[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
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.
CHAPTER XIV. 57
"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. 58
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
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]