust himself too
long within sound of that mocking voice, and Joe kept close behind him
until they were in the cabin, where the boys had remained until the
result of the revolt should be determined.

"Sit in the companion-way where you can keep your eye on those men, and
sing out if they make any move toward coming aft," Joe said to Jim; and
the latter obeyed at once by taking up his position where everything
forward of the mainmast came within his range of vision.

Bob's rage was so great that his only desire just now was to enforce
authority, and he lost no time before beginning the search for weapons.
From one state-room to another he went, looking into sea-chests,
overhauling boxes, and upsetting drawers; but nothing more deadly than a
sail-needle met his eager gaze. As a matter of coarse, there must have
been fire-arms on board the brig when she left port; but those who
abandoned her had taken everything of the kind with them.

"I can't find so much as a sheath-knife," he said, coming into the
saloon where Joe stood revolving this very serious turn of affairs in
his mind. "We shall have to trust our fists and anything in the way of a
club that can be picked up, for I'm not goin' to let another hour go by
without showin' them villains that we intend to hold possession of this
craft."

"But we mustn't act until we've formed some plan," Joe replied. "Tell me
just what you propose doing, and I'll stand by till the last."

"I'm going to drive them over the side!" Bob cried, passionately.

"Just now they are stronger than our crowd, and it may be a question as
to who goes first."

Joe spoke in a matter-of-fact tone; but it could be seen that he was
laboring under no less excitement than the sailor; and the latter,
beginning to realize the weakness of their position, asked hoarsely:

"What do you think we ought to do?"

"Wait awhile till we see how they're going to act;" and then the
engineer ascended the companion-ladder to ascertain the condition of
affairs forward.




CHAPTER XIV.

A BARGAIN.


It surely seemed as if those who had been carried away by the Bonita
were to have their cup of trouble filled to the brim. Running ashore on
a pleasant night when there was every reason to believe they were near a
home port was looked upon as a great disaster at the time; but now it
dwindled into a trifle before the dangers which menaced.

There could no longer be a question but that the strangers were ripe for
any mischief, even at the expense of a drawn battle, and Joe was
inclined to believe they might vanquish his party.

"They're hard tickets, and were most likely marooned here because of
their misdeeds," he muttered to himself as he lounged on deck to
ascertain if the enemy had made any change of position. "It'll take some
mighty neat work to get us out of this scrape, for we can't risk a
fight, and it's a question whether Bob can be held in check."

The men yet remained forward, where, in the shadow of the forecastle,
they could have the benefit of the light land breeze, and were
apparently indifferent as to what move the rightful crew of the brig
might make.

Joe stood on the quarter-dock nearly half an hour trying in vain to
decide upon some plan which would at least promise success, and then he
went below, looking, as in fact he felt, his lack of hope in the final
result.

"It's pretty near high water," he said to Bob, who was making one more
search of the cabin with the idea that it might yet be possible to find
weapons, "and the question is, are we going to lose this tide without
making an effort to launch the brig?"

"What can we do?" the old sailor asked impatiently. "It don't stand to
reason that them villains would be any more decent if she was afloat
than they are now!"

"And before many days there'll come an easterly wind which will drive
her up on the sand beyond all chance of ever being launched again!"

"That's jes' what is makin' me almost wild!" Bob cried as he turned and
faced the engineer, "She oughter be floated between now an' to-morrow
night; but it can't be done!"

"Why not?" Joe asked calmly. "I've been turning matters over in my mind,
and don't see the slightest chance of ever being able to drive those men
ashore. Wouldn't it be better to join forces rather than lose the brig
entirely and be dependent upon sighting some vessel to take us off the
key?"

The old sailor looked up as if astonished that such a proposition should
be made; but before the angry reply, which was trembling on his lips,
could be spoken, Joe said gently:

"Think the whole matter over before you say anything, and take plenty of
time, for we don't want to make another mistake."

Bob looked at the speaker angrily for a moment, and then seating himself
at the table with his head in his hands, he remained silent so long that
the boys, who were watching him intently, believed he had fallen asleep.

"What's your plan?" he finally asked.

"It isn't what can be called a plan, but, according to my way of
thinking, the only course left for us to pursue. We've _got_ to make
some kind of a trade with those villains in order to get away from this
place, and the sooner it's done the better."

"Go out an' see what they'll agree to!" Bob said hoarsely. "I'll stand
by any bargain you think half-fair."

Joe did not wait for further conversation. He was eager to take
advantage of the tide, and no time was to be lost.

"Look here, Jim," the old sailor said, when the engineer had left the
cabin, "if Joe makes a trade with them scoundrels, as I reckon he will,
something must be done to prevent you boys from bein' kicked 'round, for
we can't have a fight every hour. While the brig is aground you'd best
stay on board the tug, so's to be out of the way. When the grub is ready
shove it on the table, an' then all three clear out, leavin' us to wait
on ourselves. That'll ease things up a little."

While Bob was thus planning to save the boys from brutal treatment, Joe
had lost no time in finishing his very disagreeable task.

When he went forward the men did not pay the slightest attention to his
movements, but continued their conversation as if whatever he might do
was no concern of theirs. It was not until he halted directly in front
of the party that the red-nosed man so much as raised his eyes.

"See here," Joe begun, as if to speak was distasteful; "we've got to
come to some agreement, for splitting-up now, when the brig's aground,
isn't much better than child's play."

"That's my idee, to a dot!" he of the red nose replied with a leer; "but
it ain't us what's makin' the row! We've got rights, no matter if you
did bring us aboard; an' what's more, we're goin' to have 'em!"

"We won't discuss that part of it," Joe said curtly. "You know as well
as I do that if there'd been two or three more in our party you wouldn't
have said a word about rights; but since it's your intention to take
unfair advantage of those who tried to relieve suffering, we'll let the
matter drop. None of us will gain anything if the brig goes to pieces,
and it's for the interest of all hands to have her launched; therefore
I've come to make a bargain."

"Well, out with it!" the man said coarsely, as Joe ceased speaking.

"I propose that we turn to, as if nothing had happened, each one
swearing to do his utmost toward carrying the brig to the nearest
American port, and there the whole matter can, as indeed it must, be
submitted to the court for settlement. On your part you agree not to
molest the boys in any way, and they are to do nothing but the cooking.
We will recognize what I think are your unjust claims until the case is
legally settled. No property is to be taken from the vessel, and, so far
as possible, everything must remain as we found it."

"An' it has taken you all this time to fix up that agreement, eh?" the
man asked, with a boisterous laugh. "I don't see but it amounts to jes'
what we wanted at first. Look here, Mister Engineer, you an' Bob have
got an idee that we ain't on the square, an' it's a big mistake. When we
found you needed our help to work the brig into port, an' couldn't do it
alone, we said it was only fair play for us to share in whatever salvage
might be made. Now we'll agree to your bargain, 'cause it's nothin' more
nor less than what I proposed, an' the sooner we get to work on that
hawser the better, 'cause it's about flood-tide."

Joe realized this fact fully, and he went quickly aft for Bob,
explaining to him in the fewest possible words the result of his
interview.

"I hate to knuckle down to them scoundrels; but I s'pose it can't be
helped," the old sailor said as he arose to his feet. "Keep out of the
way, boys, so there won't be any chance for more abuse."

To have seen the party five minutes after Bob went forward, one would
not fancy there had been any hard feelings among them. The strangers
set about the work with a will, recognizing the old sailor as being in
command, and with apparently no other thought than such us was for the
benefit of all.

The tide had ceased rising, it being that time known as "slack water,"
when the capstan-bars were brought into use, and every member of the
party exerted all his strength in the effort.

Once, twice, three times the men leaped against the stout bars without
making any perceptible change in the brig's position, and Joe began to
fancy it would have been as well if he had not humbled himself by making
a trade with the strangers.

"Buckle down to it once more," Bob shouted. "It lacked almost an hour of
bein' high water when she struck, an' there can't be so very much sand
under her bow. Break down once more!"

No one hung back. The red-nosed man appeared to have the strength of a
giant, and as he hove at the handles it seemed as if the wood or iron
must surely give way under the enormous strain.

"Grind her down!" he yelled, and when one more determined effort had
been made there was a decided movement. The bars were started fully a
quarter of a turn, and Bob shouted:

"Now's the time, my hearties! Heave around once, an' we're clear of this
blessed key!"

Then every man hove down on the bars as the Mexican held turn, and inch
by inch the heavy hawser came inboard until the winch revolved readily
as the Bonita glided out into deeper water, until she lay clear of the
shoal, swinging to the grip of the cable over her stern.

"Hurrah!" Bob shouted, and the others joined in the cheers, causing the
boys to come from the galley to learn the reason for such an uproar.

"It's a matter of gettin' that anchor home, an' then when the wind
springs up ag'in we can leave this sand-heap behind us," the red-nosed
man said in a tone of satisfaction, as he wiped the perspiration from
his face before following the example of the others, who had flung
themselves at full length in the shadow of the forecastle.

"What about the Sea Bird, Bob?" Joe asked when he had regained his
breath sufficiently to talk. "I hate to leave the little craft to the
mercy of wind and wave."

"Why don't you swing this hawser right aboard of her?" the red-nosed man
proposed. "The owners may think she's worth comin' after, an' she'll lay
here comfortable enough, unless it blows a full gale from the east."

The tug was still made fast to the brig, having came off the shoal at
the same time, and, save for the huge patch of canvas over her bow,
looking as staunch as when first launched.

"That's just what we will do; an' it'll save heavin' up the heavy
anchor!" Joe cried. "The Bonita can lay alongside as well as if she was
moored, and it won't take us so long to get under way when the wind does
come."

As soon as the party had recovered somewhat from the fatigue of
straining at the winch, the hawser was shifted to the forward bitt on
the Sea Bird, and both crafts gradually swung around until they were
headed for the open sea.

"We'll have a breeze before morning," the thin man remarked, "for one
has sprung up every night since we landed, an' it's safe to calculate on
leavin' about midnight."

"After we've had somethin' to eat we'll make ready for it," Bob said as
he went toward the galley, for it was fully an hour past noon and the
appetites of all were decidedly sharpened.

The amateur cook had everything ready, and the three boys carried the
food below without being molested by those whom they quite naturally
looked upon as enemies.




CHAPTER XV.

AN UNWARRANTED SEARCH.


Bob gave an expressive look to the boys when the repast had been placed
on the table, and all three understood that he meant for them to leave
the cabin rather than run any chance of another encounter with the men.

A quarrel just now, however trivial the cause, might lead to very
serious consequences, because the guests were unscrupulous and stronger
than the Bonita's crew; therefore this precaution of the old sailor's
was a wise one. Jim and Harry not only realized the fact, but they were
more than eager to be beyond the reach of these quarrelsome strangers,
whose blows were bestowed without provocation, and they went into the
galley, closely followed by Walter.

"I've sailed along of some pretty tough customers," Jim said with the
air of one who has had many and varied experiences, as he seated himself
on an empty keg just outside the galley door, "but I never run across
anybody like them duffers. They're worse'n old Mose Pearson, an' folks
used to say he was the ugliest skipper that ever hove a mackerel-line."

"They act as if the brig belonged to them, and we were the ones who had
been taken off the key," Harry said bitterly. "I wish Bob never'd
allowed them aboard!"

"So do I!" And Jim spoke very emphatically. "There'll be a heap of
trouble before we get rid of that crowd, or else I don't know anything
about sich fellers. If they put on many more airs us three will have to
sleep aboard of the tug, where we won't run the risk of bein' knocked
down."

"We can stand a good deal if they help us get the brig into port,"
Walter said with a sigh. "I'm willing to be thumped every day for a week
if I can get home once more."

"Most any of us would;" and Jim again put on his air of exceeding
wisdom; "but the trouble is we can't count on goin' where we want to
while they are aboard. I wouldn't be much 'stonished to hear that
red-nosed man order all hands, 'cept his own crowd, ashore any minute.
I'll be satisfied if, when the next fight comes, Bob hits him one crack
hard enough to send more'n a thousand stars dancin' before his eyes. A
good thump is the only thing that'll make him walk straight!"

The others would have been equally delighted at such a lesson; but there
was not time to say so, for just at this moment Joe called for coffee,
and Harry ran below with a fresh supply, after which the boys set about
cleaning up the galley preparatory to getting their own dinner.

In the cabin, matters were progressing so favorably that a stranger
would hardly have supposed the party had been upon the verge of an open
rupture but a few hours previous. The thin man was particularly affable,
and seemed to be thinking of no other subject save that of sailing the
brig to the nearest American port in the shortest space of time.

"If you're no navigator, how do you calculate it'll be possible to make
the trip?" he asked of Bob, during the course of the meal.

"It'll have to be done by dead reckonin', of course," the old sailor
replied in as near an approach to a friendly tone as he could command,
for the recent trouble was yet too fresh in mind to admit of his feeling
thoroughly at ease. "It don't matter what port we make, an' as it's all
plain sailin' after we're clear of the bank, the job oughter be done
without much trouble."

"The most important question is, When can we start?" the Mexican said
with an odd laugh. "I've had so much of this key lately that I'd like to
see it a dozen miles astern just now."

"I fancy we're all of the same mind," said Joe, who seemed to think it
necessary he should say something, if only to show he harbored no
resentment. "We shan't have long to wait, I hope."

By this time the engineer and Bob had finished the meal, while the
others seemed to have hardly begun. It was as if they had some purpose
in remaining a long time at the table; but yet one could not have seen
in their manner anything to arouse suspicion.

The old sailor and Joe arose from the table and went up the
companion-way ladder as the former said:

"It's too hot to stay below any longer than a feller is obliged to, an'
I reckon you can get on as well without us."

The thin man replied that there was no reason why one should suffer
discomfort because others were slow, and by the time he had finished
speaking Bob and Joe were on deck, looking with satisfaction at the
result of their labors.

"We shan't be hanging round the Bahama banks much longer, my hearty,"
the old sailor said gleefully. "Now that the brig has deep water under
her keel once more, it's only a question of wind."

"I don't suppose it would pay to hang on here until the tug could be
repaired?" Joe added half inquiringly, as he went forward where the
shadow of the forecastle afforded a most refreshing shelter.

"Indeed it wouldn't," and Bob spoke very decidedly. "In the first place
we must get this craft off our hands without loss of time; an' then,
ag'in, the sooner we've said good-by to them new shipmates the safer
I'll feel. They ain't to be trusted any further'n you can see 'em; but
we've got to mess with the crowd till the brig's in port."

Joe looked toward the steamer wistfully. He had suffered so many
hardships and been exposed to such great danger in her that it would be
almost like parting with an old friend to leave the little craft to rot
at her moorings, or be blown ashore when the next gale should come from
the east.

While these two were cheering themselves with the belief that in a few
hours at the longest the brig would be under way again, those in the
cabin were proceeding to make themselves thoroughly at home.

Bob and Joe had no sooner gone on deck than the red-nosed man said, in a
whisper:

"Now, Dave, you stay here, where it'll be easy to see if any of them
fools come this way, an' I'll make quick work of the search. If the
brig's papers are to be found we shall run no risk in taking her
anywhere, an' we'll soon set ourselves up for gentlemen."

"Unless somebody overhauls us for that little job down in the channel,"
the thin man added gloomily.

"Don't be a fool!" was the savage reply. "How is anyone to know we had a
finger in that pie? Even if it should come out, we won't be in this part
of the world much longer. We can put in to Key West, hire a full crew,
and an hour afterwards sail for any port we like best. Come on, Pedro."

The Mexican had already risen from the table, and was noiselessly making
his way aft to the room on the starboard side which would naturally have
been occupied by the Bonita's rightful captain.

The red-nosed man made haste to overtake him, as if doubtful of his
friend's honesty, and the two entered the apartment at the same moment.

Up to this time no one had disturbed the watch which hung at the head of
the berth. The boys and Bob believed that every article on board should
be delivered up to the authorities; but these men had no such scruples.

He with the red nose clutched it eagerly, almost overturning the other
in his efforts to reach the time-piece first, and against this
confiscation the Mexican protested angrily.

"Don't be a fool! I've only taken charge of it for all hands. We're to
whack up fair on everything!"

"Then why didn't you let it hang on the wall?"

"Because that fool of a Bob might have stowed it away before we've had a
chance to take possession. Now, don't stop to chin, but help me hunt
over these papers."

The Mexican looked much as if he distrusted the softly-spoken words; but
he made no further protest, and together the two men began to overhaul
the contents of the desk.

To find that for which they sought was not a difficult task. It was only
necessary to examine half a dozen papers before the documents were
discovered, and the red-nosed man said grimly, as he put them in his
pocket:

"I reckon we've got things pretty near as we want 'em. We're the masters
now, an' there'll be mighty little talk made about rights. Come along;
if we're not on deck soon them Miss Nancys may suspect somethin', an' we
want to keep their eyes closed two or three hours longer."

"But ain't we goin' to search the other rooms?"

"What's the use? There'll be plenty of time to-morrow, when we're
alone."

The worthy Pedro was not content to wait. The loss of the watch, for he
seemed to consider it such, troubled him, and he was eager to put
something in his own pocket.

When he who was evidently the leader of the party walked toward Dave to
acquaint him with the pleasing fact that the search had been successful,
Pedro darted from one room to another, and the studs and sleeve-buttons,
which the boys had noted, did not escape his eager gaze.

"These shall not be taken charge of for all hands," he whispered half to
himself, and the articles had but just been secreted when Dave came to
the door.

"Do you want to spoil everything by loafin' 'round here?" he asked
angrily. "These kind of chances don't come every day, an' if our plans
are upset owin' to such nonsense I'll split you like a mackerel with
your own knife!"

That the Mexican was a rank coward could be told by the pallor which
came over his yellow face as these words were spoken, and with a
muttered but inaudible reply he followed Dave to the companion-way
ladder.

"Now what are we to do?" the thin man asked when the three were ready to
go on deck; and the leader of the villains replied readily:

"Nothin' yet awhile. Some chance will turn up before we're under way;
but if it don't, the matter must be settled at night while they're
below. It won't be a hard job, for they can't stay on deck together all
the time, and when the crowd is separated it'll be like child's play.
Don't act as if anything was in the wind, but be sweet as molasses till
the flies are where we want 'em!"

Then the three men ascended the ladder, and from the benign expression
on their faces the most suspicious would hardly have fancied they had
been plotting to murder those who befriended them in a time of need.




CHAPTER XVI.

TRICKED.


When the conspirators came on deck, and before they finished smoking,
the boys cleaned the cabin, ate their own dinner in the galley, and were
at liberty to remain idle until it should be time to prepare supper.

After the heat of the day had passed Bob proposed that all the brig's
lower sails should be set; adding, in conclusion:

"'Cordin' to my way of thinkin', there's goin' to be a decent kind of a
breeze about sunset, an' if we're ready for it jes' so much time will be
saved in leavin' this place."

The three strangers appeared even more eager than he to see the brig
under canvas once more, and all hands turned to with a will, pulling,
hoisting, and sheeting home as if the wind which was to waft them toward
the United States had already begun to blow.

By the time this work was done there could no longer be any question but
that a generous breeze from the south was near at hand. Thin, filmy
clouds formed in the sky, while every now and then the heated air would
be set in motion slightly, as a token of what might be expected.

"There's no doubt now but that we'll be under way by sunset," Joe said,
as he stood on the quarter-deck where the boys had taken refuge from the
heat, "and it would be a good idea for me to be bringing my dunnage out
of the tug, since it ain't likely I'll ever see the little craft again."

"Ain't you goin' to try and save anything else?" Jim asked.

"There isn't much that we can take. Suppose all hands go aboard and see
if there's anything belonging to the crew that'll pay for carrying
away?"

The boys accepted the invitation readily, for they did not care to move
about the deck of the brig very much lest they came in contact with the
red-nosed man and his friends, and all four went into the tiny
after-cabin of the Sea Bird, where Joe at once began his work of
investigation.

There were four chests here in addition to the one owned by Joe, and
these were broken open without ceremony, for the engineer did not intend
to burden himself with anything that might not be of considerable value
to the owners.

"We'll unpack 'em, and then put the things back carefully, in case the
little craft is carried home again," he said, going to work
systematically, while the boys watched him with mild curiosity.

There was no apparent necessity for haste, therefore Joe set about his
task leisurely because of the intense heat, which made the slightest
exertion almost painful, and but two of the chests had been overhauled
when Bob came below to learn what was going on.

"Gettin' ready to leave, eh?" he asked, after looking at the perspiring
engineer in silence several moments. "Well, it's time; for unless I've
made a big mistake in them light clouds we'll start from here mighty
soon."

"If we were going alone I'd feel tiptop," Joe said, as he paused for an
instant in his work; "but as it is, I'm afraid we'll have trouble with
that crowd before the United States coast heaves in sight, even if they
do talk so fair just now."

"We must keep our weather-eyes liftin' every minute, an' at the first
sign of a row pitch in so's to take 'em unawares;" and Bob stretched
himself out on the port locker as if determined to enjoy all possible
comfort before the serious work of sailing the brig without an
experienced navigator was begun. "I wouldn't hesitate to give 'em the
slip by leavin' the whole crowd here; but there's no chance of their
goin' ashore after the wind rises."

"No," Joe replied, with a long-drawn sigh, "we shall have to grin an'
bear it, I reckon; but----"

He ceased speaking very suddenly, for just at that moment a footstep was
heard on the steamer's deck, and an instant later the unpleasant-looking
face of the man with the red nose appeared at the companion-way.

"You all got outer sight so quick that I thought p'rhaps you'd gone
overboard," he said with a leer, glancing inquisitively around the
cabin, but making no motion to descend.

"Joe is overhaulin' this dunnage, to see if there's anything worth
carryin' back to the States," Bob replied carelessly, as the engineer
continued his work in silence.

The man lowered his head as if to see the interior more plainly, and,
unperceived by any one in the little apartment, made a quick motion with
his hand, evidently for the benefit of those aboard the brig.

During nearly five minutes he stood there carelessly pushing the hatch
back and forth, until the Mexican waved his hat, when the red-nosed man
suddenly shut both doors, shoving into place the bolts which fastened
them together.

The little party in the cabin looked up in surprise at this singular
maneuver, but it was not until the sound of quick footsteps was heard on
the deck as the man ran swiftly aboard the brig that any one thought of
treachery.

"They've locked us in here so's they can steal the Bonita!" Bob shouted,
as he leaped to the companion-way and began pounding on the bolted
doors.

The oaken timbers were firm as a bulk-head, and, without a weapon, he
might have worked there all day in vain.

Joe had sprung to the windows; but his efforts were quite as useless as
Bob's. Heavy iron gratings, intended to keep out intruders and break the
force of the waves, were screwed so firmly in the wood-work that they
could not be removed from the inside save by the use of proper tools.

They were securely imprisoned, for the cabin had no outlet except at the
companion-way, and two or three hours of hard work would be absolutely
necessary before they could escape by the doors.

While Bob and Joe were darting from one possible point of vantage to
another, shouting for help and uttering wild threats in the same breath,
the boys had gathered at one of the port windows which looked directly
on the brig's bulwarks.

"They ain't gettin' under way!" Jim cried, as if trying to persuade
himself that the strangers were not intending to desert them.

"There's no need for the pirates to hurry," Bob said hoarsely, as he
stood in the center of the cabin, his face convulsed by rage and
trembling like one in an ague fit. "If I had jumped on 'em with the
belayin'-pin when Joe held me back, all of that crowd wouldn't be able
to get away. Come here, you cowards, an' give us a fair show! Open this
hatch or I'll foller you till your lives won't be worth the livin'!"

"The hawsers have been cast off, an' now the brig is beginnin' to move
through the water!" Jim reported, as he pressed his face close to the
iron bars.

This information gave fresh impetus to Bob's wrath. He rushed from one
corner of the cabin to another shouting the wildest threats, and
behaving generally like an insane person.

Joe was quite as angry as the old sailor, but not to such an extent that
his common sense had deserted him. While Bob strode back and forth he
was working on the screws which held the bars in place. By breaking off
the end of the largest blade in his pocket-knife quite an effective tool
was made, and he had accomplished no slight portion of his task when Jim
made the last report.

Rapidly as the engineer might labor, however, he knew it would be
impossible to remove this one particular barrier to freedom before the
Bonita would be beyond their reach. The promised wind had come sooner
than it was expected, as could be told by the rapidly increasing speed
with which the black bulwarks of the brig slipped past the window, and
the task was not half completed when blue water could be seen as the
vessel's stern swept by, leaving a wake which bubbled and danced merrily
in the sunlight.

"There must be a pretty good breeze," Jim continued, speaking excitedly,
as if the tears were very near his eyelids, "for the upper sails are all
drawing. Now I can see that red-nosed bully at the wheel, an' he's
wavin' his hat!"

Joe continued to work at the bars, and now, when it was too late to
effect anything, Bob recovered from his anger sufficiently to make at
least an attempt at assisting, while Harry and Walter stood near the
companion-way, so thoroughly bewildered by this last blow of a cruel
fate that speech was well nigh impossible.

The brig remained within Jim's range of vision but a few moments longer,
and when she disappeared entirely he threw himself on a locker, trying
to stifle with its cushion the sobs which convulsed him.

Without speaking, breathing like one after a long race, and heeding not
the wounds on his fingers inflicted by the sharp edge of the knife, Joe
worked on until the iron grating was held in place only by a couple of
screws on one side. Then, standing on the locker, he used his foot as a
battering-ram until the wood-work gave way, and the bars fell to the
deck with a clatter and a crash that must have been heard by those on
the brig.

If it had been possible to overtake the thieves the prisoners could not
have clambered out through the window more quickly, and on gaining the
deck the uselessness of any further efforts was painfully apparent.

The Bonita was already out of the little harbor, bowing and courtesying
on the ocean swell to the wind from the south which filled all her
sails, and gliding through the water as if rejoicing at her escape from
the shoal.

"Can't we row out to them?" Jim cried excitedly. "It wouldn't take long
to launch the tug's yawl!"

"We couldn't catch 'em with anything slower than a steamer, now that
they're well under way!" Bob cried angrily; and then, unfastening the
hatch, he went into the cabin once more, as if unable to look longer at
the rapidly retreating brig.

"It's no use, boys; we've got to make the best of what can't be cured!"
Joe said with a great but vain effort to speak in a cheery tone. "We
must try and forget what has happened or we shall be in no condition to
help ourselves." Then, noting the tears in Walter's eyes, he added
kindly: "Think of how much worse we might be situated. The Sea Bird
isn't injured past mending, and in her we can make any port we choose."

"But you said it would be two or three weeks before she could be
repaired," and Harry choked back a sob lest the evidences of his own
grief should make Walter's sorrow greater.

"In that I may have been mistaken. Let's set to work as if nothing had
happened, and think only about going home presently with no one on board
of whom we are afraid. You boys get the yawl into the water, so we can
land at any time, and I'll begin the job on the engine."




CHAPTER XVII.

REPAIRING THE SEA BIRD.


It was extremely difficult for anyone on the tug to set about work while
the sense of injury and grief was so fresh in his mind, and had it not
been for Joe all hands would have given way to sorrow and anger, a
course which could certainly bring no relief. He bustled around as if
there was not a thought in his mind beyond repairing the engine, calling
for assistance first upon one of the boys and then Bob, until they were
absolutely forced to take an interest in the work.

He insisted that the yawl must be gotten into the water without delay,
because his duties might necessitate his going ashore at a moment's
notice; and it was nearly time for the sun to set before the little boat
was in sailing trim. While the boys were engaged in this work Joe called
upon Bob so often that the old sailor grew quite eager to see the job
progress, and, like the others, almost ceased to dwell upon the bitter
disappointment.

When the boat was launched, Joe advised the boys to go into the tiny
galley of the tug for the purpose of getting supper, concluding by
saying:

"It ain't as big as the one on the Bonita; but you'll find better tools
to work with, because everything is new. There must be grub enough to
last ten days or more; but if not, we'll do a little hunting and
fishing. This is the season for turtles, so we can have plenty of meat
and eggs; and there's no show of being put on short allowance, even if
we should stay here a month."

This remark about food aroused Bob from the mournful reverie into which
he had fallen for the moment, and he said with something like his old
cheerfulness, as he started forward:

"I'll overhaul the stores, so we'll know jes' what there is on board;
but it won't do any harm for you boys to go fishin' now an' then, seein'
that you can't do very much work in the engine-room."

Then he went into the fore-peak. Jim and Walter built a fire in the
stove, which occupied fully half the space in the tiny galley, and Harry
set about laying the forward-cabin table with the limited collection of
crockery.

Joe came from the hot engine-room when the others were fully occupied.
He had not really begun, his task, nor did he intend to do so until the
next morning when some kind of a bench could be set up in the open air,
although he had moved about very lively to keep the minds of his
companions on something besides their own misfortunes.

It was not long before Bob finished taking account of the eatables, and
on coming from the hold he reported:

"We've got fully half a barrel of flour, about twenty pounds of salt
pork, twice as much beef, and two hams. There's coffee enough to last
this crew four or five weeks, with canned milk to help it out. Two dozen
tins of assorted vegetables, three bushels of potatoes, plenty of salt,
pepper, molasses and vinegar. Pretty nigh a whole tub of butter, another
of lard, and a barrel two-thirds full of ship's-biscuit. We sha'n't
starve yet awhile; but it stands us in hand to do some fishin' an'
huntin' before we leave this place--if we ever do."

"Now, don't talk that way, Bob," Joe said with a laugh. "I give you my
word that the engine can be repaired, so of course we shall leave here."

"How much coal have you got?"

Joe's face darkened. The fuel supply was the only thing of which he had
not thought, and he knew there was only such an amount on board as would
serve to keep up steam about forty-eight hours.

"I don't suppose we've got enough for the run across," he said after a
short pause; "but we can take on plenty of wood, or make our way into
Nassau, where, by giving a distress note on the steamer, it will be
possible to get all that may be needed. If we could only manage to patch
the bow a little better I wouldn't feel worried about anything."

"That's jes' what I've made up my mind to do," Bob replied. "If you
don't call on me too often, I reckon I can show a pretty decent job of
carpentering by the time you're ready to make steam."

"After to-morrow night I shan't need much help, so you'll have plenty of
time," Joe said with a laugh; and then the conversation was interrupted
by Walter's announcement that supper was ready.

Jim had taken especial pains with this meal, probably acting on the
belief that grief is lessened when the stomach is satisfied, and all
hands seated themselves at the table, which occupied nearly the entire
floor-space of the little cabin, looking far more cheerful than one
would have supposed under the circumstances.

"There's a big advantage about living here," Joe said, as he lighted the
swinging lamp that the interior might seem more cheerful. "Everything is
snugger than on the brig. We've got one bunk apiece, and none to spare;
the bedding is clean because it's new, while Jim's work is easier owin'
to the fact of the galley bein' alongside the dining-room."

"Yes," Bob said, as he choked down a sigh with a big piece of ham,
"we're pretty well fixed considerin'; an' if the Bonita had gone to the
bottom, or been burned up, I wouldn't feel sore a bit. It's the idea
that the same villains we brought off the key to save 'em from
starvation have run away with the brig which riles me. Howsomever," he
added, as he helped himself to another potato, "it don't do any good to
talk of sich rascality, an' we may as well chuck ourselves under the
chin 'cause things are no worse."

Then Joe made sure the conversation would not again drift into such a
dangerous channel by talking of the needed repairs until the meal was
finished and the dishes washed, after which all hands went on deck to
enjoy the cooling breeze.

"If we could sleep here it would be possible to take some comfort,"
Harry suggested, as the old sailor made preparations for his
after-supper smoke. "It'll be terribly hot in the cabin."

"Suppose we do that same thing?" Joe said, quickly. "I'm going to spread
the foresail as an awning in the morning to make a work-room, and if we
should put it up now there'd be nothing else necessary but bring the
bedding on deck."

Bob showed that he thought the plan a good one by laying down his pipe
and going forward. The others followed, and in a short time the little
foresail was unbent, the canvas stretched from the roof of the house aft
to a couple of oars lashed to the rail, and the boys made up the beds.

It was fully half an hour before sunrise next morning when Bob called
all hands, and the task of repairing the Sea Bird was begun without
delay. Joe had his tools and spare fittings on deck by the time
breakfast was ready, and Bob mapped out his work during the same
interval.

"You boys are to go ashore," the old sailor said when the little party
had gathered around the table. "We haven't got much water, an' if you
can find a spring it'll save wastin' coal to condense what'll be
needed."

An excursion on the island was by no means a hardship, and but little
time was spent setting the galley and cabin to rights after the meal had
been brought to an end.

"The key ain't so small but that you can get lost on it an' not half
try," Bob shouted, as Jim and Harry took up the oars, leaving Walter to
play the part of coxswain. "Keep your bearings well in mind, an' don't
go far from the shore."

Jim waved his hand to show that the commands were understood, and then
the little boat was propelled swiftly toward the key.

Bob watched the boys until they landed, fastened the yawl by tying the
painter around a projecting piece of coral, and disappeared in the
underbrush, after which he went aft, where Joe had set up a very shaky
work-bench and was busily engaged measuring a plate of metal.

"Them two city-bred youngsters are having the worst end of this queer
cruise," the sailor said thoughtfully. "To an old moss-back like me, it
don't make much difference whether he's on the Bahamas or the Sandwich
Islands, providin' there's plenty of grub; but the lads must come pretty
nigh eatin' their hearts out sometimes when they think of home an' the
sadness that's in it through their disappearin' so mysterious-like."

"It's tough on them, and that's a fact," Joe replied; "but they keep the
trouble to themselves in a way that ought to teach us a lesson. A man,
or a boy either, for that matter, should put his best foot forward, no
matter how hard a place he gets in, an' then half the battle's won
before a blow can be struck."

Joe had no opportunity to continue the subject because Bob walked into
the cabin. The conversation was growing altogether too personal to
please the old sailor, for he knew perfectly well that he had been more
than foolish in giving such free rein to his temper and grief when the
perfidy of the strangers was first made apparent, and, like many others,
he did not care to be told of his faults.

He proposed to further repair the damage done the Sea Bird by planking
outside the canvas, and to procure the necessary lumber he must take it
from the bulk-head between the after-cabin and the engine-room.

This he now proceeded to do, and while the pounding and hammering went
on below, as if the little steamer was being torn to pieces, Joe
continued what was both a difficult and laborious task. A piece of metal
such as could have been cut and planed down into the required shape in
half a day with the proper tools, he was forced to fashion from thick
plates with nothing more effective than a file. Although accustomed to
"look upon the bright side of trouble," it was impossible to conceal
from himself the unpleasant fact that two or three weeks might elapse
before the job could be finished satisfactorily, and during such time a
gale from the east might make the Sea Bird a total wreck.

These disagreeable thoughts did not prevent him from working
industriously on what seemed an almost endless task, and he had not
ceased his labors for a single moment, even though fully two hours were
passed, when a loud noise from the shore attracted his attention.

"Something has gone wrong with the boys!" he shouted; and Bob rushed on
deck in the greatest excitement as he asked, impatiently:

"What's the matter? Have you seen anything?"

"No; but listen to that yelling. It isn't possible they have found human
beings on the key, and unless they're in trouble I don't see why there
should be such an uproar."

There was but little time for speculation. Almost before Joe ceased
speaking the boys came from the underbrush at full speed and leaped into
the boat after launching her, Jim and Walter pulling energetically at
the oars while Harry waved some small object above his head.




CHAPTER XVIII.

A SINGULAR DOCUMENT.


In order to better understand the cause of the boys' excitement it will
be well to follow them from the time they stepped ashore on the little
key in search of water; otherwise it might require the reader more time
than it did Bob and Joe to learn all the details of the story.

The novelty of standing on the solid earth once more, after having been
tossed about by the sea, was very pleasant, and the boys enjoyed it
hugely. The sun had not yet heated the cool night-air which lingered
among the underbrush, and they plunged through the dense portions of the
thicket as if the very contact of the foliage was a luxury.

The oddly-shaped leaves, unfamiliar trees and wire-like grass claimed
their attention for fully half an hour to the exclusion of everything
else, and it is barely possible that the purpose for which they landed
might have been forgotten if Jim had not reminded them of the fact by
saying:

"Look here, fellers, it won't do for us to caper 'round here much
longer, 'cause Bob'll be hoppin' mad if we ain't back soon to tell him
whether there's a supply of water. We'll have plenty chances to come
ashore before the Sea Bird is repaired, an' to steer clear of a row we'd
better get to work."

Thus reminded of their duties, Harry and Walter assumed a business-like
air, and under the direction of Jim set about exploring the key in a
methodical manner.

Before proceeding more than fifty yards straight back from the cove the
question of water was settled, at the same time that evidences of the
men who had done them such grievous injury were found.

In the sand amid a thicket of palms was a spring whose clear, sparkling
water bubbled up apparently through the solid rock, forming a tiny
stream which flowed toward the east some distance and was then lost amid
the dazzling sand. Near by the underbrush had been trampled down, while
a quantity of embers told unmistakably that here the three men had
camped several days.

"They wasn't very near starvin' if this was where they hung out," Jim
said as he lifted from amid the foliage a small sack of yams and another
half-filled with ship's-biscuit. "Here's enough to keep 'em alive
longer'n they had any right to live, an' by the looks of them
oyster-shells I should think it had been a reg'lar Thanksgivin' Day with
'em."

"All three ate as if they were hungry when they came aboard the brig,"
Harry suggested.

"That was to throw dust into Bob's eyes. Anyhow, these bags show as how
the villains weren't left here by accident. If we could know all about
the crowd I reckon we'd think ourselves lucky in gettin' rid of them
with only the loss of the brig."

The thought of how they were tricked was one Harry did not care to
entertain very long just at this time, when he had succeeded in
partially banishing his great grief, and as a means of checking such
conversation he said:

"I suppose we ought to go back and tell Bob there is plenty of water
here."

"We've got time enough for that. Let's look 'round a little more, for
I'd like to find out where them oysters came from," Jim replied; and
Walter started at once through the thicket as if eager to hide from view
this very unpleasant reminder of their enemies.

"It won't take long to walk across the key," Jim said as he followed
close behind the leader; "an' if we keep straight ahead there's no
chance of gettin' lost."

"We can go on for awhile, at any rate," Harry replied, "and if the
distance is too great there's nothing to prevent us from turning
around."

[Illustration: Harry sprung forward with a shout as he pointed to a
small, dark object.--(See page 155.)]

It was destined, however, that they should not penetrate very far into
the interior of the island. Walter had led the party little more than a
quarter of a mile when he halted in front of a veritable hut in the
midst of a palmetto thicket.

Just for an instant the boys believed the key was inhabited; but as they
pushed further among the luxuriant vegetation that question was settled,
at least so far as this particular building was concerned. It had
originally been a rude affair about ten feet square, and evidently built
from the fragments of a vessel, but was now little more than a pile of
timbers. One end and part of a side yet remained standing, the balance
thrown down as if decay rather than man or the fury of the elements had
caused the collapse.

The boys walked around it, trying to peer under the rotten planks in the
hope of seeing some evidences of its former occupancy, until Walter said
impatiently:

"There's nothing here worth looking at, so let's go on."

"Wait a bit," Jim replied, as he began overhauling the ruins. "If we
could find two or three sound planks Bob would think we'd made a fair
day's work, 'cause he needs a good deal of lumber."

Harry had not thought it possible the discovery could be of any value
until this suggestion of Jim's, and then he worked with a will among the
ruins, knowing full well how delighted the old sailor would be with two
or three stout timbers.

It seemed hardly probable any very useful material could be gathered
from the pile of rubbish, for that portion of the hut yet standing was
in such a condition of decay that, as the fragments inside were removed,
it came tumbling down with a crash, sending the centipedes and other
crawling things scuttling away in every direction, while the dust rose
in dense clouds, which caused the boys to sneeze as if a huge snuff-box
had been overturned.

"According to the looks of that we sha'n't find very many serviceable
pieces," Walter said when it was possible to speak again. "This stuff is
so rotten that it wouldn't even make good fuel."

"I reckon you're right;" and as he spoke Jim pulled toward him the
corner-post, which had broken off close to the sand.

In dragging it out the wood crumbled to pieces, and Harry, who was a few
feet away, sprung forward with a shout as he pointed to a small, dark
object amid the fragments.

"Look at that! There's something hidden in the timber!"

Pressing forward, the boys saw a square black mass five inches long,
four wide, and a trifle more than one inch in thickness, which was lying
apparently in the very heart of the wood. The briefest examination
revealed the fact that the odd-looking thing was in a cavity or recess
which had been cut in the timber at what must have been about four feet
from the ground when the post formed a portion of the hut. It had been
most skillfully done, and concealed from view by a thin piece of wood
rabbeted-in so neatly as to make it appear like the solid post. Even
now, after so many years must have elapsed, it was difficult to see the
joints; therefore when first done one would have looked in vain for
marks of a tool on the timber.

"What is it?" Jim cried excitedly as he gazed at the black object, but
made no move toward taking it from the recess where it had so long
remained hidden.

"It's something valuable, or it wouldn't have been put away like that.
P'rhaps a pirate has left it for safe-keeping, and couldn't get back
after it," Harry suggested.

"He couldn't have been any very great shakes of a pirate if that's all
he had to hide!" Jim said with a tone of contempt for the possibly
blood-thirsty owner of the package which he now lifted from its wooden
case.

The boys gathered close around; but the most minute examination failed
to reveal anything more valuable than a mass of tar.

"There must be something inside!" Walter cried excitedly, "for no one
would have taken so much trouble to put such stuff away. Cut it open!"

Jim was soon chopping at the black mass with his pocket-knife, and but a
few strokes were necessary to show that the tar simply covered a
cunningly-plaited net-work of stout cord fashioned somewhat like an
envelope.

"Be careful when you stick the knife through!" Harry cried warningly.
"There must be something precious inside, sure!"

Jim did not intend to run any risk of ruining the contents by a hasty
stroke. After scraping the tar off sufficiently to expose the cords
straight across both ends, he cut them carefully apart until the
envelope was divided like an open wallet, exposing to view two thin
sheets of wood.

"It's nothing but paper!" Walter exclaimed in a tone of most intense
disappointment as Jim separated this inner covering, showing what
appeared to be the attempt of some amateur to draw a diagram on a soiled
piece of stout paper.

At the top of the sheet, which was yellow and time-worn, were two lines,
as follows:

     XLI. fathoms N. N. E. from this timber to palmetto tree.

     XII. fathoms S. E. by E. to coral-head.

This information, if such it could be called, was jotted down in
fanciful letters instead of writing, and immediate

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