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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/13897-0.txt b/13897-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..0d8db5d --- /dev/null +++ b/13897-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,6879 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 13897 *** + +THE ADVENTURE CLUB AFLOAT + +by + +RALPH HENRY BARBOUR + +Author of _Left End Edwards_, _Left Tackle Thayer_, etc. + +With Illustrations by E. C. Caswell + +1917 + + + + + + + +[Illustration: The two cruisers were chug-chugging out of the harbour.] + + + +TO + +H.P. HOLT, + +WHOSE THUNDER I HAVE STOLEN + + +ILLUSTRATIONS + +THE TWO CRUISERS WERE CHUG-CHUGGING OUT OF THE HARBOUR + +"IT IS!" HE CRIED. "WE'VE GOT HER, FELLOWS!" + +"THOSE WAVES WILL BATTER HER TO PIECES" + +"THEY OFFER YOU--" MR. HYATT LEANED FORWARD IN THE PROTESTING CHAIR + + + + + +CHAPTER I + +HOW IT STARTED + + +The Adventure Club had its inception, one evening toward the last of +June, in Number 17 Sumner Hall, which is the oldest, most vine-hidden +and most hallowed of the seven dormitories of Dexter Academy. It was a +particularly warm evening, the two windows were wide open and the +green-shaded light on the study table in the centre of the room had been +turned low--Sumner prided itself on being conservative to the extent of +gas instead of electricity and tin bathtubs instead of porcelain--and in +the dim radiance the three occupants of the room were scarcely more than +darker blurs. + +Since final examinations had ended that afternoon and Graduation Day was +only some twenty-eight hours away, none of the three was doing anything +more onerous than yawning, and the yawn which came from Perry Bush, +didn't sound as though it cost much of an effort. It was, rather, a +comfortable, sleepy yawn, one that expressed contentment and relief, a +sort of "Glad-that's-over-and-I'm-still-alive" yawn. + +There was a window-seat under each casement in Number 17, and each was +occupied by a recumbent figure. Perry was on the right-hand seat, his +hands under his head and one foot sprawled on the floor, and Joe +Ingersoll was in the other, his slim, white-trousered legs jack-knifed +against the darker square of the open window. Near Joe, his feet tucked +sociably against Joe's ribs, Steve Chapman, the third of the trio, +reclined in a Morris chair. I use the word reclined advisedly, for Steve +had lowered the back of the chair to its last notch, and to say that he +was sitting would require a stretch of the imagination almost as long as +Steve himself! Through the windows Steve could see the dark masses of +the campus elms, an occasional star between the branches, and, by +raising his head the fraction of an inch, the lights in the upper story +of Hawthorne, across the yard. Somewhere under the trees outside a group +of fellows were singing to the accompaniment of a wailing ukelele. They +sang softly, so that the words floated gently up to the open casements +just distinguishable: + + "_Years may come and years may go, + Seasons ebb and seasons flow, + Autumn lie 'neath Winters' snow, + Spring bring Summer verdancy. + Life may line our brow with care, + Time to silver turn our hair, + Still, to us betide whate'er, + Dexter, we'll remember thee!_ + + "_Other memories may fade, + Hopes grow dim in ev'ning's shade, + Golden friendships that we made_--" + +"Aw, shut up!" muttered Perry, breaking the silence that had held them +for several minutes. Joe Ingersoll laughed softly. + +"You don't seem to like the efforts of the--um--sweet-voiced +choristers," he said in his slow way. + +"I don't like the sob-stuff," replied Perry resentfully. "What's the use +of rubbing it in? Why not let a fellow be cheerful after he has got +through by the skin of his teeth and kicked his books under the bed? +Gosh, some folks never want anyone to be happy!" He raised himself by +painful effort and peered out and down into the gloom. "Sophs, I'll +bet," he murmured, falling back again on the cushions. "No one else +would sit out here on the grass and sing school songs two days before +the end. I hope that idiot singing second bass will get a brown-tail +caterpillar down his neck!" + +"The end!" observed Steve Chapman. "You say that as if we were all going +to die the day after tomorrow, Perry! Cheer up! Vacation's coming!" + +"Vacation be blowed!" responded Perry. "What's that amount to, anyway? +Nothing ever happens to me in vacation. It's all well enough for you +fellows to laugh. You're going up to college together in the Fall. I'm +coming back to this rotten hole all alone!" + +"Not quite alone, Sweet Youth," corrected Joe. "There will be some four +hundred other fellows here." + +"Oh, well, you know what I mean," said Perry impatiently. "You and Steve +will be gone, and I don't give a hang for any other chaps!" + +He ended somewhat defiantly, conscious that he had indulged in a most +unmanly display of sentiment, and was glad that the darkness hid the +confusion and heightened colour that followed the confession. Steve and +Joe charitably pretended not to have noticed the lamentable exhibition +of feeling, and a silence followed, during which the voices of the +singers once more became audible. + + "_Dexter! Mother of our Youth! + Dexter! Guardian of the Truth!_" + +"_Cut it out!_" Perry leaned over the windowsill and bawled the command +down into the darkness. A defiant jeer answered him. + +"Don't be fresh," said Steve reprovingly. Perry mumbled and relapsed +into silence. Presently, sighing as he changed his position, Joe said: + +"I believe Perry's right about vacation, Steve. Nothing much ever does +happen to a fellow in Summer. I believe I've had more fun in school than +at home the last six years." + +The others considered the statement a minute. Then: "Correct," said +Steve. "It's so, I guess. We're always crazy to get home in June and +just as crazy to get back to school again in September, and I believe we +all have more good times here than at home." + +"Of course we do," agreed Perry animatedly. "Anyway, I do. Summers are +all just the same. My folks lug me off to the Water Gap and we stay +there until it's time to come back here. I play tennis and go motoring +and sit around on the porch and--and--bathe--" + +"Let's hope so," interpolated Joe gravely. + +"And nothing really interesting ever happens," ended Perry despairingly. +"Gee, I'd like to be a pirate or--or something!" + +"Summers _are_ rather deadly," assented Steve. "We go to the seashore, +but the place is filled with swells, and about all they do is change +their clothes, eat and sleep. When you get ready for piracy, Perry, let +me know, will you! I'd like to sign-on." + +"Put me down, too," said Joe. "I've always had a--um--sneaking idea that +I'd make a bully pirate. I'm naturally bloodthirsty and cruel. And I've +got a mental list of folks who--um--I'd like to watch walk the plank!" + +"Fellows of our ages have a rotten time of it, anyway," Perry grumbled. +"We're too old to play kids' games and too young to do anything worth +while. What I'd like to do--" + +"Proceed, Sweet Youth," Joe prompted after a moment. + +"Well, I'd like to--to start something! I'd like to get away somewhere +and do things. I'm tired of loafing around in white flannels all day +and keeping my hands clean. And I'm tired of dabbing whitewash on my +shoes! Didn't you fellows ever think that you'd like to get good and +dirty and not have to care? Wouldn't you like to put on an old flannel +shirt and a pair of khaki trousers and some 'sneakers' and--and roll in +the mud?" + +"Elemental stuff," murmured Joe. "He's been reading Jack London." + +"Well, that's the way I feel, lots of times," said Perry defiantly. "I'm +tired of being clean and white, and I'm tired of dinner jackets, and I'm +sick to death of hotel porches! Gee, a healthy chap never was intended +to lead the life of a white poodle with a pink ribbon around his neck! +Me for some rough-stuff!" + +"You're dead right, too," agreed Steve. "That kind of thing is all right +for Joe, of course. Joe's a natural-born 'fusser.' He's never happier +than when he's dolled up in a sport-shirt and a lavender scarf and +toasting marshmallows. But--" + +"Is that so?" inquired Joe with deep sarcasm. "If I was half the +'fusser' you are--" + +"What I want," interrupted Perry, warming to his theme, "is adventure! +I'd like to hunt big game, or discover the North Pole--" + +"You're a year or two late," murmured Joe. + +"--or dig for hidden treasure!" + +"You should--um--change your course of reading," advised Joe. "Too much +Roosevelt and Peary and Stevenson is your trouble. Read the classics for +awhile--or the Patty Books." + +"That's all right, but you chaps are just the same, only you won't own +up to it." + +"One of us will," said Steve; "and does." + +"Make it two," yawned Joe. "Beneath this--um--this polished exterior +there beats a heart--I mean there flows the red blood of--" + +"Look here, fellows, why not?" asked Steve. + +"Why not what?" asked Perry. + +"Why not have adventures? They say that all you have to do is look for +them." + +"Don't you believe it! I've looked for them for years and I've never +seen one yet." Perry swung his feet to the floor and sat up. + +"Well, not at Delaware Water Gap, naturally. You've got to move around, +son. You don't find them by sitting all day with your feet on the rail +of a hotel piazza." + +"Where do you find them, then?" Perry demanded. + +Steve waved a hand vaguely aloft into the greenish radiance of the lamp. +"All round. North, east, south and west. Land or sea. Adventures, +Perry, are for the adventurous. Now, here we are, three able-bodied +fellows fairly capable of looking after ourselves in most situations, +tired of the humdrum life of Summer resorts. What's to prevent our +spending a couple of months together and finding some adventures? Of +course, we can't go to Africa and shoot lions and wart-hogs--whatever +they may be,--and we can't fit out an Arctic exploration party and +discover Ingersoll Land or Bush Inlet or Chapman's Passage, but we could +have a mighty good time, I'd say, and, even if we didn't have many +hair-breadth escapes, I'll bet it would beat chasing tennis balls and +doing the Australian crawl and keeping our white shoes and trousers +clean!" + +"We could be as dirty as we liked!" sighed Perry ecstatically. "Lead me +to it!" + +"It sounds positively fascinating," drawled Joe, "but just how would we +go about it? My folks, for some unfathomable reason, think quite a lot +of me, and I don't just see them letting me amble off like that; +especially in--um--such disreputable company." + +"I should think they'd be glad to be rid of you for a Summer," said +Perry. "Anyhow, let's make believe it's possible, fellows, and talk +about it." + +"Why isn't it possible?" asked Steve. "My folks would raise objections +as well as yours, Joe, but I guess I could fetch them around. After all, +there's no more danger than in staying at home and trying to break your +neck driving an automobile sixty miles an hour. Let's really consider +the scheme, fellows. I'm in earnest. I want to do it. What Perry said is +just what I've been thinking without saying. Why, hang it, a fellow +needs something of the sort to teach him sense and give him experience. +This thing of hanging around a hotel porch all Summer makes a regular +mollycoddle of a fellow. I'm for revolt!" + +"Hear! Hear!" cried Perry enthusiastically. "Revolution! _A bas la_ +Summer Resort! _Viva_ Adventure!" + +"Shut up, idiot! Do you really mean it, Steve, or are you just talking? +If you mean it, I'm with you to the last--um--drop of blood, old chap! +I've always wanted to revolt about something, anyway. One of my +ancestors helped throw the English breakfast tea into Boston Harbour. +But I don't want to get all het up about this unless there's really +something in it besides jabber." + +"We start the first day of July," replied Steve decisively. + +"Where for?" + +"That is the question, friends. Shall it be by land or sea?" + +"Land," said Joe. + +"Sea," said Perry. + +"The majority rules and I cast my vote with Perry. Adventures are more +likely to be found on the water, I think, and it's adventures we are +looking for." + +"But I always get seasick," objected Joe. "And when I'm seasick you +couldn't tempt me with any number of adventures. I simply--um--don't +seem to enthuse much at such times." + +"You can take a lemon with you," suggested Perry cheerfully. "My +grandmother--" + +Joe shook his head. "They don't do you any good," he said sadly. + +"Don't they! My grandmother--" + +"Bother your grandmother! How do we go to sea, Steve? Swim or--or how?" + +"We get my father's cruiser," replied Steve simply. "She's a +forty-footer and togged out like an ocean-liner. Has everything but a +swimming-pool. She--" + +"Nix on the luxuries," interrupted Perry. "The simple life for me. +Let's hire an old moth-eaten sailboat--" + +"Nothing doing, Sweet Youth! If I'm to risk my life on the heaving ocean +I want something under me. Besides, being seasick is rotten enough, +anyhow, without having to roll around in the cock-pit of a two-by-twice +sailboat. That cruiser listens well, Steve, but--um--will papa fall for +it? If it was my father--" + +"I think he will," answered Steve seriously. "Dad doesn't have much +chance to use the boat himself, and this Summer he's likely to be in the +city more than ever. The trouble is that the _Cockatoo_ is almost too +big for three of us to handle." + +"Oh, piffle!" + +"It's so, though. I know the boat, Perry. She's pretty big when it comes +to making a landing or picking up a mooring. If we were all fairly good +seamen it might be all right, but I wouldn't want to try to handle the +_Cockatoo_ without a couple of sailors aboard." + +"I once sailed a knockabout," said Perry. + +"And I had a great-grandfather who was a sea captain," offered Joe +encouragingly. "What price great-grandfather?" + +"Don't see where your grandfather and Perry's grandmother come into +this," replied Steve. "How would it do if we gathered up two or three +other fellows? The _Cockatoo_ will accommodate six." + +"Who could we get?" asked Joe dubiously. + +"Neil Fairleigh, for one." + +"How about Han?" offered Joe. + +"Hanford always wants to boss everything," objected Perry. + +"He knows boats, though, and so does Neil," said Steve. "And they're +both good fellows. That would make five of us, and five isn't too many. +We can't afford to hire a cook, you know; at least, I can't; and someone +will have to look after that end of it. Who can cook?" + +"I can't!" Perry made the disclaimer with great satisfaction. + +"No more can I," said Joe cheerfully. "Let Neil be cook." + +"I guess we'll all have to take a try at it. I dare say any of us can +fry an egg and make coffee; and you can buy almost everything ready to +eat nowadays." + +"Tell you who's a whale of a cook," said Perry eagerly. "That's Ossie +Brazier. Remember the time we camped at Mirror Lake last Spring? +Remember the flapjacks he made? M-mm!" + +"I didn't go," said Steve. "What sort of a chap is Brazier? I don't know +him very well." + +"Well, Oscar's one of the sort who will do anything just as long as he +thinks he doesn't have to," replied Joe. "If we could get him to come +along and tell him that he--um--simply must _not_ ask to do the cooking, +why--there you are!" + +"Merely a matter of diplomacy," laughed Steve. "Well, we might have +Brazier instead of Hanford--or Neil." + +"Why not have them all if the boat will hold six?" asked Joe. "Seems to +me the more we have the less each of us will have to do. I mean," he +continued above the laughter, "that--um--a division of labour--" + +"We get you," said Perry. "But, say, I wish you'd stop talking about it, +fellows. I'm going to be disappointed when I wake up and find it's only +a bright and gaudy dream." + +"It isn't a dream," answered Steve, "unless you say so. I'll go, and +I'll guarantee to get the _Cockatoo_ without expense other than the cost +of running her. If you and Joe can get your folks to let you come, and +we can get hold of, say, two other decent chaps to fill the crew, why, +we'll do it!" + +"Do you honestly mean it?" demanded Perry incredulously. "Gee, I'll get +permission if I have to--to go without it!" + +"How about you, Joe?" + +"Um--I guess I could manage it. How long would we be gone?" + +"A month. Two, if you like. Start the first of July, or as soon after as +possible, and get back in August." + +"How much would it cost us?" inquired Perry. "I'm not a millionaire like +you chaps." + +"Wouldn't want to say offhand. We'd have to figure that. That's another +reason for filling the boat up, though. The more we have the less +everyone's share of the expense will be." + +"Let's have the whole six, then, for money's scarce in my family these +days. Let's make it a club, fellows. The Club of Six, or something of +that sort. It sounds fine!" + +"Take in another fellow and call it The Lucky Seven," suggested Joe. + +"We might not be lucky, though," laughed Steve. "I'll tell you a better +name." + +"Shoot!" + +"The Adventure Club." + + + + +CHAPTER II + +THE CLUB GROWS + + +And that is the way in which it happened. It began in fun and ended +quite seriously. They sat up in Number 17 Sumner until long after +bedtime that night, figuring the cost of the expedition, planning the +cruise, even listing supplies. The more they talked about it the more +their enthusiasm grew. Perry was for having Steve send a night message +then and there to his father asking for the boat, but Steve preferred to +wait until he reached home and make the request by word of mouth. + +"He would just think I was fooling or crazy if I telegraphed," he +explained. "Tomorrow we'll try to dig up three other fellows to go +along, and then, as soon as we all get home, we'll find out whether our +folks will stand for it. You must all telegraph me the first thing. +Don't wait to write, because I must know as soon as possible. I dare say +there's work to be done on the _Cockatoo_ before she's ready for the +water, and we don't want to have to wait around until the end of July. +The fun of doing anything is to do it right off. If you wait you lose +half the pleasure. Now you'd better beat it, Perry. It's after ten. If +you meet a proctor close your eyes and make believe you're walking in +your sleep." + +Perry reached his own room, on the floor above, without being sighted, +however, and subsequently spent a sleepless hour in joyous anticipation +of at last finding some of those adventures that all his life he had +longed for. And when he did at length fall asleep it was to have the +most outlandish dreams, visions in which he endured shipwreck, fought +pirates and was all but eaten by cannibals. The most incongruous phase +of the dream, as recollected on waking, was that the _Cockatoo_ had +been, not a motor-boat at all, but a trolley-car! He distinctly +remembered that the pirates, on boarding it, had each dropped a nickel +in the box! + +Fortunately for the success of the Adventure Club, the next morning held +no duties. In the afternoon the deciding baseball game was to be played, +but, except for gathering belongings together preliminary to packing, +nothing else intervened between now and the graduation programme of the +morrow. Hence it was an easy matter to hold what might be termed the +first meeting of the club. Besides the originators there were present +Messrs. Fairleigh, Hanford and Brazier. After Steve had locked the door +to prevent interruption, he presented to the newcomers a summary of the +scheme. It was received with enthusiasm and unanimous approval, but Neil +Fairleigh and Oscar Brazier sadly admitted that in their cases parental +permission was extremely doubtful. George Hanford, whose parents were +dead and who was under the care of a guardian, thought that in his case +there would be no great difficulty. The other two viewed him a trifle +enviously. Then, because one may always hope, they had to hear the +particulars and each secretly began to fashion arguments to overcome the +objections at home. Finally Oscar Brazier inquired interestedly: + +"Who is going to cook for you?" + +"Oh, we'll take turns, maybe," answered Joe. "Or we might hire a cook." + +Joe stole a look at Steve. Oscar only shuffled his feet. + +"I say hire," remarked Perry. "Any of us could do it after a fashion, I +dare say, but you get frightfully hungry on the water and need good +stuff well cooked, and lots of it." + +"Yes," agreed Steve, "any of us would make an awful mess of it. +Cooking's an art." + +Oscar cleared his throat and frowned. "You'd have to pay a lot for a +cook," he said. "It isn't hard, really. I could do it--if I were going +along." + +"That's so," George Hanford confirmed. But the rest seemed +unflatteringly doubtful. The silence was almost embarrassing. At last +Joe said hurriedly: + +"Well, we don't have to decide that now. Besides, if you can't come with +us--um--" His voice trailed off into a relieved silence. Oscar smiled +haughtily. + +"That's all right," he said. "If you prefer a cook, say so. Only, if I +did go I'd be willing to do the cooking, and I'll bet I could do it as +well as any cook you could hire. Isn't it so, Han?" + +"Yes, I call you a mighty nifty cook, Ossie. I've eaten your biscuits +more than once. Flapjacks, too." + +"Well," said Joe politely, "camp cooking is um--different, I guess, from +regular cooking. Of course, I don't say Ossie couldn't do it, mind you, +but--we wouldn't want to take chances. On the whole, I think it would be +best to have a regular cook." + +"We might let Ossie try it," suggested Perry judicially. + +"Oh, I'm not crazy about it," disclaimed Oscar, piqued. "If you prefer +to pay out good money for a cook--" + +"Not at all," interrupted Steve soothingly. "We want to do the whole +thing as cheaply as we can. I see no harm in leaving the cooking end of +it to you, Brazier; that is, if you can go." + +"I'm going to make a big try for it," declared Oscar resolutely. "If my +folks won't let me, they--they'll wish they had!" + +Whereupon, emboldened by Oscar's stand, Neil Fairleigh expressed the +conviction that he, too, could manage it some way. "I dare say that if I +tell my dad that all you chaps are going he will think it's all right. +It wouldn't be for all Summer, anyway, would it?" + +"The idea now," responded Steve, "is to start out for a month's cruise +and extend it if we cared to. I suppose any of us that got tired could +quit after the month was up." He smiled. "We'd all have to sign-on for a +month, though." + +"Right-o," agreed Hanford. "What about electing officers? Oughtn't we to +do that? Someone ought to be in charge, I should think." + +"Sure!" exclaimed Joe. "We'll ballot. Throw that pad over here, Ossie." + +"Wait a minute," said Steve. "I've been thinking, fellows. The +_Cockatoo_ will hold six comfortably. The main cabin has berths for four +and the owner's cabin for two, but if I'm not mistaken the berths in the +owner's cabin are extension, and if they are we could bunk three fellows +in there, or even four at a pinch. That would give us room for seven or +eight in all. Eight might make it a bit crowded, but she's a big, roomy +boat and I think we could do with seven fellows all right. And seven's a +lucky number, too. So suppose we take in one more while we're at it?" + +"The more the merrier," agreed Joe. "Who have you got in mind?" + +Steve shook his head. "No one, but I guess we can think of a fellow. +There's--" + +Steve was interrupted by a knock on the door, and when Hanford, who was +nearest, had, at a nod from Steve, unlocked the portal a tall, rather +serious-faced youth of seventeen entered. + +"Oh, am I butting-in?" he asked. "I didn't know. I'll come back later, +Joe." Philip Street smiled apologetically and started a retreat, but +Steve called him back. + +"Hold on, Phil!" he cried. "Come in here. You're the very fellow we +want. Close the door and find a seat, will you?" + +"By Jove, that's so!" exclaimed Joe, and the others heartily endorsed +him. Oddly enough, not one would have thought of Phil Street in all +probability, but each recognised the fact that he was the ideal fellow +to complete the membership. Steve, Joe aiding and the others attempting +to, outlined the plan. If they had expected signs of enthusiasm from +Phil they were doomed to disappointment, for that youth listened +silently and attentively until they had ended and then asked simply: + +"When are you planning to get away?" + +"As near the first of the month as we can," replied Steve. + +"I'm afraid I couldn't go, then," said Phil. "I'm a delegate to the C.B. +Convention, you see, and that doesn't end until the sixth." + +"I'd forgotten that," said Joe disappointedly. + +"What's C.B. stand for?" inquired Hanford. + +"Christian Brotherhood," supplied Steve. "Look here, Phil, could you go +after the sixth?" + +"Yes, I'd love to, thanks." + +"All right then, you're signed-on. If we get away before that we'll pick +you up somewhere. If we don't you can start with us. How is that?" + +"Quite satisfactory," answered Phil. + +"But are you sure your folks will let you?" asked Perry. + +"Oh, yes, I spend my Summers about as I like." + +"Think of that!" sighed Perry. "Gee, I wish my folks were like that." + +"I guess," said Steve, "that Phil's folks know he won't get into +trouble, Perry, while yours are pretty certain that you will. It makes a +difference. Now we can go ahead with that election, can't we? How about +nominations?" + +"No need of them," declared Joe. "What officers do we want?" + +"Well, this is a club--the Adventure Club, Phil, is the name we've +chosen--and so I suppose we ought to have a president and a +vice-president and--" + +"Rot!" said Perry. "Too high-sounding. Let's elect a captain and a +treasurer and let it go at that." + +"I never heard of a club having a captain," Oscar Brazier objected. + +"Nor anyone else," agreed Joe. "Let's follow the Nihilist scheme and +elect a Number One, a Number Two and a Number Three. Number One can be +the boss, a sort of president, you know, Number Two can correspond to a +vice-president and Number Three can be secretary and treasurer. How's +that?" + +"Suits me," said Steve. "Tear up some pieces of paper, Perry. We'll each +vote for the three officers, writing the names in order, then the fellow +getting the most votes--" + +"I don't know as I ought to vote," said Neil Fairleigh, "because I'm not +sure I can go. Maybe I'd better not, eh?" + +"Oh, shucks, never mind that," replied Perry. "You can join the club, +anyway, and be a sort of non-resident member. Here you are, fellows. +Who's got a pen or something?" + +During the ensuing two or three minutes there was comparative silence in +Number 17, and while the seven occupants of the room busy themselves +with pens or pencils let us look them over since we are likely to spend +some time in their company from now on. + +First of all there is Steve Chapman, seventeen years of age, a tall, +well-built and nicely proportioned youth with black hair and eyes, a +quick, determined manner and an incisive speech. Steve was Football +Captain last Fall. Next him sits George Hanford. Han, as the boys call +him, is eighteen, also a senior, and also a football player. He is big +and rangey, good-natured and popular, and is president of the senior +class. + +Joe Ingersoll's age is seventeen. He is Steve's junior by two months. He +is of medium height, rather thin, light complexioned and has peculiarly +pale eyes behind the round spectacles he wears. Joe is first baseman on +the Nine, and a remarkably competent one. He is slow of speech and +possesses a dry humour that on occasion can be uncomfortably ironical. +Beside him, Perry Bush is a complete contrast, for Perry is +large-limbed, rather heavy of build, freckle-faced, red-haired and +jolly. He has very dark blue eyes and, in spite of a moon-shaped +countenance, is distinctly pleasing to look at; he is sixteen. + +Neil Fairleigh and Phil Street are of an age, seventeen, but in other +regards are quite unalike. Neil is of medium height, with his full +allowance of flesh, and has hair the hue of new rope and grey-blue eyes. +He is even-tempered, easy-going and, if truth must be told, somewhat +lazy. Phil Street is quite tall, rather thin and dark complexioned, a +nice-looking, somewhat serious youth whose infrequent smile is worth +waiting for. He is an Honor Man, a distinction attained by no other +member of our party save Steve. The last of the seven is Oscar Brazier, +and Ossie, as the boys call him, is sixteen years old, short and +square, strongly-made and conspicuous for neither beauty nor scholarly +attainments. Ossie has a snub nose, a lot of rebellious brown hair, red +cheeks and a wide mouth that is usually smiling. Renowned for his +good-nature, he is nevertheless a hard worker at whatever he undertakes, +and if he sometimes shows a suspicious disposition it is only because +his good-nature has been frequently imposed on. + +When the last pencil had stopped scratching Joe gathered the slips +together and after a moment's figuring announced that Steve had been +elected Number One without a dissenting vote, that he himself had been +made Number Two and that Phil was Number Three. If Perry felt +disappointment he hid it, and when Phil declared that in his opinion +Perry should have been elected instead of him, since Perry was, so to +say, a charter member, Perry promptly disclaimed any desire of the sort. + +"No, thanks," he said. "If I was secretary I'd have to keep the accounts +and all that sort of thing, and I'm no good at it. You're the very +fellow for the job, Phil." + +The assemblage broke up shortly after, to meet again that evening at +eight, Steve undertaking to have a map on hand then so that they might +plan their cruise. As none of the seven was bound to secrecy, what +happened is only what might have been expected. By the time the ball +game was half over Steve and Joe had received enough applications for +membership in the Adventure Club to have, in Joe's words, filled an +ocean liner. It is probable that a large proportion of the applicants +could not have obtained permission to join the expedition, but they were +each and all terribly enthusiastic and eager to join, and it required +all of Steve's and Joe's diplomacy to turn them away without hurting +their feelings. Wink Wheeler--his real name was Warren, but no one ever +called him that--refused politely but firmly to take no for an answer. +Wink said he didn't care where he bunked and that he never ate anything +on a boat, anyway, because he was always too seasick to bother about +meals. + +"One more won't matter, Steve," Wink pleaded. "Be a good chap and let me +in, won't you? My folks are going out to California this Summer and I +don't want to go, and they'll let me do anything I like. Tell you what, +Steve. If you'll take me I'll buy something for the boat. I'll make the +club a present of--of a tender or an anchor or whatever you say!" + +Steve found it especially hard to turn Wink down, because he liked the +fellow, just as everyone else did. Wink was eighteen and had been five +years getting through school, but he was a big, good-hearted, jovial +boy, and, as Steve reflected, one who would be a desirable companion on +such an adventure as had been planned. Steve at last told Wink that he +would speak to the others about him that evening, but that Wink was not +to get his hopes up, and Wink took himself off whistling cheerfully and +quite satisfied. But when Steve tentatively broached the matter of +including one more member in the person of Wink Wheeler, Joe staggered +him by announcing that he had promised Harry Corwin to intercede for the +latter. + +"He pestered the life out of me," explained Joe ruefully, "and I finally +told him I'd ask you fellows. But I suppose we can't take two more. Nine +would--um--be rather overdoing it, eh?" + +Everyone agreed that it would. Han suggested that Wink Wheeler and Harry +Corwin might toss up for the privilege of joining the club. "After all," +he added, "we aren't all of us certain that we can go. If one or two of +us drop out there'll be room for Wink and Harry, too." + +"Seems to me," said Phil Street, "it might be a good plan to enlarge +the membership to, say, twelve, and let the new members find a boat of +their own. I dare say they could. Then--" + +"Fine!" exclaimed Joe. "Harry and his brother have some sort of a +motor-boat. He told me so today. That's a bully idea, Phil! With twelve +of us we could divide up between the two boats--" + +"How many will Corwin's boat hold?" asked Neil. + +"I don't know. I'll see him and find out. But it ought to be big enough +to hold four, anyway. There are seven of us now, and Wink and Harry and +his brother Tom would make ten, and we could easily pick out two more." + +"Let's make the membership thirteen," said Perry. + +"Thirteen!" echoed Han. "Gee, that's unlucky!" + +"Rot! Why, you've got thirteen letters in your name. George Hanford." +Perry counted on his fingers. "This is the Adventure Club, isn't it? +Well, starting out with thirteen members is an adventure right at the +start!" + +"Sure!" agreed Ossie. "Let's take a chance. It's only a silly +what-do-you-call-it anyway." + +"Meaning superstition?" asked Steve. "Well, I'm agreeable. Who else do +we want? Bert Alley asked to join, and so did George Browne." + +"And Casper Temple," added Joe. "And they're all good fellows. But I +want it distinctly understood that I'm going on the _Cockatoo_." + +"Me too!" exclaimed Perry. "All of us fellows must go on the _Cockatoo_. +We were the first." + +"But suppose Corwin's boat won't hold five?" said Han. + +"We can squeeze eight into the _Cockatoo_, if we have to," said Steve. +"Joe, you cut along and find Corwin and bring him up here. We might as +well settle the thing now." + +"All right, but don't settle about the cruise while I'm gone," answered +Joe. "I'll have him here in ten minutes." + +When the meeting adjourned that evening the club had added six new +members and enlarged its fleet by the addition of the cabin-cruiser, +_Follow Me_. It was just half-past ten when Joe and Steve produced the +last of their supply of ginger-ale from under the window-seat and, +utilising glasses, tooth-mugs and pewter trophies, the members present +drank success to the Adventure Club. + + + + +CHAPTER III + +CAST OFF! + + +Some two weeks later, or, to be exact, sixteen days, making the date +therefor, the eighth day of July, a round-faced, freckle-cheeked youth +in a pair of khaki trousers, white rubber-soled shoes, a light flannel +shirt that had once been brown and was now the colour of much diluted +coffee and a white duck hat sat on the forward deck of a trim motor-boat +with his feet suspended above the untidy water of a slip. By turning his +head slightly he could have looked across the sunlit surface of +Buttermilk Channel to the green slopes of Governor's Island and, beyond +the gleaming Statue of Liberty. But Perry Bush was far more interested +in the approach that led from the noisy, granite-paved street behind a +distant fence to the pier against which the boat was nestled. As he +watched he sniffed gratefully of the mingled odours that came to him; +the smell of salt water, of pitch and oakum, of paint from a +neighbouring craft receiving her Summer dress, of fresh shavings and +sawdust from the nearby shed whence came also the shriek of the +band-saw and the _tap-tap_ of mallets. Ballinger's Yacht Basin was a +busy place at this time of the year, and the slips were crowded with +sailboats and motor-boats, while many craft still stood, stilted and +canvas-wrapped, in the shade of the long sheds. Perry whistled a gay +tune softly as he basked there in the warm sunlight and awaited the +arrival of the rest of the boat's crew. + +Much had happened since that Thursday when they had toasted the +Adventure Club in Steve's and Joe's room in Sumner. Graduation Day had +sent them scurrying homeward. Then had followed much correspondence with +Steve. After an anxious four days, Perry and the rest had each received +a brief but highly satisfactory telegram: "_Cockatoo_ ours for two +months. Meet Ballinger's Basin, Brooklyn, fourth." But work on the +cruiser had delayed the starting date, and they had now been kicking +their heels about New York for four days. Perry and Phil Street had been +taken care of by Steve, and Joe had had Neil, Han and Ossie as his +guests. At Bay Shore, on the south side of Long Island, the _Follow Me_ +was awaiting them impatiently. The _Follow Me_ had been ready to put to +sea for a full week. + +Although Steve and Joe had provisioned the _Cockatoo_--which, by the +way, was no longer the _Cockatoo_, but the _Adventurer_, having been +renamed during the process of painting--the crew had not been altogether +idle during their wait. Each had thought of something further to add. +Ossie, who, as a special favour, was to be allowed to try his hand at +cooking, had made several trips between a big department store on Fulton +Street and had returned to the basin laden each time with mysterious +packages, many of which rattled or clinked when deposited in the galley. +Perry had purchased an inexpensive talking machine and a dozen records. +Neil had contributed a patent life-preserver that looked like a +waistcoat to be used by an Arctic explorer and was guaranteed to keep +Barnum and Bailey's fat man afloat. Phil had supplied the cabin with +magazines, few of them, to Perry's chagrin, of the sort anyone but a +"highbrow" would care to tackle. Joe, as an after-thought, had stocked +up heavily with Mother Somebody's Cure for Seasickness. George Hanford +had tried to smuggle on board a black and white puppy about a foot long +which he had bought on a street corner for two dollars and a half. +Steve, however, had objected strenuously and Han had been forced to see +the puppy's former owner and sell his purchase back for a dollar, the +value of it having decreased surprisingly in a few hours. Even Steve +had supplemented the boat's contents the day before by stowing two +desperate-looking revolvers and several boxes of cartridges in a locker +in the forward cabin. + +Then, too, they had each outfitted more or less elaborately, according +to their pocket-books. Steve and Joe had pointed out that, with seven +aboard, locker room would be at a premium, and had urged the others to +take as little in the way of personal luggage as they could get along +with. But when the out-of-town boys got into the stores the advice was +soon forgotten. Neil had outfitted as if he was about to set forth on a +voyage around the world, and Han was not far behind him. Perry would +have liked, too, to become the proud possessor of some of the things the +former fellows brought aboard, but Perry's finances were low after he +had paid for that talking machine, and so, with the exception of a new +grey sweater, he had made no additions to his wardrobe. This morning he +had volunteered to go to the basin early and superintend the loading of +ice and water, and now, those things aboard, he was wondering, a trifle +resentfully, why the others didn't come. They were to cast off at eleven +and it was now well after ten. + +"Probably," he muttered, edging back so that he could have the support +of the big, round smoke-stack, "Neil's buying another necktie! It would +serve them right if I started the thing up and went off without them." +As, however, Perry knew absolutely nothing about a gasoline engine, +there was little likelihood of his carrying that threat into action. In +any case, there would have been no excuse, for less than a minute later +he descried the tardy ones skirting the shed and coming along the wharf. +They looked, Perry thought with satisfaction, very hot and disgruntled +as, each carrying his belongings in a parcel so that there would be no +bags to stow away, they approached the boat. Although Perry was no +mechanician, he quite understood the operation of an electric horn, and +now, swinging nimbly down to the bridge deck, he set the palm of his +hand against a big black button. The result was all that he desired. An +amazing, ear-splitting shriek broke the ordinary clamour of the scene. +Perry smiled ecstatically and peered out and up from under the awning. +But the half-dozen countenances that looked down at him expressed only +disgust, and Joe's voice came to him even above the blast of the horn. + +"Don't be a silly fool, Perry!" shouted Joe peevishly. "Let that alone +and catch these bundles!" + +Perry obeyed and one by one the fellows scrambled from wharf to boat. +And, having reached the bridge deck, they subsided exhaustedly onto the +two cushioned seats or the gunwale. Perry viewed their inflamed, +perspiring faces in smiling surprise. "What did you do?" he asked. "Run +all the way?" + +"Joe got us on the wrong car," panted Neil, "and we went halfway to +Coney Island, I guess." + +"It wasn't my fault any more than it was yours," growled Joe. "You had +eyes, hadn't you?" + +"We had eyes," replied Ossie from behind his handkerchief, as he wiped +his streaming face, "but we aren't supposed to know where these silly +cars go to." + +"I didn't have any trouble," murmured Perry. + +"Well, we did," said Han resentfully. "We waited ten minutes on a +broiling-hot corner and then, when we did get another car, it got +blocked behind ten thousand drays and we had to foot it about eleven +miles! Got any ice-water aboard?" + +"We've got ice and we've got water," replied Perry. "If you mix 'em in +the proper proportions--" + +"Oh, dry up and blow away," muttered Han, dragging himself painfully +down the companion on his way to the galley. Phil Street smiled. + +"Seems to me we're starting our adventure rather inauspiciously," he +said. "If we have a grouch before we leave the dock what's going to +happen later?" + +"Maybe it's a good thing to have it now and get over it," laughed Steve. +"It was hot, though! And it isn't much cooler here. Let's get under way, +fellows, and find a breeze. It will take us the better part of four +hours to get to Bay Shore, anyway, and I telephoned Wink yesterday that +we'd be there by three. Every fellow into sea-togs as quick as he can +make it. Joe and Phil and I bunk aft, the rest of you in the main cabin. +Get your things put away neatly, fellows. Anyone caught being disorderly +will be keel-hauled. Have a look at this thermometer, Joe. It's almost +eighty-nine! Let's get out of here in a hurry!" + +For the next ten minutes the fellows busied themselves as Steve had +directed. All, that is, save Perry. As Perry was already dressed for sea +he used his leisure to sit in the hatchway of the after cabin and +converse entertainingly with the occupants until, on the score that he +was keeping the air out, he was driven up to the cockpit. There he +perched himself in one of the four comfortable wicker chairs, placed his +feet on the leather-cushioned seat across the stern and languorously +observed a less fortunate person scrape the deck of a sloop on the far +side of the slip. + +Suppose that, while the _Adventurer's_ crew prepares for service, we +have a look over the boat. The _Adventurer_, late the _Cockatoo_, was a +forty-foot V-bottom, military type cruiser, with a nine-foot beam and a +draught of two feet and six inches. Below the water-line she was painted +a dark green. Above it she was freshly, immaculately white as to hull, +while decks and smoke-stack were buff. The exterior bulkheads were of +panelled mahogany, and a narrow strip of mahogany edged the deck. There +was a refreshing lack of gold in sight, and, viewed from alongside, the +_Adventurer_ had a very business-like appearance. As she was of the +raised-deck cabin type, with full head-room everywhere, she stood well +above the water, and the low, sweeping lines that suggest speed were +lacking. But the _Adventurer_ had speed, nevertheless, for under the +bridge deck was a six-cylinder 6x6 Van Lyte engine that could send her +along at twenty miles an hour when necessary. On the stern was the +legend "ADVENTURER: NEW YORK," and the name appeared again on each of +the mahogany boards that housed the sidelights. The cockpit, which was +self-bailing, was roomy enough to accommodate seven persons comfortably. +A broad leather-cushioned seat ran across the stern and there were four +wicker chairs besides. Life preservers were ingeniously strapped under +the chair seats and two others hung at each side of the after cabin +door. + +The after cabin, or owner's stateroom, held two extension seats which at +night were converted into wide and comfortable berths. At the forward +end a lavatory occupied one side and a clothes locker the other. Other +lockers occupied the space between the seats and the three ports. This +compartment, like the main cabin, was enamelled in cream-white with +mahogany trim. Three steps led to the bridge deck, a roomy place which +housed engine, steering wheel and all controls. The engine, although +under deck, was readily accessible by means of sectional hatches. On the +steering column were wheel, self-starter switch, spark, throttle and +clutch, making it easily possible for one person to operate the boat if +necessary. Two seats were built against the after bulkhead, chart boxes +flanked the forward hatchway and the binnacle was above the steering +column. Forward, the compartment was glassed in, but on other sides +khaki curtains were depended on in bad weather. When not in use the +curtains rolled up to the edge of the awning, which was set on a +pipe-frame. + +From the bridge deck three steps led down to the main cabin. Here in the +daytime were two longitudinal couches with high upholstered backs. At +night the backs swung out and up to form berths, so that the compartment +supplied sleeping accomodations for four persons. There were roomy +lockers under the seats and at meal times an extension table made a +miraculous appearance and seated eight. Forward of the main cabin was +the galley, gleaming with white enamel and brass. It was fitted with a +large ice-chest, many lockers, a sink with running water, a two-burner +alcohol stove with oven and a multitude of plate-racks. It was the +lightest place in the boat, for, besides a light-port on each side, it +had as well a hatch overhead. The hatch, although water-tight, was made +to open for the admission of ice and supplies. Still forward, in the +nose of the boat, was a large water tank and, beyond that, the rope +locker. The gasoline tanks, of which there were four, held two hundred +and fifty gallons. The boat was lighted by electricity in all parts by +means of a generator and storage battery. An eight-foot tender rested on +chocks atop the main cabin. The boat carried no signal mast, but +flag-poles at bow and stern and abaft the bridge deck frame held the +Union Jack, the yacht ensign and the club burgee. All in all, the +_Adventurer_ was a smart and finely appointed craft, and a capable one, +too. Steve's father had had her built only a little more than a year ago +and she had seen but scant service. In the inelegant but expressive +phraseology of Perry, "she was a rip-snorting corker of a boat." The +consensus of opinion was to the effect that Mr. Chapman was "a peach to +let them have it," and there was an unuttered impression that that +kind-hearted gentleman was taking awful chances! + +For, after all, except that Steve had had a brief week or so on the boat +the preceding Summer and that Joe had taken two days of instruction in +gasoline engine operation, not a member of the crew knew much of the +work ahead. Still, George Hanford had operated a twelve-foot motor +dingey at one time, Phil Street had sailed a knockabout and all had an +average amount of common-sense, and it seemed that, with luck, they +might somehow manage to escape death by drowning! Mr. Chapman surely +must have had a good deal of faith in Steve and his companions or he +would never have consented to their operating the cruiser without the +aid of a seasoned navigator. As for the boys themselves, they +anticipated many difficulties and some hazards, but, with the confidence +of youth, they expected to "muddle through," and, as Neil said, what +they didn't know now they soon would. + +At exactly seven minutes past eleven by the ship's clock the +_Adventurer_ gave a prolonged screech and, moorings cast off, edged her +way out of the basin and dipped her nose in the laughing waters of the +bay, embarked at last on a voyage that was destined to fully vindicate +her new name. + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +THE _FOLLOW ME_ + + +Two days before they had decided that Steve was to be captain, Joe, +chief engineer, Phil, first mate, Perry, second mate, Ossie, steward, +Neil, cabin boy and Han, crew. Neil and Han had naturally rebelled at +being left without office or title and the omission had been laughingly +remedied to their entire satisfaction. In fact, Han was quite stuck up +over his official position, pointing out that it might be possible for a +boat to get along without a captain or mate or even a steward, but that +a crew was absolutely essential. He declared his intention of purchasing +a yachting cap at the first port of call and having the inscription +"Crew" worked on it in gold bullion. + +When the _Adventurer_ left her berth each member of the boat's company +was at his post, or, at least, at what he surmised to be his post. +Steve, of course, was at the control, Joe, with the hatches up, was +watching his engine approvingly, Phil, boat-hook in hand, was on the +forward deck, Perry hovered around Steve, begging to be allowed to blow +the whistle, Ossie and Neil watched from opposite sides of the bridge +deck and Han, in the role of crew, hitched his trousers at intervals, +touched his cap when anyone so much as looked at him and said "Ay, ay, +sir!" at the slightest provocation. And with all hands on duty the +cruiser pointed her white bow towards The Narrows. + +Steve never took his eyes from the course for more than a moment until +they had passed Coney Island Light, for there were many craft bustling +or slopping about and it really required some navigation to get through +The Narrows and past Gravesend Bay without running into something. Perry +suspected that Steve was working the whistle overtime, but realized that +too many precautions were better than too few. It was Perry's ambition +to learn navigation so that he might ultimately be entrusted with the +wheel, and to that end he stood at Steve's elbow until, when they gained +the Main Channel, Ossie's dulcet voice was heard proclaiming, "Grub, +fellows!" from below. Steve was rather too preoccupied to be very +informative, but Perry did manage to imbibe some information. For +instance, he learned that a sailing craft had the right of way over a +power craft, something he had not known previously, and observed that a +large proportion of them used that right to its limit. He got quite +incensed with a small, blunt-nosed schooner which insisted on crossing +the _Adventurer's_ course just as they were passing Fort Hamilton. Steve +had to slow down rather hurriedly to avoid a collision and Perry viewed +the two occupants of the schooner's deck with a scowl as they lazed +across the cruiser's bows. + +"Cheeky beggars," he muttered. + +He also learned the whistle code that morning: one blast for starboard, +two for port, four short blasts for danger and three for going astern. +Joe, who had applied oil to every part of the engine that he could +reach, supplied the added information that a sailboat under way on the +starboard tack had the right of way over anything afloat--with the +possible exception of a torpedo!--and that other craft had to turn to +port in passing them. Joe had wrested that bit of knowledge from a +volume entitled, "Motor Boats and Boating," which he carried in a side +pocket every minute of the trip, and passed it on with evident pride. +For the next few days he discovered other interesting items in that +precious book and divulged them at intervals with what to Perry seemed +a most offensive assumption of superiority. + +"You just read that in your old book," Perry would grumble. "Anybody +could do that!" Nevertheless, he hearkened and remembered against the +time when the conduct of the boat should be handed over to the hands of +the efficient second mate. When Joe became insufferably informative +Perry blandly asked him questions about the engine, such as, "What's the +difference, Joe, between a two-cycle and a four-cycle motor?" or "What +happens when the water-jacket becomes unbuttoned?" and was delighted to +find that Joe lapsed into silence until he had had time to +surreptitiously consult his book. + +Today, however, Joe's ignorance of motors mattered not at all, for the +engine ran sweetly and the _Adventurer_ churned through the green water +without a falter. More than once Joe might have been observed gazing +down at the six cylinder-heads surmounted by their maze of wires with an +expression of awe. Joe's thoughts probably might have been put into +words thus: "Yes, I see you doing it, but--but _why?_" + +Steve didn't go down to the cabin for dinner, but ate it as best he +could on the bridge. Neil, in his capacity of cabin-boy, arranged a +folding stool beside him, and from that, at intervals between moving the +wheel, blowing the whistle or anxiously scanning the course, Steve +seized his food. The others descended to the main cabin and squeezed +themselves about the table, which, adorned with a cloth of wonderful +sheen and whiteness that bore the cruiser's former name and flag woven +in the centre, held a plentiful supply of canned beans, fried bacon, +potato chips, bread and butter and raspberry jam. Everything was +thrillingly fine, from the pure linen tablecloth and napkins to the +silverware. The plates held the same design that was worked into the +napery, as did even the knives and forks and spoons. Ossie was +apologetic as to the menu, although he need not have been. + +"There wasn't time to do much cooking," he said, "and, besides, I +haven't got the hang of things yet. I never tried to do anything on an +alcohol stove before. It takes longer, seems to me. I couldn't get the +oven heated until about five minutes ago, and so if those potato-chips +aren't very warm--" + +"I'm warm enough, if they aren't," said Neil. "How do you open these +little round window things?" + +"Turn the thumb-screws," advised Han. "I think everything's bully, and +I'm as hungry as a bear. Pass the beans, Perry. Got any more tea out +there, cook?" + +"Yes, but I'm steward and not cook," replied Ossie, arising from his +camp-stool and stepping into the galley. "Hand over the bread plate, +someone, and I'll cut some more. Bet you it's going to cost us something +for grub, fellows!" + +"Well," responded Han, "I'd rather go broke that way than some others. +What kind of tea is this, Ossie?" + +"Ceylon. Doesn't it suit you?" + +"Oh, I can worry it down, thanks. Sugar, please, Phil. I generally drink +orange pekoe, though. You might lay in a few pounds of it at the next +stop." + +"I might," said Ossie, resuming his place at the end of the board, "and +then again I might not. And the probabilities are not. If you don't want +all the potatoes, Joe, you may shove them along this way." + +The repast was frequently interrupted by the shrill blast of the +whistle, and whenever that sounded most of the diners scrambled up to +peer interestedly through the ports. In fact, so loth were they to miss +anything that might be happening that they finished dinner in record +time, consuming dessert, which consisted of bananas and pears, outside. +Ossie alone remained below, and from the galley came the clatter of +dishes and a cheerful tune as the steward cleared away and washed up. +Joe smiled at Phil. + +"Ossie's having the time of his life now," he said, "but wait until the +novelty wears off. Then we'll hear some tall kicking about the +dishwashing, or I miss my guess." + +"We'll have to take turns helping him at that," said Steve. "If we don't +he's likely to mutiny. There's Coney over there, fellows." + +The others gathered on the port side to gaze across the water at the +crowded beach and the colourful maze of buildings. "It looks jolly, +doesn't it?" asked Han. "Couldn't we run in closer, Steve?" + +"We could, but it would take us out of our course. I'm heading for +Rockaway Point over there. We've got a good ways to go yet before we +reach Fire Island." Steve had the chart opened before him and he laid a +finger on the point mentioned. + +"Looks like it would be more fun to duck in there," said Neil, vaguely +indicating the neighbourhood of Hempstead Bay. + +"Maybe it would," answered the Captain, "but there are too many islands +and things to suit me. I'd rather stay outside here and slip in through +Fire Island Inlet. After I get used to running this hooker I'll take her +anywhere there's a heavy dew, but right now I'm all for the open sea, +Neil." + +Phil and Han, who had never before gazed on the marvels of Coney Island, +even from a distance, were listening to Joe's tales of the delights of +that entrancing resort and following his finger as he pointed out the +features he recognised. "There's the coaster where I bounced up and came +down on a nail," he chuckled. "It was a fine, able-bodied nail, too, and +I--um--had to stay on it all the rest of the trip because the car was so +crowded there wasn't room to shift." + +"Smell the peanuts, fellows," murmured Perry dreamily. "Gee, I wish I +had some!" + +Ossie appeared on deck ten minutes later and was very indignant because +he had not been informed that they were passing Coney. "I think some of +you lobsters might have sung out," he mourned. "I've never seen Coney +Island." + +"Well, have a look," laughed Han. "That's it back there." + +"Huh! Can't see anything at this distance," growled Ossie. "It's just a +smear of buildings. What's the place ahead there!" + +"Rockaway," answered Joe, "and that's Jamaica Bay in there. Say, there's +some sea on, isn't there?" + +In fact the _Adventurer_ was now doing a good deal of plunging as she +made her way through the long swells that swept around the sandy point. +And she wasn't satisfied with merely kicking her head and heels up, +either, for with the forward and aft motion there was considerable +rocking, and as the point came abreast a shower of spray deluged the +forward deck and spattered in on the bridge. At Steve's direction the +windows were closed, Han performing the task with many "Ay, ay, sirs!" +Joe looked anxious and presently sought the forward cabin, reappearing a +minute later to ask all and sundry if they knew where he had put his +supply of "anti-seasick stuff." No one could tell him and he again took +himself off, and before he could locate the medicine the _Adventurer_ +had passed the inlet and had settled down on an even keel again. Han and +Ossie spread themselves out on the forward cabin roof and the others +made themselves comfortable on the seats of the bridge deck, Phil +pointing out seriously and with evident satisfaction that the cushions +were not only cushions but life-preservers as well. Perry was for +borrowing Phil's fountain-pen and putting his name on one. + +There was no longer any talk of being too warm, for the breeze was +straight from the southeast and soon sent them, one after another, into +the cabins for their sweaters. They passed Rockaway Beach a good three +miles to port and by half-past one were off Point Lookout. Every instant +held interest, for many pleasure boats were out and their white sails +gleamed in the crisp sunlight. Three porpoise appeared off Short Beach +and proved very companionable, for they stayed with the _Adventurer_ for +quite ten minutes. One placed himself directly in front of the boat and +the others took up positions about six feet apart on the starboard bow, +and for two miles or more they maintained their stations, their dusky, +gleaming backs arching from the water with the regularity of clock-work. +Most of the boys had never seen the fish before and were much +interested. Joe called them "puffing pigs" and Perry insisted that they +were dolphins, and a fervid argument followed. They finally agreed, at +Phil's suggestion, to compromise and call them "porphins." Possibly the +discussion bored the subjects, or maybe they were insulted by the title +applied to them, for about the time Joe and Perry reached an agreement +the porpoise disappeared as suddenly as they had arrived on the scene +and it was minutes later before the puzzled mariners descried them +heading shoreward some distance away. + +They missed Ossie after that and when he was found he was stretched out +on a seat in the main cabin sound asleep and snoring. Neil came back +with the news that one of the "puffing pigs" had flopped aboard and was +asleep below. Steve took advantage of plain sailing to instruct Joe, +Phil and Perry in the handling of the wheel and controls, and each of +the pupils took his turn at guiding the cruiser along the sandy coast. +Fire Island Inlet was reached shortly before three and Steve took the +wheel again and ran the _Adventurer_ past Jack's Island, around the +curve of Short Beach and into the waters of the Great South Bay. There +was still a six-mile run to their anchorage, however, and it was nearly +four when the cruiser at last crept in among the clustered craft off Bay +Shore and dropped her anchor. A hundred yards away a cluster of boys on +the deck of a sturdy cabin-cruiser swung their caps and sent a hail +across. Steve seized the megaphone from its rack and answered. + +"_Follow Me_, ahoy!" he shouted. + +"Ahoy yourself!" was the ribald reply. "We're coming over!" + +The crew of the _Follow Me_ tumbled into a tiny dingey, cast off and +were lost to sight beyond the intervening craft. Then they reappeared, +their small boat so deep that the water almost spilled over the sides, +Wink Wheeler struggling with a pair of ludicrously short oars and the +other five laughingly urging him on. + +"Throw a couple of fenders over, Han," instructed Steve, "and stand by +with your boat-hook." + +The _Follow Me's_ tender crept alongside amidst noisy greetings, Perry +performing excruciatingly on the whistle until pulled away, and in +another moment the visitors were aboard. They were a nice-looking, +upstanding lot, already well sunburned by a week afloat. Wink Wheeler +was the oldest of the six, for he was eighteen. Harry Corwin, Bert Alley +and Caspar Temple were seventeen and George Browne, or "Brownie," as he +was called, and Tom Corwin were sixteen. First of all they had to see +the boat and so the whole gathering trooped from one end to the other, +exclaiming and admiring. + +"The _Follow Me_'s a regular tub compared with this palace," said Harry +Corwin. "Why, there isn't anything finer than this along the South +Shore, I guess!" + +"Don't you call our boat names," protested "Brownie." "The _Follow Me_ +may not be as nifty as this, but she's one fine little boat, just the +same. How long did it take you to come from New York, Joe?" + +"Nearly four hours and a half, but we ran slow. I guess we could have +done it in three hours easily if we'd tried to. This boat can do twenty +at a pinch. How fast is the _Follow Me?_" + +"She's done eighteen," answered Harry Corwin, "but fourteen's her +average gait. She burns up gas like the dickens when she does any more. +Yesterday we went to Freeport in fifty-seven minutes, and that's a good +seventeen and a half miles. She had to hump herself, though." + +After the wonders of the _Adventurer_ had been exhausted the boys +gathered on the bridge deck and Steve laid a chart on the floor and they +discussed their plans. It had already been decided that they should +cruise northward as far as Maine. As there was no hurry in getting +there, they were to take things easy, stopping at such points as +promised interest and putting into harbour at night. As it was already +after four o'clock, they finally concluded to stay where they were until +morning, although the _Follow Me_ crowd were eager to be away. "Our +first harbour would be Ponquogue," said Steve, "and that's a good +forty-six or-seven mile run. Personally, I don't care much about messing +around outside after dark. This is all new water to me. If we start in +the morning we'll have plenty of time to run as far as Shelter Island, +if we want to." + +This was agreed to, although Perry protested that as the charts showed a +life-saving station every five miles or so all down the shore it was a +shame not to take a chance. "I've always wanted to be taken off a +sinking ship in a breeches-buoy," he said. + +"Would you mind being wrecked in the daytime?" asked Neil. "I'd love to +see you in a breeches-buoy, Perry, and I couldn't if it was dark." + +"Let's all go up to the hotel for dinner," suggested Wink Wheeler. "They +have dandy feeds there, and maybe we can scare up some fun. Any of you +fellows like to bowl?" + +"First of all," said Han, "we want to see your boat, fellows. Let's go +over now. I'm ready for hotel grub if the rest of you are. Can we all +go, Steve, or does someone have to stay behind and look after the +boat?" + +"That's the crew's duty," said Phil gravely. "We'll bring you back a +sandwich, Han." + +"Yes, a Han-sandwich," added Perry. + +When he had been toppled backward down the after cabin steps Harry +Corwin said that they'd been in the habit of leaving the _Follow Me_ +unguarded for hours at a time and that so far no one had molested her, +and Steve decided that it would be safe enough if they locked the +cabins. So presently the _Adventurer's_ tender was lifted off the chocks +and put overboard and after hasty toilets the boys piled into it and the +two dingeys, each loaded to the limit, set off for the _Follow Me_. The +latter was a thirty-four foot craft, with a hunting cabin that reached +almost to the stern, leaving a cockpit scarcely large enough to swing a +cat in; although, as Perry remarked, it wasn't likely anyone would want +to swing a cat there. The cabin was surprisingly roomy and held four +berths, while a fifth bunk was placed forward of the tiny galley. The +latter was intended for the crew but at present it was the quarters of +"Brownie." The sixth member of the ship's company occupied at night a +mattress placed on the floor and philosophically explained that +sleeping there had the advantage of security; there was no chance to +roll out of bed in rough weather. The engine compartment lay between +cabin and cockpit and held a six-cylinder engine. Steering was done from +the cockpit, under shelter of an awning, but the engine control was +below. The _Follow Me_ was four years old and had seen much service, but +she had been newly painted, varnished and overhauled and looked like a +thoroughly comfortable and seaworthy boat. She was copper painted below +the water-line and black above, with a gilt line and her name in gilt on +bows and stern. Compared to the _Adventurer_ she was a modest enough +craft, but her six mariners asked nothing better and secretly believed +that in rough weather she would put the bigger boat to shame. Captain +Corwin levied on the slender supply of ginger-ale and sarsaparilla +contained in the tiny ice-chest and after that they again set forth, +this time for the nearest landing. + +They "did" the town exhaustively and at six-thirty descended on the +hotel thirteen strong and demanded to be placed together at one table. +It is doubtful if the hotel management made much money on the thirteen +dinners served to the boys, for everyone of them ate as though he hadn't +seen food for days. Somewhere around eight or half-past they dragged +themselves back to the boats and paddled out to the _Adventurer_, where, +since the evening was decidedly chilly, they thronged the after cabin +and flowed out into the cockpit. Perry started up his talking machine +and played his dozen records over a number of times, and everyone talked +at once--except some who sang--and, in the words of the country +newspapers, "a pleasant time was had by all." And at ten the _Follow +Me's_ crew got back into their dingey and went off into the darkness of +a starlight night, rather noisy still in a sleepy way, and, presumably, +reached their destination. At least, no more was heard of them that +night. On the _Adventurer_ berths were pulled out or let down and a +quarter of an hour after the departure of the visitors not a sound was +to be heard save the lapping of the water against the hull and the +peaceful breathing of seven healthily tired boys. + + + + +CHAPTER V + +SUNDAY ASHORE + + +Before the sun had much more than climbed to a position where it could +peer over the low yellow ridge of Fire Island and see what the Adventure +Club was up to, the two cruisers were chug-chugging out of the harbour +with all flags flying. First went the _Adventurer_, as flag-ship of the +fleet, to use Neil's metaphor, and, a little way behind came the _Follow +Me_, her black hull and battleship-grey deck reminding the occupants of +the other boat of one of the "puffing pigs" of yesterday. The bay was +almost as smooth as the proverbial mill-pond this morning, and the +slanting shafts of sunlight cast strange and beautiful shades of gold +and copper on the tiny wavelets. It was still cool, and in the shadow of +the bridge deck one felt a bit shivery. But the sun promised a warm day. +The crew was polishing bright-work rather awkwardly but most +industriously and with a fine willingness, explaining that if he +polished brass some other poor Indian would have to swab decks, a remark +which inspired Neil to state with much emphasis that cleaning decks was +not, at all events, within the province of the ship's boy, and that, +anyway, he had helped with the dishes and that right now he was going to +lie in the sun on the galley roof and that if anyone disturbed him +there'd be trouble. + +Joe had been having a fine time with his engine. He was getting on terms +of real familiarity with it now, having lost some of the awe with which +he had regarded it yesterday. Today he called it "She" almost +patronisingly and even dared lay his hand on the cylinders with a +knowing cock of his head. Perry, looking on, asked sarcastically if he +was feeling the engine's pulse, and Joe haughtily replied that he wanted +to make sure the cylinders weren't overheating. Ossie, emerging from the +cabin, wiping his hands on his khaki trousers after wringing out his +dish cloths, gave it as his opinion that if there was any overeating +done it would not be done by the engine, accompanying the statement with +a meaning glance at Perry. + +About this time the _Follow Me_ left her position astern and began to +creep alongside. Steve supposed she wanted to send a message across and +told the others on the deck to keep still a minute. But the _Follow Me_ +kept on her way, the fellows sprawling around her deck and cockpit +looking across the few fathoms of water in silence. + +"Well, what do you know about that?" gasped Neil. "She's trying to pass +us!" + +Steve grunted, smiled and advanced his throttle. The click-click from +under the engine hatches became hurried and louder. Joe wrinkled his +forehead anxiously. The _Adventurer_ stopped going astern of the other +boat and for a little distance they hung bow to bow. They saw Harry +Corwin, at the wheel of the _Follow Me_, lower his head to speak to his +brother in the engine room. The _Follow Me_ began to forge ahead again, +slowly but certainly. + +"Give her more gas, Steve," begged Perry. "We can't have a little old +'puffing pig' of a boat like that walking away from us. Look at those +idiots grin!" + +"And watch them change their faces," laughed Steve as he drew the +throttle forward another two or three notches. Under the hatches the +engine uttered a new note and a quick jarring became felt. Joe's anxiety +increased to uneasiness. + +"Say, Steve, do you think--is it all right--I mean--" + +"She's only doing about seventeen," replied Steve calmly. "The throttle +isn't nearly open yet. But I guess that's enough," he added as he +glanced across the water. Perry, leaning across the gunwale, beckoned +insultingly. + +"Come on!" he called. "What are you stopping there for?" + +The _Follow Me_ replied to the taunt, but what the reply was they didn't +know on the _Adventurer_, for the latter was ahead now by its full +length and gaining perceptibly every moment. Tom Corwin's head appeared +over the cabin roof, he took a look at the rival craft and popped from +sight again. The _Follow Me_ stopped going back and hung with her nose +abreast the _Adventurer's_ stern. Phil, who had been writing a letter in +the cabin, emerged and joined the group outside. + +"How fast is she going, Steve?" he asked. + +"About seventeen, I think. Still, Harry said the _Follow Me's_ best was +eighteen, and she isn't losing any, and so we may be doing eighteen, +too. Guess we might as well settle the matter right now, though." + +With which he pulled the throttle to the limit, and the white cruiser, +quivering from stem to stern, forged ahead. "We're doing a good twenty +miles an hour now," shouted Steve above the hum of the motor, "and she +won't go any faster unless we get out and push!" + +But twenty miles was fast enough to distance the _Follow Me_, although +that boat held on gamely all the way across the bay and only slowed down +when, a good quarter of a mile behind the _Adventurer_, she was abreast +Pelican Bar. The _Adventurer_ dropped her gait to twelve and presently +the black cruiser, having negotiated the inlet in the wake of the other +craft, drew within hailing distance and Harry Corwin called across +through the megaphone. + +"Some boat, Steve!" he shouted. "We're satisfied!" + +Steve waved back and the two cruisers settled down to their forty-mile +run along the shore, the _Follow Me_ gliding smoothly along abaft the +_Adventurer's_ starboard beam. They sighted few other craft this +morning, and, as there was a deal of sameness in the coast, the fellows +settled down to various occupations. Steve conducted a second class in +navigation, with Perry and Han as pupils, and Perry was allowed to take +the wheel all the way from Smith's Point to a position off the Moriches +Life-Saving Station. Phil went on with his letters, Ossie performed +mysterious rites in the galley, with Han looking on interestedly from +atop the dish-board, and Neil, exhausted by his labours as crew, +reclined on the seat in the cockpit and stared sleepily at a blue and +unclouded sky. Joe hunched himself on a seat on the bridge deck and +studied his book on motor boating, becoming, if truth were told, more +and more mystified as to the working of that remarkable affair that was +click-clicking away under his feet. + +The _Adventurer_ reached the inlet to Shinnecock Bay a few minutes past +ten and, closely followed by her companion boat, put through and turned +her nose past Ponquogue Point. As Comorant Point drew near the shores of +the bay closed in and the cruiser turned to port and, signalling her way +past various craft, finally came to a pause outside the canal entrance. +When the _Follow Me_ floated alongside Wink Wheeler called across. + +"What do you say to going ashore, fellows?" he asked. "It looks like a +jolly sort of place. We've got plenty of time, haven't we?" + +"All the time in the world and nothing to do," replied Steve cheerfully. +"We'll make that landing over there and you can come alongside us, +Harry." + +Ten minutes later they were stretching their legs ashore. Canoe Place +held plenty to interest them. The view was magnificent, for on one side +of them lay Shinnecock Bay, across whose still, pond-like waters they +had just sailed, and on the other stretched the blue expanse of Great +Peconic Bay, sun-bathed, aglint with rippling waves and dotted with +white sails. A small boy with one suspender performing the duty of two +and a straw hat minus about everything except the brim offered to guide +them and his proposition was quickly accepted and a bright new quarter +changed hands. The quaint old Inn was visited and their informant +gravely pointed to two sentinel willow trees and told them that "them +trees was planted by Napoleon a couple o' hunerd years ago. He got 'em +some place called Saint Helen. They had him in prison there for +somethin'." The boys viewed the willows doubtfully, but, as Phil said, +it was more fun to believe the extraordinary tale and they tried hard to +do so. Steve attempted to secure more historical information from the +small boy, but the latter appeared to have exhausted his fund. After +that they viewed several Summer estates from respectful distances and, +finding that their guide had nothing further of real interest for them, +went back to the landing and re-embarked. + +A quarter-mile or so of artificial canal took them through the narrow +neck of land between the two bays and let them out in a cove beyond +whose mouth the waters of Great Peconic stretched, apparently +illimitable. The course was set northeast by east and they began the +trip to Shelter Island. About half an hour later Joe discovered that the +_Follow Me_ was far behind and it was soon evident that she had stopped. +After a moment Steve decided to turn back and see what was wrong, and +when the _Adventurer_ rounded the smaller boat's stern they learned that +the _Follow Me_ was having engine trouble. For a few minutes the +_Adventurer_ hovered by, and then, as there was a fair breeze blowing +now and Joe and Neil were showing interest in the sea-sickness remedy, +Steve suggested a tow and Harry Corwin, after some hesitation, pocketed +his pride and agreed. A little before one o'clock the two boats slipped +into North Sea Harbour and dropped anchors. While the _Follow Me_ +doctored her engine the _Adventurer_ sat down to a delayed dinner. Ossie +gloomily predicted that everything would be spoiled, but if it was, no +one save Ossie apparently knew it. There was broiled bluefish and boiled +potatoes and spinach and sliced cucumbers that day, followed by a +marvellous concoction which the steward called a prune pudding. Perry +said he didn't care what it was called so long as it came, and, please +he'd like some more! No cook can withstand such a compliment as that, +and Ossie cast off his gloom. They all declared that that dinner was +just about the best they had ever eaten, and they meant it, and Ossie +swelled visibly with pride and almost declined Han's half-hearted offer +to help wash dishes! + +When the rest went back to the deck and saw the fellows on the _Follow +Me_ eating sandwiches and other items of a cold repast on deck they felt +rather apologetic, and Joe and Steve slung the tender over and paddled +across to lend what assistance they might. But they found Tom Corwin, +very dirty and hot and somewhat peevish, reassembling the engine with +the help of "Brownie," and learned that the trouble had been discovered +and that the boat would go just as soon as they could get her together +again, which, from present indications, would be some time the day after +tomorrow! Harry Corwin told Steve he had better go ahead, that there was +no use in the _Adventurer_ lying around and waiting, but Steve replied +that there was no hurry and that they'd stand by. The atmosphere on the +_Follow Me_ was not very cheerful and the visitors went back to their +own craft after a decent lapse of time. About three the fellows donned +swimming tights and went in from the boat and had a fine time in the +water, and by the time they had had enough of that there came a +heartening _chug-chug-chug_ from the _Follow Me's_ exhaust and Wink +announced that they were ready to go on. + +As a result of the delay, it was almost six when they reached Shelter +Island and steered the cruiser to an anchorage. They had supper ashore +at seven, having dressed themselves in shore-going attire, but it was +noticeable that it was the _Follow Me's_ company who made the most of +the meal. Neil met up with an acquaintance on the hotel porch after +supper--they chose to call it supper although it was really a +full-course dinner--and that meeting led to introductions and the boys +"did the society act," to use Perry's disgusted phrase, for the rest of +the evening. As it was a Saturday night there was a dance going on, and +Steve and Joe and Han, of the _Adventurer's_ crowd, and several of the +other boat's company, took part. They didn't get back to the boats until +almost midnight, and Perry fell asleep in the dingey, on the second +trip, and had to be practically hoisted aboard. He muttered protestingly +until he had been dumped in his berth and then promptly went to sleep as +he was. + +They spent the next day at Shelter Island, not because anyone +considered it wrong to cruise on Sunday, but because Steve and Joe and +Han had discovered attractions at the hotel. Perry demanded that the +question of staying be put to a vote and the rest agreed, but the result +wasn't what Perry had hoped for because Neil basely cast his ballot with +Steve and Joe and Han. The four went off soon after breakfast, having +spent much time and effort on their various attires, and weren't seen +again until late afternoon. At least, they weren't seen again aboard the +cruiser until that time, although Perry, Phil and Ossie, following them +ashore after dinner, were scandalised to see them strolling around quite +brazenly in the company of an equal number of young ladies. + +"Girls!" snorted Perry scornfully. "Why, the big chumps, they look as if +they liked it! Gee, it's enough to sicken a fellow!" + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +IN THE FOG + + +"We've been going two whole days now," declared Perry, "and we haven't +even glimpsed an adventure." It was Tuesday morning and the two cruisers +were lying side by side in New Bedford harbour. A light drizzle was +falling and even under the awning of the bridge deck everything was +coated with a film of moisture. The _Adventurer_ and the _Follow Me_ had +done just short of a hundred miles yesterday, reaching the present port +at nightfall. They had averaged fifteen miles an hour and neither engine +had missed an explosion all day long. Joe had been rather stuck-up over +the way his engine had performed and had been inclined to take a good +share of the credit to himself. Perry, however, had declared that the +only reason the thing had run was because Joe had left it alone. + +"It's lucky for us you're afraid to touch it," said Perry. "If you +weren't we'd have been wallowing around somewhere between here and +Africa two days ago!" + +It had been too late to go ashore for sight-seeing last evening, and +they had put it off until morning. And now it was drizzling in a steady, +whole-hearted way that promised to make sight-seeing a miserable +business. Some of the crew of the _Follow Me_ had come aboard to discuss +plans and the question was whether to remain in harbour and await better +weather or to set out again and run as far as Martha's Vineyard. Perry +was all for action, and he had the support of numerous others, but Steve +pointed out that running the cruiser in such weather in strange waters +was not over pleasant. "It's all well enough for the rest of you, for +all you have to do is lie around and read, but it's another thing to +stand up there at the wheel and keep from running into the landscape!" + +"Give her to me," advised Perry. "I'll get her to Edgartown or wherever +you want to go, right-side-up with care." + +"If you take the wheel," said Han, "I get out and walk every foot of the +way." + +"Better put your rubbers on," suggested Wink Wheeler. + +"You fellows make me very tired," continued Perry severely. "You call +yourselves the Adventure Club and start out to see some sport, and then +the first time there's a heavy mist you want to stick around an old +harbour for fear you'll get damp! We've been going two whole days now, +and we haven't even glimpsed an adventure!" + +"An adventure is one thing," said Ossie, "and getting drowned is +something else again. Tell you what, Perry; if you are so keen for sport +why don't you slip into the tender and run over to Vineyard Haven +yourself? We'll follow along tomorrow, or maybe this afternoon." + +"I want to see this town," said Joe. "There's lots to look at in here. +Whaling ships and a museum and--and lots of romantic things." + +"The whaling ships are all gone now," said Perry disdainfully. "They've +chopped them all up and sold them by the cord for fire wood. I know, for +we bought a lot of it once. It cost dad about ten dollars for express +and didn't burn any different from any other wood. My grandmother--" + +Steve groaned. "For the love of lemons, Perry, don't resurrect your +grandmother. Let the poor old lady lie." + +"She isn't dead," denied Perry indignantly. "She's ninety-one and a heap +smarter than you are." + +"Perry," charged Joe severely, "I distinctly remember you telling us +that your grandmother died of sea-sickness." + +"I didn't. I told you she ate lemons and--" + +"Died of acid stomach? Oh, all right. I knew she was dead." + +"Oh, dry up! She ate lemons to keep from being sea-sick, you idiot. And +if you ate them you wouldn't have to lug around a lot of silly medicine +that doesn't amount to a row of pins. And if--" + +"All very interesting," interrupted Phil mildly, "but it isn't deciding +whether we're to stay here or go on. Personally, I think that that +should be up to the captain. If he isn't to decide whether the weather +is right or wrong, who is?" + +"That's so," agreed several. "Steve's the captain. What you say goes, +Steve." + +"Very well. Then we'll stay here until it stops misting, or, at any +rate, until tomorrow. If it's still nasty then and you fellows want to +go on, I'll go. Now let's go ashore and see what's doing." + +"O Harry!" called Wink. "We're going to stay until tomorrow. Come +ashore." + +In spite of the drizzle they found a good deal to interest them in New +Bedford, and Joe actually did find a whaler, although it was no longer +in commission. At noon, Ossie, having made many purchases in the town, +served a dinner that made the world look a lot brighter. Afterwards the +crews of the two boats exchanged calls, read, dozed, played the +graphophone and didn't much care whether it drizzled or not. Toward the +end of the day the sun peered forth experimentally and there followed +another expedition ashore. But the sun soon gave up its attempt to do +any business that day and the drizzle set in harder than ever. In the +evening the entire club attended a moving picture show and thus disposed +of several hours that might otherwise have proved difficult to get +through. A motor-boat, no matter how large or luxurious, is not the most +interesting place to live on in wet weather. + +The next morning the mist had ceased, but the sun was hidden behind dark +clouds and the world was still rather dreary. But plenty of hot coffee, +some of Ossie's baking powder biscuits and the almost invariable fried +bacon cheered them remarkably, and at a little past eight the order was +given to weigh anchor and the two cruisers, the _Adventurer_ showing the +way, set forth across Buzzard's Bay for Edgartown. + +It was a sixteen-mile run to the channel between Nonamesset Island and +the mainland, and Steve followed the steamboat course closely. The +chart showed many rocks and ledges in the first six miles, but neither +of the cruisers drew enough to make it necessary for their skippers to +worry. There was rough water, however, and Joe was seen to look +anxiously toward the after cabin. A flukey breeze came out of the +southeast and made sweaters comfortable. The shore of Naushon Island was +grey and indistinct when the _Adventurer_ straightened out for the run +across the bay. Behind her the _Follow Me_ plunged gallantly, doing her +fourteen miles without a murmur. As they neared Penzance the sea +moderated and they swung into the channel on an almost even keel. Good +harbours beckoned, and the plan of lying by until after dinner was +discussed and finally abandoned. Edgartown was only another hour's sail +and it would be better to keep on and lie in there for dinner. But when +the _Adventurer_ had passed into Vineyard Sound Steve began to wish he +had waited. A bank of grey mist hid the island toward which they were +headed and he feared they would find themselves in it before they could +reach the nearest harbour, which was Vineyard Haven. But since the +_Adventurer_ had already left Wood's Holl two miles behind and Vineyard +Haven Harbour was only some four miles further it seemed silly to turn +back. There was always the chance that the fog would blow off, besides. +Nevertheless Steve frowned dubiously through the moist pane ahead and, +without saying anything of his fears to the rest, drew the throttle a +few notches down and kept the _Adventurer_ close to her course. Behind, +the _Follow Me_ speeded up as well and the two boats hurried for where, +out of sight in the grey void ahead, West Chop pointed a blunt nose to +sea. + +But it was a losing race, for ten minutes later Steve saw that the fog +bank was rolling down upon them and from somewhere to the eastward came +the dismal hoot of a steamer feeling her way along. Joe, too, saw what +they were in for and turned anxiously to Steve. "That's fog, isn't it?" +he asked. + +Steve nodded. "Get the fog-horn ready, will you? We don't want anyone +bumping into us. I'm going to slow down to six miles. There's too much +water here to drop anchor in." He eyed the advancing fog distastefully +and then shrugged his shoulders. "You've got to learn some time, I +suppose, Joe, and here's where I learn to make harbour by the compass. +Now we're in it!" + +At that instant the grey mist enveloped them silently, chillingly. Joe +drew a long wail from the fog-horn and in response a similar but +higher-keyed wail came through the fog from the _Follow Me_. And at the +same moment the other members of the ship's company stuck inquiring +heads through the companion ways. + +"Hello," exclaimed Perry. "Fog! Gee, that's exciting! Say, you can't see +a thing, can you? Look, fellows, the boat hasn't any bow!" + +"Nor any stern," added Han. "You can almost taste the stuff. Say, Steve, +isn't it hard to steer in a fog?" + +"Not a bit," answered Steve cheerfully. "Steering's perfectly easy. The +only trouble is to steer right." + +"To-o-ot!" said the fog-horn and was answered from astern. Then +somewhere to the south-eastward a siren sent a wailing cry, subdued by +distance. The fog settled on everything and shone on the boys' sweaters +in little beads of moisture. The _Adventurer_ seemed to be standing +still, for, with nothing to judge by, progress was made known only by +the slow lazy throb of the engine. Even the water alongside was scarcely +discernible. Joe pulled the lever of the fog-horn again, and this time, +beside the response from the _Follow Me_, an answering bellow came +across the water. + +"A steamer," muttered Steve, peering uselessly into the grey void. +"She's a good ways off, though. Give her another pull, Joe." + +Again the _Adventurer_ proclaimed her position but there was no answer +from the steamer. "She doesn't seem very talkative," said Phil. "How +fast are we going, Steve?" + +"Six." + +"And how far is Edgartown?" + +"About twelve, but we're not going there. I'm trying to make Vineyard +Haven. It's only about two miles." He glanced puzzledly at the compass +and moved the wheel a fraction. "There's a jetty comes out there and I +guess we'd better give it a good wide berth." Collars were pulled up to +keep the moisture from creeping down necks, and Perry begged to be +allowed to manipulate the fog-horn. He went at it whole-souledly and +Steve had to curb his enthusiasm. "Once a minute will do, Perry," he +said. "You sound like a locomotive scaring a cow off the track." + +"How do you know there isn't a cow ahead?" demanded Perry. "Or a whale? +Gee, wouldn't it be a surprise if we bust right into a whale? Who would +get the worst of it, Steve?" + +"I guess we would. Shut up a minute, fellows, please!" + +Silence held the bridge deck, silence save for the subdued purr of the +engine under their feet and the drip, drip of the drops from the awning +edge. Steve peered anxiously ahead, his senses alert. At last: + +"Hear anything?" he asked. + +They all said no. + +"I guess I was mistaken then," Steve explained, "but I could have sworn +I heard surf." He leaned over the chart. "This doesn't show anything, +though, nearer than the land. Toot your horn, Perry." + +Perry obeyed. At long intervals the unseen, distant steamer bellowed her +warning and more frequently the _Follow Me_ groaned dismally on a hand +horn. It was ten minutes later, perhaps, when Steve suddenly swung +around and looked back past the bow of the dingey on the after cabin +roof. + +"That's funny!" he exclaimed. "The _Follow Me_ sounded away over there!" +He looked anxiously at the compass, hesitated and shook his head. "If I +didn't know this thing was all right, fellows, I'd say it was crazy. Or +if there was a strong current here--" His voice dwindled away to a +murmur as he studied the chart again. Just then the _Follow Me's_ +fog-horn sounded and it was undeniably further away and well over to +port. "Either he's off his course or I am," muttered Steve. "And I +simply don't see how I can be. Give them a long one, Perry!" + +Perry sent a frantic wail across the water and they listened intently. +But no reply came from the _Follow Me_. Instead, from somewhere off +their port bow travelled the steamer's bellow. That, too, seemed +considerably further away. Then the distant siren sounded, and after +that there was silence again. But the silence lasted only a moment, for +before anyone could hazard a conjecture as to the _Follow Me's_ erratic +behaviour, Phil's voice arose warningly. + +"Listen, Steve!" he cried. "Isn't that surf I hear?" + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +STEVE TAKES HER IN + + +Steve's hand flew to the clutch as the rest joined Phil at the side of +the boat, and, in the grey silence that ensued, strained their ears. + +"You're right," said Neil, after an instant. "There's surf there, or I'm +a Dutchman. And it isn't far away." + +Steve, who had handed the wheel to Joe, nodded. "It's surf, all right," +he agreed, "but it hasn't any business there. What are you going to do +when you can't depend on the chart? Well, the only thing for us to try +is another direction." He swung the wheel well to port and slid the +clutch in gently and, with the engine throttled down, the _Adventurer_ +nosed forward once more. "Phil, beat it out to the bow and keep your +ears open, will you? Watch that deck, though; it's slippery." An anxious +silence held for several minutes. Then Phil's voice came from the +fog-hidden bow: + +"Surf dead ahead, Steve!" he called. + +"Can you see anything?" shouted Steve as he again disengaged. + +"No, but I can hear the waves breaking." + +They all could now that the propeller had stopped churning. Steve gazed +dazedly from fog to compass and from compass to chart, and finally shook +his head helplessly. + +"It's too much for me, fellows," he said. "I'm going back as straight as +I know how, or--" He stopped. "Hang it, there can't be land on _all_ +sides!" He pulled the bow still further to port and again started. "Keep +your ears open, Phil," he called. "I'll run her as slow as she'll go. If +you hear the surf plainer, shout." + +The _Adventurer_ went on again. After a moment Han, leaning outboard +over the deck rail, said: "It's not so loud, Steve. I think we're going +away from it slowly." + +"Or else running parallel," suggested Perry. "Anyhow, it isn't any +nearer." + +Another minute or two passed, with all hands listening intently. Then +Phil sounded another warning. "Hold up, Steve! I may be crazy, but I'll +swear there's surf dead ahead again!" + +Steve motioned to Joe and, yielding the wheel after throwing out the +clutch again, swung around a stanchion and crept cautiously along the +roof of the main cabin and galley until he reached Phil's side. Then, +dropping to his knees and steadying himself by the flag-pole, he +listened. Quite plainly and, as it seemed, from alarmingly nearby, came +the gentle _swish-swash_ of tiny waves breaking on a beach. In the fog +it was difficult to tell whether the sound came from directly ahead or +from starboard. At all events, when Steve turned his head to port the +sound was certainly at his right or behind him. + +"I'll try it again," he said. "You stay here, Phil." He climbed back to +the bridge deck. "Perry, are you working that fog-horn?" he demanded. +"If you aren't, get busy with it!" Once more the cruiser picked up and +stole forward, her nose slowly swinging around to port. Steve had given +up watching the compass now. All he wanted to do was find clear water. +The _swish_ of surf died away by degrees as the _Adventurer_ edged +cautiously along and, after five minutes, Steve gave a sigh of relief. +"I guess we're all right now," he muttered to Joe, "but I'm going to +keep her just moving. We might anchor, I suppose, but it's dollars to +doughnuts we'd have to spend the night here; wherever here is," he +added, scowling resentfully at the chart. "Look here, Joe." He reached +forward and laid a finger on the map. "Here's where we were, or where +we ought to have been, when we heard the surf first. According to this +we were a good mile from the shore and the only shoal is that one and +it's marked six feet at mean low water. There's a black-and-red spar +buoy there, as you see, but we haven't sighted it. Now, what I want to +know is how the dickens we could have got a mile off our course to +starboard. Also, if we are off our course, where are we? Unless we've +slipped over the beach and got into that pond down there--" + +"_Steve! Back up! We're running on the rocks!_" + +It was the frenzied voice of Phil in the bow. Steve thrust Joe aside and +seizing the clutch put it quickly into neutral. + +"Bring the boat-hook here!" shouted Phil. "Reverse, Steve! Hard!" + +But Steve had already slammed the clutch into reverse and pulled down +the throttle. A mighty thrashing and foaming sounded astern and the +_Adventurer_ trembled, hesitated and began to churn her way backward. +Perry, boat-hook in hand, was sliding and stumbling along the wet deck. +He reached the bow just in time to see the menacing face of a high stone +jetty disappear again into the mist. Phil, clinging to the flag-pole, +was sprawled on the deck with his legs stretched out to fend the boat +off. + +"Just in time!" he muttered, pulling himself back to safety. "Did you +see it, Perry!" + +"Did I see it? I almost fell overboard! That's enough, Steve!" + +The _Adventurer_ stopped going astern and Steve called anxiously from +the wheel. "What was it, Phil?" he questioned. + +"A breakwater about ten feet high! We almost hit it!" + +"A breakwater!" Steve turned swiftly to the chart. "Then I know where we +are at last! Look here, Joe!" He pointed. "We're cornered in here, see? +Here's the shore on that side and the jetty dead ahead of us. How we got +here I don't know, but here we are. If we can find the end of the jetty +we're all right. Keep that horn going, Perry!" + +"Why not drop an anchor where we are?" asked Joe. + +"We could do that, of course, but here's the harbour right around the +end of the jetty. Seems to me we might as well get in there, Joe." + +"All right," agreed the other doubtfully, "but this feeling around in +the dark is making me nervous. First thing we know we'll--um--we'll be +running into the First National Bank or the Congregational Church or +something! Still, if you think we can find our way, all right. I'm +game." + +Steve eyed the compass thoughtfully and in silence for a moment. Then: +"You still there, Phil?" he called. + +"Yes." + +"Keep your eyes and ears open. I'm going to try to run along the side of +the jetty and find the harbour. If you see a red spar buoy, sing out. +Sing out if you see anything at all. Everyone keep a watch. We're going +to eat dinner in the harbour or know why!" + +The cruiser moved slowly on once more, her nose turning sharply. Then +she paused, went back and again moved forward, Steve turning the wheel +slowly with his eyes on the compass. "Now watch on the starboard side, +Phil!" he called. + +"Which is that? My right?" + +"Yes, you land-lubber! Hear anything?" + +"N-no! I didn't _hear_ anything before until we were almost on the +breakwater. Sometimes I think I can hear--" + +Phil's voice died away to silence. + +"Hear what?" asked Steve. + +"Well, water sort of lapping. It may be against our boat, though." + +"Neil, you go forward, too, will you?" said Steve. Neil joined Phil and +for some minutes the _Adventurer_ stole quietly along through the grey +void with little sound save the slow working of the engine below deck +and the lazy thud of the propeller. It was so quiet that when Perry +suddenly worked the fog-horn Han almost fell over the wet rail on which +he was sitting. It was Ossie who broke the silence finally. + +"Well, I guess we've got to eat, whether we run ashore or stay afloat. +I'm going to put some potatoes on." + +"All right," replied Steve quietly. "But if you feel a bump, put out +your alcohol flame the first thing you do, Ossie." + +"Sure, but you can bet I won't wait down there to see whether the +potatoes are done!" + +"How about it, you chaps?" asked Steve presently. + +"Don't hear a thing," answered Phil. + +"All right. I'm going to bring her around now. Yell the minute you see +anything. You needn't worry. She's only crawling and I'll have her going +astern before you can shout twice." + +Very slowly Steve moved the wheel to starboard. In the stillness they +could hear the gear creak under the deck. No warning came from the two +lookouts and, after a moment, Steve again turned gingerly. For all the +watchers could tell, the _Adventurer_ never altered her course, but +Steve, his gaze on the compass card, knew that she was headed now +straight east. Now and then he peered questioningly forward, but his +gaze was defeated by the fog. At intervals Perry sent a groaning wail +from the fog-horn. Presently Steve heard the boys talking on the bow and +in a moment Neil's voice hailed him: + +"Surf off to starboard, Steve! Not very near, though." + +The others listened, but there was just enough noise from the engine to +drown the sound heard by the lookouts. + +"Tell me if it gets louder," called Steve. "Still hear it?" + +"Not so well," answered Phil. "I think we're going away from it." + +"Waves against the end of the jetty," explained Steve. "I think we're +all right now." He moved the wheel over slowly, spoke by spoke. "Keep +your horn going, Perry. We're entering the harbour. Watch for buoys, +fellows. Take it on this side, Joe." + +Followed a dubious five minutes during which the only sounds that +reached them from outside the boat were distant fog signals and, once, +the unmistakable moo of a cow! + +"Gee," murmured Perry, "that's the best thing I've heard all day! That +means we really are in the harbour, doesn't it?" + +"Might be a sea-cow," suggested Ossie, from the companion. + +"Ready with the bow anchor!" called Steve. + +Han scuttled forward into the mist. "All right, sir!" he announced in +his best nautical manner. + +Steve disengaged the clutch. There was a moment of silence aboard the +_Adventurer_. Then: "Over with it, Han," directed Steve. There was a +splash, followed by the rasping of the cable through the chock and then +a cheerful whistle from the crew as he made fast. "About eighteen feet, +Steve, I should say," he called. + +"Sixteen," corrected the Captain gravely. Joe smiled. + +"Mean it?" he asked. + +Steve nodded and put a finger on the chart. "We're right here," he said. +Then he covered the compass and drew down the lid of the chart box and +stretched his arms luxuriously. "That's over with," he added, "and I'm +glad of it! How about dinner, Ossie?" + +"On the fire, Cap! Ready in five minutes." + +"Then I'm going to get into a dry shirt. I'm soaked through. Some of you +chaps pull the side curtains down on the port side. We might as well +keep as dry as we can." + +"Looks to me as if the fog was rolling in from the starboard, though," +said Han. + +"Yes, it's coming from the southeast, but we'll swing around in a few +minutes because the tide's coming in. Wonder where the _Follow Me_ is." + +"Harry would probably make for harbour, too, wouldn't he?" asked Joe, +following the other down to the cabin. "I wouldn't be surprised if we +found them here when the fog clears." + +A yacht, hidden somewhere in the fog ahead, sounded eight bells and was +instantly echoed from further away. "Great Scott!" exclaimed Steve. "Is +it twelve already?" + +Joe nodded, glancing at the ship's clock at the end of the cabin. "Two +minutes after if our clock's right. Say, Steve, the next time we go out +in a fog we'll--um--we won't go, eh?" + +"Not while I'm running this hooker," agreed Steve with intense +conviction. "Now that it's over, Joe, I don't mind telling you that I +was a bit worried. I wanted like anything to drop anchor back there by +the jetty." + +"Why didn't you then?" + +"I don't quite know," replied the other thoughtfully, "but I think it +was chiefly because I didn't like to be beaten." + +"Dinner!" called Ossie from the forward cabin. "All hands to dinner! Get +a move on!" + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +PERRY LOSES HIS WAY + + +They stayed aboard all that day, for the fog held tight, and, if Steve's +calculations were right, the _Adventurer_ lay well down toward the +entrance to the harbour and the nearest settlement was a good mile and +three-quarters away. None of the seven felt sufficiently ambitious to +put out for shore in that smother of mist. They managed to pass the time +without much trouble, however. There was always the graphophone, +although they were destined to become rather tired of the records, and +Steve, Joe, Han and Neil played whist most of the afternoon. Phil curled +up on a couch and read, and Ossie and Perry, after having a violent +argument over the proper way to make an omelet decided to settle the +question then and there. By the time the two omelets were prepared the +whist players were ready to stop and the entire ship's company partook +of the rival concoctions and decided the matter in favour of Ossie. + +"Although," explained Joe, "I'm not saying that Perry's omelet is bad. +If he had remembered to put a little salt in it--" + +"I did!" declared Perry resentfully. "You don't know a decent omelet +when you see it. Look how light mine was! Why, it was twice as high as +Ossie's!" + +"That's just it," said Steve gravely. "It was so light that it sort of +faded away before you could taste it. An omelet, Perry, should be +substantial and filling." + +"That shows how much you know about it," jeered Perry. "There were just +as many eggs in mine as there were in his. Only I made mine with water +and beat the eggs separately--" + +"Ah, there it is, you see," drawled Joe. "You beat the poor little eggs. +I'm surprised at you, Perry. Any fellow who will beat an inoffensive +egg--" + +"Huh, I found one that wasn't inoffensive by a long shot! Someone will +have to get some eggs tomorrow, for there are only eight left." + +"What!" Han viewed Perry in disgust. "Mean to say you went and used them +all up making those silly omelets?" + +"I notice you ate the silly omelets," said Ossie. "One egg apiece is +enough for breakfast, isn't it?" + +"Not for me. The doctor ordered two every morning. If I don't have two +eggs for breakfast I shall mutiny." + +"If you do you'll be put in irons," said Joe. "Or swung from the +yard-arm. Say, how long before we're going to have something to eat, +Ossie? I'm hungry. That egg thing sort of whetted my appetite." + +"Gosh, you fellows would keep me cooking all the time," grumbled the +steward. "It's only five, and we don't have supper until six. So you can +plaguey well starve for an hour." + +"Then I shall go to sleep and--um--forget the pangs of hunger. Move your +big feet out of the way, Phil." + +"I like your cheek, you duffer! Go on back to your own bunk." + +"Too faint for want of food," murmured Joe, stretching himself out in +spite of Phil's protests. "Someone sing to me, please." + +Supper went very well, in spite of the mid-afternoon luncheon, and after +that the riding light was set for the night, the hatches drawn shut and +all hands settled down to pass the evening in whatever way seemed best. +But bedtime came early tonight and, by half-past nine, with the sound of +a distant siren coming to them at intervals and the yacht's bells +chiming the hours and half-hours, all lights were out below and the +_Adventurer_ was wrapped in fog and silence. + +The fog still held in the morning, although at times it took on a +yellowish tinge and made them hopeful that it would burn off. Steve said +it was not quite so thick, but no one else was able to see much +difference in it. Han managed to subsist on one egg, in spite of gloomy +predictions, but after breakfast he and Perry decided to paddle ashore +and find a place where they could purchase more. They tried to add to +the party, but no one else wanted to go, and so they disappeared into +the mist about nine o'clock, agreeing to be back at ten-thirty, at which +time, unless the fog should have lifted, those aboard the boat were to +sound the whistle. + +They landed on a narrow beach after a short row, and, stumbling through +a fringe of coarse sand, discovered a lane leading inland. They stopped +and strove to remember the location of the boat, and then followed the +lane. The fog was amber-hued now and the morning was fast losing its +chill. Perry broke into song and Han into a tuneless whistle that seemed +to give him a deal of satisfaction. They soon found a main-travelled +road and, after fixing the turn-off in their minds, wheeled to the left. + +"It would be a fine joke if we couldn't find the dingey again," chuckled +Han. + +"I think you've got a punk idea of humour," responded Perry. "Anyway, +all we'd have to do is find the beach and keep along until we barked our +skins on the boat. Bet you, though, this pesky fog will be gone in an +hour." + +The road left the shore presently and the travellers found that the fog +was thinner and sometimes lifted entirely over small spaces, and it +wasn't long before they stopped to take off their jackets and swing them +across their arms. Possibly they passed houses, but they saw none, and +the only incident occurred when the sound of wheels came to them from +the highway ahead and, presently, a queer, old-fashioned two-wheeled +chaise drawn by a piebald, drooping-eared horse passed slowly from the +mist ahead to the mist behind. The boys gazed at it in wonderment, too +interested in the equipage itself to heed the occupants. When it was out +of sight again Han ejaculated: "Well, I'll be switched, Perry! I didn't +suppose there was one of those things left in the world!" + +"Neither did I. And there won't be pretty quick, I guess, for it looked +and sounded as if it would fall to pieces before it got to--to wherever +it's going. Bet you anything that was the deacon's one-horse chaise in +the poem!" + + "_Have you heard of the wonderful one-hoss shay + That was built in such a logical way + It ran a hundred years to a day?_" + +quoted Han. "Wouldn't that look funny alongside a Rolls-Royce, Perry?" + +"It would look funny alongside a flivver," answered the other. "Say, how +far do we have to walk? Seems to me we've done about five miles +already." + +"Rot! We haven't walked more than a mile. Not being able to see things +makes it seem farther, I guess." The encouraging sound of a cow mooing +reached them the next minute. "That must be the one we heard yesterday," +said Han. "I suppose there's just one on the island and it's set to go +off at the same time every day." + +"If there's a cow over there," said Perry, staring into the fog, "maybe +there's a farmhouse. Let's have a look." + +"All right, but we're just as likely to walk into a swamp as find a +house." + +But a very few steps off the highway put them on a narrow lane and +presently the big bulk of a barn loomed ahead. The house was soon +located and ten minutes later, having purchased two quarts of milk and +four dozen eggs, they retraced their steps. The fog had now apparently +changed its mind about lifting, for the yellow tinge had gone and the +world was once more grey and chill. They donned their coats again and, +carrying their precious burdens, trudged on. Occasionally a puff of air +came off the sound and the fog blew in trailing wreaths before them. +When they had walked what they considered to be the proper distance they +began to watch for that lane. And after they had watched for it for a +full quarter of an hour and had walked a deal farther than they should +have they reached the entirely justifiable conclusion that they were +lost! + +Perry set down the battered milk can on which they had paid a deposit of +twenty-five cents, took a long breath and, viewing the encompassing fog, +exclaimed melodramatically: "Lost on Martha's Vineyard, or The Mystery +of the Four Dozen Eggs!" + +"Well, we won't starve for awhile," laughed Han. "Say, where _is_ that +lane we came up, anyway? Think we've passed it?" + +"About ten miles back," sighed Perry. "Come on and let's try dead +reckoning. The beach is over there somewhere and if we can find it--" + +"Great! But when we have found it, which way shall we go?" + +Perry pushed his hat back and thoughtfully scratched his head. "Give it +up!" he said at last. "You might go one way and I another. Anyway, let's +find the old beach." + +They scrambled across a wall into a bush-grown tract, Han discovering in +the process that he had chosen a place prettily bedecked with +poison-ivy. "That does for me," said Han gloomily. "I'll have a fine +time of it now for a couple of weeks. I can't even look at that stuff +without getting poisoned!" + +"Maybe it didn't see you," said Perry cheerfully. "In this fog--" + +"Don't be a silly goat," interrupted the other fretfully. "I tell you +I'll be all broken out tomorrow! And it's perfectly beastly, too. You +have blisters all over you and they itch so you can hardly stand it." + +"Too bad," said Perry, trying to sound sympathetic but failing because +he caught his foot in a bramble at the moment and almost pitched on his +face. + +"Well," continued Han, more cheerfully, "there's one good thing. Salt +water is fine to bathe in when you have ivy poisoning, and there'll be +plenty of that around." + +"Sure; and it won't cost you a cent, either." They reached the beach +then and gazed hopelessly about them as they crossed the softer sand. +"If only they'd blow their old whistle we'd know where we are." + +"If I had some alcohol I might backen it," observed Han. + +"Alcohol? Backen what?" + +"The ivy poison." + +"Oh! Well, there's plenty of alcohol on board. Wonder what time it is," +Perry drew out his watch and whistled surprisedly. "Only a quarter to +ten, Han! We couldn't have walked very far, after all. And they won't +signal us until ten-thirty. Here, I'm going this way." + +"It's the alkali that counteracts the poison," explained Han. "They say +that if you can bathe the places in alcohol soon after you come in--in +contact with the ivy--" + +"For the love of Pete!" exclaimed Perry. "Forget about it, Han! You'll +worry yourself to death over that poison-ivy. Maybe it didn't bite you, +after all." + +"Of course it did!" replied the other resentfully. "It always does. If I +had some alcohol, though--" + +"Well, come on and get some. We've got to find the boat first, haven't +we?" + +"Yes, but I don't think it's that way." + +"Then you try the other way, and if you find it, sing out so I'll hear +you." + +"All right." They separated, each following the edge of the water, and +presently Perry's voice rang out. "Here she is, Han!" he called. A faint +hail answered him and Perry stowed the milk-can in the bow of the little +boat and seated himself to wait. A few minutes later, as Han still +tarried, he shouted again. This time there was no reply however, and +Perry muttered impatiently and found a more comfortable position. When +some five minutes more had passed he got to his feet and yelled at the +top of his lungs. "Get a move on, Han! The milk's getting sour and I'm +getting cold!" he shouted. An answering cry came from closer by, but +what it was that Han said Perry couldn't make out. He turned his coat +collar up, plunged hands in pockets and viewed the grey mist +scowlingly. Then he began to listen for footsteps crunching the sand. +But no sound save the lapping of water on the beach and the creaking of +a boom on an unseen boat reached him. + +"It would serve him right to leave him here," he muttered resentfully. +"Anyway, I'm not going to yell at him any more. I suppose he's so taken +up with his poison-ivy business that he can't think of anything else. +Wonder if I got into that stuff, too!" The idea was distinctly +unwelcome. He thought he recalled brushing through leaves as he crossed +the wall. He had never had any experience with poison-ivy and didn't +know whether or not he was susceptible, but it seemed to him that there +was a distinct itching sensation on his back. He squirmed uncomfortably. +Then a prickly feeling on his left wrist set him to rubbing it. He +examined the skin and, sure enough, it was quite red! He had it, too! +You had blisters all over you, Han had said. Perry looked for blisters +but found none. Still, he reflected miserably, it was probably too early +for them yet. He suddenly found himself rubbing his right wrist too. And +that, also, was distinctly inflamed looking, although not so red as the +other. Gee, he'd ought to do something! Alcohol! That was it! He ought +to bathe the places in alcohol! He jumped out of the dingey, pushed it +down the beach into the water and sprawled across the bow. Then he +shoved further off with an oar and sudsided onto a seat. + +"Back in ten minutes for you, Han!" he shouted. "You wait here! I'll +bring some alcohol!" + +When a dozen choppy strokes had taken him out of sight of the shore his +panic subsided a little and two thoughts came to him. The first was that +he was treating Han rather scurvilly and the second was that he hadn't +more than the haziest notion where the _Adventurer_ lay! But, having +embarked, he kept on. Probably ten or fifteen minutes wouldn't make much +difference in Han's case, while, as for finding the cruiser, he would +shout after he had rowed a little further and doubtless someone aboard +would hear him. + +So he went on into the mist, occasionally stopping to scratch a wrist or +wiggle about on the seat in the endeavour to abate the prickling +sensation in back or shoulders. It seemed to him now that he was +infected from head to toes. Presently, having rowed some distance, he +began to hail. "_Adventurer_ ahoy!" he shouted, "O Steve! O Joe!" + +He stopped rowing, rubbed a wrist, peered into the fog and waited. But +no answering hail reached him. He lifted his voice again. "Ahoy! +_Adventurer_ ahoy! Are you all dead? Where are you?" + +This time there was an answer, faint but unmistakable, and, somewhat to +Perry's surprise, it came from almost behind him. "Shout again!" he +called. "Where are you?" + +"He-e-ere! Hurry up!" At least, that was what the answer sounded like. +Perry grumblingly turned the boat around and rowed in the direction of +the voice. "I suppose," he thought, "I rowed in a circle. I always did +row harder with my right. But I don't see what they want me to hurry +for. And they might blow their whistle if they had any sense." + +"Shout again!" he yelled presently. + +"Hello-o-o!" came a hail from somewhere back of the boat, and: "Come +ahead!" called a voice from the fog in front. Perry exploded. + +"Shut up, one of you!" he called exasperatedly. "I can't row two ways at +once! Where's the boat?" But his remarks evidently didn't carry, for all +he got was another hail from behind. "All right," he muttered. "Why +didn't you say so before?" He swung the dingey around a second time and +rowed on a new course. "Wonder who the other chap was," he thought. "I +dare say, though, there are boats all around here if a fellow could see +them." A minute later he called again: "Come on, you idiots! Where are +you?" + +"Don't bust yourself," said a voice from almost over his shoulder. "And +watch where you're going if you don't want to stave that boat in." + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +SOUR MILK + + +Perry was so surprised that he almost fell off the seat, while, +forgetting to obey injunctions, he let the dingey run until there was a +sudden bump that toppled the milk-can over and nearly treated him the +same way. He looked startedly about. Six feet away lay a black boat and +a boy with a boat-hook was threatening him from the deck. + +"You silly idiot!" called the boy impatiently. "Look where you're going! +If I hadn't got you with the hook you'd have knocked half our paint +off!" + +The boy and the boat slowly vanished in the mist like a "fade-out" at +the movies, before Perry found his voice. Then: "Who the dickens are +you?" he gasped. + +"I'm the man who put the salt in the ocean," replied the voice +jeeringly. "Come on easy and I'll get you." + +"Well, but--but--what boat's that?" + +"U.S. Battleship _Pennsylvania_, Pride of the Navy! Come on, you +lubber!" + +Perry came on and again the boy with the boat-hook took form in the +fog. "You're Cas Temple," said Perry stupidly. "That's the _Follow Me_!" + +"Surest thing you know, son! Hello! Why, it's Perry Bush. I thought you +were Bert. What did you do with the fellows?" + +"What fellows?" asked Perry, puzzled, as Cas pulled the dingey alongside +the cruiser. + +"Why, Bert and Wink and the rest of them." + +"Haven't seen 'em." + +"Haven't? Where'd you get the boat, then?" + +"What boat?" + +"That one! The one you're in! Say, are you dippy?" + +"This is our boat and I got it--" + +"Your boat nothing! That's our boat, you silly chump! Think I don't know +our own tender?" + +"Wh-what!" gasped Perry. "So it is! Then, where's mine! I mean ours? How +did I get this one?" + +"Search me! If you don't know, I'm blessed if I do," chuckled Caspar +Temple. "You must remember something that's happened since yesterday +morning!" + +"Han and I went ashore," said Perry, staring puzzledly at the milk-can +from which a tiny stream was trickling past the loosened stopper. "Then +we went to look for our boat and I found this and I yelled to him and he +didn't come and so I started back to the boat to get some--" Perry +suddenly remembered his affliction. "Say, got any alcohol?" he asked +anxiously. + +"Alcohol? I don't know. Why?" + +"I want some." Perry started to scramble out of the tender. "I got +poisoned." + +"Snake?" asked Cas hopefully and eagerly. + +"Poison-ivy." + +"Oh!" The other's voice held keen disappointment. "Well, what do you +want alcohol for?" + +"It's good for it," explained Perry, reaching the cockpit. "See if +you've got any, will you, Cas?" + +"Y-yes but, honestly, Perry, I wouldn't try it if I were you." + +"Why not!" + +"Why--why, if you go and drink a lot of alcohol--Besides, I'm all alone +here, and if you got--got troublesome--" + +"Drink it, you silly goat! Who's going to drink it? I'm going to rub it +on the places!" + +"Oh, I see! That's different. I'll have a look, Perry." Cas was visibly +relieved as he scrambled down to the cabin. Perry dropped into the +dingey again and set the milk-can upright, and then, after another +minute, Cas returned empty-handed. "I'm sorry," he said, "but we haven't +a bit. Would peroxide do?" + +"I don't know," answered Perry doubtfully. "Maybe. Hand it here and I'll +give it a chance. Say," he continued as he laved his wrists, "did your +crowd leave this boat on the beach?" + +"I suppose so. That's where you found it, wasn't it! You'd better hustle +back with it, too, for they said they'd be back about eleven. They went +to Vineyard Haven." + +"It's all well enough to say hustle back with it," replied Perry +morosely, "but where's your pesky beach?" + +"Why, over there," said Cas, pointing. "The way you came." + +"I came forty-eleven different directions," answered Perry. "All right, +though. I'll try it. But I'm likely to be paddling around all day and +night. Got anything to eat on board?" Cas found some cookies and these, +with a glass of water, raised Perry's spirits. "Farewell," he said +feelingly, as he shoved off again. "I die for my country." + +"Did you fellows have any trouble finding this place yesterday?" asked +Cas as the departing guest dropped the oars in the locks. + +"Trouble?" Perry looked blank. "What sort of trouble?" + +"Why, the fog, you know. We had an awful time finding the harbour." + +"Oh, that!" Perry shrugged. "Why, we went straight for the jetty and +didn't have any trouble at all finding it. But then we've got a +navigator on our boat. So long!" + +Perry discovered that rowing was raising a blister on each palm and that +his arms were getting decidedly tired. The trouble with a dingey, he +decided, was that while it might do excellently as a bathtub, it was +certainly never meant for rowing. The oars were so short that the best +strokes he was capable of sent the boat ahead scarcely more than three +or four feet, and, being almost as broad as it was long, the tender +constantly showed a tendency to go any way but straight ahead. While he +had been aboard the _Follow Me_ the fog had again taken on its amber hue +and now was unmistakably thinning out. But it was still thick enough to +hide objects thirty feet away and Perry couldn't for the life of him be +certain that he was sending his craft toward the beach. To be sure he +had started out in the general direction of the shore, as indicated by +Cas, but there was always the possibility that he was rowing stronger +with one oar than the other. He strove to curb that tendency and fancied +he was succeeding, but when, after being afloat a good quarter of an +hour, he still failed to see land or hear the break of waves on the +beach he was both puzzled and annoyed. The sun pierced the mist hotly +and he was soon panting and perspiring. He heartily wished that he had +never agreed to accompany Han on the search for eggs. Presently he +rested on his oars, and as he did so he heard voices quite close. He +called. + +"Hello, there! Where's the beach?" + +"Here," was the answer. + +He rowed on and in another minute land came abruptly out of the fog. Two +blurred forms resolved themselves into men as Perry beached the dingey +and tiredly dropped the oars. The men came toward him and proved, on +nearer acquaintance, to be middle-aged and apparently natives. "Quite a +fog," drawled one of them. "What boat you from, sir?" + +"The _Adventurer_." Perry viewed the immediate foreground with +misgiving. The beach looked more abrupt than he recalled it. "What +beach is this?" he inquired. + +"Well, I don't know as it's got any name exactly. What beach was you +lookin' for?" + +"The beach between Vineyard Haven and--and some other place." + +"Oh, West Chop? Why, that's across the harbour, son. This is Eastville, +this side." + +Perry groaned. He had rowed in a half-circle then. Unless Cas had +directed him wrong. Presently the true explanation came to him. The tide +had turned between the time the _Follow Me's_ crowd had gone ashore and +the time that Perry had reached that boat, and Cas had not allowed for +the fact that the cruiser had swung around! "Well," he said wearily, "I +guess I've got to row across again." + +"Too bad," sympathised one of the men. "It's most a mile. Guess, though, +you'll be able to see your way pretty soon. This fog's burning off +fast." + +Out of sight of the men Perry again laid his oars down and reached +behind him for the can of milk. It was rather warm, but it tasted good +for all of that. Then, putting the wooden stopper back in place, he once +more took up his task. Perhaps he might have been rowing around that +harbour yet had not the fog suddenly disappeared as if by magic. Wisps +of it remained here and there, but even as he watched them, they curled +up and were burned into nothingness like feathers in a fire. He found +himself near the head of a two-mile-long harbour. The calm blue water +was rippling under the brushing of a light southerly breeze and here and +there lay boats anchored or moored. While the fog had hidden the harbour +he had supposed that not more than half a dozen craft were within sight, +but now, between mouth and causeway, fully two dozen sailboats and +launches dotted the surface. Over his shoulder was a little hamlet that +was doubtless Vineyard Haven. Facing him was a larger community, and he +decided that that would be Oak Bluffs. Half a mile down the harbour lay +the _Adventurer_ and, nearer at hand, the _Follow Me_. But what was of +more present interest to Perry was a group of figures on the opposite +beach. They appeared to be seated and there was that in their attitude +which, even at this distance, told of dejection. So, reflected Perry, +might have looked a group of marooned sailors. He sighed and bent again +to his inadequate oars. He was under no misapprehension as to the sort +of welcome awaiting him, but, like an early Christian martyr on the way +to the arena, he proceeded with high courage if scant enthusiasm. + +With the sun pouring down upon him, with his hands blistered, with his +breath just about exhausted and his arms aching, he at last drew to the +shore amidst a dense and unflattering silence. Five irate youths stepped +into the tender and crowded the seats. Harry Corwin took his place +beside Perry and relieved him of the port oar. Perry would have yielded +the other very gladly, but none offered to accept it and he hadn't the +courage to make the suggestion. The dingey floated off the sand again, +headed for the _Follow Me,_ and then the storm broke. It didn't descend +all at once, however. At first there were muffled growls of thunder from +Harry Corwin. Then came claps from Wink Wheeler. After that the elements +raged about Perry's defenceless head, even "Brownie" supplying some fine +lightning effects! + +Perry gathered in the course of the uncomplimentary remarks directed +toward him that the crowd, being unable to find the dingey where they +believed they had left it, had spent some twenty minutes searching up +and down the beach, that subsequently they had waited there in the fog +for a good forty minutes more and that eventually Perry Bush would +sooner or later come to some perfectly deplorable end and that for their +part they didn't care how soon it might be. By the time the _Follow Me_ +was reached Perry was too worn out to offer any excuse. Cas, however, +did it for him, and, as the others' tempers had somewhat sobered by then +amusement succeeded anger. Perry faintly and vaguely described his +wanderings about the harbour and the amusement increased. As dinner was +announced about that time he was dragged to the cabin and propped in a +corner of a bunk and fed out of hand. An hour later he was transported, +somewhat recovered, to the _Adventurer_ by Harry and Tom Corwin and Wink +Wheeler and delivered, together with his precious can of milk, into the +hands of his ship-mates. + +The _Adventurer's_ tender bobbed about at the stern and the first person +Perry set eyes on as he scrambled onto the bridge deck was Han. Perry +fixed him with a scathing gaze. "Where," he demanded, "did you get to, +idiot?" + +"Oh, I'll tell you about that," answered Han. "You see I was afraid +about that poison-ivy and so I took a dip in the ocean. And--" + +"But I called you and called!" + +"Yes, and I answered a couple of times. And then I may have had my head +under water." + +"A monstrous pity you didn't keep it there!" + +"When," continued Han, "I went to look for you I couldn't find you. So +I--so I came back here." + +"Yes, you thought maybe I'd swum across, eh! Or found a boat?" + +"Sure! You did find a boat, didn't you?" + +"You make me tired," growled Perry amidst the laughter of the others. +"And I hope that poison-ivy gets you good and hard!" + +"I don't believe it took," replied Han gently, "Maybe it wasn't +poison-ivy, after all!" + +At that instant the outraged countenance of Ossie appeared in the +companion way. "What," he demanded irately of Perry, "do you mean by +bringing back half a gallon of sour milk?" + +Perry looked despairingly about at the unsympathetic and amused faces +and wandered limply aft to the seclusion of the cockpit. + +The next morning the Adventure Club chugged around to Edgartown, and +then, after putting in gasoline and water, set out at a little after +eleven, on a fifty-mile run to Pleasant Bay. + + + + +CHAPTER X + +THE _FOLLOW ME_ DISAPPEARS + + +There had been talk of going through the Cape Cod Canal and so obviating +the outside journey, but most of the voyagers thought that would be too +tame and unexciting. Besides, a barge had managed to sink herself across +the channel near the Buzzard's Bay end a week or so before and no one +seemed to know for certain whether she had yet pulled herself out and +gone on about her business, and, as Steve pointed out, they'd feel a bit +foolish if they got to the canal entrance and had to turn back again. +They had fair weather and light breezes all the way to New Harbour and +from there, the next day, around the tip of the Cape to Provincetown. +They dropped anchor off the yacht club landing at Provincetown at four +o'clock Friday afternoon and went ashore as soon as the boats were +berthed and sought the post-office. Provincetown had been selected as +the first certain port of call and most of the thirteen boys found mail +awaiting them. Only Neil, however, received tidings of importance, and +his letter from his parents brought an exclamation of dismay to his +lips. + +"Anything wrong?" asked Ossie, sitting beside him on the rail of the +hotel porch. + +"Rotten," replied Neil disgustedly. "I've got to go home!" + +"Go home!" echoed the other. "What for?" + +"Dad's got to go to England on some silly business or other," explained +Neil gloomily, "and he wants me to stay with mother. Of course I ought +to. Mother's sort of an invalid and there's no one else. But it's rotten +luck." He stowed the letter in his pocket and stared disappointedly at +the passing traffic. "I was having a bully time, too," he muttered +disconsolately. + +"That's a shame," said Ossie sympathetically. "When will you have to +go?" + +"He wants me to meet him in New York Sunday. He sails early Monday +morning. I suppose I'll have to go tomorrow. Guess I'd better get a time +table and see how the trains run." + +"Gee, I'm sorry," murmured Ossie. + +And so, for that matter, was every other member of the _Adventurer's_ +company for Neil was well liked. And the _Follow He's_ crew were +scarcely less regretful. A study of the railroad schedule showed that +the next train for Boston left at five-fifty-five in the morning and +that the only other train was at two-forty in the afternoon. + +"Five-fifty-five's a perfectly punk time for a train to leave anywhere, +even Provincetown," objected Neil. "And the two-forty will get me to +Boston too late for anything but a midnight train to New York." + +"Bother trains," said Steve. "We'll run you to Boston tomorrow in the +boat. We can do it in four hours or so. If the _Follow Me_ crowd want to +stay here another day we'll wait for them at Boston, or we'll go on and +meet them further up the shore." + +"But I don't want to hurry you chaps away from the Cape," expostulated +Neil. "You were going to Plymouth, weren't you?" + +"Yes, we were, but there's nothing important about that. Hold on, +though! I say, look up the Plymouth trains, Neil. There must be more of +them from there and we can put you across to Plymouth in a couple of +hours." + +They found that a train leaving Plymouth at ten would put Neil in Boston +shortly after eleven, in plenty of time for the one o'clock express to +New York, and so it was decided that the _Adventurer_ was to leave her +present port at seven in the morning. The _Follow Me_ was to follow +more leisurely and the boats would spend the next night at Plymouth. +Neil and Ossie went off to send telegrams and the others roamed around +the town until it was time for supper. Afterwards Neil packed his +belongings in two pasteboard laundry boxes, having no bag with him, and +constantly bewailed his ill-fortune. Later the _Follow Me_ crowd came +over and they had quite a jolly evening and Neil cheered up vastly. + +The next morning dawned clear and hot and, after an early breakfast, the +_Adventurer_ weighed anchor. The _Follow Me's_ whistle signalled +good-bye until they were half-way to Long Point and the _Adventurer_ +replied. Once around the point the boat headed across the wide bay for +the mainland at a good sixteen-mile clip. The voyage was uneventful and +Manomet Hill was soon sighted. Then Plymouth Beach stretched before them +and presently they were rounding the head and pointing the +_Adventurer's_ nose for the town. There was still the better part of an +hour left after the anchor was dropped and they all tumbled into the +dingey and found a landing and spent the next three-quarters of an hour +rambling around the historic town, Ossie and Perry bearing Neil's +strange-looking luggage. Neil insisted on viewing Plymouth Rock, +declaring that he might never get another opportunity, and after that +there was not much time left to them. They installed Neil on the train +impressively, stowed his luggage around him and then took up positions +outside the window, where, to the mingled curiosity and amusement of +other travellers, they conducted farewell exercises. These included an +entirely impromptu and unsolicited duet by Perry and Han, a much +interrupted speech by Joe, and, finally, as the train moved out of the +station, a hearty Dexter cheer with three "Neils!" on the end. In such +manner the _Adventurer_ lost her cabin boy and the ranks of the club +were depleted by one. + +Neil's departure left a hole and as the others returned from the station +they spoke of him rather as though he had passed on to a better world, +recalling his good points and becoming quite sad in a cheerful way. In +view of their bereavement, they decided to have luncheon at a hotel and +during that meal recovered their spirits. More sight-seeing followed, +but the day was a hot one and by half-past three they had had enough and +so returned to the landing and pulled back to the cruiser. Steve, who +had supplied himself with yesterday's New York and Boston papers, +pre-empted a seat on the bridge deck and stretched himself out on it, +his legs crooked over the railing. The others found places in the shade +as best they could and talked and watched for the _Follow Me_ and +listened to occasional snatches of news from Steve. There was +practically no breeze and the afternoon was uncomfortably hot even under +the awning. Joe finally solved the difficulty of keeping cool by +disappearing below and presently re-emerging in his swimming trunks and +dropping overboard. That set the fashion, and they all went in save +Steve, who was too absorbed in his papers to know whether he was warm or +not. The _Follow Me_ came up the harbour just before five and tooted a +greeting as she swung around to a berth near the _Adventurer_. The +fellows, who were still in bathing attire, swam across to her, and very +shortly their ranks were increased by just half a dozen more. The sight +of Steve's feet hanging over the canvas was too much for Perry and he +yielded to temptation. Swimming up very quietly he deftly pulled off one +of Steve's "sneakers" and, in defiance of the owner's protests, they +played ball with it until the inevitable happened and it sank out of +sight before Wink Wheeler could dive for it. "Brownie" said then that +Steve might as well let them have the other one, since one shoe was no +use to him, but Steve's reply was not only non-compliant but actually +insulting in its terms. He took off the other "sneaker" and laid on it. + +That bath left them feeling both refreshed and hungry and Ossie had a +hard time finding enough for them to eat. Perry described the +astonishment of some Plymouth fisherman when he opened a codfish some +fine day and discovered a rubber-soled shoe inside. "You'll read all +about it in the paper, Steve, and won't you laugh!" he added. + +Steve, who had been forced to don a pair of leather shoes, didn't seem +to anticipate any great amount of amusement, however, and suggested that +it would be a gentlemanly act if Perry would hie himself to a store and +purchase a pair of number 8 "sneakers," a suggestion which Perry weighed +carefully and discarded. "You see," he explained, "it wouldn't be fair +to make me spend my hard-earned money for two 'sneakers' when I only +lost one. If the store would sell me half a pair, Steve, I'd make good +in a minute, but you see my point of view, don't you?" + +Steve didn't seem to. + +While they were still at table Harry Corwin's voice was heard and Ossie +investigated by the simple expedient of climbing on top of the galley +locker and thrusting his head through the open hatch. "He wants to know +if we'll go to the movies with them," said Ossie, ducking back into +sight. + +"Surest thing you know," agreed Perry. + +"We might as well, eh?" asked Joe. "It'll be beastly hot, though." + +"I'll go if they've got Charlie Chaplin," said Han. "Ossie, ask him if +they have, please." + +"He says he doesn't know," responded Ossie after an exchange of remarks. +"I told them we'd go, though," he added, dropping to the floor. "They're +going to wait for us on the landing in half an hour." + +"Half an hour!" grumbled Perry. "You told them that so I couldn't get +enough to eat, you stingy beggar! Got anything more out there?" + +"Great Jumping Jehosaphat!" ejaculated Ossie wildly. "I've cooked two +messes of potatoes and toasted a hundred slices of bread--" + +"Oh, all right. Bring on the dessert, then." + +"The dessert's on now," answered Ossie shortly. "Cookies and jelly. +That's all you get, Piggie." + +"Won't we have to buy some more grub pretty soon?" asked Steve. + +Ossie nodded and glanced darkly at Perry. "If _he_ stays around we +will," he answered. "We've got enough for three or four days yet, +though. Better have some canned stuff, I guess. And some flour and +sugar." + +"How's the treasury, Phil?" inquired Han. + +"Still holding out. Where's the next stop, Steve?" + +"We said Portsmouth, but Harry wants to put in at Salem. I don't suppose +it matters much." + +"Then we cut out Boston altogether?" + +"Why, yes, it's out of the way a bit. Besides, we didn't start out on +this cruise to visit cities." + +"We started out to look for adventures," said Perry sadly, "but I don't +see many of them coming our way." + +"What do you call adventures?" asked Han. "Didn't you have a fine time +being lost in the fog the other day?" + +"Huh!" replied Perry, scraping the last of the jelly from the glass. +"Being lost in the fog isn't an adventure. It's just plain punk. What I +mean is--is pirates and--and desert islands and--and that sort of +thing." + +"You were born a hundred years or so too late," said Joe, shaking his +head. "Toss me a cookie, Han. Thanks. If you saw a pirate, Perry, +you'd--um--you'd drop dead." + +"If I saw a pirate," replied Perry indignantly, "I'd--um--live as long +as you would! Besides, I've got a perfect right to drop dead if I want +to." + +"Go ahead," said Joe lightly. "Any time you like, old chap." + +"The reason I spoke of Boston," reverted Phil, "was that I thought it +might be a good place to buy our supplies. There's no use paying any +more for them than we have to and going broke before the cruise is half +over." + +"Yes, but don't forget that gasoline's pretty expensive stuff these +days, Phil," said Steve. "I guess we'd burn up enough gas getting to +Boston to make up for any saving on supplies, eh? I suppose there are +stores in Salem." + +"Thought it burned up awhile ago," said Han. + +"Part of it did, but I don't suppose it stayed burned up, you idiot. +What time is it? We'd better beat it for shore." + +"Right-o," agreed Han. "I hope they have Charlie Chaplin, though." + +By some strange inadvertency, however, Mr. Chaplin's eccentric person +was missing from the screen. In spite of that, though, Han managed to +enjoy the evening. Afterwards Perry suggested light refreshments and +they set out in search of a lunch counter. But anyone who knows Plymouth +will realise the hopelessness of their search. After roaming around the +quiet and deserted streets and at last being assured by a policeman that +their quest was worse than idle they went back to the tenders. "I +suppose," said Perry disgustedly, "they close all the stores early so +they can go to the movies. I wish now we'd had some soda at that drug +store where the man had insomnia." + +"We've got food on board," said Ossie. "I'll fix up some sandwiches. I +wish you'd get enough to eat for once, though," he added as he took his +place in the dingey. "Don't they ever feed you at home, Perry?" + +"Huh, I'll bet you're as hungry as I am! What are they yelping about +over there?" + +The other tender had left the landing a moment before the _Adventurer's_ +boat and now its occupants were heard shouting confusedly across the +moonlit water. + +"Can you make out what they're saying?" asked Steve of the rest. + +"Just nonsense, I guess," answered Phil, tugging at his oar. + +"Stop rowing a minute and listen," Steve directed. "Now then!" + +"Something about the boat," murmured Han. "I can't make it out, though." + +"By Jove, I can!" exclaimed Steve. "The _Follow Me's_ gone! She must +have slipped her anchor or dragged or something. Row hard, fellows!" + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +PURSUIT + + +Whatever had happened, one fact was plain, and that was that the smaller +of the two cruisers was not swinging at anchor where they had left her. +Nor could they see her anywhere. That she had dragged her anchor was +impossible, since the harbour was almost land-locked and the night was +still, with hardly enough breeze to stir the water. After the first few +minutes of stunned surprise the twelve boys, gathered on the +_Adventurer_, held council. It was Phil who eventually summed up the +situation quietly and tersely as follows: + +"The boat's gone. She isn't in the harbour, because if she were we could +see her. Either she's been taken off as a joke or stolen. I can't +imagine anyone doing it as a joke. In any case it's up to us to find +her. We went ashore about eight, and it's now ten to eleven. It's +probable that whoever swiped her waited until we were safely ashore and +out of the way. I mean, they probably allowed us at least half an hour." + +"They were probably watching us," suggested Steve. + +"Why didn't they take this one instead of the other?" asked Cas Temple. + +"Perhaps," replied Steve, "because they found the control locked. All +they had to do on the _Follow Me_ was break the padlock on the companion +way doors. Still, that's just a guess. They may have preferred the +_Follow Me_ for some other reason." + +"Never mind that," said Joe impatiently. "The question now is how we're +to find her. Go ahead, Phil." + +"I was going to suggest that we inquire among the other boats between +here and the harbour entrance. Two or three still have lights aboard. +Maybe they saw the _Follow Me_ pass out." + +"Somebody look after the tenders," said Steve briskly. "Haul ours out +and tie the other astern. Give her a short line, so she won't switch +around and fill with water. All ready, Joe?" + +Five minutes later the _Adventurer_ slid through the still water toward +the mouth of the harbour. On her way she stopped twice to shout +inquiries, and the second time a sleepy mariner, leaning, in pajamas +across the rail of a small launch, supplied the information they sought. + +"Yes, there was a cruising motor-boat went by about nine, or a little +after, headed toward the Pier Head. I didn't notice her much, but she +was painted dark. Come to think of it, it must have been pretty nearly +half-past, for I remember hearing three bells strike just afterwards." + +"You didn't see her after she went by here?" asked Steve. + +"No, I was getting ready for bed and saw her through a port. Anything +wrong?" + +"Nothing," replied Steve dryly, "except that she belongs to us and +someone's evidently stolen her. Thanks very much. Good night." + +"Good night," was the answer. "I hope you get her." + +"Well, we know she got this far," said Joe, "but--um--which way did they +take her when they got outside?" + +"That's the question," said Harry Corwin. "They might have gone across +to Provincetown and around the Cape, or taken her up the shore or down. +I guess the best thing for us to do would be to hike back and give the +alarm. If we telegraphed--" + +"She went north," said Phil with conviction. + +"How do you know?" demanded Joe. + +"I don't _know_, but think a minute. If you were stealing a boat you'd +want to keep out of sight with her, wouldn't you?" + +"Suppose I should." + +"Then you wouldn't mess around in Cape Cod Bay. You'd set a course as +far from other craft and harbours as you could. If they went south +they'd be among boats right along, and they'd know that we'd work the +wires and that folks would be on the lookout." + +"Then where," began Steve. + +"Let's look at the chart from here north," said Phil. The cover of the +chart box was thrust back and the lamp lighted and as many as could do +so clustered about it. Phil traced a finger across Massachusetts Bay +past the tip of Cape Ann. "There's clear sailing for ninety miles or so, +straight to Portland, unless--How much gas has she aboard, Harry?" + +"Only about twelve gallons." It was Tom Corwin who answered. "We were +going to fill again in the morning." + +"How far can she go on that?" + +"Not more than seventy at ordinary speed, I guess. She's hard on gas." + +"Good! Then she'd have to put in at Gloucester or Newburyport or +somewhere." + +"Unless she ducked into Boston Harbour," said Steve. "I dare say she +could tuck herself away somewhere there quite safely. A coat of white +paint would change her looks completely." + +"That's possible," agreed Phil, "but painting a boat of that size would +take a couple of days, wouldn't it? It doesn't seem to me that they'd +want to take the chance." + +"Then your idea is that they're on their way to Portland?" + +"Somewhere up there. They'd argue that we wouldn't be likely to look for +them so far away." + +"Well, here we are," said Steve. "We've got to go one way or another." +The rougher water outside was making the _Adventurer_ dip and roll. "As +far as I can see, Phil's theory is as good as another, or maybe better. +Shall we try going north, fellows?" + +No one answered until, after a moment's silence, Perry remarked +philosophically: "I don't believe we'll ever see her again, but we can't +stop here, and we were going northward anyhow." + +Murmurs of agreement came from the others. The only dissentient voice +was Bert Alley's. "_I_ don't see your argument," he said. "If I had swiped +the _Follow Me_ I'd hike out for New York or some place like that and +run her into some little old hole until I could either change her looks +or sell her." + +"And be nabbed on the way," said Joe. + +"Not if I stayed at sea." + +"But you couldn't stay at sea if you had only twelve gallons of gasoline +aboard. Wherever she's going, she will have to put in for gas before +long." Phil stared thoughtfully at the chart. "I'll allow," he went on, +"that she may have gone any other direction but north. For that matter, +she may be anchored just around the corner somewhere. It's all more or +less guesswork. But, looking at the probabilities, and they're all we've +got to work on, I think north is the likeliest trail for us to take." + +"Right-o," said Steve, turning the wheel and pointing the boat's slim +bow toward Gurnet Point, "We've got to take a chance, fellows, and this +looks like the best. In the morning we'll get busy with the telegraph +and tell our troubles, but just now the best we can do is keep a sharp +lookout and try to think we're on the right course. I'm going to speed +her up, Joe, so you might dab some more oil and grease around your old +engine." + +"All right. You fellows will have to clear out of here, though, while I +get this hatch up. Some of you might go forward and keep your eyes +peeled. I don't suppose, however," he added as he pulled the engine +hatch up, "that they'll show any lights on her." + +"Not likely to," agreed Harry Corwin. "They'll run dark, probably, until +they get near a harbour. Look for anything like a boat, fellows. It's a +mighty good thing we've got this moonlight." + +"Yes, and we'll have to make hay while the moon shines," added Wink +Wheeler as he climbed out of Joe's way, "for it won't last much longer. +It'll be as dark as pitch by one or two o'clock, I guess." + +"Well, we've got a searchlight," said Perry. + +"There's no need for more than three of us to stay up," said Steve. +"I'll keep the wheel and Joe will stay here with me. Phil, you take the +watch for a couple of hours and then wake someone else." + +"Huh!" said Perry. "I'm not going to bed! Who wants to sleep, anyway?" + +Apparently no one did, for although presently the dozen fellows were +distributed over the boat, not one went below. Phil and Han stretched +themselves out at the bow, Steve, Joe, Harry and Tom Corwin and Cas +Temple remained on the bridge deck and the rest of the company retired +to the cockpit, from where, by looking along the after cabin roof, they +had a satisfactory view of the course. Perhaps one or two of the boys +did nod a little during the next two hours, but real slumber was far +from the minds of any of them. The _Adventurer_ was doing a good twenty +miles an hour, the propeller lashing the water into a long foaming path +that melted astern in the moonlight. Ossie busied himself in the galley +about midnight and served hot coffee and bread-and-butter sandwiches. +Only once was the _Adventurer_ changed from her course, which Steve had +laid for Gloucester, and then the light which had aroused their +suspicions was soon seen to belong to a coasting schooner beating her +way toward Boston. Of small boats there were none until, at about one +o'clock, when the two white lights of Baker's Island lay west by north +and the red flash on Eastern Point showed almost dead ahead, Phil called +from the bow. + +"Steve, there's something ahead that looks like a boat or a rock. Can +you see it?" + +"Which side?" + +"A little to the left. Port, isn't it? Han doesn't see it, but--" + +"I've got it," answered Steve. After a moment he added with conviction: +"It's a boat. Has she changed her position, Phil?" + +"Not while I've been watching. Looks as if she was going about the same +way we are." The others came clustering forward from the stern to stare +across the water at the dark spot ahead which, in the uncertain light of +the setting moon, might be almost anything. If it was a boat, it showed +no light. Anxiously the boys watched, and after a few minutes Steve +announced with quiet triumph: + +"We're pulling up on her, fellows, whoever she is!" + +"She's the _Follow Me_," declared Harry Corwin. "She must be, or she +wouldn't be running without lights." + +"We'll know before long," said Steve. "I wish the moon would stay out a +little longer, though. Joe, try the searchlight and see if you can pick +her up." + +But the craft ahead was a good mile away and the _Adventurer's_ small +searchlight was not powerful enough to bridge that distance with its +white glare. "They're making for the harbour, anyway," said Harry +Corwin, "and so she can't get away from us if we lose her now." Even as +he ended the last pallid rays of the moon vanished and they found +themselves in darkness save for the wan radiance of the stars. Lights +unnoticed before sprang up in the gloom along the shore and a dim +radiance in the sky showed where the town of Gloucester slumbered. + +"If they double on us now we'll lose them," muttered Steve. "Put that +light out, Joe. We can see better without it." + +"How far off is the harbour?" asked Harry. + +"About two miles. You can hear the whistle buoy. That white light to the +left of the red flash is the beacon on the end of the breakwater." He +moved the helm a trifle and examined the chart. "There are no rocks, +anyway, and that's a comfort. I can't say I like this running at night. +How far away was she when the moon went back on us, Harry?" + +"Oh, three-quarters, at a rough guess." + +"Nearer a mile and a quarter, I'd say. Well, if she doesn't dodge along +shore we'll have her in the harbour. Always supposing, that is, that she +really is the _Follow Me_." + +"She can't be anything else," answered Harry. "No sensible skipper would +go ploughing around at night without a light. Hello! Isn't that a light +there now?" + +"Where? Yes, you're right! She's lighted up at last! Afraid to go in +without lights, I dare say, for fear of arousing suspicion. I'm getting +to believe she _is_ the _Follow Me_, Harry." + +"I haven't doubted it once. Do you suppose she knows we're after her?" + +"She knows we're here, of course, but she can't be certain we're after +her. Still, turning that searchlight on was a sort of give-away. If she +really does go inside it's just because she's afraid of her fuel giving +out. We'd better anchor as far out as we can and keep our eyes open +until daylight comes." + +"She couldn't get gas before morning, I guess," said Joe. "Looks to me +as if, if she _is_ the _Follow Me_, they've run themselves into a trap!" + +"Hope so, I'm sure," said Wink Wheeler. "If we've caught her we've +certainly been lucky, fellows!" + +"Don't count your chickens until they're hatched," advised Ossie. "Maybe +she isn't the _Follow Me_ at all." + +"I can't see her light now," called Phil from the bow. "Hold on, there's +a green light, I think! No, I guess I was wrong. Can't see anything now, +Steve. Can you?" + +"No, she's turned and run inside back of the breakwater. Keep your ears +and eyes open for that whistling buoy, Phil. I want to pass it to port." + +"It's pretty near. There it is now! Look!" + +"I've got it! All right. Now it's straight for the white beacon." Steve +sighed relievedly. "No use hurrying any longer, I guess." He eased the +throttle back and the _Adventurer_ slowed her pace. "Have a look at the +chart, Harry. Isn't there a buoy near the end of the breakwater?" + +"Yes, a red spar buoy." + +"What's the depth just inside?" + +"Four fathoms, shoaling to one." + +"Good enough. We'll drop anchor just around the breakwater and train the +searchlight across the channel. I don't believe, though, they intend to +run out again before morning. All I'm afraid of is that they swung off +when darkness came and are sneaking around the Cape." + +"I'll bet anything we'll find her at anchor when daylight comes," +replied Harry. "She had only enough gas for seventy miles, and she's +gone about sixty at top speed. We've got her, Steve. Don't you worry." + +"Hope so. Get your bow anchor ready, Han, and stand by to heave. When +you let go make as little noise as you can. I'm going to turn the +lights out, fellows, so don't go messing about or you may walk +overboard. Switch them all off below, Ossie, will you? If those chaps +have anchored just inside the breakwater there's no sense in letting +them know that this is the _Adventurer_. Got your anchor ready, Han?" + +"Ay, ay, sir!" + +"All right. Don't let your windlass rattle. Keep quiet, fellows." +Suddenly all the lights on deck save that in the binnacle went out, +leaving the boat in darkness. Nearby the red flash of the lighthouse +glowed periodically, while, ahead, shone the white beacon. In silence +the _Adventurer_ drew nearer and nearer to the latter, put it abeam and +then swung to starboard. "Let her go, Han," called Steve softly. Those +on the bridge deck heard the faint splash of the hundred-pound navy +anchor as it struck the water. Han crept back and swung himself down to +the bridge. + +"All fast, sir," he reported. + +Somewhere in the darkness at the head of the harbour, where tiny +pin-pricks of light twinkled, a town clock struck two. + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +WHAT STEVE SAW + + +Waiting was weary work after that. It was two hours and a half to +sunrise and, since two of their number were sufficient to keep watch, +the others presently went below and napped. Steve and Bert Alley +remained on deck. Steve, although he perhaps needed sleep more than +anyone, refused to trust other eyes than his own, and while darkness +lasted he watched the white path cast across the water by the +_Adventurer's_ searchlight. But darkness and silence held until shortly +after four, when the eastern sky began to lighten. The next half-hour +passed more slowly than any that had gone before. Gradually their range +of vision enlarged, and Steve, peering into the greyness, drew Bert's +attention to a darker hulk that lay a few hundred yards up the harbour. +They watched it anxiously as the light increased. That it was a boat of +about the size of the _Follow Me_ and that is was painted dark became +more and more apparent. Then, quite suddenly, a ray of rosy light shot +up beyond Eastern Point and the neighbouring motor-boat lay revealed. +Steve sighed his disappointment. She was not the _Follow Me_ after all, +but a battered, black-hulled power-boat used for gill-netting. + +One by one, as the light strengthened, the others stumbled on deck, +yawning and rubbing their sleepy eyes. The _Adventurer_ was anchored +more than a mile from the inner harbour, and between her and Ten Pound +Island lay a big, rusty-red salt bark, high out of water, and five +fishing schooners. But these, aside from the disreputable little +gill-netter, were all the craft that met their gaze. + +"Either," said Steve wearily, "she never came in at all or she's up in +the inner harbour. I'll wager she didn't get out again last night. We'll +go up and mosey around, I guess. Ossie, how about some coffee?" + +"I'll make some, Steve. Guess we'd better have an early breakfast too." + +"It can't be too early to suit me," murmured Bert Alley, as he dragged +his feet down the companion way and toppled onto a berth. The +_Adventurer_ weighed anchor and in the first flush of a glorious Summer +dawn, chugged warily up the still harbour. She kept toward the eastern +shore and the boys swept every pier and cove with sharp eyes. Then +Rocky Neck turned back them and they picked a cautious way over sunken +rocks to the entrance of the inner harbour. By this time it was broad +daylight and their task was made easier. Still, as the inner harbour was +nearly a mile long and a good half-mile wide, and indented with numerous +coves, the search was long. They nosed in and out of slips, circled +basins and ran down a dozen false clues supplied by sailors on the +fishing schooners that lined the wharves. And, at seven o'clock they had +to acknowledge defeat. The _Follow Me_ was most surely not in Gloucester +Harbour. Nor, for that matter, was there a cabin-cruiser that resembled +her in any way. It was the latter fact that puzzled them, for they had +somehow become convinced that the darkened craft that had led them past +the breakwater last night was, if not the _Follow Me_, at least a boat +of her size. "And," said Harry Corwin, "we know that that boat did come +in here, for we saw her light disappear behind the breakwater. Let's +look around again." + +"If she came in for gasoline," said Phil, "we might find out whether she +got it. There can't be many places where she could fill her tanks." The +_Adventurer_ was slowly rounding a point that lay between the cove from +which she had just emerged and Western Harbour, and Wink Wheeler, who +was sitting on the rail on the starboard side of the deck, gave +utterance to an exclamation of surprise and pointed ahead to where a +drab-coloured power-boat had suddenly emerged into sight nearly a +half-mile away. + +"Look at that!" he cried. + +"That's not the _Follow Me_, you idiot," said Joe. + +"No, but where'd she come from?" demanded Wink. + +For a moment the boys stared and then Steve leaned quickly over the +chart. "By Jiminy!" he muttered. "There's a way out there. Look, +fellows! See where it says 'Drawbridge'? Evidently you can get through +there into the Squam River, and the river takes you out into Ipswich +Bay! It's dollars to doughnuts that's where they took the _Follow Me_!" +Steve drew down the throttle and the cruiser lunged forward in response. +"We'll have a look, anyway," he said. "It was stupid of me not to have +noticed that on the chart, but it's hardly big enough to be seen." + +Straight for the beach at the curve of the wide cove sped the +_Adventurer_, her nose set for the drawbridge that showed against the +blue sky. As they got closer an outlet showed clear, a narrow space +between the bridge masonry, with a strong current coming through from +the further side. + +"Gee, it doesn't look very big," said Joe. "And how about head-room, +Steve?" + +"Room enough," was the answer, as the _Adventurer_ slowed down. "They'll +raise the draw if we whistle, I suppose, but we don't need to." + +"We'll scrape our funnel, as sure as shooting!" cried Perry as the +cruiser neared the bridge. + +"We'll miss by two feet," answered Steve untroubledly. + +They held their breaths and watched nervously as the shadow of the +bridge fell across the boat. Then, with the sound of the engine and +exhaust echoing loudly, the cruiser dug her nose into the out-running +tide and shot safely through to emerge into a narrow canal that +stretched straight ahead before them until it joined the river. They +breathed easier as the bridge was left behind. Once in the river it was +necessary to go cautiously and watch the channel buoys, for the chart +showed a depth of only four feet at low tide for the first mile and a +half. If they had not all been so absorbed in the fate and recovery of +the _Follow Me_ they would have enjoyed that journey down the Squam +River immensely, for it was a beautiful stream, quiet and tranquil in +the morning sunlight. Summer camps and cottages dotted the shores and +green hills hemmed it in. They had breakfast on the way, eating it for +the most part on deck. Now and then the _Adventurer_ paused while they +examined a motor-boat moored in some cove. + +"There's one thing certain," said Steve. "Those folks couldn't have +brought the _Follow Me_ through here in the dark. If they did come +through that cut last night they anchored and waited for light. Keep a +watch for gasoline stations, fellows." + +They found the first one at Annisquam, near where the yacht club pier +stuck out into the channel. Steve sidled the _Adventurer_ up to a +landing and, while Han held her with the hook, made inquiry of a +grizzled man in faded blue jumpers. + +"We're looking for a motor-boat called the _Follow Me_," he explained. +"Have you seen her?" + +The man shook his head. "What was she like?" he asked. + +Steve described her, aided by Harry Corwin, and the man pushed his old +straw hat back, and rubbed his forehead reflectively. Finally: "There +was a launch answerin' to that description stopped here about"--he gazed +at the sun--"about two hours ago, I cal'ate. She was black, but she +didn't have no name on her so far as I could see. I sold 'em thirty +gallons o' gas an' they went on out toward the bar." + +"Who was on her?" asked Steve quickly. + +"Two or three men I never seen before. Three, I cal'ate there was. She +wasn't here very long. They come up to the house an' got me up from the +breakfast table. Said they was in a hurry. Come to think on it, boys, I +believe they'd painted the name out on the stern. They ain't stolen her, +have they?" + +"That's just what they have done," answered Steve. "Shove off, Han! +Thank you, sir. About two hours ago, you say?" + +"Might be a little less than two hours. Well, I hope you get her. I +didn't much like the looks of the fellers aboard her." + +"Where do you think they'd take her?" called Joe as the boat swung her +stern around. + +"I dunno. They might switch around into the Essex River, or they might +take her in Ipswich way, or they might head straight for Newburyport. If +they wanted to hide her I cal'ate they might run in behind Plum Island +somewheres." + +"Sounds pretty hopeless," said Steve as the _Adventurer_ took up her way +again. "Look at this chart and see all the places she _might_ be, will +you? It's a regular what-do-you-call-it--labyrinth!" + +"It certainly is," agreed Joe. "And there's a lot of shallows about +here, too. Where's this Plum Island he spoke of?" + +Steve pointed it out, a seven-mile stretch of sand behind which emptied +four or five small rivers. "Shall we try it?" he asked. + +"Might as well be thorough," Joe replied. "What do you say, Harry?" + +"I say yes. Seems to me they'd be mighty likely to slide into some such +place if only to paint a new name on." + +"We'll have a look then," agreed Steve. The _Adventurer_ dipped her way +across Squam Bar and Steve swung the wheel. "Southeast, one-fourth +south," he muttered, looking from the chart to compass. "Watch for a +black spar buoy off the lighthouse. If they took the _Follow Me_ into +Essex Bay, though, we're running right away from her." + +To port, the sand dunes shone dazzlingly in the sunlight and a long +stretch of snow-white beach kept pace with them as they made for the +entrance to Plum Island Sound. Several boats, sailing and power craft, +had been sighted, but nothing that looked in the least like the _Follow +Me_. The sun climbed into a hazy blue sky and the day grew hot in spite +of the light westerly breeze. Steve picked up his buoys, a black and +then two red, and swung the cruiser in toward the mouth of the Ipswich +River. The chart showed feet instead of fathoms in places and Steve +slowed down cautiously until they were in the channel. They left Ipswich +Light on the port beam and kept on past the river mouth and into the +sound. + +"What happens," asked Harry Corwin, looking at the chart over Steve's +shoulder, "when there aren't any soundings shown?" + +"Just what I was wondering myself," replied the navigator. "It doesn't +tell you anything after you pass that last red spar buoy. Still, with +those two rivers coming in beyond up there, there must be enough water +for us if we can find it. I've about arrived at the conclusion that the +_Follow Me_ was mighty well named, Harry. We've been following her for +twelve hours, pretty near, and as things look now we'll be still +following her a week from Christmas!" + +"I suppose," sighed the captain of the lost boat, "that what we should +have done was report it to the police and stayed right where we were. +Dad's going to be somewhat peeved if we lose that boat." + +"I thought she belonged to you and Tom," said Wink Wheeler. + +"So she does, but dad gave her to us and he's rather fond of her +himself." + +"Well, it's too bad," Wink answered, "but I don't believe we'll ever +find her now. It's like looking for a needle in a haystack, this sort of +thing. We don't even know for sure that she isn't down around New York +somewhere by this time!" + +"Yes, we do," said Steve quietly. + +"We do? How do we?" + +"Because I'm looking at her," was the reply. Steve nodded ahead and +pushed back the throttle. "If that isn't the _Follow Me_ I'll--I'll eat +her!" + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +BULLETS FLY + + +A half-mile or so beyond a black cruiser lay at anchor at the mouth of a +cove on the island side of the sound. She was broadside-to and one look +at her was enough for Harry Corwin. "It is!" he cried. "We've got her, +fellows!" + +"Not yet," warned Phil as the fellows clustered from all parts of the +boat. "That's her, but how are we going to get her back? Hadn't we +better stop here, Steve, and decide what to do? Those men aren't going +to give her up just for the asking, I guess." + +"Right," agreed Steve. "Bow anchor, Han! Let her go as soon as you're +ready. Now then, fellows, let's think what's to be done." The +_Adventurer_ pulled at the anchor line with her nose, found further +progress stopped and slowly began to swing around with the tide. "There +are three of them at least, according to the gasoline chap back there, +and there are twelve of us, but if they have guns--" + +"We've got two revolvers," said Perry eagerly. "Shall I get them, +Steve?" + +"Yes, fetch them up here, but we don't want to use them unless in +self-defence. Don't forget the cartridges, Perry. Now suppose we mosey +up to where we can talk to them, fellows." + +"That's the ticket," agreed Wink Wheeler. "If they get to acting ugly, +why, I guess there are enough of us to handle them. I think the best way +is to beat it right up there and tell them to hand the boat over." + +"And if they decline?" inquired Phil. + +"Go in and take it!" + +"And, as like as not, get shot full of holes! No, thanks!" This from +"Brownie." + +"How would it do for some of us to land and keep out of sight and come +around back of them?" asked Cas Temple. + +"What are we going to do with them if we catch them?" Tom Corwin wanted +to know. "Take them back and hand them over to the police?" + +"I don't believe they'll let us catch them," answered Phil. "Either +they'll take to that small boat they've got astern there or they'll try +to make a dash past us." + +[Illustration: "It is!" he cried. "We've got her, fellows!"] + +"Much good that would do them!" Harry shrugged his shoulders. "The +_Adventurer_ can sail all around our boat." + +"We're not getting anywhere," observed Steve, who had been all the while +watching the other craft attentively. "And they've seen us at last, for +they're looking over the top of the cabin." + +"Well, let's do something," said Perry, who was back with the two +revolvers and as many boxes of cartridges. "Can they go the other way or +do they have to pass us to get out of this place, Steve?" + +"They can go the other way for about five miles according to the chart, +but they can't get out. There's a bridge there. And, anyway, I guess +it's only navigable for small boats at high tide. Perry, for the love of +lemons, drop those things and let them alone." + +"They aren't loaded," said Perry, injuredly. + +"That's the kind that always blow your head off. Well, what's the +decision, fellows?" + +Everyone talked at once for a minute, and, at last, Phil said: "Why not +do the natural thing and ask for our boat? Why let them think that we +expect trouble? Perhaps when they see that the game's up they'll give in +sensibly." + +"That's the idea," agreed Harry and most of the rest. "Let's breeze +right up to them and talk big." + +"We'll never get the _Follow Me_ by lying here, anyway," said Steve, +turning to the wheel. "Get your anchor up, Han. Give him a hand, +someone. Wink, open a box of those cartridges and load the revolvers, +will you? But keep them out of Perry's way! All right now. Settle down, +fellows, and we'll try a bluff." + +The _Adventurer_ went on and the distance between the two boats lessened +rapidly. They could see two men watching them over the top of the cabin, +but there was no sign of alarm visible aboard the _Follow Me_. When the +_Adventurer_ was almost opposite the black cruiser Steve threw out the +clutch, turned the wheel and let her run shoreward. "We're getting out +of the channel," he said to Harry. "Watch for sand-bars." He slipped the +clutch in again and again disengaged it. The two boats were some twenty +yards apart now and the men on the _Follow Me_ were observing the +newcomers unblinkingly from the cockpit. + +Steve leaned over the rail and sent a hail across. "_Follow Me_, ahoy!" +he called. "We'll trouble you for that boat, please." + +For a moment there was no answer. Then one of the two men in sight +moved forward and drawled: "Speaking to us, are you? What was it you +said?" + +"I said we'd trouble you for that boat," repeated Steve. "It happens to +belong to us, you see." + +"This boat?" + +"That identical boat." + +"Belongs to you!" + +"You've got it." + +"That's a good joke, friend. We've owned this boat three years. Where do +you come in?" + +"She's the _Follow Me_, even if you have painted her name out, and you +took her from her anchorage in Plymouth Harbour last night. What's the +use of throwing a fool bluff like that?" + +The man laughed hoarsely and his companion joined him. "Run away, kids!" +he said finally. "You're crazy with the heat. This boat's the +_Esmeralda_, of Providence, and she belongs to me and this feller. What +do you mean, took her? Callin' me a thief, are you?" + +"I'm not taking the trouble to. If you know what's good for you you'll +dig out of there and do it quick." + +"Is that so?" drawled the man. "Well, ain't that nice? An' supposin' it +don't suit me to hand over my boat to you? Then what you goin' to do?" + +"Take her," answered Steve quietly. "There are twelve of us here and +we've followed you all the way from Plymouth, and we aren't likely to +let you bluff us off now. Come on, now, what do you say?" + +"Come on and take her, kids!" was the answer. "We're scared to death!" +The men thought that extremely funny, and laughed a lot over it. Just +then, Steve, leaning outboard over the railing, felt someone tug at his +arm. + +"Look at the middle port, Steve," whispered Phil. + +Steve looked. The nearer side of the _Follow Me_ was in shadow, but a +quivering beam of sunlight, reflected from the surface of the water, +glinted on the muzzle of a revolver held just inside the open port. + +"Every fellow under cover," said Steve quietly. "That means you, too, +Joe. Duck! They've got a gun trained on us. Who's the best shot here?" + +"Wink," answered Joe. + +"Give him one of the revolvers. Are you there, Wink?" + +"Yes," answered the other from the forward companion way. + +"Get a bead on that middle port. You'll see a gun sticking through +there. Don't shoot unless they shoot first. Better go into the other +cabin. There's no harm in letting them see you, but don't keep your head +exposed. Someone hand me that other revolver." + +On the other boat Steve's silence was accepted as a confession of +indecision and a jeering laugh came across the water. The _Adventurer_ +was drifting toward the shore now, and Steve turned and slipped the +clutch into reverse and churned back a few yards. Then he faced the men +again. + +"You can't get away with it, you know," he said untroubledly. "We can +stay here as long as you can. If you run we'll follow you, and at the +first port we'll hand you over to the authorities. You've only got +thirty gallons of gas and that won't take you far. If you have any sense +you'll pile into your tender and light out while you've got a good +chance." + +It was evident that those on the stolen boat had glimpsed Wink's +revolver, for one of the men leaned toward his companion and spoke in +low tones and their eyes sought the port. After a moment the spokesman +replied placatingly. "Maybe you're right, Sport. Guess you've got us +this time. But this ain't any place to go ashore. Tell you what we'll +do. We'll run her back to Gloucester and hand her over to you there. +That's fair, ain't it?" + +"It doesn't listen well," answered Steve. "You land on the other side +there and you'll only have to walk a few miles to a train." + +"Yeah, walk about six miles across sand dunes in a sun hot enough to +blister you! Nothin' doin', Sport. Take it or leave it." + +"Leave it, thanks." + +For answer one of the men climbed to the cabin roof and went forward. +"He's going to pull up anchor," warned Joe, peering over the rail. +Steve's voice rang out sharply: + +"If you touch that cable we'll shoot!" + +The man paused, stared across doubtfully and went on. + +"Can you hear me, Wink?" asked Steve softly. + +"Yes," came from the after cabin. + +"If he lays a hand on the anchor cable, shoot, but shoot wide." + +"All right, Steve!" + +"Say," called the man in the cockpit, "don't you start nothin', because +we got you covered. If there's any shootin' you'll get the worst of it." + +The man forward dropped to a knee, his gaze turned warily toward the +enemy, and took hold of the anchor cable. As he did so Steve whipped his +revolver into sight and flattened himself against the bulkhead. A sharp +report broke the silence and a bullet sang its way across the _Follow +Me's_ bow. The man dropped the rope and sprang back along the roof to +tumble frightenedly into the cockpit. From the cabin of the _Adventurer_ +floated up the acrid smoke of Wink's revolver. The man at the stern of +the other boat had instantly disappeared. + +"Look out," shouted Perry from the forward cabin. "They're going to +shoot from the ports! Come down from there, Steve!" + +But Steve's hand was on the clutch and, as the _Adventurer_ began to go +astern, his other hand turned the spokes of the wheel and the cruiser's +bow came slowly around toward the _Follow Me._ "Come up here, Wink," he +called, and then: "Put that hatch up all the way and keep behind it," he +added as Wink slipped to his side. "Can you get them from there?" + +"Fine!" answered the other cheerfully. + +"I'll try to keep her bow-on. Careful not to kill anyone, old man. Shoot +for their arms." + +"How can I when they're out of sight down there?" Wink complained. "All +I can do is shoot for the ports." + +"Don't shoot at all unless you have to," Steve cautioned. "We don't want +to knock any more splinters off her than necessary." + +"We're too near, Steve. The deck's getting in the way." + +"I'll back her off." The _Adventurer_ retreated until Wink, his elbow +resting on the closed cover of the chart-box, could train his revolver +on the _Follow Me's_ ports. Several of the others emerged from the +cabins and huddled from sight on the deck. + +"What's the next act, Steve?" inquired Phil. + +Steve shook his head. "I'm wondering," he answered. "About all we can do +is keep them from running away until they talk sense." + +"Why not let them run? We can go faster than they can." + +"I'm afraid of tricks," responded Steve. "I don't know these waters, and +I suspect that they do. They might manage to give us the slip as they +did last night. I guess when they find they can't get away they'll come +to terms." Steve raised his head cautiously above the chart-box on his +side and a bullet promptly ploughed through the frame of the open +window in front of him and went singing astern. + +"Rotten shooting," observed Wink, as Steve ducked to safety. "Shall I +give 'em one, Steve?" + +Steve hesitated and then shook his head. "What's the use? You'd only +plug a hole in the _Follow Me's_ cabin. Wait until they show +themselves." + +"Well, you take care not to show yourself," advised Wink, peering warily +past the smoke-stack. "Those murderous pirates are shooting to kill, I +guess." + +Another shot rang out across the dancing water and a bullet flattened +itself against a pipe stanchion. "Guess you'd better put a shot into +each of those ports," said Steve. "Maybe they'll keep away from them. +Sorry to damage your boat, Harry." + +"Bother the damage!" said Harry. "Plug her full of lead if you like!" + +Wink's revolver spoke, and: "Bull's-eye," he announced calmly. Another +shot followed. "Got that one, too," he muttered. "Can't see the other +port from here, Steve. Smokestack's in the way. You try it." + +Steve tried and missed, the bullet knocking a long splinter from the +edge of the cabin roof, and at the same moment a pistol aboard the +_Follow Me_ barked and Perry, sitting crouched on one of the seats, +uttered an exclamation. Phil, beside him, turned anxiously. Perry's face +expressed blank amazement as he pushed his right sleeve up and gazed at +a wound from which the blood was spurting. + +"Gosh," he said awedly, "I'm shot!" + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +A RUSE THAT FAILED + + +"I should think so!" cried Phil. "Come on down and let me fix it." + +"What is it?" asked Steve anxiously. + +"Perry's hit in the arm. They must have shot along the side, and the +bullet glanced from something. Come on, Perry." + +"All you fellows get out of here," commanded Steve. "It might happen +again, and you're not doing any good here, anyway. The chest's in the +bottom locker in our cabin, Phil. Is it bad?" + +"Don't think so," was the reply from the companion way. "Only a flesh +wound, I guess. I'll look after it." + +Steve had forgotten to try a second shot at the port, but Wink again let +go at where the glint of a revolver muzzle showed and a cry of pain came +across the water. + +"Got him!" said Wink. + +"You must have," agreed Steve. "I hope you didn't hurt him much." + +"Suffering snakes!" ejaculated Wink. "Why shouldn't I hurt him? They +potted Perry, didn't they? What are we supposed to do! Lie around here +and let them shoot us full of lead and just smile? Why, you pig-headed, +solid concrete--" + +But Wink's flow of eloquence was interrupted by two shots from the +_Follow Me_. There was a tinkling of glass as one of them smashed +through the upper frame of the window on Steve's side. The other +ploughed into the chart-box. Wink instantly fired back twice, aiming at +the two ports he commanded. "Harry's boat will look like a sieve," he +chuckled as he broke his revolver and jammed fresh cartridges into it. +"Get busy there, Steve!" + +For answer Steve's revolver spoke twice and the thud of the bullets came +to them. "Got the boat anyway," chuckled Wink. "We can scare 'em even if +we can't pot 'em! Better back up a little, Steve. I don't want to bust +our flag-pole." + +Once more the _Adventurer_ increased the distance between her and the +adversary, and once more the engine beneath their feet relapsed into a +quiet purr as the load was taken off again. + +"If it wasn't that we'd bust the _Follow Me_," exclaimed Steve savagely, +"I'd ram them! They're knocking our paint off and breaking our glass and +raising the dickens!" + +Wink glanced across the deck. Steve, his revolver laid on the floor +beside him, was knotting a handkerchief about his hand with his teeth. +"Hello!" exclaimed Wink. "Did they get you!" + +"No, it's only a piece of glass. It's bleeding a bit, that's all." Steve +gave a final tug at the knot and seized his revolver again. "I wish +they'd show themselves!" + +"They probably wish the same of us," laughed Wink. "How long does this +keep up? I'm getting hungry!" + +"It keeps up until they give in," responded Steve determinedly. "Below +there! Tell Ossie to start on the dinner." + +"Dinner!" exclaimed Ossie from the aft companion. "Suppose they plugged +a bullet into the galley?" + +"Don't be an idiot," begged Steve impatiently. "You've got four inches +of planking and a pile of rope and a refrigerator and a lot of other +stuff between you and the bullets. Get busy and do your bit!" + +"All right, Steve. I'd forgotten about the refrigerator. But you can bet +I'm not going to leave the door open!" This jest was rewarded with a +laugh from the others as Ossie pushed his way past them and dived +hurriedly across the deck to the forward companion way. "Pistols and +coffee for twelve," he added as he disappeared. + +For several minutes there was no further sound or movement aboard the +_Follow Me_. "They're probably fixing up the chap who got plugged," +opined Wink cheerfully, as he watched the ports. "Wish we had a rifle, +Steve. We could get them right through the hull, I guess." + +"Yes, and if we had a torpedo we could sink her," said Cas Temple from +the hatch. "Suppose they've run out of cartridges, Steve?" + +"I don't believe so. I guess they don't think it's worth while wasting +what they've got." + +A cheering aroma of coffee stole up from the galley and murmurs of +satisfaction were heard. Perry, his forearm bandaged neatly and +scientifically, crowded his way up the after companion. "Say, Steve, let +me have a shot at them, will you?" he begged earnestly. "Just one, +Steve, like a good fellow!" + +"How's the arm, Perry?" + +"Oh, all right, I guess. It hurts a little. Phil's got it so blamed +tight that I can't close my fingers. Will you, Steve?" + +Steve was denied an answer by a sudden interruption from Wink. "She's +moving, Steve!" he cried. "They've started her!" + +"But they're anchored!" exclaimed Joe. + +"They've cut the line. Probably reached through a port on the other +side," said Steve, working quickly at the controls. "It's lucky we +didn't have ours down, too!" + +The _Follow Me_, gathering headway, pushed for the channel, and the +_Adventurer_ lunged forward with a mighty splashing of her screw, Steve +bringing her head around as fast as he could. "How the dickens are they +steering her, Harry?" he demanded, staring in puzzlement at the empty +cockpit of the other craft. + +"There's an auxiliary wheel forward, in the stateroom. They're coming +around, fellows. Get under cover! Steve, you'd better drop!" + +The others scuttled for the companion ways, and none too soon, for, as +the _Follow Me_ swung around into the channel those behind her ports had +a clean sweep of the _Adventurer's_ bridge deck and a fusillade of shots +swept across the forty or fifty yards dividing the boats. Steve and Wink +had dropped below the rail, while, in the cabins, the others were taking +good care to crouch beneath the level of the ports. Some eight shots +were fired, but, although several took effect on various parts of the +bridge, the fact that the _Adventurer_ was now plunging around in a +half-circle at a full twelve miles an hour and the other boat was +running at top speed down the channel made accuracy impossible. Neither +Steve nor Wink had a chance to reply until it was too late for their +shots to be effective. By that time the two cruisers had straightened +out on the course and the chase had begun. + +Harry Corwin was entrusted with Steve's revolver and, standing on the +dining table set from locker to locker across the galley, he could +thrust head and shoulders through the hatch. But the cockpit of the +_Follow Me_ remained empty and the entrance to the cabin was closed. +Wink, his revolver ready, had returned to his post and watched grimly +while the _Adventurer_, her engine fairly humming, slowly wore down the +distance that separated her from the enemy. + +"They're certainly getting some speed out of her," called Wink +admiringly. The rest of the company had returned to the bridge and were +watching eagerly. Tom Corwin, who had remained unaffected by the potting +of the _Follow Me's_ hull, was fighting mad now because the thieves had +lost the bow anchor, and sputtered wrathfully as he gazed over Steve's +shoulder. "If I was Harry I'd put a bullet through that door," he +muttered. "I wish someone would let me have a shot at them!" + +"You couldn't hit her at this distance, with the boats swinging," said +Steve. "Wonder why it doesn't occur to them to cut away that tender. +It's taking a mile off their speed." + +"Afraid of getting hit, I guess," replied Joe. + +"It doesn't seem to me that we're gaining very fast." + +"We're not, but we're gaining fast enough. Hello!" The _Follow Me_, +having approached the end of the island, had turned her nose to port +straight for the end of the beach. "How much does she draw, Tom?" + +"Two feet and a half; same as this." + +"And the chart shows two feet of water there at low tide!" exclaimed +Steve. "And it's nearly dead low now, I guess. She's taking a chance, +all right!" + +The channel ran straight ahead, close to the shore of the mainland, and +if the _Follow Me's_ exploit proved successful she was due to increase +her dwindling lead by a good mile unless the _Adventurer_ accepted the +challenge and followed her example. For a minute Steve hesitated. Then: +"If she can do it, we can," he muttered, and slowly turned the wheel, +his eyes darting to the chart. "No depth shown here," he said. "Two feet +further along. Then four and seven. If we can get to the point of sand +there we're all right." + +They watched the _Follow Me_ breathlessly. She was dancing almost in the +breakers now and for a long moment it seemed that she would surely pile +herself on the spit that ran seaward from the end of the island. But she +got by safely and the _Adventurer_ plunged after her. There were +strained faces on the bridge deck then and Ossie was seen to lay a +tentative hand on the cushion of the nearer seat. Steve, with grim +countenance, kept his eyes on the rollers, trying his best to follow in +the wake of the other boat. Here and there white water hinted at shoals +and it was between two of these that the _Follow Me_ had gone. Steve +eased the wheel and slowed the engine a trifle and the _Adventurer_, +rocking in the long swells that were breaking on the beach hardly more +than a stone-throw to port, went on. Steve was in the act of breathing a +long sigh of relief when there came a jar that threw several of the boys +off their balance and brought cries of consternation to their lips. For +one horrid moment the _Adventurer_ hung with her propeller churning the +sand, and then shook herself free and lunged forward again. + +Shouts of relief went up and a smile of triumph came to Steve's face as +he pulled her back into the course and slipped into deeper water. The +_Follow Me_ was still a good eighth of a mile ahead and swinging +northward around the curve of beach. "They're going to make for +Newburyport," said Steve. "Watch them try to get me into trouble now, +Joe." + +"How do you mean?" + +"They're keeping in close to shore. See? Look on the chart." + +"I see twelve little black crosses about there. What do they mean? Oh, I +get you. 'Emerson Rocks,' eh? But I don't see them!" + +"No, they're sunken. The _Follow Me's_ running as near them as she +dares, hoping that we'll try to cut the corner more and strike. Those +fellows know this coast as I know the inside of my hat! But we'll fool +them this time!" + +So close to the submerged danger did the _Adventurer_ go that Perry, +watching over the side, caught a glimpse of a dark mass under the green +water. Then the chase straightened out once more and Steve drew the +throttle wide, experimented with the spark for a moment and sent the +white cruiser surging along in pursuit. There could be no doubt as to +the outcome of the race. It was only a question of time. The thieves had +staked all on the attempt to elude the _Adventurer_ in the shallows, and +now they were doomed to open water, for Plum Island ran straight and +unbroken for seven miles, and not until the entrance to Newburyport +Harbour was reached was there the smallest chance to slip out of sight. + +Ossie announced that dinner would be ready in a few minutes, but no one +paid any attention. Every eye was fixed on the _Follow Me_, which, dead +ahead, was scurrying along at a rate which Tom, who had thought he knew +the engine thoroughly, marvelled at. But the distance was shortening +between pursued and pursuer. Off the life-saving station the fleeing +craft was scarcely a hundred yards in advance, and it became more and +more certain that the boats would be on even terms long before the +seven-mile stretch was half traversed. + +Wink went below and summoned Harry Corwin down from his perch, much to +the relief of Ossie, whose preparations for dinner had not been made +easier by having to dive under the table every time he sought the +ice-chest, and posted him at a port in the forward cabin. "If they won't +give up," he explained, "we'll have to go on plugging them. I'll take +it in the other cabin. Better fire first from one port then from +another. That'll keep them guessing. It's just as well for them not to +know that we've got only two pieces of artillery!" + +"All right," said Harry, "but there's no use staying here now, is there? +There's nothing in sight but a sea-gull!" + +"No, but be ready when we get abreast, Harry. I think that gun pulls to +the right a little. You might watch it." + +Wink returned to the deck, followed by Harry as far as the companion, +and looked forward at the _Follow Me_. Since he had gone below the +positions of the boats had altered noticeably, and now, had he wished, +he might easily have put a bullet through the mahogany door beyond the +cockpit. Steve was bearing seaward a little, intending to run up on the +starboard side of the black cruiser. + +"I'll bet they're doing a whole lot of thinking about now," said +"Brownie." "Guess I'll go down and sit on the floor again. They'll be +able to plug us in another minute or so." + +"You'd all better beat it," said Steve. "If the bullets begin to fly +again someone will get hurt." + +Slowly but certainly the bow of the _Adventurer_ crept up on the +_Follow Me's_ stern. Some sixty feet of water divided them. Beyond the +black cruiser lay the long yellow beach, dazzling in the noonday +sunlight. Suddenly the _Follow Me's_ bow turned straight for the +breakers and Steve gave a cry. + + + + +CHAPTER XV + +SURRENDER + + +"They're going to run her ashore!" shouted Steve. + +He slid out the clutch, throttled down the engine and swung the boat's +nose to starboard as the others piled back to the deck. The _Adventurer_ +swept around in a long circle while the _Follow Me_, churning the +shoaling water into white froth, ran straight for the shore. + +"Gosh, what a mess!" groaned Harry Corwin. "We'll never get her off +there!" + +Steve made no answer, nor did the others. They were all watching that +wild rush of the black cruiser. On and on she went, rising and falling +with the gentle swells, until it looked as though she must surely be +churning the sand with her hurrying screw. Suddenly the cabin doors flew +open and three men, one hatless and with a white towel bound around his +head, leaped out and scampered along the roof to the bow. Wink raised +his revolver, but Steve pulled his arm down. + +"Don't!" he said. "Let them go if they will." + +At that instant the _Follow Me_ faltered, stopped, and went on again for +another yard or so as a breaking wave rushed under her keel, and then +rolled over to starboard and subsided so, her propeller still beating +and her stern slowly working around. Into the two feet of water dropped +the trio on the bow and, keeping the _Follow Me_ between them and the +enemy, scuttled to land, and then, once on the hard sand, ran as hard as +their legs would take them up the beach to the north. Wink sent one shot +hurtling after them, just, as he explained afterwards, to encourage +them, and Steve, having cautiously edged the _Adventurer_ as near shore +as he dared, gave his orders hurriedly. + +"Get the big cable from the rope locker, Han," he directed. "Joe, you +and Harry jump into the tender and stand by here. When you get the cable +pull in to the _Follow Me_ and make it fast to the stern cleat. Tom, +you'd better go along, too. Put your engine into reverse and try to back +off. The tide's still running out and if we don't get her off now we'll +have a hard time later. I'll pull on the stern and you jockey her with +her own power. I think we can do it. Now then, Han, give me that. Here, +take this end forward and make it fast around the cleat. Pass it +outside that stanchion, you chump! Catch, Harry! All right! Get a move +on, fellows!" + +Off plugged the tender, Joe bending furiously at the short oars, the big +cable paying out astern. A minute or two later they were tumbling aboard +the _Follow Me_, Tom to dart below to the engine, Harry to make fast +their end of the line and Joe to look after the tender. Then Harry waved +a hand and shouted, and the _Adventurer_, which had been going slowly +astern, taking up the slack of the cable, settled to her task. The big +rope tightened, throwing a spray of water into the sunlight along its +length, strained and creaked and the _Follow Me's_ propeller, reversed, +did its part. There was an anxious two minutes. Very grudgingly the +black cruiser's stern came around. Steve drew the _Adventurer's_ +throttle down a couple of notches. The _Follow Me_ gave up her notion of +spending her declining years on the sands of Plum Island and slowly +backed away. A shout of delight arose from a dozen throats as, with the +water once more under her she bobbed sedately to an even keel and +followed the tug of the big hawser. + +A quarter of an hour later the two boats continued their way up the +shore, the _Follow Me_ poorer by one eighty-pound anchor and richer by +one cedar dingey which the six boys aboard seriously suspected of having +been stolen. They ate dinner at half-past two, anchored on Joppa Flats, +the two crews once more assembled around and about the _Adventurer's_ +hospitable board, and as they ate, very hungrily and quite happily, they +discussed the day's adventure. + +The _Follow Me_ showed numerous signs of Steve's and Wink's +marksmanship, both outside and in, but there was no damage that nails +and hammer, paint and putty wouldn't repair. The stolen boat's larder +was sadly depleted and, as Tom said disgustedly, the cabin looked as +though a dozen pigs had lived in it a week! But, all in all, the cruiser +had come off well. As for the lost anchor, why, as Wink pointed out, the +tender would more than buy them a new one. There was some discussion as +to their right to dispose of that tender and in the end they agreed that +the proper thing to do would be to leave it at Newburyport and mail an +advertisement to the Plymouth papers. If the owner claimed the boat he +would pay for the advertisement. If he didn't, they would recover it +later on their way back down the coast. The _Adventurer_, too, showed +numerous scars. One bullet had plugged straight in at one side of the +smokestack and out the other, the glass in one window had been shattered +to bits and in various other places damage had been wrought. But they +had recovered the _Follow Me_, and that, viewing the affair in +retrospect, had been something of an achievement. Everyone, even Tom by +now, was more than satisfied at the outcome of their first real +adventure. Dinner, delayed as it was and none too palatable by reason of +having been prepared for a much earlier hour, was a merry meal. + +After it was over they went on up to Newburyport, found a berth and set +out to look for a yard where they could have the two cruisers patched. +Repairs kept them there two days, and then, having acquired a new anchor +for the _Follow Me_ and left the extra dingey in safe storage, the +Adventure Club set forth once more in the early hours of a drizzly +morning. + +They passed the Isles of Shoals before nine and in the middle of the +forenoon Steve pointed through the haze to where an indistinct blot +against the sky line proclaimed Boon Island. After that the cruisers +kept well toward shore, for, although the drizzle had stopped, the +navigators feared that a fog might take its place, and that one +experience in Vineyard Sound had been sufficient to last them for the +balance of the cruise. Off Cape Porpoise the boats found rough seas and +the crew of the _Follow Me_ were secretly delighted to observe that the +smaller craft made much easier going. The _Adventurer_ seemed to be +having a thoroughly good time, for she kicked up her heels and waved her +nose and fairly rolled in merriment as the seas came sliding under her +quarter. The bridge deck was a damp place until both side curtains were +lowered and laced to the rails and stanchions. Poor Joe stood it as long +as he could, getting paler and paler and sitting, hands in pockets, +gazing fixedly at the brass kickplate at the top of the forward +companion way, about the only thing in his range of vision that was +fairly steady, and at intervals lurching below with an assumption of +carelessness that deceived nobody, to dose himself with his sea-sickness +remedy. That remedy, however, failed him, and it was not very long +before the Chief Engineer was conspicuous on the bridge by his absence, +while those who listened could hear at intervals a low moaning sound +proceeding from the after cabin. But Joe was not the only one aboard the +_Adventurer_ who suffered qualms of uneasiness, although he alone gave +up the struggle. Both Perry and Han showed pale countenances and looked +big-eyed and pathetic. Neither displayed the least interest in dinner, +while Joe, when cruelly summoned by Ossie, only groaned lugubriously and +turned his pallid face to the wall. At two o'clock the sun broke through +and dyed the sea a wonderful green, and the _Adventurer_ began to meet +other boats. As she left Scarboro Beach on her port beam and began to +nose in toward Peak's Island the sea calmed and by the time the cruiser +was ready to drop her anchor in Portland harbour, Joe, albeit still +rather greenish, had pulled himself back to deck to gaze approvingly at +the shore. + +A week went by during which the Adventure Club, one and all, had a +glorious time without anything that in the least resembled adventure. +They spent a whole day in Portland--spent, also, a deal of money there +replenishing an utterly exhausted galley--and then, to use Perry's +inelegant phrase, "bummed around" Casco Bay for three days more. Joe +fell in love with more islands during that time than he had known +existed. "I've always wanted to own an island," he would explain, "and +that's the very island. Let's go ashore, Steve, and look around." + +Steve humoured him several times, until the others complained that they +were getting tired of stopping at every bunch of rocks on the Maine +Coast, and pointed out, besides, that, as Perry had owned to having but +nine dollars in his pocket just a few days before, it wasn't at all +likely that he would find an island within his means. After exhausting +the interest of Casco Bay the two boats ran further up the shore and +spent another forty-eight hours at Camden. Steve had friends there and +the whole tribe of mariners were invited to dinners and luncheons and +found that "home cooking" was all that it was popularly believed to be. +Ossie had a most perfect time during those two days. + +"Nothing to cook but breakfast," he said ecstatically, "and real food +the other two meals! Gee, but it's fine to eat something some other poor +duffer has cooked! Say, Joe, what is it that pigs have that kills them +off in bunches: sort of a--an epidemic?" + +"Hog cholera," hazarded Joe. "Aren't you feeling well, Ossie?" + +"Well, I wish they'd all have it," said Ossie devoutly. "I'm so plumb +sick of cooking bacon!" + +The rest agreed, away from Ossie's hearing, that it was a very fortunate +thing that the period of eating ashore had arrived when it did, for +Ossie had been showing symptoms of mutiny of late and his cooking had +noticeably fallen off. "He was due to strike in another few days," said +Han. "Then someone else would have had to take the job, and we would all +have starved to death." + +"In the absence of the cook," observed Perry gravely, "the job falls to +the crew." + +"No, sir, to the second mate," corrected Han. "Isn't that so, Joe?" + +"I'm not sure. The only thing I am sure of is that--um--it doesn't fall +to the chief engineer." + +"I should say not!" retorted Perry. "Think of eating food flavoured with +engine oil!" + +"Couldn't be any worse than pudding flavoured with onion extract," +chuckled Joe, referring to a viand prepared by Ossie while at +Newburyport. Ossie had meant to put in a spoonful of vanilla, but the +two bottles looked so much alike-- + +The pudding was never eaten, unless the fish consumed it, and the +mention of it still caused Ossie great pain and humiliation. + +They went into the water every morning before breakfast, lived almost +every minute in the open air--for even at night the wide-open ports and +doors made the cabins like sleeping porches--ate heartily, got enough +exercise to keep them lean and hungry and became tanned with sun and +wind to the colour of light mahogany. Khaki trousers, sleeveless shirts +and rubber-soled canvas shoes made up their ordinary attire, although +for shore visits they "dolled up" remarkably. Those early morning baths +were fine appetisers, as will be understood by the reader who has had +experience of the water along the Maine coast, and the number of eggs +and slices of crisp bacon that came off the alcohol stove would sound +like a fairy tale if told. At Camden the two cruisers lay side by side, +with just enough room between to allow them to swing, and by keeping the +tenders alongside the gangways it was only a momentary task to ferry +from one boat to the other. In consequence the two crews mingled a good +deal and it was no unusual thing for one breakfast table to be thronged +while the other was half empty of a morning. When the boys got tired of +swimming they simply climbed over the rail of the nearer craft and, +after partly drying themselves, went down to breakfast. As getting dry +was a somewhat perfunctory proceeding, the linoleum in the forward cabin +was covered with pools of salt water by the time the last platter of +bacon and eggs was empty. + +Many friends were made and the boys spent more time on shore than +aboard. There was tennis to be played, for one thing, and Phil, Steve +and Joe were all dabsters at that game. And then there was a big, +freckle-faced youth named Globbins who spent most of his waking hours in +the driver's seat of a high-powered roadster automobile and who ran the +fellows many miles over the roads and was never, seemingly, more +contented than when every available inch of the car was occupied. Its +normal capacity was three, but by careful packing it was possible to get +seven in, on or about it. In return, Globbins was entertained aboard the +_Adventurer_ and given a thirty-mile cruise one evening, but it was easy +to see that he wasn't really enjoying himself and that his hands fairly +ached for the feel of that corrugated wheel of the roadster. They had +such a jolly time at Camden that they promised faithfully to stop there +again on the return voyage, and really meant to keep the promise when +they chugged out of the harbour one crisp morning and turned the +cruisers' bows eastward for the run across Penobscot Bay. + +They lazed that day, for, as Steve said, it was too fine to hurry. +Dinner was eaten with the two boats side by side, with only fenders +between, in a fairy pool. They found the place quite by accident when +exploring the shore of an island whose name they are to this day +ignorant of. There was an entrance to the tiny bay through which a +schooner might barely have scraped her way. Beyond the mouth lay a +wonder land. The pool was as round as a dish and its water the bluest +they had ever seen. Straight across from the entrance a cliff of granite +towered for a hundred feet or more, its tree-clad summit almost leaning +over the boats at anchor. Its face was clothed with vines and dwarf +evergreens and birches. On the other encircling shores of the pool +tumbled boulders hung over the blue depths and were reflected so clearly +that, looking down, one received the same impression of air and space as +when lying on one's back staring into the sky. There never were such +reflections, they declared. No one came to disturb them, and only the +songs and chirpings of birds and the sleepy sigh of the faint breeze in +the boughs broke the silence. Green and blue was that fairyland, warm +with the sun and redolent of the sea and the sappy fragrance of +sun-bathed foliage. + +They ate dinner on the decks, the two boats snuggled so close that it +was the easiest thing in the world to pass dishes from one to another. +After dinner they lolled in the sunlight and gazed up at the sheer +granite bluff or the smiling and cloudless sky and talked lazily or +slumbered a little. And finally Wink Wheeler thought of fishing and in a +few minutes a half-dozen lines were overboard, and, while the catches +were not big, they were fairly frequent, and the question of what they +were to have for supper was solved there and then. It was Harry Corwin's +idea to stay in the pool overnight and everyone instantly applauded it. +Later, a party went ashore and explored, but there were no paths to be +found and Nature was jealous of her secrets and they came back without +more knowledge of this unknown island than they had had before. They +named it Mystery Island and called the little harbour Titania's Mirror, +a suggestion from Bert Alley which elicited jibes and a final agreement. + +"It's not 'mushy' a bit," said Steve, in Bert's defence. "It's a fine +name for the prettiest bit of water any of us ever saw, and you know it. +The only trouble with you is that you're afraid someone will laugh at +you for being poetical or imaginative. If Bert had suggested calling it +Put-In Bay or Simpkins' Cove or something like that you'd have said +'Fine!' and secretly thought him a perfect ass!" + +Twilight came early and the still, limpid water of the pool took on all +sorts of strange and wonderful hues, like the iridescent surface of a +pearl-shell. It grew very still and a little bit eery as the shadows +crept over the scene, and it was a relief when Cas Temple and Bert Alley +brought forth their mandolins. I am sorry to say that Titania's Mirror +was a bit too thickly inhabited by mosquitoes for comfort, and there +were restless turnings and muttered expostulations to be heard for some +time after lights were out. + +The morning broke radiantly and at half-past six Titania's Mirror was +turned into a highly satisfactory bathtub. Brown arms clove the shadowed +surface and dripping heads rose and fell as fully half the number set +out on a spirited race to the entrance. When almost there they emerged +into a flood of pale sunlight, and looking down through the pellucid +water they could see the sloping sides of the basin converging like the +sides of a bowl. Tragedy was surely the last thing to be thought of +amidst such idyllic surroundings, and yet it was hovering very close. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI + +THE BURGLARS + + +Wink Wheeler reached the little channel first and gingerly climbed out +on a brown ledge that flanked it on one side. Others joined him there to +lie panting in the sunlight. Only Joe and Phil kept on and were +presently swimming within a short distance of each other well outside. +They were both strong rather than fast swimmers, and, although Han +frowned slightly as he watched them bob in and out of sight in the long, +smooth swells, the others soon turned their attention to Wink's +suggestion that they dive from the rock and race around the anchored +boats and back again. Wink offered the others a ten-yard start. All save +"Brownie" accepted the challenge--"Brownie" was built for comfort rather +than speed--and in a moment they were lined up rather unsteadily on the +edge of the boulder awaiting the word. Then three bodies launched +themselves through the air and the race was on. When the others had +taken the first half-dozen strokes after reappearing Wink plunged after +them. "Brownie" watched until the foremost swimmer disappeared beyond +the boats and then turned his gaze seaward. For a moment he could not +find the two venturesome ones, but presently he spied them. They had +turned and were coming back straight for the mouth of the little +harbour, Phil leading and Joe a dozen yards behind. It looked like a +race from the way in which both boys were keeping under and "Brownie" +found it more exciting than the other contest. And then, while he +watched, something happened, and he sprang to his feet and gazed seaward +with wildly beating heart. + +Joe had stopped swimming and was on his back with one brown arm held +aloft. If he made any outcry "Brownie" failed to hear it, but apparently +he had, for Phil was turning now and hurrying back with short, quick +strokes. But before he had covered half the distance separating him from +the other, the watcher on shore uttered an involuntary cry of alarm. Joe +was no longer in sight! + +"Brownie" looked despairingly toward the boys in the pool, but the +nearest was still a long way from the channel. Confused thoughts of the +boats were cast aside and "Brownie" threw himself from the rock, hitting +the water like a barrel, and turned into the channel. As he felt the +tug of the tide he experienced a revulsion of fright, for he had no +stomach for the task ahead of him. "Brownie's" swimming was usually done +in safer water than that he was making for. But he tried his best to +forget the depths below him and the long swim ahead, to remember only +that Joe was in trouble out there and that Phil, probably by now +somewhat exhausted, would never be able to bring him to shore +unassisted. + +The long swells hid the others from him. Once, though, poised for a +moment on the round summit of a bank of water, he glimpsed ere he +descended into the green valley beyond, a darker spot ahead and so found +his direction. He knew better than to tire himself out by desperate +strokes. His only hope of getting there and getting back was to conserve +his strength. All sorts of thoughts came and went in a strange jumble. +Sometimes it seemed that he was making no progress, that the slow waves +were bearing him remorselessly back to the cove, or, at least just +defeating the strokes of his arms and legs. Breathing became laboured +and once a veritable panic seized him and it was all he could do to keep +from turning and swimming wildly back toward shore. Instead, though, +fighting his fears, he turned on his back for a moment with his round +face to the blue breeze-swept sky, and took long, grateful breaths of +the sun-sweet air. Above him a grey gull swept in a wide circle, +uttering harsh, discordant cries. Then, his panic gone, "Brownie" turned +over again and struggled on with renewed strength and courage. And +suddenly, the long swells were behind him and there, but a few yards +away, was Phil, Phil very white of face but as calm as ever. + +He was swimming slowly on his side, one arm cleaving the water and the +other supporting the nearly inert body of Joe. "Here comes 'Brownie,'" +the rescuer heard him say cheerfully. "All right now, Joe. We'll get you +in in a jiffy! Roll over, 'Brownie,' and get your breath," he added. +"We're all right for a minute. That's the trick." + +"I'm--a bit--tuckered," gasped "Brownie," as he lay and puffed with +outstretched arms. + +"Don't blame you," said Phil. "How are you now, Joe?" + +"Punk," muttered the other. "Don't you fellows bother too much. If +you'll just stay by for a minute or two--I'll be--um--all right, I +guess." + +"No need to do that," replied Phil quietly. "'Brownie' and I will take +you between us. Put a hand on my shoulder. Easy, son! That's it. Now the +other on 'Brownie's.' Right you are. Just let yourself float. Ready, +'Brownie?' Don't hurry. Easy does it. We've got an eighth of a mile or +so and there's no use getting tired at the start. I guess the tide will +help us, though." + +There were no more words until the shore was nearly reached. By that +time "Brownie" was frankly all-in and Phil was in scarcely better +condition. Joe had so far recovered then, however, as to be able to aid +weakly with his legs, and before they reached the channel half a dozen +eager helpers splashed to their assistance. Anxious questions were +showered on them, but only Joe had the breath to answer them. + +"I had a cramp," he explained apologetically. "It hit me all of a sudden +out there. It was fierce!" + +"Legs?" asked Steve. + +"No--yes--about everywhere below my shoulders. It seemed to start in my +tummy. I got sort of sick all over. Thought--um--thought I was a goner +until--" + +"All right! Shut up now. Someone give Phil a hand. He's about ready to +quit. 'Brownie,' too." Steve and Wink had taken the places of the +rescuers and Joe was finishing his journey at top speed. It was no easy +task getting him aboard, but they finally accomplished it and hurried +him below. "Brownie," too, had to be pushed and pulled over the side, +and while Phil got aboard almost unaided he slumped onto a seat and, to +use Perry's expression, "passed out." Hot coffee and many blankets and +at least three different remedies from the medicine chest presently left +Joe out of pain, while in the case of Phil and "Brownie" the hot coffee +and rest were alone sufficient. + +Breakfast was rather late that morning, and Joe's place was vacant, for +that youth was enjoying a sleep in the after cabin. "Brownie" and Phil, +however, recovered wonderfully at the sight of bacon and eggs and did +full justice to the repast. Steve laid down the law during breakfast as +follows: + +"After this there'll be no more swimming away from the boats, fellows. +We came on this trip for fun and not funerals. You took a big chance, +Phil, when you went that far out. This water's about ten degrees colder +than what you and Joe are used to. It's a wonder you didn't both have +cramps and drown." + +"I guess it was rather foolish," agreed Phil. "The water was a lot +colder out there than inside, too. Still it didn't bother me any." He +lowered his voice, with a glance toward the companion way and the other +cabin. "I thought old Joe was a goner, though, fellows. I was about +forty feet away, I suppose, when I heard him yell, and before I could +get back he'd gone down. I was afraid he meant to keep on going, but he +thrashed his way up again and I managed to grab him. The trouble was +then that he wanted to drown both of us and I had a hard time making him +see reason." + +"Someone ought to recommend you for the Carnegie Medal, Phil," said Han, +with a laugh that didn't disguise his earnestness. + +Phil shook his head. "I wasn't the hero of the adventure," he replied +quietly. "I'm fairly at home in the water and I've done four miles +without tiring much. It's 'Brownie' who deserves the medal, fellows. He +saw Joe go down and jumped right in and beat it out there; and you all +know that 'Brownie' isn't any swimmer. I think he was just about scared +to death!" + +"I'll bet he was," agreed Steve. "He's never been known to go ten yards +from shore or boat. Yes, I guess 'Brownie' is the real hero, as you say, +Phil." + +"He certainly is, because I'll tell you frankly that I never could have +got Joe in alone. I was just about used up by the time we'd tried to +drown each other out there." + +"We didn't know anything about it," explained Ossie, filling Phil's cup +again unasked, "until someone happened to look from the _Follow Me_ and +saw you three out there. It was Tom Corwin, I think. I heard him +yelling--I was getting my clothes on down here--and I ran up on deck and +then grabbed the megaphone and shouted to Steve and Wink and the others +who were over on the rock near the inlet. By the time they got it +through their thick heads--" + +"Thick heads be blowed!" exclaimed Steve disgustedly. "You were just +yelling a lot of words that didn't mean anything. If you hadn't kept on +pointing we'd never have known what was up. We all thought you had a +fit." + +All's well that ends well, however, and an hour after breakfast the +incident was, if not forgotten, dismissed. Joe reappeared, looking +rather pale still, but announcing himself quite all right. "I was nice +and sick at my tummy," he explained, "and now I feel fine." + +"Being sick at your tummy," remarked Perry unkindly, "is quite the best +thing you do, Joe. If you can't be sea-sick you go and try to drown +yourself!" + +Of course "Brownie" was allowed to surmise that he had done something +rather big, and Joe thanked him very nicely, but Mr. Carnegie is still +in ignorance of his exploit! + +The two boats floated out of the pool about ten and set off for Bar +Harbor. The barely averted tragedy somewhat modified their regret at +leaving Titania's Mirror and Mystery Island. Later, Steve and Joe tried +to locate that island on the charts but without certain success. There +were so many islands thereabouts that neither dared to more than guess +at the identity of the one they had visited. Looking back at it from a +distance of a half-mile they saw that it was in reality much smaller +than they had supposed, being scarcely more than a huge rock pushed up +from the ocean bed. Ossie, who had a leaning toward geology, furnished +the theory that Mystery Island was no more nor less than the top of an +extinct volcano and that Titania's Mirror was the crater. + +"It probably sank, like lots of them did," he elaborated, "and the sea +wore away part of it and flowed into the crater. I'm pretty sure that +that rock we climbed out on this morning when we were swimming was +volcanic." + +"Sure," agreed Perry. "It was pumice stone. I meant to bring a bit of it +along for you to clean your hands with." + +"I didn't say pumice," replied Ossie haughtily. "It was more probably +obsidian." + +"My idea exactly! In fact, it had a very obstinate feeling. It--it left +quite an impression on me!" + +The _Follow Me_ developed engine trouble that morning and they lay by +for a half-hour or more while Tom Corwin toiled and perspired, argued +and threatened. It was well after two o'clock when they ran up the +eastern shore of Mount Desert Island and finally dropped anchor in +Frenchman's Bay. They ate only a luncheon on board and then clothed +themselves in their gladdest raiment and went ashore. They "did" the +town that afternoon, mingling, as Wink said, with the "haut noblesse," +and had dinner ashore at an expense that left a gaping hole in each +purse. But they were both hungry and glad to taste shore food again, and +no one begrudged the cost. + +It was when they were on their way back to the landing that the glow of +coloured lanterns behind a trim hedge drew their attention to the fact +that someone was conducting a lawn party. The imposing entrance, through +which carriages were coming and going, met their sight a moment later +and inspired Perry with a brilliant idea. + +"Say, fellows, let's go," he said, as they paused in a body to allow a +handsome landau to enter. "I've never been to one of these lawn fêtes, +or whatever they call them in the society papers, and here's the +chance." + +"Anybody invited you?" drawled Joe. + +"No, but maybe they meant to. You can't tell. Maybe if they knew we were +here--" + +"Might send word in to them," suggested Wink Wheeler. "Say that the +crews of the _Adventurer_ and the _Follow Me_ are without and--" + +"Yes, without invitations," agreed Perry. "I get you, but that might +cause our hostess embarrassment, eh? Why not just save her all that by +dropping in sociably?" + +"Are you crazy?" demanded Steve. + +"Crazy to go and see all the pretty lanterns and things, yes. And maybe +they'll have a feed, fellows! Come on! Take a chance! They can't any +more than put us out! Besides, they probably won't know whether they +invited us or not. It's just a lark. Be sports, fellows!" + +The notion appealed to most of them, but Steve and Phil and Bert Alley +declined to countenance it. "What will happen to you," said Steve +grimly, "is that you'll all spend the rest of the night in the town jail +for impersonating gentlemen!" + +"Oh, if that's all you're afraid of," responded Perry sweetly, "you +might as well come, too, Steve. They'd never charge _you_ with that." + +"Sub-tile, sub-tile," murmured Cas Temple. + +"Anyhow, our clothes are perfectly O.K.," continued Perry. "White +trousers and dark coats are quite _de rigor_. Come on, fellows." + +They went on, all save the disapproving trio, Perry and Wink Wheeler +leading the way up the winding avenue toward the glow of fairy lights +ahead. No one challenged them, although they were observed with +curiosity by several servants before they came out on a wide lawn in +front of a spacious residence. Fully a hundred guests were already +assembled. A platform overhung by twinkling and vari-coloured electric +lamps had been laid for dancing and, as the uninvited guests paused to +survey the scene, an orchestra, hidden by shrubbery and palms in tubs, +started to play. Chairs dotted the lawn and a big marquee was nearby. On +a low terrace in front of the hospitable doorway of the residence the +hostess was receiving as the carriages rolled around the immaculate +drive and stopped to discharge the guests. The boys viewed each other +questioningly. Perry pulled down his waistcoat and walked boldly across +the lawn and the drive and stepped to the terrace. Wink followed +unhesitatingly, but the others hung back for a moment. Then they, too, +approached, their assurance oozing fast. They reached the terrace in +time to witness Perry's welcome. + +"Good evening," said that youth in bored and careless tones, shaking +hands with the middle-aged lady. "Awfully jolly night, isn't it!" + +"How do you do, Mister--ah--so glad you could come. Yes, isn't it +splendid to have such perfect weather? Marcia, you remember +Mister--ah--" + +Perry was passed on to a younger lady, evidently the daughter of the +house. + +"Howdy do?" murmured the latter, shaking hands listlessly. + +"How do!" returned Perry brightly. "Bully night, eh!" + +"Yes, isn't it?" drawled the young lady. Then Perry gave place to Wink. + +"Good evening," said Wink, grinning blandly. + +"Howdy do? So nice of you to come," murmured the lady. Wink joined +Perry and they crossed to the other side of the terrace and maliciously +watched the embarrassment of the other boys. Joe and Harry Corwin +carried things off rather well, but the others were fairly speechless. +Perry chuckled as he saw the growing bewilderment on the face of the +hostess. But finally the ordeal was over and Perry led the way back to +the festivities. Ossie groaned when they were safely out of ear-shot. + +"She's on to us," he muttered. "I could see it in her eye! I'm off +before they throw me out!" + +"Don't be a jay," begged Perry. "The evening's young and the fun's just +starting. Mrs. Thingamabob doesn't know whether she asked us or not. I'm +going to see what's in the big tent over there. Come on, fellows." + +They went, dodging their way between chattering groups and impeding +chairs, but when Perry peered through the doorway of the marquee he was +met with a chilly look from a waiter on guard there. "Supper is at ten +o'clock, sir," said the servant haughtily. + +"That's all right," replied Perry kindly. "Don't hurry on my account, +old top!" + +What to do for the succeeding hour was the question, for, while all +save Perry and Ossie danced more or less skilfully, they knew no one to +dance with. "If you ask me," remarked Cas Temple, yawning, "I call this +dull. I'd rather be in my bunk, fellows." + +"Well, let's find something to do," said Joe. "Maybe they've got a +roller-coaster or a merry-go-round somewhere. Let's--um--explore." + +By this time the dancing had begun in earnest and the platform was well +filled with whirling couples. The boys paused to look on and, since the +throng was growing larger every minute, were forced to change their +position more than once with the result that presently Perry, Wink and +Ossie found themselves separated from their companions. They looked +about them unavailingly and waited for several minutes, and then, as the +others did not appear, went on. + +"We'll run across them," said Perry cheerfully. "Let's stroll around and +see who's here." + +"Awfully mixed crowd," said Wink. "Really, you know, Mrs. Jones-Smythe +should be more particular. Why, some of the folks don't look as though +they had ever been invited!" + +"I know," agreed Perry, with a sigh. "Society's going to the dogs these +days. One meets all sorts of people. It's perfectly deplorable." + +"Beastly," agreed Ossie, stumbling over a chair. "Bar Harbor's getting +very common, I fear." + +"Hello, that's pretty!" exclaimed Perry. They had emerged onto a walled +space that looked straight out over the water. Hundreds of lights dotted +the purple darkness and the air held the mingled fragrance of sea and +roses. "This isn't so punk, you know," continued Perry, leaning over the +wall. "Maybe this would suit me as well as an island." + +"You're on an island," Ossie reminded him. + +"I meant a real island," murmured Perry. Ossie was about to argue the +matter when footsteps approached and they moved off again. A flight of +steps led to a stone-floored verandah and they went up it and perched +themselves on the parapet, to the probable detriment of the ivy growing +across it, and watched the colourful scene. They were quite alone there, +for the porch was detached from the terrace that crossed the front of +the house. Two French windows were opened and beyond them lay a +dimly-lighted library. Perry, hugging one foot in his hands, looked in +approvingly. + +"Whoever owns this shanty knows what's what," he said. "Just have a +squint at all those books, will you? Millions of them! Wonder if anyone +has ever read them." + +"Well, I'm glad I don't have to," said Wink feelingly. "But that's a +corking room, though. These folks must have slathers of money, fellows." + +"Oh, fairly well fixed, I dare say," responded Perry carelessly. "Say, +what time is it! Feed begins at ten, and with all that mob down there +it's the early bird that's going to catch the macaroons. Wonder if +they'll have lobster salad." + +"Nothing but sandwiches and ices, I guess," said Ossie. "I wouldn't +object to a steak and onions, myself. Funny how hungry you get up in +this part of the world." + +"You sure do," agreed Wink. "Let's move along. If the Corwin family gets +in there ahead of us we might just as well pull in our belts and beat +it." + +"Let's go in through here," said Perry. "It's nearer, I guess." He +started toward the first window. + +"Oh, we'd better not," Ossie objected. "They might not like it." + +"Piffle! They'll be tickled to death. They like folks to see their +pretties." He stepped through the window and, dubiously, his companions +followed. The library was a huge apartment, occupying, as it seemed to +them, more than half the length of the house, with several long windows +opening onto the terrace at the front. The furnishings were sombrely +elegant and the dim lights caught the dull polished surface of mahogany +and glinted on the gold-lettered backs of the shelf on shelf of books +that hid the walls. Deep-toned rugs rendered footsteps soundless as they +made their way toward the wide doorway at the far end of the room. They +had traversed barely a third of the distance when a sudden sound brought +them up short. + +One of the windows that opened onto the terrace further along swung +inward and a middle-aged man in evening attire stepped into the room. +Perry, in spite of his former assurance, drew back into the shadow of a +high-backed chair, stepping on Wink's foot and bringing a groan from +that youth. The newcomer, however, evidently failed to hear Wink's +protest, for, closing the window behind him in a stealthy manner, he +crossed the further end of the library and paused beside a huge stone +fireplace. Wink and Ossie had dropped to the protecting darkness of a +big table, but Perry still peered, crouching, from behind the chair. In +the dim light of an electric lamp the intruder's face had shown for an +instant, and in that instant Perry had sensed it all! The stealthy +manner of the man's entrance from the terrace instead of by the door, +the plainly furtive way in which he crossed the room and the anxious +expression of his face, a face which Perry saw at once to be criminal, +was enough! The watcher was not in the least surprised when the man, +hurriedly and still stealthily, drew out a square of mahogany paneling +at the left of the fireplace and revealed the front of a small safe. +Perry's heart began to thump agitatedly at the thought of witnessing a +robbery. The man's fingers worked deftly at the knob. Perry could hear +in the silence the click of the tumblers as they slid into place. Then +the door was pulled open. + +Between Perry and the robber lay a full thirty feet of floor, and a big +table impeded his progress, but it took the boy less than a second to +cover the distance, to seize the robber from behind, pinioning his arms, +and to bear him heavily back to the floor. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII + +FLIGHT + + +"Wink!" he cried. "Ossie! Come quick! Help here!" + +The robber, having uttered a stifled cry of alarm at the instant of the +unexpected attack, was now thrashing mightily about on the thick rug. + +"Help!" he shouted. "Who are you? Let me go!" + +"S-sh!" commanded Perry sternly, as the others plunged to his aid, +overturning a chair on the way. "Be quiet! Sit on his legs, Ossie!" +Perry was astride the man's chest, holding his arms to the floor. "Punch +him if he makes a noise, Wink!" Perry, breathing hard, surveyed his +captive in triumph. "Now then," he asked, "what have you got to say for +yourself? What were you doing at that safe?" + +The man glared in silence for an instant. To Wink it seemed that the +emotion exhibited on the robber's countenance was amazement rather than +fear. + +"Come on," urged Perry. "What's the game?" + +"Game!" choked the man, finding his voice at last. "Game? You--you young +ruffians! You--" + +"Cut that out, or I'll hand you something," growled Wink. "Answer +politely." + +"Let me up!" + +"Nothing doing!" answered Perry. "Come across. What's your name and +where do you come from? As you didn't get anything out of there, maybe +we'll be easy with you if you talk quick." + +"Let me suggest, if I may," said the man in a strangely quiet and +restrained tone, "that you get off my stomach. This conversation can +just as well be conducted under more comfortable conditions." + +Perry blinked and Wink viewed the captive doubtfully. + +"Promise not to try to run?" demanded Perry. + +"I have no intention of running, thanks." The robber carefully dusted +his clothes as he arose and then felt anxiously of a bruised elbow. +"Now, if you will inform me what this--this murderous assault means I +shall be greatly obliged to you." + +"Suppose you tell us what you were doing at that safe?" said Perry +sternly. + +"Is that any of your business?" asked the other. It was evident that he +was losing his temper again, and Wink drew a step nearer. "I presume I +have a perfect right to open my own safe! What I wish to know--" + +"Your own safe!" gasped Perry. "Oh, come now, you needn't try to tell us +that you--you live here. You're a cracksman, my friend, that's what you +are--" + +Ossie tugged at Perry's sleeve, but Perry failed to notice it. + +"One look at that face of yours is enough, old top," continued Perry. +"It's got crook written all over it!" + +"It has, has it?" gasped the man. "Let me tell you that my name is +Drummond, sir, and that this is my house, and that is my safe, and--and +if you'll mind your own business--" + +"What!" asked Perry weakly. "You mean that you--that this--you mean +that--" + +"I mean," interrupted the man angrily, "that I was about to deposit some +money in that safe, some money I'd been carrying around in my pocket all +the evening and feared I might lose, when you--you young thugs set on me +and knocked me down! Knocked me down right in my own house, on my own +hearth-rug! Why, you--you--" + +Mr. Drummond's wrath got the better of his speech and he only sputtered, +waving an accusing finger at the retreating Perry. Wink was already +glancing about for a means of escape and Ossie was frankly deserting. + +"I--I didn't know!" gasped Perry. "I--we saw you come in--and you looked +like--like a--" + +"You've said that already!" said the man, "Never mind my criminal looks, +young man!" + +"No, sir, we don't--I mean I was mistaken, sir! But, you see, it looked +so--so queer, you coming in like that--" + +"Queer! What was queer about it!" demanded Mr. Drummond irascibly, "No +one but a parcel of young idiots would think it queer!" He took an +envelope from his pocket, tossed it into the safe, closed door and panel +and faced them again. "Who are you, anyway? I don't remember you." + +"Er--my name--my name--" stammered Perry, "my name--" + +"Well, well! Don't you know your name? Who invited you here?" + +"Yes, sir, oh, yes, sir! It's Bush. We--you see, we were on the porch +there, and we wanted to get back to the--the front of the house--" + +"Who invited you here, tonight? Who--" The host's expression changed +from indignation to suspicion. "Huh!" he ejaculated. "Robber, eh! Well, +what were you doing in this room? Seems to me--hm! We'll look into this, +I think!" He stepped back and touched a button in the wall. "We'll have +this explained! We'll see who the robber is! We--" + +"_Good night!_" Perry spurned the table against which he was leaning, +hurdled a chair and plunged down the room. Ossie was at his heels and +Wink was a good third. They fled at top speed and from behind them came +the irate commands of their host: + +"Stop! Come back! Stop, I say!" + +But they didn't stop. They only ran faster. Wink beat Ossie to the first +window easily and passed out even with Perry. And as they landed on the +stone flagging outside they heard Mr. Drummond excitedly directing the +pursuit. + +"Quick, Wilkins! Get them! They tried to rob the house!" Mr. Drummond's +voice pursued them along the verandah. "Help! Robbers! Head them off!" + +The boys took the stone steps in two bounds, crashed at the bottom into +a hedge, went tearing through and emerged beyond in a service yard, +dimly lighted by one struggling electric bulb over a back doorway. It +was Ossie who fell into the clothes basket and Wink who collided with +the clothes reel and sent it spinning wildly and creakingly around in +the darkness. Perry fortunately avoided all pitfalls and was leading by +six yards when he reached the top of another flight of steps and saw the +marquee and the dancing platform and the gay lights at his right. To +make their way in that direction would be sheer folly, while in front of +them lay a tangle of shrubbery and trees. Into this they hurtled, as +from behind them came cries of "Stop, thief!" and the crunching of many +footsteps. + +Off went Wink's hat as he fled after the scurrying Perry. Ossie went +down in a tangle of briars and prickly things with a grunt, rolled +somehow clear and was off again. "This way!" shouted a voice. "I seen +'em! They went in here! Come on, men!" + +Perry was running alongside a wall now, as he hoped, in the general +direction of the street. Behind him came Wink and Ossie, crashing +through shrubbery with a desperate disregard for noise. Then suddenly, +the wall turned abruptly to the right. Perry stopped short, looked and +decided. + +"We've got to get over!" he gasped, as Wink ran blindly into him. "Give +me a leg-up!" + +Wink leaned weakly against the wall and Perry set a foot on his cupped +hands and was just able to reach the top of the wall. But that was +enough. Up he climbed. Then up came Ossie, and together, while the +pursuit drew instantly closer, they pulled Wink to safety. For a brief +moment they sat there and caught their breath while wondering what lay +below them in the gloom of the further side. But there was scant time +for conjectures, for the pursuit was in sight. Three bodies launched +themselves into space, there was a frightful, devastating sound of +breaking glass and the boys disengaged themselves from a cold-frame and +sped on again into the darkness. + +A house loomed suddenly before them, a house with lights and folks about +the porch and a panting automobile curving its way down a drive. They +turned to the right and kept along a lawn in the shadows of the trees. +The automobile passed them with a purr and a sweeping flare of white +light. Then Perry was after it and in another moment they were all +three huddled somehow on the gas-tank at the rear and going with +increasing speed out of the grounds and along a road. For a few minutes +they hung there, breathing hard, and then Wink gasped: + +"We've got to get off, Perry! It's going the wrong way!" + +"If we do, we'll get killed," answered Perry. "Wait till it slows up." + +They waited, but it seemed that it never would slow up. It went faster +and faster. It passed houses and stores and a church. It went like the +wind. Ossie groaned as they left the village behind. + +"I can't stay on much longer, fellows!" he said hopelessly. "I'm +clinging by my t-t-teeth!" + +"You've got to!" answered Perry above the noise of the exhaust. "You'll +break something if you don't! Wait till it slows up!" + +_Toot! Toot! To-o-oot!_ said the horn. And then, so suddenly that +Perry's head collided with something particularly hard, the brakes +squeaked harshly, the car slewed into an avenue and the boys, making the +most of the opportunity, fell off. Ossie rolled a full half-dozen yards +before his progress was stayed by a tree, and Wink, or so Perry +declared afterwards, described a beautiful and quite perfect circle. +Bruised, breathless and dizzy, they got to their feet and staggered to +the side of the road and subsided on the turf. + +After a long minute Ossie said feebly: "Where--do you--suppose--we are?" + +"About ten miles--in the country," answered Wink. + +There was silence then, silence long and profound. At last they climbed +to their feet and, without speaking, walked off in the darkness in the +direction from which they had come. Perhaps ten minutes later there came +the first sound to break the silence. It was a choking sort of gurgle +from Wink. + +"What's the matter with you?" inquired Perry listlessly. + +"I was just--just thinking," replied Wink. "It was so--so--" But words +failed him and he began to laugh. After a dubious instant Perry +chuckled, and then Ossie, and presently they were clinging to each other +convulsively in the middle of the unknown road and sending shrieks of +laughter up to the starlit sky. + +Over an hour later they reached the landing. Both tenders were gone. The +_Follow Me_ was dark, but a faint light still burned aboard the +_Adventurer_. Perry cupped his hands and sent a hail across the water. A +sleepy response was followed by the sound of someone tumbling into the +dingey and then by the measured creak of oars. Han was grumbling as he +drew to the float. + +"A fine time to be coming back," he said. "Where the dickens did you +fellows get to, anyway? We looked all around the shop for you. Did you +get any grub?" + +"N-no," answered Perry, as he sank wearily into a seat. "We got tired of +sticking around there and--and went for a ride." + +"A ride? Where to?" + +"Oh, just around a bit. Out in the country a ways. Was--was the grub any +good?" + +"Was it!" Han grew quite animated. "It was the best ever! They had about +a dozen kinds of salad, and cold meats all over the place, and +sandwiches and cakes and ice-cream and ices and coffee and--" + +"Oh, shut up!" begged Ossie almost tearfully. + +"It was bully! Were you there when we chased the burglars?" + +"When you--what?" asked Wink. + +"Chased the burglars, I said. Mr. Drummer, or something--I never did +get the name of the folks--found three of them trying to break into his +safe, and they knocked him down and half-killed him, and the servants +chased them, and then everyone took a hand! It was fine and exciting, I +tell you! Had you gone off before that?" + +"Why--er--seems to me we did hear something," said Perry. "When--when +was this?" + +"Oh, about a quarter to ten, I suppose. We were dancing--" + +"_You_ were dancing?" ejaculated Wink. + +"Sure! All of us danced. Didn't you?" + +"Who with, for the love of Mike?" + +"Oh, lots of girls. Mrs. Thingamabob happened to find Joe standing +around and made him tell her his name, and then she took him off and +introduced him to some girls, and then he introduced the rest of us. It +was a peachy floor. Some of the girls were all right, too." + +"You seem to have got on fairly well," said Wink, "considering you +weren't invited." + +"We were invited just as much as you were," responded Han indignantly. + +"Maybe, son, maybe," answered Wink, as he climbed aboard the darkened +_Follow Me_, "but I'll bet they weren't half as sorry to see you go as +they were to see us!" + +With which cryptic remark Wink stumbled into the cockpit and +disappeared. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII + +THE SQUALL + + +Although the Adventure Club remained in port for another day, neither +Perry, Wink nor Ossie went ashore again, and all the efforts of the rest +of the party failed to coax them off the boats. They were, they +declared, fed up with Bar Harbor. And they hinted that so far as they +were concerned the voyage might continue at any moment without protest. +Han brought back a newspaper that afternoon containing a vivid and +highly sensational account of the attempted robbery of the Alfred Henry +Drummond "cottage." The three read it with much interest, and especially +that portion of it which stated that "the local police force is +investigating and has every expectation of making arrests within +twenty-four hours, since it is not believed the burglars have succeeded +in leaving the island and all avenues of escape are being closely +guarded." + +It might have been observed by the others, but wasn't, that Perry and +Ossie, on the _Adventurer_, and Wink, on the _Follow Me_, exhibited a +strange fondness for the seclusion of the cabins from that time until +the next day at eight, when the cruisers up-anchored and passed out of +the harbour. And as the broad Atlantic rolled under the keels three +hearty sighs emerged from as many throats. + +The two boats passed Petit Manan Island toward ten that forenoon, a tiny +rocky islet holding aloft a tall shaft against the blue of the Summer +sky. "A hundred and fourteen feet," said Joe informatively, "and the +highest lighthouse on the coast except one." + +"Gee, think of living there in Winter!" said Perry awedly. + +"Guess Petit Manan isn't as bad as some of the islands along here, at +that," said Joe. "Some of them are a lot further from the mainland. +Remember Matinicus?" + +"Think of folks living on them," murmured Han. "They must be merry +places in Winter with a blizzard blowing around! Lonely, wow!" + +"Remember the white yacht we passed the other day near Burnt Coal?" +asked Phil, looking up from the book he was reading. "The _Sunbeam_ was +the name of her. Well, a chap was telling me yesterday about her. It +seems she's a sort of Mission boat, the Sea Coast Mission, I think it's +called. The folks that live on these off-shore islands along here were +in pretty bad shape a few years ago, bad shape in every way. There were +no schools, or mighty few, and no churches, and the folks were just +naturally pegging out from sheer loneliness and--and lack of ambition, +just drifting right back into a kind of semi-civilized state, as folks +do on islands in the Pacific that you read about. Well, someone realised +it and got busy, and this Mission was started. There was a chap named +MacDonald, Alexander MacDonald--" + +"Sounds almost Scotch," observed Joe dryly. + +"Never mind what he was. He's American now, if he was ever anything +else," replied Phil warmly. "He was teaching school on one of the +islands near Mount Desert in the Summers and going to college the rest +of the time. There wasn't any church on this island and so he used to +conduct services in the place they used for a school. Somehow, that put +it into his head--or maybe his heart--to be a preacher. He preached +around in all sorts of out-of-the-way places, and then this Mission +started up and the folks behind it just naturally got hold of him and +put him in charge. A New York woman had the _Sunbeam_ built for him +three or four years ago and now he lives right on it, he and a couple +of men for crew, and she keeps pegging around the islands, up and down +the coast, Summer and Winter. You fellows know what Doctor Grenfell does +up around Labrador and beyond? Well, this Mr. MacDonald does the same +stunt along this coast, and, by jiminy, fellows, it's some stunt! Think +of plunging around these waters in Winter, eh? Breaking his own way +through the ice often enough--the boat was built for it they say--and +plugging through some of the nor'easters! Say, I take my hat off to that +fellow!" + +"Some job," agreed Steve thoughtfully. "Man's work, fellows." + +"What does he do for 'em?" asked Ossie. + +"Teaches them, son. Teaches them how to live clean, how to look after +the kids, how to keep healthy. And prays with them, too, I guess. And +brings them books and founds schools. Don't you guess that when this +_Sunbeam_ comes in sight of some of those little, forsaken islands the +folks on shore sort of perk up? Guess the Reverend Mr. MacDonald is +pretty always certain of a welcome, fellows!" + +"Rather!" said Joe. "That's what I call--um--being useful in the world. +Bet you he's a fine sort. Bound to be, eh?" + +"I'd like to make a trip with him," said Perry. "Gee, but it would be +some sport, wouldn't it? Talk about finding adventures! Bet you he has +'em by the hundreds." + +"I dare say," said Phil, "that he'd be glad to dispense with a good many +of them. Hope I haven't bored you, fellows," he added, returning to his +book. + +"You haven't, old scout," answered Han. "Any time you learn anything as +interesting as that, you spring it. Blamed if it doesn't sort of make a +fellow want to be of more use in the world. Guess I'll polish some +brass!" + +They passed many of those islands during the next few days, lonely, +rock-girt spots scantily clad with wild grass and wind-worried fir +trees. Sometimes there was a lighthouse, and nearly always the rocks +were piled with lobster-traps, for lobstering is the chief industry of +the inhabitants. They touched at one small islet one afternoon and went +ashore. There were but three houses there, old, weather-faded shacks +strewn around with broken lobster-pots and nets and discarded tin cans +and rubbish. The folks they met, and they met them all, from babes in +arms to a ninety-eight-year-old great-grandmother, looked sad and +listless and run-to-seed. Even the children seemed too old for their +years. It was all rather depressing, in spite of the evident kindliness +of the people, and the boys were glad to get away again. They bought +some lobsters and nearly a gallon of blueberries before they went. Ossie +declared afterwards that those lobsters looked to him a sight happier +than the folks they had seen ashore! + +They went eastward leisurely, making many stops, and had fine weather +until they sighted Grand Manan. Then a storm drove them to shelter one +afternoon and they lay in a tiny harbour for two days while the wind +lashed the ports and the rain drove down furiously. Nothing of great +interest happened, although the time went fast and pleasantly. To be +sure, there were minor incidents that Phil entered in the log-book he +was keeping: as when Han fell overboard one morning in a heavy sea when +the _Adventurer_ was reeling off her twelve miles and was pretty well +filled with brine and very near exhaustion when he reached the life-buoy +they threw him. And once Ossie pretty nearly cut a finger off while +opening a lobster. And then there was the time--it was during those two +weather-bound days and everyone's temper was getting a bit short--when +Perry cast aspersions on Ossie's biscuits at supper. Perry said they +were so hard he guessed they were Ossie-fied, and the others laughed +and Ossie got angry and they nearly came to blows: would have, perhaps, +had not Steve promised to throw them both overboard if they did! + +They spent two days at Grand Manan, and Perry, who had never before been +further from Philadelphia than the Adirondacks, was vastly thrilled when +he discovered that Grand Manan was a part of New Brunswick. "This," he +declaimed grandly as he stamped down on a clam-shell, "is the first time +I've ever set foot on a foreign shore!" + +The end of the first week in August found them harboured at Eastport. +They stayed there four days, not so much because the place abounded in +interest as because the _Adventurer_, who had behaved splendidly for +several hundred miles, suddenly refused to go another fathom. Steve said +he guessed the engine needed a good overhauling, and Perry chortled and +offered his services to Joe to help take it apart. But Joe, in spite of +his invaluable and ever-present hand-book, acknowledged his limitations, +and the job went to a professional and the _Adventurer_ spent most of +three days tied up to a smelly little dock while the engine specialist +took the motor down before be discovered that a fragment of waste and +other foreign matter had lodged in the gasoline supply pipe. +Fortunately, his charge was moderate. Had it been otherwise they might +have had to stay in Eastport until financial succour reached them, for +the exchequer was almost depleted. + +They found a letter from Neil among the mail that was awaiting them at +Eastport. Neil was evidently down on his luck and begged for news of the +club. He got it in the shape of an eight-page epistle from Phil. + +Perry made a close study of the sardine industry and laid gorgeous plans +for conducting a similar venture on the banks of the Delaware when he +returned home. "You see," he explained, "a sardine is just whatever you +like to call it in this country. I used to think that a sardine had to +come from Sardinia." + +"From where?" asked Ossie, the recipient of Perry's confidences. + +"Sardinia." + +"Where's that?" + +"I dunno. Spain, I think. Or maybe Italy. Somewhere over there." He +waved a hand carelessly in the general direction of Grand Manan. +"Anyway, there's nothing to it. A man told me this morning that the +sardines they use here are baby herring or menhaden or--or something +else. I guess most any fish is a sardine here if it's young enough. +Unless it's a whale. Now why couldn't you use minnows? There are heaps +of minnows in the Delaware River. Or young shad. A shad's awfully decent +eating when he's grown up, and so it stands to reason that he'd make a +perfectly elegant sardine." + +"Nothing but bones," objected Ossie. + +"A young shad, say a week-old one, wouldn't have any bones, you chump. +At least, they'd be nice and soft. It's a dandy business, Ossie. All you +have to have is some fish and a lot of oil and some tin cans." + +"Sounds easy the way you tell it. I suppose you pour the oil in the tin +can and drown the fish in the oil and clamp the lid on, eh?" + +"N-no, there's a little more to it than that. There's something about +boiling them. They have big kettles. Want to go over this afternoon and +see them do it? There's a fine, healthy smell around there!" + +"Thanks, but I got a whiff of it a while ago. Unless you want me to sour +on sardines, Perry, you won't take me to the place they build them." + +The engine was reassembled in the course of time and, with fresh +supplies, the _Adventurer_ turned homeward, the _Follow Me_ close +astern. They started after an early dinner, having decided to make +Northeast Harbor that evening and proceed to Camden the next day. They +had seen enough of the eastern end of the coast, they thought, while +from Camden westward there were numerous places that had looked +enticing. So "No Stop" was the order, and the _Adventurer_, turning back +into home waters off Lubec, churned her way through the Bay of Fundy at +a good pace. The morning had dawned hazy, but the sun had shone brightly +for awhile in mid-afternoon. Later the sunlight disappeared again and +the northern sky piled itself with clouds. South West Head was abeam +then and Steve half-heartedly offered to run to shelter. But the others +pooh-poohed the suggestion. + +"If we duck every time there's a cloud," said Joe, "we'll never get back +to Camden. There isn't any wind and the barometer says fair." + +The barometer was rather a joke aboard the _Adventurer_. It hung just +inside the forward companion way and was undoubtedly a most excellent +instrument. But not a soul aboard could read it properly. When it +dropped, the skies cleared and the wind blew. When it rose, it +invariably rained or got foggy. Steve had long since given it up in +despair, but Joe still maintained a belief in his powers of +prognosticating weather by the barometer, a belief that no one else on +the boat shared. + +"If the pesky thing says that," remarked Han, "it'll snow before night! +Still, I don't see why we need to run into harbour yet. There's no sign +of fog, and if it's only rain that's coming, why, we've been wet before. +I say let her flicker, Steve." + +"I guess so. We're not out far and if it does get very wet we can soon +get under cover somewhere. Find me the next chart, Joe, will you?" + +They could see the Seal Islands, or they thought they could, off to port +at a little past three. The _Follow Me_ was hiking along about a quarter +of a mile astern, making better going than the _Adventurer_, just as she +always did in a heavy sea. And today the sea was piling up a good deal. +Joe looked anxious at times, but he had passed his novitiate and now it +took a good deal of tossing to send him below. What happened at about +half-past three occurred so suddenly that no one aboard the _Adventurer_ +was prepared for it. + +It grew dark almost between one plunge of the cruiser's bow and another, +and before Steve could punch out his warning on the whistle, +preparatory to heading to starboard, a gust of wind tore down on them +from the north like a blast from the pole and set canvas rattling and +flags snapping. Steve headed toward Englishman's Bay, nine miles due +west, and the _Follow Me_ altered her course accordingly. But that storm +had no intention of awaiting anyone's pleasure. The first gust was +quickly followed by a second and the sky darkened rapidly. The spray +began to come over the rail, and Han and Perry tugged down a flapping +curtain and lashed it to the stanchions. The next time Steve looked for +the _Follow Me_ she was no longer in sight, for the darkness had closed +in between the two craft. + +"This is a mess," shouted Steve, peering through the spray-wet glass +ahead. "I wish we were about seven or eight miles further along, +fellows." + +"Well, we will be presently," replied Phil cheerfully. "I dare say this +blow won't last long. It's only a squall, probably." + +"It's a good one, then," muttered Steve. "If you don't believe it take +hold of this wheel. Feel her kick? Keep a lookout for that island in +there, Joe." + +Things went from bad to worse and ten minutes after the first warning +the _Adventurer_ was tossing about like a cork, her propeller as often +out of water as in, and making hard work of it. + +They had to hold tight to whatever was nearest to keep from being +pitched across the bridge deck. The seas began to pile in over the roof +of the after cabin and the deck was soon awash. Steve held to the wheel +like grim death, with Joe at his side when needed, and they plunged on. +But it didn't take Steve long to realise that to attempt to make the +haven under such conditions would be folly. There were islands and reefs +ahead and the gloom made it impossible to see for any distance. + +"The only thing we can do, fellows," he said presently, shouting to make +himself heard above the wind, "is to run for it straight down the shore. +If we can get in past Wass Island we can anchor, I guess, but if we try +to make Englishman's Bay we'll pile up somewhere as sure as shooting! I +wish I was certain the _Follow Me_ was all right." + +"If we are, she's sure to be," said Joe. "She's a nifty little chip in +tough weather. Here comes some rain, Steve!" + +Joe's description was weak, however. It was more than "some" rain; it +was a deluge! It swept past the edges of the curtains and splashed on +the deck in dipperfulls. And it hid everything beyond the torn and +tattered Union Jack at the bow. Looking through the dripping windows was +like looking through the glass side of an aquarium, for beyond it was a +solid sheet of water. Steve gazed anxiously from chart to compass under +the electric lights and eased off to port. + +"There's too much land around here," he shouted to Joe, "to leave me +happy. And, what's more, I'm none too certain just where we are at this +blessed minute. So it's the wide ocean for yours truly. We'll just have +to run for it and trust to luck!" + +"Right-o," called Joe sturdily. "Let her flicker, old man! There's one +thing plumb certain, and that is if we come across an island +we're--um--likely to run clean over it!" + +But Joe was wrong. + +The words were scarcely off his lips when a cry of mingled astonishment +and alarm sprang from Steve as he threw his weight on the wheel. At the +same moment there was a shock that sent all hands reeling, the +_Adventurer_ quivered from stern to stern, and then, after a moment no +longer than a heart-beat, lurched forward again. Directly over the bow, +glimpsed vaguely through the rain and gloom, rose a towering cliff. +Steve's frantic efforts were in vain, for although he tore at the +clutch and the propeller thrashed the water astern, the _Adventurer_ was +already in the smother of the surf and an instant later she struck. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX + +SHIPWRECKED + + +Afterwards the boys looked back on the ensuing five minutes as a dream +rather than a reality. The cruiser grounded with an impetus that set +pans rattling in galley, lifted again and once more thumped her stern +down, as she did so swinging her stern slowly around in a last frantic +effort to pull clear. Then the boat careened, a sea washed clean across +the deck and, with her keel forward of the engine firmly imbedded in the +sand, she lay still save for the tremors that shook her when the angry +surf rushed in across her beam. + +There was confusion enough, but on the whole the six alarmed boys +behaved sensibly. Steve, wet to his waist, turned off the engine and +banged shut the chart-box even as he shouted his orders. "Life +preservers, fellows! Han, get the big cable from the locker. Keep your +heads now!" + +Clinging like a leech to the canted roof of the forward cabin, Steve +himself worked along with the rope and, half-drowned in rain and surf, +made it fast to the cleat. The others, struggling into life-belts, +clung to the stanchions or whatever they could find. Steve crawled back +with the coil, drenched and breathless. + +"We've got to get off, fellows," he said. "It's only a dozen yards to +the beach and we can make it all right. Close every hatch. Ossie, fetch +a can of biscuits. See that the lid's tight." Wave after wave struck on +the starboard beam and fell hissing across the boat. The side curtains +were ripped from the stanchions and fluttered wildly about them. + +"Going to swim for it?" asked Joe above the roar of waves and tempest. + +"Yes! We've got to. The boat would swamp in an instant. I'll start ahead +with the line. You fellows wait and then follow it in." + +"Better let me go along," said Joe, his hands formed into a +speaking-trumpet. + +"No need. I'll make it." + +"Look out for back-tow!" + +The other nodded. He had pulled off his coat and unlaced his shoes and +now he dropped these things through the forward hatch and wrapped the +big rope around his waist. "Better not try to swim with your coats, +fellows," he instructed. "Nor shoes. Don't take any chances. Last man +off see that this hatch is shut tight." He crawled around the +stanchions on the starboard side and crept along to the bow, the others, +huddled together on the sloping bridge, watching anxiously. Then he +slipped from sight. Once they saw his head, or thought they saw it, a +darker blot in the grey-green welter. Joe was already creeping toward +the bow, and, having reached it, he crouched there, blinded by rain and +spray, and waited for the rope to tauten. It seemed a long while before +he waved an arm to the watchers behind and swung himself off. They saw +his hands travel along the rope a moment and then he was smothered up in +the spume. + +One by one the others followed without misadventure save when Han +slipped on the deck and would have rolled across and plunged over the +further side had he not fortunately caught the iron support of the +searchlight in front of the funnel. Phil was the last to go. With a +final look about the deck as he clung to an awning pipe, he followed +Ossie. The latter was swinging himself hand-over-hand by the rope with +the waves surging to his shoulders. Then Phil saw him strike out and the +waters hid him. The beach was visible at moments from the bow, and once +Phil, as he prepared to swing himself off, thought he saw figures +there. Then he, too, was battling. The waves swept him under the rope +and would have wrenched him from it had he not clung on desperately. +Holding to it with his right hand, he sought to find it with his left +and so draw himself on, but the surf swirled him about dizzily and he +gave up the attempt. Instead, almost drowned in the smother, he used his +left arm and his legs for swimming, edging his right hand along the +cable as best he could, and presently, although none too soon, felt the +churning gravel beneath his stockinged feet. But when he tried to stand, +the receding water swept his legs from under him so unexpectedly and +forcibly that he lost his grasp of the rope. He went down and felt the +water tugging him back, swam mightily and was lifted to the top of an +in-rushing breaker, filled his lungs with air and felt blindly for the +rope. Then hands seized him and Joe and Han, clinging to the cable, +dragged him ashore. + +Phil found himself under the frowning battlement of the huge cliff on a +ledge of sand and shingle scarcely twenty feet wide. But there was less +sweep for the rain here and the _Adventurer_ was plainly visible through +the strange semi-darkness. Steve had made the shore end of the cable +fast to a boulder that stood, half out of the shingle, at the base of +the cliff. For a long minute the six boys huddled there in the storm and +disconsolately gazed at the boat. It was Han who voiced the thought of +most of them. + +"She won't stay together long, I guess," he said sorrowfully. "Those +waves will batter her to pieces." + +"She'll stand a lot of battering," answered Steve hopefully. "It's +hitting her on the beam and she hasn't swung much since I left her. The +tide's still coming in and--" He stopped. Then: "I ought to have +dropped the stern anchor over," he went on. "What an idiot! If she had +that to hold her from swinging broadside--" + +"Would it hold her?" asked Joe dubiously. + +"It would help." Steve tightened his belt. "I'm going back," he said. + +They remonstrated, but to no purpose. Then Joe and Han wanted to go +along, and were denied. "It's no trick," said Steve resolutely. "I can +do it easily. You fellows stand by when I come ashore again. That's the +only tough part of it. Someone might see if there's a way up from this +beach. If the tide comes much higher it's going to be a bit damp here." + +It was Perry who undertook that task, while the others followed Steve to +the breakers' edge and watched him return to the _Adventurer_. He made +no attempt to swim, but pulled himself along by the line, +hand-over-hand, his head for the most of the time under the water. But +presently he emerged and they saw him clamber to the deck, crawl along +it and disappear. He seemed a long time there, but he came into sight +again eventually and began the return trip. Perry was back by then and +they formed a line by clasping hands and Joe stood well above his waist, +battered by the surf, and Steve was helped along from one to another and +presently they were all back on the beach once more. + +"I got it over," gasped Steve, "but it was hard work. I think it will +hold. If the storm will only go down pretty soon she may get through. I +think some of her planks are sprung, though. There's a foot of water in +the after cabin. I got some matches and this cup." He pulled a tin cup +from a trousers pocket. "Can we get up the cliff a way?" + +"Yes," answered Perry. "There's a sort of a shelf about a hundred feet +beyond there. I'll show you the way." + +[Illustration: "Those waves will batter her to pieces"] + +They followed. Real darkness was coming fast now and Perry found +difficulty in retracing his steps. But in a few minutes, by dint of +scrambling and pulling themselves upward, they reached the shelf. It +was barely large enough to hold them all and was scarcely ten feet above +the level of the beach below. Nor was it at all level, for it had been +formed by the accumulation of falling debris from the cliff and sloped +outward at a steep angle. Some dwarf firs and low bushes had gained +rootage, however, and it was possible for them to huddle there without +fear of rolling to the rocks beneath. Steve tried to find some dead +branches to build a fire, and did succeed in getting a few, but his +first attempt to set them alight proved the futility of the undertaking. +There was nothing for it save to lie as close together as they could, +for warmth, and await the morning. + +That was a miserable night. They all slept at times, and by changing +places they all, for a while at least, found some degree of warmth. But +they had been drenched through to start with and when, at last, the +stormy world began to lighten their garments were still sodden and they +shivered whenever they stirred. Ossie was ill toward morning, but there +was nothing they could do for him except huddle closely about him. He +complained of intense pains in his chest and Steve had horrible visions +of pneumonia until Ossie, asked to locate the trouble more definitely, +laid a trembling hand on a portion of his anatomy and muttered "Here" +through chattering teeth. + +"That's not your chest, you idiot," said Steve, vastly relieved. "That's +your stomach!" + +"Is it?" returned the sufferer miserably. "Well, it hurts just the +same!" + +But after an hour he felt considerably better and went off to sleep. By +that time it was early morning and they could see about them. The rain +had almost ceased, but the wind still blew hard and the surf was still +pounding. Once during the darkness the waves had, from the sound, +entirely covered the little beach. Now, however, they had receded and, +as the light grew, they saw that the _Adventurer_ lay, with regard to +the tide, about as they had last glimpsed her. But she had swung her +stern further around, in spite of the anchor Steve had dropped, and the +waves were breaking almost squarely across her. She was a pathetic +sight. Her side curtains were waving in ribands, the forward flag-pole +held nothing but one tiny rag of blue bunting and the tender, torn from +the chocks, was jammed between the stanchions ahead. + +"But she's still whole," said Steve from between blue lips. "And the +storm's going down. If she isn't sprung too much, and we could only get +her off of there--" + +"Getting her off," said Joe with a pessimism born of hunger and cold and +the gloom of the early morning, "will be about as easy as moving a house +with a toothpick. I dare say the sand's bedded around her two feet +high." + +"I'm afraid so," Steve agreed. "Well, let's have something to eat. Will +you have steak or chicken, Joe?" + +"Broiled ham and a baked potato, please, and a couple of eggs. Not more +than two minutes for the eggs. And you might bring me a couple of hot +biscuits--" + +"Oh, shut up," begged Steve miserably. + +"Well, you started it! Who's awake here?" + +"I am," muttered Perry. "Seems to me I haven't been anything but awake +for ten years." + +"Well, want to order your breakfast now, or will you wait?" asked Joe +cheerfully. + +"Guess I'll wait," answered Perry grimly. "Where are those crackers?" + +They got Ossie awake with difficulty and Steve doled out six crackers to +each. The tin cup came in handy, for there was a pool of rain water in a +ledge below them. + +"What I can't see," grumbled Ossie, "is why we didn't stay on board the +boat. It would have been a lot drier than this place." + +"You may think so now," replied Steve, "but wait till you get aboard +again. We might have stayed on her, as it's turned out, but the boat +didn't look very homelike to me yesterday!" + +"How the dickens were we to know that it would hold together, or even +stay on its keel?" asked Joe disgustedly. "Don't talk like a sick +goldfish, Ossie!" + +As soon as they had consumed breakfast they scrambled down to the beach +with many groans and stretched their cramped and aching limbs. The rain, +although now little more than a very heavy mist, limited their vision to +a hundred yards or so in any direction. Steve hazarded the opinion that +they were not more than two miles from the mainland, although he made no +attempt to give a name to the island they were on. The fate of the +_Follow Me_ worried them all, but Phil, always the most sanguine in +times of stress, pointed out that as the other craft had not followed +them onto the island she was probably safe. + +"She may be piled up further along somewhere," suggested Joe. "I say +we'd better have a look. It would help a bit to know what sort of a +place we've struck, anyway. For all we know there may be a house just +around the corner!" + +So they set out in two parties, Steve, Ossie and Phil going one way and +the rest the other. It was agreed that they were to be back in an hour +at the most. Twenty minutes later, each exploration party having stuck +to the beach, they came together again, much to their mutual surprise. + +"The pesky thing isn't more than a few acres big!" exclaimed Joe +disgustedly. + +"And it's entirely surrounded by water," added Perry brightly. + +"Most islands are," said Ossie. "We can get up on top easily enough +here, fellows. Let's see what it looks like." + +Their island was little more than a rock stuck out of the water. Just +how big it was was difficult to determine since the haze of driving mist +allowed but little view. From the beach, at a point presumably directly +opposite the place where they had come ashore they climbed by the aid of +rocky footholds and bushes to a broken but generally level summit clad +with a tangled growth of blueberry and briars and sprinkled most +liberally with boulders. The ground arose gradually as they advanced, +guided by Steve's pocket compass, and before very long they reached the +wind-swept edge of the cliff against which they had spent the night. +From the summit they could see dimly at brief intervals the form of the +_Adventurer_ far below. + +"Well, I don't see that we've accomplished much," said Han. "We're here, +but where are we? And how the dickens are we going to get back again? If +anyone thinks that I'm going to risk my neck sliding down here he's +mistaken." + +"We don't ask you to, Ossie dear," said Han. "Your little neck is much +too precious. One thing is certain, anyway, I guess: there's no hotel on +the place!" + +"Hotel!" said Joe. "Gee, I'd be satisfied with a--um--cow-shed!" + +Nevertheless, they made the return journey in better spirits, for they +had walked the aches from their limbs and warmth into their bodies. On +the way Steve made them gather fagots of dead branches and they found a +number of larger pieces of wood on the beach. By the time they were once +more "at home," as Perry put it, they had all the material for a fire +save paper or some other form of kindling. Steve experimented with twigs +from the fir trees on the ledge, but they were too wet to burn. No one +had any paper, or if they had it was too damp. + +"What would Robinson Crusoe have done?" asked Steve, frowning +thoughtfully. + +Joe, who had seated himself tiredly on the wet sand and was digging his +stockinged heels into it, sneered at Mr. Crusoe. "He'd have made a trip +on his raft," he said, "and fetched ashore a bundle of kindling. If it +hadn't been for that wreck to draw on Robinson Crusoe would have starved +to death in twenty-four hours!" + +"Of course!" exclaimed Steve. "That's the idea!" + +"What, starve?" asked Joe distastefully. + +"No, you idiot, go out to the _Adventurer_ and get some gasoline!" + +"Sure!" agreed Ossie. "Only--just when we were getting dry at last--" + +"What's the matter with stripping," asked Steve cheerfully, suiting +action to word. "Is there a can or anything I can put it in, Ossie?" + +"There's a jug in the starboard locker. There's about a pint of vinegar +in it, but I guess we can sacrifice that." + +"Drink it, Steve, and save it," suggested Perry. + +The tide had retreated further by now and the bow of the cruiser was +almost beyond the breakers and Steve's journey was not difficult. When +he got back, with the vinegar jug filled with gasoline hung around his +neck, he reported the _Adventurer_ waist-deep in water at the stern. +"You fellows start the fire," he said, "and I'll go back and bring some +grub ashore. There's no reason for starving with food handy." + +Joe volunteered to accompany him, and, after disrobing and putting his +damp clothes under a stone to keep them from blowing away, he and Steve +plunged back into the water. Meanwhile success met the efforts of the +firemen and soon a good-sized blaze was roaring in spite of wind and +mist. They had located it as near the foot of the cliff as possible and, +although the smoke made itself disagreeable by billowing out in their +faces, it was thereby somewhat sheltered from the elements. Steve and +Joe made three trips and brought back frying-pan, coffee-pot and smaller +utensils, as well as provisions, and a half-hour later they were +beginning a supplementary breakfast of bacon and coffee. And if anything +in all the wide world, from the time of Noah to that of the Adventure +Club, ever tasted sublime to a shipwrecked mariner it was that same +bacon and coffee! + +When they had finished, Phil's watch--the only one of six which had +neither run down for lack of winding or been incapacitated by immersion +in salt water--gave the hour as twenty minutes past seven. Comforted by +food and drink, they warmed themselves at the fire and waited for the +tide to recede far enough to allow a survey of the _Adventurer_. The +comfort was too much for Perry and he fell asleep with his feet almost +in the embers and his head on a rock and slumbered emphatically. At last +the line of breakers was well astern of the cruiser and the boys, +leaving their stockings to dry by the fire and rolling their trousers +up, began their investigation. + +On the whole the _Adventurer_ had so far come off easily. Her planks had +been strained in several places, but there were no breaks. Steve, +hanging over the stern, tried to get sight of the propeller but failed, +as the sand had settled about it. Joe, wading out into the water, had +better success when he investigated. He came up, dripping, with the +welcome announcement that the blades were intact and that, so far as he +could ascertain by feeling, the shaft was not bent. But things looked +pretty dismal below-decks. The forward cabin was awash, as was the +engine-well, and the after stateroom was knee-deep. They gathered on the +bridge deck and held council. + +"We can plug her seams, all right," said Steve, "and by keeping a pump +going get to port, _if_ we can only get her off the beach. But I can't, +for the life of me, see how we're going to do that. Her bow's settled a +foot deep in sand and it's piled up along this side of her. Even her +propeller's buried!" + +"Not very much," said Joe. "If we start her she'll kick it away in a +minute." + +"But there isn't any use starting her," said Steve thoughtfully, "unless +she's afloat a good deal more than she was this morning. If only we had +something to fix a line to astern we might pull her off with the +windlass." His gaze ran seaward and in an instant he was on his feet +gazing intently through the mist. "What's that back there?" he demanded +eagerly. "Isn't it a rock, fellows?" + + + + +CHAPTER XX + +THE DERELICT + + +It was a rock whose brown head was thrust barely two feet above the +water. + +"It's the ledge we grazed last night," cried Joe. "Could we get a rope +to that, Steve?" + +"Why not? We'll have a go at it, anyway. Help me with the tender, +someone!" + +It was difficult work. As a first step the bow line was replaced by a +smaller rope and taken through the breakers to the out-cropping ledge. +There, working precariously in the water while Joe held him from the +boat and Han did his best to keep the dingey steady, Steve eventually +got the big cable around the rock, protecting it from the rough edges by +a blanket from one of the berths. Fortunately, the rock was so formed +that, once drawn tight, there was no danger of the rope slipping off, +and they returned to the _Adventurer_, Steve towing behind, in triumph. +In the meanwhile the others, directed by Phil, were stuffing the worst +of the seams with strips of muslin, using table knives for caulking +irons. The cable to the rock was led through a ring at the stern and +carried forward to the windlass. By the time the tide had begun to rise +again they had got the hull free of water, taking turns at the hand-pump +and operating the bilge-pump at the same time. Then they waited to see +how well they had succeeded at their caulking. It was noon by that time, +and they ate cold rations in the galley, and while they were below a +transient gleam of sunlight shone for an instant through the hatch above +and they tumbled to deck. The fine rain had almost ceased and although +the sunlight was gone again, the clouds were breaking. Steve whooped for +joy and the others joined him. It might have been only in imagination, +but it seemed that the wind was less fierce and that the in-rolling +breakers were less formidable. + +There was little to do save to set the cruiser as much to rights inside +and out as was possible and wait for high tide again. As the water once +more surrounded the boat they were pleased and encouraged to find that +while the water was again coming in through the seams it filled the +bilge so slowly that the pump could easily take care of it. Perry +declared proudly that they had done a "caulking job!" They went ashore +before the water cut them off entirely and built the fire up again. +About four the wind died down appreciably and the sun, which had been +flirting with the world ever since noon, burst forth in a sudden blaze +of glory. The mist disappeared as if by magic and exclamations of +surprise burst from six throats as eager eyes looked shoreward. + +There, as it seemed scarcely a half-mile distant, was the mainland; +green fields, grey cliffs, white houses! In reality the distance was +well over a mile and a quarter, but so clear had the atmosphere suddenly +become that the space of tumbled green water intervening looked hardly +more than a swimmer's stunt! They cheered and would have waved their +caps had they had any to wave. A small steamer was ducking her way along +near shore and they could almost see the spray tossing from the bow. +They found a nearer way to the top of the cliff and climbed to the +summit and tried to decide just where they were, but even Steve was at a +loss, although he was fairly certain that Englishman's Bay was well to +the north, probably as far distant as six miles. But, since from where +they gazed islands and mainland melted into each other, even Wass Island +was not determinate. But after all it didn't much matter where they +were. In a calm sea they could reach the shore in the dingey if it +became necessary, while a distress signal would undoubtedly be soon seen +from the nearer head-land. But Steve was not ready to call for aid yet, +and together they made their way back to the beach and settled down +philosophically to await evening and high tide. + +With the prospect of release from their desert island to cheer them, +waiting was not so hard. They had some supper about six and after that +the time passed fairly quickly. At half-past eight they made their way +out to the _Adventurer_. The wind had died entirely down at sunset and +now the sea was probably as quiet and well-behaved as it ever was just +there. About nine they began operations. No one was too sanguine of the +results, but when, having started the engine and experimentally moved +the clutch into reverse to clear the sand from around the propeller, no +untoward incident happened they became more encouraged. The heaving +lever was put into the windlass and, with Phil astern to watch the cable +where it ran through the ring bolt, Steve operated the engine while the +others took turns, two and two, at the windlass. Gradually the manila +cable tightened and strained and the screw churned hard, but the +_Adventurer_, save for righting herself a trifle, gave no indication of +moving from her sandy bed. Steve summoned the boys who were not working +the windlass to the after part of the boat in order to lighten the bow +as much as possible, and they worked on. Just when it seemed that not +another inch of the cable was to be conquered there was a shout from +Ossie and Han, who were panting at the lever, and the _Adventurer_ +moved! + +After that it was only a matter of time. Inch by inch the cruiser +dragged her keel along the sand, each minute floating a little freer and +each minute putting her deck more level as the stern found the deep +water. And, perhaps a half-hour from the time they had started, they had +the boat riding clear and slowly going astern to take up the cable. It +was out of the question to get the rope free of the rock and so they had +to cut it, and, having done so, they swung cautiously around in a wide +circle and headed toward the cheerful white beam of a lighthouse that +beckoned from the shore. + +They had to keep the pump going, for a leak they had not suspected +developed forward, but that was a small matter and they were so glad to +get out of the adventure with nothing worse than a few sprung planks, +some bent stanchions and the loss of the side curtains that they would +willingly have pumped by hand. Half an hour later, after a slow and +careful passage from island to mainland, with the searchlight picking +out her path, the _Adventurer_ dropped anchor in a narrow harbour. + +They stayed there only overnight, for in the morning they found that +there was no prospect of getting repairs made there, and so, with the +bilge pump sucking merrily, they ran ten miles further down the coast +and before dinner time saw the _Adventurer_ on a cradle and hauled high +and dry from the water. The damage to the hull, while nowhere severe, +was more general than they had thought, and the man who was to do the +repairs decreed a week's stay. After discussing the situation it was +decided that all save Steve and Phil were to proceed to Camden by rail +and wait there for the _Adventurer_. Steve was to remain to superintend +the repairs and painting--the cruiser stood in need of paint by +then--and Phil volunteered to keep him company and help take the boat on +when it was ready. + +In the meanwhile, after a day of uncertainty, the _Follow Me_ was +located by telegraph at Jonesport. "All well. Sailing for Camden +tomorrow. Meet you there" was the reply from Harry Corwin. Steve and +Phil, watching seaward from the deck of the _Adventurer_, sitting high +up on a marine railway, thought that they made out the _Follow Me_ about +ten o'clock the next morning, but couldn't be sure. The two boys, +captain and first mate, lived aboard and took their meals wherever they +could get them. They were there just six days and had a very happy if +unexciting time. Several absurd epistles reached them from Camden, all +of which indicated that the other members of the Adventure Club were +enjoying themselves hugely. At last, shining with new paint and polished +brass and refurnished with new curtains, the _Adventurer_ slid down the +railway again, floated out from the cradle and pointed her nose toward +Penobscot Bay. In the middle of a bright Friday afternoon she dropped +anchor alongside her companion craft, Phil doing wild and ecstatic +things with the whistle and eliciting no response from the _Follow Me_. +Steve and Phil donned proper shore-going togs and tumbled into the +dingey. The _Follow Me_ was totally deserted, which accounted for the +fact that, while their noisy arrival had aroused not a little interest +on other craft, the _Follow Me_ had received them very coldly. They +found some of the party at the hotel and the others rounded up later. +Everyone was flatteringly glad to see the new arrivals again, but none +more so than Perry. Perry was absolutely pathetic in his greetings and +refused to let Steve out of his sight for an instant. + +"I'm quite taken by surprise," declared Steve. "I knew you loved me +devotedly, Perry, but this is--this is really touching!" + +Perry grew a trifle red and coughed. "Er--well--I hope so," he blurted. + +"You hope so? Hope what?" + +"Hope it's touching," explained the other, grinning. "You see, I'm flat +broke, Steve, and so is everyone else, or pretty near, and if you could +lend me a couple of dollars--" + +"I feared it wasn't all just affection," sighed Steve, reaching for his +purse. "But it was worth the price, Perry!" + +"Much obliged! You--you might make it three, if you don't mind. I owe +Han fifty cents and Ossie a quarter--no, thirty-five--" + +"Here's five, you spendthrift. Let me have it back as soon as you can, +though, for I'm down near the bottom myself." + +"I will, Steve. I've sent for some and it ought to be along in a day or +two. Money doesn't last any time here!" + +Friends and acquaintances made during their former visit had done +everything possible to make the boys' stay so very more than pleasant, +and when the matter of going on was introduced the suggestion met with +scant sympathy. However, Steve was not at all averse to a week or so of +lotus eating and, having satisfied his conscience by the proposal, he +settled down, to enjoy himself with the rest. His friends ashore were +lavish with hospitality, while "Globbins the Speed Fiend," as Perry had +dubbed the freckle-faced proprietor of the restless automobile, was +indefatigably attentive. A second letter from Neil, forwarded from one +port of call to another in their wake, reached them one day, and they +composed a reply between them and all hands signed it. Neil was having +rather a dull time of it, they gathered, and they hoped their letter +would cheer him up a bit. + +At last, when they had, after two postponements, fixed a day of +departure, a storm that tied up shipping all along the North Atlantic +Coast for four days caused a final delay, and consequently it was well +toward the last of August when they said good-bye and set forth for +Squirrel Island. No one particularly cared to visit Squirrel Island save +Han, who had friends there, but as there was still a full week at their +disposal they were in no great hurry and one port was as good as +another. They remained there a day and then made Portland. At Portland +supplies were put in, and one Wednesday morning they picked up the +anchor at a little after six o'clock and started for Provincetown with +the fine determination to cover the distance of approximately a hundred +and twenty-five miles before they sat down to supper. That they didn't +do so was no fault of either the _Adventurer_ or the _Follow Me_. + +It was about half-past eight that Phil, sitting on the forward cabin +roof with his back braced against the smokestack, called Steve's +attention to an object far off to port. They had then put some thirty +miles between them and Portland and were twenty miles off Cape Neddick. +The morning was lowery, with occasional spatters of rain, and the storm, +which had blown off to the northward the day before, had left a heavy +sea running. For an hour the _Adventurer_ and the _Follow Me_ had been +climbing up the slopes of grey-green swells and sliding down into +swirling troughs, and for a minute Steve couldn't find the dark speck at +which Phil was pointing. When he did at last sight it over the tumbled +mounds of water he stared in puzzlement a moment before he took the +binoculars from their place and fitted them to his eyes. He looked long +and then silently handed the glasses through the window to Phil, punched +two shrill blasts on the whistle and swung the wheel to port. + +"Looks like a wreck," said Phil, after an inspection of the distant +object. "Going to see?" + +Steve nodded. "Might be someone aboard," he answered. "We can tell in +another mile or so, I guess." + +Phil gave up the glasses to the others, who had clustered to the bridge, +while the _Follow Me_ altered her course in obedience to the signal, her +company probably wondering why Steve had suddenly chosen to stand out to +sea. At the end of ten minutes it was plainly to be determined with the +aid of the binoculars that the object which had attracted their +attention and curiosity was without any doubt a wreck, and as the +_Adventurer_ drew momentarily closer her plight was seen to be extreme. +Whether anyone remained aboard was still a question when the cruiser was +a mile distant, but everything pointed against it. The craft, which +proved to be a small coasting schooner, had evidently seen a lot of +trouble. Both masts were broken off, the foremast close to the deck and +the mainmast some dozen feet above it. She lay low in the water, with +her decks piled high with lumber. A tangle of spars and ropes hung +astern, but save for her cargo the decks had been swept clean. She was a +sad sight even at that distance, and more than one aboard the +_Adventurer_ felt the pathos of her. + +"No sign of life," said Steve. "If anyone was aboard there'd be a signal +flying. And the boats are all gone, too, although that wouldn't mean +much in itself because they might have been swept away. I guess, though, +it got a bit too strenuous and the crew remembered the 'Safety First' +slogan. There's nothing we can do, anyway." + +He started to swing the cruiser about again, but Perry intervened. +"She's a whatyoucallit!" he exclaimed excitedly. "She's--" + +"No, little one," Joe corrected gently, "she's a wreck." + +"She's a derelict," persisted Perry eagerly, "and no one belongs to her! +If we got her she'd belong to us, Steve! Wouldn't she?" + +"I suppose she would," replied Steve dubiously, his hand hesitating on +the wheel, "but finding her and getting her are two mighty different +things, Perry. If we _could_ get her she'd be a nice prize, I guess, for +lumber's worth real money these days, and although she isn't very big +it's safe to say she's got quite a bunch of it on her, below deck and +above. I guess that lumber is what kept her afloat, from the looks of +the hull." + +"Let's see what we can do," said Han. "Someone will find her and--" + +"It might as well be us," added Perry enthusiastically. "Couldn't we tow +her, Steve!" + +"Tow her! Gee, she'd follow about as easily as a brick house!" + +"But if we both pulled--" + +"Well"--Steve cast an appraising eye at the weather--"I'm game to try it +if the rest of you say so. Full steam ahead, Mr. Chapman!" + + + + +CHAPTER XXI + +ON BOARD THE _CATSPAW_ + + +Steve communicated the project to those aboard the _Follow Me_ which had +now drawn up as near as she dared, and there followed a moment of blank +amazement aboard the smaller boat. But discussion there was brief, and +almost at once Harry Corwin raised his megaphone again and bellowed +across: + +"Go to it! What do you want us to do, Steve?" + +"Nothing yet," was the answer. "We're going to board her first and see +how she looks. If we take on the job we'll want your heaviest cable." + +Harry signalled assent. By this time they were within a hundred yards of +the derelict, and, with engines just moving, they tossed about on the +long swells and had a better look at the schooner. She was about eighty +feet long, with a beam of probably twenty-two, and displaced +approximately a hundred tons. She was square-sterned and blunt-nosed, +evidently built for capacity rather than speed. Her name, in gold +letters on the bow, was quite distinct: _Catspaw_. Later, when they +rounded her stern, they saw that her home port was Norfolk. Her cargo, +or at least so much of it as was above deck, consisted of rough pine +boards, and every available foot of space was occupied with it. The +deck-house was all but hidden. The mainmast dragged by a tangle of ropes +aft of the starboard beam and was acting as a sort of sea-anchor. For +the rest, her lumber-piled deck was swept clean save for a splintered +gaff that had become wedged in the boards. Her hull had been painted +black, but not very recently, and a dingy white streak led along the +side. + +The two cruisers worked cautiously around to the leeward side of the +_Catspaw_, the _Adventurer's_ tender was dropped over and Steve, Joe and +Han climbed in. Boarding in that sea was no child's work, for the big +swells, which slammed into and sometimes over the schooner without much +effect, tossed the dingey high in air. But by rowing hard at first and +then taking advantage of the quieter water near the schooner they at +last reached the old black hull in safety and, while Han managed the +boat-hook, the other two scrambled aboard. + +As they had suspected, the hulk was utterly deserted, and the fact that +the forecastle and the captain's quarters were bare of anything of +value and that the davits were empty indicated that the vessel had been +abandoned in order. There was a good deal of water in her, but, as Steve +pointed out, she wouldn't sink in a dozen years with that load of lumber +to hold her up. "She wouldn't show much speed," he said when they had +completed their investigations and were once more on deck, "and she'll +tow about as easy as a lump of lead, but it's only thirty miles or so to +Portsmouth, and even if we make only two miles an hour, and I guess we +won't make much more, we can get her there tomorrow. That is, we can if +our cables hold and the weather doesn't get nasty. I don't much like the +looks of that same weather, though." + +"Well, the barometer is rising," said Joe, "and that means--" + +"Never mind your old barometer," laughed Steve. "Anyway, we'll have a go +at this. If we have to give it up, all right, but we'd be silly not to +try it. Come on and we'll get the cables aboard." + +Two hours of hard work followed. With the cruisers tagging along nearby, +suiting their pace to the slow drift of the schooner, the boys cut away +the wreckage and rigged a jury-mast at the stump of the foremast. On +this they spread a spare forestaysail which they dug from the sail +locker. That it would aid greatly in the ship's progress Steve did not +expect, but it would, he figured, make steering easier. Then the +cruiser's heaviest anchor cables were taken aboard and made fast at the +bow. A "prize crew" consisting of Joe, Han and Perry, from the +_Adventurer_, and Wink and Bert, from the _Follow Me_, was placed in +charge and enough food for two meals supplied them. The galley stove was +still in running order, although it reeked of grease, and there was a +fair supply of wood handy. Bert Alley, who had volunteered to do the +cooking, objected to an inch or so of water that swashed around the +floor, but the others pulled a pair of old rubber boots from a chest in +the forecastle and he became reconciled. At noon they all returned to +their respective cruisers and ate dinner, which, under the conditions, +was no easy matter. They had to hold the dishes to the table and swallow +their tea between plunges. Joe was inordinately proud of himself that +day, for, in spite of the nasty motion--and there's nothing much more +likely to induce sickness than a long ground-swell--he not only remained +on duty but consumed his dinner with a fine appetite. It rained quite +hard for a half-hour about noon and then ceased just in time for them +to set off to the _Catspaw_ again. It was decided that the _Follow Me's_ +tender was to be left with the schooner, in case of necessity, and Joe +acknowledged that he felt a bit easier in his mind when it had been +hoisted, not without difficulty, to one of the davits. + +"It's all fine and dandy to say that this old tub can't sink," he +confided to Wink Wheeler, "but--um--suppose she _did_ sink? Then that +little old dingey would be worth about a thousand dollars, I guess." + +"It would be worth about ten cents," answered Wink pessimistically, +"after we'd crowded five fellows into her in a sea like this!" + +"Well, anyway, she's bigger than ours," said Joe. "And I saw a life belt +downstairs--I mean below." + +Joe and Wink were to take watches at the wheel, Perry and Han were to +tend to the sail and keep a lookout and Bert was to cook. Steve issued +his final directions at a little past one and then the two hawsers were +stretched to the cruisers. Another squall of rain set in as the final +preparations were made. A code of signals had been arranged between the +three boats, a flag or piece of sailcloth to be used while the light +held and a lantern after darkness. The "prize crew" cheered gaily as +the others pulled away in the _Adventurer's_ dingey and were cheered in +return, and five minutes later the two cables tautened, the water foamed +under the overhangs of the motor-boats and, reluctantly and even +protestingly, the _Catspaw_ obeyed the summons and started slowly to +follow in the wakes of the distant cruisers. + +Han and Perry, at the bow, waved caps triumphantly as the blunt nose of +the schooner began to dig into the waves, and Joe, at the wheel, shouted +back. The three-cornered sail was shifted to meet the following breeze +and soon the _Catspaw_ was wallowing along slowly but, as it seemed, in +a determined way at the rate of, perhaps, three miles an hour. Perry, +protected by a slicker, seated himself on the windlass and felt very +important. Now and then someone aboard one of the cruisers waved a hand +and Perry waved superbly back. Those cruisers were a long way off in +case of danger, he reflected once, but he decided not to let his mind +dwell on the fact. + +Joe found that the wheel of the _Catspaw_ required a good deal more +attention than that of the _Adventurer_, and his arms were fairly tired +by the time he yielded his place to the impatiently eager Wink. +Steering the _Catspaw_ with the sea almost up to her deck line was a +good deal like steering a scow loaded with pig-iron, Joe decided. Not, +of course, that he had ever steered a scow of any sort, but he had +imagination. + +The _Adventurer_ and _Follow Me_ were heading West Southwest one-fourth +West to pass Boon Island to starboard, and Kittery Point lay some thirty +miles away. As it was then just short of three bells, and as they were +making, as near as those aboard the _Catspaw_ could judge, very nearly +three miles an hour, it seemed probable that by two o'clock that night +they would be at anchor off Portsmouth Harbour. Of course, there was +always the possibility of bad weather or a broken cable, but the +_Catspaw's_ crew declined to be pessimistic. They were having a royal +good time. There was enough danger in the enterprise to make it +exciting, and, being normal, healthy chaps, excitement was better than +food. Perry proclaimed his delight at last finding an adventure quite to +his taste. + +"Being wrecked on that island the other day was poor fun," he declared. +"And it was dreadfully messy, too. But this is the real thing, fellows! +Why, this old hooker might take it into her head to go down _ker-plop_ +any minute!" + +"Huh," replied Wink Wheeler, "that may be your idea of the real thing, +Perry, but it isn't mine. I'm just as strong for adventure as you, +sonny, but I prefer mine on top of the water and not underneath!" + +"Shucks," said Joe, "this thing can't sink. Look at all the lumber on +her!" + +"Yes, but it might get water-logged," suggested Bert from the door of +the deck-house. "Wood does, doesn't it?" + +"Not for a long time," said Joe. "Years, maybe. And this lumber's new. +You can tell by the looks of it." + +"Well, don't be to sure," advised Perry, darkly. "You never can tell. +And there's another thing, too. We're top-heavy, with all these boards +piled up on deck here, and if a storm came up we might easily turn +turtle." + +"Oh, dry up," said Han. "You're worse than Poe's raven. Besides, she +couldn't turn over, you idiot, as long as the lumber floated. She'd have +to stay right-side up." + +"Wish we had a barometer aboard," said Joe. "We'd know what to expect +then." + +"You mean we'd know what you'd tell us to expect," replied Perry +ironically. "And then we'd get something else. For my part, I'm glad +they took their old barometer with them." + +"They took about everything that wasn't nailed down except the stove," +said Wink. + +"That's nailed down, too," said Bert. "Or, at least, it's bolted. How +many do you suppose there were on board when the storm hit them?" + +"About five, maybe. Perhaps six. I guess five could handle a schooner +this size. Five are handling her now, anyway," Joe added. + +Nothing of moment occurred during the afternoon, if we except occasional +squalls of rain, until, at about five, those on the schooner observed a +smudge of smoke to the southward that eventually proved to be coming +from an ocean tug. The tug approached them half an hour later and ran +alongside the _Adventurer_. The boys on the _Catspaw_ saw the boat's +captain appear from the pilot-house and point a megaphone toward the +white cruiser, and glimpsed Steve replying. What was said they could +only surmise, but the tug's mission was evident enough. + +"He wants the job," said Joe anxiously. "Wonder if Steve will let him +have it." + +"I hope he doesn't," said Wink. "We can do the trick without anyone's +help, I guess. Besides, he'd want half the money we'll get." + +"More than half, probably," said Han. "He's still talking. I wish he'd +run away smiling." + +He did finally. That is, he went off, but whether he was smiling they +couldn't say. They fancied, however, that he was not, for the _Catspaw_ +would have made a nice prize for the tug's owners. + +The tug plunged off the way she had come and was soon only a speck in +the gathering twilight. It seemed a bit more lonesome after she had +gone, and more than one of the quintette aboard the _Catspaw_ wondered +whether, after all, it might not have been the part of wisdom to have +accepted assistance. Darkness came early that evening, and by six the +lights on the _Adventurer_ and _Follow Me_ showed wanly across the +surly, shadowy sea. Han and Perry had already prepared the two lanterns +they had found on board and as soon as the cruisers set the fashion they +placed them fore and aft, one where it could be plainly seen from the +boats ahead and the other on the roof of the deck-house. While they were +at that task the darkness settled down rapidly, and by the time they had +finished the cruisers were only blotches against which shone the white +lights placed at the sterns for the guidance of the _Catspaw's_ +navigators. + +The boys ate their suppers in relays about half-past six. Bert had +prepared plenty of coffee and cooked several pans of bacon and eggs, and +had done very well for a tyro. Later the _Adventurer_ turned on her +searchlight and against the white path of it she was plainly visible. A +more than usually severe squall of wind and rain broke over them about +eight and when the rain, which pelted quite fiercely for a few minutes, +had passed on the wind continued. It was coming from the northwest and +held a chilliness that made the amateur mariners squirm down into their +sweaters and raincoats. The _Catspaw_, low in the water as she was, +nevertheless felt the push of the wind and keeping her blunt nose +pointed midway between the two lights ahead became momentarily more +difficult. At the end of an hour it required the services of both Joe +and Wink to hold the schooner steady. Perry and Han, huddled as much out +of the chilling wind as they could be, kept watch at the bow. Keeping +watch, though, was more a figure of speech than an actuality, for the +night was intensely dark and save for the lights of the towing craft +nothing was discernible. + +The sea arose under the growing strength of the nor'wester and soon the +waves were thudding hard against the rail and the piled lumber and +sending showers of spray across the deck. The _Catspaw_ rolled and +wallowed and the watchers at the bow soon knew from the sound of the +straining cables that the cruisers were having difficulty. Bert crawled +forward through the darkness and spray and joined them. + +"Joe says they'll be signalling to cast off the hawsers pretty quick," +he bellowed above the wind and waves. "He says we aren't making any +headway at all now." + +"Gee, it'll be fine to be left pitching around here all night," said +Perry alarmedly. "If we only had an anchor--" + +"I'd rather keep on drifting," said Han. "It'll be a lot more +comfortable." + +"Maybe, but we'll be going out to sea again. Seems to me they might keep +hold of us even if they don't get along much." Perry ducked before the +hissing avalanche of spray that was flung across the deck. "There's one +thing certain," he added despondently. "We've got to stay on this old +turtle as long as she'll let us, for we couldn't get that dingey off now +if we tried!" + +"What's the difference?" asked Han. "They'll stick around us until the +wind goes down again, and we're just as well off here as they are on +the boats. Bet you the _Adventurer_ is doing some pitching herself about +now!" + +They relapsed into silence then, for making one's self heard above the +clamour of wind and water and the groans and creakings of the schooner +was hard work. They watched the _Adventurer_ for the expected signal for +a long time, but it was nearly ten when a lantern began to swing from +side to side on the cruiser. A moment later they heard faintly the +shriek of the _Adventurer's_ whistle. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII + +INTO PORT + + +"Cast off!" said Han. "Take this one first, Perry. Gee, but it's stiff!" +They had to fumble several minutes at the wet cable before they got it +clear and let it slip over the bow. Then the other was cast off as well +and Bert swung the lantern four times above his head as a signal to haul +in. An answering dip of the light on the stern of the _Adventurer_ +answered, just as Joe joined them. + +"All right?" he asked anxiously. + +"Yes, both clear," replied Han. "What do we do now, Joe?" + +"Sit tight and wait. Some of us had better get some sleep. Perry, you +and Bert might as well turn in for awhile. I'm going to. It's ten +o'clock. I'll wake you at two, and you can relieve Han. Bert, you might +make some coffee when you tumble out again. We'll probably need it." + +"I'm not sleepy a bit," protested Perry. But Joe insisted and he and +Bert followed the other below and laid down in the bunks in the +captain's cabin. In spite of his disclaimer and the noise and rolling of +the ship, Perry was asleep almost as soon as he touched the berth, and +the others were not far behind. + +Joe had the faculty of waking up at any predetermined hour, and at two +he was shaking the others from their slumbers. It was at once evident +that the gale had increased, for it was all they could do to keep their +feet under them as they made their way to the galley. Bert set about +making a fire while the others made their way to the wheel. Wink greeted +them cheerfully enough from the lantern-lit darkness there, but his +voice sounded weary in spite of him. + +"I had Han take the sail down," he announced. "She steers better without +it. The wind's pretty fierce, isn't it? Look out!" + +A big wave broke over the rail and descended on them in bucketfulls. + +"That's what makes it so pleasant," shouted Wink. "Guess I'll take a nap +if I can." + +"Bert's making some coffee," said Joe. "Better have some before you turn +in." + +Perry made his way cautiously forward and relieved Han. "Seen anything?" +he asked. + +"Not a thing." + +"Hello, where are the boats?" Perry stared ahead in surprise. + +"One of them--I think it's the _Adventurer_--is back there." Han turned +Perry about until he glimpsed a faint flicker of light far off over the +starboard beam. "Don't know where the other is. Guess they're having a +rough time of it." + +"I'll bet!" agreed Perry. "You're to have some coffee and turn in, Han." + +"Coffee!" murmured the other gratefully. "Have you had some?" + +"No, I'll get mine later. Beat it, you!" + +Han disappeared in the darkness and Perry, wrapping himself as best he +could in the folds of his slicker, settled himself to his task. Now and +then he looked back for a glimpse of the friendly light at the stern or +for sight of the _Adventurer_. The wind made strange whistling sounds +through the interstices of the lumber and the battered hull groaned and +creaked rheumatically. When he stood erect the gale tore at him +frantically, and at all times the spray, dashing across the deck, kept +him running with water. He grew frightfully sleepy about three and had +difficulty in keeping awake. In spite of his efforts his head would sink +and at last he had to walk the few paces he could manage, accommodating +his uncertain steps to the roll of the boat, in order to defeat slumber. + +To say that Perry did not more than once regret his suggestion of +rescuing the _Catspaw_ would be far from the truth. He felt very lonely +out there on that bow, and his stomach was none too happy. And the +thought of what would happen to him and the others if the schooner +decided to give up the struggle was not at all pleasant to dwell on. And +so he did his best not to think about it, but he didn't always succeed. +On the whole it was a very miserable three hours that he spent on +lookout duty that night. Once Bert crawled forward and shared his +loneliness, but didn't remain very long, preferring the partial shelter +of the house. No one was ever much gladder to see the sky lighten in the +east than was Perry that morning. But even when a grey dawn had settled +over the ocean the surroundings were not much more cheerful. As Wink +said, it was a bit better to drown by daylight than to do it in the +dark, but, aside from the fact that the _Catspaw_ was still afloat, +there wasn't much to be thankful for. + +One of the cruisers was barely visible off to the northward, but the +other was nowhere in sight. The grey-green waves looked mountain-high +when seen from the water-washed deck of the _Catspaw_, and the wind, +while seeming to have passed its wildest stage, still blew hard. There +was no sight of land in any direction and Joe pessimistically decided +that they were then some forty miles at sea and about off the Isles of +Shoals. Soon after the sun had come up, somewhere behind the leaden +clouds, they sighted a brig to the southward. She was hardly hull-up and +was making her way under almost bare yards toward the west. She stayed +in sight less than half an hour. + +The boys had breakfast about half-past six. Except coffee and bread +there was little left, and the outlook, in case the gale continued, was +not inspiring! Perry declared that he'd much rather drown than starve to +death. The first cheerful event that happened was the drawing near of +the _Adventurer_. The white cruiser came plunging up to within a quarter +of a mile about nine o'clock and signals were exchanged. An hour later +the _Follow Me_ appeared coming up from westward and at noon the +schooner and the two convoys were reunited. But there was still no +chance of getting lines aboard. All that they could do was wait. Dinner +hour aboard the _Catspaw_ was dinner hour in name only. There was +coffee, to be sure, but the sugar was low and the condensed milk had +given out completely. All else had disappeared at breakfast time. The +spirits of the "prize crew" got lower and lower as the afternoon began +and they were faced with another night aboard the schooner. Twice they +sighted other craft, once a steamer headed toward the northeast and once +a schooner dipping along under reefed sails. Neither craft showed any +curiosity and each went on its way without a sign. + +Once the _Adventurer_ circled close to the windward and Steve shouted +encouragement through his megaphone. Just what was said they couldn't +make out, and Joe's attempts to acquaint the cruiser with the fact that +they were out of provisions was unsuccessful, since he had only his +hands to shout through and the wind was unsympathetic. But having the +cruisers at hand was comforting, and when, at about four, there was a +brief glimpse of sunlight to the south their spirits arose somewhat. The +wind now began to go down perceptibly and by five it no longer roared +down on them from the northwest, but, swinging around to the northeast, +became quite docile and friendly. They put up their sail again and +gradually the _Catspaw_ pointed her nose toward the coast. Just before +darkness came the sea had quieted enough to make possible an attempt to +get the cables aboard again and those on the schooner saw the cruisers +draw together. Steve and Phil caught the line hurled from the _Follow +Me_ after several attempts and then the tender was dropped over and with +the two cables aboard the boys made for the _Catspaw_. + +Those on the schooner watched anxiously. At one moment the tiny dingey +was seen poised on the summit of a great green sea and the next was +quite gone from sight. The sun came out momentarily before saying Good +Night, as though to watch that struggle. At last the tender came sidling +down the slope of a wave, the occupants striving hard at the oars, and +after one breathless moment, during which it seemed that the little boat +would be crushed to splinters against the old black hull of the +schooner, Joe caught the painter, Steve made a flying leap for the deck +and gained it in safety, and Phil, boat-hook in hand, worked manfully +and skilfully to fend off while the cables were brought aboard. The +dingey had fetched food as well and a shout of joy went up as Phil, +taking advantage of the calm moments between the rushing waves, hurled +the bundles to the deck. + +There was little time for conversation, for darkness was coming fast, +but Steve heard a brief account of the _Catspaw's_ experiences, and, +while helping to make fast the cables, told of the night aboard the +_Adventurer_. "It was fierce," Steve said. "No one had much sleep, I +guess. We almost pitched on our nose time and again. If it hadn't been +for you chaps we'd have cut and run about midnight. We lost sight of +your lights several times; they were so low in the water, and thought +that you'd gone down at first. The _Follow Me_ had to run for it, and I +guess they weren't very happy either. But we'll make it this time. It's +clearing up nicely and we're only forty miles from Portsmouth. Keep your +lips stiff, fellows, and we'll be eating breakfast ashore!" + +The dingey pulled off again, narrowly escaping capsizing more than once, +and ten minutes afterwards the _Catspaw_ was once more wallowing along +in the wake of the cruisers. Supper, with bacon and potatoes and lots of +bread, perked the crew up mightily, and when the stars began to peep +through the scudding clouds and the sea stopped tormenting the poor old +_Catspaw_ they got quite cheerful. That second night was an easy one +for all hands. The weather cleared entirely by two o'clock and the sea +calmed to almost normal conditions. The _Catspaw_ strained along at the +ends of the cables at about three miles an hour until she got close +enough to the shore to feel the tide. After that she went more slowly. +At early dawn--and it was a real dawn this time, with sunlight on the +water and a golden glow in the eastern sky--the Isles of Shoals lay six +miles to the southwest and the blue shore line was beckoning them. At a +little before eleven that forenoon the _Catspaw_ passed Portsmouth Light +and half an hour later, having been given over to the care of a tug, was +lying snugly against a wharf. + +It was a tired but triumphant dozen that stretched their legs ashore at +noon and set out in search of dinner. Already they had answered a score +of questions and told their story half a dozen times, and even after +they were seated at table in the best restaurant that the city +afforded--and it was a very good restaurant, too--an enterprising +newspaper reporter found them out and Steve, as spokesman, recounted +their adventures once more between mouthfuls. + +And when at last they could eat no more and the reporter had gone off +to write his story, Steve, Joe and Wink set forth to an address they had +secured on the wharf and the others adjourned to the porch of a nearby +hotel to await their return. "Tell him," instructed Perry as they +parted, "that we won't accept a cent less than a thousand dollars! And," +he added to himself, "I wouldn't go through it again for fifty +thousand!" + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII + +SALVAGE + + +Mr. Anthony T. Hyatt, attorney-at-law, leaned smilingly back in a +swivel-chair, matched ten pudgy fingers together and smiled expansively +at his clients. There was a great deal of Mr. Hyatt, and much of it lay +directly behind his clasped hands. He had a large, round face in the +centre of which a small, sharp nose surmounted a wide mouth and was +flanked by a pair of pale brown eyes at once innocent and shrewd. Steve +counted three chins and was not certain there wasn't another tucked away +behind the collar of the huge shirt. Mr. Hyatt had a deep and mellow +voice, and his words rolled and rumbled out like the reverberations of a +good-natured thunder storm. From the windows of the bright, breeze-swept +office the boys could look far out to sea, and it was possible that the +faintly nautical atmosphere that appertained both to the office and its +occupant was due to the sight and smell of the salt water. While Steve +told his story the lawyer's expression slowly changed from jovial +amusement to surprise, and when the narrative was ended he drew himself +ponderously from the chair and rolled to a window. + +"You say you've got her tied up to Sawyer's Wharf, eh?" he asked. + +"Yes, sir." + +"I want to know! Well! Well! Where'd you say you came across her?" Steve +told him again. "And you brought her in yourself, eh?" + +"The lot of us did. Now what we want to know is what claim have we got +against the owners, Mr. Hyatt?" + +The lawyer heaved himself back to his chair and lowered himself into it +with what the boys thought was a most reckless disregard of the +article's capacity and strength. But the chair only creaked dismally. +"Of course you do! Of course you do!" he rumbled smilingly. "But +s'posing I was to tell you you hadn't any claim at all on 'em?" + +"What! No claim at all?" exclaimed Steve. + +The man laughed and shook. "I only said s'posing," he protested. He +weaved his fingers together again over his ample stomach. "As a matter +of law, young gentlemen, you have an excellent claim, a steel-bound, +double-riveted claim. Whether it's against the owners or some insurance +company is what you'll have to find out first. Most likely that ship and +cargo were insured. As to just what amount you are entitled to, the law +doesn't state. That's a matter generally agreed on between the salvors +and the owners. When no agreement can be reached the case goes to the +Admiralty Court." + +"Oh," said Steve. "The first thing to do--" + +"I guess the first thing to do is find out who the owners are and see +what they have to say. If they make you a fair offer, well and good. +Now, do you want me to take this case for you?" + +"Why, yes, sir, I think so," replied Steve, glancing inquiringly at the +others, who nodded assent. "How much--that is, what--" + +"What would I charge you for my services?" boomed the lawyer. "Nothing +at all, boys, unless you get a settlement. If we don't have to go to +court you may pay me a hundred dollars. If we do, we'll make another +arrangement later. That satisfactory?" + +"Yes, indeed," answered Steve heartily, and the rest murmured agreement. +"How long will it take to find out, sir?" + +"I'll have the owner's name in half an hour. Then I'll send them a wire. +You drop in tomorrow at this time and I dare say I'll have something to +tell you. I'll have a look at the boat this afternoon and get an idea of +her value as a bottom. Then we'll get someone to give an estimate on her +cargo. Would you be willing to pay ten dollars for an appraisement?" + +"Yes, sir, if that's advisable." + +"Well, I think it is. We'd better know what we've got, eh? All right, +gentlemen. You leave it to me. Where are you stopping?" + +"We're staying aboard our boats, sir, the _Adventurer_ and the _Follow +Me_." + +"I want to know! Regular mariners, ain't ye? Well! Well! Guess you're +having a fine time, too, eh?" + +"Yes, sir, we've had a pretty good time. About--about how much do you +think we ought to get for the boat, Mr. Hyatt?" + +"Including cargo? Well, now, I don't know, Mister--What did you say your +name is?" + +"Stephen Chapman." + +"Mr. Stephen Chapman, eh?" The lawyer wrote it on a scrap of paper and +thrust it carelessly into a pigeon-hole of the old walnut desk. "Well, +there ought to be a tidy sum coming to you, sir; yes, sir, a tidy sum. +Lumber is fetching money just now, and you tell me the _Catspaw_ is +loaded high." + +"Yes, sir, she's loaded up to her rails. Do you suppose we'll get a +thousand dollars?" + +"A thousand dollars, eh?" Mr. Hyatt beamed broadly and nodded until all +his chins in sight shook. "Yes, you might look for a thousand dollars, +boys. It isn't sense to get your expectations too high, but I guess you +can safely bank on a thousand. Oh, yes, a thousand isn't unreasonable. +Well, you drop around tomorrow and maybe there'll be something to +report. I'll get right to work, gentlemen. Good afternoon!" + +"Funny old whale, isn't he?" commented Joe when they were once more on +the street. "Suppose he knows what he's talking about?" + +"Why not?" asked Wink. "He struck me as being rather a canny customer." + +"Well, he said a thousand dollars," replied Joe. "That's a lot of money, +isn't it, for an old schooner like the _Catspaw_?" + +"It isn't much for the schooner and the cargo, too," said Steve. "I'm +wondering if it oughtn't to be a lot more; say fifteen hundred. You see, +a schooner like that costs quite a lot of money when it's new. And then, +as Mr. Hyatt said, lumber is high right now, and there's a pile of it on +board." + +"A thousand will suit me all right," said Joe. "A twelfth of a thousand +is--is--" + +"A thirteenth you mean," corrected Steve. "Don't forget Neil." + +"And don't count your chickens until they're hatched," Wink advised. +"It's unlucky, Joe." + +They found the other members of the expedition in various states of coma +induced by a hearty dinner and lack of sleep, but they were all wide +awake when Steve announced the result of the visit to the lawyer. + +"Gee!" exclaimed "Brownie." "A thousand dollars! He's fooling, isn't he? +Why, I thought we'd get maybe three hundred!" + +"A thousand isn't a cent too much," said Perry. "Come to think of it, +fellows, I earned that much myself!" + +"Just a minute, fellows," said Steve, interrupting the jeers that +greeted Perry's statement. "What are we going to do with the money when +we get it?" + +There was a moment of silence. Then Tom Corwin inquired: "Do with it? +How do you mean, do with it, Steve? I thought it would be divided up pro +rata." + +"Of course," agreed Cas and Ossie in unison. + +"Wait a minute," said Phil. "Steve's got something on his mind. Let's +hear it." + +Steve swung himself to the porch rail and faced the half-circle of boys. +"It's just an idea," he began, "and if you don't like it you've only got +to say so. As I look at it, fellows, this club has been a good deal of a +success. If we haven't had any whopping big adventures, we've had some +mild ones--" + +"Great Jumping Jehoshaphat!" muttered Han. "What do you call +adventures?" + +Steve smiled and went on, "At any rate, we've had a whole lot of fun. At +least, I have." He looked about him inquiringly. + +"You bet we have!" answered Joe heartily, and the rest echoed him. + +"Of course, we got the club up just for this Summer, I suppose, but I +don't see any reason why we shouldn't make it a--a permanent affair." + +"Bully!" exclaimed Perry. "Second the motion!" + +"Sit down!" growled Wink. + +"There's next Summer coming, fellows. We could do something like this +again if we wanted to. We needn't make a trip in motor-boats, but we +could do something just as good. Well, now, why not take this money +when we get it and stow it away in the Club treasury instead of spending +it? Then we'd have enough to do almost anything we liked next year. If +we each got our seventy-seven dollars, or whatever the shares might be, +we'd have it spent in a month and never know where it got to. But if we +put it in the bank at interest we'd--we'd have something. If you don't +like the scheme, just say so. I'm willing to do whatever the rest of you +say, only I thought--" + +"It's a corking idea," declared Harry Corwin enthusiastically. "You're +dead right, Steve, too. Seventy-seven dollars would last about two weeks +with me. Why hang it, I've had it spent ten times already, and each time +for some fool thing I didn't really want! I say, let's keep the Club +going, fellows, and put the money in the treasury. And let Phil deposit +it in a bank. At four per cent, or whatever it is banks pay you, it +would come to nearly--nearly thirty dollars by next Summer. And thirty +dollars would buy us gasoline for a month!" + +"Right you are," agreed Wink. "We'll make a real club of it." + +"How about the rest of you?" asked Steve. + +The others were all in favour, although Perry couldn't quite smother a +sigh of regret for the cash in hand he had dreamed of, and there +followed an enthusiastic discussion of plans for next Summer, and Bert +Alley echoed the sentiment of all when he remarked regretfully that next +Summer was an awfully long way off! Ossie made the suggestion that it +might be a good plan to reimburse the members from the salvage money for +what sums they had expended on the present cruise, explaining, however, +that he wasn't particular on his own account. The question was argued +and finally decided in the negative. As Phil put it, what they had spent +would have been spent in any case, whether they had gone on the cruise +or stayed at home, and they had all received full value for their +contributions. Still planning, they went back to the boats and spent the +rest of the afternoon in cleaning them up inside and out, for both the +_Adventurer_ and the _Follow Me_ had been sadly neglected for the past +forty-eight hours. + +Being persons of wealth, they supped ashore and went to a moving picture +show, and afterwards, since no one had had his full allowance of sleep +for the past two nights, "hit the hay," in Perry's phraseology, in short +order and slept like so many logs until sun-up. + +"I wish," remarked Han at breakfast the next morning, "that we were +just starting out instead of going home." + +"Me too," agreed Perry. "It'll be all over in two or three days, and +I'll have to go back to school again. I suppose," he added sadly, "I +shan't see any of you fellows again until next Summer; no one but Ossie, +that is." + +"You don't have to look at me if you don't want to," said Ossie, +reaching backward into the galley for the coffee-pot. "I'm not +particular." + +"You'll see us before Summer," replied Steve. "I've been thinking." + +"So that's it," murmured Joe. "I thought maybe you just--um--hadn't +slept well." + +"If we're going to keep the Club together," continued Steve, treating +the interruption disdainfully, "we've got to keep in touch with each +other. Suppose now we have a meeting about Christmas time, during +vacation." + +"Good scheme!" applauded Phil. + +"I think so. My idea is to keep out about thirty dollars of that money, +or take it out later, I suppose, and have a feed somewhere, a sort of +Annual Banquet of the Adventure Club of America, not Incorporated. We +could hold a business meeting first and then feed our faces and talk +over this Summer's fun and have a jolly old time. What do you say! Pass +the sugar, Han." + +[Illustration: "They offer you--" Mr. Hyatt leaned forward in the +protesting chair] + +They said many things, but they were all in praise of the idea, and +later the _Follow Me's_ contingent was quite as enthusiastic, and Steve, +in his official capacity of Number One, finally found a calendar and +solemnly announced that Saturday, the twenty-third day of December, was +the date, that the hour was six o'clock, post meredian, and that the +place would be decided on later. After which they all went ashore and +passed the time until dinner in various ways. And at a little before two +Steve, Joe and Wink once more climbed the narrow stairway to Lawyer +Hyatt's office. + +"I have here," said Mr. Hyatt, when they had seated themselves and +greetings had been exchanged and the weather duly and thoroughly +disposed of, "a telegram from Barrows and Leland, of Norfolk, Virginia, +agents for the owners of the schooner _Catspaw_. In it they make an +offer of settlement of your claim, subject, of course, to the facts and +conditions being as stated in my telegram to them." + +He paused impressively and the boys shuffled their feet in silent +expectancy. + +"Hm. Now I'm not going to advise you to accept their offer and I'm not +going to advise you not to," he rumbled. "Only, I do say this, +gentlemen. If you take your case to the Admiralty Court it will cost you +a good deal of money and you won't get a final judgment for a long time. +Of course, you might, in the end, get a better figure. I'd almost be +willing to guarantee that you would. But you want to remember that the +costs of a trial aren't small and that they might eat a big hole in the +difference between the present offer and the court's award." + +"What--what do they offer us?" asked Steve as the lawyer paused to clear +his throat. + +"There's no doubt that the value of the _Catspaw_ and her cargo is a +sight more than these fellows offer us," resumed Mr. Hyatt, quite as +though he had not heard the question. "But there's the old adage about a +bird on toast being worth more than a bird on the telegraph wire." He +chuckled deeply. "And, of course, no owner ever thinks of paying the +full value of salvaged property. Nor does the court expect him to. +Something like an equable division is what they try to award." + +"Yes, sir," murmured Steve nervously. "Yes, sir. Would you mind--" + +"You said something yesterday about a thousand dollars, and I told you +you might expect that much, didn't I?" + +Steve nodded silently. + +"Well--" The lawyer took up a sheet of creased yellow paper from the +desk and ran his eyes along the message thereon. "Well, I've got to tell +you they don't offer you a thousand, boys." + +"Oh!" murmured Steve. + +"Don't they?" gasped Joe weakly. + +"Then what--" began Wink dejectedly. + +"They offer you--" Mr. Hyatt leaned forward in the protesting chair and +held the telegram toward Steve--"they offer you four thousand, seven +hundred and sixty-one dollars, young gentlemen." + + * * * * * + +Isn't this a good place to end our story? I might tell how they wired +the good news to Neil, and how they set forth that afternoon for New +York, and how, after a jolly but uneventful trip, the two boats parted +company off Bay Shore, and how the _Adventurer_, having done her best to +deserve the name she bore, at last sidled up to a slip in the yacht +basin and discharged her crew. And I might depict the awed delight with +which, two days later, Steve, Joe and Phil gazed upon a narrow strip of +green paper bearing the wonderful legend "Four Thousand Seven Hundred +Sixty-one Dollars." But we set out in search of adventures, and we have +reached the last of them, and so the chronicle should end. And since it +began with a remark from Perry let us end it so. Perry's closing remark +was made from the platform of the train for Philadelphia. + +"Good-bye, you fellows," said Perry, smiling widely to show that he +didn't mind leaving the others the least bit in the world. "We had a +corking good time, didn't we? But just let me tell you something. It +isn't a patch on the fun we're going to have on the next trip of the +Adventure Club!" + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 13897 *** diff --git a/13897-h/13897-h.htm b/13897-h/13897-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..42cb846 --- /dev/null +++ b/13897-h/13897-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,7003 @@ +<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"> +<html> +<head> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8"> +<title>The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Adventure Club Afloat, by Ralph Henry Barbour</title> + <style type="text/css"> +/*<![CDATA[ XML blockout */ +<!-- + P { margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; + } + H1,H2,H3,H4,H5,H6 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + } + HR { width: 33%; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-bottom: 1em; + } + BODY{margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + } + .linenum {position: absolute; top: auto; left: 4%;} /* poetry number */ + .note {margin-left: 2em; margin-right: 2em; margin-bottom: 1em;} /* footnote */ + .blkquot {margin-left: 4em; margin-right: 4em;} /* block indent */ + .pagenum {position: absolute; left: 92%; font-size: smaller; text-align: right;} /* page numbers */ + .sidenote {width: 20%; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding-left: 1em; font-size: smaller; float: right; clear: right;} + + .poem {margin-left:10%; margin-right:10%; text-align: left;} + .poem br {display: none;} + .poem .stanza {margin: 1em 0em 1em 0em;} + .poem span {display: block; margin: 0; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} + .poem span.i2 {display: block; margin-left: 2em;} + .poem span.i4 {display: block; margin-left: 4em;} + .poem .caesura {vertical-align: -200%;} + hr.full { width: 100%; + height: 5px; } + a:link {color:blue; + text-decoration:none} + link {color:blue; + text-decoration:none} + a:visited {color:blue; + text-decoration:none} + a:hover {color:red} + pre {font-size: 8pt;} + // --> + /* XML end ]]>*/ + </style> +</head> +<body> +<div>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 13897 ***</div> +<h1>The Project Gutenberg eBook, The Adventure Club Afloat, by Ralph Henry +Barbour, Illustrated by E. C. Caswell</h1> +<hr class="full" noshade> +<a name="image-1"><!-- Image 1 --></a> +<center><a href="images/001_lg.jpg"> +<img border=0 src="images/001.jpg" height="396" width="300" +alt="The two cruisers were chug-chugging out of the harbour. (Page 60)"> +</a> +</center> + +<p style="text-align: center"><span style=' +font-style:italic; font-weight:700'><small>The two cruisers were chug-chugging out of the harbour. +(<a href="#chugchug">Page 60</a>)</small></span></p> + +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br /> + +<h1>THE ADVENTURE CLUB AFLOAT</h1> + +<h3>By</h3> + +<h2>RALPH HENRY BARBOUR</h2> + +<h3>AUTHOR OF <i>LEFT END EDWARDS</i>, <i>LEFT TACKLE THAYER</i>, ETC.</h3> + +<h3>WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY E.C. CASWELL</h3> + +<h3>1917</h3> + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> + +<h3>TO</h3> + +<h3>H.P. HOLT</h3> + +<h3>WHOSE THUNDER I HAVE STOLEN</h3> + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> + +<a name="TABLE_OF_CONENTS"></a><h2>TABLE OF CONTENTS</h2> +<center> +<!-- Autogenerated TOC. Modify or delete as required. --> +<a href='#CHAPTER_I'><b>HOW IT STARTED</b></a><br /> + <a href='#CHAPTER_II'><b>THE CLUB GROWS</b></a><br /> + <a href='#CHAPTER_III'><b>CAST OFF!</b></a><br /> + <a href='#CHAPTER_IV'><b>THE <i>FOLLOW ME</i></b></a><br /> + <a href='#CHAPTER_V'><b>SUNDAY ASHORE</b></a><br /> + <a href='#CHAPTER_VI'><b>IN THE FOG</b></a><br /> + <a href='#CHAPTER_VII'><b>STEVE TAKES HER IN</b></a><br /> + <a href='#CHAPTER_VIII'><b>PERRY LOSES HIS WAY</b></a><br /> + <a href='#CHAPTER_IX'><b>SOUR MILK</b></a><br /> + <a href='#CHAPTER_X'><b>THE <i>FOLLOW ME</i> DISAPPEARS</b></a><br /> + <a href='#CHAPTER_XI'><b>PURSUIT</b></a><br /> + <a href='#CHAPTER_XII'><b>WHAT STEVE SAW</b></a><br /> + <a href='#CHAPTER_XIII'><b>BULLETS FLY</b></a><br /> + <a href='#CHAPTER_XIV'><b>A RUSE THAT FAILED</b></a><br /> + <a href='#CHAPTER_XV'><b>SURRENDER</b></a><br /> + <a href='#CHAPTER_XVI'><b>THE BURGLARS</b></a><br /> + <a href='#CHAPTER_XVII'><b>FLIGHT</b></a><br /> + <a href='#CHAPTER_XVIII'><b>THE SQUALL</b></a><br /> + <a href='#CHAPTER_XIX'><b>SHIPWRECKED</b></a><br /> + <a href='#CHAPTER_XX'><b>THE DERELICT</b></a><br /> + <a href='#CHAPTER_XXI'><b>ON BOARD THE <i>CATSPAW</i></b></a><br /> + <a href='#CHAPTER_XXII'><b>INTO PORT</b></a><br /> + <a href='#CHAPTER_XXIII'><b>SALVAGE</b></a><br /> +</center> +<!-- End Autogenerated TOC. --> +<br /> +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> + +<a name="LIST_OF_ILLUSTRATIONS"></a><h2>LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS</h2> +<center> +<a href="#image-1"><b>The two cruisers were chug-chugging out of the harbour.</b></a><br> +<a href="#image-2"><b>"It is!" he cried. "We've got her, fellows!"</b></a><br> +<a href="#image-3"><b>"Those waves will batter her to pieces"</b></a><br> +<a href="#image-4"><b>"They offer you—" Mr. Hyatt leaned forward +in the protesting chair</b></a><br> +</center> +<br /> +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<h2>THE ADVENTURE CLUB AFLOAT</h2> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_I'></a><h2>CHAPTER I</h2> + +<p style="text-align: center"><b>HOW IT STARTED</b></p> +<br /> + +<p>The Adventure Club had its inception, one evening toward the last of +June, in Number 17 Sumner Hall, which is the oldest, most vine-hidden +and most hallowed of the seven dormitories of Dexter Academy. It was a +particularly warm evening, the two windows were wide open and the +green-shaded light on the study table in the centre of the room had been +turned low—Sumner prided itself on being conservative to the extent of +gas instead of electricity and tin bathtubs instead of porcelain—and in +the dim radiance the three occupants of the room were scarcely more than +darker blurs.</p> + +<p>Since final examinations had ended that afternoon and Graduation Day was +only some twenty-eight hours away, none of the three was doing anything +more onerous than yawning, and the yawn which came from Perry Bush, +didn't sound as though it cost much of an effort. It was, rather, a +comfortable, sleepy yawn, one that expressed contentment and relief, a +sort of "Glad-that's-over-and-I'm-still-alive" yawn.</p> + +<p>There was a window-seat under each casement in Number 17, and each was +occupied by a recumbent figure. Perry was on the right-hand seat, his +hands under his head and one foot sprawled on the floor, and Joe +Ingersoll was in the other, his slim, white-trousered legs jack-knifed +against the darker square of the open window. Near Joe, his feet tucked +sociably against Joe's ribs, Steve Chapman, the third of the trio, +reclined in a Morris chair. I use the word reclined advisedly, for Steve +had lowered the back of the chair to its last notch, and to say that he +was sitting would require a stretch of the imagination almost as long as +Steve himself! Through the windows Steve could see the dark masses of +the campus elms, an occasional star between the branches, and, by +raising his head the fraction of an inch, the lights in the upper story +of Hawthorne, across the yard. Somewhere under the trees outside a group +of fellows were singing to the accompaniment of a wailing ukelele. They +sang softly, so that the words floated gently up to the open casements +just distinguishable:</p> + +"<i>Years may come and years may go,</i><br /> +<span style='margin-left: 1em;'><i>Seasons ebb and seasons flow,</i></span><br /> +<span style='margin-left: 1em;'><i>Autumn lie 'neath Winters' snow,</i></span><br /> +<i>Spring bring Summer verdancy.</i><br /> +<span style='margin-left: 1em;'><i>Life may line our brow with care,</i></span><br /> +<span style='margin-left: 1em;'><i>Time to silver turn our hair,</i></span><br /> +<span style='margin-left: 1em;'><i>Still, to us betide whate'er,</i></span><br /> +<i>Dexter, we'll remember thee!</i><br /> +<br /> +"<i>Other memories may fade,</i><br /> +<span style='margin-left: 1em;'><i>Hopes grow dim in ev'ning's shade,</i></span><br /> +<span style='margin-left: 1em;'><i>Golden friendships that we made</i>—"</span><br /> + +<p>"Aw, shut up!" muttered Perry, breaking the silence that had held them +for several minutes. Joe Ingersoll laughed softly.</p> + +<p>"You don't seem to like the efforts of the—um—sweet-voiced +choristers," he said in his slow way.</p> + +<p>"I don't like the sob-stuff," replied Perry resentfully. "What's the use +of rubbing it in? Why not let a fellow be cheerful after he has got +through by the skin of his teeth and kicked his books under the bed? +Gosh, some folks never want anyone to be happy!" He raised himself by +painful effort and peered out and down into the gloom. "Sophs, I'll +bet," he murmured, falling back again on the cushions. "No one else +would sit out here on the grass and sing school songs two days before +the end. I hope that idiot singing second bass will get a brown-tail +caterpillar down his neck!"</p> + +<p>"The end!" observed Steve Chapman. "You say that as if we were all going +to die the day after tomorrow, Perry! Cheer up! Vacation's coming!"</p> + +<p>"Vacation be blowed!" responded Perry. "What's that amount to, anyway? +Nothing ever happens to me in vacation. It's all well enough for you +fellows to laugh. You're going up to college together in the Fall. I'm +coming back to this rotten hole all alone!"</p> + +<p>"Not quite alone, Sweet Youth," corrected Joe. "There will be some four +hundred other fellows here."</p> + +<p>"Oh, well, you know what I mean," said Perry impatiently. "You and Steve +will be gone, and I don't give a hang for any other chaps!"</p> + +<p>He ended somewhat defiantly, conscious that he had indulged in a most +unmanly display of sentiment, and was glad that the darkness hid the +confusion and heightened colour that followed the confession. Steve and +Joe charitably pretended not to have noticed the lamentable exhibition +of feeling, and a silence followed, during which the voices of the +singers once more became audible.</p> + +"<i>Dexter! Mother of our Youth!<br /> +Dexter! Guardian of the Truth!</i>"<br /> + +<p>"<i>Cut it out!</i>" Perry leaned over the windowsill and bawled the command +down into the darkness. A defiant jeer answered him.</p> + +<p>"Don't be fresh," said Steve reprovingly. Perry mumbled and relapsed +into silence. Presently, sighing as he changed his position, Joe said:</p> + +<p>"I believe Perry's right about vacation, Steve. Nothing much ever does +happen to a fellow in Summer. I believe I've had more fun in school than +at home the last six years."</p> + +<p>The others considered the statement a minute. Then: "Correct," said +Steve. "It's so, I guess. We're always crazy to get home in June and +just as crazy to get back to school again in September, and I believe we +all have more good times here than at home."</p> + +<p>"Of course we do," agreed Perry animatedly. "Anyway, I do. Summers are +all just the same. My folks lug me off to the Water Gap and we stay +there until it's time to come back here. I play tennis and go motoring +and sit around on the porch and—and—bathe—"</p> + +<p>"Let's hope so," interpolated Joe gravely.</p> + +<p>"And nothing really interesting ever happens," ended Perry despairingly. +"Gee, I'd like to be a pirate or—or something!"</p> + +<p>"Summers <i>are</i> rather deadly," assented Steve. "We go to the seashore, +but the place is filled with swells, and about all they do is change +their clothes, eat and sleep. When you get ready for piracy, Perry, let +me know, will you! I'd like to sign-on."</p> + +<p>"Put me down, too," said Joe. "I've always had a—um—sneaking idea that +I'd make a bully pirate. I'm naturally bloodthirsty and cruel. And I've +got a mental list of folks who—um—I'd like to watch walk the plank!"</p> + +<p>"Fellows of our ages have a rotten time of it, anyway," Perry grumbled. +"We're too old to play kids' games and too young to do anything worth +while. What I'd like to do—"</p> + +<p>"Proceed, Sweet Youth," Joe prompted after a moment.</p> + +<p>"Well, I'd like to—to start something! I'd like to get away somewhere +and do things. I'm tired of loafing around in white flannels all day +and keeping my hands clean. And I'm tired of dabbing whitewash on my +shoes! Didn't you fellows ever think that you'd like to get good and +dirty and not have to care? Wouldn't you like to put on an old flannel +shirt and a pair of khaki trousers and some 'sneakers' and—and roll in +the mud?"</p> + +<p>"Elemental stuff," murmured Joe. "He's been reading Jack London."</p> + +<p>"Well, that's the way I feel, lots of times," said Perry defiantly. "I'm +tired of being clean and white, and I'm tired of dinner jackets, and I'm +sick to death of hotel porches! Gee, a healthy chap never was intended +to lead the life of a white poodle with a pink ribbon around his neck! +Me for some rough-stuff!"</p> + +<p>"You're dead right, too," agreed Steve. "That kind of thing is all right +for Joe, of course. Joe's a natural-born 'fusser.' He's never happier +than when he's dolled up in a sport-shirt and a lavender scarf and +toasting marshmallows. But—"</p> + +<p>"Is that so?" inquired Joe with deep sarcasm. "If I was half the +'fusser' you are—"</p> + +<p>"What I want," interrupted Perry, warming to his theme, "is adventure! +I'd like to hunt big game, or discover the North Pole—"</p> + +<p>"You're a year or two late," murmured Joe.</p> + +<p>"—or dig for hidden treasure!"</p> + +<p>"You should—um—change your course of reading," advised Joe. "Too much +Roosevelt and Peary and Stevenson is your trouble. Read the classics for +awhile—or the Patty Books."</p> + +<p>"That's all right, but you chaps are just the same, only you won't own +up to it."</p> + +<p>"One of us will," said Steve; "and does."</p> + +<p>"Make it two," yawned Joe. "Beneath this—um—this polished exterior +there beats a heart—I mean there flows the red blood of—"</p> + +<p>"Look here, fellows, why not?" asked Steve.</p> + +<p>"Why not what?" asked Perry.</p> + +<p>"Why not have adventures? They say that all you have to do is look for +them."</p> + +<p>"Don't you believe it! I've looked for them for years and I've never +seen one yet." Perry swung his feet to the floor and sat up.</p> + +<p>"Well, not at Delaware Water Gap, naturally. You've got to move around, +son. You don't find them by sitting all day with your feet on the rail +of a hotel piazza."</p> + +<p>"Where do you find them, then?" Perry demanded.</p> + +<p>Steve waved a hand vaguely aloft into the greenish radiance of the lamp. +"All round. North, east, south and west. Land or sea. Adventures, +Perry, are for the adventurous. Now, here we are, three able-bodied +fellows fairly capable of looking after ourselves in most situations, +tired of the humdrum life of Summer resorts. What's to prevent our +spending a couple of months together and finding some adventures? Of +course, we can't go to Africa and shoot lions and wart-hogs—whatever +they may be,—and we can't fit out an Arctic exploration party and +discover Ingersoll Land or Bush Inlet or Chapman's Passage, but we could +have a mighty good time, I'd say, and, even if we didn't have many +hair-breadth escapes, I'll bet it would beat chasing tennis balls and +doing the Australian crawl and keeping our white shoes and trousers +clean!"</p> + +<p>"We could be as dirty as we liked!" sighed Perry ecstatically. "Lead me +to it!"</p> + +<p>"It sounds positively fascinating," drawled Joe, "but just how would we +go about it? My folks, for some unfathomable reason, think quite a lot +of me, and I don't just see them letting me amble off like that; +especially in—um—such disreputable company."</p> + +<p>"I should think they'd be glad to be rid of you for a Summer," said +Perry. "Anyhow, let's make believe it's possible, fellows, and talk +about it."</p> + +<p>"Why isn't it possible?" asked Steve. "My folks would raise objections +as well as yours, Joe, but I guess I could fetch them around. After all, +there's no more danger than in staying at home and trying to break your +neck driving an automobile sixty miles an hour. Let's really consider +the scheme, fellows. I'm in earnest. I want to do it. What Perry said is +just what I've been thinking without saying. Why, hang it, a fellow +needs something of the sort to teach him sense and give him experience. +This thing of hanging around a hotel porch all Summer makes a regular +mollycoddle of a fellow. I'm for revolt!"</p> + +<p>"Hear! Hear!" cried Perry enthusiastically. "Revolution! <i>A bas la</i> +Summer Resort! <i>Viva</i> Adventure!"</p> + +<p>"Shut up, idiot! Do you really mean it, Steve, or are you just talking? +If you mean it, I'm with you to the last—um—drop of blood, old chap! +I've always wanted to revolt about something, anyway. One of my +ancestors helped throw the English breakfast tea into Boston Harbour. +But I don't want to get all het up about this unless there's really +something in it besides jabber."</p> + +<p>"We start the first day of July," replied Steve decisively.</p> + +<p>"Where for?"</p> + +<p>"That is the question, friends. Shall it be by land or sea?"</p> + +<p>"Land," said Joe.</p> + +<p>"Sea," said Perry.</p> + +<p>"The majority rules and I cast my vote with Perry. Adventures are more +likely to be found on the water, I think, and it's adventures we are +looking for."</p> + +<p>"But I always get seasick," objected Joe. "And when I'm seasick you +couldn't tempt me with any number of adventures. I simply—um—don't +seem to enthuse much at such times."</p> + +<p>"You can take a lemon with you," suggested Perry cheerfully. "My +grandmother—"</p> + +<p>Joe shook his head. "They don't do you any good," he said sadly.</p> + +<p>"Don't they! My grandmother—"</p> + +<p>"Bother your grandmother! How do we go to sea, Steve? Swim or—or how?"</p> + +<p>"We get my father's cruiser," replied Steve simply. "She's a +forty-footer and togged out like an ocean-liner. Has everything but a +swimming-pool. She—"</p> + +<p>"Nix on the luxuries," interrupted Perry. "The simple life for me. +Let's hire an old moth-eaten sailboat—"</p> + +<p>"Nothing doing, Sweet Youth! If I'm to risk my life on the heaving ocean +I want something under me. Besides, being seasick is rotten enough, +anyhow, without having to roll around in the cock-pit of a two-by-twice +sailboat. That cruiser listens well, Steve, but—um—will papa fall for +it? If it was my father—"</p> + +<p>"I think he will," answered Steve seriously. "Dad doesn't have much +chance to use the boat himself, and this Summer he's likely to be in the +city more than ever. The trouble is that the <i>Cockatoo</i> is almost too +big for three of us to handle."</p> + +<p>"Oh, piffle!"</p> + +<p>"It's so, though. I know the boat, Perry. She's pretty big when it comes +to making a landing or picking up a mooring. If we were all fairly good +seamen it might be all right, but I wouldn't want to try to handle the +<i>Cockatoo</i> without a couple of sailors aboard."</p> + +<p>"I once sailed a knockabout," said Perry.</p> + +<p>"And I had a great-grandfather who was a sea captain," offered Joe +encouragingly. "What price great-grandfather?"</p> + +<p>"Don't see where your grandfather and Perry's grandmother come into +this," replied Steve. "How would it do if we gathered up two or three +other fellows? The <i>Cockatoo</i> will accommodate six."</p> + +<p>"Who could we get?" asked Joe dubiously.</p> + +<p>"Neil Fairleigh, for one."</p> + +<p>"How about Han?" offered Joe.</p> + +<p>"Hanford always wants to boss everything," objected Perry.</p> + +<p>"He knows boats, though, and so does Neil," said Steve. "And they're +both good fellows. That would make five of us, and five isn't too many. +We can't afford to hire a cook, you know; at least, I can't; and someone +will have to look after that end of it. Who can cook?"</p> + +<p>"I can't!" Perry made the disclaimer with great satisfaction.</p> + +<p>"No more can I," said Joe cheerfully. "Let Neil be cook."</p> + +<p>"I guess we'll all have to take a try at it. I dare say any of us can +fry an egg and make coffee; and you can buy almost everything ready to +eat nowadays."</p> + +<p>"Tell you who's a whale of a cook," said Perry eagerly. "That's Ossie +Brazier. Remember the time we camped at Mirror Lake last Spring? +Remember the flapjacks he made? M-mm!"</p> + +<p>"I didn't go," said Steve. "What sort of a chap is Brazier? I don't know +him very well."</p> + +<p>"Well, Oscar's one of the sort who will do anything just as long as he +thinks he doesn't have to," replied Joe. "If we could get him to come +along and tell him that he—um—simply must <i>not</i> ask to do the cooking, +why—there you are!"</p> + +<p>"Merely a matter of diplomacy," laughed Steve. "Well, we might have +Brazier instead of Hanford—or Neil."</p> + +<p>"Why not have them all if the boat will hold six?" asked Joe. "Seems to +me the more we have the less each of us will have to do. I mean," he +continued above the laughter, "that—um—a division of labour—"</p> + +<p>"We get you," said Perry. "But, say, I wish you'd stop talking about it, +fellows. I'm going to be disappointed when I wake up and find it's only +a bright and gaudy dream."</p> + +<p>"It isn't a dream," answered Steve, "unless you say so. I'll go, and +I'll guarantee to get the <i>Cockatoo</i> without expense other than the cost +of running her. If you and Joe can get your folks to let you come, and +we can get hold of, say, two other decent chaps to fill the crew, why, +we'll do it!"</p> + +<p>"Do you honestly mean it?" demanded Perry incredulously. "Gee, I'll get +permission if I have to—to go without it!"</p> + +<p>"How about you, Joe?"</p> + +<p>"Um—I guess I could manage it. How long would we be gone?"</p> + +<p>"A month. Two, if you like. Start the first of July, or as soon after as +possible, and get back in August."</p> + +<p>"How much would it cost us?" inquired Perry. "I'm not a millionaire like +you chaps."</p> + +<p>"Wouldn't want to say offhand. We'd have to figure that. That's another +reason for filling the boat up, though. The more we have the less +everyone's share of the expense will be."</p> + +<p>"Let's have the whole six, then, for money's scarce in my family these +days. Let's make it a club, fellows. The Club of Six, or something of +that sort. It sounds fine!"</p> + +<p>"Take in another fellow and call it The Lucky Seven," suggested Joe.</p> + +<p>"We might not be lucky, though," laughed Steve. "I'll tell you a better +name."</p> + +<p>"Shoot!"</p> + +<p>"The Adventure Club."</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_II'></a><h2>CHAPTER II</h2> + +<p style="text-align: center"><b>THE CLUB GROWS</b></p> +<br /> + +<p>And that is the way in which it happened. It began in fun and ended +quite seriously. They sat up in Number 17 Sumner until long after +bedtime that night, figuring the cost of the expedition, planning the +cruise, even listing supplies. The more they talked about it the more +their enthusiasm grew. Perry was for having Steve send a night message +then and there to his father asking for the boat, but Steve preferred to +wait until he reached home and make the request by word of mouth.</p> + +<p>"He would just think I was fooling or crazy if I telegraphed," he +explained. "Tomorrow we'll try to dig up three other fellows to go +along, and then, as soon as we all get home, we'll find out whether our +folks will stand for it. You must all telegraph me the first thing. +Don't wait to write, because I must know as soon as possible. I dare say +there's work to be done on the <i>Cockatoo</i> before she's ready for the +water, and we don't want to have to wait around until the end of July. +The fun of doing anything is to do it right off. If you wait you lose +half the pleasure. Now you'd better beat it, Perry. It's after ten. If +you meet a proctor close your eyes and make believe you're walking in +your sleep."</p> + +<p>Perry reached his own room, on the floor above, without being sighted, +however, and subsequently spent a sleepless hour in joyous anticipation +of at last finding some of those adventures that all his life he had +longed for. And when he did at length fall asleep it was to have the +most outlandish dreams, visions in which he endured shipwreck, fought +pirates and was all but eaten by cannibals. The most incongruous phase +of the dream, as recollected on waking, was that the <i>Cockatoo</i> had +been, not a motor-boat at all, but a trolley-car! He distinctly +remembered that the pirates, on boarding it, had each dropped a nickel +in the box!</p> + +<p>Fortunately for the success of the Adventure Club, the next morning held +no duties. In the afternoon the deciding baseball game was to be played, +but, except for gathering belongings together preliminary to packing, +nothing else intervened between now and the graduation programme of the +morrow. Hence it was an easy matter to hold what might be termed the +first meeting of the club. Besides the originators there were present +Messrs. Fairleigh, Hanford and Brazier. After Steve had locked the door +to prevent interruption, he presented to the newcomers a summary of the +scheme. It was received with enthusiasm and unanimous approval, but Neil +Fairleigh and Oscar Brazier sadly admitted that in their cases parental +permission was extremely doubtful. George Hanford, whose parents were +dead and who was under the care of a guardian, thought that in his case +there would be no great difficulty. The other two viewed him a trifle +enviously. Then, because one may always hope, they had to hear the +particulars and each secretly began to fashion arguments to overcome the +objections at home. Finally Oscar Brazier inquired interestedly:</p> + +<p>"Who is going to cook for you?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, we'll take turns, maybe," answered Joe. "Or we might hire a cook."</p> + +<p>Joe stole a look at Steve. Oscar only shuffled his feet.</p> + +<p>"I say hire," remarked Perry. "Any of us could do it after a fashion, I +dare say, but you get frightfully hungry on the water and need good +stuff well cooked, and lots of it."</p> + +<p>"Yes," agreed Steve, "any of us would make an awful mess of it. +Cooking's an art."</p> + +<p>Oscar cleared his throat and frowned. "You'd have to pay a lot for a +cook," he said. "It isn't hard, really. I could do it—if I were going +along."</p> + +<p>"That's so," George Hanford confirmed. But the rest seemed +unflatteringly doubtful. The silence was almost embarrassing. At last +Joe said hurriedly:</p> + +<p>"Well, we don't have to decide that now. Besides, if you can't come with +us—um—" His voice trailed off into a relieved silence. Oscar smiled +haughtily.</p> + +<p>"That's all right," he said. "If you prefer a cook, say so. Only, if I +did go I'd be willing to do the cooking, and I'll bet I could do it as +well as any cook you could hire. Isn't it so, Han?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I call you a mighty nifty cook, Ossie. I've eaten your biscuits +more than once. Flapjacks, too."</p> + +<p>"Well," said Joe politely, "camp cooking is um—different, I guess, from +regular cooking. Of course, I don't say Ossie couldn't do it, mind you, +but—we wouldn't want to take chances. On the whole, I think it would be +best to have a regular cook."</p> + +<p>"We might let Ossie try it," suggested Perry judicially.</p> + +<p>"Oh, I'm not crazy about it," disclaimed Oscar, piqued. "If you prefer +to pay out good money for a cook—"</p> + +<p>"Not at all," interrupted Steve soothingly. "We want to do the whole +thing as cheaply as we can. I see no harm in leaving the cooking end of +it to you, Brazier; that is, if you can go."</p> + +<p>"I'm going to make a big try for it," declared Oscar resolutely. "If my +folks won't let me, they—they'll wish they had!"</p> + +<p>Whereupon, emboldened by Oscar's stand, Neil Fairleigh expressed the +conviction that he, too, could manage it some way. "I dare say that if I +tell my dad that all you chaps are going he will think it's all right. +It wouldn't be for all Summer, anyway, would it?"</p> + +<p>"The idea now," responded Steve, "is to start out for a month's cruise +and extend it if we cared to. I suppose any of us that got tired could +quit after the month was up." He smiled. "We'd all have to sign-on for a +month, though."</p> + +<p>"Right-o," agreed Hanford. "What about electing officers? Oughtn't we to +do that? Someone ought to be in charge, I should think."</p> + +<p>"Sure!" exclaimed Joe. "We'll ballot. Throw that pad over here, Ossie."</p> + +<p>"Wait a minute," said Steve. "I've been thinking, fellows. The +<i>Cockatoo</i> will hold six comfortably. The main cabin has berths for four +and the owner's cabin for two, but if I'm not mistaken the berths in the +owner's cabin are extension, and if they are we could bunk three fellows +in there, or even four at a pinch. That would give us room for seven or +eight in all. Eight might make it a bit crowded, but she's a big, roomy +boat and I think we could do with seven fellows all right. And seven's a +lucky number, too. So suppose we take in one more while we're at it?"</p> + +<p>"The more the merrier," agreed Joe. "Who have you got in mind?"</p> + +<p>Steve shook his head. "No one, but I guess we can think of a fellow. +There's—"</p> + +<p>Steve was interrupted by a knock on the door, and when Hanford, who was +nearest, had, at a nod from Steve, unlocked the portal a tall, rather +serious-faced youth of seventeen entered.</p> + +<p>"Oh, am I butting-in?" he asked. "I didn't know. I'll come back later, +Joe." Philip Street smiled apologetically and started a retreat, but +Steve called him back.</p> + +<p>"Hold on, Phil!" he cried. "Come in here. You're the very fellow we +want. Close the door and find a seat, will you?"</p> + +<p>"By Jove, that's so!" exclaimed Joe, and the others heartily endorsed +him. Oddly enough, not one would have thought of Phil Street in all +probability, but each recognised the fact that he was the ideal fellow +to complete the membership. Steve, Joe aiding and the others attempting +to, outlined the plan. If they had expected signs of enthusiasm from +Phil they were doomed to disappointment, for that youth listened +silently and attentively until they had ended and then asked simply:</p> + +<p>"When are you planning to get away?"</p> + +<p>"As near the first of the month as we can," replied Steve.</p> + +<p>"I'm afraid I couldn't go, then," said Phil. "I'm a delegate to the C.B. +Convention, you see, and that doesn't end until the sixth."</p> + +<p>"I'd forgotten that," said Joe disappointedly.</p> + +<p>"What's C.B. stand for?" inquired Hanford.</p> + +<p>"Christian Brotherhood," supplied Steve. "Look here, Phil, could you go +after the sixth?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I'd love to, thanks."</p> + +<p>"All right then, you're signed-on. If we get away before that we'll pick +you up somewhere. If we don't you can start with us. How is that?"</p> + +<p>"Quite satisfactory," answered Phil.</p> + +<p>"But are you sure your folks will let you?" asked Perry.</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes, I spend my Summers about as I like."</p> + +<p>"Think of that!" sighed Perry. "Gee, I wish my folks were like that."</p> + +<p>"I guess," said Steve, "that Phil's folks know he won't get into +trouble, Perry, while yours are pretty certain that you will. It makes a +difference. Now we can go ahead with that election, can't we? How about +nominations?"</p> + +<p>"No need of them," declared Joe. "What officers do we want?"</p> + +<p>"Well, this is a club—the Adventure Club, Phil, is the name we've +chosen—and so I suppose we ought to have a president and a +vice-president and—"</p> + +<p>"Rot!" said Perry. "Too high-sounding. Let's elect a captain and a +treasurer and let it go at that."</p> + +<p>"I never heard of a club having a captain," Oscar Brazier objected.</p> + +<p>"Nor anyone else," agreed Joe. "Let's follow the Nihilist scheme and +elect a Number One, a Number Two and a Number Three. Number One can be +the boss, a sort of president, you know, Number Two can correspond to a +vice-president and Number Three can be secretary and treasurer. How's +that?"</p> + +<p>"Suits me," said Steve. "Tear up some pieces of paper, Perry. We'll each +vote for the three officers, writing the names in order, then the fellow +getting the most votes—"</p> + +<p>"I don't know as I ought to vote," said Neil Fairleigh, "because I'm not +sure I can go. Maybe I'd better not, eh?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, shucks, never mind that," replied Perry. "You can join the club, +anyway, and be a sort of non-resident member. Here you are, fellows. +Who's got a pen or something?"</p> + +<p>During the ensuing two or three minutes there was comparative silence in +Number 17, and while the seven occupants of the room busy themselves +with pens or pencils let us look them over since we are likely to spend +some time in their company from now on.</p> + +<p>First of all there is Steve Chapman, seventeen years of age, a tall, +well-built and nicely proportioned youth with black hair and eyes, a +quick, determined manner and an incisive speech. Steve was Football +Captain last Fall. Next him sits George Hanford. Han, as the boys call +him, is eighteen, also a senior, and also a football player. He is big +and rangey, good-natured and popular, and is president of the senior +class.</p> + +<p>Joe Ingersoll's age is seventeen. He is Steve's junior by two months. He +is of medium height, rather thin, light complexioned and has peculiarly +pale eyes behind the round spectacles he wears. Joe is first baseman on +the Nine, and a remarkably competent one. He is slow of speech and +possesses a dry humour that on occasion can be uncomfortably ironical. +Beside him, Perry Bush is a complete contrast, for Perry is +large-limbed, rather heavy of build, freckle-faced, red-haired and +jolly. He has very dark blue eyes and, in spite of a moon-shaped +countenance, is distinctly pleasing to look at; he is sixteen.</p> + +<p>Neil Fairleigh and Phil Street are of an age, seventeen, but in other +regards are quite unalike. Neil is of medium height, with his full +allowance of flesh, and has hair the hue of new rope and grey-blue eyes. +He is even-tempered, easy-going and, if truth must be told, somewhat +lazy. Phil Street is quite tall, rather thin and dark complexioned, a +nice-looking, somewhat serious youth whose infrequent smile is worth +waiting for. He is an Honor Man, a distinction attained by no other +member of our party save Steve. The last of the seven is Oscar Brazier, +and Ossie, as the boys call him, is sixteen years old, short and +square, strongly-made and conspicuous for neither beauty nor scholarly +attainments. Ossie has a snub nose, a lot of rebellious brown hair, red +cheeks and a wide mouth that is usually smiling. Renowned for his +good-nature, he is nevertheless a hard worker at whatever he undertakes, +and if he sometimes shows a suspicious disposition it is only because +his good-nature has been frequently imposed on.</p> + +<p>When the last pencil had stopped scratching Joe gathered the slips +together and after a moment's figuring announced that Steve had been +elected Number One without a dissenting vote, that he himself had been +made Number Two and that Phil was Number Three. If Perry felt +disappointment he hid it, and when Phil declared that in his opinion +Perry should have been elected instead of him, since Perry was, so to +say, a charter member, Perry promptly disclaimed any desire of the sort.</p> + +<p>"No, thanks," he said. "If I was secretary I'd have to keep the accounts +and all that sort of thing, and I'm no good at it. You're the very +fellow for the job, Phil."</p> + +<p>The assemblage broke up shortly after, to meet again that evening at +eight, Steve undertaking to have a map on hand then so that they might +plan their cruise. As none of the seven was bound to secrecy, what +happened is only what might have been expected. By the time the ball +game was half over Steve and Joe had received enough applications for +membership in the Adventure Club to have, in Joe's words, filled an +ocean liner. It is probable that a large proportion of the applicants +could not have obtained permission to join the expedition, but they were +each and all terribly enthusiastic and eager to join, and it required +all of Steve's and Joe's diplomacy to turn them away without hurting +their feelings. Wink Wheeler—his real name was Warren, but no one ever +called him that—refused politely but firmly to take no for an answer. +Wink said he didn't care where he bunked and that he never ate anything +on a boat, anyway, because he was always too seasick to bother about +meals.</p> + +<p>"One more won't matter, Steve," Wink pleaded. "Be a good chap and let me +in, won't you? My folks are going out to California this Summer and I +don't want to go, and they'll let me do anything I like. Tell you what, +Steve. If you'll take me I'll buy something for the boat. I'll make the +club a present of—of a tender or an anchor or whatever you say!"</p> + +<p>Steve found it especially hard to turn Wink down, because he liked the +fellow, just as everyone else did. Wink was eighteen and had been five +years getting through school, but he was a big, good-hearted, jovial +boy, and, as Steve reflected, one who would be a desirable companion on +such an adventure as had been planned. Steve at last told Wink that he +would speak to the others about him that evening, but that Wink was not +to get his hopes up, and Wink took himself off whistling cheerfully and +quite satisfied. But when Steve tentatively broached the matter of +including one more member in the person of Wink Wheeler, Joe staggered +him by announcing that he had promised Harry Corwin to intercede for the +latter.</p> + +<p>"He pestered the life out of me," explained Joe ruefully, "and I finally +told him I'd ask you fellows. But I suppose we can't take two more. Nine +would—um—be rather overdoing it, eh?"</p> + +<p>Everyone agreed that it would. Han suggested that Wink Wheeler and Harry +Corwin might toss up for the privilege of joining the club. "After all," +he added, "we aren't all of us certain that we can go. If one or two of +us drop out there'll be room for Wink and Harry, too."</p> + +<p>"Seems to me," said Phil Street, "it might be a good plan to enlarge +the membership to, say, twelve, and let the new members find a boat of +their own. I dare say they could. Then—"</p> + +<p>"Fine!" exclaimed Joe. "Harry and his brother have some sort of a +motor-boat. He told me so today. That's a bully idea, Phil! With twelve +of us we could divide up between the two boats—"</p> + +<p>"How many will Corwin's boat hold?" asked Neil.</p> + +<p>"I don't know. I'll see him and find out. But it ought to be big enough +to hold four, anyway. There are seven of us now, and Wink and Harry and +his brother Tom would make ten, and we could easily pick out two more."</p> + +<p>"Let's make the membership thirteen," said Perry.</p> + +<p>"Thirteen!" echoed Han. "Gee, that's unlucky!"</p> + +<p>"Rot! Why, you've got thirteen letters in your name. George Hanford." +Perry counted on his fingers. "This is the Adventure Club, isn't it? +Well, starting out with thirteen members is an adventure right at the +start!"</p> + +<p>"Sure!" agreed Ossie. "Let's take a chance. It's only a silly +what-do-you-call-it anyway."</p> + +<p>"Meaning superstition?" asked Steve. "Well, I'm agreeable. Who else do +we want? Bert Alley asked to join, and so did George Browne."</p> + +<p>"And Casper Temple," added Joe. "And they're all good fellows. But I +want it distinctly understood that I'm going on the <i>Cockatoo</i>."</p> + +<p>"Me too!" exclaimed Perry. "All of us fellows must go on the <i>Cockatoo</i>. +We were the first."</p> + +<p>"But suppose Corwin's boat won't hold five?" said Han.</p> + +<p>"We can squeeze eight into the <i>Cockatoo</i>, if we have to," said Steve. +"Joe, you cut along and find Corwin and bring him up here. We might as +well settle the thing now."</p> + +<p>"All right, but don't settle about the cruise while I'm gone," answered +Joe. "I'll have him here in ten minutes."</p> + +<p>When the meeting adjourned that evening the club had added six new +members and enlarged its fleet by the addition of the cabin-cruiser, +<i>Follow Me</i>. It was just half-past ten when Joe and Steve produced the +last of their supply of ginger-ale from under the window-seat and, +utilising glasses, tooth-mugs and pewter trophies, the members present +drank success to the Adventure Club.</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_III'></a><h2>CHAPTER III</h2> + +<p style="text-align: center"><b>CAST OFF!</b></p> +<br /> + +<p>Some two weeks later, or, to be exact, sixteen days, making the date +therefor, the eighth day of July, a round-faced, freckle-cheeked youth +in a pair of khaki trousers, white rubber-soled shoes, a light flannel +shirt that had once been brown and was now the colour of much diluted +coffee and a white duck hat sat on the forward deck of a trim motor-boat +with his feet suspended above the untidy water of a slip. By turning his +head slightly he could have looked across the sunlit surface of +Buttermilk Channel to the green slopes of Governor's Island and, beyond +the gleaming Statue of Liberty. But Perry Bush was far more interested +in the approach that led from the noisy, granite-paved street behind a +distant fence to the pier against which the boat was nestled. As he +watched he sniffed gratefully of the mingled odours that came to him; +the smell of salt water, of pitch and oakum, of paint from a +neighbouring craft receiving her Summer dress, of fresh shavings and +sawdust from the nearby shed whence came also the shriek of the +band-saw and the <i>tap-tap</i> of mallets. Ballinger's Yacht Basin was a +busy place at this time of the year, and the slips were crowded with +sailboats and motor-boats, while many craft still stood, stilted and +canvas-wrapped, in the shade of the long sheds. Perry whistled a gay +tune softly as he basked there in the warm sunlight and awaited the +arrival of the rest of the boat's crew.</p> + +<p>Much had happened since that Thursday when they had toasted the +Adventure Club in Steve's and Joe's room in Sumner. Graduation Day had +sent them scurrying homeward. Then had followed much correspondence with +Steve. After an anxious four days, Perry and the rest had each received +a brief but highly satisfactory telegram: "<i>Cockatoo</i> ours for two +months. Meet Ballinger's Basin, Brooklyn, fourth." But work on the +cruiser had delayed the starting date, and they had now been kicking +their heels about New York for four days. Perry and Phil Street had been +taken care of by Steve, and Joe had had Neil, Han and Ossie as his +guests. At Bay Shore, on the south side of Long Island, the <i>Follow Me</i> +was awaiting them impatiently. The <i>Follow Me</i> had been ready to put to +sea for a full week.</p> + +<p>Although Steve and Joe had provisioned the <i>Cockatoo</i>—which, by the +way, was no longer the <i>Cockatoo</i>, but the <i>Adventurer</i>, having been +renamed during the process of painting—the crew had not been altogether +idle during their wait. Each had thought of something further to add. +Ossie, who, as a special favour, was to be allowed to try his hand at +cooking, had made several trips between a big department store on Fulton +Street and had returned to the basin laden each time with mysterious +packages, many of which rattled or clinked when deposited in the galley. +Perry had purchased an inexpensive talking machine and a dozen records. +Neil had contributed a patent life-preserver that looked like a +waistcoat to be used by an Arctic explorer and was guaranteed to keep +Barnum and Bailey's fat man afloat. Phil had supplied the cabin with +magazines, few of them, to Perry's chagrin, of the sort anyone but a +"highbrow" would care to tackle. Joe, as an after-thought, had stocked +up heavily with Mother Somebody's Cure for Seasickness. George Hanford +had tried to smuggle on board a black and white puppy about a foot long +which he had bought on a street corner for two dollars and a half. +Steve, however, had objected strenuously and Han had been forced to see +the puppy's former owner and sell his purchase back for a dollar, the +value of it having decreased surprisingly in a few hours. Even Steve +had supplemented the boat's contents the day before by stowing two +desperate-looking revolvers and several boxes of cartridges in a locker +in the forward cabin.</p> + +<p>Then, too, they had each outfitted more or less elaborately, according +to their pocket-books. Steve and Joe had pointed out that, with seven +aboard, locker room would be at a premium, and had urged the others to +take as little in the way of personal luggage as they could get along +with. But when the out-of-town boys got into the stores the advice was +soon forgotten. Neil had outfitted as if he was about to set forth on a +voyage around the world, and Han was not far behind him. Perry would +have liked, too, to become the proud possessor of some of the things the +former fellows brought aboard, but Perry's finances were low after he +had paid for that talking machine, and so, with the exception of a new +grey sweater, he had made no additions to his wardrobe. This morning he +had volunteered to go to the basin early and superintend the loading of +ice and water, and now, those things aboard, he was wondering, a trifle +resentfully, why the others didn't come. They were to cast off at eleven +and it was now well after ten.</p> + +<p>"Probably," he muttered, edging back so that he could have the support +of the big, round smoke-stack, "Neil's buying another necktie! It would +serve them right if I started the thing up and went off without them." +As, however, Perry knew absolutely nothing about a gasoline engine, +there was little likelihood of his carrying that threat into action. In +any case, there would have been no excuse, for less than a minute later +he descried the tardy ones skirting the shed and coming along the wharf. +They looked, Perry thought with satisfaction, very hot and disgruntled +as, each carrying his belongings in a parcel so that there would be no +bags to stow away, they approached the boat. Although Perry was no +mechanician, he quite understood the operation of an electric horn, and +now, swinging nimbly down to the bridge deck, he set the palm of his +hand against a big black button. The result was all that he desired. An +amazing, ear-splitting shriek broke the ordinary clamour of the scene. +Perry smiled ecstatically and peered out and up from under the awning. +But the half-dozen countenances that looked down at him expressed only +disgust, and Joe's voice came to him even above the blast of the horn.</p> + +<p>"Don't be a silly fool, Perry!" shouted Joe peevishly. "Let that alone +and catch these bundles!"</p> + +<p>Perry obeyed and one by one the fellows scrambled from wharf to boat. +And, having reached the bridge deck, they subsided exhaustedly onto the +two cushioned seats or the gunwale. Perry viewed their inflamed, +perspiring faces in smiling surprise. "What did you do?" he asked. "Run +all the way?"</p> + +<p>"Joe got us on the wrong car," panted Neil, "and we went halfway to +Coney Island, I guess."</p> + +<p>"It wasn't my fault any more than it was yours," growled Joe. "You had +eyes, hadn't you?"</p> + +<p>"We had eyes," replied Ossie from behind his handkerchief, as he wiped +his streaming face, "but we aren't supposed to know where these silly +cars go to."</p> + +<p>"I didn't have any trouble," murmured Perry.</p> + +<p>"Well, we did," said Han resentfully. "We waited ten minutes on a +broiling-hot corner and then, when we did get another car, it got +blocked behind ten thousand drays and we had to foot it about eleven +miles! Got any ice-water aboard?"</p> + +<p>"We've got ice and we've got water," replied Perry. "If you mix 'em in +the proper proportions—"</p> + +<p>"Oh, dry up and blow away," muttered Han, dragging himself painfully +down the companion on his way to the galley. Phil Street smiled.</p> + +<p>"Seems to me we're starting our adventure rather inauspiciously," he +said. "If we have a grouch before we leave the dock what's going to +happen later?"</p> + +<p>"Maybe it's a good thing to have it now and get over it," laughed Steve. +"It was hot, though! And it isn't much cooler here. Let's get under way, +fellows, and find a breeze. It will take us the better part of four +hours to get to Bay Shore, anyway, and I telephoned Wink yesterday that +we'd be there by three. Every fellow into sea-togs as quick as he can +make it. Joe and Phil and I bunk aft, the rest of you in the main cabin. +Get your things put away neatly, fellows. Anyone caught being disorderly +will be keel-hauled. Have a look at this thermometer, Joe. It's almost +eighty-nine! Let's get out of here in a hurry!"</p> + +<p>For the next ten minutes the fellows busied themselves as Steve had +directed. All, that is, save Perry. As Perry was already dressed for sea +he used his leisure to sit in the hatchway of the after cabin and +converse entertainingly with the occupants until, on the score that he +was keeping the air out, he was driven up to the cockpit. There he +perched himself in one of the four comfortable wicker chairs, placed his +feet on the leather-cushioned seat across the stern and languorously +observed a less fortunate person scrape the deck of a sloop on the far +side of the slip.</p> + +<p>Suppose that, while the <i>Adventurer's</i> crew prepares for service, we +have a look over the boat. The <i>Adventurer</i>, late the <i>Cockatoo</i>, was a +forty-foot V-bottom, military type cruiser, with a nine-foot beam and a +draught of two feet and six inches. Below the water-line she was painted +a dark green. Above it she was freshly, immaculately white as to hull, +while decks and smoke-stack were buff. The exterior bulkheads were of +panelled mahogany, and a narrow strip of mahogany edged the deck. There +was a refreshing lack of gold in sight, and, viewed from alongside, the +<i>Adventurer</i> had a very business-like appearance. As she was of the +raised-deck cabin type, with full head-room everywhere, she stood well +above the water, and the low, sweeping lines that suggest speed were +lacking. But the <i>Adventurer</i> had speed, nevertheless, for under the +bridge deck was a six-cylinder 6x6 Van Lyte engine that could send her +along at twenty miles an hour when necessary. On the stern was the +legend "ADVENTURER: NEW YORK," and the name appeared again on each of +the mahogany boards that housed the sidelights. The cockpit, which was +self-bailing, was roomy enough to accommodate seven persons comfortably. +A broad leather-cushioned seat ran across the stern and there were four +wicker chairs besides. Life preservers were ingeniously strapped under +the chair seats and two others hung at each side of the after cabin +door.</p> + +<p>The after cabin, or owner's stateroom, held two extension seats which at +night were converted into wide and comfortable berths. At the forward +end a lavatory occupied one side and a clothes locker the other. Other +lockers occupied the space between the seats and the three ports. This +compartment, like the main cabin, was enamelled in cream-white with +mahogany trim. Three steps led to the bridge deck, a roomy place which +housed engine, steering wheel and all controls. The engine, although +under deck, was readily accessible by means of sectional hatches. On the +steering column were wheel, self-starter switch, spark, throttle and +clutch, making it easily possible for one person to operate the boat if +necessary. Two seats were built against the after bulkhead, chart boxes +flanked the forward hatchway and the binnacle was above the steering +column. Forward, the compartment was glassed in, but on other sides +khaki curtains were depended on in bad weather. When not in use the +curtains rolled up to the edge of the awning, which was set on a +pipe-frame.</p> + +<p>From the bridge deck three steps led down to the main cabin. Here in the +daytime were two longitudinal couches with high upholstered backs. At +night the backs swung out and up to form berths, so that the compartment +supplied sleeping accomodations for four persons. There were roomy +lockers under the seats and at meal times an extension table made a +miraculous appearance and seated eight. Forward of the main cabin was +the galley, gleaming with white enamel and brass. It was fitted with a +large ice-chest, many lockers, a sink with running water, a two-burner +alcohol stove with oven and a multitude of plate-racks. It was the +lightest place in the boat, for, besides a light-port on each side, it +had as well a hatch overhead. The hatch, although water-tight, was made +to open for the admission of ice and supplies. Still forward, in the +nose of the boat, was a large water tank and, beyond that, the rope +locker. The gasoline tanks, of which there were four, held two hundred +and fifty gallons. The boat was lighted by electricity in all parts by +means of a generator and storage battery. An eight-foot tender rested on +chocks atop the main cabin. The boat carried no signal mast, but +flag-poles at bow and stern and abaft the bridge deck frame held the +Union Jack, the yacht ensign and the club burgee. All in all, the +<i>Adventurer</i> was a smart and finely appointed craft, and a capable one, +too. Steve's father had had her built only a little more than a year ago +and she had seen but scant service. In the inelegant but expressive +phraseology of Perry, "she was a rip-snorting corker of a boat." The +consensus of opinion was to the effect that Mr. Chapman was "a peach to +let them have it," and there was an unuttered impression that that +kind-hearted gentleman was taking awful chances!</p> + +<p>For, after all, except that Steve had had a brief week or so on the boat +the preceding Summer and that Joe had taken two days of instruction in +gasoline engine operation, not a member of the crew knew much of the +work ahead. Still, George Hanford had operated a twelve-foot motor +dingey at one time, Phil Street had sailed a knockabout and all had an +average amount of common-sense, and it seemed that, with luck, they +might somehow manage to escape death by drowning! Mr. Chapman surely +must have had a good deal of faith in Steve and his companions or he +would never have consented to their operating the cruiser without the +aid of a seasoned navigator. As for the boys themselves, they +anticipated many difficulties and some hazards, but, with the confidence +of youth, they expected to "muddle through," and, as Neil said, what +they didn't know now they soon would.</p> + +<p>At exactly seven minutes past eleven by the ship's clock the +<i>Adventurer</i> gave a prolonged screech and, moorings cast off, edged her +way out of the basin and dipped her nose in the laughing waters of the +bay, embarked at last on a voyage that was destined to fully vindicate +her new name.</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_IV'></a><h2>CHAPTER IV</h2> + +<p style="text-align: center"><b>THE <i>FOLLOW ME</i></b></p> +<br /> + +<p>Two days before they had decided that Steve was to be captain, Joe, +chief engineer, Phil, first mate, Perry, second mate, Ossie, steward, +Neil, cabin boy and Han, crew. Neil and Han had naturally rebelled at +being left without office or title and the omission had been laughingly +remedied to their entire satisfaction. In fact, Han was quite stuck up +over his official position, pointing out that it might be possible for a +boat to get along without a captain or mate or even a steward, but that +a crew was absolutely essential. He declared his intention of purchasing +a yachting cap at the first port of call and having the inscription +"Crew" worked on it in gold bullion.</p> + +<p>When the <i>Adventurer</i> left her berth each member of the boat's company +was at his post, or, at least, at what he surmised to be his post. +Steve, of course, was at the control, Joe, with the hatches up, was +watching his engine approvingly, Phil, boat-hook in hand, was on the +forward deck, Perry hovered around Steve, begging to be allowed to blow +the whistle, Ossie and Neil watched from opposite sides of the bridge +deck and Han, in the role of crew, hitched his trousers at intervals, +touched his cap when anyone so much as looked at him and said "Ay, ay, +sir!" at the slightest provocation. And with all hands on duty the +cruiser pointed her white bow towards The Narrows.</p> + +<p>Steve never took his eyes from the course for more than a moment until +they had passed Coney Island Light, for there were many craft bustling +or slopping about and it really required some navigation to get through +The Narrows and past Gravesend Bay without running into something. Perry +suspected that Steve was working the whistle overtime, but realized that +too many precautions were better than too few. It was Perry's ambition +to learn navigation so that he might ultimately be entrusted with the +wheel, and to that end he stood at Steve's elbow until, when they gained +the Main Channel, Ossie's dulcet voice was heard proclaiming, "Grub, +fellows!" from below. Steve was rather too preoccupied to be very +informative, but Perry did manage to imbibe some information. For +instance, he learned that a sailing craft had the right of way over a +power craft, something he had not known previously, and observed that a +large proportion of them used that right to its limit. He got quite +incensed with a small, blunt-nosed schooner which insisted on crossing +the <i>Adventurer's</i> course just as they were passing Fort Hamilton. Steve +had to slow down rather hurriedly to avoid a collision and Perry viewed +the two occupants of the schooner's deck with a scowl as they lazed +across the cruiser's bows.</p> + +<p>"Cheeky beggars," he muttered.</p> + +<p>He also learned the whistle code that morning: one blast for starboard, +two for port, four short blasts for danger and three for going astern. +Joe, who had applied oil to every part of the engine that he could +reach, supplied the added information that a sailboat under way on the +starboard tack had the right of way over anything afloat—with the +possible exception of a torpedo!—and that other craft had to turn to +port in passing them. Joe had wrested that bit of knowledge from a +volume entitled, "Motor Boats and Boating," which he carried in a side +pocket every minute of the trip, and passed it on with evident pride. +For the next few days he discovered other interesting items in that +precious book and divulged them at intervals with what to Perry seemed +a most offensive assumption of superiority.</p> + +<p>"You just read that in your old book," Perry would grumble. "Anybody +could do that!" Nevertheless, he hearkened and remembered against the +time when the conduct of the boat should be handed over to the hands of +the efficient second mate. When Joe became insufferably informative +Perry blandly asked him questions about the engine, such as, "What's the +difference, Joe, between a two-cycle and a four-cycle motor?" or "What +happens when the water-jacket becomes unbuttoned?" and was delighted to +find that Joe lapsed into silence until he had had time to +surreptitiously consult his book.</p> + +<p>Today, however, Joe's ignorance of motors mattered not at all, for the +engine ran sweetly and the <i>Adventurer</i> churned through the green water +without a falter. More than once Joe might have been observed gazing +down at the six cylinder-heads surmounted by their maze of wires with an +expression of awe. Joe's thoughts probably might have been put into +words thus: "Yes, I see you doing it, but—but <i>why?</i>"</p> + +<p>Steve didn't go down to the cabin for dinner, but ate it as best he +could on the bridge. Neil, in his capacity of cabin-boy, arranged a +folding stool beside him, and from that, at intervals between moving the +wheel, blowing the whistle or anxiously scanning the course, Steve +seized his food. The others descended to the main cabin and squeezed +themselves about the table, which, adorned with a cloth of wonderful +sheen and whiteness that bore the cruiser's former name and flag woven +in the centre, held a plentiful supply of canned beans, fried bacon, +potato chips, bread and butter and raspberry jam. Everything was +thrillingly fine, from the pure linen tablecloth and napkins to the +silverware. The plates held the same design that was worked into the +napery, as did even the knives and forks and spoons. Ossie was +apologetic as to the menu, although he need not have been.</p> + +<p>"There wasn't time to do much cooking," he said, "and, besides, I +haven't got the hang of things yet. I never tried to do anything on an +alcohol stove before. It takes longer, seems to me. I couldn't get the +oven heated until about five minutes ago, and so if those potato-chips +aren't very warm—"</p> + +<p>"I'm warm enough, if they aren't," said Neil. "How do you open these +little round window things?"</p> + +<p>"Turn the thumb-screws," advised Han. "I think everything's bully, and +I'm as hungry as a bear. Pass the beans, Perry. Got any more tea out +there, cook?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, but I'm steward and not cook," replied Ossie, arising from his +camp-stool and stepping into the galley. "Hand over the bread plate, +someone, and I'll cut some more. Bet you it's going to cost us something +for grub, fellows!"</p> + +<p>"Well," responded Han, "I'd rather go broke that way than some others. +What kind of tea is this, Ossie?"</p> + +<p>"Ceylon. Doesn't it suit you?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, I can worry it down, thanks. Sugar, please, Phil. I generally drink +orange pekoe, though. You might lay in a few pounds of it at the next +stop."</p> + +<p>"I might," said Ossie, resuming his place at the end of the board, "and +then again I might not. And the probabilities are not. If you don't want +all the potatoes, Joe, you may shove them along this way."</p> + +<p>The repast was frequently interrupted by the shrill blast of the +whistle, and whenever that sounded most of the diners scrambled up to +peer interestedly through the ports. In fact, so loth were they to miss +anything that might be happening that they finished dinner in record +time, consuming dessert, which consisted of bananas and pears, outside. +Ossie alone remained below, and from the galley came the clatter of +dishes and a cheerful tune as the steward cleared away and washed up. +Joe smiled at Phil.</p> + +<p>"Ossie's having the time of his life now," he said, "but wait until the +novelty wears off. Then we'll hear some tall kicking about the +dishwashing, or I miss my guess."</p> + +<p>"We'll have to take turns helping him at that," said Steve. "If we don't +he's likely to mutiny. There's Coney over there, fellows."</p> + +<p>The others gathered on the port side to gaze across the water at the +crowded beach and the colourful maze of buildings. "It looks jolly, +doesn't it?" asked Han. "Couldn't we run in closer, Steve?"</p> + +<p>"We could, but it would take us out of our course. I'm heading for +Rockaway Point over there. We've got a good ways to go yet before we +reach Fire Island." Steve had the chart opened before him and he laid a +finger on the point mentioned.</p> + +<p>"Looks like it would be more fun to duck in there," said Neil, vaguely +indicating the neighbourhood of Hempstead Bay.</p> + +<p>"Maybe it would," answered the Captain, "but there are too many islands +and things to suit me. I'd rather stay outside here and slip in through +Fire Island Inlet. After I get used to running this hooker I'll take her +anywhere there's a heavy dew, but right now I'm all for the open sea, +Neil."</p> + +<p>Phil and Han, who had never before gazed on the marvels of Coney Island, +even from a distance, were listening to Joe's tales of the delights of +that entrancing resort and following his finger as he pointed out the +features he recognised. "There's the coaster where I bounced up and came +down on a nail," he chuckled. "It was a fine, able-bodied nail, too, and +I—um—had to stay on it all the rest of the trip because the car was so +crowded there wasn't room to shift."</p> + +<p>"Smell the peanuts, fellows," murmured Perry dreamily. "Gee, I wish I +had some!"</p> + +<p>Ossie appeared on deck ten minutes later and was very indignant because +he had not been informed that they were passing Coney. "I think some of +you lobsters might have sung out," he mourned. "I've never seen Coney +Island."</p> + +<p>"Well, have a look," laughed Han. "That's it back there."</p> + +<p>"Huh! Can't see anything at this distance," growled Ossie. "It's just a +smear of buildings. What's the place ahead there!"</p> + +<p>"Rockaway," answered Joe, "and that's Jamaica Bay in there. Say, there's +some sea on, isn't there?"</p> + +<p>In fact the <i>Adventurer</i> was now doing a good deal of plunging as she +made her way through the long swells that swept around the sandy point. +And she wasn't satisfied with merely kicking her head and heels up, +either, for with the forward and aft motion there was considerable +rocking, and as the point came abreast a shower of spray deluged the +forward deck and spattered in on the bridge. At Steve's direction the +windows were closed, Han performing the task with many "Ay, ay, sirs!" +Joe looked anxious and presently sought the forward cabin, reappearing a +minute later to ask all and sundry if they knew where he had put his +supply of "anti-seasick stuff." No one could tell him and he again took +himself off, and before he could locate the medicine the <i>Adventurer</i> +had passed the inlet and had settled down on an even keel again. Han and +Ossie spread themselves out on the forward cabin roof and the others +made themselves comfortable on the seats of the bridge deck, Phil +pointing out seriously and with evident satisfaction that the cushions +were not only cushions but life-preservers as well. Perry was for +borrowing Phil's fountain-pen and putting his name on one.</p> + +<p>There was no longer any talk of being too warm, for the breeze was +straight from the southeast and soon sent them, one after another, into +the cabins for their sweaters. They passed Rockaway Beach a good three +miles to port and by half-past one were off Point Lookout. Every instant +held interest, for many pleasure boats were out and their white sails +gleamed in the crisp sunlight. Three porpoise appeared off Short Beach +and proved very companionable, for they stayed with the <i>Adventurer</i> for +quite ten minutes. One placed himself directly in front of the boat and +the others took up positions about six feet apart on the starboard bow, +and for two miles or more they maintained their stations, their dusky, +gleaming backs arching from the water with the regularity of clock-work. +Most of the boys had never seen the fish before and were much +interested. Joe called them "puffing pigs" and Perry insisted that they +were dolphins, and a fervid argument followed. They finally agreed, at +Phil's suggestion, to compromise and call them "porphins." Possibly the +discussion bored the subjects, or maybe they were insulted by the title +applied to them, for about the time Joe and Perry reached an agreement +the porpoise disappeared as suddenly as they had arrived on the scene +and it was minutes later before the puzzled mariners descried them +heading shoreward some distance away.</p> + +<p>They missed Ossie after that and when he was found he was stretched out +on a seat in the main cabin sound asleep and snoring. Neil came back +with the news that one of the "puffing pigs" had flopped aboard and was +asleep below. Steve took advantage of plain sailing to instruct Joe, +Phil and Perry in the handling of the wheel and controls, and each of +the pupils took his turn at guiding the cruiser along the sandy coast. +Fire Island Inlet was reached shortly before three and Steve took the +wheel again and ran the <i>Adventurer</i> past Jack's Island, around the +curve of Short Beach and into the waters of the Great South Bay. There +was still a six-mile run to their anchorage, however, and it was nearly +four when the cruiser at last crept in among the clustered craft off Bay +Shore and dropped her anchor. A hundred yards away a cluster of boys on +the deck of a sturdy cabin-cruiser swung their caps and sent a hail +across. Steve seized the megaphone from its rack and answered.</p> + +<p>"<i>Follow Me</i>, ahoy!" he shouted.</p> + +<p>"Ahoy yourself!" was the ribald reply. "We're coming over!"</p> + +<p>The crew of the <i>Follow Me</i> tumbled into a tiny dingey, cast off and +were lost to sight beyond the intervening craft. Then they reappeared, +their small boat so deep that the water almost spilled over the sides, +Wink Wheeler struggling with a pair of ludicrously short oars and the +other five laughingly urging him on.</p> + +<p>"Throw a couple of fenders over, Han," instructed Steve, "and stand by +with your boat-hook."</p> + +<p>The <i>Follow Me's</i> tender crept alongside amidst noisy greetings, Perry +performing excruciatingly on the whistle until pulled away, and in +another moment the visitors were aboard. They were a nice-looking, +upstanding lot, already well sunburned by a week afloat. Wink Wheeler +was the oldest of the six, for he was eighteen. Harry Corwin, Bert Alley +and Caspar Temple were seventeen and George Browne, or "Brownie," as he +was called, and Tom Corwin were sixteen. First of all they had to see +the boat and so the whole gathering trooped from one end to the other, +exclaiming and admiring.</p> + +<p>"The <i>Follow Me</i>'s a regular tub compared with this palace," said Harry +Corwin. "Why, there isn't anything finer than this along the South +Shore, I guess!"</p> + +<p>"Don't you call our boat names," protested "Brownie." "The <i>Follow Me</i> +may not be as nifty as this, but she's one fine little boat, just the +same. How long did it take you to come from New York, Joe?"</p> + +<p>"Nearly four hours and a half, but we ran slow. I guess we could have +done it in three hours easily if we'd tried to. This boat can do twenty +at a pinch. How fast is the <i>Follow Me?</i>"</p> + +<p>"She's done eighteen," answered Harry Corwin, "but fourteen's her +average gait. She burns up gas like the dickens when she does any more. +Yesterday we went to Freeport in fifty-seven minutes, and that's a good +seventeen and a half miles. She had to hump herself, though."</p> + +<p>After the wonders of the <i>Adventurer</i> had been exhausted the boys +gathered on the bridge deck and Steve laid a chart on the floor and they +discussed their plans. It had already been decided that they should +cruise northward as far as Maine. As there was no hurry in getting +there, they were to take things easy, stopping at such points as +promised interest and putting into harbour at night. As it was already +after four o'clock, they finally concluded to stay where they were until +morning, although the <i>Follow Me</i> crowd were eager to be away. "Our +first harbour would be Ponquogue," said Steve, "and that's a good +forty-six or-seven mile run. Personally, I don't care much about messing +around outside after dark. This is all new water to me. If we start in +the morning we'll have plenty of time to run as far as Shelter Island, +if we want to."</p> + +<p>This was agreed to, although Perry protested that as the charts showed a +life-saving station every five miles or so all down the shore it was a +shame not to take a chance. "I've always wanted to be taken off a +sinking ship in a breeches-buoy," he said.</p> + +<p>"Would you mind being wrecked in the daytime?" asked Neil. "I'd love to +see you in a breeches-buoy, Perry, and I couldn't if it was dark."</p> + +<p>"Let's all go up to the hotel for dinner," suggested Wink Wheeler. "They +have dandy feeds there, and maybe we can scare up some fun. Any of you +fellows like to bowl?"</p> + +<p>"First of all," said Han, "we want to see your boat, fellows. Let's go +over now. I'm ready for hotel grub if the rest of you are. Can we all +go, Steve, or does someone have to stay behind and look after the +boat?"</p> + +<p>"That's the crew's duty," said Phil gravely. "We'll bring you back a +sandwich, Han."</p> + +<p>"Yes, a Han-sandwich," added Perry.</p> + +<p>When he had been toppled backward down the after cabin steps Harry +Corwin said that they'd been in the habit of leaving the <i>Follow Me</i> +unguarded for hours at a time and that so far no one had molested her, +and Steve decided that it would be safe enough if they locked the +cabins. So presently the <i>Adventurer's</i> tender was lifted off the chocks +and put overboard and after hasty toilets the boys piled into it and the +two dingeys, each loaded to the limit, set off for the <i>Follow Me</i>. The +latter was a thirty-four foot craft, with a hunting cabin that reached +almost to the stern, leaving a cockpit scarcely large enough to swing a +cat in; although, as Perry remarked, it wasn't likely anyone would want +to swing a cat there. The cabin was surprisingly roomy and held four +berths, while a fifth bunk was placed forward of the tiny galley. The +latter was intended for the crew but at present it was the quarters of +"Brownie." The sixth member of the ship's company occupied at night a +mattress placed on the floor and philosophically explained that +sleeping there had the advantage of security; there was no chance to +roll out of bed in rough weather. The engine compartment lay between +cabin and cockpit and held a six-cylinder engine. Steering was done from +the cockpit, under shelter of an awning, but the engine control was +below. The <i>Follow Me</i> was four years old and had seen much service, but +she had been newly painted, varnished and overhauled and looked like a +thoroughly comfortable and seaworthy boat. She was copper painted below +the water-line and black above, with a gilt line and her name in gilt on +bows and stern. Compared to the <i>Adventurer</i> she was a modest enough +craft, but her six mariners asked nothing better and secretly believed +that in rough weather she would put the bigger boat to shame. Captain +Corwin levied on the slender supply of ginger-ale and sarsaparilla +contained in the tiny ice-chest and after that they again set forth, +this time for the nearest landing.</p> + +<p>They "did" the town exhaustively and at six-thirty descended on the +hotel thirteen strong and demanded to be placed together at one table. +It is doubtful if the hotel management made much money on the thirteen +dinners served to the boys, for everyone of them ate as though he hadn't +seen food for days. Somewhere around eight or half-past they dragged +themselves back to the boats and paddled out to the <i>Adventurer</i>, where, +since the evening was decidedly chilly, they thronged the after cabin +and flowed out into the cockpit. Perry started up his talking machine +and played his dozen records over a number of times, and everyone talked +at once—except some who sang—and, in the words of the country +newspapers, "a pleasant time was had by all." And at ten the <i>Follow +Me's</i> crew got back into their dingey and went off into the darkness of +a starlight night, rather noisy still in a sleepy way, and, presumably, +reached their destination. At least, no more was heard of them that +night. On the <i>Adventurer</i> berths were pulled out or let down and a +quarter of an hour after the departure of the visitors not a sound was +to be heard save the lapping of the water against the hull and the +peaceful breathing of seven healthily tired boys.</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_V'></a><h2>CHAPTER V</h2> + +<p style="text-align: center"><b>SUNDAY ASHORE</b></p> +<br /> + +<p>Before the sun had much more than climbed to a position where it could +peer over the low yellow ridge of Fire Island and see what the Adventure +Club was up to, <a name="chugchug">the two cruisers were chug-chugging out of the harbour</a> +with all flags flying. First went the <i>Adventurer</i>, as flag-ship of the +fleet, to use Neil's metaphor, and, a little way behind came the <i>Follow +Me</i>, her black hull and battleship-grey deck reminding the occupants of +the other boat of one of the "puffing pigs" of yesterday. The bay was +almost as smooth as the proverbial mill-pond this morning, and the +slanting shafts of sunlight cast strange and beautiful shades of gold +and copper on the tiny wavelets. It was still cool, and in the shadow of +the bridge deck one felt a bit shivery. But the sun promised a warm day. +The crew was polishing bright-work rather awkwardly but most +industriously and with a fine willingness, explaining that if he +polished brass some other poor Indian would have to swab decks, a remark +which inspired Neil to state with much emphasis that cleaning decks was +not, at all events, within the province of the ship's boy, and that, +anyway, he had helped with the dishes and that right now he was going to +lie in the sun on the galley roof and that if anyone disturbed him +there'd be trouble.</p> + +<p>Joe had been having a fine time with his engine. He was getting on terms +of real familiarity with it now, having lost some of the awe with which +he had regarded it yesterday. Today he called it "She" almost +patronisingly and even dared lay his hand on the cylinders with a +knowing cock of his head. Perry, looking on, asked sarcastically if he +was feeling the engine's pulse, and Joe haughtily replied that he wanted +to make sure the cylinders weren't overheating. Ossie, emerging from the +cabin, wiping his hands on his khaki trousers after wringing out his +dish cloths, gave it as his opinion that if there was any overeating +done it would not be done by the engine, accompanying the statement with +a meaning glance at Perry.</p> + +<p>About this time the <i>Follow Me</i> left her position astern and began to +creep alongside. Steve supposed she wanted to send a message across and +told the others on the deck to keep still a minute. But the <i>Follow Me</i> +kept on her way, the fellows sprawling around her deck and cockpit +looking across the few fathoms of water in silence.</p> + +<p>"Well, what do you know about that?" gasped Neil. "She's trying to pass +us!"</p> + +<p>Steve grunted, smiled and advanced his throttle. The click-click from +under the engine hatches became hurried and louder. Joe wrinkled his +forehead anxiously. The <i>Adventurer</i> stopped going astern of the other +boat and for a little distance they hung bow to bow. They saw Harry +Corwin, at the wheel of the <i>Follow Me</i>, lower his head to speak to his +brother in the engine room. The <i>Follow Me</i> began to forge ahead again, +slowly but certainly.</p> + +<p>"Give her more gas, Steve," begged Perry. "We can't have a little old +'puffing pig' of a boat like that walking away from us. Look at those +idiots grin!"</p> + +<p>"And watch them change their faces," laughed Steve as he drew the +throttle forward another two or three notches. Under the hatches the +engine uttered a new note and a quick jarring became felt. Joe's anxiety +increased to uneasiness.</p> + +<p>"Say, Steve, do you think—is it all right—I mean—"</p> + +<p>"She's only doing about seventeen," replied Steve calmly. "The throttle +isn't nearly open yet. But I guess that's enough," he added as he +glanced across the water. Perry, leaning across the gunwale, beckoned +insultingly.</p> + +<p>"Come on!" he called. "What are you stopping there for?"</p> + +<p>The <i>Follow Me</i> replied to the taunt, but what the reply was they didn't +know on the <i>Adventurer</i>, for the latter was ahead now by its full +length and gaining perceptibly every moment. Tom Corwin's head appeared +over the cabin roof, he took a look at the rival craft and popped from +sight again. The <i>Follow Me</i> stopped going back and hung with her nose +abreast the <i>Adventurer's</i> stern. Phil, who had been writing a letter in +the cabin, emerged and joined the group outside.</p> + +<p>"How fast is she going, Steve?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"About seventeen, I think. Still, Harry said the <i>Follow Me's</i> best was +eighteen, and she isn't losing any, and so we may be doing eighteen, +too. Guess we might as well settle the matter right now, though."</p> + +<p>With which he pulled the throttle to the limit, and the white cruiser, +quivering from stem to stern, forged ahead. "We're doing a good twenty +miles an hour now," shouted Steve above the hum of the motor, "and she +won't go any faster unless we get out and push!"</p> + +<p>But twenty miles was fast enough to distance the <i>Follow Me</i>, although +that boat held on gamely all the way across the bay and only slowed down +when, a good quarter of a mile behind the <i>Adventurer</i>, she was abreast +Pelican Bar. The <i>Adventurer</i> dropped her gait to twelve and presently +the black cruiser, having negotiated the inlet in the wake of the other +craft, drew within hailing distance and Harry Corwin called across +through the megaphone.</p> + +<p>"Some boat, Steve!" he shouted. "We're satisfied!"</p> + +<p>Steve waved back and the two cruisers settled down to their forty-mile +run along the shore, the <i>Follow Me</i> gliding smoothly along abaft the +<i>Adventurer's</i> starboard beam. They sighted few other craft this +morning, and, as there was a deal of sameness in the coast, the fellows +settled down to various occupations. Steve conducted a second class in +navigation, with Perry and Han as pupils, and Perry was allowed to take +the wheel all the way from Smith's Point to a position off the Moriches +Life-Saving Station. Phil went on with his letters, Ossie performed +mysterious rites in the galley, with Han looking on interestedly from +atop the dish-board, and Neil, exhausted by his labours as crew, +reclined on the seat in the cockpit and stared sleepily at a blue and +unclouded sky. Joe hunched himself on a seat on the bridge deck and +studied his book on motor boating, becoming, if truth were told, more +and more mystified as to the working of that remarkable affair that was +click-clicking away under his feet.</p> + +<p>The <i>Adventurer</i> reached the inlet to Shinnecock Bay a few minutes past +ten and, closely followed by her companion boat, put through and turned +her nose past Ponquogue Point. As Comorant Point drew near the shores of +the bay closed in and the cruiser turned to port and, signalling her way +past various craft, finally came to a pause outside the canal entrance. +When the <i>Follow Me</i> floated alongside Wink Wheeler called across.</p> + +<p>"What do you say to going ashore, fellows?" he asked. "It looks like a +jolly sort of place. We've got plenty of time, haven't we?"</p> + +<p>"All the time in the world and nothing to do," replied Steve cheerfully. +"We'll make that landing over there and you can come alongside us, +Harry."</p> + +<p>Ten minutes later they were stretching their legs ashore. Canoe Place +held plenty to interest them. The view was magnificent, for on one side +of them lay Shinnecock Bay, across whose still, pond-like waters they +had just sailed, and on the other stretched the blue expanse of Great +Peconic Bay, sun-bathed, aglint with rippling waves and dotted with +white sails. A small boy with one suspender performing the duty of two +and a straw hat minus about everything except the brim offered to guide +them and his proposition was quickly accepted and a bright new quarter +changed hands. The quaint old Inn was visited and their informant +gravely pointed to two sentinel willow trees and told them that "them +trees was planted by Napoleon a couple o' hunerd years ago. He got 'em +some place called Saint Helen. They had him in prison there for +somethin'." The boys viewed the willows doubtfully, but, as Phil said, +it was more fun to believe the extraordinary tale and they tried hard to +do so. Steve attempted to secure more historical information from the +small boy, but the latter appeared to have exhausted his fund. After +that they viewed several Summer estates from respectful distances and, +finding that their guide had nothing further of real interest for them, +went back to the landing and re-embarked.</p> + +<p>A quarter-mile or so of artificial canal took them through the narrow +neck of land between the two bays and let them out in a cove beyond +whose mouth the waters of Great Peconic stretched, apparently +illimitable. The course was set northeast by east and they began the +trip to Shelter Island. About half an hour later Joe discovered that the +<i>Follow Me</i> was far behind and it was soon evident that she had stopped. +After a moment Steve decided to turn back and see what was wrong, and +when the <i>Adventurer</i> rounded the smaller boat's stern they learned that +the <i>Follow Me</i> was having engine trouble. For a few minutes the +<i>Adventurer</i> hovered by, and then, as there was a fair breeze blowing +now and Joe and Neil were showing interest in the sea-sickness remedy, +Steve suggested a tow and Harry Corwin, after some hesitation, pocketed +his pride and agreed. A little before one o'clock the two boats slipped +into North Sea Harbour and dropped anchors. While the <i>Follow Me</i> +doctored her engine the <i>Adventurer</i> sat down to a delayed dinner. Ossie +gloomily predicted that everything would be spoiled, but if it was, no +one save Ossie apparently knew it. There was broiled bluefish and boiled +potatoes and spinach and sliced cucumbers that day, followed by a +marvellous concoction which the steward called a prune pudding. Perry +said he didn't care what it was called so long as it came, and, please +he'd like some more! No cook can withstand such a compliment as that, +and Ossie cast off his gloom. They all declared that that dinner was +just about the best they had ever eaten, and they meant it, and Ossie +swelled visibly with pride and almost declined Han's half-hearted offer +to help wash dishes!</p> + +<p>When the rest went back to the deck and saw the fellows on the <i>Follow +Me</i> eating sandwiches and other items of a cold repast on deck they felt +rather apologetic, and Joe and Steve slung the tender over and paddled +across to lend what assistance they might. But they found Tom Corwin, +very dirty and hot and somewhat peevish, reassembling the engine with +the help of "Brownie," and learned that the trouble had been discovered +and that the boat would go just as soon as they could get her together +again, which, from present indications, would be some time the day after +tomorrow! Harry Corwin told Steve he had better go ahead, that there was +no use in the <i>Adventurer</i> lying around and waiting, but Steve replied +that there was no hurry and that they'd stand by. The atmosphere on the +<i>Follow Me</i> was not very cheerful and the visitors went back to their +own craft after a decent lapse of time. About three the fellows donned +swimming tights and went in from the boat and had a fine time in the +water, and by the time they had had enough of that there came a +heartening <i>chug-chug-chug</i> from the <i>Follow Me's</i> exhaust and Wink +announced that they were ready to go on.</p> + +<p>As a result of the delay, it was almost six when they reached Shelter +Island and steered the cruiser to an anchorage. They had supper ashore +at seven, having dressed themselves in shore-going attire, but it was +noticeable that it was the <i>Follow Me's</i> company who made the most of +the meal. Neil met up with an acquaintance on the hotel porch after +supper—they chose to call it supper although it was really a +full-course dinner—and that meeting led to introductions and the boys +"did the society act," to use Perry's disgusted phrase, for the rest of +the evening. As it was a Saturday night there was a dance going on, and +Steve and Joe and Han, of the <i>Adventurer's</i> crowd, and several of the +other boat's company, took part. They didn't get back to the boats until +almost midnight, and Perry fell asleep in the dingey, on the second +trip, and had to be practically hoisted aboard. He muttered protestingly +until he had been dumped in his berth and then promptly went to sleep as +he was.</p> + +<p>They spent the next day at Shelter Island, not because anyone +considered it wrong to cruise on Sunday, but because Steve and Joe and +Han had discovered attractions at the hotel. Perry demanded that the +question of staying be put to a vote and the rest agreed, but the result +wasn't what Perry had hoped for because Neil basely cast his ballot with +Steve and Joe and Han. The four went off soon after breakfast, having +spent much time and effort on their various attires, and weren't seen +again until late afternoon. At least, they weren't seen again aboard the +cruiser until that time, although Perry, Phil and Ossie, following them +ashore after dinner, were scandalised to see them strolling around quite +brazenly in the company of an equal number of young ladies.</p> + +<p>"Girls!" snorted Perry scornfully. "Why, the big chumps, they look as if +they liked it! Gee, it's enough to sicken a fellow!"</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_VI'></a><h2>CHAPTER VI</h2> + +<p style="text-align: center"><b>IN THE FOG</b></p> +<br /> + +<p>"We've been going two whole days now," declared Perry, "and we haven't +even glimpsed an adventure." It was Tuesday morning and the two cruisers +were lying side by side in New Bedford harbour. A light drizzle was +falling and even under the awning of the bridge deck everything was +coated with a film of moisture. The <i>Adventurer</i> and the <i>Follow Me</i> had +done just short of a hundred miles yesterday, reaching the present port +at nightfall. They had averaged fifteen miles an hour and neither engine +had missed an explosion all day long. Joe had been rather stuck-up over +the way his engine had performed and had been inclined to take a good +share of the credit to himself. Perry, however, had declared that the +only reason the thing had run was because Joe had left it alone.</p> + +<p>"It's lucky for us you're afraid to touch it," said Perry. "If you +weren't we'd have been wallowing around somewhere between here and +Africa two days ago!"</p> + +<p>It had been too late to go ashore for sight-seeing last evening, and +they had put it off until morning. And now it was drizzling in a steady, +whole-hearted way that promised to make sight-seeing a miserable +business. Some of the crew of the <i>Follow Me</i> had come aboard to discuss +plans and the question was whether to remain in harbour and await better +weather or to set out again and run as far as Martha's Vineyard. Perry +was all for action, and he had the support of numerous others, but Steve +pointed out that running the cruiser in such weather in strange waters +was not over pleasant. "It's all well enough for the rest of you, for +all you have to do is lie around and read, but it's another thing to +stand up there at the wheel and keep from running into the landscape!"</p> + +<p>"Give her to me," advised Perry. "I'll get her to Edgartown or wherever +you want to go, right-side-up with care."</p> + +<p>"If you take the wheel," said Han, "I get out and walk every foot of the +way."</p> + +<p>"Better put your rubbers on," suggested Wink Wheeler.</p> + +<p>"You fellows make me very tired," continued Perry severely. "You call +yourselves the Adventure Club and start out to see some sport, and then +the first time there's a heavy mist you want to stick around an old +harbour for fear you'll get damp! We've been going two whole days now, +and we haven't even glimpsed an adventure!"</p> + +<p>"An adventure is one thing," said Ossie, "and getting drowned is +something else again. Tell you what, Perry; if you are so keen for sport +why don't you slip into the tender and run over to Vineyard Haven +yourself? We'll follow along tomorrow, or maybe this afternoon."</p> + +<p>"I want to see this town," said Joe. "There's lots to look at in here. +Whaling ships and a museum and—and lots of romantic things."</p> + +<p>"The whaling ships are all gone now," said Perry disdainfully. "They've +chopped them all up and sold them by the cord for fire wood. I know, for +we bought a lot of it once. It cost dad about ten dollars for express +and didn't burn any different from any other wood. My grandmother—"</p> + +<p>Steve groaned. "For the love of lemons, Perry, don't resurrect your +grandmother. Let the poor old lady lie."</p> + +<p>"She isn't dead," denied Perry indignantly. "She's ninety-one and a heap +smarter than you are."</p> + +<p>"Perry," charged Joe severely, "I distinctly remember you telling us +that your grandmother died of sea-sickness."</p> + +<p>"I didn't. I told you she ate lemons and—"</p> + +<p>"Died of acid stomach? Oh, all right. I knew she was dead."</p> + +<p>"Oh, dry up! She ate lemons to keep from being sea-sick, you idiot. And +if you ate them you wouldn't have to lug around a lot of silly medicine +that doesn't amount to a row of pins. And if—"</p> + +<p>"All very interesting," interrupted Phil mildly, "but it isn't deciding +whether we're to stay here or go on. Personally, I think that that +should be up to the captain. If he isn't to decide whether the weather +is right or wrong, who is?"</p> + +<p>"That's so," agreed several. "Steve's the captain. What you say goes, +Steve."</p> + +<p>"Very well. Then we'll stay here until it stops misting, or, at any +rate, until tomorrow. If it's still nasty then and you fellows want to +go on, I'll go. Now let's go ashore and see what's doing."</p> + +<p>"O Harry!" called Wink. "We're going to stay until tomorrow. Come +ashore."</p> + +<p>In spite of the drizzle they found a good deal to interest them in New +Bedford, and Joe actually did find a whaler, although it was no longer +in commission. At noon, Ossie, having made many purchases in the town, +served a dinner that made the world look a lot brighter. Afterwards the +crews of the two boats exchanged calls, read, dozed, played the +graphophone and didn't much care whether it drizzled or not. Toward the +end of the day the sun peered forth experimentally and there followed +another expedition ashore. But the sun soon gave up its attempt to do +any business that day and the drizzle set in harder than ever. In the +evening the entire club attended a moving picture show and thus disposed +of several hours that might otherwise have proved difficult to get +through. A motor-boat, no matter how large or luxurious, is not the most +interesting place to live on in wet weather.</p> + +<p>The next morning the mist had ceased, but the sun was hidden behind dark +clouds and the world was still rather dreary. But plenty of hot coffee, +some of Ossie's baking powder biscuits and the almost invariable fried +bacon cheered them remarkably, and at a little past eight the order was +given to weigh anchor and the two cruisers, the <i>Adventurer</i> showing the +way, set forth across Buzzard's Bay for Edgartown.</p> + +<p>It was a sixteen-mile run to the channel between Nonamesset Island and +the mainland, and Steve followed the steamboat course closely. The +chart showed many rocks and ledges in the first six miles, but neither +of the cruisers drew enough to make it necessary for their skippers to +worry. There was rough water, however, and Joe was seen to look +anxiously toward the after cabin. A flukey breeze came out of the +southeast and made sweaters comfortable. The shore of Naushon Island was +grey and indistinct when the <i>Adventurer</i> straightened out for the run +across the bay. Behind her the <i>Follow Me</i> plunged gallantly, doing her +fourteen miles without a murmur. As they neared Penzance the sea +moderated and they swung into the channel on an almost even keel. Good +harbours beckoned, and the plan of lying by until after dinner was +discussed and finally abandoned. Edgartown was only another hour's sail +and it would be better to keep on and lie in there for dinner. But when +the <i>Adventurer</i> had passed into Vineyard Sound Steve began to wish he +had waited. A bank of grey mist hid the island toward which they were +headed and he feared they would find themselves in it before they could +reach the nearest harbour, which was Vineyard Haven. But since the +<i>Adventurer</i> had already left Wood's Holl two miles behind and Vineyard +Haven Harbour was only some four miles further it seemed silly to turn +back. There was always the chance that the fog would blow off, besides. +Nevertheless Steve frowned dubiously through the moist pane ahead and, +without saying anything of his fears to the rest, drew the throttle a +few notches down and kept the <i>Adventurer</i> close to her course. Behind, +the <i>Follow Me</i> speeded up as well and the two boats hurried for where, +out of sight in the grey void ahead, West Chop pointed a blunt nose to +sea.</p> + +<p>But it was a losing race, for ten minutes later Steve saw that the fog +bank was rolling down upon them and from somewhere to the eastward came +the dismal hoot of a steamer feeling her way along. Joe, too, saw what +they were in for and turned anxiously to Steve. "That's fog, isn't it?" +he asked.</p> + +<p>Steve nodded. "Get the fog-horn ready, will you? We don't want anyone +bumping into us. I'm going to slow down to six miles. There's too much +water here to drop anchor in." He eyed the advancing fog distastefully +and then shrugged his shoulders. "You've got to learn some time, I +suppose, Joe, and here's where I learn to make harbour by the compass. +Now we're in it!"</p> + +<p>At that instant the grey mist enveloped them silently, chillingly. Joe +drew a long wail from the fog-horn and in response a similar but +higher-keyed wail came through the fog from the <i>Follow Me</i>. And at the +same moment the other members of the ship's company stuck inquiring +heads through the companion ways.</p> + +<p>"Hello," exclaimed Perry. "Fog! Gee, that's exciting! Say, you can't see +a thing, can you? Look, fellows, the boat hasn't any bow!"</p> + +<p>"Nor any stern," added Han. "You can almost taste the stuff. Say, Steve, +isn't it hard to steer in a fog?"</p> + +<p>"Not a bit," answered Steve cheerfully. "Steering's perfectly easy. The +only trouble is to steer right."</p> + +<p>"To-o-ot!" said the fog-horn and was answered from astern. Then +somewhere to the south-eastward a siren sent a wailing cry, subdued by +distance. The fog settled on everything and shone on the boys' sweaters +in little beads of moisture. The <i>Adventurer</i> seemed to be standing +still, for, with nothing to judge by, progress was made known only by +the slow lazy throb of the engine. Even the water alongside was scarcely +discernible. Joe pulled the lever of the fog-horn again, and this time, +beside the response from the <i>Follow Me</i>, an answering bellow came +across the water.</p> + +<p>"A steamer," muttered Steve, peering uselessly into the grey void. +"She's a good ways off, though. Give her another pull, Joe."</p> + +<p>Again the <i>Adventurer</i> proclaimed her position but there was no answer +from the steamer. "She doesn't seem very talkative," said Phil. "How +fast are we going, Steve?"</p> + +<p>"Six."</p> + +<p>"And how far is Edgartown?"</p> + +<p>"About twelve, but we're not going there. I'm trying to make Vineyard +Haven. It's only about two miles." He glanced puzzledly at the compass +and moved the wheel a fraction. "There's a jetty comes out there and I +guess we'd better give it a good wide berth." Collars were pulled up to +keep the moisture from creeping down necks, and Perry begged to be +allowed to manipulate the fog-horn. He went at it whole-souledly and +Steve had to curb his enthusiasm. "Once a minute will do, Perry," he +said. "You sound like a locomotive scaring a cow off the track."</p> + +<p>"How do you know there isn't a cow ahead?" demanded Perry. "Or a whale? +Gee, wouldn't it be a surprise if we bust right into a whale? Who would +get the worst of it, Steve?"</p> + +<p>"I guess we would. Shut up a minute, fellows, please!"</p> + +<p>Silence held the bridge deck, silence save for the subdued purr of the +engine under their feet and the drip, drip of the drops from the awning +edge. Steve peered anxiously ahead, his senses alert. At last:</p> + +<p>"Hear anything?" he asked.</p> + +<p>They all said no.</p> + +<p>"I guess I was mistaken then," Steve explained, "but I could have sworn +I heard surf." He leaned over the chart. "This doesn't show anything, +though, nearer than the land. Toot your horn, Perry."</p> + +<p>Perry obeyed. At long intervals the unseen, distant steamer bellowed her +warning and more frequently the <i>Follow Me</i> groaned dismally on a hand +horn. It was ten minutes later, perhaps, when Steve suddenly swung +around and looked back past the bow of the dingey on the after cabin +roof.</p> + +<p>"That's funny!" he exclaimed. "The <i>Follow Me</i> sounded away over there!" +He looked anxiously at the compass, hesitated and shook his head. "If I +didn't know this thing was all right, fellows, I'd say it was crazy. Or +if there was a strong current here—" His voice dwindled away to a +murmur as he studied the chart again. Just then the <i>Follow Me's</i> +fog-horn sounded and it was undeniably further away and well over to +port. "Either he's off his course or I am," muttered Steve. "And I +simply don't see how I can be. Give them a long one, Perry!"</p> + +<p>Perry sent a frantic wail across the water and they listened intently. +But no reply came from the <i>Follow Me</i>. Instead, from somewhere off +their port bow travelled the steamer's bellow. That, too, seemed +considerably further away. Then the distant siren sounded, and after +that there was silence again. But the silence lasted only a moment, for +before anyone could hazard a conjecture as to the <i>Follow Me's</i> erratic +behaviour, Phil's voice arose warningly.</p> + +<p>"Listen, Steve!" he cried. "Isn't that surf I hear?"</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_VII'></a><h2>CHAPTER VII</h2> + +<p style="text-align: center"><b>STEVE TAKES HER IN</b></p> +<br /> + +<p>Steve's hand flew to the clutch as the rest joined Phil at the side of +the boat, and, in the grey silence that ensued, strained their ears.</p> + +<p>"You're right," said Neil, after an instant. "There's surf there, or I'm +a Dutchman. And it isn't far away."</p> + +<p>Steve, who had handed the wheel to Joe, nodded. "It's surf, all right," +he agreed, "but it hasn't any business there. What are you going to do +when you can't depend on the chart? Well, the only thing for us to try +is another direction." He swung the wheel well to port and slid the +clutch in gently and, with the engine throttled down, the <i>Adventurer</i> +nosed forward once more. "Phil, beat it out to the bow and keep your +ears open, will you? Watch that deck, though; it's slippery." An anxious +silence held for several minutes. Then Phil's voice came from the +fog-hidden bow:</p> + +<p>"Surf dead ahead, Steve!" he called.</p> + +<p>"Can you see anything?" shouted Steve as he again disengaged.</p> + +<p>"No, but I can hear the waves breaking."</p> + +<p>They all could now that the propeller had stopped churning. Steve gazed +dazedly from fog to compass and from compass to chart, and finally shook +his head helplessly.</p> + +<p>"It's too much for me, fellows," he said. "I'm going back as straight as +I know how, or—" He stopped. "Hang it, there can't be land on <i>all</i> +sides!" He pulled the bow still further to port and again started. "Keep +your ears open, Phil," he called. "I'll run her as slow as she'll go. If +you hear the surf plainer, shout."</p> + +<p>The <i>Adventurer</i> went on again. After a moment Han, leaning outboard +over the deck rail, said: "It's not so loud, Steve. I think we're going +away from it slowly."</p> + +<p>"Or else running parallel," suggested Perry. "Anyhow, it isn't any +nearer."</p> + +<p>Another minute or two passed, with all hands listening intently. Then +Phil sounded another warning. "Hold up, Steve! I may be crazy, but I'll +swear there's surf dead ahead again!"</p> + +<p>Steve motioned to Joe and, yielding the wheel after throwing out the +clutch again, swung around a stanchion and crept cautiously along the +roof of the main cabin and galley until he reached Phil's side. Then, +dropping to his knees and steadying himself by the flag-pole, he +listened. Quite plainly and, as it seemed, from alarmingly nearby, came +the gentle <i>swish-swash</i> of tiny waves breaking on a beach. In the fog +it was difficult to tell whether the sound came from directly ahead or +from starboard. At all events, when Steve turned his head to port the +sound was certainly at his right or behind him.</p> + +<p>"I'll try it again," he said. "You stay here, Phil." He climbed back to +the bridge deck. "Perry, are you working that fog-horn?" he demanded. +"If you aren't, get busy with it!" Once more the cruiser picked up and +stole forward, her nose slowly swinging around to port. Steve had given +up watching the compass now. All he wanted to do was find clear water. +The <i>swish</i> of surf died away by degrees as the <i>Adventurer</i> edged +cautiously along and, after five minutes, Steve gave a sigh of relief. +"I guess we're all right now," he muttered to Joe, "but I'm going to +keep her just moving. We might anchor, I suppose, but it's dollars to +doughnuts we'd have to spend the night here; wherever here is," he +added, scowling resentfully at the chart. "Look here, Joe." He reached +forward and laid a finger on the map. "Here's where we were, or where +we ought to have been, when we heard the surf first. According to this +we were a good mile from the shore and the only shoal is that one and +it's marked six feet at mean low water. There's a black-and-red spar +buoy there, as you see, but we haven't sighted it. Now, what I want to +know is how the dickens we could have got a mile off our course to +starboard. Also, if we are off our course, where are we? Unless we've +slipped over the beach and got into that pond down there—"</p> + +<p>"<i>Steve! Back up! We're running on the rocks!</i>"</p> + +<p>It was the frenzied voice of Phil in the bow. Steve thrust Joe aside and +seizing the clutch put it quickly into neutral.</p> + +<p>"Bring the boat-hook here!" shouted Phil. "Reverse, Steve! Hard!"</p> + +<p>But Steve had already slammed the clutch into reverse and pulled down +the throttle. A mighty thrashing and foaming sounded astern and the +<i>Adventurer</i> trembled, hesitated and began to churn her way backward. +Perry, boat-hook in hand, was sliding and stumbling along the wet deck. +He reached the bow just in time to see the menacing face of a high stone +jetty disappear again into the mist. Phil, clinging to the flag-pole, +was sprawled on the deck with his legs stretched out to fend the boat +off.</p> + +<p>"Just in time!" he muttered, pulling himself back to safety. "Did you +see it, Perry!"</p> + +<p>"Did I see it? I almost fell overboard! That's enough, Steve!"</p> + +<p>The <i>Adventurer</i> stopped going astern and Steve called anxiously from +the wheel. "What was it, Phil?" he questioned.</p> + +<p>"A breakwater about ten feet high! We almost hit it!"</p> + +<p>"A breakwater!" Steve turned swiftly to the chart. "Then I know where we +are at last! Look here, Joe!" He pointed. "We're cornered in here, see? +Here's the shore on that side and the jetty dead ahead of us. How we got +here I don't know, but here we are. If we can find the end of the jetty +we're all right. Keep that horn going, Perry!"</p> + +<p>"Why not drop an anchor where we are?" asked Joe.</p> + +<p>"We could do that, of course, but here's the harbour right around the +end of the jetty. Seems to me we might as well get in there, Joe."</p> + +<p>"All right," agreed the other doubtfully, "but this feeling around in +the dark is making me nervous. First thing we know we'll—um—we'll be +running into the First National Bank or the Congregational Church or +something! Still, if you think we can find our way, all right. I'm +game."</p> + +<p>Steve eyed the compass thoughtfully and in silence for a moment. Then: +"You still there, Phil?" he called.</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>"Keep your eyes and ears open. I'm going to try to run along the side of +the jetty and find the harbour. If you see a red spar buoy, sing out. +Sing out if you see anything at all. Everyone keep a watch. We're going +to eat dinner in the harbour or know why!"</p> + +<p>The cruiser moved slowly on once more, her nose turning sharply. Then +she paused, went back and again moved forward, Steve turning the wheel +slowly with his eyes on the compass. "Now watch on the starboard side, +Phil!" he called.</p> + +<p>"Which is that? My right?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, you land-lubber! Hear anything?"</p> + +<p>"N-no! I didn't <i>hear</i> anything before until we were almost on the +breakwater. Sometimes I think I can hear—"</p> + +<p>Phil's voice died away to silence.</p> + +<p>"Hear what?" asked Steve.</p> + +<p>"Well, water sort of lapping. It may be against our boat, though."</p> + +<p>"Neil, you go forward, too, will you?" said Steve. Neil joined Phil and +for some minutes the <i>Adventurer</i> stole quietly along through the grey +void with little sound save the slow working of the engine below deck +and the lazy thud of the propeller. It was so quiet that when Perry +suddenly worked the fog-horn Han almost fell over the wet rail on which +he was sitting. It was Ossie who broke the silence finally.</p> + +<p>"Well, I guess we've got to eat, whether we run ashore or stay afloat. +I'm going to put some potatoes on."</p> + +<p>"All right," replied Steve quietly. "But if you feel a bump, put out +your alcohol flame the first thing you do, Ossie."</p> + +<p>"Sure, but you can bet I won't wait down there to see whether the +potatoes are done!"</p> + +<p>"How about it, you chaps?" asked Steve presently.</p> + +<p>"Don't hear a thing," answered Phil.</p> + +<p>"All right. I'm going to bring her around now. Yell the minute you see +anything. You needn't worry. She's only crawling and I'll have her going +astern before you can shout twice."</p> + +<p>Very slowly Steve moved the wheel to starboard. In the stillness they +could hear the gear creak under the deck. No warning came from the two +lookouts and, after a moment, Steve again turned gingerly. For all the +watchers could tell, the <i>Adventurer</i> never altered her course, but +Steve, his gaze on the compass card, knew that she was headed now +straight east. Now and then he peered questioningly forward, but his +gaze was defeated by the fog. At intervals Perry sent a groaning wail +from the fog-horn. Presently Steve heard the boys talking on the bow and +in a moment Neil's voice hailed him:</p> + +<p>"Surf off to starboard, Steve! Not very near, though."</p> + +<p>The others listened, but there was just enough noise from the engine to +drown the sound heard by the lookouts.</p> + +<p>"Tell me if it gets louder," called Steve. "Still hear it?"</p> + +<p>"Not so well," answered Phil. "I think we're going away from it."</p> + +<p>"Waves against the end of the jetty," explained Steve. "I think we're +all right now." He moved the wheel over slowly, spoke by spoke. "Keep +your horn going, Perry. We're entering the harbour. Watch for buoys, +fellows. Take it on this side, Joe."</p> + +<p>Followed a dubious five minutes during which the only sounds that +reached them from outside the boat were distant fog signals and, once, +the unmistakable moo of a cow!</p> + +<p>"Gee," murmured Perry, "that's the best thing I've heard all day! That +means we really are in the harbour, doesn't it?"</p> + +<p>"Might be a sea-cow," suggested Ossie, from the companion.</p> + +<p>"Ready with the bow anchor!" called Steve.</p> + +<p>Han scuttled forward into the mist. "All right, sir!" he announced in +his best nautical manner.</p> + +<p>Steve disengaged the clutch. There was a moment of silence aboard the +<i>Adventurer</i>. Then: "Over with it, Han," directed Steve. There was a +splash, followed by the rasping of the cable through the chock and then +a cheerful whistle from the crew as he made fast. "About eighteen feet, +Steve, I should say," he called.</p> + +<p>"Sixteen," corrected the Captain gravely. Joe smiled.</p> + +<p>"Mean it?" he asked.</p> + +<p>Steve nodded and put a finger on the chart. "We're right here," he said. +Then he covered the compass and drew down the lid of the chart box and +stretched his arms luxuriously. "That's over with," he added, "and I'm +glad of it! How about dinner, Ossie?"</p> + +<p>"On the fire, Cap! Ready in five minutes."</p> + +<p>"Then I'm going to get into a dry shirt. I'm soaked through. Some of you +chaps pull the side curtains down on the port side. We might as well +keep as dry as we can."</p> + +<p>"Looks to me as if the fog was rolling in from the starboard, though," +said Han.</p> + +<p>"Yes, it's coming from the southeast, but we'll swing around in a few +minutes because the tide's coming in. Wonder where the <i>Follow Me</i> is."</p> + +<p>"Harry would probably make for harbour, too, wouldn't he?" asked Joe, +following the other down to the cabin. "I wouldn't be surprised if we +found them here when the fog clears."</p> + +<p>A yacht, hidden somewhere in the fog ahead, sounded eight bells and was +instantly echoed from further away. "Great Scott!" exclaimed Steve. "Is +it twelve already?"</p> + +<p>Joe nodded, glancing at the ship's clock at the end of the cabin. "Two +minutes after if our clock's right. Say, Steve, the next time we go out +in a fog we'll—um—we won't go, eh?"</p> + +<p>"Not while I'm running this hooker," agreed Steve with intense +conviction. "Now that it's over, Joe, I don't mind telling you that I +was a bit worried. I wanted like anything to drop anchor back there by +the jetty."</p> + +<p>"Why didn't you then?"</p> + +<p>"I don't quite know," replied the other thoughtfully, "but I think it +was chiefly because I didn't like to be beaten."</p> + +<p>"Dinner!" called Ossie from the forward cabin. "All hands to dinner! Get +a move on!"</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_VIII'></a><h2>CHAPTER VIII</h2> + +<p style="text-align: center"><b>PERRY LOSES HIS WAY</b></p> +<br /> + +<p>They stayed aboard all that day, for the fog held tight, and, if Steve's +calculations were right, the <i>Adventurer</i> lay well down toward the +entrance to the harbour and the nearest settlement was a good mile and +three-quarters away. None of the seven felt sufficiently ambitious to +put out for shore in that smother of mist. They managed to pass the time +without much trouble, however. There was always the graphophone, +although they were destined to become rather tired of the records, and +Steve, Joe, Han and Neil played whist most of the afternoon. Phil curled +up on a couch and read, and Ossie and Perry, after having a violent +argument over the proper way to make an omelet decided to settle the +question then and there. By the time the two omelets were prepared the +whist players were ready to stop and the entire ship's company partook +of the rival concoctions and decided the matter in favour of Ossie.</p> + +<p>"Although," explained Joe, "I'm not saying that Perry's omelet is bad. +If he had remembered to put a little salt in it—"</p> + +<p>"I did!" declared Perry resentfully. "You don't know a decent omelet +when you see it. Look how light mine was! Why, it was twice as high as +Ossie's!"</p> + +<p>"That's just it," said Steve gravely. "It was so light that it sort of +faded away before you could taste it. An omelet, Perry, should be +substantial and filling."</p> + +<p>"That shows how much you know about it," jeered Perry. "There were just +as many eggs in mine as there were in his. Only I made mine with water +and beat the eggs separately—"</p> + +<p>"Ah, there it is, you see," drawled Joe. "You beat the poor little eggs. +I'm surprised at you, Perry. Any fellow who will beat an inoffensive +egg—"</p> + +<p>"Huh, I found one that wasn't inoffensive by a long shot! Someone will +have to get some eggs tomorrow, for there are only eight left."</p> + +<p>"What!" Han viewed Perry in disgust. "Mean to say you went and used them +all up making those silly omelets?"</p> + +<p>"I notice you ate the silly omelets," said Ossie. "One egg apiece is +enough for breakfast, isn't it?"</p> + +<p>"Not for me. The doctor ordered two every morning. If I don't have two +eggs for breakfast I shall mutiny."</p> + +<p>"If you do you'll be put in irons," said Joe. "Or swung from the +yard-arm. Say, how long before we're going to have something to eat, +Ossie? I'm hungry. That egg thing sort of whetted my appetite."</p> + +<p>"Gosh, you fellows would keep me cooking all the time," grumbled the +steward. "It's only five, and we don't have supper until six. So you can +plaguey well starve for an hour."</p> + +<p>"Then I shall go to sleep and—um—forget the pangs of hunger. Move your +big feet out of the way, Phil."</p> + +<p>"I like your cheek, you duffer! Go on back to your own bunk."</p> + +<p>"Too faint for want of food," murmured Joe, stretching himself out in +spite of Phil's protests. "Someone sing to me, please."</p> + +<p>Supper went very well, in spite of the mid-afternoon luncheon, and after +that the riding light was set for the night, the hatches drawn shut and +all hands settled down to pass the evening in whatever way seemed best. +But bedtime came early tonight and, by half-past nine, with the sound of +a distant siren coming to them at intervals and the yacht's bells +chiming the hours and half-hours, all lights were out below and the +<i>Adventurer</i> was wrapped in fog and silence.</p> + +<p>The fog still held in the morning, although at times it took on a +yellowish tinge and made them hopeful that it would burn off. Steve said +it was not quite so thick, but no one else was able to see much +difference in it. Han managed to subsist on one egg, in spite of gloomy +predictions, but after breakfast he and Perry decided to paddle ashore +and find a place where they could purchase more. They tried to add to +the party, but no one else wanted to go, and so they disappeared into +the mist about nine o'clock, agreeing to be back at ten-thirty, at which +time, unless the fog should have lifted, those aboard the boat were to +sound the whistle.</p> + +<p>They landed on a narrow beach after a short row, and, stumbling through +a fringe of coarse sand, discovered a lane leading inland. They stopped +and strove to remember the location of the boat, and then followed the +lane. The fog was amber-hued now and the morning was fast losing its +chill. Perry broke into song and Han into a tuneless whistle that seemed +to give him a deal of satisfaction. They soon found a main-travelled +road and, after fixing the turn-off in their minds, wheeled to the left.</p> + +<p>"It would be a fine joke if we couldn't find the dingey again," chuckled +Han.</p> + +<p>"I think you've got a punk idea of humour," responded Perry. "Anyway, +all we'd have to do is find the beach and keep along until we barked our +skins on the boat. Bet you, though, this pesky fog will be gone in an +hour."</p> + +<p>The road left the shore presently and the travellers found that the fog +was thinner and sometimes lifted entirely over small spaces, and it +wasn't long before they stopped to take off their jackets and swing them +across their arms. Possibly they passed houses, but they saw none, and +the only incident occurred when the sound of wheels came to them from +the highway ahead and, presently, a queer, old-fashioned two-wheeled +chaise drawn by a piebald, drooping-eared horse passed slowly from the +mist ahead to the mist behind. The boys gazed at it in wonderment, too +interested in the equipage itself to heed the occupants. When it was out +of sight again Han ejaculated: "Well, I'll be switched, Perry! I didn't +suppose there was one of those things left in the world!"</p> + +<p>"Neither did I. And there won't be pretty quick, I guess, for it looked +and sounded as if it would fall to pieces before it got to—to wherever +it's going. Bet you anything that was the deacon's one-horse chaise in +the poem!"</p> + +<span style='margin-left: 1em;'>"<i>Have you heard of the wonderful one-hoss shay</i></span><br /> +<span style='margin-left: 1em;'><i>That was built in such a logical way</i></span><br /> +<span style='margin-left: 1em;'><i>It ran a hundred years to a day?</i>"</span><br /> + +<p>quoted Han. "Wouldn't that look funny alongside a Rolls-Royce, Perry?"</p> + +<p>"It would look funny alongside a flivver," answered the other. "Say, how +far do we have to walk? Seems to me we've done about five miles +already."</p> + +<p>"Rot! We haven't walked more than a mile. Not being able to see things +makes it seem farther, I guess." The encouraging sound of a cow mooing +reached them the next minute. "That must be the one we heard yesterday," +said Han. "I suppose there's just one on the island and it's set to go +off at the same time every day."</p> + +<p>"If there's a cow over there," said Perry, staring into the fog, "maybe +there's a farmhouse. Let's have a look."</p> + +<p>"All right, but we're just as likely to walk into a swamp as find a +house."</p> + +<p>But a very few steps off the highway put them on a narrow lane and +presently the big bulk of a barn loomed ahead. The house was soon +located and ten minutes later, having purchased two quarts of milk and +four dozen eggs, they retraced their steps. The fog had now apparently +changed its mind about lifting, for the yellow tinge had gone and the +world was once more grey and chill. They donned their coats again and, +carrying their precious burdens, trudged on. Occasionally a puff of air +came off the sound and the fog blew in trailing wreaths before them. +When they had walked what they considered to be the proper distance they +began to watch for that lane. And after they had watched for it for a +full quarter of an hour and had walked a deal farther than they should +have they reached the entirely justifiable conclusion that they were +lost!</p> + +<p>Perry set down the battered milk can on which they had paid a deposit of +twenty-five cents, took a long breath and, viewing the encompassing fog, +exclaimed melodramatically: "Lost on Martha's Vineyard, or The Mystery +of the Four Dozen Eggs!"</p> + +<p>"Well, we won't starve for awhile," laughed Han. "Say, where <i>is</i> that +lane we came up, anyway? Think we've passed it?"</p> + +<p>"About ten miles back," sighed Perry. "Come on and let's try dead +reckoning. The beach is over there somewhere and if we can find it—"</p> + +<p>"Great! But when we have found it, which way shall we go?"</p> + +<p>Perry pushed his hat back and thoughtfully scratched his head. "Give it +up!" he said at last. "You might go one way and I another. Anyway, let's +find the old beach."</p> + +<p>They scrambled across a wall into a bush-grown tract, Han discovering in +the process that he had chosen a place prettily bedecked with +poison-ivy. "That does for me," said Han gloomily. "I'll have a fine +time of it now for a couple of weeks. I can't even look at that stuff +without getting poisoned!"</p> + +<p>"Maybe it didn't see you," said Perry cheerfully. "In this fog—"</p> + +<p>"Don't be a silly goat," interrupted the other fretfully. "I tell you +I'll be all broken out tomorrow! And it's perfectly beastly, too. You +have blisters all over you and they itch so you can hardly stand it."</p> + +<p>"Too bad," said Perry, trying to sound sympathetic but failing because +he caught his foot in a bramble at the moment and almost pitched on his +face.</p> + +<p>"Well," continued Han, more cheerfully, "there's one good thing. Salt +water is fine to bathe in when you have ivy poisoning, and there'll be +plenty of that around."</p> + +<p>"Sure; and it won't cost you a cent, either." They reached the beach +then and gazed hopelessly about them as they crossed the softer sand. +"If only they'd blow their old whistle we'd know where we are."</p> + +<p>"If I had some alcohol I might backen it," observed Han.</p> + +<p>"Alcohol? Backen what?"</p> + +<p>"The ivy poison."</p> + +<p>"Oh! Well, there's plenty of alcohol on board. Wonder what time it is," +Perry drew out his watch and whistled surprisedly. "Only a quarter to +ten, Han! We couldn't have walked very far, after all. And they won't +signal us until ten-thirty. Here, I'm going this way."</p> + +<p>"It's the alkali that counteracts the poison," explained Han. "They say +that if you can bathe the places in alcohol soon after you come in—in +contact with the ivy—"</p> + +<p>"For the love of Pete!" exclaimed Perry. "Forget about it, Han! You'll +worry yourself to death over that poison-ivy. Maybe it didn't bite you, +after all."</p> + +<p>"Of course it did!" replied the other resentfully. "It always does. If I +had some alcohol, though—"</p> + +<p>"Well, come on and get some. We've got to find the boat first, haven't +we?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, but I don't think it's that way."</p> + +<p>"Then you try the other way, and if you find it, sing out so I'll hear +you."</p> + +<p>"All right." They separated, each following the edge of the water, and +presently Perry's voice rang out. "Here she is, Han!" he called. A faint +hail answered him and Perry stowed the milk-can in the bow of the little +boat and seated himself to wait. A few minutes later, as Han still +tarried, he shouted again. This time there was no reply however, and +Perry muttered impatiently and found a more comfortable position. When +some five minutes more had passed he got to his feet and yelled at the +top of his lungs. "Get a move on, Han! The milk's getting sour and I'm +getting cold!" he shouted. An answering cry came from closer by, but +what it was that Han said Perry couldn't make out. He turned his coat +collar up, plunged hands in pockets and viewed the grey mist +scowlingly. Then he began to listen for footsteps crunching the sand. +But no sound save the lapping of water on the beach and the creaking of +a boom on an unseen boat reached him.</p> + +<p>"It would serve him right to leave him here," he muttered resentfully. +"Anyway, I'm not going to yell at him any more. I suppose he's so taken +up with his poison-ivy business that he can't think of anything else. +Wonder if I got into that stuff, too!" The idea was distinctly +unwelcome. He thought he recalled brushing through leaves as he crossed +the wall. He had never had any experience with poison-ivy and didn't +know whether or not he was susceptible, but it seemed to him that there +was a distinct itching sensation on his back. He squirmed uncomfortably. +Then a prickly feeling on his left wrist set him to rubbing it. He +examined the skin and, sure enough, it was quite red! He had it, too! +You had blisters all over you, Han had said. Perry looked for blisters +but found none. Still, he reflected miserably, it was probably too early +for them yet. He suddenly found himself rubbing his right wrist too. And +that, also, was distinctly inflamed looking, although not so red as the +other. Gee, he'd ought to do something! Alcohol! That was it! He ought +to bathe the places in alcohol! He jumped out of the dingey, pushed it +down the beach into the water and sprawled across the bow. Then he +shoved further off with an oar and sudsided onto a seat.</p> + +<p>"Back in ten minutes for you, Han!" he shouted. "You wait here! I'll +bring some alcohol!"</p> + +<p>When a dozen choppy strokes had taken him out of sight of the shore his +panic subsided a little and two thoughts came to him. The first was that +he was treating Han rather scurvilly and the second was that he hadn't +more than the haziest notion where the <i>Adventurer</i> lay! But, having +embarked, he kept on. Probably ten or fifteen minutes wouldn't make much +difference in Han's case, while, as for finding the cruiser, he would +shout after he had rowed a little further and doubtless someone aboard +would hear him.</p> + +<p>So he went on into the mist, occasionally stopping to scratch a wrist or +wiggle about on the seat in the endeavour to abate the prickling +sensation in back or shoulders. It seemed to him now that he was +infected from head to toes. Presently, having rowed some distance, he +began to hail. "<i>Adventurer</i> ahoy!" he shouted, "O Steve! O Joe!"</p> + +<p>He stopped rowing, rubbed a wrist, peered into the fog and waited. But +no answering hail reached him. He lifted his voice again. "Ahoy! +<i>Adventurer</i> ahoy! Are you all dead? Where are you?"</p> + +<p>This time there was an answer, faint but unmistakable, and, somewhat to +Perry's surprise, it came from almost behind him. "Shout again!" he +called. "Where are you?"</p> + +<p>"He-e-ere! Hurry up!" At least, that was what the answer sounded like. +Perry grumblingly turned the boat around and rowed in the direction of +the voice. "I suppose," he thought, "I rowed in a circle. I always did +row harder with my right. But I don't see what they want me to hurry +for. And they might blow their whistle if they had any sense."</p> + +<p>"Shout again!" he yelled presently.</p> + +<p>"Hello-o-o!" came a hail from somewhere back of the boat, and: "Come +ahead!" called a voice from the fog in front. Perry exploded.</p> + +<p>"Shut up, one of you!" he called exasperatedly. "I can't row two ways at +once! Where's the boat?" But his remarks evidently didn't carry, for all +he got was another hail from behind. "All right," he muttered. "Why +didn't you say so before?" He swung the dingey around a second time and +rowed on a new course. "Wonder who the other chap was," he thought. "I +dare say, though, there are boats all around here if a fellow could see +them." A minute later he called again: "Come on, you idiots! Where are +you?"</p> + +<p>"Don't bust yourself," said a voice from almost over his shoulder. "And +watch where you're going if you don't want to stave that boat in."</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_IX'></a><h2>CHAPTER IX</h2> + +<p style="text-align: center"><b>SOUR MILK</b></p> +<br /> + +<p>Perry was so surprised that he almost fell off the seat, while, +forgetting to obey injunctions, he let the dingey run until there was a +sudden bump that toppled the milk-can over and nearly treated him the +same way. He looked startedly about. Six feet away lay a black boat and +a boy with a boat-hook was threatening him from the deck.</p> + +<p>"You silly idiot!" called the boy impatiently. "Look where you're going! +If I hadn't got you with the hook you'd have knocked half our paint +off!"</p> + +<p>The boy and the boat slowly vanished in the mist like a "fade-out" at +the movies, before Perry found his voice. Then: "Who the dickens are +you?" he gasped.</p> + +<p>"I'm the man who put the salt in the ocean," replied the voice +jeeringly. "Come on easy and I'll get you."</p> + +<p>"Well, but—but—what boat's that?"</p> + +<p>"U.S. Battleship <i>Pennsylvania</i>, Pride of the Navy! Come on, you +lubber!"</p> + +<p>Perry came on and again the boy with the boat-hook took form in the +fog. "You're Cas Temple," said Perry stupidly. "That's the <i>Follow Me</i>!"</p> + +<p>"Surest thing you know, son! Hello! Why, it's Perry Bush. I thought you +were Bert. What did you do with the fellows?"</p> + +<p>"What fellows?" asked Perry, puzzled, as Cas pulled the dingey alongside +the cruiser.</p> + +<p>"Why, Bert and Wink and the rest of them."</p> + +<p>"Haven't seen 'em."</p> + +<p>"Haven't? Where'd you get the boat, then?"</p> + +<p>"What boat?"</p> + +<p>"That one! The one you're in! Say, are you dippy?"</p> + +<p>"This is our boat and I got it—"</p> + +<p>"Your boat nothing! That's our boat, you silly chump! Think I don't know +our own tender?"</p> + +<p>"Wh-what!" gasped Perry. "So it is! Then, where's mine! I mean ours? How +did I get this one?"</p> + +<p>"Search me! If you don't know, I'm blessed if I do," chuckled Caspar +Temple. "You must remember something that's happened since yesterday +morning!"</p> + +<p>"Han and I went ashore," said Perry, staring puzzledly at the milk-can +from which a tiny stream was trickling past the loosened stopper. "Then +we went to look for our boat and I found this and I yelled to him and he +didn't come and so I started back to the boat to get some—" Perry +suddenly remembered his affliction. "Say, got any alcohol?" he asked +anxiously.</p> + +<p>"Alcohol? I don't know. Why?"</p> + +<p>"I want some." Perry started to scramble out of the tender. "I got +poisoned."</p> + +<p>"Snake?" asked Cas hopefully and eagerly.</p> + +<p>"Poison-ivy."</p> + +<p>"Oh!" The other's voice held keen disappointment. "Well, what do you +want alcohol for?"</p> + +<p>"It's good for it," explained Perry, reaching the cockpit. "See if +you've got any, will you, Cas?"</p> + +<p>"Y-yes but, honestly, Perry, I wouldn't try it if I were you."</p> + +<p>"Why not!"</p> + +<p>"Why—why, if you go and drink a lot of alcohol—Besides, I'm all alone +here, and if you got—got troublesome—"</p> + +<p>"Drink it, you silly goat! Who's going to drink it? I'm going to rub it +on the places!"</p> + +<p>"Oh, I see! That's different. I'll have a look, Perry." Cas was visibly +relieved as he scrambled down to the cabin. Perry dropped into the +dingey again and set the milk-can upright, and then, after another +minute, Cas returned empty-handed. "I'm sorry," he said, "but we haven't +a bit. Would peroxide do?"</p> + +<p>"I don't know," answered Perry doubtfully. "Maybe. Hand it here and I'll +give it a chance. Say," he continued as he laved his wrists, "did your +crowd leave this boat on the beach?"</p> + +<p>"I suppose so. That's where you found it, wasn't it! You'd better hustle +back with it, too, for they said they'd be back about eleven. They went +to Vineyard Haven."</p> + +<p>"It's all well enough to say hustle back with it," replied Perry +morosely, "but where's your pesky beach?"</p> + +<p>"Why, over there," said Cas, pointing. "The way you came."</p> + +<p>"I came forty-eleven different directions," answered Perry. "All right, +though. I'll try it. But I'm likely to be paddling around all day and +night. Got anything to eat on board?" Cas found some cookies and these, +with a glass of water, raised Perry's spirits. "Farewell," he said +feelingly, as he shoved off again. "I die for my country."</p> + +<p>"Did you fellows have any trouble finding this place yesterday?" asked +Cas as the departing guest dropped the oars in the locks.</p> + +<p>"Trouble?" Perry looked blank. "What sort of trouble?"</p> + +<p>"Why, the fog, you know. We had an awful time finding the harbour."</p> + +<p>"Oh, that!" Perry shrugged. "Why, we went straight for the jetty and +didn't have any trouble at all finding it. But then we've got a +navigator on our boat. So long!"</p> + +<p>Perry discovered that rowing was raising a blister on each palm and that +his arms were getting decidedly tired. The trouble with a dingey, he +decided, was that while it might do excellently as a bathtub, it was +certainly never meant for rowing. The oars were so short that the best +strokes he was capable of sent the boat ahead scarcely more than three +or four feet, and, being almost as broad as it was long, the tender +constantly showed a tendency to go any way but straight ahead. While he +had been aboard the <i>Follow Me</i> the fog had again taken on its amber hue +and now was unmistakably thinning out. But it was still thick enough to +hide objects thirty feet away and Perry couldn't for the life of him be +certain that he was sending his craft toward the beach. To be sure he +had started out in the general direction of the shore, as indicated by +Cas, but there was always the possibility that he was rowing stronger +with one oar than the other. He strove to curb that tendency and fancied +he was succeeding, but when, after being afloat a good quarter of an +hour, he still failed to see land or hear the break of waves on the +beach he was both puzzled and annoyed. The sun pierced the mist hotly +and he was soon panting and perspiring. He heartily wished that he had +never agreed to accompany Han on the search for eggs. Presently he +rested on his oars, and as he did so he heard voices quite close. He +called.</p> + +<p>"Hello, there! Where's the beach?"</p> + +<p>"Here," was the answer.</p> + +<p>He rowed on and in another minute land came abruptly out of the fog. Two +blurred forms resolved themselves into men as Perry beached the dingey +and tiredly dropped the oars. The men came toward him and proved, on +nearer acquaintance, to be middle-aged and apparently natives. "Quite a +fog," drawled one of them. "What boat you from, sir?"</p> + +<p>"The <i>Adventurer</i>." Perry viewed the immediate foreground with +misgiving. The beach looked more abrupt than he recalled it. "What +beach is this?" he inquired.</p> + +<p>"Well, I don't know as it's got any name exactly. What beach was you +lookin' for?"</p> + +<p>"The beach between Vineyard Haven and—and some other place."</p> + +<p>"Oh, West Chop? Why, that's across the harbour, son. This is Eastville, +this side."</p> + +<p>Perry groaned. He had rowed in a half-circle then. Unless Cas had +directed him wrong. Presently the true explanation came to him. The tide +had turned between the time the <i>Follow Me's</i> crowd had gone ashore and +the time that Perry had reached that boat, and Cas had not allowed for +the fact that the cruiser had swung around! "Well," he said wearily, "I +guess I've got to row across again."</p> + +<p>"Too bad," sympathised one of the men. "It's most a mile. Guess, though, +you'll be able to see your way pretty soon. This fog's burning off +fast."</p> + +<p>Out of sight of the men Perry again laid his oars down and reached +behind him for the can of milk. It was rather warm, but it tasted good +for all of that. Then, putting the wooden stopper back in place, he once +more took up his task. Perhaps he might have been rowing around that +harbour yet had not the fog suddenly disappeared as if by magic. Wisps +of it remained here and there, but even as he watched them, they curled +up and were burned into nothingness like feathers in a fire. He found +himself near the head of a two-mile-long harbour. The calm blue water +was rippling under the brushing of a light southerly breeze and here and +there lay boats anchored or moored. While the fog had hidden the harbour +he had supposed that not more than half a dozen craft were within sight, +but now, between mouth and causeway, fully two dozen sailboats and +launches dotted the surface. Over his shoulder was a little hamlet that +was doubtless Vineyard Haven. Facing him was a larger community, and he +decided that that would be Oak Bluffs. Half a mile down the harbour lay +the <i>Adventurer</i> and, nearer at hand, the <i>Follow Me</i>. But what was of +more present interest to Perry was a group of figures on the opposite +beach. They appeared to be seated and there was that in their attitude +which, even at this distance, told of dejection. So, reflected Perry, +might have looked a group of marooned sailors. He sighed and bent again +to his inadequate oars. He was under no misapprehension as to the sort +of welcome awaiting him, but, like an early Christian martyr on the way +to the arena, he proceeded with high courage if scant enthusiasm.</p> + +<p>With the sun pouring down upon him, with his hands blistered, with his +breath just about exhausted and his arms aching, he at last drew to the +shore amidst a dense and unflattering silence. Five irate youths stepped +into the tender and crowded the seats. Harry Corwin took his place +beside Perry and relieved him of the port oar. Perry would have yielded +the other very gladly, but none offered to accept it and he hadn't the +courage to make the suggestion. The dingey floated off the sand again, +headed for the <i>Follow Me,</i> and then the storm broke. It didn't descend +all at once, however. At first there were muffled growls of thunder from +Harry Corwin. Then came claps from Wink Wheeler. After that the elements +raged about Perry's defenceless head, even "Brownie" supplying some fine +lightning effects!</p> + +<p>Perry gathered in the course of the uncomplimentary remarks directed +toward him that the crowd, being unable to find the dingey where they +believed they had left it, had spent some twenty minutes searching up +and down the beach, that subsequently they had waited there in the fog +for a good forty minutes more and that eventually Perry Bush would +sooner or later come to some perfectly deplorable end and that for their +part they didn't care how soon it might be. By the time the <i>Follow Me</i> +was reached Perry was too worn out to offer any excuse. Cas, however, +did it for him, and, as the others' tempers had somewhat sobered by then +amusement succeeded anger. Perry faintly and vaguely described his +wanderings about the harbour and the amusement increased. As dinner was +announced about that time he was dragged to the cabin and propped in a +corner of a bunk and fed out of hand. An hour later he was transported, +somewhat recovered, to the <i>Adventurer</i> by Harry and Tom Corwin and Wink +Wheeler and delivered, together with his precious can of milk, into the +hands of his ship-mates.</p> + +<p>The <i>Adventurer's</i> tender bobbed about at the stern and the first person +Perry set eyes on as he scrambled onto the bridge deck was Han. Perry +fixed him with a scathing gaze. "Where," he demanded, "did you get to, +idiot?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, I'll tell you about that," answered Han. "You see I was afraid +about that poison-ivy and so I took a dip in the ocean. And—"</p> + +<p>"But I called you and called!"</p> + +<p>"Yes, and I answered a couple of times. And then I may have had my head +under water."</p> + +<p>"A monstrous pity you didn't keep it there!"</p> + +<p>"When," continued Han, "I went to look for you I couldn't find you. So +I—so I came back here."</p> + +<p>"Yes, you thought maybe I'd swum across, eh! Or found a boat?"</p> + +<p>"Sure! You did find a boat, didn't you?"</p> + +<p>"You make me tired," growled Perry amidst the laughter of the others. +"And I hope that poison-ivy gets you good and hard!"</p> + +<p>"I don't believe it took," replied Han gently, "Maybe it wasn't +poison-ivy, after all!"</p> + +<p>At that instant the outraged countenance of Ossie appeared in the +companion way. "What," he demanded irately of Perry, "do you mean by +bringing back half a gallon of sour milk?"</p> + +<p>Perry looked despairingly about at the unsympathetic and amused faces +and wandered limply aft to the seclusion of the cockpit.</p> + +<p>The next morning the Adventure Club chugged around to Edgartown, and +then, after putting in gasoline and water, set out at a little after +eleven, on a fifty-mile run to Pleasant Bay.</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_X'></a><h2>CHAPTER X</h2> + +<p style="text-align: center"><b>THE <i>FOLLOW ME</i> DISAPPEARS</b></p> +<br /> + +<p>There had been talk of going through the Cape Cod Canal and so obviating +the outside journey, but most of the voyagers thought that would be too +tame and unexciting. Besides, a barge had managed to sink herself across +the channel near the Buzzard's Bay end a week or so before and no one +seemed to know for certain whether she had yet pulled herself out and +gone on about her business, and, as Steve pointed out, they'd feel a bit +foolish if they got to the canal entrance and had to turn back again. +They had fair weather and light breezes all the way to New Harbour and +from there, the next day, around the tip of the Cape to Provincetown. +They dropped anchor off the yacht club landing at Provincetown at four +o'clock Friday afternoon and went ashore as soon as the boats were +berthed and sought the post-office. Provincetown had been selected as +the first certain port of call and most of the thirteen boys found mail +awaiting them. Only Neil, however, received tidings of importance, and +his letter from his parents brought an exclamation of dismay to his +lips.</p> + +<p>"Anything wrong?" asked Ossie, sitting beside him on the rail of the +hotel porch.</p> + +<p>"Rotten," replied Neil disgustedly. "I've got to go home!"</p> + +<p>"Go home!" echoed the other. "What for?"</p> + +<p>"Dad's got to go to England on some silly business or other," explained +Neil gloomily, "and he wants me to stay with mother. Of course I ought +to. Mother's sort of an invalid and there's no one else. But it's rotten +luck." He stowed the letter in his pocket and stared disappointedly at +the passing traffic. "I was having a bully time, too," he muttered +disconsolately.</p> + +<p>"That's a shame," said Ossie sympathetically. "When will you have to +go?"</p> + +<p>"He wants me to meet him in New York Sunday. He sails early Monday +morning. I suppose I'll have to go tomorrow. Guess I'd better get a time +table and see how the trains run."</p> + +<p>"Gee, I'm sorry," murmured Ossie.</p> + +<p>And so, for that matter, was every other member of the <i>Adventurer's</i> +company for Neil was well liked. And the <i>Follow He's</i> crew were +scarcely less regretful. A study of the railroad schedule showed that +the next train for Boston left at five-fifty-five in the morning and +that the only other train was at two-forty in the afternoon.</p> + +<p>"Five-fifty-five's a perfectly punk time for a train to leave anywhere, +even Provincetown," objected Neil. "And the two-forty will get me to +Boston too late for anything but a midnight train to New York."</p> + +<p>"Bother trains," said Steve. "We'll run you to Boston tomorrow in the +boat. We can do it in four hours or so. If the <i>Follow Me</i> crowd want to +stay here another day we'll wait for them at Boston, or we'll go on and +meet them further up the shore."</p> + +<p>"But I don't want to hurry you chaps away from the Cape," expostulated +Neil. "You were going to Plymouth, weren't you?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, we were, but there's nothing important about that. Hold on, +though! I say, look up the Plymouth trains, Neil. There must be more of +them from there and we can put you across to Plymouth in a couple of +hours."</p> + +<p>They found that a train leaving Plymouth at ten would put Neil in Boston +shortly after eleven, in plenty of time for the one o'clock express to +New York, and so it was decided that the <i>Adventurer</i> was to leave her +present port at seven in the morning. The <i>Follow Me</i> was to follow +more leisurely and the boats would spend the next night at Plymouth. +Neil and Ossie went off to send telegrams and the others roamed around +the town until it was time for supper. Afterwards Neil packed his +belongings in two pasteboard laundry boxes, having no bag with him, and +constantly bewailed his ill-fortune. Later the <i>Follow Me</i> crowd came +over and they had quite a jolly evening and Neil cheered up vastly.</p> + +<p>The next morning dawned clear and hot and, after an early breakfast, the +<i>Adventurer</i> weighed anchor. The <i>Follow Me's</i> whistle signalled +good-bye until they were half-way to Long Point and the <i>Adventurer</i> +replied. Once around the point the boat headed across the wide bay for +the mainland at a good sixteen-mile clip. The voyage was uneventful and +Manomet Hill was soon sighted. Then Plymouth Beach stretched before them +and presently they were rounding the head and pointing the +<i>Adventurer's</i> nose for the town. There was still the better part of an +hour left after the anchor was dropped and they all tumbled into the +dingey and found a landing and spent the next three-quarters of an hour +rambling around the historic town, Ossie and Perry bearing Neil's +strange-looking luggage. Neil insisted on viewing Plymouth Rock, +declaring that he might never get another opportunity, and after that +there was not much time left to them. They installed Neil on the train +impressively, stowed his luggage around him and then took up positions +outside the window, where, to the mingled curiosity and amusement of +other travellers, they conducted farewell exercises. These included an +entirely impromptu and unsolicited duet by Perry and Han, a much +interrupted speech by Joe, and, finally, as the train moved out of the +station, a hearty Dexter cheer with three "Neils!" on the end. In such +manner the <i>Adventurer</i> lost her cabin boy and the ranks of the club +were depleted by one.</p> + +<p>Neil's departure left a hole and as the others returned from the station +they spoke of him rather as though he had passed on to a better world, +recalling his good points and becoming quite sad in a cheerful way. In +view of their bereavement, they decided to have luncheon at a hotel and +during that meal recovered their spirits. More sight-seeing followed, +but the day was a hot one and by half-past three they had had enough and +so returned to the landing and pulled back to the cruiser. Steve, who +had supplied himself with yesterday's New York and Boston papers, +pre-empted a seat on the bridge deck and stretched himself out on it, +his legs crooked over the railing. The others found places in the shade +as best they could and talked and watched for the <i>Follow Me</i> and +listened to occasional snatches of news from Steve. There was +practically no breeze and the afternoon was uncomfortably hot even under +the awning. Joe finally solved the difficulty of keeping cool by +disappearing below and presently re-emerging in his swimming trunks and +dropping overboard. That set the fashion, and they all went in save +Steve, who was too absorbed in his papers to know whether he was warm or +not. The <i>Follow Me</i> came up the harbour just before five and tooted a +greeting as she swung around to a berth near the <i>Adventurer</i>. The +fellows, who were still in bathing attire, swam across to her, and very +shortly their ranks were increased by just half a dozen more. The sight +of Steve's feet hanging over the canvas was too much for Perry and he +yielded to temptation. Swimming up very quietly he deftly pulled off one +of Steve's "sneakers" and, in defiance of the owner's protests, they +played ball with it until the inevitable happened and it sank out of +sight before Wink Wheeler could dive for it. "Brownie" said then that +Steve might as well let them have the other one, since one shoe was no +use to him, but Steve's reply was not only non-compliant but actually +insulting in its terms. He took off the other "sneaker" and laid on it.</p> + +<p>That bath left them feeling both refreshed and hungry and Ossie had a +hard time finding enough for them to eat. Perry described the +astonishment of some Plymouth fisherman when he opened a codfish some +fine day and discovered a rubber-soled shoe inside. "You'll read all +about it in the paper, Steve, and won't you laugh!" he added.</p> + +<p>Steve, who had been forced to don a pair of leather shoes, didn't seem +to anticipate any great amount of amusement, however, and suggested that +it would be a gentlemanly act if Perry would hie himself to a store and +purchase a pair of number 8 "sneakers," a suggestion which Perry weighed +carefully and discarded. "You see," he explained, "it wouldn't be fair +to make me spend my hard-earned money for two 'sneakers' when I only +lost one. If the store would sell me half a pair, Steve, I'd make good +in a minute, but you see my point of view, don't you?"</p> + +<p>Steve didn't seem to.</p> + +<p>While they were still at table Harry Corwin's voice was heard and Ossie +investigated by the simple expedient of climbing on top of the galley +locker and thrusting his head through the open hatch. "He wants to know +if we'll go to the movies with them," said Ossie, ducking back into +sight.</p> + +<p>"Surest thing you know," agreed Perry.</p> + +<p>"We might as well, eh?" asked Joe. "It'll be beastly hot, though."</p> + +<p>"I'll go if they've got Charlie Chaplin," said Han. "Ossie, ask him if +they have, please."</p> + +<p>"He says he doesn't know," responded Ossie after an exchange of remarks. +"I told them we'd go, though," he added, dropping to the floor. "They're +going to wait for us on the landing in half an hour."</p> + +<p>"Half an hour!" grumbled Perry. "You told them that so I couldn't get +enough to eat, you stingy beggar! Got anything more out there?"</p> + +<p>"Great Jumping Jehosaphat!" ejaculated Ossie wildly. "I've cooked two +messes of potatoes and toasted a hundred slices of bread—"</p> + +<p>"Oh, all right. Bring on the dessert, then."</p> + +<p>"The dessert's on now," answered Ossie shortly. "Cookies and jelly. +That's all you get, Piggie."</p> + +<p>"Won't we have to buy some more grub pretty soon?" asked Steve.</p> + +<p>Ossie nodded and glanced darkly at Perry. "If <i>he</i> stays around we +will," he answered. "We've got enough for three or four days yet, +though. Better have some canned stuff, I guess. And some flour and +sugar."</p> + +<p>"How's the treasury, Phil?" inquired Han.</p> + +<p>"Still holding out. Where's the next stop, Steve?"</p> + +<p>"We said Portsmouth, but Harry wants to put in at Salem. I don't suppose +it matters much."</p> + +<p>"Then we cut out Boston altogether?"</p> + +<p>"Why, yes, it's out of the way a bit. Besides, we didn't start out on +this cruise to visit cities."</p> + +<p>"We started out to look for adventures," said Perry sadly, "but I don't +see many of them coming our way."</p> + +<p>"What do you call adventures?" asked Han. "Didn't you have a fine time +being lost in the fog the other day?"</p> + +<p>"Huh!" replied Perry, scraping the last of the jelly from the glass. +"Being lost in the fog isn't an adventure. It's just plain punk. What I +mean is—is pirates and—and desert islands and—and that sort of +thing."</p> + +<p>"You were born a hundred years or so too late," said Joe, shaking his +head. "Toss me a cookie, Han. Thanks. If you saw a pirate, Perry, +you'd—um—you'd drop dead."</p> + +<p>"If I saw a pirate," replied Perry indignantly, "I'd—um—live as long +as you would! Besides, I've got a perfect right to drop dead if I want +to."</p> + +<p>"Go ahead," said Joe lightly. "Any time you like, old chap."</p> + +<p>"The reason I spoke of Boston," reverted Phil, "was that I thought it +might be a good place to buy our supplies. There's no use paying any +more for them than we have to and going broke before the cruise is half +over."</p> + +<p>"Yes, but don't forget that gasoline's pretty expensive stuff these +days, Phil," said Steve. "I guess we'd burn up enough gas getting to +Boston to make up for any saving on supplies, eh? I suppose there are +stores in Salem."</p> + +<p>"Thought it burned up awhile ago," said Han.</p> + +<p>"Part of it did, but I don't suppose it stayed burned up, you idiot. +What time is it? We'd better beat it for shore."</p> + +<p>"Right-o," agreed Han. "I hope they have Charlie Chaplin, though."</p> + +<p>By some strange inadvertency, however, Mr. Chaplin's eccentric person +was missing from the screen. In spite of that, though, Han managed to +enjoy the evening. Afterwards Perry suggested light refreshments and +they set out in search of a lunch counter. But anyone who knows Plymouth +will realise the hopelessness of their search. After roaming around the +quiet and deserted streets and at last being assured by a policeman that +their quest was worse than idle they went back to the tenders. "I +suppose," said Perry disgustedly, "they close all the stores early so +they can go to the movies. I wish now we'd had some soda at that drug +store where the man had insomnia."</p> + +<p>"We've got food on board," said Ossie. "I'll fix up some sandwiches. I +wish you'd get enough to eat for once, though," he added as he took his +place in the dingey. "Don't they ever feed you at home, Perry?"</p> + +<p>"Huh, I'll bet you're as hungry as I am! What are they yelping about +over there?"</p> + +<p>The other tender had left the landing a moment before the <i>Adventurer's</i> +boat and now its occupants were heard shouting confusedly across the +moonlit water.</p> + +<p>"Can you make out what they're saying?" asked Steve of the rest.</p> + +<p>"Just nonsense, I guess," answered Phil, tugging at his oar.</p> + +<p>"Stop rowing a minute and listen," Steve directed. "Now then!"</p> + +<p>"Something about the boat," murmured Han. "I can't make it out, though."</p> + +<p>"By Jove, I can!" exclaimed Steve. "The <i>Follow Me's</i> gone! She must +have slipped her anchor or dragged or something. Row hard, fellows!"</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_XI'></a><h2>CHAPTER XI</h2> + +<p style="text-align: center"><b>PURSUIT</b></p> +<br /> + +<p>Whatever had happened, one fact was plain, and that was that the smaller +of the two cruisers was not swinging at anchor where they had left her. +Nor could they see her anywhere. That she had dragged her anchor was +impossible, since the harbour was almost land-locked and the night was +still, with hardly enough breeze to stir the water. After the first few +minutes of stunned surprise the twelve boys, gathered on the +<i>Adventurer</i>, held council. It was Phil who eventually summed up the +situation quietly and tersely as follows:</p> + +<p>"The boat's gone. She isn't in the harbour, because if she were we could +see her. Either she's been taken off as a joke or stolen. I can't +imagine anyone doing it as a joke. In any case it's up to us to find +her. We went ashore about eight, and it's now ten to eleven. It's +probable that whoever swiped her waited until we were safely ashore and +out of the way. I mean, they probably allowed us at least half an hour."</p> + +<p>"They were probably watching us," suggested Steve.</p> + +<p>"Why didn't they take this one instead of the other?" asked Cas Temple.</p> + +<p>"Perhaps," replied Steve, "because they found the control locked. All +they had to do on the <i>Follow Me</i> was break the padlock on the companion +way doors. Still, that's just a guess. They may have preferred the +<i>Follow Me</i> for some other reason."</p> + +<p>"Never mind that," said Joe impatiently. "The question now is how we're +to find her. Go ahead, Phil."</p> + +<p>"I was going to suggest that we inquire among the other boats between +here and the harbour entrance. Two or three still have lights aboard. +Maybe they saw the <i>Follow Me</i> pass out."</p> + +<p>"Somebody look after the tenders," said Steve briskly. "Haul ours out +and tie the other astern. Give her a short line, so she won't switch +around and fill with water. All ready, Joe?"</p> + +<p>Five minutes later the <i>Adventurer</i> slid through the still water toward +the mouth of the harbour. On her way she stopped twice to shout +inquiries, and the second time a sleepy mariner, leaning, in pajamas +across the rail of a small launch, supplied the information they sought.</p> + +<p>"Yes, there was a cruising motor-boat went by about nine, or a little +after, headed toward the Pier Head. I didn't notice her much, but she +was painted dark. Come to think of it, it must have been pretty nearly +half-past, for I remember hearing three bells strike just afterwards."</p> + +<p>"You didn't see her after she went by here?" asked Steve.</p> + +<p>"No, I was getting ready for bed and saw her through a port. Anything +wrong?"</p> + +<p>"Nothing," replied Steve dryly, "except that she belongs to us and +someone's evidently stolen her. Thanks very much. Good night."</p> + +<p>"Good night," was the answer. "I hope you get her."</p> + +<p>"Well, we know she got this far," said Joe, "but—um—which way did they +take her when they got outside?"</p> + +<p>"That's the question," said Harry Corwin. "They might have gone across +to Provincetown and around the Cape, or taken her up the shore or down. +I guess the best thing for us to do would be to hike back and give the +alarm. If we telegraphed—"</p> + +<p>"She went north," said Phil with conviction.</p> + +<p>"How do you know?" demanded Joe.</p> + +<p>"I don't <i>know</i>, but think a minute. If you were stealing a boat you'd +want to keep out of sight with her, wouldn't you?"</p> + +<p>"Suppose I should."</p> + +<p>"Then you wouldn't mess around in Cape Cod Bay. You'd set a course as +far from other craft and harbours as you could. If they went south +they'd be among boats right along, and they'd know that we'd work the +wires and that folks would be on the lookout."</p> + +<p>"Then where," began Steve.</p> + +<p>"Let's look at the chart from here north," said Phil. The cover of the +chart box was thrust back and the lamp lighted and as many as could do +so clustered about it. Phil traced a finger across Massachusetts Bay +past the tip of Cape Ann. "There's clear sailing for ninety miles or so, +straight to Portland, unless—How much gas has she aboard, Harry?"</p> + +<p>"Only about twelve gallons." It was Tom Corwin who answered. "We were +going to fill again in the morning."</p> + +<p>"How far can she go on that?"</p> + +<p>"Not more than seventy at ordinary speed, I guess. She's hard on gas."</p> + +<p>"Good! Then she'd have to put in at Gloucester or Newburyport or +somewhere."</p> + +<p>"Unless she ducked into Boston Harbour," said Steve. "I dare say she +could tuck herself away somewhere there quite safely. A coat of white +paint would change her looks completely."</p> + +<p>"That's possible," agreed Phil, "but painting a boat of that size would +take a couple of days, wouldn't it? It doesn't seem to me that they'd +want to take the chance."</p> + +<p>"Then your idea is that they're on their way to Portland?"</p> + +<p>"Somewhere up there. They'd argue that we wouldn't be likely to look for +them so far away."</p> + +<p>"Well, here we are," said Steve. "We've got to go one way or another." +The rougher water outside was making the <i>Adventurer</i> dip and roll. "As +far as I can see, Phil's theory is as good as another, or maybe better. +Shall we try going north, fellows?"</p> + +<p>No one answered until, after a moment's silence, Perry remarked +philosophically: "I don't believe we'll ever see her again, but we can't +stop here, and we were going northward anyhow."</p> + +<p>Murmurs of agreement came from the others. The only dissentient voice +was Bert Alley's. "<i>I</i> don't see your argument," he said. "If I had swiped +the <i>Follow Me</i> I'd hike out for New York or some place like that and +run her into some little old hole until I could either change her looks +or sell her."</p> + +<p>"And be nabbed on the way," said Joe.</p> + +<p>"Not if I stayed at sea."</p> + +<p>"But you couldn't stay at sea if you had only twelve gallons of gasoline +aboard. Wherever she's going, she will have to put in for gas before +long." Phil stared thoughtfully at the chart. "I'll allow," he went on, +"that she may have gone any other direction but north. For that matter, +she may be anchored just around the corner somewhere. It's all more or +less guesswork. But, looking at the probabilities, and they're all we've +got to work on, I think north is the likeliest trail for us to take."</p> + +<p>"Right-o," said Steve, turning the wheel and pointing the boat's slim +bow toward Gurnet Point, "We've got to take a chance, fellows, and this +looks like the best. In the morning we'll get busy with the telegraph +and tell our troubles, but just now the best we can do is keep a sharp +lookout and try to think we're on the right course. I'm going to speed +her up, Joe, so you might dab some more oil and grease around your old +engine."</p> + +<p>"All right. You fellows will have to clear out of here, though, while I +get this hatch up. Some of you might go forward and keep your eyes +peeled. I don't suppose, however," he added as he pulled the engine +hatch up, "that they'll show any lights on her."</p> + +<p>"Not likely to," agreed Harry Corwin. "They'll run dark, probably, until +they get near a harbour. Look for anything like a boat, fellows. It's a +mighty good thing we've got this moonlight."</p> + +<p>"Yes, and we'll have to make hay while the moon shines," added Wink +Wheeler as he climbed out of Joe's way, "for it won't last much longer. +It'll be as dark as pitch by one or two o'clock, I guess."</p> + +<p>"Well, we've got a searchlight," said Perry.</p> + +<p>"There's no need for more than three of us to stay up," said Steve. +"I'll keep the wheel and Joe will stay here with me. Phil, you take the +watch for a couple of hours and then wake someone else."</p> + +<p>"Huh!" said Perry. "I'm not going to bed! Who wants to sleep, anyway?"</p> + +<p>Apparently no one did, for although presently the dozen fellows were +distributed over the boat, not one went below. Phil and Han stretched +themselves out at the bow, Steve, Joe, Harry and Tom Corwin and Cas +Temple remained on the bridge deck and the rest of the company retired +to the cockpit, from where, by looking along the after cabin roof, they +had a satisfactory view of the course. Perhaps one or two of the boys +did nod a little during the next two hours, but real slumber was far +from the minds of any of them. The <i>Adventurer</i> was doing a good twenty +miles an hour, the propeller lashing the water into a long foaming path +that melted astern in the moonlight. Ossie busied himself in the galley +about midnight and served hot coffee and bread-and-butter sandwiches. +Only once was the <i>Adventurer</i> changed from her course, which Steve had +laid for Gloucester, and then the light which had aroused their +suspicions was soon seen to belong to a coasting schooner beating her +way toward Boston. Of small boats there were none until, at about one +o'clock, when the two white lights of Baker's Island lay west by north +and the red flash on Eastern Point showed almost dead ahead, Phil called +from the bow.</p> + +<p>"Steve, there's something ahead that looks like a boat or a rock. Can +you see it?"</p> + +<p>"Which side?"</p> + +<p>"A little to the left. Port, isn't it? Han doesn't see it, but—"</p> + +<p>"I've got it," answered Steve. After a moment he added with conviction: +"It's a boat. Has she changed her position, Phil?"</p> + +<p>"Not while I've been watching. Looks as if she was going about the same +way we are." The others came clustering forward from the stern to stare +across the water at the dark spot ahead which, in the uncertain light of +the setting moon, might be almost anything. If it was a boat, it showed +no light. Anxiously the boys watched, and after a few minutes Steve +announced with quiet triumph:</p> + +<p>"We're pulling up on her, fellows, whoever she is!"</p> + +<p>"She's the <i>Follow Me</i>," declared Harry Corwin. "She must be, or she +wouldn't be running without lights."</p> + +<p>"We'll know before long," said Steve. "I wish the moon would stay out a +little longer, though. Joe, try the searchlight and see if you can pick +her up."</p> + +<p>But the craft ahead was a good mile away and the <i>Adventurer's</i> small +searchlight was not powerful enough to bridge that distance with its +white glare. "They're making for the harbour, anyway," said Harry +Corwin, "and so she can't get away from us if we lose her now." Even as +he ended the last pallid rays of the moon vanished and they found +themselves in darkness save for the wan radiance of the stars. Lights +unnoticed before sprang up in the gloom along the shore and a dim +radiance in the sky showed where the town of Gloucester slumbered.</p> + +<p>"If they double on us now we'll lose them," muttered Steve. "Put that +light out, Joe. We can see better without it."</p> + +<p>"How far off is the harbour?" asked Harry.</p> + +<p>"About two miles. You can hear the whistle buoy. That white light to the +left of the red flash is the beacon on the end of the breakwater." He +moved the helm a trifle and examined the chart. "There are no rocks, +anyway, and that's a comfort. I can't say I like this running at night. +How far away was she when the moon went back on us, Harry?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, three-quarters, at a rough guess."</p> + +<p>"Nearer a mile and a quarter, I'd say. Well, if she doesn't dodge along +shore we'll have her in the harbour. Always supposing, that is, that she +really is the <i>Follow Me</i>."</p> + +<p>"She can't be anything else," answered Harry. "No sensible skipper would +go ploughing around at night without a light. Hello! Isn't that a light +there now?"</p> + +<p>"Where? Yes, you're right! She's lighted up at last! Afraid to go in +without lights, I dare say, for fear of arousing suspicion. I'm getting +to believe she <i>is</i> the <i>Follow Me</i>, Harry."</p> + +<p>"I haven't doubted it once. Do you suppose she knows we're after her?"</p> + +<p>"She knows we're here, of course, but she can't be certain we're after +her. Still, turning that searchlight on was a sort of give-away. If she +really does go inside it's just because she's afraid of her fuel giving +out. We'd better anchor as far out as we can and keep our eyes open +until daylight comes."</p> + +<p>"She couldn't get gas before morning, I guess," said Joe. "Looks to me +as if, if she <i>is</i> the <i>Follow Me</i>, they've run themselves into a trap!"</p> + +<p>"Hope so, I'm sure," said Wink Wheeler. "If we've caught her we've +certainly been lucky, fellows!"</p> + +<p>"Don't count your chickens until they're hatched," advised Ossie. "Maybe +she isn't the <i>Follow Me</i> at all."</p> + +<p>"I can't see her light now," called Phil from the bow. "Hold on, there's +a green light, I think! No, I guess I was wrong. Can't see anything now, +Steve. Can you?"</p> + +<p>"No, she's turned and run inside back of the breakwater. Keep your ears +and eyes open for that whistling buoy, Phil. I want to pass it to port."</p> + +<p>"It's pretty near. There it is now! Look!"</p> + +<p>"I've got it! All right. Now it's straight for the white beacon." Steve +sighed relievedly. "No use hurrying any longer, I guess." He eased the +throttle back and the <i>Adventurer</i> slowed her pace. "Have a look at the +chart, Harry. Isn't there a buoy near the end of the breakwater?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, a red spar buoy."</p> + +<p>"What's the depth just inside?"</p> + +<p>"Four fathoms, shoaling to one."</p> + +<p>"Good enough. We'll drop anchor just around the breakwater and train the +searchlight across the channel. I don't believe, though, they intend to +run out again before morning. All I'm afraid of is that they swung off +when darkness came and are sneaking around the Cape."</p> + +<p>"I'll bet anything we'll find her at anchor when daylight comes," +replied Harry. "She had only enough gas for seventy miles, and she's +gone about sixty at top speed. We've got her, Steve. Don't you worry."</p> + +<p>"Hope so. Get your bow anchor ready, Han, and stand by to heave. When +you let go make as little noise as you can. I'm going to turn the +lights out, fellows, so don't go messing about or you may walk +overboard. Switch them all off below, Ossie, will you? If those chaps +have anchored just inside the breakwater there's no sense in letting +them know that this is the <i>Adventurer</i>. Got your anchor ready, Han?"</p> + +<p>"Ay, ay, sir!"</p> + +<p>"All right. Don't let your windlass rattle. Keep quiet, fellows." +Suddenly all the lights on deck save that in the binnacle went out, +leaving the boat in darkness. Nearby the red flash of the lighthouse +glowed periodically, while, ahead, shone the white beacon. In silence +the <i>Adventurer</i> drew nearer and nearer to the latter, put it abeam and +then swung to starboard. "Let her go, Han," called Steve softly. Those +on the bridge deck heard the faint splash of the hundred-pound navy +anchor as it struck the water. Han crept back and swung himself down to +the bridge.</p> + +<p>"All fast, sir," he reported.</p> + +<p>Somewhere in the darkness at the head of the harbour, where tiny +pin-pricks of light twinkled, a town clock struck two.</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_XII'></a><h2>CHAPTER XII</h2> + +<p style="text-align: center"><b>WHAT STEVE SAW</b></p> +<br /> + +<p>Waiting was weary work after that. It was two hours and a half to +sunrise and, since two of their number were sufficient to keep watch, +the others presently went below and napped. Steve and Bert Alley +remained on deck. Steve, although he perhaps needed sleep more than +anyone, refused to trust other eyes than his own, and while darkness +lasted he watched the white path cast across the water by the +<i>Adventurer's</i> searchlight. But darkness and silence held until shortly +after four, when the eastern sky began to lighten. The next half-hour +passed more slowly than any that had gone before. Gradually their range +of vision enlarged, and Steve, peering into the greyness, drew Bert's +attention to a darker hulk that lay a few hundred yards up the harbour. +They watched it anxiously as the light increased. That it was a boat of +about the size of the <i>Follow Me</i> and that is was painted dark became +more and more apparent. Then, quite suddenly, a ray of rosy light shot +up beyond Eastern Point and the neighbouring motor-boat lay revealed. +Steve sighed his disappointment. She was not the <i>Follow Me</i> after all, +but a battered, black-hulled power-boat used for gill-netting.</p> + +<p>One by one, as the light strengthened, the others stumbled on deck, +yawning and rubbing their sleepy eyes. The <i>Adventurer</i> was anchored +more than a mile from the inner harbour, and between her and Ten Pound +Island lay a big, rusty-red salt bark, high out of water, and five +fishing schooners. But these, aside from the disreputable little +gill-netter, were all the craft that met their gaze.</p> + +<p>"Either," said Steve wearily, "she never came in at all or she's up in +the inner harbour. I'll wager she didn't get out again last night. We'll +go up and mosey around, I guess. Ossie, how about some coffee?"</p> + +<p>"I'll make some, Steve. Guess we'd better have an early breakfast too."</p> + +<p>"It can't be too early to suit me," murmured Bert Alley, as he dragged +his feet down the companion way and toppled onto a berth. The +<i>Adventurer</i> weighed anchor and in the first flush of a glorious Summer +dawn, chugged warily up the still harbour. She kept toward the eastern +shore and the boys swept every pier and cove with sharp eyes. Then +Rocky Neck turned back them and they picked a cautious way over sunken +rocks to the entrance of the inner harbour. By this time it was broad +daylight and their task was made easier. Still, as the inner harbour was +nearly a mile long and a good half-mile wide, and indented with numerous +coves, the search was long. They nosed in and out of slips, circled +basins and ran down a dozen false clues supplied by sailors on the +fishing schooners that lined the wharves. And, at seven o'clock they had +to acknowledge defeat. The <i>Follow Me</i> was most surely not in Gloucester +Harbour. Nor, for that matter, was there a cabin-cruiser that resembled +her in any way. It was the latter fact that puzzled them, for they had +somehow become convinced that the darkened craft that had led them past +the breakwater last night was, if not the <i>Follow Me</i>, at least a boat +of her size. "And," said Harry Corwin, "we know that that boat did come +in here, for we saw her light disappear behind the breakwater. Let's +look around again."</p> + +<p>"If she came in for gasoline," said Phil, "we might find out whether she +got it. There can't be many places where she could fill her tanks." The +<i>Adventurer</i> was slowly rounding a point that lay between the cove from +which she had just emerged and Western Harbour, and Wink Wheeler, who +was sitting on the rail on the starboard side of the deck, gave +utterance to an exclamation of surprise and pointed ahead to where a +drab-coloured power-boat had suddenly emerged into sight nearly a +half-mile away.</p> + +<p>"Look at that!" he cried.</p> + +<p>"That's not the <i>Follow Me</i>, you idiot," said Joe.</p> + +<p>"No, but where'd she come from?" demanded Wink.</p> + +<p>For a moment the boys stared and then Steve leaned quickly over the +chart. "By Jiminy!" he muttered. "There's a way out there. Look, +fellows! See where it says 'Drawbridge'? Evidently you can get through +there into the Squam River, and the river takes you out into Ipswich +Bay! It's dollars to doughnuts that's where they took the <i>Follow Me</i>!" +Steve drew down the throttle and the cruiser lunged forward in response. +"We'll have a look, anyway," he said. "It was stupid of me not to have +noticed that on the chart, but it's hardly big enough to be seen."</p> + +<p>Straight for the beach at the curve of the wide cove sped the +<i>Adventurer</i>, her nose set for the drawbridge that showed against the +blue sky. As they got closer an outlet showed clear, a narrow space +between the bridge masonry, with a strong current coming through from +the further side.</p> + +<p>"Gee, it doesn't look very big," said Joe. "And how about head-room, +Steve?"</p> + +<p>"Room enough," was the answer, as the <i>Adventurer</i> slowed down. "They'll +raise the draw if we whistle, I suppose, but we don't need to."</p> + +<p>"We'll scrape our funnel, as sure as shooting!" cried Perry as the +cruiser neared the bridge.</p> + +<p>"We'll miss by two feet," answered Steve untroubledly.</p> + +<p>They held their breaths and watched nervously as the shadow of the +bridge fell across the boat. Then, with the sound of the engine and +exhaust echoing loudly, the cruiser dug her nose into the out-running +tide and shot safely through to emerge into a narrow canal that +stretched straight ahead before them until it joined the river. They +breathed easier as the bridge was left behind. Once in the river it was +necessary to go cautiously and watch the channel buoys, for the chart +showed a depth of only four feet at low tide for the first mile and a +half. If they had not all been so absorbed in the fate and recovery of +the <i>Follow Me</i> they would have enjoyed that journey down the Squam +River immensely, for it was a beautiful stream, quiet and tranquil in +the morning sunlight. Summer camps and cottages dotted the shores and +green hills hemmed it in. They had breakfast on the way, eating it for +the most part on deck. Now and then the <i>Adventurer</i> paused while they +examined a motor-boat moored in some cove.</p> + +<p>"There's one thing certain," said Steve. "Those folks couldn't have +brought the <i>Follow Me</i> through here in the dark. If they did come +through that cut last night they anchored and waited for light. Keep a +watch for gasoline stations, fellows."</p> + +<p>They found the first one at Annisquam, near where the yacht club pier +stuck out into the channel. Steve sidled the <i>Adventurer</i> up to a +landing and, while Han held her with the hook, made inquiry of a +grizzled man in faded blue jumpers.</p> + +<p>"We're looking for a motor-boat called the <i>Follow Me</i>," he explained. +"Have you seen her?"</p> + +<p>The man shook his head. "What was she like?" he asked.</p> + +<p>Steve described her, aided by Harry Corwin, and the man pushed his old +straw hat back, and rubbed his forehead reflectively. Finally: "There +was a launch answerin' to that description stopped here about"—he gazed +at the sun—"about two hours ago, I cal'ate. She was black, but she +didn't have no name on her so far as I could see. I sold 'em thirty +gallons o' gas an' they went on out toward the bar."</p> + +<p>"Who was on her?" asked Steve quickly.</p> + +<p>"Two or three men I never seen before. Three, I cal'ate there was. She +wasn't here very long. They come up to the house an' got me up from the +breakfast table. Said they was in a hurry. Come to think on it, boys, I +believe they'd painted the name out on the stern. They ain't stolen her, +have they?"</p> + +<p>"That's just what they have done," answered Steve. "Shove off, Han! +Thank you, sir. About two hours ago, you say?"</p> + +<p>"Might be a little less than two hours. Well, I hope you get her. I +didn't much like the looks of the fellers aboard her."</p> + +<p>"Where do you think they'd take her?" called Joe as the boat swung her +stern around.</p> + +<p>"I dunno. They might switch around into the Essex River, or they might +take her in Ipswich way, or they might head straight for Newburyport. If +they wanted to hide her I cal'ate they might run in behind Plum Island +somewheres."</p> + +<p>"Sounds pretty hopeless," said Steve as the <i>Adventurer</i> took up her way +again. "Look at this chart and see all the places she <i>might</i> be, will +you? It's a regular what-do-you-call-it—labyrinth!"</p> + +<p>"It certainly is," agreed Joe. "And there's a lot of shallows about +here, too. Where's this Plum Island he spoke of?"</p> + +<p>Steve pointed it out, a seven-mile stretch of sand behind which emptied +four or five small rivers. "Shall we try it?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"Might as well be thorough," Joe replied. "What do you say, Harry?"</p> + +<p>"I say yes. Seems to me they'd be mighty likely to slide into some such +place if only to paint a new name on."</p> + +<p>"We'll have a look then," agreed Steve. The <i>Adventurer</i> dipped her way +across Squam Bar and Steve swung the wheel. "Southeast, one-fourth +south," he muttered, looking from the chart to compass. "Watch for a +black spar buoy off the lighthouse. If they took the <i>Follow Me</i> into +Essex Bay, though, we're running right away from her."</p> + +<p>To port, the sand dunes shone dazzlingly in the sunlight and a long +stretch of snow-white beach kept pace with them as they made for the +entrance to Plum Island Sound. Several boats, sailing and power craft, +had been sighted, but nothing that looked in the least like the <i>Follow +Me</i>. The sun climbed into a hazy blue sky and the day grew hot in spite +of the light westerly breeze. Steve picked up his buoys, a black and +then two red, and swung the cruiser in toward the mouth of the Ipswich +River. The chart showed feet instead of fathoms in places and Steve +slowed down cautiously until they were in the channel. They left Ipswich +Light on the port beam and kept on past the river mouth and into the +sound.</p> + +<p>"What happens," asked Harry Corwin, looking at the chart over Steve's +shoulder, "when there aren't any soundings shown?"</p> + +<p>"Just what I was wondering myself," replied the navigator. "It doesn't +tell you anything after you pass that last red spar buoy. Still, with +those two rivers coming in beyond up there, there must be enough water +for us if we can find it. I've about arrived at the conclusion that the +<i>Follow Me</i> was mighty well named, Harry. We've been following her for +twelve hours, pretty near, and as things look now we'll be still +following her a week from Christmas!"</p> + +<p>"I suppose," sighed the captain of the lost boat, "that what we should +have done was report it to the police and stayed right where we were. +Dad's going to be somewhat peeved if we lose that boat."</p> + +<p>"I thought she belonged to you and Tom," said Wink Wheeler.</p> + +<p>"So she does, but dad gave her to us and he's rather fond of her +himself."</p> + +<p>"Well, it's too bad," Wink answered, "but I don't believe we'll ever +find her now. It's like looking for a needle in a haystack, this sort of +thing. We don't even know for sure that she isn't down around New York +somewhere by this time!"</p> + +<p>"Yes, we do," said Steve quietly.</p> + +<p>"We do? How do we?"</p> + +<p>"Because I'm looking at her," was the reply. Steve nodded ahead and +pushed back the throttle. "If that isn't the <i>Follow Me</i> I'll—I'll eat +her!"</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_XIII'></a><h2>CHAPTER XIII</h2> + +<p style="text-align: center"><b>BULLETS FLY</b></p> +<br /> + +<p>A half-mile or so beyond a black cruiser lay at anchor at the mouth of a +cove on the island side of the sound. She was broadside-to and one look +at her was enough for Harry Corwin. "It is!" he cried. "We've got her, +fellows!"</p> + +<p>"Not yet," warned Phil as the fellows clustered from all parts of the +boat. "That's her, but how are we going to get her back? Hadn't we +better stop here, Steve, and decide what to do? Those men aren't going +to give her up just for the asking, I guess."</p> + +<p>"Right," agreed Steve. "Bow anchor, Han! Let her go as soon as you're +ready. Now then, fellows, let's think what's to be done." The +<i>Adventurer</i> pulled at the anchor line with her nose, found further +progress stopped and slowly began to swing around with the tide. "There +are three of them at least, according to the gasoline chap back there, +and there are twelve of us, but if they have guns—"</p> + +<p>"We've got two revolvers," said Perry eagerly. "Shall I get them, +Steve?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, fetch them up here, but we don't want to use them unless in +self-defence. Don't forget the cartridges, Perry. Now suppose we mosey +up to where we can talk to them, fellows."</p> + +<p>"That's the ticket," agreed Wink Wheeler. "If they get to acting ugly, +why, I guess there are enough of us to handle them. I think the best way +is to beat it right up there and tell them to hand the boat over."</p> + +<p>"And if they decline?" inquired Phil.</p> + +<p>"Go in and take it!"</p> + +<p>"And, as like as not, get shot full of holes! No, thanks!" This from +"Brownie."</p> + +<p>"How would it do for some of us to land and keep out of sight and come +around back of them?" asked Cas Temple.</p> + +<p>"What are we going to do with them if we catch them?" Tom Corwin wanted +to know. "Take them back and hand them over to the police?"</p> + +<p>"I don't believe they'll let us catch them," answered Phil. "Either +they'll take to that small boat they've got astern there or they'll try +to make a dash past us."</p> + +<a name="image-2"><!-- Image 2 --></a> +<center><a href="images/002_lg.jpg"> +<img border=0 src="images/002.jpg" height="383" width="300" +alt=""It is!" he cried. "We've got her, fellows!""> +</a> +</center> + +<p style="text-align: center"><span style=' +font-style:italic; font-weight:700'><small>"It is!" he cried. "We've +got her, fellows!"</small></span></p> + +<p>"Much good that would do them!" Harry shrugged his shoulders. "The +<i>Adventurer</i> can sail all around our boat."</p> + +<p>"We're not getting anywhere," observed Steve, who had been all the while +watching the other craft attentively. "And they've seen us at last, for +they're looking over the top of the cabin."</p> + +<p>"Well, let's do something," said Perry, who was back with the two +revolvers and as many boxes of cartridges. "Can they go the other way or +do they have to pass us to get out of this place, Steve?"</p> + +<p>"They can go the other way for about five miles according to the chart, +but they can't get out. There's a bridge there. And, anyway, I guess +it's only navigable for small boats at high tide. Perry, for the love of +lemons, drop those things and let them alone."</p> + +<p>"They aren't loaded," said Perry, injuredly.</p> + +<p>"That's the kind that always blow your head off. Well, what's the +decision, fellows?"</p> + +<p>Everyone talked at once for a minute, and, at last, Phil said: "Why not +do the natural thing and ask for our boat? Why let them think that we +expect trouble? Perhaps when they see that the game's up they'll give in +sensibly."</p> + +<p>"That's the idea," agreed Harry and most of the rest. "Let's breeze +right up to them and talk big."</p> + +<p>"We'll never get the <i>Follow Me</i> by lying here, anyway," said Steve, +turning to the wheel. "Get your anchor up, Han. Give him a hand, +someone. Wink, open a box of those cartridges and load the revolvers, +will you? But keep them out of Perry's way! All right now. Settle down, +fellows, and we'll try a bluff."</p> + +<p>The <i>Adventurer</i> went on and the distance between the two boats lessened +rapidly. They could see two men watching them over the top of the cabin, +but there was no sign of alarm visible aboard the <i>Follow Me</i>. When the +<i>Adventurer</i> was almost opposite the black cruiser Steve threw out the +clutch, turned the wheel and let her run shoreward. "We're getting out +of the channel," he said to Harry. "Watch for sand-bars." He slipped the +clutch in again and again disengaged it. The two boats were some twenty +yards apart now and the men on the <i>Follow Me</i> were observing the +newcomers unblinkingly from the cockpit.</p> + +<p>Steve leaned over the rail and sent a hail across. "<i>Follow Me</i>, ahoy!" +he called. "We'll trouble you for that boat, please."</p> + +<p>For a moment there was no answer. Then one of the two men in sight +moved forward and drawled: "Speaking to us, are you? What was it you +said?"</p> + +<p>"I said we'd trouble you for that boat," repeated Steve. "It happens to +belong to us, you see."</p> + +<p>"This boat?"</p> + +<p>"That identical boat."</p> + +<p>"Belongs to you!"</p> + +<p>"You've got it."</p> + +<p>"That's a good joke, friend. We've owned this boat three years. Where do +you come in?"</p> + +<p>"She's the <i>Follow Me</i>, even if you have painted her name out, and you +took her from her anchorage in Plymouth Harbour last night. What's the +use of throwing a fool bluff like that?"</p> + +<p>The man laughed hoarsely and his companion joined him. "Run away, kids!" +he said finally. "You're crazy with the heat. This boat's the +<i>Esmeralda</i>, of Providence, and she belongs to me and this feller. What +do you mean, took her? Callin' me a thief, are you?"</p> + +<p>"I'm not taking the trouble to. If you know what's good for you you'll +dig out of there and do it quick."</p> + +<p>"Is that so?" drawled the man. "Well, ain't that nice? An' supposin' it +don't suit me to hand over my boat to you? Then what you goin' to do?"</p> + +<p>"Take her," answered Steve quietly. "There are twelve of us here and +we've followed you all the way from Plymouth, and we aren't likely to +let you bluff us off now. Come on, now, what do you say?"</p> + +<p>"Come on and take her, kids!" was the answer. "We're scared to death!" +The men thought that extremely funny, and laughed a lot over it. Just +then, Steve, leaning outboard over the railing, felt someone tug at his +arm.</p> + +<p>"Look at the middle port, Steve," whispered Phil.</p> + +<p>Steve looked. The nearer side of the <i>Follow Me</i> was in shadow, but a +quivering beam of sunlight, reflected from the surface of the water, +glinted on the muzzle of a revolver held just inside the open port.</p> + +<p>"Every fellow under cover," said Steve quietly. "That means you, too, +Joe. Duck! They've got a gun trained on us. Who's the best shot here?"</p> + +<p>"Wink," answered Joe.</p> + +<p>"Give him one of the revolvers. Are you there, Wink?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," answered the other from the forward companion way.</p> + +<p>"Get a bead on that middle port. You'll see a gun sticking through +there. Don't shoot unless they shoot first. Better go into the other +cabin. There's no harm in letting them see you, but don't keep your head +exposed. Someone hand me that other revolver."</p> + +<p>On the other boat Steve's silence was accepted as a confession of +indecision and a jeering laugh came across the water. The <i>Adventurer</i> +was drifting toward the shore now, and Steve turned and slipped the +clutch into reverse and churned back a few yards. Then he faced the men +again.</p> + +<p>"You can't get away with it, you know," he said untroubledly. "We can +stay here as long as you can. If you run we'll follow you, and at the +first port we'll hand you over to the authorities. You've only got +thirty gallons of gas and that won't take you far. If you have any sense +you'll pile into your tender and light out while you've got a good +chance."</p> + +<p>It was evident that those on the stolen boat had glimpsed Wink's +revolver, for one of the men leaned toward his companion and spoke in +low tones and their eyes sought the port. After a moment the spokesman +replied placatingly. "Maybe you're right, Sport. Guess you've got us +this time. But this ain't any place to go ashore. Tell you what we'll +do. We'll run her back to Gloucester and hand her over to you there. +That's fair, ain't it?"</p> + +<p>"It doesn't listen well," answered Steve. "You land on the other side +there and you'll only have to walk a few miles to a train."</p> + +<p>"Yeah, walk about six miles across sand dunes in a sun hot enough to +blister you! Nothin' doin', Sport. Take it or leave it."</p> + +<p>"Leave it, thanks."</p> + +<p>For answer one of the men climbed to the cabin roof and went forward. +"He's going to pull up anchor," warned Joe, peering over the rail. +Steve's voice rang out sharply:</p> + +<p>"If you touch that cable we'll shoot!"</p> + +<p>The man paused, stared across doubtfully and went on.</p> + +<p>"Can you hear me, Wink?" asked Steve softly.</p> + +<p>"Yes," came from the after cabin.</p> + +<p>"If he lays a hand on the anchor cable, shoot, but shoot wide."</p> + +<p>"All right, Steve!"</p> + +<p>"Say," called the man in the cockpit, "don't you start nothin', because +we got you covered. If there's any shootin' you'll get the worst of it."</p> + +<p>The man forward dropped to a knee, his gaze turned warily toward the +enemy, and took hold of the anchor cable. As he did so Steve whipped his +revolver into sight and flattened himself against the bulkhead. A sharp +report broke the silence and a bullet sang its way across the <i>Follow +Me's</i> bow. The man dropped the rope and sprang back along the roof to +tumble frightenedly into the cockpit. From the cabin of the <i>Adventurer</i> +floated up the acrid smoke of Wink's revolver. The man at the stern of +the other boat had instantly disappeared.</p> + +<p>"Look out," shouted Perry from the forward cabin. "They're going to +shoot from the ports! Come down from there, Steve!"</p> + +<p>But Steve's hand was on the clutch and, as the <i>Adventurer</i> began to go +astern, his other hand turned the spokes of the wheel and the cruiser's +bow came slowly around toward the <i>Follow Me.</i> "Come up here, Wink," he +called, and then: "Put that hatch up all the way and keep behind it," he +added as Wink slipped to his side. "Can you get them from there?"</p> + +<p>"Fine!" answered the other cheerfully.</p> + +<p>"I'll try to keep her bow-on. Careful not to kill anyone, old man. Shoot +for their arms."</p> + +<p>"How can I when they're out of sight down there?" Wink complained. "All +I can do is shoot for the ports."</p> + +<p>"Don't shoot at all unless you have to," Steve cautioned. "We don't want +to knock any more splinters off her than necessary."</p> + +<p>"We're too near, Steve. The deck's getting in the way."</p> + +<p>"I'll back her off." The <i>Adventurer</i> retreated until Wink, his elbow +resting on the closed cover of the chart-box, could train his revolver +on the <i>Follow Me's</i> ports. Several of the others emerged from the +cabins and huddled from sight on the deck.</p> + +<p>"What's the next act, Steve?" inquired Phil.</p> + +<p>Steve shook his head. "I'm wondering," he answered. "About all we can do +is keep them from running away until they talk sense."</p> + +<p>"Why not let them run? We can go faster than they can."</p> + +<p>"I'm afraid of tricks," responded Steve. "I don't know these waters, and +I suspect that they do. They might manage to give us the slip as they +did last night. I guess when they find they can't get away they'll come +to terms." Steve raised his head cautiously above the chart-box on his +side and a bullet promptly ploughed through the frame of the open +window in front of him and went singing astern.</p> + +<p>"Rotten shooting," observed Wink, as Steve ducked to safety. "Shall I +give 'em one, Steve?"</p> + +<p>Steve hesitated and then shook his head. "What's the use? You'd only +plug a hole in the <i>Follow Me's</i> cabin. Wait until they show +themselves."</p> + +<p>"Well, you take care not to show yourself," advised Wink, peering warily +past the smoke-stack. "Those murderous pirates are shooting to kill, I +guess."</p> + +<p>Another shot rang out across the dancing water and a bullet flattened +itself against a pipe stanchion. "Guess you'd better put a shot into +each of those ports," said Steve. "Maybe they'll keep away from them. +Sorry to damage your boat, Harry."</p> + +<p>"Bother the damage!" said Harry. "Plug her full of lead if you like!"</p> + +<p>Wink's revolver spoke, and: "Bull's-eye," he announced calmly. Another +shot followed. "Got that one, too," he muttered. "Can't see the other +port from here, Steve. Smokestack's in the way. You try it."</p> + +<p>Steve tried and missed, the bullet knocking a long splinter from the +edge of the cabin roof, and at the same moment a pistol aboard the +<i>Follow Me</i> barked and Perry, sitting crouched on one of the seats, +uttered an exclamation. Phil, beside him, turned anxiously. Perry's face +expressed blank amazement as he pushed his right sleeve up and gazed at +a wound from which the blood was spurting.</p> + +<p>"Gosh," he said awedly, "I'm shot!"</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_XIV'></a><h2>CHAPTER XIV</h2> + +<p style="text-align: center"><b>A RUSE THAT FAILED</b></p> +<br /> + +<p>"I should think so!" cried Phil. "Come on down and let me fix it."</p> + +<p>"What is it?" asked Steve anxiously.</p> + +<p>"Perry's hit in the arm. They must have shot along the side, and the +bullet glanced from something. Come on, Perry."</p> + +<p>"All you fellows get out of here," commanded Steve. "It might happen +again, and you're not doing any good here, anyway. The chest's in the +bottom locker in our cabin, Phil. Is it bad?"</p> + +<p>"Don't think so," was the reply from the companion way. "Only a flesh +wound, I guess. I'll look after it."</p> + +<p>Steve had forgotten to try a second shot at the port, but Wink again let +go at where the glint of a revolver muzzle showed and a cry of pain came +across the water.</p> + +<p>"Got him!" said Wink.</p> + +<p>"You must have," agreed Steve. "I hope you didn't hurt him much."</p> + +<p>"Suffering snakes!" ejaculated Wink. "Why shouldn't I hurt him? They +potted Perry, didn't they? What are we supposed to do! Lie around here +and let them shoot us full of lead and just smile? Why, you pig-headed, +solid concrete—"</p> + +<p>But Wink's flow of eloquence was interrupted by two shots from the +<i>Follow Me</i>. There was a tinkling of glass as one of them smashed +through the upper frame of the window on Steve's side. The other +ploughed into the chart-box. Wink instantly fired back twice, aiming at +the two ports he commanded. "Harry's boat will look like a sieve," he +chuckled as he broke his revolver and jammed fresh cartridges into it. +"Get busy there, Steve!"</p> + +<p>For answer Steve's revolver spoke twice and the thud of the bullets came +to them. "Got the boat anyway," chuckled Wink. "We can scare 'em even if +we can't pot 'em! Better back up a little, Steve. I don't want to bust +our flag-pole."</p> + +<p>Once more the <i>Adventurer</i> increased the distance between her and the +adversary, and once more the engine beneath their feet relapsed into a +quiet purr as the load was taken off again.</p> + +<p>"If it wasn't that we'd bust the <i>Follow Me</i>," exclaimed Steve savagely, +"I'd ram them! They're knocking our paint off and breaking our glass and +raising the dickens!"</p> + +<p>Wink glanced across the deck. Steve, his revolver laid on the floor +beside him, was knotting a handkerchief about his hand with his teeth. +"Hello!" exclaimed Wink. "Did they get you!"</p> + +<p>"No, it's only a piece of glass. It's bleeding a bit, that's all." Steve +gave a final tug at the knot and seized his revolver again. "I wish +they'd show themselves!"</p> + +<p>"They probably wish the same of us," laughed Wink. "How long does this +keep up? I'm getting hungry!"</p> + +<p>"It keeps up until they give in," responded Steve determinedly. "Below +there! Tell Ossie to start on the dinner."</p> + +<p>"Dinner!" exclaimed Ossie from the aft companion. "Suppose they plugged +a bullet into the galley?"</p> + +<p>"Don't be an idiot," begged Steve impatiently. "You've got four inches +of planking and a pile of rope and a refrigerator and a lot of other +stuff between you and the bullets. Get busy and do your bit!"</p> + +<p>"All right, Steve. I'd forgotten about the refrigerator. But you can bet +I'm not going to leave the door open!" This jest was rewarded with a +laugh from the others as Ossie pushed his way past them and dived +hurriedly across the deck to the forward companion way. "Pistols and +coffee for twelve," he added as he disappeared.</p> + +<p>For several minutes there was no further sound or movement aboard the +<i>Follow Me</i>. "They're probably fixing up the chap who got plugged," +opined Wink cheerfully, as he watched the ports. "Wish we had a rifle, +Steve. We could get them right through the hull, I guess."</p> + +<p>"Yes, and if we had a torpedo we could sink her," said Cas Temple from +the hatch. "Suppose they've run out of cartridges, Steve?"</p> + +<p>"I don't believe so. I guess they don't think it's worth while wasting +what they've got."</p> + +<p>A cheering aroma of coffee stole up from the galley and murmurs of +satisfaction were heard. Perry, his forearm bandaged neatly and +scientifically, crowded his way up the after companion. "Say, Steve, let +me have a shot at them, will you?" he begged earnestly. "Just one, +Steve, like a good fellow!"</p> + +<p>"How's the arm, Perry?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, all right, I guess. It hurts a little. Phil's got it so blamed +tight that I can't close my fingers. Will you, Steve?"</p> + +<p>Steve was denied an answer by a sudden interruption from Wink. "She's +moving, Steve!" he cried. "They've started her!"</p> + +<p>"But they're anchored!" exclaimed Joe.</p> + +<p>"They've cut the line. Probably reached through a port on the other +side," said Steve, working quickly at the controls. "It's lucky we +didn't have ours down, too!"</p> + +<p>The <i>Follow Me</i>, gathering headway, pushed for the channel, and the +<i>Adventurer</i> lunged forward with a mighty splashing of her screw, Steve +bringing her head around as fast as he could. "How the dickens are they +steering her, Harry?" he demanded, staring in puzzlement at the empty +cockpit of the other craft.</p> + +<p>"There's an auxiliary wheel forward, in the stateroom. They're coming +around, fellows. Get under cover! Steve, you'd better drop!"</p> + +<p>The others scuttled for the companion ways, and none too soon, for, as +the <i>Follow Me</i> swung around into the channel those behind her ports had +a clean sweep of the <i>Adventurer's</i> bridge deck and a fusillade of shots +swept across the forty or fifty yards dividing the boats. Steve and Wink +had dropped below the rail, while, in the cabins, the others were taking +good care to crouch beneath the level of the ports. Some eight shots +were fired, but, although several took effect on various parts of the +bridge, the fact that the <i>Adventurer</i> was now plunging around in a +half-circle at a full twelve miles an hour and the other boat was +running at top speed down the channel made accuracy impossible. Neither +Steve nor Wink had a chance to reply until it was too late for their +shots to be effective. By that time the two cruisers had straightened +out on the course and the chase had begun.</p> + +<p>Harry Corwin was entrusted with Steve's revolver and, standing on the +dining table set from locker to locker across the galley, he could +thrust head and shoulders through the hatch. But the cockpit of the +<i>Follow Me</i> remained empty and the entrance to the cabin was closed. +Wink, his revolver ready, had returned to his post and watched grimly +while the <i>Adventurer</i>, her engine fairly humming, slowly wore down the +distance that separated her from the enemy.</p> + +<p>"They're certainly getting some speed out of her," called Wink +admiringly. The rest of the company had returned to the bridge and were +watching eagerly. Tom Corwin, who had remained unaffected by the potting +of the <i>Follow Me's</i> hull, was fighting mad now because the thieves had +lost the bow anchor, and sputtered wrathfully as he gazed over Steve's +shoulder. "If I was Harry I'd put a bullet through that door," he +muttered. "I wish someone would let me have a shot at them!"</p> + +<p>"You couldn't hit her at this distance, with the boats swinging," said +Steve. "Wonder why it doesn't occur to them to cut away that tender. +It's taking a mile off their speed."</p> + +<p>"Afraid of getting hit, I guess," replied Joe.</p> + +<p>"It doesn't seem to me that we're gaining very fast."</p> + +<p>"We're not, but we're gaining fast enough. Hello!" The <i>Follow Me</i>, +having approached the end of the island, had turned her nose to port +straight for the end of the beach. "How much does she draw, Tom?"</p> + +<p>"Two feet and a half; same as this."</p> + +<p>"And the chart shows two feet of water there at low tide!" exclaimed +Steve. "And it's nearly dead low now, I guess. She's taking a chance, +all right!"</p> + +<p>The channel ran straight ahead, close to the shore of the mainland, and +if the <i>Follow Me's</i> exploit proved successful she was due to increase +her dwindling lead by a good mile unless the <i>Adventurer</i> accepted the +challenge and followed her example. For a minute Steve hesitated. Then: +"If she can do it, we can," he muttered, and slowly turned the wheel, +his eyes darting to the chart. "No depth shown here," he said. "Two feet +further along. Then four and seven. If we can get to the point of sand +there we're all right."</p> + +<p>They watched the <i>Follow Me</i> breathlessly. She was dancing almost in the +breakers now and for a long moment it seemed that she would surely pile +herself on the spit that ran seaward from the end of the island. But she +got by safely and the <i>Adventurer</i> plunged after her. There were +strained faces on the bridge deck then and Ossie was seen to lay a +tentative hand on the cushion of the nearer seat. Steve, with grim +countenance, kept his eyes on the rollers, trying his best to follow in +the wake of the other boat. Here and there white water hinted at shoals +and it was between two of these that the <i>Follow Me</i> had gone. Steve +eased the wheel and slowed the engine a trifle and the <i>Adventurer</i>, +rocking in the long swells that were breaking on the beach hardly more +than a stone-throw to port, went on. Steve was in the act of breathing a +long sigh of relief when there came a jar that threw several of the boys +off their balance and brought cries of consternation to their lips. For +one horrid moment the <i>Adventurer</i> hung with her propeller churning the +sand, and then shook herself free and lunged forward again.</p> + +<p>Shouts of relief went up and a smile of triumph came to Steve's face as +he pulled her back into the course and slipped into deeper water. The +<i>Follow Me</i> was still a good eighth of a mile ahead and swinging +northward around the curve of beach. "They're going to make for +Newburyport," said Steve. "Watch them try to get me into trouble now, +Joe."</p> + +<p>"How do you mean?"</p> + +<p>"They're keeping in close to shore. See? Look on the chart."</p> + +<p>"I see twelve little black crosses about there. What do they mean? Oh, I +get you. 'Emerson Rocks,' eh? But I don't see them!"</p> + +<p>"No, they're sunken. The <i>Follow Me's</i> running as near them as she +dares, hoping that we'll try to cut the corner more and strike. Those +fellows know this coast as I know the inside of my hat! But we'll fool +them this time!"</p> + +<p>So close to the submerged danger did the <i>Adventurer</i> go that Perry, +watching over the side, caught a glimpse of a dark mass under the green +water. Then the chase straightened out once more and Steve drew the +throttle wide, experimented with the spark for a moment and sent the +white cruiser surging along in pursuit. There could be no doubt as to +the outcome of the race. It was only a question of time. The thieves had +staked all on the attempt to elude the <i>Adventurer</i> in the shallows, and +now they were doomed to open water, for Plum Island ran straight and +unbroken for seven miles, and not until the entrance to Newburyport +Harbour was reached was there the smallest chance to slip out of sight.</p> + +<p>Ossie announced that dinner would be ready in a few minutes, but no one +paid any attention. Every eye was fixed on the <i>Follow Me</i>, which, dead +ahead, was scurrying along at a rate which Tom, who had thought he knew +the engine thoroughly, marvelled at. But the distance was shortening +between pursued and pursuer. Off the life-saving station the fleeing +craft was scarcely a hundred yards in advance, and it became more and +more certain that the boats would be on even terms long before the +seven-mile stretch was half traversed.</p> + +<p>Wink went below and summoned Harry Corwin down from his perch, much to +the relief of Ossie, whose preparations for dinner had not been made +easier by having to dive under the table every time he sought the +ice-chest, and posted him at a port in the forward cabin. "If they won't +give up," he explained, "we'll have to go on plugging them. I'll take +it in the other cabin. Better fire first from one port then from +another. That'll keep them guessing. It's just as well for them not to +know that we've got only two pieces of artillery!"</p> + +<p>"All right," said Harry, "but there's no use staying here now, is there? +There's nothing in sight but a sea-gull!"</p> + +<p>"No, but be ready when we get abreast, Harry. I think that gun pulls to +the right a little. You might watch it."</p> + +<p>Wink returned to the deck, followed by Harry as far as the companion, +and looked forward at the <i>Follow Me</i>. Since he had gone below the +positions of the boats had altered noticeably, and now, had he wished, +he might easily have put a bullet through the mahogany door beyond the +cockpit. Steve was bearing seaward a little, intending to run up on the +starboard side of the black cruiser.</p> + +<p>"I'll bet they're doing a whole lot of thinking about now," said +"Brownie." "Guess I'll go down and sit on the floor again. They'll be +able to plug us in another minute or so."</p> + +<p>"You'd all better beat it," said Steve. "If the bullets begin to fly +again someone will get hurt."</p> + +<p>Slowly but certainly the bow of the <i>Adventurer</i> crept up on the +<i>Follow Me's</i> stern. Some sixty feet of water divided them. Beyond the +black cruiser lay the long yellow beach, dazzling in the noonday +sunlight. Suddenly the <i>Follow Me's</i> bow turned straight for the +breakers and Steve gave a cry.</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_XV'></a><h2>CHAPTER XV</h2> + +<p style="text-align: center"><b>SURRENDER</b></p> +<br /> + +<p>"They're going to run her ashore!" shouted Steve.</p> + +<p>He slid out the clutch, throttled down the engine and swung the boat's +nose to starboard as the others piled back to the deck. The <i>Adventurer</i> +swept around in a long circle while the <i>Follow Me</i>, churning the +shoaling water into white froth, ran straight for the shore.</p> + +<p>"Gosh, what a mess!" groaned Harry Corwin. "We'll never get her off +there!"</p> + +<p>Steve made no answer, nor did the others. They were all watching that +wild rush of the black cruiser. On and on she went, rising and falling +with the gentle swells, until it looked as though she must surely be +churning the sand with her hurrying screw. Suddenly the cabin doors flew +open and three men, one hatless and with a white towel bound around his +head, leaped out and scampered along the roof to the bow. Wink raised +his revolver, but Steve pulled his arm down.</p> + +<p>"Don't!" he said. "Let them go if they will."</p> + +<p>At that instant the <i>Follow Me</i> faltered, stopped, and went on again for +another yard or so as a breaking wave rushed under her keel, and then +rolled over to starboard and subsided so, her propeller still beating +and her stern slowly working around. Into the two feet of water dropped +the trio on the bow and, keeping the <i>Follow Me</i> between them and the +enemy, scuttled to land, and then, once on the hard sand, ran as hard as +their legs would take them up the beach to the north. Wink sent one shot +hurtling after them, just, as he explained afterwards, to encourage +them, and Steve, having cautiously edged the <i>Adventurer</i> as near shore +as he dared, gave his orders hurriedly.</p> + +<p>"Get the big cable from the rope locker, Han," he directed. "Joe, you +and Harry jump into the tender and stand by here. When you get the cable +pull in to the <i>Follow Me</i> and make it fast to the stern cleat. Tom, +you'd better go along, too. Put your engine into reverse and try to back +off. The tide's still running out and if we don't get her off now we'll +have a hard time later. I'll pull on the stern and you jockey her with +her own power. I think we can do it. Now then, Han, give me that. Here, +take this end forward and make it fast around the cleat. Pass it +outside that stanchion, you chump! Catch, Harry! All right! Get a move +on, fellows!"</p> + +<p>Off plugged the tender, Joe bending furiously at the short oars, the big +cable paying out astern. A minute or two later they were tumbling aboard +the <i>Follow Me</i>, Tom to dart below to the engine, Harry to make fast +their end of the line and Joe to look after the tender. Then Harry waved +a hand and shouted, and the <i>Adventurer</i>, which had been going slowly +astern, taking up the slack of the cable, settled to her task. The big +rope tightened, throwing a spray of water into the sunlight along its +length, strained and creaked and the <i>Follow Me's</i> propeller, reversed, +did its part. There was an anxious two minutes. Very grudgingly the +black cruiser's stern came around. Steve drew the <i>Adventurer's</i> +throttle down a couple of notches. The <i>Follow Me</i> gave up her notion of +spending her declining years on the sands of Plum Island and slowly +backed away. A shout of delight arose from a dozen throats as, with the +water once more under her she bobbed sedately to an even keel and +followed the tug of the big hawser.</p> + +<p>A quarter of an hour later the two boats continued their way up the +shore, the <i>Follow Me</i> poorer by one eighty-pound anchor and richer by +one cedar dingey which the six boys aboard seriously suspected of having +been stolen. They ate dinner at half-past two, anchored on Joppa Flats, +the two crews once more assembled around and about the <i>Adventurer's</i> +hospitable board, and as they ate, very hungrily and quite happily, they +discussed the day's adventure.</p> + +<p>The <i>Follow Me</i> showed numerous signs of Steve's and Wink's +marksmanship, both outside and in, but there was no damage that nails +and hammer, paint and putty wouldn't repair. The stolen boat's larder +was sadly depleted and, as Tom said disgustedly, the cabin looked as +though a dozen pigs had lived in it a week! But, all in all, the cruiser +had come off well. As for the lost anchor, why, as Wink pointed out, the +tender would more than buy them a new one. There was some discussion as +to their right to dispose of that tender and in the end they agreed that +the proper thing to do would be to leave it at Newburyport and mail an +advertisement to the Plymouth papers. If the owner claimed the boat he +would pay for the advertisement. If he didn't, they would recover it +later on their way back down the coast. The <i>Adventurer</i>, too, showed +numerous scars. One bullet had plugged straight in at one side of the +smokestack and out the other, the glass in one window had been shattered +to bits and in various other places damage had been wrought. But they +had recovered the <i>Follow Me</i>, and that, viewing the affair in +retrospect, had been something of an achievement. Everyone, even Tom by +now, was more than satisfied at the outcome of their first real +adventure. Dinner, delayed as it was and none too palatable by reason of +having been prepared for a much earlier hour, was a merry meal.</p> + +<p>After it was over they went on up to Newburyport, found a berth and set +out to look for a yard where they could have the two cruisers patched. +Repairs kept them there two days, and then, having acquired a new anchor +for the <i>Follow Me</i> and left the extra dingey in safe storage, the +Adventure Club set forth once more in the early hours of a drizzly +morning.</p> + +<p>They passed the Isles of Shoals before nine and in the middle of the +forenoon Steve pointed through the haze to where an indistinct blot +against the sky line proclaimed Boon Island. After that the cruisers +kept well toward shore, for, although the drizzle had stopped, the +navigators feared that a fog might take its place, and that one +experience in Vineyard Sound had been sufficient to last them for the +balance of the cruise. Off Cape Porpoise the boats found rough seas and +the crew of the <i>Follow Me</i> were secretly delighted to observe that the +smaller craft made much easier going. The <i>Adventurer</i> seemed to be +having a thoroughly good time, for she kicked up her heels and waved her +nose and fairly rolled in merriment as the seas came sliding under her +quarter. The bridge deck was a damp place until both side curtains were +lowered and laced to the rails and stanchions. Poor Joe stood it as long +as he could, getting paler and paler and sitting, hands in pockets, +gazing fixedly at the brass kickplate at the top of the forward +companion way, about the only thing in his range of vision that was +fairly steady, and at intervals lurching below with an assumption of +carelessness that deceived nobody, to dose himself with his sea-sickness +remedy. That remedy, however, failed him, and it was not very long +before the Chief Engineer was conspicuous on the bridge by his absence, +while those who listened could hear at intervals a low moaning sound +proceeding from the after cabin. But Joe was not the only one aboard the +<i>Adventurer</i> who suffered qualms of uneasiness, although he alone gave +up the struggle. Both Perry and Han showed pale countenances and looked +big-eyed and pathetic. Neither displayed the least interest in dinner, +while Joe, when cruelly summoned by Ossie, only groaned lugubriously and +turned his pallid face to the wall. At two o'clock the sun broke through +and dyed the sea a wonderful green, and the <i>Adventurer</i> began to meet +other boats. As she left Scarboro Beach on her port beam and began to +nose in toward Peak's Island the sea calmed and by the time the cruiser +was ready to drop her anchor in Portland harbour, Joe, albeit still +rather greenish, had pulled himself back to deck to gaze approvingly at +the shore.</p> + +<p>A week went by during which the Adventure Club, one and all, had a +glorious time without anything that in the least resembled adventure. +They spent a whole day in Portland—spent, also, a deal of money there +replenishing an utterly exhausted galley—and then, to use Perry's +inelegant phrase, "bummed around" Casco Bay for three days more. Joe +fell in love with more islands during that time than he had known +existed. "I've always wanted to own an island," he would explain, "and +that's the very island. Let's go ashore, Steve, and look around."</p> + +<p>Steve humoured him several times, until the others complained that they +were getting tired of stopping at every bunch of rocks on the Maine +Coast, and pointed out, besides, that, as Perry had owned to having but +nine dollars in his pocket just a few days before, it wasn't at all +likely that he would find an island within his means. After exhausting +the interest of Casco Bay the two boats ran further up the shore and +spent another forty-eight hours at Camden. Steve had friends there and +the whole tribe of mariners were invited to dinners and luncheons and +found that "home cooking" was all that it was popularly believed to be. +Ossie had a most perfect time during those two days.</p> + +<p>"Nothing to cook but breakfast," he said ecstatically, "and real food +the other two meals! Gee, but it's fine to eat something some other poor +duffer has cooked! Say, Joe, what is it that pigs have that kills them +off in bunches: sort of a—an epidemic?"</p> + +<p>"Hog cholera," hazarded Joe. "Aren't you feeling well, Ossie?"</p> + +<p>"Well, I wish they'd all have it," said Ossie devoutly. "I'm so plumb +sick of cooking bacon!"</p> + +<p>The rest agreed, away from Ossie's hearing, that it was a very fortunate +thing that the period of eating ashore had arrived when it did, for +Ossie had been showing symptoms of mutiny of late and his cooking had +noticeably fallen off. "He was due to strike in another few days," said +Han. "Then someone else would have had to take the job, and we would all +have starved to death."</p> + +<p>"In the absence of the cook," observed Perry gravely, "the job falls to +the crew."</p> + +<p>"No, sir, to the second mate," corrected Han. "Isn't that so, Joe?"</p> + +<p>"I'm not sure. The only thing I am sure of is that—um—it doesn't fall +to the chief engineer."</p> + +<p>"I should say not!" retorted Perry. "Think of eating food flavoured with +engine oil!"</p> + +<p>"Couldn't be any worse than pudding flavoured with onion extract," +chuckled Joe, referring to a viand prepared by Ossie while at +Newburyport. Ossie had meant to put in a spoonful of vanilla, but the +two bottles looked so much alike—</p> + +<p>The pudding was never eaten, unless the fish consumed it, and the +mention of it still caused Ossie great pain and humiliation.</p> + +<p>They went into the water every morning before breakfast, lived almost +every minute in the open air—for even at night the wide-open ports and +doors made the cabins like sleeping porches—ate heartily, got enough +exercise to keep them lean and hungry and became tanned with sun and +wind to the colour of light mahogany. Khaki trousers, sleeveless shirts +and rubber-soled canvas shoes made up their ordinary attire, although +for shore visits they "dolled up" remarkably. Those early morning baths +were fine appetisers, as will be understood by the reader who has had +experience of the water along the Maine coast, and the number of eggs +and slices of crisp bacon that came off the alcohol stove would sound +like a fairy tale if told. At Camden the two cruisers lay side by side, +with just enough room between to allow them to swing, and by keeping the +tenders alongside the gangways it was only a momentary task to ferry +from one boat to the other. In consequence the two crews mingled a good +deal and it was no unusual thing for one breakfast table to be thronged +while the other was half empty of a morning. When the boys got tired of +swimming they simply climbed over the rail of the nearer craft and, +after partly drying themselves, went down to breakfast. As getting dry +was a somewhat perfunctory proceeding, the linoleum in the forward cabin +was covered with pools of salt water by the time the last platter of +bacon and eggs was empty.</p> + +<p>Many friends were made and the boys spent more time on shore than +aboard. There was tennis to be played, for one thing, and Phil, Steve +and Joe were all dabsters at that game. And then there was a big, +freckle-faced youth named Globbins who spent most of his waking hours in +the driver's seat of a high-powered roadster automobile and who ran the +fellows many miles over the roads and was never, seemingly, more +contented than when every available inch of the car was occupied. Its +normal capacity was three, but by careful packing it was possible to get +seven in, on or about it. In return, Globbins was entertained aboard the +<i>Adventurer</i> and given a thirty-mile cruise one evening, but it was easy +to see that he wasn't really enjoying himself and that his hands fairly +ached for the feel of that corrugated wheel of the roadster. They had +such a jolly time at Camden that they promised faithfully to stop there +again on the return voyage, and really meant to keep the promise when +they chugged out of the harbour one crisp morning and turned the +cruisers' bows eastward for the run across Penobscot Bay.</p> + +<p>They lazed that day, for, as Steve said, it was too fine to hurry. +Dinner was eaten with the two boats side by side, with only fenders +between, in a fairy pool. They found the place quite by accident when +exploring the shore of an island whose name they are to this day +ignorant of. There was an entrance to the tiny bay through which a +schooner might barely have scraped her way. Beyond the mouth lay a +wonder land. The pool was as round as a dish and its water the bluest +they had ever seen. Straight across from the entrance a cliff of granite +towered for a hundred feet or more, its tree-clad summit almost leaning +over the boats at anchor. Its face was clothed with vines and dwarf +evergreens and birches. On the other encircling shores of the pool +tumbled boulders hung over the blue depths and were reflected so clearly +that, looking down, one received the same impression of air and space as +when lying on one's back staring into the sky. There never were such +reflections, they declared. No one came to disturb them, and only the +songs and chirpings of birds and the sleepy sigh of the faint breeze in +the boughs broke the silence. Green and blue was that fairyland, warm +with the sun and redolent of the sea and the sappy fragrance of +sun-bathed foliage.</p> + +<p>They ate dinner on the decks, the two boats snuggled so close that it +was the easiest thing in the world to pass dishes from one to another. +After dinner they lolled in the sunlight and gazed up at the sheer +granite bluff or the smiling and cloudless sky and talked lazily or +slumbered a little. And finally Wink Wheeler thought of fishing and in a +few minutes a half-dozen lines were overboard, and, while the catches +were not big, they were fairly frequent, and the question of what they +were to have for supper was solved there and then. It was Harry Corwin's +idea to stay in the pool overnight and everyone instantly applauded it. +Later, a party went ashore and explored, but there were no paths to be +found and Nature was jealous of her secrets and they came back without +more knowledge of this unknown island than they had had before. They +named it Mystery Island and called the little harbour Titania's Mirror, +a suggestion from Bert Alley which elicited jibes and a final agreement.</p> + +<p>"It's not 'mushy' a bit," said Steve, in Bert's defence. "It's a fine +name for the prettiest bit of water any of us ever saw, and you know it. +The only trouble with you is that you're afraid someone will laugh at +you for being poetical or imaginative. If Bert had suggested calling it +Put-In Bay or Simpkins' Cove or something like that you'd have said +'Fine!' and secretly thought him a perfect ass!"</p> + +<p>Twilight came early and the still, limpid water of the pool took on all +sorts of strange and wonderful hues, like the iridescent surface of a +pearl-shell. It grew very still and a little bit eery as the shadows +crept over the scene, and it was a relief when Cas Temple and Bert Alley +brought forth their mandolins. I am sorry to say that Titania's Mirror +was a bit too thickly inhabited by mosquitoes for comfort, and there +were restless turnings and muttered expostulations to be heard for some +time after lights were out.</p> + +<p>The morning broke radiantly and at half-past six Titania's Mirror was +turned into a highly satisfactory bathtub. Brown arms clove the shadowed +surface and dripping heads rose and fell as fully half the number set +out on a spirited race to the entrance. When almost there they emerged +into a flood of pale sunlight, and looking down through the pellucid +water they could see the sloping sides of the basin converging like the +sides of a bowl. Tragedy was surely the last thing to be thought of +amidst such idyllic surroundings, and yet it was hovering very close.</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_XVI'></a><h2>CHAPTER XVI</h2> + +<p style="text-align: center"><b>THE BURGLARS</b></p> +<br /> + +<p>Wink Wheeler reached the little channel first and gingerly climbed out +on a brown ledge that flanked it on one side. Others joined him there to +lie panting in the sunlight. Only Joe and Phil kept on and were +presently swimming within a short distance of each other well outside. +They were both strong rather than fast swimmers, and, although Han +frowned slightly as he watched them bob in and out of sight in the long, +smooth swells, the others soon turned their attention to Wink's +suggestion that they dive from the rock and race around the anchored +boats and back again. Wink offered the others a ten-yard start. All save +"Brownie" accepted the challenge—"Brownie" was built for comfort rather +than speed—and in a moment they were lined up rather unsteadily on the +edge of the boulder awaiting the word. Then three bodies launched +themselves through the air and the race was on. When the others had +taken the first half-dozen strokes after reappearing Wink plunged after +them. "Brownie" watched until the foremost swimmer disappeared beyond +the boats and then turned his gaze seaward. For a moment he could not +find the two venturesome ones, but presently he spied them. They had +turned and were coming back straight for the mouth of the little +harbour, Phil leading and Joe a dozen yards behind. It looked like a +race from the way in which both boys were keeping under and "Brownie" +found it more exciting than the other contest. And then, while he +watched, something happened, and he sprang to his feet and gazed seaward +with wildly beating heart.</p> + +<p>Joe had stopped swimming and was on his back with one brown arm held +aloft. If he made any outcry "Brownie" failed to hear it, but apparently +he had, for Phil was turning now and hurrying back with short, quick +strokes. But before he had covered half the distance separating him from +the other, the watcher on shore uttered an involuntary cry of alarm. Joe +was no longer in sight!</p> + +<p>"Brownie" looked despairingly toward the boys in the pool, but the +nearest was still a long way from the channel. Confused thoughts of the +boats were cast aside and "Brownie" threw himself from the rock, hitting +the water like a barrel, and turned into the channel. As he felt the +tug of the tide he experienced a revulsion of fright, for he had no +stomach for the task ahead of him. "Brownie's" swimming was usually done +in safer water than that he was making for. But he tried his best to +forget the depths below him and the long swim ahead, to remember only +that Joe was in trouble out there and that Phil, probably by now +somewhat exhausted, would never be able to bring him to shore +unassisted.</p> + +<p>The long swells hid the others from him. Once, though, poised for a +moment on the round summit of a bank of water, he glimpsed ere he +descended into the green valley beyond, a darker spot ahead and so found +his direction. He knew better than to tire himself out by desperate +strokes. His only hope of getting there and getting back was to conserve +his strength. All sorts of thoughts came and went in a strange jumble. +Sometimes it seemed that he was making no progress, that the slow waves +were bearing him remorselessly back to the cove, or, at least just +defeating the strokes of his arms and legs. Breathing became laboured +and once a veritable panic seized him and it was all he could do to keep +from turning and swimming wildly back toward shore. Instead, though, +fighting his fears, he turned on his back for a moment with his round +face to the blue breeze-swept sky, and took long, grateful breaths of +the sun-sweet air. Above him a grey gull swept in a wide circle, +uttering harsh, discordant cries. Then, his panic gone, "Brownie" turned +over again and struggled on with renewed strength and courage. And +suddenly, the long swells were behind him and there, but a few yards +away, was Phil, Phil very white of face but as calm as ever.</p> + +<p>He was swimming slowly on his side, one arm cleaving the water and the +other supporting the nearly inert body of Joe. "Here comes 'Brownie,'" +the rescuer heard him say cheerfully. "All right now, Joe. We'll get you +in in a jiffy! Roll over, 'Brownie,' and get your breath," he added. +"We're all right for a minute. That's the trick."</p> + +<p>"I'm—a bit—tuckered," gasped "Brownie," as he lay and puffed with +outstretched arms.</p> + +<p>"Don't blame you," said Phil. "How are you now, Joe?"</p> + +<p>"Punk," muttered the other. "Don't you fellows bother too much. If +you'll just stay by for a minute or two—I'll be—um—all right, I +guess."</p> + +<p>"No need to do that," replied Phil quietly. "'Brownie' and I will take +you between us. Put a hand on my shoulder. Easy, son! That's it. Now the +other on 'Brownie's.' Right you are. Just let yourself float. Ready, +'Brownie?' Don't hurry. Easy does it. We've got an eighth of a mile or +so and there's no use getting tired at the start. I guess the tide will +help us, though."</p> + +<p>There were no more words until the shore was nearly reached. By that +time "Brownie" was frankly all-in and Phil was in scarcely better +condition. Joe had so far recovered then, however, as to be able to aid +weakly with his legs, and before they reached the channel half a dozen +eager helpers splashed to their assistance. Anxious questions were +showered on them, but only Joe had the breath to answer them.</p> + +<p>"I had a cramp," he explained apologetically. "It hit me all of a sudden +out there. It was fierce!"</p> + +<p>"Legs?" asked Steve.</p> + +<p>"No—yes—about everywhere below my shoulders. It seemed to start in my +tummy. I got sort of sick all over. Thought—um—thought I was a goner +until—"</p> + +<p>"All right! Shut up now. Someone give Phil a hand. He's about ready to +quit. 'Brownie,' too." Steve and Wink had taken the places of the +rescuers and Joe was finishing his journey at top speed. It was no easy +task getting him aboard, but they finally accomplished it and hurried +him below. "Brownie," too, had to be pushed and pulled over the side, +and while Phil got aboard almost unaided he slumped onto a seat and, to +use Perry's expression, "passed out." Hot coffee and many blankets and +at least three different remedies from the medicine chest presently left +Joe out of pain, while in the case of Phil and "Brownie" the hot coffee +and rest were alone sufficient.</p> + +<p>Breakfast was rather late that morning, and Joe's place was vacant, for +that youth was enjoying a sleep in the after cabin. "Brownie" and Phil, +however, recovered wonderfully at the sight of bacon and eggs and did +full justice to the repast. Steve laid down the law during breakfast as +follows:</p> + +<p>"After this there'll be no more swimming away from the boats, fellows. +We came on this trip for fun and not funerals. You took a big chance, +Phil, when you went that far out. This water's about ten degrees colder +than what you and Joe are used to. It's a wonder you didn't both have +cramps and drown."</p> + +<p>"I guess it was rather foolish," agreed Phil. "The water was a lot +colder out there than inside, too. Still it didn't bother me any." He +lowered his voice, with a glance toward the companion way and the other +cabin. "I thought old Joe was a goner, though, fellows. I was about +forty feet away, I suppose, when I heard him yell, and before I could +get back he'd gone down. I was afraid he meant to keep on going, but he +thrashed his way up again and I managed to grab him. The trouble was +then that he wanted to drown both of us and I had a hard time making him +see reason."</p> + +<p>"Someone ought to recommend you for the Carnegie Medal, Phil," said Han, +with a laugh that didn't disguise his earnestness.</p> + +<p>Phil shook his head. "I wasn't the hero of the adventure," he replied +quietly. "I'm fairly at home in the water and I've done four miles +without tiring much. It's 'Brownie' who deserves the medal, fellows. He +saw Joe go down and jumped right in and beat it out there; and you all +know that 'Brownie' isn't any swimmer. I think he was just about scared +to death!"</p> + +<p>"I'll bet he was," agreed Steve. "He's never been known to go ten yards +from shore or boat. Yes, I guess 'Brownie' is the real hero, as you say, +Phil."</p> + +<p>"He certainly is, because I'll tell you frankly that I never could have +got Joe in alone. I was just about used up by the time we'd tried to +drown each other out there."</p> + +<p>"We didn't know anything about it," explained Ossie, filling Phil's cup +again unasked, "until someone happened to look from the <i>Follow Me</i> and +saw you three out there. It was Tom Corwin, I think. I heard him +yelling—I was getting my clothes on down here—and I ran up on deck and +then grabbed the megaphone and shouted to Steve and Wink and the others +who were over on the rock near the inlet. By the time they got it +through their thick heads—"</p> + +<p>"Thick heads be blowed!" exclaimed Steve disgustedly. "You were just +yelling a lot of words that didn't mean anything. If you hadn't kept on +pointing we'd never have known what was up. We all thought you had a +fit."</p> + +<p>All's well that ends well, however, and an hour after breakfast the +incident was, if not forgotten, dismissed. Joe reappeared, looking +rather pale still, but announcing himself quite all right. "I was nice +and sick at my tummy," he explained, "and now I feel fine."</p> + +<p>"Being sick at your tummy," remarked Perry unkindly, "is quite the best +thing you do, Joe. If you can't be sea-sick you go and try to drown +yourself!"</p> + +<p>Of course "Brownie" was allowed to surmise that he had done something +rather big, and Joe thanked him very nicely, but Mr. Carnegie is still +in ignorance of his exploit!</p> + +<p>The two boats floated out of the pool about ten and set off for Bar +Harbor. The barely averted tragedy somewhat modified their regret at +leaving Titania's Mirror and Mystery Island. Later, Steve and Joe tried +to locate that island on the charts but without certain success. There +were so many islands thereabouts that neither dared to more than guess +at the identity of the one they had visited. Looking back at it from a +distance of a half-mile they saw that it was in reality much smaller +than they had supposed, being scarcely more than a huge rock pushed up +from the ocean bed. Ossie, who had a leaning toward geology, furnished +the theory that Mystery Island was no more nor less than the top of an +extinct volcano and that Titania's Mirror was the crater.</p> + +<p>"It probably sank, like lots of them did," he elaborated, "and the sea +wore away part of it and flowed into the crater. I'm pretty sure that +that rock we climbed out on this morning when we were swimming was +volcanic."</p> + +<p>"Sure," agreed Perry. "It was pumice stone. I meant to bring a bit of it +along for you to clean your hands with."</p> + +<p>"I didn't say pumice," replied Ossie haughtily. "It was more probably +obsidian."</p> + +<p>"My idea exactly! In fact, it had a very obstinate feeling. It—it left +quite an impression on me!"</p> + +<p>The <i>Follow Me</i> developed engine trouble that morning and they lay by +for a half-hour or more while Tom Corwin toiled and perspired, argued +and threatened. It was well after two o'clock when they ran up the +eastern shore of Mount Desert Island and finally dropped anchor in +Frenchman's Bay. They ate only a luncheon on board and then clothed +themselves in their gladdest raiment and went ashore. They "did" the +town that afternoon, mingling, as Wink said, with the "haut noblesse," +and had dinner ashore at an expense that left a gaping hole in each +purse. But they were both hungry and glad to taste shore food again, and +no one begrudged the cost.</p> + +<p>It was when they were on their way back to the landing that the glow of +coloured lanterns behind a trim hedge drew their attention to the fact +that someone was conducting a lawn party. The imposing entrance, through +which carriages were coming and going, met their sight a moment later +and inspired Perry with a brilliant idea.</p> + +<p>"Say, fellows, let's go," he said, as they paused in a body to allow a +handsome landau to enter. "I've never been to one of these lawn fêtes, +or whatever they call them in the society papers, and here's the +chance."</p> + +<p>"Anybody invited you?" drawled Joe.</p> + +<p>"No, but maybe they meant to. You can't tell. Maybe if they knew we were +here—"</p> + +<p>"Might send word in to them," suggested Wink Wheeler. "Say that the +crews of the <i>Adventurer</i> and the <i>Follow Me</i> are without and—"</p> + +<p>"Yes, without invitations," agreed Perry. "I get you, but that might +cause our hostess embarrassment, eh? Why not just save her all that by +dropping in sociably?"</p> + +<p>"Are you crazy?" demanded Steve.</p> + +<p>"Crazy to go and see all the pretty lanterns and things, yes. And maybe +they'll have a feed, fellows! Come on! Take a chance! They can't any +more than put us out! Besides, they probably won't know whether they +invited us or not. It's just a lark. Be sports, fellows!"</p> + +<p>The notion appealed to most of them, but Steve and Phil and Bert Alley +declined to countenance it. "What will happen to you," said Steve +grimly, "is that you'll all spend the rest of the night in the town jail +for impersonating gentlemen!"</p> + +<p>"Oh, if that's all you're afraid of," responded Perry sweetly, "you +might as well come, too, Steve. They'd never charge <i>you</i> with that."</p> + +<p>"Sub-tile, sub-tile," murmured Cas Temple.</p> + +<p>"Anyhow, our clothes are perfectly O.K.," continued Perry. "White +trousers and dark coats are quite <i>de rigor</i>. Come on, fellows."</p> + +<p>They went on, all save the disapproving trio, Perry and Wink Wheeler +leading the way up the winding avenue toward the glow of fairy lights +ahead. No one challenged them, although they were observed with +curiosity by several servants before they came out on a wide lawn in +front of a spacious residence. Fully a hundred guests were already +assembled. A platform overhung by twinkling and vari-coloured electric +lamps had been laid for dancing and, as the uninvited guests paused to +survey the scene, an orchestra, hidden by shrubbery and palms in tubs, +started to play. Chairs dotted the lawn and a big marquee was nearby. On +a low terrace in front of the hospitable doorway of the residence the +hostess was receiving as the carriages rolled around the immaculate +drive and stopped to discharge the guests. The boys viewed each other +questioningly. Perry pulled down his waistcoat and walked boldly across +the lawn and the drive and stepped to the terrace. Wink followed +unhesitatingly, but the others hung back for a moment. Then they, too, +approached, their assurance oozing fast. They reached the terrace in +time to witness Perry's welcome.</p> + +<p>"Good evening," said that youth in bored and careless tones, shaking +hands with the middle-aged lady. "Awfully jolly night, isn't it!"</p> + +<p>"How do you do, Mister—ah—so glad you could come. Yes, isn't it +splendid to have such perfect weather? Marcia, you remember +Mister—ah—"</p> + +<p>Perry was passed on to a younger lady, evidently the daughter of the +house.</p> + +<p>"Howdy do?" murmured the latter, shaking hands listlessly.</p> + +<p>"How do!" returned Perry brightly. "Bully night, eh!"</p> + +<p>"Yes, isn't it?" drawled the young lady. Then Perry gave place to Wink.</p> + +<p>"Good evening," said Wink, grinning blandly.</p> + +<p>"Howdy do? So nice of you to come," murmured the lady. Wink joined +Perry and they crossed to the other side of the terrace and maliciously +watched the embarrassment of the other boys. Joe and Harry Corwin +carried things off rather well, but the others were fairly speechless. +Perry chuckled as he saw the growing bewilderment on the face of the +hostess. But finally the ordeal was over and Perry led the way back to +the festivities. Ossie groaned when they were safely out of ear-shot.</p> + +<p>"She's on to us," he muttered. "I could see it in her eye! I'm off +before they throw me out!"</p> + +<p>"Don't be a jay," begged Perry. "The evening's young and the fun's just +starting. Mrs. Thingamabob doesn't know whether she asked us or not. I'm +going to see what's in the big tent over there. Come on, fellows."</p> + +<p>They went, dodging their way between chattering groups and impeding +chairs, but when Perry peered through the doorway of the marquee he was +met with a chilly look from a waiter on guard there. "Supper is at ten +o'clock, sir," said the servant haughtily.</p> + +<p>"That's all right," replied Perry kindly. "Don't hurry on my account, +old top!"</p> + +<p>What to do for the succeeding hour was the question, for, while all +save Perry and Ossie danced more or less skilfully, they knew no one to +dance with. "If you ask me," remarked Cas Temple, yawning, "I call this +dull. I'd rather be in my bunk, fellows."</p> + +<p>"Well, let's find something to do," said Joe. "Maybe they've got a +roller-coaster or a merry-go-round somewhere. Let's—um—explore."</p> + +<p>By this time the dancing had begun in earnest and the platform was well +filled with whirling couples. The boys paused to look on and, since the +throng was growing larger every minute, were forced to change their +position more than once with the result that presently Perry, Wink and +Ossie found themselves separated from their companions. They looked +about them unavailingly and waited for several minutes, and then, as the +others did not appear, went on.</p> + +<p>"We'll run across them," said Perry cheerfully. "Let's stroll around and +see who's here."</p> + +<p>"Awfully mixed crowd," said Wink. "Really, you know, Mrs. Jones-Smythe +should be more particular. Why, some of the folks don't look as though +they had ever been invited!"</p> + +<p>"I know," agreed Perry, with a sigh. "Society's going to the dogs these +days. One meets all sorts of people. It's perfectly deplorable."</p> + +<p>"Beastly," agreed Ossie, stumbling over a chair. "Bar Harbor's getting +very common, I fear."</p> + +<p>"Hello, that's pretty!" exclaimed Perry. They had emerged onto a walled +space that looked straight out over the water. Hundreds of lights dotted +the purple darkness and the air held the mingled fragrance of sea and +roses. "This isn't so punk, you know," continued Perry, leaning over the +wall. "Maybe this would suit me as well as an island."</p> + +<p>"You're on an island," Ossie reminded him.</p> + +<p>"I meant a real island," murmured Perry. Ossie was about to argue the +matter when footsteps approached and they moved off again. A flight of +steps led to a stone-floored verandah and they went up it and perched +themselves on the parapet, to the probable detriment of the ivy growing +across it, and watched the colourful scene. They were quite alone there, +for the porch was detached from the terrace that crossed the front of +the house. Two French windows were opened and beyond them lay a +dimly-lighted library. Perry, hugging one foot in his hands, looked in +approvingly.</p> + +<p>"Whoever owns this shanty knows what's what," he said. "Just have a +squint at all those books, will you? Millions of them! Wonder if anyone +has ever read them."</p> + +<p>"Well, I'm glad I don't have to," said Wink feelingly. "But that's a +corking room, though. These folks must have slathers of money, fellows."</p> + +<p>"Oh, fairly well fixed, I dare say," responded Perry carelessly. "Say, +what time is it! Feed begins at ten, and with all that mob down there +it's the early bird that's going to catch the macaroons. Wonder if +they'll have lobster salad."</p> + +<p>"Nothing but sandwiches and ices, I guess," said Ossie. "I wouldn't +object to a steak and onions, myself. Funny how hungry you get up in +this part of the world."</p> + +<p>"You sure do," agreed Wink. "Let's move along. If the Corwin family gets +in there ahead of us we might just as well pull in our belts and beat +it."</p> + +<p>"Let's go in through here," said Perry. "It's nearer, I guess." He +started toward the first window.</p> + +<p>"Oh, we'd better not," Ossie objected. "They might not like it."</p> + +<p>"Piffle! They'll be tickled to death. They like folks to see their +pretties." He stepped through the window and, dubiously, his companions +followed. The library was a huge apartment, occupying, as it seemed to +them, more than half the length of the house, with several long windows +opening onto the terrace at the front. The furnishings were sombrely +elegant and the dim lights caught the dull polished surface of mahogany +and glinted on the gold-lettered backs of the shelf on shelf of books +that hid the walls. Deep-toned rugs rendered footsteps soundless as they +made their way toward the wide doorway at the far end of the room. They +had traversed barely a third of the distance when a sudden sound brought +them up short.</p> + +<p>One of the windows that opened onto the terrace further along swung +inward and a middle-aged man in evening attire stepped into the room. +Perry, in spite of his former assurance, drew back into the shadow of a +high-backed chair, stepping on Wink's foot and bringing a groan from +that youth. The newcomer, however, evidently failed to hear Wink's +protest, for, closing the window behind him in a stealthy manner, he +crossed the further end of the library and paused beside a huge stone +fireplace. Wink and Ossie had dropped to the protecting darkness of a +big table, but Perry still peered, crouching, from behind the chair. In +the dim light of an electric lamp the intruder's face had shown for an +instant, and in that instant Perry had sensed it all! The stealthy +manner of the man's entrance from the terrace instead of by the door, +the plainly furtive way in which he crossed the room and the anxious +expression of his face, a face which Perry saw at once to be criminal, +was enough! The watcher was not in the least surprised when the man, +hurriedly and still stealthily, drew out a square of mahogany paneling +at the left of the fireplace and revealed the front of a small safe. +Perry's heart began to thump agitatedly at the thought of witnessing a +robbery. The man's fingers worked deftly at the knob. Perry could hear +in the silence the click of the tumblers as they slid into place. Then +the door was pulled open.</p> + +<p>Between Perry and the robber lay a full thirty feet of floor, and a big +table impeded his progress, but it took the boy less than a second to +cover the distance, to seize the robber from behind, pinioning his arms, +and to bear him heavily back to the floor.</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_XVII'></a><h2>CHAPTER XVII</h2> + +<p style="text-align: center"><b>FLIGHT</b></p> +<br /> + +<p>"Wink!" he cried. "Ossie! Come quick! Help here!"</p> + +<p>The robber, having uttered a stifled cry of alarm at the instant of the +unexpected attack, was now thrashing mightily about on the thick rug.</p> + +<p>"Help!" he shouted. "Who are you? Let me go!"</p> + +<p>"S-sh!" commanded Perry sternly, as the others plunged to his aid, +overturning a chair on the way. "Be quiet! Sit on his legs, Ossie!" +Perry was astride the man's chest, holding his arms to the floor. "Punch +him if he makes a noise, Wink!" Perry, breathing hard, surveyed his +captive in triumph. "Now then," he asked, "what have you got to say for +yourself? What were you doing at that safe?"</p> + +<p>The man glared in silence for an instant. To Wink it seemed that the +emotion exhibited on the robber's countenance was amazement rather than +fear.</p> + +<p>"Come on," urged Perry. "What's the game?"</p> + +<p>"Game!" choked the man, finding his voice at last. "Game? You—you young +ruffians! You—"</p> + +<p>"Cut that out, or I'll hand you something," growled Wink. "Answer +politely."</p> + +<p>"Let me up!"</p> + +<p>"Nothing doing!" answered Perry. "Come across. What's your name and +where do you come from? As you didn't get anything out of there, maybe +we'll be easy with you if you talk quick."</p> + +<p>"Let me suggest, if I may," said the man in a strangely quiet and +restrained tone, "that you get off my stomach. This conversation can +just as well be conducted under more comfortable conditions."</p> + +<p>Perry blinked and Wink viewed the captive doubtfully.</p> + +<p>"Promise not to try to run?" demanded Perry.</p> + +<p>"I have no intention of running, thanks." The robber carefully dusted +his clothes as he arose and then felt anxiously of a bruised elbow. +"Now, if you will inform me what this—this murderous assault means I +shall be greatly obliged to you."</p> + +<p>"Suppose you tell us what you were doing at that safe?" said Perry +sternly.</p> + +<p>"Is that any of your business?" asked the other. It was evident that he +was losing his temper again, and Wink drew a step nearer. "I presume I +have a perfect right to open my own safe! What I wish to know—"</p> + +<p>"Your own safe!" gasped Perry. "Oh, come now, you needn't try to tell us +that you—you live here. You're a cracksman, my friend, that's what you +are—"</p> + +<p>Ossie tugged at Perry's sleeve, but Perry failed to notice it.</p> + +<p>"One look at that face of yours is enough, old top," continued Perry. +"It's got crook written all over it!"</p> + +<p>"It has, has it?" gasped the man. "Let me tell you that my name is +Drummond, sir, and that this is my house, and that is my safe, and—and +if you'll mind your own business—"</p> + +<p>"What!" asked Perry weakly. "You mean that you—that this—you mean +that—"</p> + +<p>"I mean," interrupted the man angrily, "that I was about to deposit some +money in that safe, some money I'd been carrying around in my pocket all +the evening and feared I might lose, when you—you young thugs set on me +and knocked me down! Knocked me down right in my own house, on my own +hearth-rug! Why, you—you—"</p> + +<p>Mr. Drummond's wrath got the better of his speech and he only sputtered, +waving an accusing finger at the retreating Perry. Wink was already +glancing about for a means of escape and Ossie was frankly deserting.</p> + +<p>"I—I didn't know!" gasped Perry. "I—we saw you come in—and you looked +like—like a—"</p> + +<p>"You've said that already!" said the man, "Never mind my criminal looks, +young man!"</p> + +<p>"No, sir, we don't—I mean I was mistaken, sir! But, you see, it looked +so—so queer, you coming in like that—"</p> + +<p>"Queer! What was queer about it!" demanded Mr. Drummond irascibly, "No +one but a parcel of young idiots would think it queer!" He took an +envelope from his pocket, tossed it into the safe, closed door and panel +and faced them again. "Who are you, anyway? I don't remember you."</p> + +<p>"Er—my name—my name—" stammered Perry, "my name—"</p> + +<p>"Well, well! Don't you know your name? Who invited you here?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir, oh, yes, sir! It's Bush. We—you see, we were on the porch +there, and we wanted to get back to the—the front of the house—"</p> + +<p>"Who invited you here, tonight? Who—" The host's expression changed +from indignation to suspicion. "Huh!" he ejaculated. "Robber, eh! Well, +what were you doing in this room? Seems to me—hm! We'll look into this, +I think!" He stepped back and touched a button in the wall. "We'll have +this explained! We'll see who the robber is! We—"</p> + +<p>"<i>Good night!</i>" Perry spurned the table against which he was leaning, +hurdled a chair and plunged down the room. Ossie was at his heels and +Wink was a good third. They fled at top speed and from behind them came +the irate commands of their host:</p> + +<p>"Stop! Come back! Stop, I say!"</p> + +<p>But they didn't stop. They only ran faster. Wink beat Ossie to the first +window easily and passed out even with Perry. And as they landed on the +stone flagging outside they heard Mr. Drummond excitedly directing the +pursuit.</p> + +<p>"Quick, Wilkins! Get them! They tried to rob the house!" Mr. Drummond's +voice pursued them along the verandah. "Help! Robbers! Head them off!"</p> + +<p>The boys took the stone steps in two bounds, crashed at the bottom into +a hedge, went tearing through and emerged beyond in a service yard, +dimly lighted by one struggling electric bulb over a back doorway. It +was Ossie who fell into the clothes basket and Wink who collided with +the clothes reel and sent it spinning wildly and creakingly around in +the darkness. Perry fortunately avoided all pitfalls and was leading by +six yards when he reached the top of another flight of steps and saw the +marquee and the dancing platform and the gay lights at his right. To +make their way in that direction would be sheer folly, while in front of +them lay a tangle of shrubbery and trees. Into this they hurtled, as +from behind them came cries of "Stop, thief!" and the crunching of many +footsteps.</p> + +<p>Off went Wink's hat as he fled after the scurrying Perry. Ossie went +down in a tangle of briars and prickly things with a grunt, rolled +somehow clear and was off again. "This way!" shouted a voice. "I seen +'em! They went in here! Come on, men!"</p> + +<p>Perry was running alongside a wall now, as he hoped, in the general +direction of the street. Behind him came Wink and Ossie, crashing +through shrubbery with a desperate disregard for noise. Then suddenly, +the wall turned abruptly to the right. Perry stopped short, looked and +decided.</p> + +<p>"We've got to get over!" he gasped, as Wink ran blindly into him. "Give +me a leg-up!"</p> + +<p>Wink leaned weakly against the wall and Perry set a foot on his cupped +hands and was just able to reach the top of the wall. But that was +enough. Up he climbed. Then up came Ossie, and together, while the +pursuit drew instantly closer, they pulled Wink to safety. For a brief +moment they sat there and caught their breath while wondering what lay +below them in the gloom of the further side. But there was scant time +for conjectures, for the pursuit was in sight. Three bodies launched +themselves into space, there was a frightful, devastating sound of +breaking glass and the boys disengaged themselves from a cold-frame and +sped on again into the darkness.</p> + +<p>A house loomed suddenly before them, a house with lights and folks about +the porch and a panting automobile curving its way down a drive. They +turned to the right and kept along a lawn in the shadows of the trees. +The automobile passed them with a purr and a sweeping flare of white +light. Then Perry was after it and in another moment they were all +three huddled somehow on the gas-tank at the rear and going with +increasing speed out of the grounds and along a road. For a few minutes +they hung there, breathing hard, and then Wink gasped:</p> + +<p>"We've got to get off, Perry! It's going the wrong way!"</p> + +<p>"If we do, we'll get killed," answered Perry. "Wait till it slows up."</p> + +<p>They waited, but it seemed that it never would slow up. It went faster +and faster. It passed houses and stores and a church. It went like the +wind. Ossie groaned as they left the village behind.</p> + +<p>"I can't stay on much longer, fellows!" he said hopelessly. "I'm +clinging by my t-t-teeth!"</p> + +<p>"You've got to!" answered Perry above the noise of the exhaust. "You'll +break something if you don't! Wait till it slows up!"</p> + +<p><i>Toot! Toot! To-o-oot!</i> said the horn. And then, so suddenly that +Perry's head collided with something particularly hard, the brakes +squeaked harshly, the car slewed into an avenue and the boys, making the +most of the opportunity, fell off. Ossie rolled a full half-dozen yards +before his progress was stayed by a tree, and Wink, or so Perry +declared afterwards, described a beautiful and quite perfect circle. +Bruised, breathless and dizzy, they got to their feet and staggered to +the side of the road and subsided on the turf.</p> + +<p>After a long minute Ossie said feebly: "Where—do you—suppose—we are?"</p> + +<p>"About ten miles—in the country," answered Wink.</p> + +<p>There was silence then, silence long and profound. At last they climbed +to their feet and, without speaking, walked off in the darkness in the +direction from which they had come. Perhaps ten minutes later there came +the first sound to break the silence. It was a choking sort of gurgle +from Wink.</p> + +<p>"What's the matter with you?" inquired Perry listlessly.</p> + +<p>"I was just—just thinking," replied Wink. "It was so—so—" But words +failed him and he began to laugh. After a dubious instant Perry +chuckled, and then Ossie, and presently they were clinging to each other +convulsively in the middle of the unknown road and sending shrieks of +laughter up to the starlit sky.</p> + +<p>Over an hour later they reached the landing. Both tenders were gone. The +<i>Follow Me</i> was dark, but a faint light still burned aboard the +<i>Adventurer</i>. Perry cupped his hands and sent a hail across the water. A +sleepy response was followed by the sound of someone tumbling into the +dingey and then by the measured creak of oars. Han was grumbling as he +drew to the float.</p> + +<p>"A fine time to be coming back," he said. "Where the dickens did you +fellows get to, anyway? We looked all around the shop for you. Did you +get any grub?"</p> + +<p>"N-no," answered Perry, as he sank wearily into a seat. "We got tired of +sticking around there and—and went for a ride."</p> + +<p>"A ride? Where to?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, just around a bit. Out in the country a ways. Was—was the grub any +good?"</p> + +<p>"Was it!" Han grew quite animated. "It was the best ever! They had about +a dozen kinds of salad, and cold meats all over the place, and +sandwiches and cakes and ice-cream and ices and coffee and—"</p> + +<p>"Oh, shut up!" begged Ossie almost tearfully.</p> + +<p>"It was bully! Were you there when we chased the burglars?"</p> + +<p>"When you—what?" asked Wink.</p> + +<p>"Chased the burglars, I said. Mr. Drummer, or something—I never did +get the name of the folks—found three of them trying to break into his +safe, and they knocked him down and half-killed him, and the servants +chased them, and then everyone took a hand! It was fine and exciting, I +tell you! Had you gone off before that?"</p> + +<p>"Why—er—seems to me we did hear something," said Perry. "When—when +was this?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, about a quarter to ten, I suppose. We were dancing—"</p> + +<p>"<i>You</i> were dancing?" ejaculated Wink.</p> + +<p>"Sure! All of us danced. Didn't you?"</p> + +<p>"Who with, for the love of Mike?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, lots of girls. Mrs. Thingamabob happened to find Joe standing +around and made him tell her his name, and then she took him off and +introduced him to some girls, and then he introduced the rest of us. It +was a peachy floor. Some of the girls were all right, too."</p> + +<p>"You seem to have got on fairly well," said Wink, "considering you +weren't invited."</p> + +<p>"We were invited just as much as you were," responded Han indignantly.</p> + +<p>"Maybe, son, maybe," answered Wink, as he climbed aboard the darkened +<i>Follow Me</i>, "but I'll bet they weren't half as sorry to see you go as +they were to see us!"</p> + +<p>With which cryptic remark Wink stumbled into the cockpit and +disappeared.</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_XVIII'></a><h2>CHAPTER XVIII</h2> + +<p style="text-align: center"><b>THE SQUALL</b></p> +<br /> + +<p>Although the Adventure Club remained in port for another day, neither +Perry, Wink nor Ossie went ashore again, and all the efforts of the rest +of the party failed to coax them off the boats. They were, they +declared, fed up with Bar Harbor. And they hinted that so far as they +were concerned the voyage might continue at any moment without protest. +Han brought back a newspaper that afternoon containing a vivid and +highly sensational account of the attempted robbery of the Alfred Henry +Drummond "cottage." The three read it with much interest, and especially +that portion of it which stated that "the local police force is +investigating and has every expectation of making arrests within +twenty-four hours, since it is not believed the burglars have succeeded +in leaving the island and all avenues of escape are being closely +guarded."</p> + +<p>It might have been observed by the others, but wasn't, that Perry and +Ossie, on the <i>Adventurer</i>, and Wink, on the <i>Follow Me</i>, exhibited a +strange fondness for the seclusion of the cabins from that time until +the next day at eight, when the cruisers up-anchored and passed out of +the harbour. And as the broad Atlantic rolled under the keels three +hearty sighs emerged from as many throats.</p> + +<p>The two boats passed Petit Manan Island toward ten that forenoon, a tiny +rocky islet holding aloft a tall shaft against the blue of the Summer +sky. "A hundred and fourteen feet," said Joe informatively, "and the +highest lighthouse on the coast except one."</p> + +<p>"Gee, think of living there in Winter!" said Perry awedly.</p> + +<p>"Guess Petit Manan isn't as bad as some of the islands along here, at +that," said Joe. "Some of them are a lot further from the mainland. +Remember Matinicus?"</p> + +<p>"Think of folks living on them," murmured Han. "They must be merry +places in Winter with a blizzard blowing around! Lonely, wow!"</p> + +<p>"Remember the white yacht we passed the other day near Burnt Coal?" +asked Phil, looking up from the book he was reading. "The <i>Sunbeam</i> was +the name of her. Well, a chap was telling me yesterday about her. It +seems she's a sort of Mission boat, the Sea Coast Mission, I think it's +called. The folks that live on these off-shore islands along here were +in pretty bad shape a few years ago, bad shape in every way. There were +no schools, or mighty few, and no churches, and the folks were just +naturally pegging out from sheer loneliness and—and lack of ambition, +just drifting right back into a kind of semi-civilized state, as folks +do on islands in the Pacific that you read about. Well, someone realised +it and got busy, and this Mission was started. There was a chap named +MacDonald, Alexander MacDonald—"</p> + +<p>"Sounds almost Scotch," observed Joe dryly.</p> + +<p>"Never mind what he was. He's American now, if he was ever anything +else," replied Phil warmly. "He was teaching school on one of the +islands near Mount Desert in the Summers and going to college the rest +of the time. There wasn't any church on this island and so he used to +conduct services in the place they used for a school. Somehow, that put +it into his head—or maybe his heart—to be a preacher. He preached +around in all sorts of out-of-the-way places, and then this Mission +started up and the folks behind it just naturally got hold of him and +put him in charge. A New York woman had the <i>Sunbeam</i> built for him +three or four years ago and now he lives right on it, he and a couple +of men for crew, and she keeps pegging around the islands, up and down +the coast, Summer and Winter. You fellows know what Doctor Grenfell does +up around Labrador and beyond? Well, this Mr. MacDonald does the same +stunt along this coast, and, by jiminy, fellows, it's some stunt! Think +of plunging around these waters in Winter, eh? Breaking his own way +through the ice often enough—the boat was built for it they say—and +plugging through some of the nor'easters! Say, I take my hat off to that +fellow!"</p> + +<p>"Some job," agreed Steve thoughtfully. "Man's work, fellows."</p> + +<p>"What does he do for 'em?" asked Ossie.</p> + +<p>"Teaches them, son. Teaches them how to live clean, how to look after +the kids, how to keep healthy. And prays with them, too, I guess. And +brings them books and founds schools. Don't you guess that when this +<i>Sunbeam</i> comes in sight of some of those little, forsaken islands the +folks on shore sort of perk up? Guess the Reverend Mr. MacDonald is +pretty always certain of a welcome, fellows!"</p> + +<p>"Rather!" said Joe. "That's what I call—um—being useful in the world. +Bet you he's a fine sort. Bound to be, eh?"</p> + +<p>"I'd like to make a trip with him," said Perry. "Gee, but it would be +some sport, wouldn't it? Talk about finding adventures! Bet you he has +'em by the hundreds."</p> + +<p>"I dare say," said Phil, "that he'd be glad to dispense with a good many +of them. Hope I haven't bored you, fellows," he added, returning to his +book.</p> + +<p>"You haven't, old scout," answered Han. "Any time you learn anything as +interesting as that, you spring it. Blamed if it doesn't sort of make a +fellow want to be of more use in the world. Guess I'll polish some +brass!"</p> + +<p>They passed many of those islands during the next few days, lonely, +rock-girt spots scantily clad with wild grass and wind-worried fir +trees. Sometimes there was a lighthouse, and nearly always the rocks +were piled with lobster-traps, for lobstering is the chief industry of +the inhabitants. They touched at one small islet one afternoon and went +ashore. There were but three houses there, old, weather-faded shacks +strewn around with broken lobster-pots and nets and discarded tin cans +and rubbish. The folks they met, and they met them all, from babes in +arms to a ninety-eight-year-old great-grandmother, looked sad and +listless and run-to-seed. Even the children seemed too old for their +years. It was all rather depressing, in spite of the evident kindliness +of the people, and the boys were glad to get away again. They bought +some lobsters and nearly a gallon of blueberries before they went. Ossie +declared afterwards that those lobsters looked to him a sight happier +than the folks they had seen ashore!</p> + +<p>They went eastward leisurely, making many stops, and had fine weather +until they sighted Grand Manan. Then a storm drove them to shelter one +afternoon and they lay in a tiny harbour for two days while the wind +lashed the ports and the rain drove down furiously. Nothing of great +interest happened, although the time went fast and pleasantly. To be +sure, there were minor incidents that Phil entered in the log-book he +was keeping: as when Han fell overboard one morning in a heavy sea when +the <i>Adventurer</i> was reeling off her twelve miles and was pretty well +filled with brine and very near exhaustion when he reached the life-buoy +they threw him. And once Ossie pretty nearly cut a finger off while +opening a lobster. And then there was the time—it was during those two +weather-bound days and everyone's temper was getting a bit short—when +Perry cast aspersions on Ossie's biscuits at supper. Perry said they +were so hard he guessed they were Ossie-fied, and the others laughed +and Ossie got angry and they nearly came to blows: would have, perhaps, +had not Steve promised to throw them both overboard if they did!</p> + +<p>They spent two days at Grand Manan, and Perry, who had never before been +further from Philadelphia than the Adirondacks, was vastly thrilled when +he discovered that Grand Manan was a part of New Brunswick. "This," he +declaimed grandly as he stamped down on a clam-shell, "is the first time +I've ever set foot on a foreign shore!"</p> + +<p>The end of the first week in August found them harboured at Eastport. +They stayed there four days, not so much because the place abounded in +interest as because the <i>Adventurer</i>, who had behaved splendidly for +several hundred miles, suddenly refused to go another fathom. Steve said +he guessed the engine needed a good overhauling, and Perry chortled and +offered his services to Joe to help take it apart. But Joe, in spite of +his invaluable and ever-present hand-book, acknowledged his limitations, +and the job went to a professional and the <i>Adventurer</i> spent most of +three days tied up to a smelly little dock while the engine specialist +took the motor down before be discovered that a fragment of waste and +other foreign matter had lodged in the gasoline supply pipe. +Fortunately, his charge was moderate. Had it been otherwise they might +have had to stay in Eastport until financial succour reached them, for +the exchequer was almost depleted.</p> + +<p>They found a letter from Neil among the mail that was awaiting them at +Eastport. Neil was evidently down on his luck and begged for news of the +club. He got it in the shape of an eight-page epistle from Phil.</p> + +<p>Perry made a close study of the sardine industry and laid gorgeous plans +for conducting a similar venture on the banks of the Delaware when he +returned home. "You see," he explained, "a sardine is just whatever you +like to call it in this country. I used to think that a sardine had to +come from Sardinia."</p> + +<p>"From where?" asked Ossie, the recipient of Perry's confidences.</p> + +<p>"Sardinia."</p> + +<p>"Where's that?"</p> + +<p>"I dunno. Spain, I think. Or maybe Italy. Somewhere over there." He +waved a hand carelessly in the general direction of Grand Manan. +"Anyway, there's nothing to it. A man told me this morning that the +sardines they use here are baby herring or menhaden or—or something +else. I guess most any fish is a sardine here if it's young enough. +Unless it's a whale. Now why couldn't you use minnows? There are heaps +of minnows in the Delaware River. Or young shad. A shad's awfully decent +eating when he's grown up, and so it stands to reason that he'd make a +perfectly elegant sardine."</p> + +<p>"Nothing but bones," objected Ossie.</p> + +<p>"A young shad, say a week-old one, wouldn't have any bones, you chump. +At least, they'd be nice and soft. It's a dandy business, Ossie. All you +have to have is some fish and a lot of oil and some tin cans."</p> + +<p>"Sounds easy the way you tell it. I suppose you pour the oil in the tin +can and drown the fish in the oil and clamp the lid on, eh?"</p> + +<p>"N-no, there's a little more to it than that. There's something about +boiling them. They have big kettles. Want to go over this afternoon and +see them do it? There's a fine, healthy smell around there!"</p> + +<p>"Thanks, but I got a whiff of it a while ago. Unless you want me to sour +on sardines, Perry, you won't take me to the place they build them."</p> + +<p>The engine was reassembled in the course of time and, with fresh +supplies, the <i>Adventurer</i> turned homeward, the <i>Follow Me</i> close +astern. They started after an early dinner, having decided to make +Northeast Harbor that evening and proceed to Camden the next day. They +had seen enough of the eastern end of the coast, they thought, while +from Camden westward there were numerous places that had looked +enticing. So "No Stop" was the order, and the <i>Adventurer</i>, turning back +into home waters off Lubec, churned her way through the Bay of Fundy at +a good pace. The morning had dawned hazy, but the sun had shone brightly +for awhile in mid-afternoon. Later the sunlight disappeared again and +the northern sky piled itself with clouds. South West Head was abeam +then and Steve half-heartedly offered to run to shelter. But the others +pooh-poohed the suggestion.</p> + +<p>"If we duck every time there's a cloud," said Joe, "we'll never get back +to Camden. There isn't any wind and the barometer says fair."</p> + +<p>The barometer was rather a joke aboard the <i>Adventurer</i>. It hung just +inside the forward companion way and was undoubtedly a most excellent +instrument. But not a soul aboard could read it properly. When it +dropped, the skies cleared and the wind blew. When it rose, it +invariably rained or got foggy. Steve had long since given it up in +despair, but Joe still maintained a belief in his powers of +prognosticating weather by the barometer, a belief that no one else on +the boat shared.</p> + +<p>"If the pesky thing says that," remarked Han, "it'll snow before night! +Still, I don't see why we need to run into harbour yet. There's no sign +of fog, and if it's only rain that's coming, why, we've been wet before. +I say let her flicker, Steve."</p> + +<p>"I guess so. We're not out far and if it does get very wet we can soon +get under cover somewhere. Find me the next chart, Joe, will you?"</p> + +<p>They could see the Seal Islands, or they thought they could, off to port +at a little past three. The <i>Follow Me</i> was hiking along about a quarter +of a mile astern, making better going than the <i>Adventurer</i>, just as she +always did in a heavy sea. And today the sea was piling up a good deal. +Joe looked anxious at times, but he had passed his novitiate and now it +took a good deal of tossing to send him below. What happened at about +half-past three occurred so suddenly that no one aboard the <i>Adventurer</i> +was prepared for it.</p> + +<p>It grew dark almost between one plunge of the cruiser's bow and another, +and before Steve could punch out his warning on the whistle, +preparatory to heading to starboard, a gust of wind tore down on them +from the north like a blast from the pole and set canvas rattling and +flags snapping. Steve headed toward Englishman's Bay, nine miles due +west, and the <i>Follow Me</i> altered her course accordingly. But that storm +had no intention of awaiting anyone's pleasure. The first gust was +quickly followed by a second and the sky darkened rapidly. The spray +began to come over the rail, and Han and Perry tugged down a flapping +curtain and lashed it to the stanchions. The next time Steve looked for +the <i>Follow Me</i> she was no longer in sight, for the darkness had closed +in between the two craft.</p> + +<p>"This is a mess," shouted Steve, peering through the spray-wet glass +ahead. "I wish we were about seven or eight miles further along, +fellows."</p> + +<p>"Well, we will be presently," replied Phil cheerfully. "I dare say this +blow won't last long. It's only a squall, probably."</p> + +<p>"It's a good one, then," muttered Steve. "If you don't believe it take +hold of this wheel. Feel her kick? Keep a lookout for that island in +there, Joe."</p> + +<p>Things went from bad to worse and ten minutes after the first warning +the <i>Adventurer</i> was tossing about like a cork, her propeller as often +out of water as in, and making hard work of it.</p> + +<p>They had to hold tight to whatever was nearest to keep from being +pitched across the bridge deck. The seas began to pile in over the roof +of the after cabin and the deck was soon awash. Steve held to the wheel +like grim death, with Joe at his side when needed, and they plunged on. +But it didn't take Steve long to realise that to attempt to make the +haven under such conditions would be folly. There were islands and reefs +ahead and the gloom made it impossible to see for any distance.</p> + +<p>"The only thing we can do, fellows," he said presently, shouting to make +himself heard above the wind, "is to run for it straight down the shore. +If we can get in past Wass Island we can anchor, I guess, but if we try +to make Englishman's Bay we'll pile up somewhere as sure as shooting! I +wish I was certain the <i>Follow Me</i> was all right."</p> + +<p>"If we are, she's sure to be," said Joe. "She's a nifty little chip in +tough weather. Here comes some rain, Steve!"</p> + +<p>Joe's description was weak, however. It was more than "some" rain; it +was a deluge! It swept past the edges of the curtains and splashed on +the deck in dipperfulls. And it hid everything beyond the torn and +tattered Union Jack at the bow. Looking through the dripping windows was +like looking through the glass side of an aquarium, for beyond it was a +solid sheet of water. Steve gazed anxiously from chart to compass under +the electric lights and eased off to port.</p> + +<p>"There's too much land around here," he shouted to Joe, "to leave me +happy. And, what's more, I'm none too certain just where we are at this +blessed minute. So it's the wide ocean for yours truly. We'll just have +to run for it and trust to luck!"</p> + +<p>"Right-o," called Joe sturdily. "Let her flicker, old man! There's one +thing plumb certain, and that is if we come across an island +we're—um—likely to run clean over it!"</p> + +<p>But Joe was wrong.</p> + +<p>The words were scarcely off his lips when a cry of mingled astonishment +and alarm sprang from Steve as he threw his weight on the wheel. At the +same moment there was a shock that sent all hands reeling, the +<i>Adventurer</i> quivered from stern to stern, and then, after a moment no +longer than a heart-beat, lurched forward again. Directly over the bow, +glimpsed vaguely through the rain and gloom, rose a towering cliff. +Steve's frantic efforts were in vain, for although he tore at the +clutch and the propeller thrashed the water astern, the <i>Adventurer</i> was +already in the smother of the surf and an instant later she struck.</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_XIX'></a><h2>CHAPTER XIX</h2> + +<p style="text-align: center"><b>SHIPWRECKED</b></p> +<br /> + +<p>Afterwards the boys looked back on the ensuing five minutes as a dream +rather than a reality. The cruiser grounded with an impetus that set +pans rattling in galley, lifted again and once more thumped her stern +down, as she did so swinging her stern slowly around in a last frantic +effort to pull clear. Then the boat careened, a sea washed clean across +the deck and, with her keel forward of the engine firmly imbedded in the +sand, she lay still save for the tremors that shook her when the angry +surf rushed in across her beam.</p> + +<p>There was confusion enough, but on the whole the six alarmed boys +behaved sensibly. Steve, wet to his waist, turned off the engine and +banged shut the chart-box even as he shouted his orders. "Life +preservers, fellows! Han, get the big cable from the locker. Keep your +heads now!"</p> + +<p>Clinging like a leech to the canted roof of the forward cabin, Steve +himself worked along with the rope and, half-drowned in rain and surf, +made it fast to the cleat. The others, struggling into life-belts, +clung to the stanchions or whatever they could find. Steve crawled back +with the coil, drenched and breathless.</p> + +<p>"We've got to get off, fellows," he said. "It's only a dozen yards to +the beach and we can make it all right. Close every hatch. Ossie, fetch +a can of biscuits. See that the lid's tight." Wave after wave struck on +the starboard beam and fell hissing across the boat. The side curtains +were ripped from the stanchions and fluttered wildly about them.</p> + +<p>"Going to swim for it?" asked Joe above the roar of waves and tempest.</p> + +<p>"Yes! We've got to. The boat would swamp in an instant. I'll start ahead +with the line. You fellows wait and then follow it in."</p> + +<p>"Better let me go along," said Joe, his hands formed into a +speaking-trumpet.</p> + +<p>"No need. I'll make it."</p> + +<p>"Look out for back-tow!"</p> + +<p>The other nodded. He had pulled off his coat and unlaced his shoes and +now he dropped these things through the forward hatch and wrapped the +big rope around his waist. "Better not try to swim with your coats, +fellows," he instructed. "Nor shoes. Don't take any chances. Last man +off see that this hatch is shut tight." He crawled around the +stanchions on the starboard side and crept along to the bow, the others, +huddled together on the sloping bridge, watching anxiously. Then he +slipped from sight. Once they saw his head, or thought they saw it, a +darker blot in the grey-green welter. Joe was already creeping toward +the bow, and, having reached it, he crouched there, blinded by rain and +spray, and waited for the rope to tauten. It seemed a long while before +he waved an arm to the watchers behind and swung himself off. They saw +his hands travel along the rope a moment and then he was smothered up in +the spume.</p> + +<p>One by one the others followed without misadventure save when Han +slipped on the deck and would have rolled across and plunged over the +further side had he not fortunately caught the iron support of the +searchlight in front of the funnel. Phil was the last to go. With a +final look about the deck as he clung to an awning pipe, he followed +Ossie. The latter was swinging himself hand-over-hand by the rope with +the waves surging to his shoulders. Then Phil saw him strike out and the +waters hid him. The beach was visible at moments from the bow, and once +Phil, as he prepared to swing himself off, thought he saw figures +there. Then he, too, was battling. The waves swept him under the rope +and would have wrenched him from it had he not clung on desperately. +Holding to it with his right hand, he sought to find it with his left +and so draw himself on, but the surf swirled him about dizzily and he +gave up the attempt. Instead, almost drowned in the smother, he used his +left arm and his legs for swimming, edging his right hand along the +cable as best he could, and presently, although none too soon, felt the +churning gravel beneath his stockinged feet. But when he tried to stand, +the receding water swept his legs from under him so unexpectedly and +forcibly that he lost his grasp of the rope. He went down and felt the +water tugging him back, swam mightily and was lifted to the top of an +in-rushing breaker, filled his lungs with air and felt blindly for the +rope. Then hands seized him and Joe and Han, clinging to the cable, +dragged him ashore.</p> + +<p>Phil found himself under the frowning battlement of the huge cliff on a +ledge of sand and shingle scarcely twenty feet wide. But there was less +sweep for the rain here and the <i>Adventurer</i> was plainly visible through +the strange semi-darkness. Steve had made the shore end of the cable +fast to a boulder that stood, half out of the shingle, at the base of +the cliff. For a long minute the six boys huddled there in the storm and +disconsolately gazed at the boat. It was Han who voiced the thought of +most of them.</p> + +<p>"She won't stay together long, I guess," he said sorrowfully. "Those +waves will batter her to pieces."</p> + +<p>"She'll stand a lot of battering," answered Steve hopefully. "It's +hitting her on the beam and she hasn't swung much since I left her. The +tide's still coming in and—" He stopped. Then: "I ought to have +dropped the stern anchor over," he went on. "What an idiot! If she had +that to hold her from swinging broadside—"</p> + +<p>"Would it hold her?" asked Joe dubiously.</p> + +<p>"It would help." Steve tightened his belt. "I'm going back," he said.</p> + +<p>They remonstrated, but to no purpose. Then Joe and Han wanted to go +along, and were denied. "It's no trick," said Steve resolutely. "I can +do it easily. You fellows stand by when I come ashore again. That's the +only tough part of it. Someone might see if there's a way up from this +beach. If the tide comes much higher it's going to be a bit damp here."</p> + +<p>It was Perry who undertook that task, while the others followed Steve to +the breakers' edge and watched him return to the <i>Adventurer</i>. He made +no attempt to swim, but pulled himself along by the line, +hand-over-hand, his head for the most of the time under the water. But +presently he emerged and they saw him clamber to the deck, crawl along +it and disappear. He seemed a long time there, but he came into sight +again eventually and began the return trip. Perry was back by then and +they formed a line by clasping hands and Joe stood well above his waist, +battered by the surf, and Steve was helped along from one to another and +presently they were all back on the beach once more.</p> + +<p>"I got it over," gasped Steve, "but it was hard work. I think it will +hold. If the storm will only go down pretty soon she may get through. I +think some of her planks are sprung, though. There's a foot of water in +the after cabin. I got some matches and this cup." He pulled a tin cup +from a trousers pocket. "Can we get up the cliff a way?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," answered Perry. "There's a sort of a shelf about a hundred feet +beyond there. I'll show you the way."</p> + +<a name="image-3"><!-- Image 3 --></a> +<center><a href="images/003_lg.jpg"> +<img border=0 src="images/003.jpg" height="377" width="300" +alt=""Those waves will batter her to pieces""> +</a> +</center> + +<p style="text-align: center"><span style=' +font-style:italic; font-weight:700'><small>"Those waves will batter her to pieces"</small></span></p> + +<p>They followed. Real darkness was coming fast now and Perry found +difficulty in retracing his steps. But in a few minutes, by dint of +scrambling and pulling themselves upward, they reached the shelf. It +was barely large enough to hold them all and was scarcely ten feet above +the level of the beach below. Nor was it at all level, for it had been +formed by the accumulation of falling debris from the cliff and sloped +outward at a steep angle. Some dwarf firs and low bushes had gained +rootage, however, and it was possible for them to huddle there without +fear of rolling to the rocks beneath. Steve tried to find some dead +branches to build a fire, and did succeed in getting a few, but his +first attempt to set them alight proved the futility of the undertaking. +There was nothing for it save to lie as close together as they could, +for warmth, and await the morning.</p> + +<p>That was a miserable night. They all slept at times, and by changing +places they all, for a while at least, found some degree of warmth. But +they had been drenched through to start with and when, at last, the +stormy world began to lighten their garments were still sodden and they +shivered whenever they stirred. Ossie was ill toward morning, but there +was nothing they could do for him except huddle closely about him. He +complained of intense pains in his chest and Steve had horrible visions +of pneumonia until Ossie, asked to locate the trouble more definitely, +laid a trembling hand on a portion of his anatomy and muttered "Here" +through chattering teeth.</p> + +<p>"That's not your chest, you idiot," said Steve, vastly relieved. "That's +your stomach!"</p> + +<p>"Is it?" returned the sufferer miserably. "Well, it hurts just the +same!"</p> + +<p>But after an hour he felt considerably better and went off to sleep. By +that time it was early morning and they could see about them. The rain +had almost ceased, but the wind still blew hard and the surf was still +pounding. Once during the darkness the waves had, from the sound, +entirely covered the little beach. Now, however, they had receded and, +as the light grew, they saw that the <i>Adventurer</i> lay, with regard to +the tide, about as they had last glimpsed her. But she had swung her +stern further around, in spite of the anchor Steve had dropped, and the +waves were breaking almost squarely across her. She was a pathetic +sight. Her side curtains were waving in ribands, the forward flag-pole +held nothing but one tiny rag of blue bunting and the tender, torn from +the chocks, was jammed between the stanchions ahead.</p> + +<p>"But she's still whole," said Steve from between blue lips. "And the +storm's going down. If she isn't sprung too much, and we could only get +her off of there—"</p> + +<p>"Getting her off," said Joe with a pessimism born of hunger and cold and +the gloom of the early morning, "will be about as easy as moving a house +with a toothpick. I dare say the sand's bedded around her two feet +high."</p> + +<p>"I'm afraid so," Steve agreed. "Well, let's have something to eat. Will +you have steak or chicken, Joe?"</p> + +<p>"Broiled ham and a baked potato, please, and a couple of eggs. Not more +than two minutes for the eggs. And you might bring me a couple of hot +biscuits—"</p> + +<p>"Oh, shut up," begged Steve miserably.</p> + +<p>"Well, you started it! Who's awake here?"</p> + +<p>"I am," muttered Perry. "Seems to me I haven't been anything but awake +for ten years."</p> + +<p>"Well, want to order your breakfast now, or will you wait?" asked Joe +cheerfully.</p> + +<p>"Guess I'll wait," answered Perry grimly. "Where are those crackers?"</p> + +<p>They got Ossie awake with difficulty and Steve doled out six crackers to +each. The tin cup came in handy, for there was a pool of rain water in a +ledge below them.</p> + +<p>"What I can't see," grumbled Ossie, "is why we didn't stay on board the +boat. It would have been a lot drier than this place."</p> + +<p>"You may think so now," replied Steve, "but wait till you get aboard +again. We might have stayed on her, as it's turned out, but the boat +didn't look very homelike to me yesterday!"</p> + +<p>"How the dickens were we to know that it would hold together, or even +stay on its keel?" asked Joe disgustedly. "Don't talk like a sick +goldfish, Ossie!"</p> + +<p>As soon as they had consumed breakfast they scrambled down to the beach +with many groans and stretched their cramped and aching limbs. The rain, +although now little more than a very heavy mist, limited their vision to +a hundred yards or so in any direction. Steve hazarded the opinion that +they were not more than two miles from the mainland, although he made no +attempt to give a name to the island they were on. The fate of the +<i>Follow Me</i> worried them all, but Phil, always the most sanguine in +times of stress, pointed out that as the other craft had not followed +them onto the island she was probably safe.</p> + +<p>"She may be piled up further along somewhere," suggested Joe. "I say +we'd better have a look. It would help a bit to know what sort of a +place we've struck, anyway. For all we know there may be a house just +around the corner!"</p> + +<p>So they set out in two parties, Steve, Ossie and Phil going one way and +the rest the other. It was agreed that they were to be back in an hour +at the most. Twenty minutes later, each exploration party having stuck +to the beach, they came together again, much to their mutual surprise.</p> + +<p>"The pesky thing isn't more than a few acres big!" exclaimed Joe +disgustedly.</p> + +<p>"And it's entirely surrounded by water," added Perry brightly.</p> + +<p>"Most islands are," said Ossie. "We can get up on top easily enough +here, fellows. Let's see what it looks like."</p> + +<p>Their island was little more than a rock stuck out of the water. Just +how big it was was difficult to determine since the haze of driving mist +allowed but little view. From the beach, at a point presumably directly +opposite the place where they had come ashore they climbed by the aid of +rocky footholds and bushes to a broken but generally level summit clad +with a tangled growth of blueberry and briars and sprinkled most +liberally with boulders. The ground arose gradually as they advanced, +guided by Steve's pocket compass, and before very long they reached the +wind-swept edge of the cliff against which they had spent the night. +From the summit they could see dimly at brief intervals the form of the +<i>Adventurer</i> far below.</p> + +<p>"Well, I don't see that we've accomplished much," said Han. "We're here, +but where are we? And how the dickens are we going to get back again? If +anyone thinks that I'm going to risk my neck sliding down here he's +mistaken."</p> + +<p>"We don't ask you to, Ossie dear," said Han. "Your little neck is much +too precious. One thing is certain, anyway, I guess: there's no hotel on +the place!"</p> + +<p>"Hotel!" said Joe. "Gee, I'd be satisfied with a—um—cow-shed!"</p> + +<p>Nevertheless, they made the return journey in better spirits, for they +had walked the aches from their limbs and warmth into their bodies. On +the way Steve made them gather fagots of dead branches and they found a +number of larger pieces of wood on the beach. By the time they were once +more "at home," as Perry put it, they had all the material for a fire +save paper or some other form of kindling. Steve experimented with twigs +from the fir trees on the ledge, but they were too wet to burn. No one +had any paper, or if they had it was too damp.</p> + +<p>"What would Robinson Crusoe have done?" asked Steve, frowning +thoughtfully.</p> + +<p>Joe, who had seated himself tiredly on the wet sand and was digging his +stockinged heels into it, sneered at Mr. Crusoe. "He'd have made a trip +on his raft," he said, "and fetched ashore a bundle of kindling. If it +hadn't been for that wreck to draw on Robinson Crusoe would have starved +to death in twenty-four hours!"</p> + +<p>"Of course!" exclaimed Steve. "That's the idea!"</p> + +<p>"What, starve?" asked Joe distastefully.</p> + +<p>"No, you idiot, go out to the <i>Adventurer</i> and get some gasoline!"</p> + +<p>"Sure!" agreed Ossie. "Only—just when we were getting dry at last—"</p> + +<p>"What's the matter with stripping," asked Steve cheerfully, suiting +action to word. "Is there a can or anything I can put it in, Ossie?"</p> + +<p>"There's a jug in the starboard locker. There's about a pint of vinegar +in it, but I guess we can sacrifice that."</p> + +<p>"Drink it, Steve, and save it," suggested Perry.</p> + +<p>The tide had retreated further by now and the bow of the cruiser was +almost beyond the breakers and Steve's journey was not difficult. When +he got back, with the vinegar jug filled with gasoline hung around his +neck, he reported the <i>Adventurer</i> waist-deep in water at the stern. +"You fellows start the fire," he said, "and I'll go back and bring some +grub ashore. There's no reason for starving with food handy."</p> + +<p>Joe volunteered to accompany him, and, after disrobing and putting his +damp clothes under a stone to keep them from blowing away, he and Steve +plunged back into the water. Meanwhile success met the efforts of the +firemen and soon a good-sized blaze was roaring in spite of wind and +mist. They had located it as near the foot of the cliff as possible and, +although the smoke made itself disagreeable by billowing out in their +faces, it was thereby somewhat sheltered from the elements. Steve and +Joe made three trips and brought back frying-pan, coffee-pot and smaller +utensils, as well as provisions, and a half-hour later they were +beginning a supplementary breakfast of bacon and coffee. And if anything +in all the wide world, from the time of Noah to that of the Adventure +Club, ever tasted sublime to a shipwrecked mariner it was that same +bacon and coffee!</p> + +<p>When they had finished, Phil's watch—the only one of six which had +neither run down for lack of winding or been incapacitated by immersion +in salt water—gave the hour as twenty minutes past seven. Comforted by +food and drink, they warmed themselves at the fire and waited for the +tide to recede far enough to allow a survey of the <i>Adventurer</i>. The +comfort was too much for Perry and he fell asleep with his feet almost +in the embers and his head on a rock and slumbered emphatically. At last +the line of breakers was well astern of the cruiser and the boys, +leaving their stockings to dry by the fire and rolling their trousers +up, began their investigation.</p> + +<p>On the whole the <i>Adventurer</i> had so far come off easily. Her planks had +been strained in several places, but there were no breaks. Steve, +hanging over the stern, tried to get sight of the propeller but failed, +as the sand had settled about it. Joe, wading out into the water, had +better success when he investigated. He came up, dripping, with the +welcome announcement that the blades were intact and that, so far as he +could ascertain by feeling, the shaft was not bent. But things looked +pretty dismal below-decks. The forward cabin was awash, as was the +engine-well, and the after stateroom was knee-deep. They gathered on the +bridge deck and held council.</p> + +<p>"We can plug her seams, all right," said Steve, "and by keeping a pump +going get to port, <i>if</i> we can only get her off the beach. But I can't, +for the life of me, see how we're going to do that. Her bow's settled a +foot deep in sand and it's piled up along this side of her. Even her +propeller's buried!"</p> + +<p>"Not very much," said Joe. "If we start her she'll kick it away in a +minute."</p> + +<p>"But there isn't any use starting her," said Steve thoughtfully, "unless +she's afloat a good deal more than she was this morning. If only we had +something to fix a line to astern we might pull her off with the +windlass." His gaze ran seaward and in an instant he was on his feet +gazing intently through the mist. "What's that back there?" he demanded +eagerly. "Isn't it a rock, fellows?"</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_XX'></a><h2>CHAPTER XX</h2> + +<p style="text-align: center"><b>THE DERELICT</b></p> +<br /> + +<p>It was a rock whose brown head was thrust barely two feet above the +water.</p> + +<p>"It's the ledge we grazed last night," cried Joe. "Could we get a rope +to that, Steve?"</p> + +<p>"Why not? We'll have a go at it, anyway. Help me with the tender, +someone!"</p> + +<p>It was difficult work. As a first step the bow line was replaced by a +smaller rope and taken through the breakers to the out-cropping ledge. +There, working precariously in the water while Joe held him from the +boat and Han did his best to keep the dingey steady, Steve eventually +got the big cable around the rock, protecting it from the rough edges by +a blanket from one of the berths. Fortunately, the rock was so formed +that, once drawn tight, there was no danger of the rope slipping off, +and they returned to the <i>Adventurer</i>, Steve towing behind, in triumph. +In the meanwhile the others, directed by Phil, were stuffing the worst +of the seams with strips of muslin, using table knives for caulking +irons. The cable to the rock was led through a ring at the stern and +carried forward to the windlass. By the time the tide had begun to rise +again they had got the hull free of water, taking turns at the hand-pump +and operating the bilge-pump at the same time. Then they waited to see +how well they had succeeded at their caulking. It was noon by that time, +and they ate cold rations in the galley, and while they were below a +transient gleam of sunlight shone for an instant through the hatch above +and they tumbled to deck. The fine rain had almost ceased and although +the sunlight was gone again, the clouds were breaking. Steve whooped for +joy and the others joined him. It might have been only in imagination, +but it seemed that the wind was less fierce and that the in-rolling +breakers were less formidable.</p> + +<p>There was little to do save to set the cruiser as much to rights inside +and out as was possible and wait for high tide again. As the water once +more surrounded the boat they were pleased and encouraged to find that +while the water was again coming in through the seams it filled the +bilge so slowly that the pump could easily take care of it. Perry +declared proudly that they had done a "caulking job!" They went ashore +before the water cut them off entirely and built the fire up again. +About four the wind died down appreciably and the sun, which had been +flirting with the world ever since noon, burst forth in a sudden blaze +of glory. The mist disappeared as if by magic and exclamations of +surprise burst from six throats as eager eyes looked shoreward.</p> + +<p>There, as it seemed scarcely a half-mile distant, was the mainland; +green fields, grey cliffs, white houses! In reality the distance was +well over a mile and a quarter, but so clear had the atmosphere suddenly +become that the space of tumbled green water intervening looked hardly +more than a swimmer's stunt! They cheered and would have waved their +caps had they had any to wave. A small steamer was ducking her way along +near shore and they could almost see the spray tossing from the bow. +They found a nearer way to the top of the cliff and climbed to the +summit and tried to decide just where they were, but even Steve was at a +loss, although he was fairly certain that Englishman's Bay was well to +the north, probably as far distant as six miles. But, since from where +they gazed islands and mainland melted into each other, even Wass Island +was not determinate. But after all it didn't much matter where they +were. In a calm sea they could reach the shore in the dingey if it +became necessary, while a distress signal would undoubtedly be soon seen +from the nearer head-land. But Steve was not ready to call for aid yet, +and together they made their way back to the beach and settled down +philosophically to await evening and high tide.</p> + +<p>With the prospect of release from their desert island to cheer them, +waiting was not so hard. They had some supper about six and after that +the time passed fairly quickly. At half-past eight they made their way +out to the <i>Adventurer</i>. The wind had died entirely down at sunset and +now the sea was probably as quiet and well-behaved as it ever was just +there. About nine they began operations. No one was too sanguine of the +results, but when, having started the engine and experimentally moved +the clutch into reverse to clear the sand from around the propeller, no +untoward incident happened they became more encouraged. The heaving +lever was put into the windlass and, with Phil astern to watch the cable +where it ran through the ring bolt, Steve operated the engine while the +others took turns, two and two, at the windlass. Gradually the manila +cable tightened and strained and the screw churned hard, but the +<i>Adventurer</i>, save for righting herself a trifle, gave no indication of +moving from her sandy bed. Steve summoned the boys who were not working +the windlass to the after part of the boat in order to lighten the bow +as much as possible, and they worked on. Just when it seemed that not +another inch of the cable was to be conquered there was a shout from +Ossie and Han, who were panting at the lever, and the <i>Adventurer</i> +moved!</p> + +<p>After that it was only a matter of time. Inch by inch the cruiser +dragged her keel along the sand, each minute floating a little freer and +each minute putting her deck more level as the stern found the deep +water. And, perhaps a half-hour from the time they had started, they had +the boat riding clear and slowly going astern to take up the cable. It +was out of the question to get the rope free of the rock and so they had +to cut it, and, having done so, they swung cautiously around in a wide +circle and headed toward the cheerful white beam of a lighthouse that +beckoned from the shore.</p> + +<p>They had to keep the pump going, for a leak they had not suspected +developed forward, but that was a small matter and they were so glad to +get out of the adventure with nothing worse than a few sprung planks, +some bent stanchions and the loss of the side curtains that they would +willingly have pumped by hand. Half an hour later, after a slow and +careful passage from island to mainland, with the searchlight picking +out her path, the <i>Adventurer</i> dropped anchor in a narrow harbour.</p> + +<p>They stayed there only overnight, for in the morning they found that +there was no prospect of getting repairs made there, and so, with the +bilge pump sucking merrily, they ran ten miles further down the coast +and before dinner time saw the <i>Adventurer</i> on a cradle and hauled high +and dry from the water. The damage to the hull, while nowhere severe, +was more general than they had thought, and the man who was to do the +repairs decreed a week's stay. After discussing the situation it was +decided that all save Steve and Phil were to proceed to Camden by rail +and wait there for the <i>Adventurer</i>. Steve was to remain to superintend +the repairs and painting—the cruiser stood in need of paint by +then—and Phil volunteered to keep him company and help take the boat on +when it was ready.</p> + +<p>In the meanwhile, after a day of uncertainty, the <i>Follow Me</i> was +located by telegraph at Jonesport. "All well. Sailing for Camden +tomorrow. Meet you there" was the reply from Harry Corwin. Steve and +Phil, watching seaward from the deck of the <i>Adventurer</i>, sitting high +up on a marine railway, thought that they made out the <i>Follow Me</i> about +ten o'clock the next morning, but couldn't be sure. The two boys, +captain and first mate, lived aboard and took their meals wherever they +could get them. They were there just six days and had a very happy if +unexciting time. Several absurd epistles reached them from Camden, all +of which indicated that the other members of the Adventure Club were +enjoying themselves hugely. At last, shining with new paint and polished +brass and refurnished with new curtains, the <i>Adventurer</i> slid down the +railway again, floated out from the cradle and pointed her nose toward +Penobscot Bay. In the middle of a bright Friday afternoon she dropped +anchor alongside her companion craft, Phil doing wild and ecstatic +things with the whistle and eliciting no response from the <i>Follow Me</i>. +Steve and Phil donned proper shore-going togs and tumbled into the +dingey. The <i>Follow Me</i> was totally deserted, which accounted for the +fact that, while their noisy arrival had aroused not a little interest +on other craft, the <i>Follow Me</i> had received them very coldly. They +found some of the party at the hotel and the others rounded up later. +Everyone was flatteringly glad to see the new arrivals again, but none +more so than Perry. Perry was absolutely pathetic in his greetings and +refused to let Steve out of his sight for an instant.</p> + +<p>"I'm quite taken by surprise," declared Steve. "I knew you loved me +devotedly, Perry, but this is—this is really touching!"</p> + +<p>Perry grew a trifle red and coughed. "Er—well—I hope so," he blurted.</p> + +<p>"You hope so? Hope what?"</p> + +<p>"Hope it's touching," explained the other, grinning. "You see, I'm flat +broke, Steve, and so is everyone else, or pretty near, and if you could +lend me a couple of dollars—"</p> + +<p>"I feared it wasn't all just affection," sighed Steve, reaching for his +purse. "But it was worth the price, Perry!"</p> + +<p>"Much obliged! You—you might make it three, if you don't mind. I owe +Han fifty cents and Ossie a quarter—no, thirty-five—"</p> + +<p>"Here's five, you spendthrift. Let me have it back as soon as you can, +though, for I'm down near the bottom myself."</p> + +<p>"I will, Steve. I've sent for some and it ought to be along in a day or +two. Money doesn't last any time here!"</p> + +<p>Friends and acquaintances made during their former visit had done +everything possible to make the boys' stay so very more than pleasant, +and when the matter of going on was introduced the suggestion met with +scant sympathy. However, Steve was not at all averse to a week or so of +lotus eating and, having satisfied his conscience by the proposal, he +settled down, to enjoy himself with the rest. His friends ashore were +lavish with hospitality, while "Globbins the Speed Fiend," as Perry had +dubbed the freckle-faced proprietor of the restless automobile, was +indefatigably attentive. A second letter from Neil, forwarded from one +port of call to another in their wake, reached them one day, and they +composed a reply between them and all hands signed it. Neil was having +rather a dull time of it, they gathered, and they hoped their letter +would cheer him up a bit.</p> + +<p>At last, when they had, after two postponements, fixed a day of +departure, a storm that tied up shipping all along the North Atlantic +Coast for four days caused a final delay, and consequently it was well +toward the last of August when they said good-bye and set forth for +Squirrel Island. No one particularly cared to visit Squirrel Island save +Han, who had friends there, but as there was still a full week at their +disposal they were in no great hurry and one port was as good as +another. They remained there a day and then made Portland. At Portland +supplies were put in, and one Wednesday morning they picked up the +anchor at a little after six o'clock and started for Provincetown with +the fine determination to cover the distance of approximately a hundred +and twenty-five miles before they sat down to supper. That they didn't +do so was no fault of either the <i>Adventurer</i> or the <i>Follow Me</i>.</p> + +<p>It was about half-past eight that Phil, sitting on the forward cabin +roof with his back braced against the smokestack, called Steve's +attention to an object far off to port. They had then put some thirty +miles between them and Portland and were twenty miles off Cape Neddick. +The morning was lowery, with occasional spatters of rain, and the storm, +which had blown off to the northward the day before, had left a heavy +sea running. For an hour the <i>Adventurer</i> and the <i>Follow Me</i> had been +climbing up the slopes of grey-green swells and sliding down into +swirling troughs, and for a minute Steve couldn't find the dark speck at +which Phil was pointing. When he did at last sight it over the tumbled +mounds of water he stared in puzzlement a moment before he took the +binoculars from their place and fitted them to his eyes. He looked long +and then silently handed the glasses through the window to Phil, punched +two shrill blasts on the whistle and swung the wheel to port.</p> + +<p>"Looks like a wreck," said Phil, after an inspection of the distant +object. "Going to see?"</p> + +<p>Steve nodded. "Might be someone aboard," he answered. "We can tell in +another mile or so, I guess."</p> + +<p>Phil gave up the glasses to the others, who had clustered to the bridge, +while the <i>Follow Me</i> altered her course in obedience to the signal, her +company probably wondering why Steve had suddenly chosen to stand out to +sea. At the end of ten minutes it was plainly to be determined with the +aid of the binoculars that the object which had attracted their +attention and curiosity was without any doubt a wreck, and as the +<i>Adventurer</i> drew momentarily closer her plight was seen to be extreme. +Whether anyone remained aboard was still a question when the cruiser was +a mile distant, but everything pointed against it. The craft, which +proved to be a small coasting schooner, had evidently seen a lot of +trouble. Both masts were broken off, the foremast close to the deck and +the mainmast some dozen feet above it. She lay low in the water, with +her decks piled high with lumber. A tangle of spars and ropes hung +astern, but save for her cargo the decks had been swept clean. She was a +sad sight even at that distance, and more than one aboard the +<i>Adventurer</i> felt the pathos of her.</p> + +<p>"No sign of life," said Steve. "If anyone was aboard there'd be a signal +flying. And the boats are all gone, too, although that wouldn't mean +much in itself because they might have been swept away. I guess, though, +it got a bit too strenuous and the crew remembered the 'Safety First' +slogan. There's nothing we can do, anyway."</p> + +<p>He started to swing the cruiser about again, but Perry intervened. +"She's a whatyoucallit!" he exclaimed excitedly. "She's—"</p> + +<p>"No, little one," Joe corrected gently, "she's a wreck."</p> + +<p>"She's a derelict," persisted Perry eagerly, "and no one belongs to her! +If we got her she'd belong to us, Steve! Wouldn't she?"</p> + +<p>"I suppose she would," replied Steve dubiously, his hand hesitating on +the wheel, "but finding her and getting her are two mighty different +things, Perry. If we <i>could</i> get her she'd be a nice prize, I guess, for +lumber's worth real money these days, and although she isn't very big +it's safe to say she's got quite a bunch of it on her, below deck and +above. I guess that lumber is what kept her afloat, from the looks of +the hull."</p> + +<p>"Let's see what we can do," said Han. "Someone will find her and—"</p> + +<p>"It might as well be us," added Perry enthusiastically. "Couldn't we tow +her, Steve!"</p> + +<p>"Tow her! Gee, she'd follow about as easily as a brick house!"</p> + +<p>"But if we both pulled—"</p> + +<p>"Well"—Steve cast an appraising eye at the weather—"I'm game to try it +if the rest of you say so. Full steam ahead, Mr. Chapman!"</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_XXI'></a><h2>CHAPTER XXI</h2> + +<p style="text-align: center"><b>ON BOARD THE <i>CATSPAW</i></b></p> +<br /> + +<p>Steve communicated the project to those aboard the <i>Follow Me</i> which had +now drawn up as near as she dared, and there followed a moment of blank +amazement aboard the smaller boat. But discussion there was brief, and +almost at once Harry Corwin raised his megaphone again and bellowed +across:</p> + +<p>"Go to it! What do you want us to do, Steve?"</p> + +<p>"Nothing yet," was the answer. "We're going to board her first and see +how she looks. If we take on the job we'll want your heaviest cable."</p> + +<p>Harry signalled assent. By this time they were within a hundred yards of +the derelict, and, with engines just moving, they tossed about on the +long swells and had a better look at the schooner. She was about eighty +feet long, with a beam of probably twenty-two, and displaced +approximately a hundred tons. She was square-sterned and blunt-nosed, +evidently built for capacity rather than speed. Her name, in gold +letters on the bow, was quite distinct: <i>Catspaw</i>. Later, when they +rounded her stern, they saw that her home port was Norfolk. Her cargo, +or at least so much of it as was above deck, consisted of rough pine +boards, and every available foot of space was occupied with it. The +deck-house was all but hidden. The mainmast dragged by a tangle of ropes +aft of the starboard beam and was acting as a sort of sea-anchor. For +the rest, her lumber-piled deck was swept clean save for a splintered +gaff that had become wedged in the boards. Her hull had been painted +black, but not very recently, and a dingy white streak led along the +side.</p> + +<p>The two cruisers worked cautiously around to the leeward side of the +<i>Catspaw</i>, the <i>Adventurer's</i> tender was dropped over and Steve, Joe and +Han climbed in. Boarding in that sea was no child's work, for the big +swells, which slammed into and sometimes over the schooner without much +effect, tossed the dingey high in air. But by rowing hard at first and +then taking advantage of the quieter water near the schooner they at +last reached the old black hull in safety and, while Han managed the +boat-hook, the other two scrambled aboard.</p> + +<p>As they had suspected, the hulk was utterly deserted, and the fact that +the forecastle and the captain's quarters were bare of anything of +value and that the davits were empty indicated that the vessel had been +abandoned in order. There was a good deal of water in her, but, as Steve +pointed out, she wouldn't sink in a dozen years with that load of lumber +to hold her up. "She wouldn't show much speed," he said when they had +completed their investigations and were once more on deck, "and she'll +tow about as easy as a lump of lead, but it's only thirty miles or so to +Portsmouth, and even if we make only two miles an hour, and I guess we +won't make much more, we can get her there tomorrow. That is, we can if +our cables hold and the weather doesn't get nasty. I don't much like the +looks of that same weather, though."</p> + +<p>"Well, the barometer is rising," said Joe, "and that means—"</p> + +<p>"Never mind your old barometer," laughed Steve. "Anyway, we'll have a go +at this. If we have to give it up, all right, but we'd be silly not to +try it. Come on and we'll get the cables aboard."</p> + +<p>Two hours of hard work followed. With the cruisers tagging along nearby, +suiting their pace to the slow drift of the schooner, the boys cut away +the wreckage and rigged a jury-mast at the stump of the foremast. On +this they spread a spare forestaysail which they dug from the sail +locker. That it would aid greatly in the ship's progress Steve did not +expect, but it would, he figured, make steering easier. Then the +cruiser's heaviest anchor cables were taken aboard and made fast at the +bow. A "prize crew" consisting of Joe, Han and Perry, from the +<i>Adventurer</i>, and Wink and Bert, from the <i>Follow Me</i>, was placed in +charge and enough food for two meals supplied them. The galley stove was +still in running order, although it reeked of grease, and there was a +fair supply of wood handy. Bert Alley, who had volunteered to do the +cooking, objected to an inch or so of water that swashed around the +floor, but the others pulled a pair of old rubber boots from a chest in +the forecastle and he became reconciled. At noon they all returned to +their respective cruisers and ate dinner, which, under the conditions, +was no easy matter. They had to hold the dishes to the table and swallow +their tea between plunges. Joe was inordinately proud of himself that +day, for, in spite of the nasty motion—and there's nothing much more +likely to induce sickness than a long ground-swell—he not only remained +on duty but consumed his dinner with a fine appetite. It rained quite +hard for a half-hour about noon and then ceased just in time for them +to set off to the <i>Catspaw</i> again. It was decided that the <i>Follow Me's</i> +tender was to be left with the schooner, in case of necessity, and Joe +acknowledged that he felt a bit easier in his mind when it had been +hoisted, not without difficulty, to one of the davits.</p> + +<p>"It's all fine and dandy to say that this old tub can't sink," he +confided to Wink Wheeler, "but—um—suppose she <i>did</i> sink? Then that +little old dingey would be worth about a thousand dollars, I guess."</p> + +<p>"It would be worth about ten cents," answered Wink pessimistically, +"after we'd crowded five fellows into her in a sea like this!"</p> + +<p>"Well, anyway, she's bigger than ours," said Joe. "And I saw a life belt +downstairs—I mean below."</p> + +<p>Joe and Wink were to take watches at the wheel, Perry and Han were to +tend to the sail and keep a lookout and Bert was to cook. Steve issued +his final directions at a little past one and then the two hawsers were +stretched to the cruisers. Another squall of rain set in as the final +preparations were made. A code of signals had been arranged between the +three boats, a flag or piece of sailcloth to be used while the light +held and a lantern after darkness. The "prize crew" cheered gaily as +the others pulled away in the <i>Adventurer's</i> dingey and were cheered in +return, and five minutes later the two cables tautened, the water foamed +under the overhangs of the motor-boats and, reluctantly and even +protestingly, the <i>Catspaw</i> obeyed the summons and started slowly to +follow in the wakes of the distant cruisers.</p> + +<p>Han and Perry, at the bow, waved caps triumphantly as the blunt nose of +the schooner began to dig into the waves, and Joe, at the wheel, shouted +back. The three-cornered sail was shifted to meet the following breeze +and soon the <i>Catspaw</i> was wallowing along slowly but, as it seemed, in +a determined way at the rate of, perhaps, three miles an hour. Perry, +protected by a slicker, seated himself on the windlass and felt very +important. Now and then someone aboard one of the cruisers waved a hand +and Perry waved superbly back. Those cruisers were a long way off in +case of danger, he reflected once, but he decided not to let his mind +dwell on the fact.</p> + +<p>Joe found that the wheel of the <i>Catspaw</i> required a good deal more +attention than that of the <i>Adventurer</i>, and his arms were fairly tired +by the time he yielded his place to the impatiently eager Wink. +Steering the <i>Catspaw</i> with the sea almost up to her deck line was a +good deal like steering a scow loaded with pig-iron, Joe decided. Not, +of course, that he had ever steered a scow of any sort, but he had +imagination.</p> + +<p>The <i>Adventurer</i> and <i>Follow Me</i> were heading West Southwest one-fourth +West to pass Boon Island to starboard, and Kittery Point lay some thirty +miles away. As it was then just short of three bells, and as they were +making, as near as those aboard the <i>Catspaw</i> could judge, very nearly +three miles an hour, it seemed probable that by two o'clock that night +they would be at anchor off Portsmouth Harbour. Of course, there was +always the possibility of bad weather or a broken cable, but the +<i>Catspaw's</i> crew declined to be pessimistic. They were having a royal +good time. There was enough danger in the enterprise to make it +exciting, and, being normal, healthy chaps, excitement was better than +food. Perry proclaimed his delight at last finding an adventure quite to +his taste.</p> + +<p>"Being wrecked on that island the other day was poor fun," he declared. +"And it was dreadfully messy, too. But this is the real thing, fellows! +Why, this old hooker might take it into her head to go down <i>ker-plop</i> +any minute!"</p> + +<p>"Huh," replied Wink Wheeler, "that may be your idea of the real thing, +Perry, but it isn't mine. I'm just as strong for adventure as you, +sonny, but I prefer mine on top of the water and not underneath!"</p> + +<p>"Shucks," said Joe, "this thing can't sink. Look at all the lumber on +her!"</p> + +<p>"Yes, but it might get water-logged," suggested Bert from the door of +the deck-house. "Wood does, doesn't it?"</p> + +<p>"Not for a long time," said Joe. "Years, maybe. And this lumber's new. +You can tell by the looks of it."</p> + +<p>"Well, don't be to sure," advised Perry, darkly. "You never can tell. +And there's another thing, too. We're top-heavy, with all these boards +piled up on deck here, and if a storm came up we might easily turn +turtle."</p> + +<p>"Oh, dry up," said Han. "You're worse than Poe's raven. Besides, she +couldn't turn over, you idiot, as long as the lumber floated. She'd have +to stay right-side up."</p> + +<p>"Wish we had a barometer aboard," said Joe. "We'd know what to expect +then."</p> + +<p>"You mean we'd know what you'd tell us to expect," replied Perry +ironically. "And then we'd get something else. For my part, I'm glad +they took their old barometer with them."</p> + +<p>"They took about everything that wasn't nailed down except the stove," +said Wink.</p> + +<p>"That's nailed down, too," said Bert. "Or, at least, it's bolted. How +many do you suppose there were on board when the storm hit them?"</p> + +<p>"About five, maybe. Perhaps six. I guess five could handle a schooner +this size. Five are handling her now, anyway," Joe added.</p> + +<p>Nothing of moment occurred during the afternoon, if we except occasional +squalls of rain, until, at about five, those on the schooner observed a +smudge of smoke to the southward that eventually proved to be coming +from an ocean tug. The tug approached them half an hour later and ran +alongside the <i>Adventurer</i>. The boys on the <i>Catspaw</i> saw the boat's +captain appear from the pilot-house and point a megaphone toward the +white cruiser, and glimpsed Steve replying. What was said they could +only surmise, but the tug's mission was evident enough.</p> + +<p>"He wants the job," said Joe anxiously. "Wonder if Steve will let him +have it."</p> + +<p>"I hope he doesn't," said Wink. "We can do the trick without anyone's +help, I guess. Besides, he'd want half the money we'll get."</p> + +<p>"More than half, probably," said Han. "He's still talking. I wish he'd +run away smiling."</p> + +<p>He did finally. That is, he went off, but whether he was smiling they +couldn't say. They fancied, however, that he was not, for the <i>Catspaw</i> +would have made a nice prize for the tug's owners.</p> + +<p>The tug plunged off the way she had come and was soon only a speck in +the gathering twilight. It seemed a bit more lonesome after she had +gone, and more than one of the quintette aboard the <i>Catspaw</i> wondered +whether, after all, it might not have been the part of wisdom to have +accepted assistance. Darkness came early that evening, and by six the +lights on the <i>Adventurer</i> and <i>Follow Me</i> showed wanly across the +surly, shadowy sea. Han and Perry had already prepared the two lanterns +they had found on board and as soon as the cruisers set the fashion they +placed them fore and aft, one where it could be plainly seen from the +boats ahead and the other on the roof of the deck-house. While they were +at that task the darkness settled down rapidly, and by the time they had +finished the cruisers were only blotches against which shone the white +lights placed at the sterns for the guidance of the <i>Catspaw's</i> +navigators.</p> + +<p>The boys ate their suppers in relays about half-past six. Bert had +prepared plenty of coffee and cooked several pans of bacon and eggs, and +had done very well for a tyro. Later the <i>Adventurer</i> turned on her +searchlight and against the white path of it she was plainly visible. A +more than usually severe squall of wind and rain broke over them about +eight and when the rain, which pelted quite fiercely for a few minutes, +had passed on the wind continued. It was coming from the northwest and +held a chilliness that made the amateur mariners squirm down into their +sweaters and raincoats. The <i>Catspaw</i>, low in the water as she was, +nevertheless felt the push of the wind and keeping her blunt nose +pointed midway between the two lights ahead became momentarily more +difficult. At the end of an hour it required the services of both Joe +and Wink to hold the schooner steady. Perry and Han, huddled as much out +of the chilling wind as they could be, kept watch at the bow. Keeping +watch, though, was more a figure of speech than an actuality, for the +night was intensely dark and save for the lights of the towing craft +nothing was discernible.</p> + +<p>The sea arose under the growing strength of the nor'wester and soon the +waves were thudding hard against the rail and the piled lumber and +sending showers of spray across the deck. The <i>Catspaw</i> rolled and +wallowed and the watchers at the bow soon knew from the sound of the +straining cables that the cruisers were having difficulty. Bert crawled +forward through the darkness and spray and joined them.</p> + +<p>"Joe says they'll be signalling to cast off the hawsers pretty quick," +he bellowed above the wind and waves. "He says we aren't making any +headway at all now."</p> + +<p>"Gee, it'll be fine to be left pitching around here all night," said +Perry alarmedly. "If we only had an anchor—"</p> + +<p>"I'd rather keep on drifting," said Han. "It'll be a lot more +comfortable."</p> + +<p>"Maybe, but we'll be going out to sea again. Seems to me they might keep +hold of us even if they don't get along much." Perry ducked before the +hissing avalanche of spray that was flung across the deck. "There's one +thing certain," he added despondently. "We've got to stay on this old +turtle as long as she'll let us, for we couldn't get that dingey off now +if we tried!"</p> + +<p>"What's the difference?" asked Han. "They'll stick around us until the +wind goes down again, and we're just as well off here as they are on +the boats. Bet you the <i>Adventurer</i> is doing some pitching herself about +now!"</p> + +<p>They relapsed into silence then, for making one's self heard above the +clamour of wind and water and the groans and creakings of the schooner +was hard work. They watched the <i>Adventurer</i> for the expected signal for +a long time, but it was nearly ten when a lantern began to swing from +side to side on the cruiser. A moment later they heard faintly the +shriek of the <i>Adventurer's</i> whistle.</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_XXII'></a><h2>CHAPTER XXII</h2> + +<p style="text-align: center"><b>INTO PORT</b></p> +<br /> + +<p>"Cast off!" said Han. "Take this one first, Perry. Gee, but it's stiff!" +They had to fumble several minutes at the wet cable before they got it +clear and let it slip over the bow. Then the other was cast off as well +and Bert swung the lantern four times above his head as a signal to haul +in. An answering dip of the light on the stern of the <i>Adventurer</i> +answered, just as Joe joined them.</p> + +<p>"All right?" he asked anxiously.</p> + +<p>"Yes, both clear," replied Han. "What do we do now, Joe?"</p> + +<p>"Sit tight and wait. Some of us had better get some sleep. Perry, you +and Bert might as well turn in for awhile. I'm going to. It's ten +o'clock. I'll wake you at two, and you can relieve Han. Bert, you might +make some coffee when you tumble out again. We'll probably need it."</p> + +<p>"I'm not sleepy a bit," protested Perry. But Joe insisted and he and +Bert followed the other below and laid down in the bunks in the +captain's cabin. In spite of his disclaimer and the noise and rolling of +the ship, Perry was asleep almost as soon as he touched the berth, and +the others were not far behind.</p> + +<p>Joe had the faculty of waking up at any predetermined hour, and at two +he was shaking the others from their slumbers. It was at once evident +that the gale had increased, for it was all they could do to keep their +feet under them as they made their way to the galley. Bert set about +making a fire while the others made their way to the wheel. Wink greeted +them cheerfully enough from the lantern-lit darkness there, but his +voice sounded weary in spite of him.</p> + +<p>"I had Han take the sail down," he announced. "She steers better without +it. The wind's pretty fierce, isn't it? Look out!"</p> + +<p>A big wave broke over the rail and descended on them in bucketfulls.</p> + +<p>"That's what makes it so pleasant," shouted Wink. "Guess I'll take a nap +if I can."</p> + +<p>"Bert's making some coffee," said Joe. "Better have some before you turn +in."</p> + +<p>Perry made his way cautiously forward and relieved Han. "Seen anything?" +he asked.</p> + +<p>"Not a thing."</p> + +<p>"Hello, where are the boats?" Perry stared ahead in surprise.</p> + +<p>"One of them—I think it's the <i>Adventurer</i>—is back there." Han turned +Perry about until he glimpsed a faint flicker of light far off over the +starboard beam. "Don't know where the other is. Guess they're having a +rough time of it."</p> + +<p>"I'll bet!" agreed Perry. "You're to have some coffee and turn in, Han."</p> + +<p>"Coffee!" murmured the other gratefully. "Have you had some?"</p> + +<p>"No, I'll get mine later. Beat it, you!"</p> + +<p>Han disappeared in the darkness and Perry, wrapping himself as best he +could in the folds of his slicker, settled himself to his task. Now and +then he looked back for a glimpse of the friendly light at the stern or +for sight of the <i>Adventurer</i>. The wind made strange whistling sounds +through the interstices of the lumber and the battered hull groaned and +creaked rheumatically. When he stood erect the gale tore at him +frantically, and at all times the spray, dashing across the deck, kept +him running with water. He grew frightfully sleepy about three and had +difficulty in keeping awake. In spite of his efforts his head would sink +and at last he had to walk the few paces he could manage, accommodating +his uncertain steps to the roll of the boat, in order to defeat slumber.</p> + +<p>To say that Perry did not more than once regret his suggestion of +rescuing the <i>Catspaw</i> would be far from the truth. He felt very lonely +out there on that bow, and his stomach was none too happy. And the +thought of what would happen to him and the others if the schooner +decided to give up the struggle was not at all pleasant to dwell on. And +so he did his best not to think about it, but he didn't always succeed. +On the whole it was a very miserable three hours that he spent on +lookout duty that night. Once Bert crawled forward and shared his +loneliness, but didn't remain very long, preferring the partial shelter +of the house. No one was ever much gladder to see the sky lighten in the +east than was Perry that morning. But even when a grey dawn had settled +over the ocean the surroundings were not much more cheerful. As Wink +said, it was a bit better to drown by daylight than to do it in the +dark, but, aside from the fact that the <i>Catspaw</i> was still afloat, +there wasn't much to be thankful for.</p> + +<p>One of the cruisers was barely visible off to the northward, but the +other was nowhere in sight. The grey-green waves looked mountain-high +when seen from the water-washed deck of the <i>Catspaw</i>, and the wind, +while seeming to have passed its wildest stage, still blew hard. There +was no sight of land in any direction and Joe pessimistically decided +that they were then some forty miles at sea and about off the Isles of +Shoals. Soon after the sun had come up, somewhere behind the leaden +clouds, they sighted a brig to the southward. She was hardly hull-up and +was making her way under almost bare yards toward the west. She stayed +in sight less than half an hour.</p> + +<p>The boys had breakfast about half-past six. Except coffee and bread +there was little left, and the outlook, in case the gale continued, was +not inspiring! Perry declared that he'd much rather drown than starve to +death. The first cheerful event that happened was the drawing near of +the <i>Adventurer</i>. The white cruiser came plunging up to within a quarter +of a mile about nine o'clock and signals were exchanged. An hour later +the <i>Follow Me</i> appeared coming up from westward and at noon the +schooner and the two convoys were reunited. But there was still no +chance of getting lines aboard. All that they could do was wait. Dinner +hour aboard the <i>Catspaw</i> was dinner hour in name only. There was +coffee, to be sure, but the sugar was low and the condensed milk had +given out completely. All else had disappeared at breakfast time. The +spirits of the "prize crew" got lower and lower as the afternoon began +and they were faced with another night aboard the schooner. Twice they +sighted other craft, once a steamer headed toward the northeast and once +a schooner dipping along under reefed sails. Neither craft showed any +curiosity and each went on its way without a sign.</p> + +<p>Once the <i>Adventurer</i> circled close to the windward and Steve shouted +encouragement through his megaphone. Just what was said they couldn't +make out, and Joe's attempts to acquaint the cruiser with the fact that +they were out of provisions was unsuccessful, since he had only his +hands to shout through and the wind was unsympathetic. But having the +cruisers at hand was comforting, and when, at about four, there was a +brief glimpse of sunlight to the south their spirits arose somewhat. The +wind now began to go down perceptibly and by five it no longer roared +down on them from the northwest, but, swinging around to the northeast, +became quite docile and friendly. They put up their sail again and +gradually the <i>Catspaw</i> pointed her nose toward the coast. Just before +darkness came the sea had quieted enough to make possible an attempt to +get the cables aboard again and those on the schooner saw the cruisers +draw together. Steve and Phil caught the line hurled from the <i>Follow +Me</i> after several attempts and then the tender was dropped over and with +the two cables aboard the boys made for the <i>Catspaw</i>.</p> + +<p>Those on the schooner watched anxiously. At one moment the tiny dingey +was seen poised on the summit of a great green sea and the next was +quite gone from sight. The sun came out momentarily before saying Good +Night, as though to watch that struggle. At last the tender came sidling +down the slope of a wave, the occupants striving hard at the oars, and +after one breathless moment, during which it seemed that the little boat +would be crushed to splinters against the old black hull of the +schooner, Joe caught the painter, Steve made a flying leap for the deck +and gained it in safety, and Phil, boat-hook in hand, worked manfully +and skilfully to fend off while the cables were brought aboard. The +dingey had fetched food as well and a shout of joy went up as Phil, +taking advantage of the calm moments between the rushing waves, hurled +the bundles to the deck.</p> + +<p>There was little time for conversation, for darkness was coming fast, +but Steve heard a brief account of the <i>Catspaw's</i> experiences, and, +while helping to make fast the cables, told of the night aboard the +<i>Adventurer</i>. "It was fierce," Steve said. "No one had much sleep, I +guess. We almost pitched on our nose time and again. If it hadn't been +for you chaps we'd have cut and run about midnight. We lost sight of +your lights several times; they were so low in the water, and thought +that you'd gone down at first. The <i>Follow Me</i> had to run for it, and I +guess they weren't very happy either. But we'll make it this time. It's +clearing up nicely and we're only forty miles from Portsmouth. Keep your +lips stiff, fellows, and we'll be eating breakfast ashore!"</p> + +<p>The dingey pulled off again, narrowly escaping capsizing more than once, +and ten minutes afterwards the <i>Catspaw</i> was once more wallowing along +in the wake of the cruisers. Supper, with bacon and potatoes and lots of +bread, perked the crew up mightily, and when the stars began to peep +through the scudding clouds and the sea stopped tormenting the poor old +<i>Catspaw</i> they got quite cheerful. That second night was an easy one +for all hands. The weather cleared entirely by two o'clock and the sea +calmed to almost normal conditions. The <i>Catspaw</i> strained along at the +ends of the cables at about three miles an hour until she got close +enough to the shore to feel the tide. After that she went more slowly. +At early dawn—and it was a real dawn this time, with sunlight on the +water and a golden glow in the eastern sky—the Isles of Shoals lay six +miles to the southwest and the blue shore line was beckoning them. At a +little before eleven that forenoon the <i>Catspaw</i> passed Portsmouth Light +and half an hour later, having been given over to the care of a tug, was +lying snugly against a wharf.</p> + +<p>It was a tired but triumphant dozen that stretched their legs ashore at +noon and set out in search of dinner. Already they had answered a score +of questions and told their story half a dozen times, and even after +they were seated at table in the best restaurant that the city +afforded—and it was a very good restaurant, too—an enterprising +newspaper reporter found them out and Steve, as spokesman, recounted +their adventures once more between mouthfuls.</p> + +<p>And when at last they could eat no more and the reporter had gone off +to write his story, Steve, Joe and Wink set forth to an address they had +secured on the wharf and the others adjourned to the porch of a nearby +hotel to await their return. "Tell him," instructed Perry as they +parted, "that we won't accept a cent less than a thousand dollars! And," +he added to himself, "I wouldn't go through it again for fifty +thousand!"</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_XXIII'></a><h2>CHAPTER XXIII</h2> + +<p style="text-align: center"><b>SALVAGE</b></p> +<br /> + +<p>Mr. Anthony T. Hyatt, attorney-at-law, leaned smilingly back in a +swivel-chair, matched ten pudgy fingers together and smiled expansively +at his clients. There was a great deal of Mr. Hyatt, and much of it lay +directly behind his clasped hands. He had a large, round face in the +centre of which a small, sharp nose surmounted a wide mouth and was +flanked by a pair of pale brown eyes at once innocent and shrewd. Steve +counted three chins and was not certain there wasn't another tucked away +behind the collar of the huge shirt. Mr. Hyatt had a deep and mellow +voice, and his words rolled and rumbled out like the reverberations of a +good-natured thunder storm. From the windows of the bright, breeze-swept +office the boys could look far out to sea, and it was possible that the +faintly nautical atmosphere that appertained both to the office and its +occupant was due to the sight and smell of the salt water. While Steve +told his story the lawyer's expression slowly changed from jovial +amusement to surprise, and when the narrative was ended he drew himself +ponderously from the chair and rolled to a window.</p> + +<p>"You say you've got her tied up to Sawyer's Wharf, eh?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir."</p> + +<p>"I want to know! Well! Well! Where'd you say you came across her?" Steve +told him again. "And you brought her in yourself, eh?"</p> + +<p>"The lot of us did. Now what we want to know is what claim have we got +against the owners, Mr. Hyatt?"</p> + +<p>The lawyer heaved himself back to his chair and lowered himself into it +with what the boys thought was a most reckless disregard of the +article's capacity and strength. But the chair only creaked dismally. +"Of course you do! Of course you do!" he rumbled smilingly. "But +s'posing I was to tell you you hadn't any claim at all on 'em?"</p> + +<p>"What! No claim at all?" exclaimed Steve.</p> + +<p>The man laughed and shook. "I only said s'posing," he protested. He +weaved his fingers together again over his ample stomach. "As a matter +of law, young gentlemen, you have an excellent claim, a steel-bound, +double-riveted claim. Whether it's against the owners or some insurance +company is what you'll have to find out first. Most likely that ship and +cargo were insured. As to just what amount you are entitled to, the law +doesn't state. That's a matter generally agreed on between the salvors +and the owners. When no agreement can be reached the case goes to the +Admiralty Court."</p> + +<p>"Oh," said Steve. "The first thing to do—"</p> + +<p>"I guess the first thing to do is find out who the owners are and see +what they have to say. If they make you a fair offer, well and good. +Now, do you want me to take this case for you?"</p> + +<p>"Why, yes, sir, I think so," replied Steve, glancing inquiringly at the +others, who nodded assent. "How much—that is, what—"</p> + +<p>"What would I charge you for my services?" boomed the lawyer. "Nothing +at all, boys, unless you get a settlement. If we don't have to go to +court you may pay me a hundred dollars. If we do, we'll make another +arrangement later. That satisfactory?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, indeed," answered Steve heartily, and the rest murmured agreement. +"How long will it take to find out, sir?"</p> + +<p>"I'll have the owner's name in half an hour. Then I'll send them a wire. +You drop in tomorrow at this time and I dare say I'll have something to +tell you. I'll have a look at the boat this afternoon and get an idea of +her value as a bottom. Then we'll get someone to give an estimate on her +cargo. Would you be willing to pay ten dollars for an appraisement?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir, if that's advisable."</p> + +<p>"Well, I think it is. We'd better know what we've got, eh? All right, +gentlemen. You leave it to me. Where are you stopping?"</p> + +<p>"We're staying aboard our boats, sir, the <i>Adventurer</i> and the <i>Follow +Me</i>."</p> + +<p>"I want to know! Regular mariners, ain't ye? Well! Well! Guess you're +having a fine time, too, eh?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir, we've had a pretty good time. About—about how much do you +think we ought to get for the boat, Mr. Hyatt?"</p> + +<p>"Including cargo? Well, now, I don't know, Mister—What did you say your +name is?"</p> + +<p>"Stephen Chapman."</p> + +<p>"Mr. Stephen Chapman, eh?" The lawyer wrote it on a scrap of paper and +thrust it carelessly into a pigeon-hole of the old walnut desk. "Well, +there ought to be a tidy sum coming to you, sir; yes, sir, a tidy sum. +Lumber is fetching money just now, and you tell me the <i>Catspaw</i> is +loaded high."</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir, she's loaded up to her rails. Do you suppose we'll get a +thousand dollars?"</p> + +<p>"A thousand dollars, eh?" Mr. Hyatt beamed broadly and nodded until all +his chins in sight shook. "Yes, you might look for a thousand dollars, +boys. It isn't sense to get your expectations too high, but I guess you +can safely bank on a thousand. Oh, yes, a thousand isn't unreasonable. +Well, you drop around tomorrow and maybe there'll be something to +report. I'll get right to work, gentlemen. Good afternoon!"</p> + +<p>"Funny old whale, isn't he?" commented Joe when they were once more on +the street. "Suppose he knows what he's talking about?"</p> + +<p>"Why not?" asked Wink. "He struck me as being rather a canny customer."</p> + +<p>"Well, he said a thousand dollars," replied Joe. "That's a lot of money, +isn't it, for an old schooner like the <i>Catspaw</i>?"</p> + +<p>"It isn't much for the schooner and the cargo, too," said Steve. "I'm +wondering if it oughtn't to be a lot more; say fifteen hundred. You see, +a schooner like that costs quite a lot of money when it's new. And then, +as Mr. Hyatt said, lumber is high right now, and there's a pile of it on +board."</p> + +<p>"A thousand will suit me all right," said Joe. "A twelfth of a thousand +is—is—"</p> + +<p>"A thirteenth you mean," corrected Steve. "Don't forget Neil."</p> + +<p>"And don't count your chickens until they're hatched," Wink advised. +"It's unlucky, Joe."</p> + +<p>They found the other members of the expedition in various states of coma +induced by a hearty dinner and lack of sleep, but they were all wide +awake when Steve announced the result of the visit to the lawyer.</p> + +<p>"Gee!" exclaimed "Brownie." "A thousand dollars! He's fooling, isn't he? +Why, I thought we'd get maybe three hundred!"</p> + +<p>"A thousand isn't a cent too much," said Perry. "Come to think of it, +fellows, I earned that much myself!"</p> + +<p>"Just a minute, fellows," said Steve, interrupting the jeers that +greeted Perry's statement. "What are we going to do with the money when +we get it?"</p> + +<p>There was a moment of silence. Then Tom Corwin inquired: "Do with it? +How do you mean, do with it, Steve? I thought it would be divided up pro +rata."</p> + +<p>"Of course," agreed Cas and Ossie in unison.</p> + +<p>"Wait a minute," said Phil. "Steve's got something on his mind. Let's +hear it."</p> + +<p>Steve swung himself to the porch rail and faced the half-circle of boys. +"It's just an idea," he began, "and if you don't like it you've only got +to say so. As I look at it, fellows, this club has been a good deal of a +success. If we haven't had any whopping big adventures, we've had some +mild ones—"</p> + +<p>"Great Jumping Jehoshaphat!" muttered Han. "What do you call +adventures?"</p> + +<p>Steve smiled and went on, "At any rate, we've had a whole lot of fun. At +least, I have." He looked about him inquiringly.</p> + +<p>"You bet we have!" answered Joe heartily, and the rest echoed him.</p> + +<p>"Of course, we got the club up just for this Summer, I suppose, but I +don't see any reason why we shouldn't make it a—a permanent affair."</p> + +<p>"Bully!" exclaimed Perry. "Second the motion!"</p> + +<p>"Sit down!" growled Wink.</p> + +<p>"There's next Summer coming, fellows. We could do something like this +again if we wanted to. We needn't make a trip in motor-boats, but we +could do something just as good. Well, now, why not take this money +when we get it and stow it away in the Club treasury instead of spending +it? Then we'd have enough to do almost anything we liked next year. If +we each got our seventy-seven dollars, or whatever the shares might be, +we'd have it spent in a month and never know where it got to. But if we +put it in the bank at interest we'd—we'd have something. If you don't +like the scheme, just say so. I'm willing to do whatever the rest of you +say, only I thought—"</p> + +<p>"It's a corking idea," declared Harry Corwin enthusiastically. "You're +dead right, Steve, too. Seventy-seven dollars would last about two weeks +with me. Why hang it, I've had it spent ten times already, and each time +for some fool thing I didn't really want! I say, let's keep the Club +going, fellows, and put the money in the treasury. And let Phil deposit +it in a bank. At four per cent, or whatever it is banks pay you, it +would come to nearly—nearly thirty dollars by next Summer. And thirty +dollars would buy us gasoline for a month!"</p> + +<p>"Right you are," agreed Wink. "We'll make a real club of it."</p> + +<p>"How about the rest of you?" asked Steve.</p> + +<p>The others were all in favour, although Perry couldn't quite smother a +sigh of regret for the cash in hand he had dreamed of, and there +followed an enthusiastic discussion of plans for next Summer, and Bert +Alley echoed the sentiment of all when he remarked regretfully that next +Summer was an awfully long way off! Ossie made the suggestion that it +might be a good plan to reimburse the members from the salvage money for +what sums they had expended on the present cruise, explaining, however, +that he wasn't particular on his own account. The question was argued +and finally decided in the negative. As Phil put it, what they had spent +would have been spent in any case, whether they had gone on the cruise +or stayed at home, and they had all received full value for their +contributions. Still planning, they went back to the boats and spent the +rest of the afternoon in cleaning them up inside and out, for both the +<i>Adventurer</i> and the <i>Follow Me</i> had been sadly neglected for the past +forty-eight hours.</p> + +<p>Being persons of wealth, they supped ashore and went to a moving picture +show, and afterwards, since no one had had his full allowance of sleep +for the past two nights, "hit the hay," in Perry's phraseology, in short +order and slept like so many logs until sun-up.</p> + +<p>"I wish," remarked Han at breakfast the next morning, "that we were +just starting out instead of going home."</p> + +<p>"Me too," agreed Perry. "It'll be all over in two or three days, and +I'll have to go back to school again. I suppose," he added sadly, "I +shan't see any of you fellows again until next Summer; no one but Ossie, +that is."</p> + +<p>"You don't have to look at me if you don't want to," said Ossie, +reaching backward into the galley for the coffee-pot. "I'm not +particular."</p> + +<p>"You'll see us before Summer," replied Steve. "I've been thinking."</p> + +<p>"So that's it," murmured Joe. "I thought maybe you just—um—hadn't +slept well."</p> + +<p>"If we're going to keep the Club together," continued Steve, treating +the interruption disdainfully, "we've got to keep in touch with each +other. Suppose now we have a meeting about Christmas time, during +vacation."</p> + +<p>"Good scheme!" applauded Phil.</p> + +<p>"I think so. My idea is to keep out about thirty dollars of that money, +or take it out later, I suppose, and have a feed somewhere, a sort of +Annual Banquet of the Adventure Club of America, not Incorporated. We +could hold a business meeting first and then feed our faces and talk +over this Summer's fun and have a jolly old time. What do you say! Pass +the sugar, Han."</p> + +<a name="image-4"><!-- Image 4 --></a> +<center><a href="images/004_lg.jpg"> +<img border=0 src="images/004.jpg" height="388" width="297" +alt=""They offer you—" Mr. Hyatt leaned forward in the +protesting chair"> +</a> +</center> + +<p style="text-align: center"><span style=' +font-style:italic; font-weight:700'><small>"They offer you—" +Mr. Hyatt leaned forward in the +protesting chair</small></span></p> + +<p>They said many things, but they were all in praise of the idea, and +later the <i>Follow Me's</i> contingent was quite as enthusiastic, and Steve, +in his official capacity of Number One, finally found a calendar and +solemnly announced that Saturday, the twenty-third day of December, was +the date, that the hour was six o'clock, post meredian, and that the +place would be decided on later. After which they all went ashore and +passed the time until dinner in various ways. And at a little before two +Steve, Joe and Wink once more climbed the narrow stairway to Lawyer +Hyatt's office.</p> + +<p>"I have here," said Mr. Hyatt, when they had seated themselves and +greetings had been exchanged and the weather duly and thoroughly +disposed of, "a telegram from Barrows and Leland, of Norfolk, Virginia, +agents for the owners of the schooner <i>Catspaw</i>. In it they make an +offer of settlement of your claim, subject, of course, to the facts and +conditions being as stated in my telegram to them."</p> + +<p>He paused impressively and the boys shuffled their feet in silent +expectancy.</p> + +<p>"Hm. Now I'm not going to advise you to accept their offer and I'm not +going to advise you not to," he rumbled. "Only, I do say this, +gentlemen. If you take your case to the Admiralty Court it will cost you +a good deal of money and you won't get a final judgment for a long time. +Of course, you might, in the end, get a better figure. I'd almost be +willing to guarantee that you would. But you want to remember that the +costs of a trial aren't small and that they might eat a big hole in the +difference between the present offer and the court's award."</p> + +<p>"What—what do they offer us?" asked Steve as the lawyer paused to clear +his throat.</p> + +<p>"There's no doubt that the value of the <i>Catspaw</i> and her cargo is a +sight more than these fellows offer us," resumed Mr. Hyatt, quite as +though he had not heard the question. "But there's the old adage about a +bird on toast being worth more than a bird on the telegraph wire." He +chuckled deeply. "And, of course, no owner ever thinks of paying the +full value of salvaged property. Nor does the court expect him to. +Something like an equable division is what they try to award."</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir," murmured Steve nervously. "Yes, sir. Would you mind—"</p> + +<p>"You said something yesterday about a thousand dollars, and I told you +you might expect that much, didn't I?"</p> + +<p>Steve nodded silently.</p> + +<p>"Well—" The lawyer took up a sheet of creased yellow paper from the +desk and ran his eyes along the message thereon. "Well, I've got to tell +you they don't offer you a thousand, boys."</p> + +<p>"Oh!" murmured Steve.</p> + +<p>"Don't they?" gasped Joe weakly.</p> + +<p>"Then what—" began Wink dejectedly.</p> + +<p>"They offer you—" Mr. Hyatt leaned forward in the protesting chair and +held the telegram toward Steve—"they offer you four thousand, seven +hundred and sixty-one dollars, young gentlemen."</p> + +<hr style='width: 35%;' /> + +<p>Isn't this a good place to end our story? I might tell how they wired +the good news to Neil, and how they set forth that afternoon for New +York, and how, after a jolly but uneventful trip, the two boats parted +company off Bay Shore, and how the <i>Adventurer</i>, having done her best to +deserve the name she bore, at last sidled up to a slip in the yacht +basin and discharged her crew. And I might depict the awed delight with +which, two days later, Steve, Joe and Phil gazed upon a narrow strip of +green paper bearing the wonderful legend "Four Thousand Seven Hundred +Sixty-one Dollars." But we set out in search of adventures, and we have +reached the last of them, and so the chronicle should end. And since it +began with a remark from Perry let us end it so. Perry's closing remark +was made from the platform of the train for Philadelphia.</p> + +<p>"Good-bye, you fellows," said Perry, smiling widely to show that he +didn't mind leaving the others the least bit in the world. "We had a +corking good time, didn't we? But just let me tell you something. It +isn't a patch on the fun we're going to have on the next trip of the +Adventure Club!"</p> + +<br> +<br> +<div>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 13897 ***</div> +</body> +</html> diff --git a/13897-h/images/001.jpg b/13897-h/images/001.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..d72792a --- /dev/null +++ b/13897-h/images/001.jpg diff --git a/13897-h/images/001_lg.jpg b/13897-h/images/001_lg.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..c1ee25f --- /dev/null +++ b/13897-h/images/001_lg.jpg diff --git a/13897-h/images/002.jpg b/13897-h/images/002.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..54cf94c --- /dev/null +++ b/13897-h/images/002.jpg diff --git a/13897-h/images/002_lg.jpg b/13897-h/images/002_lg.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..0fec48b --- /dev/null +++ b/13897-h/images/002_lg.jpg diff --git a/13897-h/images/003.jpg b/13897-h/images/003.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..7b618fe --- /dev/null +++ b/13897-h/images/003.jpg diff --git a/13897-h/images/003_lg.jpg b/13897-h/images/003_lg.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..3f0078b --- /dev/null +++ b/13897-h/images/003_lg.jpg diff --git a/13897-h/images/004.jpg b/13897-h/images/004.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..4e8bd1b --- /dev/null +++ b/13897-h/images/004.jpg diff --git a/13897-h/images/004_lg.jpg b/13897-h/images/004_lg.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..423d10a --- /dev/null +++ b/13897-h/images/004_lg.jpg diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. 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C. Caswell</h1> +<pre> +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at <a href = "https://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a></pre> +<p>Title: The Adventure Club Afloat</p> +<p>Author: Ralph Henry Barbour</p> +<p>Release Date: October 30, 2004 [eBook #13897]</p> +<p>Language: English</p> +<p>Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1</p> +<p>***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE ADVENTURE CLUB AFLOAT***</p> +<br><br><h3>E-text prepared by Juliet Sutherland, Kathryn Lybarger,<br> + and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team</h3><br><br> +<hr class="full" noshade> +<a name="image-1"><!-- Image 1 --></a> +<center><a href="images/001_lg.jpg"> +<img border=0 src="images/001.jpg" height="396" width="300" +alt="The two cruisers were chug-chugging out of the harbour. (Page 60)"> +</a> +</center> + +<p style="text-align: center"><span style=' +font-style:italic; font-weight:700'><small>The two cruisers were chug-chugging out of the harbour. +(<a href="#chugchug">Page 60</a>)</small></span></p> + +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br /> + +<h1>THE ADVENTURE CLUB AFLOAT</h1> + +<h3>By</h3> + +<h2>RALPH HENRY BARBOUR</h2> + +<h3>AUTHOR OF <i>LEFT END EDWARDS</i>, <i>LEFT TACKLE THAYER</i>, ETC.</h3> + +<h3>WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY E.C. CASWELL</h3> + +<h3>1917</h3> + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> + +<h3>TO</h3> + +<h3>H.P. HOLT</h3> + +<h3>WHOSE THUNDER I HAVE STOLEN</h3> + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> + +<a name="TABLE_OF_CONENTS"></a><h2>TABLE OF CONTENTS</h2> +<center> +<!-- Autogenerated TOC. Modify or delete as required. --> +<a href='#CHAPTER_I'><b>HOW IT STARTED</b></a><br /> + <a href='#CHAPTER_II'><b>THE CLUB GROWS</b></a><br /> + <a href='#CHAPTER_III'><b>CAST OFF!</b></a><br /> + <a href='#CHAPTER_IV'><b>THE <i>FOLLOW ME</i></b></a><br /> + <a href='#CHAPTER_V'><b>SUNDAY ASHORE</b></a><br /> + <a href='#CHAPTER_VI'><b>IN THE FOG</b></a><br /> + <a href='#CHAPTER_VII'><b>STEVE TAKES HER IN</b></a><br /> + <a href='#CHAPTER_VIII'><b>PERRY LOSES HIS WAY</b></a><br /> + <a href='#CHAPTER_IX'><b>SOUR MILK</b></a><br /> + <a href='#CHAPTER_X'><b>THE <i>FOLLOW ME</i> DISAPPEARS</b></a><br /> + <a href='#CHAPTER_XI'><b>PURSUIT</b></a><br /> + <a href='#CHAPTER_XII'><b>WHAT STEVE SAW</b></a><br /> + <a href='#CHAPTER_XIII'><b>BULLETS FLY</b></a><br /> + <a href='#CHAPTER_XIV'><b>A RUSE THAT FAILED</b></a><br /> + <a href='#CHAPTER_XV'><b>SURRENDER</b></a><br /> + <a href='#CHAPTER_XVI'><b>THE BURGLARS</b></a><br /> + <a href='#CHAPTER_XVII'><b>FLIGHT</b></a><br /> + <a href='#CHAPTER_XVIII'><b>THE SQUALL</b></a><br /> + <a href='#CHAPTER_XIX'><b>SHIPWRECKED</b></a><br /> + <a href='#CHAPTER_XX'><b>THE DERELICT</b></a><br /> + <a href='#CHAPTER_XXI'><b>ON BOARD THE <i>CATSPAW</i></b></a><br /> + <a href='#CHAPTER_XXII'><b>INTO PORT</b></a><br /> + <a href='#CHAPTER_XXIII'><b>SALVAGE</b></a><br /> +</center> +<!-- End Autogenerated TOC. --> +<br /> +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> + +<a name="LIST_OF_ILLUSTRATIONS"></a><h2>LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS</h2> +<center> +<a href="#image-1"><b>The two cruisers were chug-chugging out of the harbour.</b></a><br> +<a href="#image-2"><b>"It is!" he cried. "We've got her, fellows!"</b></a><br> +<a href="#image-3"><b>"Those waves will batter her to pieces"</b></a><br> +<a href="#image-4"><b>"They offer you—" Mr. Hyatt leaned forward +in the protesting chair</b></a><br> +</center> +<br /> +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<h2>THE ADVENTURE CLUB AFLOAT</h2> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_I'></a><h2>CHAPTER I</h2> + +<p style="text-align: center"><b>HOW IT STARTED</b></p> +<br /> + +<p>The Adventure Club had its inception, one evening toward the last of +June, in Number 17 Sumner Hall, which is the oldest, most vine-hidden +and most hallowed of the seven dormitories of Dexter Academy. It was a +particularly warm evening, the two windows were wide open and the +green-shaded light on the study table in the centre of the room had been +turned low—Sumner prided itself on being conservative to the extent of +gas instead of electricity and tin bathtubs instead of porcelain—and in +the dim radiance the three occupants of the room were scarcely more than +darker blurs.</p> + +<p>Since final examinations had ended that afternoon and Graduation Day was +only some twenty-eight hours away, none of the three was doing anything +more onerous than yawning, and the yawn which came from Perry Bush, +didn't sound as though it cost much of an effort. It was, rather, a +comfortable, sleepy yawn, one that expressed contentment and relief, a +sort of "Glad-that's-over-and-I'm-still-alive" yawn.</p> + +<p>There was a window-seat under each casement in Number 17, and each was +occupied by a recumbent figure. Perry was on the right-hand seat, his +hands under his head and one foot sprawled on the floor, and Joe +Ingersoll was in the other, his slim, white-trousered legs jack-knifed +against the darker square of the open window. Near Joe, his feet tucked +sociably against Joe's ribs, Steve Chapman, the third of the trio, +reclined in a Morris chair. I use the word reclined advisedly, for Steve +had lowered the back of the chair to its last notch, and to say that he +was sitting would require a stretch of the imagination almost as long as +Steve himself! Through the windows Steve could see the dark masses of +the campus elms, an occasional star between the branches, and, by +raising his head the fraction of an inch, the lights in the upper story +of Hawthorne, across the yard. Somewhere under the trees outside a group +of fellows were singing to the accompaniment of a wailing ukelele. They +sang softly, so that the words floated gently up to the open casements +just distinguishable:</p> + +"<i>Years may come and years may go,</i><br /> +<span style='margin-left: 1em;'><i>Seasons ebb and seasons flow,</i></span><br /> +<span style='margin-left: 1em;'><i>Autumn lie 'neath Winters' snow,</i></span><br /> +<i>Spring bring Summer verdancy.</i><br /> +<span style='margin-left: 1em;'><i>Life may line our brow with care,</i></span><br /> +<span style='margin-left: 1em;'><i>Time to silver turn our hair,</i></span><br /> +<span style='margin-left: 1em;'><i>Still, to us betide whate'er,</i></span><br /> +<i>Dexter, we'll remember thee!</i><br /> +<br /> +"<i>Other memories may fade,</i><br /> +<span style='margin-left: 1em;'><i>Hopes grow dim in ev'ning's shade,</i></span><br /> +<span style='margin-left: 1em;'><i>Golden friendships that we made</i>—"</span><br /> + +<p>"Aw, shut up!" muttered Perry, breaking the silence that had held them +for several minutes. Joe Ingersoll laughed softly.</p> + +<p>"You don't seem to like the efforts of the—um—sweet-voiced +choristers," he said in his slow way.</p> + +<p>"I don't like the sob-stuff," replied Perry resentfully. "What's the use +of rubbing it in? Why not let a fellow be cheerful after he has got +through by the skin of his teeth and kicked his books under the bed? +Gosh, some folks never want anyone to be happy!" He raised himself by +painful effort and peered out and down into the gloom. "Sophs, I'll +bet," he murmured, falling back again on the cushions. "No one else +would sit out here on the grass and sing school songs two days before +the end. I hope that idiot singing second bass will get a brown-tail +caterpillar down his neck!"</p> + +<p>"The end!" observed Steve Chapman. "You say that as if we were all going +to die the day after tomorrow, Perry! Cheer up! Vacation's coming!"</p> + +<p>"Vacation be blowed!" responded Perry. "What's that amount to, anyway? +Nothing ever happens to me in vacation. It's all well enough for you +fellows to laugh. You're going up to college together in the Fall. I'm +coming back to this rotten hole all alone!"</p> + +<p>"Not quite alone, Sweet Youth," corrected Joe. "There will be some four +hundred other fellows here."</p> + +<p>"Oh, well, you know what I mean," said Perry impatiently. "You and Steve +will be gone, and I don't give a hang for any other chaps!"</p> + +<p>He ended somewhat defiantly, conscious that he had indulged in a most +unmanly display of sentiment, and was glad that the darkness hid the +confusion and heightened colour that followed the confession. Steve and +Joe charitably pretended not to have noticed the lamentable exhibition +of feeling, and a silence followed, during which the voices of the +singers once more became audible.</p> + +"<i>Dexter! Mother of our Youth!<br /> +Dexter! Guardian of the Truth!</i>"<br /> + +<p>"<i>Cut it out!</i>" Perry leaned over the windowsill and bawled the command +down into the darkness. A defiant jeer answered him.</p> + +<p>"Don't be fresh," said Steve reprovingly. Perry mumbled and relapsed +into silence. Presently, sighing as he changed his position, Joe said:</p> + +<p>"I believe Perry's right about vacation, Steve. Nothing much ever does +happen to a fellow in Summer. I believe I've had more fun in school than +at home the last six years."</p> + +<p>The others considered the statement a minute. Then: "Correct," said +Steve. "It's so, I guess. We're always crazy to get home in June and +just as crazy to get back to school again in September, and I believe we +all have more good times here than at home."</p> + +<p>"Of course we do," agreed Perry animatedly. "Anyway, I do. Summers are +all just the same. My folks lug me off to the Water Gap and we stay +there until it's time to come back here. I play tennis and go motoring +and sit around on the porch and—and—bathe—"</p> + +<p>"Let's hope so," interpolated Joe gravely.</p> + +<p>"And nothing really interesting ever happens," ended Perry despairingly. +"Gee, I'd like to be a pirate or—or something!"</p> + +<p>"Summers <i>are</i> rather deadly," assented Steve. "We go to the seashore, +but the place is filled with swells, and about all they do is change +their clothes, eat and sleep. When you get ready for piracy, Perry, let +me know, will you! I'd like to sign-on."</p> + +<p>"Put me down, too," said Joe. "I've always had a—um—sneaking idea that +I'd make a bully pirate. I'm naturally bloodthirsty and cruel. And I've +got a mental list of folks who—um—I'd like to watch walk the plank!"</p> + +<p>"Fellows of our ages have a rotten time of it, anyway," Perry grumbled. +"We're too old to play kids' games and too young to do anything worth +while. What I'd like to do—"</p> + +<p>"Proceed, Sweet Youth," Joe prompted after a moment.</p> + +<p>"Well, I'd like to—to start something! I'd like to get away somewhere +and do things. I'm tired of loafing around in white flannels all day +and keeping my hands clean. And I'm tired of dabbing whitewash on my +shoes! Didn't you fellows ever think that you'd like to get good and +dirty and not have to care? Wouldn't you like to put on an old flannel +shirt and a pair of khaki trousers and some 'sneakers' and—and roll in +the mud?"</p> + +<p>"Elemental stuff," murmured Joe. "He's been reading Jack London."</p> + +<p>"Well, that's the way I feel, lots of times," said Perry defiantly. "I'm +tired of being clean and white, and I'm tired of dinner jackets, and I'm +sick to death of hotel porches! Gee, a healthy chap never was intended +to lead the life of a white poodle with a pink ribbon around his neck! +Me for some rough-stuff!"</p> + +<p>"You're dead right, too," agreed Steve. "That kind of thing is all right +for Joe, of course. Joe's a natural-born 'fusser.' He's never happier +than when he's dolled up in a sport-shirt and a lavender scarf and +toasting marshmallows. But—"</p> + +<p>"Is that so?" inquired Joe with deep sarcasm. "If I was half the +'fusser' you are—"</p> + +<p>"What I want," interrupted Perry, warming to his theme, "is adventure! +I'd like to hunt big game, or discover the North Pole—"</p> + +<p>"You're a year or two late," murmured Joe.</p> + +<p>"—or dig for hidden treasure!"</p> + +<p>"You should—um—change your course of reading," advised Joe. "Too much +Roosevelt and Peary and Stevenson is your trouble. Read the classics for +awhile—or the Patty Books."</p> + +<p>"That's all right, but you chaps are just the same, only you won't own +up to it."</p> + +<p>"One of us will," said Steve; "and does."</p> + +<p>"Make it two," yawned Joe. "Beneath this—um—this polished exterior +there beats a heart—I mean there flows the red blood of—"</p> + +<p>"Look here, fellows, why not?" asked Steve.</p> + +<p>"Why not what?" asked Perry.</p> + +<p>"Why not have adventures? They say that all you have to do is look for +them."</p> + +<p>"Don't you believe it! I've looked for them for years and I've never +seen one yet." Perry swung his feet to the floor and sat up.</p> + +<p>"Well, not at Delaware Water Gap, naturally. You've got to move around, +son. You don't find them by sitting all day with your feet on the rail +of a hotel piazza."</p> + +<p>"Where do you find them, then?" Perry demanded.</p> + +<p>Steve waved a hand vaguely aloft into the greenish radiance of the lamp. +"All round. North, east, south and west. Land or sea. Adventures, +Perry, are for the adventurous. Now, here we are, three able-bodied +fellows fairly capable of looking after ourselves in most situations, +tired of the humdrum life of Summer resorts. What's to prevent our +spending a couple of months together and finding some adventures? Of +course, we can't go to Africa and shoot lions and wart-hogs—whatever +they may be,—and we can't fit out an Arctic exploration party and +discover Ingersoll Land or Bush Inlet or Chapman's Passage, but we could +have a mighty good time, I'd say, and, even if we didn't have many +hair-breadth escapes, I'll bet it would beat chasing tennis balls and +doing the Australian crawl and keeping our white shoes and trousers +clean!"</p> + +<p>"We could be as dirty as we liked!" sighed Perry ecstatically. "Lead me +to it!"</p> + +<p>"It sounds positively fascinating," drawled Joe, "but just how would we +go about it? My folks, for some unfathomable reason, think quite a lot +of me, and I don't just see them letting me amble off like that; +especially in—um—such disreputable company."</p> + +<p>"I should think they'd be glad to be rid of you for a Summer," said +Perry. "Anyhow, let's make believe it's possible, fellows, and talk +about it."</p> + +<p>"Why isn't it possible?" asked Steve. "My folks would raise objections +as well as yours, Joe, but I guess I could fetch them around. After all, +there's no more danger than in staying at home and trying to break your +neck driving an automobile sixty miles an hour. Let's really consider +the scheme, fellows. I'm in earnest. I want to do it. What Perry said is +just what I've been thinking without saying. Why, hang it, a fellow +needs something of the sort to teach him sense and give him experience. +This thing of hanging around a hotel porch all Summer makes a regular +mollycoddle of a fellow. I'm for revolt!"</p> + +<p>"Hear! Hear!" cried Perry enthusiastically. "Revolution! <i>A bas la</i> +Summer Resort! <i>Viva</i> Adventure!"</p> + +<p>"Shut up, idiot! Do you really mean it, Steve, or are you just talking? +If you mean it, I'm with you to the last—um—drop of blood, old chap! +I've always wanted to revolt about something, anyway. One of my +ancestors helped throw the English breakfast tea into Boston Harbour. +But I don't want to get all het up about this unless there's really +something in it besides jabber."</p> + +<p>"We start the first day of July," replied Steve decisively.</p> + +<p>"Where for?"</p> + +<p>"That is the question, friends. Shall it be by land or sea?"</p> + +<p>"Land," said Joe.</p> + +<p>"Sea," said Perry.</p> + +<p>"The majority rules and I cast my vote with Perry. Adventures are more +likely to be found on the water, I think, and it's adventures we are +looking for."</p> + +<p>"But I always get seasick," objected Joe. "And when I'm seasick you +couldn't tempt me with any number of adventures. I simply—um—don't +seem to enthuse much at such times."</p> + +<p>"You can take a lemon with you," suggested Perry cheerfully. "My +grandmother—"</p> + +<p>Joe shook his head. "They don't do you any good," he said sadly.</p> + +<p>"Don't they! My grandmother—"</p> + +<p>"Bother your grandmother! How do we go to sea, Steve? Swim or—or how?"</p> + +<p>"We get my father's cruiser," replied Steve simply. "She's a +forty-footer and togged out like an ocean-liner. Has everything but a +swimming-pool. She—"</p> + +<p>"Nix on the luxuries," interrupted Perry. "The simple life for me. +Let's hire an old moth-eaten sailboat—"</p> + +<p>"Nothing doing, Sweet Youth! If I'm to risk my life on the heaving ocean +I want something under me. Besides, being seasick is rotten enough, +anyhow, without having to roll around in the cock-pit of a two-by-twice +sailboat. That cruiser listens well, Steve, but—um—will papa fall for +it? If it was my father—"</p> + +<p>"I think he will," answered Steve seriously. "Dad doesn't have much +chance to use the boat himself, and this Summer he's likely to be in the +city more than ever. The trouble is that the <i>Cockatoo</i> is almost too +big for three of us to handle."</p> + +<p>"Oh, piffle!"</p> + +<p>"It's so, though. I know the boat, Perry. She's pretty big when it comes +to making a landing or picking up a mooring. If we were all fairly good +seamen it might be all right, but I wouldn't want to try to handle the +<i>Cockatoo</i> without a couple of sailors aboard."</p> + +<p>"I once sailed a knockabout," said Perry.</p> + +<p>"And I had a great-grandfather who was a sea captain," offered Joe +encouragingly. "What price great-grandfather?"</p> + +<p>"Don't see where your grandfather and Perry's grandmother come into +this," replied Steve. "How would it do if we gathered up two or three +other fellows? The <i>Cockatoo</i> will accommodate six."</p> + +<p>"Who could we get?" asked Joe dubiously.</p> + +<p>"Neil Fairleigh, for one."</p> + +<p>"How about Han?" offered Joe.</p> + +<p>"Hanford always wants to boss everything," objected Perry.</p> + +<p>"He knows boats, though, and so does Neil," said Steve. "And they're +both good fellows. That would make five of us, and five isn't too many. +We can't afford to hire a cook, you know; at least, I can't; and someone +will have to look after that end of it. Who can cook?"</p> + +<p>"I can't!" Perry made the disclaimer with great satisfaction.</p> + +<p>"No more can I," said Joe cheerfully. "Let Neil be cook."</p> + +<p>"I guess we'll all have to take a try at it. I dare say any of us can +fry an egg and make coffee; and you can buy almost everything ready to +eat nowadays."</p> + +<p>"Tell you who's a whale of a cook," said Perry eagerly. "That's Ossie +Brazier. Remember the time we camped at Mirror Lake last Spring? +Remember the flapjacks he made? M-mm!"</p> + +<p>"I didn't go," said Steve. "What sort of a chap is Brazier? I don't know +him very well."</p> + +<p>"Well, Oscar's one of the sort who will do anything just as long as he +thinks he doesn't have to," replied Joe. "If we could get him to come +along and tell him that he—um—simply must <i>not</i> ask to do the cooking, +why—there you are!"</p> + +<p>"Merely a matter of diplomacy," laughed Steve. "Well, we might have +Brazier instead of Hanford—or Neil."</p> + +<p>"Why not have them all if the boat will hold six?" asked Joe. "Seems to +me the more we have the less each of us will have to do. I mean," he +continued above the laughter, "that—um—a division of labour—"</p> + +<p>"We get you," said Perry. "But, say, I wish you'd stop talking about it, +fellows. I'm going to be disappointed when I wake up and find it's only +a bright and gaudy dream."</p> + +<p>"It isn't a dream," answered Steve, "unless you say so. I'll go, and +I'll guarantee to get the <i>Cockatoo</i> without expense other than the cost +of running her. If you and Joe can get your folks to let you come, and +we can get hold of, say, two other decent chaps to fill the crew, why, +we'll do it!"</p> + +<p>"Do you honestly mean it?" demanded Perry incredulously. "Gee, I'll get +permission if I have to—to go without it!"</p> + +<p>"How about you, Joe?"</p> + +<p>"Um—I guess I could manage it. How long would we be gone?"</p> + +<p>"A month. Two, if you like. Start the first of July, or as soon after as +possible, and get back in August."</p> + +<p>"How much would it cost us?" inquired Perry. "I'm not a millionaire like +you chaps."</p> + +<p>"Wouldn't want to say offhand. We'd have to figure that. That's another +reason for filling the boat up, though. The more we have the less +everyone's share of the expense will be."</p> + +<p>"Let's have the whole six, then, for money's scarce in my family these +days. Let's make it a club, fellows. The Club of Six, or something of +that sort. It sounds fine!"</p> + +<p>"Take in another fellow and call it The Lucky Seven," suggested Joe.</p> + +<p>"We might not be lucky, though," laughed Steve. "I'll tell you a better +name."</p> + +<p>"Shoot!"</p> + +<p>"The Adventure Club."</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_II'></a><h2>CHAPTER II</h2> + +<p style="text-align: center"><b>THE CLUB GROWS</b></p> +<br /> + +<p>And that is the way in which it happened. It began in fun and ended +quite seriously. They sat up in Number 17 Sumner until long after +bedtime that night, figuring the cost of the expedition, planning the +cruise, even listing supplies. The more they talked about it the more +their enthusiasm grew. Perry was for having Steve send a night message +then and there to his father asking for the boat, but Steve preferred to +wait until he reached home and make the request by word of mouth.</p> + +<p>"He would just think I was fooling or crazy if I telegraphed," he +explained. "Tomorrow we'll try to dig up three other fellows to go +along, and then, as soon as we all get home, we'll find out whether our +folks will stand for it. You must all telegraph me the first thing. +Don't wait to write, because I must know as soon as possible. I dare say +there's work to be done on the <i>Cockatoo</i> before she's ready for the +water, and we don't want to have to wait around until the end of July. +The fun of doing anything is to do it right off. If you wait you lose +half the pleasure. Now you'd better beat it, Perry. It's after ten. If +you meet a proctor close your eyes and make believe you're walking in +your sleep."</p> + +<p>Perry reached his own room, on the floor above, without being sighted, +however, and subsequently spent a sleepless hour in joyous anticipation +of at last finding some of those adventures that all his life he had +longed for. And when he did at length fall asleep it was to have the +most outlandish dreams, visions in which he endured shipwreck, fought +pirates and was all but eaten by cannibals. The most incongruous phase +of the dream, as recollected on waking, was that the <i>Cockatoo</i> had +been, not a motor-boat at all, but a trolley-car! He distinctly +remembered that the pirates, on boarding it, had each dropped a nickel +in the box!</p> + +<p>Fortunately for the success of the Adventure Club, the next morning held +no duties. In the afternoon the deciding baseball game was to be played, +but, except for gathering belongings together preliminary to packing, +nothing else intervened between now and the graduation programme of the +morrow. Hence it was an easy matter to hold what might be termed the +first meeting of the club. Besides the originators there were present +Messrs. Fairleigh, Hanford and Brazier. After Steve had locked the door +to prevent interruption, he presented to the newcomers a summary of the +scheme. It was received with enthusiasm and unanimous approval, but Neil +Fairleigh and Oscar Brazier sadly admitted that in their cases parental +permission was extremely doubtful. George Hanford, whose parents were +dead and who was under the care of a guardian, thought that in his case +there would be no great difficulty. The other two viewed him a trifle +enviously. Then, because one may always hope, they had to hear the +particulars and each secretly began to fashion arguments to overcome the +objections at home. Finally Oscar Brazier inquired interestedly:</p> + +<p>"Who is going to cook for you?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, we'll take turns, maybe," answered Joe. "Or we might hire a cook."</p> + +<p>Joe stole a look at Steve. Oscar only shuffled his feet.</p> + +<p>"I say hire," remarked Perry. "Any of us could do it after a fashion, I +dare say, but you get frightfully hungry on the water and need good +stuff well cooked, and lots of it."</p> + +<p>"Yes," agreed Steve, "any of us would make an awful mess of it. +Cooking's an art."</p> + +<p>Oscar cleared his throat and frowned. "You'd have to pay a lot for a +cook," he said. "It isn't hard, really. I could do it—if I were going +along."</p> + +<p>"That's so," George Hanford confirmed. But the rest seemed +unflatteringly doubtful. The silence was almost embarrassing. At last +Joe said hurriedly:</p> + +<p>"Well, we don't have to decide that now. Besides, if you can't come with +us—um—" His voice trailed off into a relieved silence. Oscar smiled +haughtily.</p> + +<p>"That's all right," he said. "If you prefer a cook, say so. Only, if I +did go I'd be willing to do the cooking, and I'll bet I could do it as +well as any cook you could hire. Isn't it so, Han?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I call you a mighty nifty cook, Ossie. I've eaten your biscuits +more than once. Flapjacks, too."</p> + +<p>"Well," said Joe politely, "camp cooking is um—different, I guess, from +regular cooking. Of course, I don't say Ossie couldn't do it, mind you, +but—we wouldn't want to take chances. On the whole, I think it would be +best to have a regular cook."</p> + +<p>"We might let Ossie try it," suggested Perry judicially.</p> + +<p>"Oh, I'm not crazy about it," disclaimed Oscar, piqued. "If you prefer +to pay out good money for a cook—"</p> + +<p>"Not at all," interrupted Steve soothingly. "We want to do the whole +thing as cheaply as we can. I see no harm in leaving the cooking end of +it to you, Brazier; that is, if you can go."</p> + +<p>"I'm going to make a big try for it," declared Oscar resolutely. "If my +folks won't let me, they—they'll wish they had!"</p> + +<p>Whereupon, emboldened by Oscar's stand, Neil Fairleigh expressed the +conviction that he, too, could manage it some way. "I dare say that if I +tell my dad that all you chaps are going he will think it's all right. +It wouldn't be for all Summer, anyway, would it?"</p> + +<p>"The idea now," responded Steve, "is to start out for a month's cruise +and extend it if we cared to. I suppose any of us that got tired could +quit after the month was up." He smiled. "We'd all have to sign-on for a +month, though."</p> + +<p>"Right-o," agreed Hanford. "What about electing officers? Oughtn't we to +do that? Someone ought to be in charge, I should think."</p> + +<p>"Sure!" exclaimed Joe. "We'll ballot. Throw that pad over here, Ossie."</p> + +<p>"Wait a minute," said Steve. "I've been thinking, fellows. The +<i>Cockatoo</i> will hold six comfortably. The main cabin has berths for four +and the owner's cabin for two, but if I'm not mistaken the berths in the +owner's cabin are extension, and if they are we could bunk three fellows +in there, or even four at a pinch. That would give us room for seven or +eight in all. Eight might make it a bit crowded, but she's a big, roomy +boat and I think we could do with seven fellows all right. And seven's a +lucky number, too. So suppose we take in one more while we're at it?"</p> + +<p>"The more the merrier," agreed Joe. "Who have you got in mind?"</p> + +<p>Steve shook his head. "No one, but I guess we can think of a fellow. +There's—"</p> + +<p>Steve was interrupted by a knock on the door, and when Hanford, who was +nearest, had, at a nod from Steve, unlocked the portal a tall, rather +serious-faced youth of seventeen entered.</p> + +<p>"Oh, am I butting-in?" he asked. "I didn't know. I'll come back later, +Joe." Philip Street smiled apologetically and started a retreat, but +Steve called him back.</p> + +<p>"Hold on, Phil!" he cried. "Come in here. You're the very fellow we +want. Close the door and find a seat, will you?"</p> + +<p>"By Jove, that's so!" exclaimed Joe, and the others heartily endorsed +him. Oddly enough, not one would have thought of Phil Street in all +probability, but each recognised the fact that he was the ideal fellow +to complete the membership. Steve, Joe aiding and the others attempting +to, outlined the plan. If they had expected signs of enthusiasm from +Phil they were doomed to disappointment, for that youth listened +silently and attentively until they had ended and then asked simply:</p> + +<p>"When are you planning to get away?"</p> + +<p>"As near the first of the month as we can," replied Steve.</p> + +<p>"I'm afraid I couldn't go, then," said Phil. "I'm a delegate to the C.B. +Convention, you see, and that doesn't end until the sixth."</p> + +<p>"I'd forgotten that," said Joe disappointedly.</p> + +<p>"What's C.B. stand for?" inquired Hanford.</p> + +<p>"Christian Brotherhood," supplied Steve. "Look here, Phil, could you go +after the sixth?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I'd love to, thanks."</p> + +<p>"All right then, you're signed-on. If we get away before that we'll pick +you up somewhere. If we don't you can start with us. How is that?"</p> + +<p>"Quite satisfactory," answered Phil.</p> + +<p>"But are you sure your folks will let you?" asked Perry.</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes, I spend my Summers about as I like."</p> + +<p>"Think of that!" sighed Perry. "Gee, I wish my folks were like that."</p> + +<p>"I guess," said Steve, "that Phil's folks know he won't get into +trouble, Perry, while yours are pretty certain that you will. It makes a +difference. Now we can go ahead with that election, can't we? How about +nominations?"</p> + +<p>"No need of them," declared Joe. "What officers do we want?"</p> + +<p>"Well, this is a club—the Adventure Club, Phil, is the name we've +chosen—and so I suppose we ought to have a president and a +vice-president and—"</p> + +<p>"Rot!" said Perry. "Too high-sounding. Let's elect a captain and a +treasurer and let it go at that."</p> + +<p>"I never heard of a club having a captain," Oscar Brazier objected.</p> + +<p>"Nor anyone else," agreed Joe. "Let's follow the Nihilist scheme and +elect a Number One, a Number Two and a Number Three. Number One can be +the boss, a sort of president, you know, Number Two can correspond to a +vice-president and Number Three can be secretary and treasurer. How's +that?"</p> + +<p>"Suits me," said Steve. "Tear up some pieces of paper, Perry. We'll each +vote for the three officers, writing the names in order, then the fellow +getting the most votes—"</p> + +<p>"I don't know as I ought to vote," said Neil Fairleigh, "because I'm not +sure I can go. Maybe I'd better not, eh?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, shucks, never mind that," replied Perry. "You can join the club, +anyway, and be a sort of non-resident member. Here you are, fellows. +Who's got a pen or something?"</p> + +<p>During the ensuing two or three minutes there was comparative silence in +Number 17, and while the seven occupants of the room busy themselves +with pens or pencils let us look them over since we are likely to spend +some time in their company from now on.</p> + +<p>First of all there is Steve Chapman, seventeen years of age, a tall, +well-built and nicely proportioned youth with black hair and eyes, a +quick, determined manner and an incisive speech. Steve was Football +Captain last Fall. Next him sits George Hanford. Han, as the boys call +him, is eighteen, also a senior, and also a football player. He is big +and rangey, good-natured and popular, and is president of the senior +class.</p> + +<p>Joe Ingersoll's age is seventeen. He is Steve's junior by two months. He +is of medium height, rather thin, light complexioned and has peculiarly +pale eyes behind the round spectacles he wears. Joe is first baseman on +the Nine, and a remarkably competent one. He is slow of speech and +possesses a dry humour that on occasion can be uncomfortably ironical. +Beside him, Perry Bush is a complete contrast, for Perry is +large-limbed, rather heavy of build, freckle-faced, red-haired and +jolly. He has very dark blue eyes and, in spite of a moon-shaped +countenance, is distinctly pleasing to look at; he is sixteen.</p> + +<p>Neil Fairleigh and Phil Street are of an age, seventeen, but in other +regards are quite unalike. Neil is of medium height, with his full +allowance of flesh, and has hair the hue of new rope and grey-blue eyes. +He is even-tempered, easy-going and, if truth must be told, somewhat +lazy. Phil Street is quite tall, rather thin and dark complexioned, a +nice-looking, somewhat serious youth whose infrequent smile is worth +waiting for. He is an Honor Man, a distinction attained by no other +member of our party save Steve. The last of the seven is Oscar Brazier, +and Ossie, as the boys call him, is sixteen years old, short and +square, strongly-made and conspicuous for neither beauty nor scholarly +attainments. Ossie has a snub nose, a lot of rebellious brown hair, red +cheeks and a wide mouth that is usually smiling. Renowned for his +good-nature, he is nevertheless a hard worker at whatever he undertakes, +and if he sometimes shows a suspicious disposition it is only because +his good-nature has been frequently imposed on.</p> + +<p>When the last pencil had stopped scratching Joe gathered the slips +together and after a moment's figuring announced that Steve had been +elected Number One without a dissenting vote, that he himself had been +made Number Two and that Phil was Number Three. If Perry felt +disappointment he hid it, and when Phil declared that in his opinion +Perry should have been elected instead of him, since Perry was, so to +say, a charter member, Perry promptly disclaimed any desire of the sort.</p> + +<p>"No, thanks," he said. "If I was secretary I'd have to keep the accounts +and all that sort of thing, and I'm no good at it. You're the very +fellow for the job, Phil."</p> + +<p>The assemblage broke up shortly after, to meet again that evening at +eight, Steve undertaking to have a map on hand then so that they might +plan their cruise. As none of the seven was bound to secrecy, what +happened is only what might have been expected. By the time the ball +game was half over Steve and Joe had received enough applications for +membership in the Adventure Club to have, in Joe's words, filled an +ocean liner. It is probable that a large proportion of the applicants +could not have obtained permission to join the expedition, but they were +each and all terribly enthusiastic and eager to join, and it required +all of Steve's and Joe's diplomacy to turn them away without hurting +their feelings. Wink Wheeler—his real name was Warren, but no one ever +called him that—refused politely but firmly to take no for an answer. +Wink said he didn't care where he bunked and that he never ate anything +on a boat, anyway, because he was always too seasick to bother about +meals.</p> + +<p>"One more won't matter, Steve," Wink pleaded. "Be a good chap and let me +in, won't you? My folks are going out to California this Summer and I +don't want to go, and they'll let me do anything I like. Tell you what, +Steve. If you'll take me I'll buy something for the boat. I'll make the +club a present of—of a tender or an anchor or whatever you say!"</p> + +<p>Steve found it especially hard to turn Wink down, because he liked the +fellow, just as everyone else did. Wink was eighteen and had been five +years getting through school, but he was a big, good-hearted, jovial +boy, and, as Steve reflected, one who would be a desirable companion on +such an adventure as had been planned. Steve at last told Wink that he +would speak to the others about him that evening, but that Wink was not +to get his hopes up, and Wink took himself off whistling cheerfully and +quite satisfied. But when Steve tentatively broached the matter of +including one more member in the person of Wink Wheeler, Joe staggered +him by announcing that he had promised Harry Corwin to intercede for the +latter.</p> + +<p>"He pestered the life out of me," explained Joe ruefully, "and I finally +told him I'd ask you fellows. But I suppose we can't take two more. Nine +would—um—be rather overdoing it, eh?"</p> + +<p>Everyone agreed that it would. Han suggested that Wink Wheeler and Harry +Corwin might toss up for the privilege of joining the club. "After all," +he added, "we aren't all of us certain that we can go. If one or two of +us drop out there'll be room for Wink and Harry, too."</p> + +<p>"Seems to me," said Phil Street, "it might be a good plan to enlarge +the membership to, say, twelve, and let the new members find a boat of +their own. I dare say they could. Then—"</p> + +<p>"Fine!" exclaimed Joe. "Harry and his brother have some sort of a +motor-boat. He told me so today. That's a bully idea, Phil! With twelve +of us we could divide up between the two boats—"</p> + +<p>"How many will Corwin's boat hold?" asked Neil.</p> + +<p>"I don't know. I'll see him and find out. But it ought to be big enough +to hold four, anyway. There are seven of us now, and Wink and Harry and +his brother Tom would make ten, and we could easily pick out two more."</p> + +<p>"Let's make the membership thirteen," said Perry.</p> + +<p>"Thirteen!" echoed Han. "Gee, that's unlucky!"</p> + +<p>"Rot! Why, you've got thirteen letters in your name. George Hanford." +Perry counted on his fingers. "This is the Adventure Club, isn't it? +Well, starting out with thirteen members is an adventure right at the +start!"</p> + +<p>"Sure!" agreed Ossie. "Let's take a chance. It's only a silly +what-do-you-call-it anyway."</p> + +<p>"Meaning superstition?" asked Steve. "Well, I'm agreeable. Who else do +we want? Bert Alley asked to join, and so did George Browne."</p> + +<p>"And Casper Temple," added Joe. "And they're all good fellows. But I +want it distinctly understood that I'm going on the <i>Cockatoo</i>."</p> + +<p>"Me too!" exclaimed Perry. "All of us fellows must go on the <i>Cockatoo</i>. +We were the first."</p> + +<p>"But suppose Corwin's boat won't hold five?" said Han.</p> + +<p>"We can squeeze eight into the <i>Cockatoo</i>, if we have to," said Steve. +"Joe, you cut along and find Corwin and bring him up here. We might as +well settle the thing now."</p> + +<p>"All right, but don't settle about the cruise while I'm gone," answered +Joe. "I'll have him here in ten minutes."</p> + +<p>When the meeting adjourned that evening the club had added six new +members and enlarged its fleet by the addition of the cabin-cruiser, +<i>Follow Me</i>. It was just half-past ten when Joe and Steve produced the +last of their supply of ginger-ale from under the window-seat and, +utilising glasses, tooth-mugs and pewter trophies, the members present +drank success to the Adventure Club.</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_III'></a><h2>CHAPTER III</h2> + +<p style="text-align: center"><b>CAST OFF!</b></p> +<br /> + +<p>Some two weeks later, or, to be exact, sixteen days, making the date +therefor, the eighth day of July, a round-faced, freckle-cheeked youth +in a pair of khaki trousers, white rubber-soled shoes, a light flannel +shirt that had once been brown and was now the colour of much diluted +coffee and a white duck hat sat on the forward deck of a trim motor-boat +with his feet suspended above the untidy water of a slip. By turning his +head slightly he could have looked across the sunlit surface of +Buttermilk Channel to the green slopes of Governor's Island and, beyond +the gleaming Statue of Liberty. But Perry Bush was far more interested +in the approach that led from the noisy, granite-paved street behind a +distant fence to the pier against which the boat was nestled. As he +watched he sniffed gratefully of the mingled odours that came to him; +the smell of salt water, of pitch and oakum, of paint from a +neighbouring craft receiving her Summer dress, of fresh shavings and +sawdust from the nearby shed whence came also the shriek of the +band-saw and the <i>tap-tap</i> of mallets. Ballinger's Yacht Basin was a +busy place at this time of the year, and the slips were crowded with +sailboats and motor-boats, while many craft still stood, stilted and +canvas-wrapped, in the shade of the long sheds. Perry whistled a gay +tune softly as he basked there in the warm sunlight and awaited the +arrival of the rest of the boat's crew.</p> + +<p>Much had happened since that Thursday when they had toasted the +Adventure Club in Steve's and Joe's room in Sumner. Graduation Day had +sent them scurrying homeward. Then had followed much correspondence with +Steve. After an anxious four days, Perry and the rest had each received +a brief but highly satisfactory telegram: "<i>Cockatoo</i> ours for two +months. Meet Ballinger's Basin, Brooklyn, fourth." But work on the +cruiser had delayed the starting date, and they had now been kicking +their heels about New York for four days. Perry and Phil Street had been +taken care of by Steve, and Joe had had Neil, Han and Ossie as his +guests. At Bay Shore, on the south side of Long Island, the <i>Follow Me</i> +was awaiting them impatiently. The <i>Follow Me</i> had been ready to put to +sea for a full week.</p> + +<p>Although Steve and Joe had provisioned the <i>Cockatoo</i>—which, by the +way, was no longer the <i>Cockatoo</i>, but the <i>Adventurer</i>, having been +renamed during the process of painting—the crew had not been altogether +idle during their wait. Each had thought of something further to add. +Ossie, who, as a special favour, was to be allowed to try his hand at +cooking, had made several trips between a big department store on Fulton +Street and had returned to the basin laden each time with mysterious +packages, many of which rattled or clinked when deposited in the galley. +Perry had purchased an inexpensive talking machine and a dozen records. +Neil had contributed a patent life-preserver that looked like a +waistcoat to be used by an Arctic explorer and was guaranteed to keep +Barnum and Bailey's fat man afloat. Phil had supplied the cabin with +magazines, few of them, to Perry's chagrin, of the sort anyone but a +"highbrow" would care to tackle. Joe, as an after-thought, had stocked +up heavily with Mother Somebody's Cure for Seasickness. George Hanford +had tried to smuggle on board a black and white puppy about a foot long +which he had bought on a street corner for two dollars and a half. +Steve, however, had objected strenuously and Han had been forced to see +the puppy's former owner and sell his purchase back for a dollar, the +value of it having decreased surprisingly in a few hours. Even Steve +had supplemented the boat's contents the day before by stowing two +desperate-looking revolvers and several boxes of cartridges in a locker +in the forward cabin.</p> + +<p>Then, too, they had each outfitted more or less elaborately, according +to their pocket-books. Steve and Joe had pointed out that, with seven +aboard, locker room would be at a premium, and had urged the others to +take as little in the way of personal luggage as they could get along +with. But when the out-of-town boys got into the stores the advice was +soon forgotten. Neil had outfitted as if he was about to set forth on a +voyage around the world, and Han was not far behind him. Perry would +have liked, too, to become the proud possessor of some of the things the +former fellows brought aboard, but Perry's finances were low after he +had paid for that talking machine, and so, with the exception of a new +grey sweater, he had made no additions to his wardrobe. This morning he +had volunteered to go to the basin early and superintend the loading of +ice and water, and now, those things aboard, he was wondering, a trifle +resentfully, why the others didn't come. They were to cast off at eleven +and it was now well after ten.</p> + +<p>"Probably," he muttered, edging back so that he could have the support +of the big, round smoke-stack, "Neil's buying another necktie! It would +serve them right if I started the thing up and went off without them." +As, however, Perry knew absolutely nothing about a gasoline engine, +there was little likelihood of his carrying that threat into action. In +any case, there would have been no excuse, for less than a minute later +he descried the tardy ones skirting the shed and coming along the wharf. +They looked, Perry thought with satisfaction, very hot and disgruntled +as, each carrying his belongings in a parcel so that there would be no +bags to stow away, they approached the boat. Although Perry was no +mechanician, he quite understood the operation of an electric horn, and +now, swinging nimbly down to the bridge deck, he set the palm of his +hand against a big black button. The result was all that he desired. An +amazing, ear-splitting shriek broke the ordinary clamour of the scene. +Perry smiled ecstatically and peered out and up from under the awning. +But the half-dozen countenances that looked down at him expressed only +disgust, and Joe's voice came to him even above the blast of the horn.</p> + +<p>"Don't be a silly fool, Perry!" shouted Joe peevishly. "Let that alone +and catch these bundles!"</p> + +<p>Perry obeyed and one by one the fellows scrambled from wharf to boat. +And, having reached the bridge deck, they subsided exhaustedly onto the +two cushioned seats or the gunwale. Perry viewed their inflamed, +perspiring faces in smiling surprise. "What did you do?" he asked. "Run +all the way?"</p> + +<p>"Joe got us on the wrong car," panted Neil, "and we went halfway to +Coney Island, I guess."</p> + +<p>"It wasn't my fault any more than it was yours," growled Joe. "You had +eyes, hadn't you?"</p> + +<p>"We had eyes," replied Ossie from behind his handkerchief, as he wiped +his streaming face, "but we aren't supposed to know where these silly +cars go to."</p> + +<p>"I didn't have any trouble," murmured Perry.</p> + +<p>"Well, we did," said Han resentfully. "We waited ten minutes on a +broiling-hot corner and then, when we did get another car, it got +blocked behind ten thousand drays and we had to foot it about eleven +miles! Got any ice-water aboard?"</p> + +<p>"We've got ice and we've got water," replied Perry. "If you mix 'em in +the proper proportions—"</p> + +<p>"Oh, dry up and blow away," muttered Han, dragging himself painfully +down the companion on his way to the galley. Phil Street smiled.</p> + +<p>"Seems to me we're starting our adventure rather inauspiciously," he +said. "If we have a grouch before we leave the dock what's going to +happen later?"</p> + +<p>"Maybe it's a good thing to have it now and get over it," laughed Steve. +"It was hot, though! And it isn't much cooler here. Let's get under way, +fellows, and find a breeze. It will take us the better part of four +hours to get to Bay Shore, anyway, and I telephoned Wink yesterday that +we'd be there by three. Every fellow into sea-togs as quick as he can +make it. Joe and Phil and I bunk aft, the rest of you in the main cabin. +Get your things put away neatly, fellows. Anyone caught being disorderly +will be keel-hauled. Have a look at this thermometer, Joe. It's almost +eighty-nine! Let's get out of here in a hurry!"</p> + +<p>For the next ten minutes the fellows busied themselves as Steve had +directed. All, that is, save Perry. As Perry was already dressed for sea +he used his leisure to sit in the hatchway of the after cabin and +converse entertainingly with the occupants until, on the score that he +was keeping the air out, he was driven up to the cockpit. There he +perched himself in one of the four comfortable wicker chairs, placed his +feet on the leather-cushioned seat across the stern and languorously +observed a less fortunate person scrape the deck of a sloop on the far +side of the slip.</p> + +<p>Suppose that, while the <i>Adventurer's</i> crew prepares for service, we +have a look over the boat. The <i>Adventurer</i>, late the <i>Cockatoo</i>, was a +forty-foot V-bottom, military type cruiser, with a nine-foot beam and a +draught of two feet and six inches. Below the water-line she was painted +a dark green. Above it she was freshly, immaculately white as to hull, +while decks and smoke-stack were buff. The exterior bulkheads were of +panelled mahogany, and a narrow strip of mahogany edged the deck. There +was a refreshing lack of gold in sight, and, viewed from alongside, the +<i>Adventurer</i> had a very business-like appearance. As she was of the +raised-deck cabin type, with full head-room everywhere, she stood well +above the water, and the low, sweeping lines that suggest speed were +lacking. But the <i>Adventurer</i> had speed, nevertheless, for under the +bridge deck was a six-cylinder 6x6 Van Lyte engine that could send her +along at twenty miles an hour when necessary. On the stern was the +legend "ADVENTURER: NEW YORK," and the name appeared again on each of +the mahogany boards that housed the sidelights. The cockpit, which was +self-bailing, was roomy enough to accommodate seven persons comfortably. +A broad leather-cushioned seat ran across the stern and there were four +wicker chairs besides. Life preservers were ingeniously strapped under +the chair seats and two others hung at each side of the after cabin +door.</p> + +<p>The after cabin, or owner's stateroom, held two extension seats which at +night were converted into wide and comfortable berths. At the forward +end a lavatory occupied one side and a clothes locker the other. Other +lockers occupied the space between the seats and the three ports. This +compartment, like the main cabin, was enamelled in cream-white with +mahogany trim. Three steps led to the bridge deck, a roomy place which +housed engine, steering wheel and all controls. The engine, although +under deck, was readily accessible by means of sectional hatches. On the +steering column were wheel, self-starter switch, spark, throttle and +clutch, making it easily possible for one person to operate the boat if +necessary. Two seats were built against the after bulkhead, chart boxes +flanked the forward hatchway and the binnacle was above the steering +column. Forward, the compartment was glassed in, but on other sides +khaki curtains were depended on in bad weather. When not in use the +curtains rolled up to the edge of the awning, which was set on a +pipe-frame.</p> + +<p>From the bridge deck three steps led down to the main cabin. Here in the +daytime were two longitudinal couches with high upholstered backs. At +night the backs swung out and up to form berths, so that the compartment +supplied sleeping accomodations for four persons. There were roomy +lockers under the seats and at meal times an extension table made a +miraculous appearance and seated eight. Forward of the main cabin was +the galley, gleaming with white enamel and brass. It was fitted with a +large ice-chest, many lockers, a sink with running water, a two-burner +alcohol stove with oven and a multitude of plate-racks. It was the +lightest place in the boat, for, besides a light-port on each side, it +had as well a hatch overhead. The hatch, although water-tight, was made +to open for the admission of ice and supplies. Still forward, in the +nose of the boat, was a large water tank and, beyond that, the rope +locker. The gasoline tanks, of which there were four, held two hundred +and fifty gallons. The boat was lighted by electricity in all parts by +means of a generator and storage battery. An eight-foot tender rested on +chocks atop the main cabin. The boat carried no signal mast, but +flag-poles at bow and stern and abaft the bridge deck frame held the +Union Jack, the yacht ensign and the club burgee. All in all, the +<i>Adventurer</i> was a smart and finely appointed craft, and a capable one, +too. Steve's father had had her built only a little more than a year ago +and she had seen but scant service. In the inelegant but expressive +phraseology of Perry, "she was a rip-snorting corker of a boat." The +consensus of opinion was to the effect that Mr. Chapman was "a peach to +let them have it," and there was an unuttered impression that that +kind-hearted gentleman was taking awful chances!</p> + +<p>For, after all, except that Steve had had a brief week or so on the boat +the preceding Summer and that Joe had taken two days of instruction in +gasoline engine operation, not a member of the crew knew much of the +work ahead. Still, George Hanford had operated a twelve-foot motor +dingey at one time, Phil Street had sailed a knockabout and all had an +average amount of common-sense, and it seemed that, with luck, they +might somehow manage to escape death by drowning! Mr. Chapman surely +must have had a good deal of faith in Steve and his companions or he +would never have consented to their operating the cruiser without the +aid of a seasoned navigator. As for the boys themselves, they +anticipated many difficulties and some hazards, but, with the confidence +of youth, they expected to "muddle through," and, as Neil said, what +they didn't know now they soon would.</p> + +<p>At exactly seven minutes past eleven by the ship's clock the +<i>Adventurer</i> gave a prolonged screech and, moorings cast off, edged her +way out of the basin and dipped her nose in the laughing waters of the +bay, embarked at last on a voyage that was destined to fully vindicate +her new name.</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_IV'></a><h2>CHAPTER IV</h2> + +<p style="text-align: center"><b>THE <i>FOLLOW ME</i></b></p> +<br /> + +<p>Two days before they had decided that Steve was to be captain, Joe, +chief engineer, Phil, first mate, Perry, second mate, Ossie, steward, +Neil, cabin boy and Han, crew. Neil and Han had naturally rebelled at +being left without office or title and the omission had been laughingly +remedied to their entire satisfaction. In fact, Han was quite stuck up +over his official position, pointing out that it might be possible for a +boat to get along without a captain or mate or even a steward, but that +a crew was absolutely essential. He declared his intention of purchasing +a yachting cap at the first port of call and having the inscription +"Crew" worked on it in gold bullion.</p> + +<p>When the <i>Adventurer</i> left her berth each member of the boat's company +was at his post, or, at least, at what he surmised to be his post. +Steve, of course, was at the control, Joe, with the hatches up, was +watching his engine approvingly, Phil, boat-hook in hand, was on the +forward deck, Perry hovered around Steve, begging to be allowed to blow +the whistle, Ossie and Neil watched from opposite sides of the bridge +deck and Han, in the role of crew, hitched his trousers at intervals, +touched his cap when anyone so much as looked at him and said "Ay, ay, +sir!" at the slightest provocation. And with all hands on duty the +cruiser pointed her white bow towards The Narrows.</p> + +<p>Steve never took his eyes from the course for more than a moment until +they had passed Coney Island Light, for there were many craft bustling +or slopping about and it really required some navigation to get through +The Narrows and past Gravesend Bay without running into something. Perry +suspected that Steve was working the whistle overtime, but realized that +too many precautions were better than too few. It was Perry's ambition +to learn navigation so that he might ultimately be entrusted with the +wheel, and to that end he stood at Steve's elbow until, when they gained +the Main Channel, Ossie's dulcet voice was heard proclaiming, "Grub, +fellows!" from below. Steve was rather too preoccupied to be very +informative, but Perry did manage to imbibe some information. For +instance, he learned that a sailing craft had the right of way over a +power craft, something he had not known previously, and observed that a +large proportion of them used that right to its limit. He got quite +incensed with a small, blunt-nosed schooner which insisted on crossing +the <i>Adventurer's</i> course just as they were passing Fort Hamilton. Steve +had to slow down rather hurriedly to avoid a collision and Perry viewed +the two occupants of the schooner's deck with a scowl as they lazed +across the cruiser's bows.</p> + +<p>"Cheeky beggars," he muttered.</p> + +<p>He also learned the whistle code that morning: one blast for starboard, +two for port, four short blasts for danger and three for going astern. +Joe, who had applied oil to every part of the engine that he could +reach, supplied the added information that a sailboat under way on the +starboard tack had the right of way over anything afloat—with the +possible exception of a torpedo!—and that other craft had to turn to +port in passing them. Joe had wrested that bit of knowledge from a +volume entitled, "Motor Boats and Boating," which he carried in a side +pocket every minute of the trip, and passed it on with evident pride. +For the next few days he discovered other interesting items in that +precious book and divulged them at intervals with what to Perry seemed +a most offensive assumption of superiority.</p> + +<p>"You just read that in your old book," Perry would grumble. "Anybody +could do that!" Nevertheless, he hearkened and remembered against the +time when the conduct of the boat should be handed over to the hands of +the efficient second mate. When Joe became insufferably informative +Perry blandly asked him questions about the engine, such as, "What's the +difference, Joe, between a two-cycle and a four-cycle motor?" or "What +happens when the water-jacket becomes unbuttoned?" and was delighted to +find that Joe lapsed into silence until he had had time to +surreptitiously consult his book.</p> + +<p>Today, however, Joe's ignorance of motors mattered not at all, for the +engine ran sweetly and the <i>Adventurer</i> churned through the green water +without a falter. More than once Joe might have been observed gazing +down at the six cylinder-heads surmounted by their maze of wires with an +expression of awe. Joe's thoughts probably might have been put into +words thus: "Yes, I see you doing it, but—but <i>why?</i>"</p> + +<p>Steve didn't go down to the cabin for dinner, but ate it as best he +could on the bridge. Neil, in his capacity of cabin-boy, arranged a +folding stool beside him, and from that, at intervals between moving the +wheel, blowing the whistle or anxiously scanning the course, Steve +seized his food. The others descended to the main cabin and squeezed +themselves about the table, which, adorned with a cloth of wonderful +sheen and whiteness that bore the cruiser's former name and flag woven +in the centre, held a plentiful supply of canned beans, fried bacon, +potato chips, bread and butter and raspberry jam. Everything was +thrillingly fine, from the pure linen tablecloth and napkins to the +silverware. The plates held the same design that was worked into the +napery, as did even the knives and forks and spoons. Ossie was +apologetic as to the menu, although he need not have been.</p> + +<p>"There wasn't time to do much cooking," he said, "and, besides, I +haven't got the hang of things yet. I never tried to do anything on an +alcohol stove before. It takes longer, seems to me. I couldn't get the +oven heated until about five minutes ago, and so if those potato-chips +aren't very warm—"</p> + +<p>"I'm warm enough, if they aren't," said Neil. "How do you open these +little round window things?"</p> + +<p>"Turn the thumb-screws," advised Han. "I think everything's bully, and +I'm as hungry as a bear. Pass the beans, Perry. Got any more tea out +there, cook?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, but I'm steward and not cook," replied Ossie, arising from his +camp-stool and stepping into the galley. "Hand over the bread plate, +someone, and I'll cut some more. Bet you it's going to cost us something +for grub, fellows!"</p> + +<p>"Well," responded Han, "I'd rather go broke that way than some others. +What kind of tea is this, Ossie?"</p> + +<p>"Ceylon. Doesn't it suit you?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, I can worry it down, thanks. Sugar, please, Phil. I generally drink +orange pekoe, though. You might lay in a few pounds of it at the next +stop."</p> + +<p>"I might," said Ossie, resuming his place at the end of the board, "and +then again I might not. And the probabilities are not. If you don't want +all the potatoes, Joe, you may shove them along this way."</p> + +<p>The repast was frequently interrupted by the shrill blast of the +whistle, and whenever that sounded most of the diners scrambled up to +peer interestedly through the ports. In fact, so loth were they to miss +anything that might be happening that they finished dinner in record +time, consuming dessert, which consisted of bananas and pears, outside. +Ossie alone remained below, and from the galley came the clatter of +dishes and a cheerful tune as the steward cleared away and washed up. +Joe smiled at Phil.</p> + +<p>"Ossie's having the time of his life now," he said, "but wait until the +novelty wears off. Then we'll hear some tall kicking about the +dishwashing, or I miss my guess."</p> + +<p>"We'll have to take turns helping him at that," said Steve. "If we don't +he's likely to mutiny. There's Coney over there, fellows."</p> + +<p>The others gathered on the port side to gaze across the water at the +crowded beach and the colourful maze of buildings. "It looks jolly, +doesn't it?" asked Han. "Couldn't we run in closer, Steve?"</p> + +<p>"We could, but it would take us out of our course. I'm heading for +Rockaway Point over there. We've got a good ways to go yet before we +reach Fire Island." Steve had the chart opened before him and he laid a +finger on the point mentioned.</p> + +<p>"Looks like it would be more fun to duck in there," said Neil, vaguely +indicating the neighbourhood of Hempstead Bay.</p> + +<p>"Maybe it would," answered the Captain, "but there are too many islands +and things to suit me. I'd rather stay outside here and slip in through +Fire Island Inlet. After I get used to running this hooker I'll take her +anywhere there's a heavy dew, but right now I'm all for the open sea, +Neil."</p> + +<p>Phil and Han, who had never before gazed on the marvels of Coney Island, +even from a distance, were listening to Joe's tales of the delights of +that entrancing resort and following his finger as he pointed out the +features he recognised. "There's the coaster where I bounced up and came +down on a nail," he chuckled. "It was a fine, able-bodied nail, too, and +I—um—had to stay on it all the rest of the trip because the car was so +crowded there wasn't room to shift."</p> + +<p>"Smell the peanuts, fellows," murmured Perry dreamily. "Gee, I wish I +had some!"</p> + +<p>Ossie appeared on deck ten minutes later and was very indignant because +he had not been informed that they were passing Coney. "I think some of +you lobsters might have sung out," he mourned. "I've never seen Coney +Island."</p> + +<p>"Well, have a look," laughed Han. "That's it back there."</p> + +<p>"Huh! Can't see anything at this distance," growled Ossie. "It's just a +smear of buildings. What's the place ahead there!"</p> + +<p>"Rockaway," answered Joe, "and that's Jamaica Bay in there. Say, there's +some sea on, isn't there?"</p> + +<p>In fact the <i>Adventurer</i> was now doing a good deal of plunging as she +made her way through the long swells that swept around the sandy point. +And she wasn't satisfied with merely kicking her head and heels up, +either, for with the forward and aft motion there was considerable +rocking, and as the point came abreast a shower of spray deluged the +forward deck and spattered in on the bridge. At Steve's direction the +windows were closed, Han performing the task with many "Ay, ay, sirs!" +Joe looked anxious and presently sought the forward cabin, reappearing a +minute later to ask all and sundry if they knew where he had put his +supply of "anti-seasick stuff." No one could tell him and he again took +himself off, and before he could locate the medicine the <i>Adventurer</i> +had passed the inlet and had settled down on an even keel again. Han and +Ossie spread themselves out on the forward cabin roof and the others +made themselves comfortable on the seats of the bridge deck, Phil +pointing out seriously and with evident satisfaction that the cushions +were not only cushions but life-preservers as well. Perry was for +borrowing Phil's fountain-pen and putting his name on one.</p> + +<p>There was no longer any talk of being too warm, for the breeze was +straight from the southeast and soon sent them, one after another, into +the cabins for their sweaters. They passed Rockaway Beach a good three +miles to port and by half-past one were off Point Lookout. Every instant +held interest, for many pleasure boats were out and their white sails +gleamed in the crisp sunlight. Three porpoise appeared off Short Beach +and proved very companionable, for they stayed with the <i>Adventurer</i> for +quite ten minutes. One placed himself directly in front of the boat and +the others took up positions about six feet apart on the starboard bow, +and for two miles or more they maintained their stations, their dusky, +gleaming backs arching from the water with the regularity of clock-work. +Most of the boys had never seen the fish before and were much +interested. Joe called them "puffing pigs" and Perry insisted that they +were dolphins, and a fervid argument followed. They finally agreed, at +Phil's suggestion, to compromise and call them "porphins." Possibly the +discussion bored the subjects, or maybe they were insulted by the title +applied to them, for about the time Joe and Perry reached an agreement +the porpoise disappeared as suddenly as they had arrived on the scene +and it was minutes later before the puzzled mariners descried them +heading shoreward some distance away.</p> + +<p>They missed Ossie after that and when he was found he was stretched out +on a seat in the main cabin sound asleep and snoring. Neil came back +with the news that one of the "puffing pigs" had flopped aboard and was +asleep below. Steve took advantage of plain sailing to instruct Joe, +Phil and Perry in the handling of the wheel and controls, and each of +the pupils took his turn at guiding the cruiser along the sandy coast. +Fire Island Inlet was reached shortly before three and Steve took the +wheel again and ran the <i>Adventurer</i> past Jack's Island, around the +curve of Short Beach and into the waters of the Great South Bay. There +was still a six-mile run to their anchorage, however, and it was nearly +four when the cruiser at last crept in among the clustered craft off Bay +Shore and dropped her anchor. A hundred yards away a cluster of boys on +the deck of a sturdy cabin-cruiser swung their caps and sent a hail +across. Steve seized the megaphone from its rack and answered.</p> + +<p>"<i>Follow Me</i>, ahoy!" he shouted.</p> + +<p>"Ahoy yourself!" was the ribald reply. "We're coming over!"</p> + +<p>The crew of the <i>Follow Me</i> tumbled into a tiny dingey, cast off and +were lost to sight beyond the intervening craft. Then they reappeared, +their small boat so deep that the water almost spilled over the sides, +Wink Wheeler struggling with a pair of ludicrously short oars and the +other five laughingly urging him on.</p> + +<p>"Throw a couple of fenders over, Han," instructed Steve, "and stand by +with your boat-hook."</p> + +<p>The <i>Follow Me's</i> tender crept alongside amidst noisy greetings, Perry +performing excruciatingly on the whistle until pulled away, and in +another moment the visitors were aboard. They were a nice-looking, +upstanding lot, already well sunburned by a week afloat. Wink Wheeler +was the oldest of the six, for he was eighteen. Harry Corwin, Bert Alley +and Caspar Temple were seventeen and George Browne, or "Brownie," as he +was called, and Tom Corwin were sixteen. First of all they had to see +the boat and so the whole gathering trooped from one end to the other, +exclaiming and admiring.</p> + +<p>"The <i>Follow Me</i>'s a regular tub compared with this palace," said Harry +Corwin. "Why, there isn't anything finer than this along the South +Shore, I guess!"</p> + +<p>"Don't you call our boat names," protested "Brownie." "The <i>Follow Me</i> +may not be as nifty as this, but she's one fine little boat, just the +same. How long did it take you to come from New York, Joe?"</p> + +<p>"Nearly four hours and a half, but we ran slow. I guess we could have +done it in three hours easily if we'd tried to. This boat can do twenty +at a pinch. How fast is the <i>Follow Me?</i>"</p> + +<p>"She's done eighteen," answered Harry Corwin, "but fourteen's her +average gait. She burns up gas like the dickens when she does any more. +Yesterday we went to Freeport in fifty-seven minutes, and that's a good +seventeen and a half miles. She had to hump herself, though."</p> + +<p>After the wonders of the <i>Adventurer</i> had been exhausted the boys +gathered on the bridge deck and Steve laid a chart on the floor and they +discussed their plans. It had already been decided that they should +cruise northward as far as Maine. As there was no hurry in getting +there, they were to take things easy, stopping at such points as +promised interest and putting into harbour at night. As it was already +after four o'clock, they finally concluded to stay where they were until +morning, although the <i>Follow Me</i> crowd were eager to be away. "Our +first harbour would be Ponquogue," said Steve, "and that's a good +forty-six or-seven mile run. Personally, I don't care much about messing +around outside after dark. This is all new water to me. If we start in +the morning we'll have plenty of time to run as far as Shelter Island, +if we want to."</p> + +<p>This was agreed to, although Perry protested that as the charts showed a +life-saving station every five miles or so all down the shore it was a +shame not to take a chance. "I've always wanted to be taken off a +sinking ship in a breeches-buoy," he said.</p> + +<p>"Would you mind being wrecked in the daytime?" asked Neil. "I'd love to +see you in a breeches-buoy, Perry, and I couldn't if it was dark."</p> + +<p>"Let's all go up to the hotel for dinner," suggested Wink Wheeler. "They +have dandy feeds there, and maybe we can scare up some fun. Any of you +fellows like to bowl?"</p> + +<p>"First of all," said Han, "we want to see your boat, fellows. Let's go +over now. I'm ready for hotel grub if the rest of you are. Can we all +go, Steve, or does someone have to stay behind and look after the +boat?"</p> + +<p>"That's the crew's duty," said Phil gravely. "We'll bring you back a +sandwich, Han."</p> + +<p>"Yes, a Han-sandwich," added Perry.</p> + +<p>When he had been toppled backward down the after cabin steps Harry +Corwin said that they'd been in the habit of leaving the <i>Follow Me</i> +unguarded for hours at a time and that so far no one had molested her, +and Steve decided that it would be safe enough if they locked the +cabins. So presently the <i>Adventurer's</i> tender was lifted off the chocks +and put overboard and after hasty toilets the boys piled into it and the +two dingeys, each loaded to the limit, set off for the <i>Follow Me</i>. The +latter was a thirty-four foot craft, with a hunting cabin that reached +almost to the stern, leaving a cockpit scarcely large enough to swing a +cat in; although, as Perry remarked, it wasn't likely anyone would want +to swing a cat there. The cabin was surprisingly roomy and held four +berths, while a fifth bunk was placed forward of the tiny galley. The +latter was intended for the crew but at present it was the quarters of +"Brownie." The sixth member of the ship's company occupied at night a +mattress placed on the floor and philosophically explained that +sleeping there had the advantage of security; there was no chance to +roll out of bed in rough weather. The engine compartment lay between +cabin and cockpit and held a six-cylinder engine. Steering was done from +the cockpit, under shelter of an awning, but the engine control was +below. The <i>Follow Me</i> was four years old and had seen much service, but +she had been newly painted, varnished and overhauled and looked like a +thoroughly comfortable and seaworthy boat. She was copper painted below +the water-line and black above, with a gilt line and her name in gilt on +bows and stern. Compared to the <i>Adventurer</i> she was a modest enough +craft, but her six mariners asked nothing better and secretly believed +that in rough weather she would put the bigger boat to shame. Captain +Corwin levied on the slender supply of ginger-ale and sarsaparilla +contained in the tiny ice-chest and after that they again set forth, +this time for the nearest landing.</p> + +<p>They "did" the town exhaustively and at six-thirty descended on the +hotel thirteen strong and demanded to be placed together at one table. +It is doubtful if the hotel management made much money on the thirteen +dinners served to the boys, for everyone of them ate as though he hadn't +seen food for days. Somewhere around eight or half-past they dragged +themselves back to the boats and paddled out to the <i>Adventurer</i>, where, +since the evening was decidedly chilly, they thronged the after cabin +and flowed out into the cockpit. Perry started up his talking machine +and played his dozen records over a number of times, and everyone talked +at once—except some who sang—and, in the words of the country +newspapers, "a pleasant time was had by all." And at ten the <i>Follow +Me's</i> crew got back into their dingey and went off into the darkness of +a starlight night, rather noisy still in a sleepy way, and, presumably, +reached their destination. At least, no more was heard of them that +night. On the <i>Adventurer</i> berths were pulled out or let down and a +quarter of an hour after the departure of the visitors not a sound was +to be heard save the lapping of the water against the hull and the +peaceful breathing of seven healthily tired boys.</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_V'></a><h2>CHAPTER V</h2> + +<p style="text-align: center"><b>SUNDAY ASHORE</b></p> +<br /> + +<p>Before the sun had much more than climbed to a position where it could +peer over the low yellow ridge of Fire Island and see what the Adventure +Club was up to, <a name="chugchug">the two cruisers were chug-chugging out of the harbour</a> +with all flags flying. First went the <i>Adventurer</i>, as flag-ship of the +fleet, to use Neil's metaphor, and, a little way behind came the <i>Follow +Me</i>, her black hull and battleship-grey deck reminding the occupants of +the other boat of one of the "puffing pigs" of yesterday. The bay was +almost as smooth as the proverbial mill-pond this morning, and the +slanting shafts of sunlight cast strange and beautiful shades of gold +and copper on the tiny wavelets. It was still cool, and in the shadow of +the bridge deck one felt a bit shivery. But the sun promised a warm day. +The crew was polishing bright-work rather awkwardly but most +industriously and with a fine willingness, explaining that if he +polished brass some other poor Indian would have to swab decks, a remark +which inspired Neil to state with much emphasis that cleaning decks was +not, at all events, within the province of the ship's boy, and that, +anyway, he had helped with the dishes and that right now he was going to +lie in the sun on the galley roof and that if anyone disturbed him +there'd be trouble.</p> + +<p>Joe had been having a fine time with his engine. He was getting on terms +of real familiarity with it now, having lost some of the awe with which +he had regarded it yesterday. Today he called it "She" almost +patronisingly and even dared lay his hand on the cylinders with a +knowing cock of his head. Perry, looking on, asked sarcastically if he +was feeling the engine's pulse, and Joe haughtily replied that he wanted +to make sure the cylinders weren't overheating. Ossie, emerging from the +cabin, wiping his hands on his khaki trousers after wringing out his +dish cloths, gave it as his opinion that if there was any overeating +done it would not be done by the engine, accompanying the statement with +a meaning glance at Perry.</p> + +<p>About this time the <i>Follow Me</i> left her position astern and began to +creep alongside. Steve supposed she wanted to send a message across and +told the others on the deck to keep still a minute. But the <i>Follow Me</i> +kept on her way, the fellows sprawling around her deck and cockpit +looking across the few fathoms of water in silence.</p> + +<p>"Well, what do you know about that?" gasped Neil. "She's trying to pass +us!"</p> + +<p>Steve grunted, smiled and advanced his throttle. The click-click from +under the engine hatches became hurried and louder. Joe wrinkled his +forehead anxiously. The <i>Adventurer</i> stopped going astern of the other +boat and for a little distance they hung bow to bow. They saw Harry +Corwin, at the wheel of the <i>Follow Me</i>, lower his head to speak to his +brother in the engine room. The <i>Follow Me</i> began to forge ahead again, +slowly but certainly.</p> + +<p>"Give her more gas, Steve," begged Perry. "We can't have a little old +'puffing pig' of a boat like that walking away from us. Look at those +idiots grin!"</p> + +<p>"And watch them change their faces," laughed Steve as he drew the +throttle forward another two or three notches. Under the hatches the +engine uttered a new note and a quick jarring became felt. Joe's anxiety +increased to uneasiness.</p> + +<p>"Say, Steve, do you think—is it all right—I mean—"</p> + +<p>"She's only doing about seventeen," replied Steve calmly. "The throttle +isn't nearly open yet. But I guess that's enough," he added as he +glanced across the water. Perry, leaning across the gunwale, beckoned +insultingly.</p> + +<p>"Come on!" he called. "What are you stopping there for?"</p> + +<p>The <i>Follow Me</i> replied to the taunt, but what the reply was they didn't +know on the <i>Adventurer</i>, for the latter was ahead now by its full +length and gaining perceptibly every moment. Tom Corwin's head appeared +over the cabin roof, he took a look at the rival craft and popped from +sight again. The <i>Follow Me</i> stopped going back and hung with her nose +abreast the <i>Adventurer's</i> stern. Phil, who had been writing a letter in +the cabin, emerged and joined the group outside.</p> + +<p>"How fast is she going, Steve?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"About seventeen, I think. Still, Harry said the <i>Follow Me's</i> best was +eighteen, and she isn't losing any, and so we may be doing eighteen, +too. Guess we might as well settle the matter right now, though."</p> + +<p>With which he pulled the throttle to the limit, and the white cruiser, +quivering from stem to stern, forged ahead. "We're doing a good twenty +miles an hour now," shouted Steve above the hum of the motor, "and she +won't go any faster unless we get out and push!"</p> + +<p>But twenty miles was fast enough to distance the <i>Follow Me</i>, although +that boat held on gamely all the way across the bay and only slowed down +when, a good quarter of a mile behind the <i>Adventurer</i>, she was abreast +Pelican Bar. The <i>Adventurer</i> dropped her gait to twelve and presently +the black cruiser, having negotiated the inlet in the wake of the other +craft, drew within hailing distance and Harry Corwin called across +through the megaphone.</p> + +<p>"Some boat, Steve!" he shouted. "We're satisfied!"</p> + +<p>Steve waved back and the two cruisers settled down to their forty-mile +run along the shore, the <i>Follow Me</i> gliding smoothly along abaft the +<i>Adventurer's</i> starboard beam. They sighted few other craft this +morning, and, as there was a deal of sameness in the coast, the fellows +settled down to various occupations. Steve conducted a second class in +navigation, with Perry and Han as pupils, and Perry was allowed to take +the wheel all the way from Smith's Point to a position off the Moriches +Life-Saving Station. Phil went on with his letters, Ossie performed +mysterious rites in the galley, with Han looking on interestedly from +atop the dish-board, and Neil, exhausted by his labours as crew, +reclined on the seat in the cockpit and stared sleepily at a blue and +unclouded sky. Joe hunched himself on a seat on the bridge deck and +studied his book on motor boating, becoming, if truth were told, more +and more mystified as to the working of that remarkable affair that was +click-clicking away under his feet.</p> + +<p>The <i>Adventurer</i> reached the inlet to Shinnecock Bay a few minutes past +ten and, closely followed by her companion boat, put through and turned +her nose past Ponquogue Point. As Comorant Point drew near the shores of +the bay closed in and the cruiser turned to port and, signalling her way +past various craft, finally came to a pause outside the canal entrance. +When the <i>Follow Me</i> floated alongside Wink Wheeler called across.</p> + +<p>"What do you say to going ashore, fellows?" he asked. "It looks like a +jolly sort of place. We've got plenty of time, haven't we?"</p> + +<p>"All the time in the world and nothing to do," replied Steve cheerfully. +"We'll make that landing over there and you can come alongside us, +Harry."</p> + +<p>Ten minutes later they were stretching their legs ashore. Canoe Place +held plenty to interest them. The view was magnificent, for on one side +of them lay Shinnecock Bay, across whose still, pond-like waters they +had just sailed, and on the other stretched the blue expanse of Great +Peconic Bay, sun-bathed, aglint with rippling waves and dotted with +white sails. A small boy with one suspender performing the duty of two +and a straw hat minus about everything except the brim offered to guide +them and his proposition was quickly accepted and a bright new quarter +changed hands. The quaint old Inn was visited and their informant +gravely pointed to two sentinel willow trees and told them that "them +trees was planted by Napoleon a couple o' hunerd years ago. He got 'em +some place called Saint Helen. They had him in prison there for +somethin'." The boys viewed the willows doubtfully, but, as Phil said, +it was more fun to believe the extraordinary tale and they tried hard to +do so. Steve attempted to secure more historical information from the +small boy, but the latter appeared to have exhausted his fund. After +that they viewed several Summer estates from respectful distances and, +finding that their guide had nothing further of real interest for them, +went back to the landing and re-embarked.</p> + +<p>A quarter-mile or so of artificial canal took them through the narrow +neck of land between the two bays and let them out in a cove beyond +whose mouth the waters of Great Peconic stretched, apparently +illimitable. The course was set northeast by east and they began the +trip to Shelter Island. About half an hour later Joe discovered that the +<i>Follow Me</i> was far behind and it was soon evident that she had stopped. +After a moment Steve decided to turn back and see what was wrong, and +when the <i>Adventurer</i> rounded the smaller boat's stern they learned that +the <i>Follow Me</i> was having engine trouble. For a few minutes the +<i>Adventurer</i> hovered by, and then, as there was a fair breeze blowing +now and Joe and Neil were showing interest in the sea-sickness remedy, +Steve suggested a tow and Harry Corwin, after some hesitation, pocketed +his pride and agreed. A little before one o'clock the two boats slipped +into North Sea Harbour and dropped anchors. While the <i>Follow Me</i> +doctored her engine the <i>Adventurer</i> sat down to a delayed dinner. Ossie +gloomily predicted that everything would be spoiled, but if it was, no +one save Ossie apparently knew it. There was broiled bluefish and boiled +potatoes and spinach and sliced cucumbers that day, followed by a +marvellous concoction which the steward called a prune pudding. Perry +said he didn't care what it was called so long as it came, and, please +he'd like some more! No cook can withstand such a compliment as that, +and Ossie cast off his gloom. They all declared that that dinner was +just about the best they had ever eaten, and they meant it, and Ossie +swelled visibly with pride and almost declined Han's half-hearted offer +to help wash dishes!</p> + +<p>When the rest went back to the deck and saw the fellows on the <i>Follow +Me</i> eating sandwiches and other items of a cold repast on deck they felt +rather apologetic, and Joe and Steve slung the tender over and paddled +across to lend what assistance they might. But they found Tom Corwin, +very dirty and hot and somewhat peevish, reassembling the engine with +the help of "Brownie," and learned that the trouble had been discovered +and that the boat would go just as soon as they could get her together +again, which, from present indications, would be some time the day after +tomorrow! Harry Corwin told Steve he had better go ahead, that there was +no use in the <i>Adventurer</i> lying around and waiting, but Steve replied +that there was no hurry and that they'd stand by. The atmosphere on the +<i>Follow Me</i> was not very cheerful and the visitors went back to their +own craft after a decent lapse of time. About three the fellows donned +swimming tights and went in from the boat and had a fine time in the +water, and by the time they had had enough of that there came a +heartening <i>chug-chug-chug</i> from the <i>Follow Me's</i> exhaust and Wink +announced that they were ready to go on.</p> + +<p>As a result of the delay, it was almost six when they reached Shelter +Island and steered the cruiser to an anchorage. They had supper ashore +at seven, having dressed themselves in shore-going attire, but it was +noticeable that it was the <i>Follow Me's</i> company who made the most of +the meal. Neil met up with an acquaintance on the hotel porch after +supper—they chose to call it supper although it was really a +full-course dinner—and that meeting led to introductions and the boys +"did the society act," to use Perry's disgusted phrase, for the rest of +the evening. As it was a Saturday night there was a dance going on, and +Steve and Joe and Han, of the <i>Adventurer's</i> crowd, and several of the +other boat's company, took part. They didn't get back to the boats until +almost midnight, and Perry fell asleep in the dingey, on the second +trip, and had to be practically hoisted aboard. He muttered protestingly +until he had been dumped in his berth and then promptly went to sleep as +he was.</p> + +<p>They spent the next day at Shelter Island, not because anyone +considered it wrong to cruise on Sunday, but because Steve and Joe and +Han had discovered attractions at the hotel. Perry demanded that the +question of staying be put to a vote and the rest agreed, but the result +wasn't what Perry had hoped for because Neil basely cast his ballot with +Steve and Joe and Han. The four went off soon after breakfast, having +spent much time and effort on their various attires, and weren't seen +again until late afternoon. At least, they weren't seen again aboard the +cruiser until that time, although Perry, Phil and Ossie, following them +ashore after dinner, were scandalised to see them strolling around quite +brazenly in the company of an equal number of young ladies.</p> + +<p>"Girls!" snorted Perry scornfully. "Why, the big chumps, they look as if +they liked it! Gee, it's enough to sicken a fellow!"</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_VI'></a><h2>CHAPTER VI</h2> + +<p style="text-align: center"><b>IN THE FOG</b></p> +<br /> + +<p>"We've been going two whole days now," declared Perry, "and we haven't +even glimpsed an adventure." It was Tuesday morning and the two cruisers +were lying side by side in New Bedford harbour. A light drizzle was +falling and even under the awning of the bridge deck everything was +coated with a film of moisture. The <i>Adventurer</i> and the <i>Follow Me</i> had +done just short of a hundred miles yesterday, reaching the present port +at nightfall. They had averaged fifteen miles an hour and neither engine +had missed an explosion all day long. Joe had been rather stuck-up over +the way his engine had performed and had been inclined to take a good +share of the credit to himself. Perry, however, had declared that the +only reason the thing had run was because Joe had left it alone.</p> + +<p>"It's lucky for us you're afraid to touch it," said Perry. "If you +weren't we'd have been wallowing around somewhere between here and +Africa two days ago!"</p> + +<p>It had been too late to go ashore for sight-seeing last evening, and +they had put it off until morning. And now it was drizzling in a steady, +whole-hearted way that promised to make sight-seeing a miserable +business. Some of the crew of the <i>Follow Me</i> had come aboard to discuss +plans and the question was whether to remain in harbour and await better +weather or to set out again and run as far as Martha's Vineyard. Perry +was all for action, and he had the support of numerous others, but Steve +pointed out that running the cruiser in such weather in strange waters +was not over pleasant. "It's all well enough for the rest of you, for +all you have to do is lie around and read, but it's another thing to +stand up there at the wheel and keep from running into the landscape!"</p> + +<p>"Give her to me," advised Perry. "I'll get her to Edgartown or wherever +you want to go, right-side-up with care."</p> + +<p>"If you take the wheel," said Han, "I get out and walk every foot of the +way."</p> + +<p>"Better put your rubbers on," suggested Wink Wheeler.</p> + +<p>"You fellows make me very tired," continued Perry severely. "You call +yourselves the Adventure Club and start out to see some sport, and then +the first time there's a heavy mist you want to stick around an old +harbour for fear you'll get damp! We've been going two whole days now, +and we haven't even glimpsed an adventure!"</p> + +<p>"An adventure is one thing," said Ossie, "and getting drowned is +something else again. Tell you what, Perry; if you are so keen for sport +why don't you slip into the tender and run over to Vineyard Haven +yourself? We'll follow along tomorrow, or maybe this afternoon."</p> + +<p>"I want to see this town," said Joe. "There's lots to look at in here. +Whaling ships and a museum and—and lots of romantic things."</p> + +<p>"The whaling ships are all gone now," said Perry disdainfully. "They've +chopped them all up and sold them by the cord for fire wood. I know, for +we bought a lot of it once. It cost dad about ten dollars for express +and didn't burn any different from any other wood. My grandmother—"</p> + +<p>Steve groaned. "For the love of lemons, Perry, don't resurrect your +grandmother. Let the poor old lady lie."</p> + +<p>"She isn't dead," denied Perry indignantly. "She's ninety-one and a heap +smarter than you are."</p> + +<p>"Perry," charged Joe severely, "I distinctly remember you telling us +that your grandmother died of sea-sickness."</p> + +<p>"I didn't. I told you she ate lemons and—"</p> + +<p>"Died of acid stomach? Oh, all right. I knew she was dead."</p> + +<p>"Oh, dry up! She ate lemons to keep from being sea-sick, you idiot. And +if you ate them you wouldn't have to lug around a lot of silly medicine +that doesn't amount to a row of pins. And if—"</p> + +<p>"All very interesting," interrupted Phil mildly, "but it isn't deciding +whether we're to stay here or go on. Personally, I think that that +should be up to the captain. If he isn't to decide whether the weather +is right or wrong, who is?"</p> + +<p>"That's so," agreed several. "Steve's the captain. What you say goes, +Steve."</p> + +<p>"Very well. Then we'll stay here until it stops misting, or, at any +rate, until tomorrow. If it's still nasty then and you fellows want to +go on, I'll go. Now let's go ashore and see what's doing."</p> + +<p>"O Harry!" called Wink. "We're going to stay until tomorrow. Come +ashore."</p> + +<p>In spite of the drizzle they found a good deal to interest them in New +Bedford, and Joe actually did find a whaler, although it was no longer +in commission. At noon, Ossie, having made many purchases in the town, +served a dinner that made the world look a lot brighter. Afterwards the +crews of the two boats exchanged calls, read, dozed, played the +graphophone and didn't much care whether it drizzled or not. Toward the +end of the day the sun peered forth experimentally and there followed +another expedition ashore. But the sun soon gave up its attempt to do +any business that day and the drizzle set in harder than ever. In the +evening the entire club attended a moving picture show and thus disposed +of several hours that might otherwise have proved difficult to get +through. A motor-boat, no matter how large or luxurious, is not the most +interesting place to live on in wet weather.</p> + +<p>The next morning the mist had ceased, but the sun was hidden behind dark +clouds and the world was still rather dreary. But plenty of hot coffee, +some of Ossie's baking powder biscuits and the almost invariable fried +bacon cheered them remarkably, and at a little past eight the order was +given to weigh anchor and the two cruisers, the <i>Adventurer</i> showing the +way, set forth across Buzzard's Bay for Edgartown.</p> + +<p>It was a sixteen-mile run to the channel between Nonamesset Island and +the mainland, and Steve followed the steamboat course closely. The +chart showed many rocks and ledges in the first six miles, but neither +of the cruisers drew enough to make it necessary for their skippers to +worry. There was rough water, however, and Joe was seen to look +anxiously toward the after cabin. A flukey breeze came out of the +southeast and made sweaters comfortable. The shore of Naushon Island was +grey and indistinct when the <i>Adventurer</i> straightened out for the run +across the bay. Behind her the <i>Follow Me</i> plunged gallantly, doing her +fourteen miles without a murmur. As they neared Penzance the sea +moderated and they swung into the channel on an almost even keel. Good +harbours beckoned, and the plan of lying by until after dinner was +discussed and finally abandoned. Edgartown was only another hour's sail +and it would be better to keep on and lie in there for dinner. But when +the <i>Adventurer</i> had passed into Vineyard Sound Steve began to wish he +had waited. A bank of grey mist hid the island toward which they were +headed and he feared they would find themselves in it before they could +reach the nearest harbour, which was Vineyard Haven. But since the +<i>Adventurer</i> had already left Wood's Holl two miles behind and Vineyard +Haven Harbour was only some four miles further it seemed silly to turn +back. There was always the chance that the fog would blow off, besides. +Nevertheless Steve frowned dubiously through the moist pane ahead and, +without saying anything of his fears to the rest, drew the throttle a +few notches down and kept the <i>Adventurer</i> close to her course. Behind, +the <i>Follow Me</i> speeded up as well and the two boats hurried for where, +out of sight in the grey void ahead, West Chop pointed a blunt nose to +sea.</p> + +<p>But it was a losing race, for ten minutes later Steve saw that the fog +bank was rolling down upon them and from somewhere to the eastward came +the dismal hoot of a steamer feeling her way along. Joe, too, saw what +they were in for and turned anxiously to Steve. "That's fog, isn't it?" +he asked.</p> + +<p>Steve nodded. "Get the fog-horn ready, will you? We don't want anyone +bumping into us. I'm going to slow down to six miles. There's too much +water here to drop anchor in." He eyed the advancing fog distastefully +and then shrugged his shoulders. "You've got to learn some time, I +suppose, Joe, and here's where I learn to make harbour by the compass. +Now we're in it!"</p> + +<p>At that instant the grey mist enveloped them silently, chillingly. Joe +drew a long wail from the fog-horn and in response a similar but +higher-keyed wail came through the fog from the <i>Follow Me</i>. And at the +same moment the other members of the ship's company stuck inquiring +heads through the companion ways.</p> + +<p>"Hello," exclaimed Perry. "Fog! Gee, that's exciting! Say, you can't see +a thing, can you? Look, fellows, the boat hasn't any bow!"</p> + +<p>"Nor any stern," added Han. "You can almost taste the stuff. Say, Steve, +isn't it hard to steer in a fog?"</p> + +<p>"Not a bit," answered Steve cheerfully. "Steering's perfectly easy. The +only trouble is to steer right."</p> + +<p>"To-o-ot!" said the fog-horn and was answered from astern. Then +somewhere to the south-eastward a siren sent a wailing cry, subdued by +distance. The fog settled on everything and shone on the boys' sweaters +in little beads of moisture. The <i>Adventurer</i> seemed to be standing +still, for, with nothing to judge by, progress was made known only by +the slow lazy throb of the engine. Even the water alongside was scarcely +discernible. Joe pulled the lever of the fog-horn again, and this time, +beside the response from the <i>Follow Me</i>, an answering bellow came +across the water.</p> + +<p>"A steamer," muttered Steve, peering uselessly into the grey void. +"She's a good ways off, though. Give her another pull, Joe."</p> + +<p>Again the <i>Adventurer</i> proclaimed her position but there was no answer +from the steamer. "She doesn't seem very talkative," said Phil. "How +fast are we going, Steve?"</p> + +<p>"Six."</p> + +<p>"And how far is Edgartown?"</p> + +<p>"About twelve, but we're not going there. I'm trying to make Vineyard +Haven. It's only about two miles." He glanced puzzledly at the compass +and moved the wheel a fraction. "There's a jetty comes out there and I +guess we'd better give it a good wide berth." Collars were pulled up to +keep the moisture from creeping down necks, and Perry begged to be +allowed to manipulate the fog-horn. He went at it whole-souledly and +Steve had to curb his enthusiasm. "Once a minute will do, Perry," he +said. "You sound like a locomotive scaring a cow off the track."</p> + +<p>"How do you know there isn't a cow ahead?" demanded Perry. "Or a whale? +Gee, wouldn't it be a surprise if we bust right into a whale? Who would +get the worst of it, Steve?"</p> + +<p>"I guess we would. Shut up a minute, fellows, please!"</p> + +<p>Silence held the bridge deck, silence save for the subdued purr of the +engine under their feet and the drip, drip of the drops from the awning +edge. Steve peered anxiously ahead, his senses alert. At last:</p> + +<p>"Hear anything?" he asked.</p> + +<p>They all said no.</p> + +<p>"I guess I was mistaken then," Steve explained, "but I could have sworn +I heard surf." He leaned over the chart. "This doesn't show anything, +though, nearer than the land. Toot your horn, Perry."</p> + +<p>Perry obeyed. At long intervals the unseen, distant steamer bellowed her +warning and more frequently the <i>Follow Me</i> groaned dismally on a hand +horn. It was ten minutes later, perhaps, when Steve suddenly swung +around and looked back past the bow of the dingey on the after cabin +roof.</p> + +<p>"That's funny!" he exclaimed. "The <i>Follow Me</i> sounded away over there!" +He looked anxiously at the compass, hesitated and shook his head. "If I +didn't know this thing was all right, fellows, I'd say it was crazy. Or +if there was a strong current here—" His voice dwindled away to a +murmur as he studied the chart again. Just then the <i>Follow Me's</i> +fog-horn sounded and it was undeniably further away and well over to +port. "Either he's off his course or I am," muttered Steve. "And I +simply don't see how I can be. Give them a long one, Perry!"</p> + +<p>Perry sent a frantic wail across the water and they listened intently. +But no reply came from the <i>Follow Me</i>. Instead, from somewhere off +their port bow travelled the steamer's bellow. That, too, seemed +considerably further away. Then the distant siren sounded, and after +that there was silence again. But the silence lasted only a moment, for +before anyone could hazard a conjecture as to the <i>Follow Me's</i> erratic +behaviour, Phil's voice arose warningly.</p> + +<p>"Listen, Steve!" he cried. "Isn't that surf I hear?"</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_VII'></a><h2>CHAPTER VII</h2> + +<p style="text-align: center"><b>STEVE TAKES HER IN</b></p> +<br /> + +<p>Steve's hand flew to the clutch as the rest joined Phil at the side of +the boat, and, in the grey silence that ensued, strained their ears.</p> + +<p>"You're right," said Neil, after an instant. "There's surf there, or I'm +a Dutchman. And it isn't far away."</p> + +<p>Steve, who had handed the wheel to Joe, nodded. "It's surf, all right," +he agreed, "but it hasn't any business there. What are you going to do +when you can't depend on the chart? Well, the only thing for us to try +is another direction." He swung the wheel well to port and slid the +clutch in gently and, with the engine throttled down, the <i>Adventurer</i> +nosed forward once more. "Phil, beat it out to the bow and keep your +ears open, will you? Watch that deck, though; it's slippery." An anxious +silence held for several minutes. Then Phil's voice came from the +fog-hidden bow:</p> + +<p>"Surf dead ahead, Steve!" he called.</p> + +<p>"Can you see anything?" shouted Steve as he again disengaged.</p> + +<p>"No, but I can hear the waves breaking."</p> + +<p>They all could now that the propeller had stopped churning. Steve gazed +dazedly from fog to compass and from compass to chart, and finally shook +his head helplessly.</p> + +<p>"It's too much for me, fellows," he said. "I'm going back as straight as +I know how, or—" He stopped. "Hang it, there can't be land on <i>all</i> +sides!" He pulled the bow still further to port and again started. "Keep +your ears open, Phil," he called. "I'll run her as slow as she'll go. If +you hear the surf plainer, shout."</p> + +<p>The <i>Adventurer</i> went on again. After a moment Han, leaning outboard +over the deck rail, said: "It's not so loud, Steve. I think we're going +away from it slowly."</p> + +<p>"Or else running parallel," suggested Perry. "Anyhow, it isn't any +nearer."</p> + +<p>Another minute or two passed, with all hands listening intently. Then +Phil sounded another warning. "Hold up, Steve! I may be crazy, but I'll +swear there's surf dead ahead again!"</p> + +<p>Steve motioned to Joe and, yielding the wheel after throwing out the +clutch again, swung around a stanchion and crept cautiously along the +roof of the main cabin and galley until he reached Phil's side. Then, +dropping to his knees and steadying himself by the flag-pole, he +listened. Quite plainly and, as it seemed, from alarmingly nearby, came +the gentle <i>swish-swash</i> of tiny waves breaking on a beach. In the fog +it was difficult to tell whether the sound came from directly ahead or +from starboard. At all events, when Steve turned his head to port the +sound was certainly at his right or behind him.</p> + +<p>"I'll try it again," he said. "You stay here, Phil." He climbed back to +the bridge deck. "Perry, are you working that fog-horn?" he demanded. +"If you aren't, get busy with it!" Once more the cruiser picked up and +stole forward, her nose slowly swinging around to port. Steve had given +up watching the compass now. All he wanted to do was find clear water. +The <i>swish</i> of surf died away by degrees as the <i>Adventurer</i> edged +cautiously along and, after five minutes, Steve gave a sigh of relief. +"I guess we're all right now," he muttered to Joe, "but I'm going to +keep her just moving. We might anchor, I suppose, but it's dollars to +doughnuts we'd have to spend the night here; wherever here is," he +added, scowling resentfully at the chart. "Look here, Joe." He reached +forward and laid a finger on the map. "Here's where we were, or where +we ought to have been, when we heard the surf first. According to this +we were a good mile from the shore and the only shoal is that one and +it's marked six feet at mean low water. There's a black-and-red spar +buoy there, as you see, but we haven't sighted it. Now, what I want to +know is how the dickens we could have got a mile off our course to +starboard. Also, if we are off our course, where are we? Unless we've +slipped over the beach and got into that pond down there—"</p> + +<p>"<i>Steve! Back up! We're running on the rocks!</i>"</p> + +<p>It was the frenzied voice of Phil in the bow. Steve thrust Joe aside and +seizing the clutch put it quickly into neutral.</p> + +<p>"Bring the boat-hook here!" shouted Phil. "Reverse, Steve! Hard!"</p> + +<p>But Steve had already slammed the clutch into reverse and pulled down +the throttle. A mighty thrashing and foaming sounded astern and the +<i>Adventurer</i> trembled, hesitated and began to churn her way backward. +Perry, boat-hook in hand, was sliding and stumbling along the wet deck. +He reached the bow just in time to see the menacing face of a high stone +jetty disappear again into the mist. Phil, clinging to the flag-pole, +was sprawled on the deck with his legs stretched out to fend the boat +off.</p> + +<p>"Just in time!" he muttered, pulling himself back to safety. "Did you +see it, Perry!"</p> + +<p>"Did I see it? I almost fell overboard! That's enough, Steve!"</p> + +<p>The <i>Adventurer</i> stopped going astern and Steve called anxiously from +the wheel. "What was it, Phil?" he questioned.</p> + +<p>"A breakwater about ten feet high! We almost hit it!"</p> + +<p>"A breakwater!" Steve turned swiftly to the chart. "Then I know where we +are at last! Look here, Joe!" He pointed. "We're cornered in here, see? +Here's the shore on that side and the jetty dead ahead of us. How we got +here I don't know, but here we are. If we can find the end of the jetty +we're all right. Keep that horn going, Perry!"</p> + +<p>"Why not drop an anchor where we are?" asked Joe.</p> + +<p>"We could do that, of course, but here's the harbour right around the +end of the jetty. Seems to me we might as well get in there, Joe."</p> + +<p>"All right," agreed the other doubtfully, "but this feeling around in +the dark is making me nervous. First thing we know we'll—um—we'll be +running into the First National Bank or the Congregational Church or +something! Still, if you think we can find our way, all right. I'm +game."</p> + +<p>Steve eyed the compass thoughtfully and in silence for a moment. Then: +"You still there, Phil?" he called.</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>"Keep your eyes and ears open. I'm going to try to run along the side of +the jetty and find the harbour. If you see a red spar buoy, sing out. +Sing out if you see anything at all. Everyone keep a watch. We're going +to eat dinner in the harbour or know why!"</p> + +<p>The cruiser moved slowly on once more, her nose turning sharply. Then +she paused, went back and again moved forward, Steve turning the wheel +slowly with his eyes on the compass. "Now watch on the starboard side, +Phil!" he called.</p> + +<p>"Which is that? My right?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, you land-lubber! Hear anything?"</p> + +<p>"N-no! I didn't <i>hear</i> anything before until we were almost on the +breakwater. Sometimes I think I can hear—"</p> + +<p>Phil's voice died away to silence.</p> + +<p>"Hear what?" asked Steve.</p> + +<p>"Well, water sort of lapping. It may be against our boat, though."</p> + +<p>"Neil, you go forward, too, will you?" said Steve. Neil joined Phil and +for some minutes the <i>Adventurer</i> stole quietly along through the grey +void with little sound save the slow working of the engine below deck +and the lazy thud of the propeller. It was so quiet that when Perry +suddenly worked the fog-horn Han almost fell over the wet rail on which +he was sitting. It was Ossie who broke the silence finally.</p> + +<p>"Well, I guess we've got to eat, whether we run ashore or stay afloat. +I'm going to put some potatoes on."</p> + +<p>"All right," replied Steve quietly. "But if you feel a bump, put out +your alcohol flame the first thing you do, Ossie."</p> + +<p>"Sure, but you can bet I won't wait down there to see whether the +potatoes are done!"</p> + +<p>"How about it, you chaps?" asked Steve presently.</p> + +<p>"Don't hear a thing," answered Phil.</p> + +<p>"All right. I'm going to bring her around now. Yell the minute you see +anything. You needn't worry. She's only crawling and I'll have her going +astern before you can shout twice."</p> + +<p>Very slowly Steve moved the wheel to starboard. In the stillness they +could hear the gear creak under the deck. No warning came from the two +lookouts and, after a moment, Steve again turned gingerly. For all the +watchers could tell, the <i>Adventurer</i> never altered her course, but +Steve, his gaze on the compass card, knew that she was headed now +straight east. Now and then he peered questioningly forward, but his +gaze was defeated by the fog. At intervals Perry sent a groaning wail +from the fog-horn. Presently Steve heard the boys talking on the bow and +in a moment Neil's voice hailed him:</p> + +<p>"Surf off to starboard, Steve! Not very near, though."</p> + +<p>The others listened, but there was just enough noise from the engine to +drown the sound heard by the lookouts.</p> + +<p>"Tell me if it gets louder," called Steve. "Still hear it?"</p> + +<p>"Not so well," answered Phil. "I think we're going away from it."</p> + +<p>"Waves against the end of the jetty," explained Steve. "I think we're +all right now." He moved the wheel over slowly, spoke by spoke. "Keep +your horn going, Perry. We're entering the harbour. Watch for buoys, +fellows. Take it on this side, Joe."</p> + +<p>Followed a dubious five minutes during which the only sounds that +reached them from outside the boat were distant fog signals and, once, +the unmistakable moo of a cow!</p> + +<p>"Gee," murmured Perry, "that's the best thing I've heard all day! That +means we really are in the harbour, doesn't it?"</p> + +<p>"Might be a sea-cow," suggested Ossie, from the companion.</p> + +<p>"Ready with the bow anchor!" called Steve.</p> + +<p>Han scuttled forward into the mist. "All right, sir!" he announced in +his best nautical manner.</p> + +<p>Steve disengaged the clutch. There was a moment of silence aboard the +<i>Adventurer</i>. Then: "Over with it, Han," directed Steve. There was a +splash, followed by the rasping of the cable through the chock and then +a cheerful whistle from the crew as he made fast. "About eighteen feet, +Steve, I should say," he called.</p> + +<p>"Sixteen," corrected the Captain gravely. Joe smiled.</p> + +<p>"Mean it?" he asked.</p> + +<p>Steve nodded and put a finger on the chart. "We're right here," he said. +Then he covered the compass and drew down the lid of the chart box and +stretched his arms luxuriously. "That's over with," he added, "and I'm +glad of it! How about dinner, Ossie?"</p> + +<p>"On the fire, Cap! Ready in five minutes."</p> + +<p>"Then I'm going to get into a dry shirt. I'm soaked through. Some of you +chaps pull the side curtains down on the port side. We might as well +keep as dry as we can."</p> + +<p>"Looks to me as if the fog was rolling in from the starboard, though," +said Han.</p> + +<p>"Yes, it's coming from the southeast, but we'll swing around in a few +minutes because the tide's coming in. Wonder where the <i>Follow Me</i> is."</p> + +<p>"Harry would probably make for harbour, too, wouldn't he?" asked Joe, +following the other down to the cabin. "I wouldn't be surprised if we +found them here when the fog clears."</p> + +<p>A yacht, hidden somewhere in the fog ahead, sounded eight bells and was +instantly echoed from further away. "Great Scott!" exclaimed Steve. "Is +it twelve already?"</p> + +<p>Joe nodded, glancing at the ship's clock at the end of the cabin. "Two +minutes after if our clock's right. Say, Steve, the next time we go out +in a fog we'll—um—we won't go, eh?"</p> + +<p>"Not while I'm running this hooker," agreed Steve with intense +conviction. "Now that it's over, Joe, I don't mind telling you that I +was a bit worried. I wanted like anything to drop anchor back there by +the jetty."</p> + +<p>"Why didn't you then?"</p> + +<p>"I don't quite know," replied the other thoughtfully, "but I think it +was chiefly because I didn't like to be beaten."</p> + +<p>"Dinner!" called Ossie from the forward cabin. "All hands to dinner! Get +a move on!"</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_VIII'></a><h2>CHAPTER VIII</h2> + +<p style="text-align: center"><b>PERRY LOSES HIS WAY</b></p> +<br /> + +<p>They stayed aboard all that day, for the fog held tight, and, if Steve's +calculations were right, the <i>Adventurer</i> lay well down toward the +entrance to the harbour and the nearest settlement was a good mile and +three-quarters away. None of the seven felt sufficiently ambitious to +put out for shore in that smother of mist. They managed to pass the time +without much trouble, however. There was always the graphophone, +although they were destined to become rather tired of the records, and +Steve, Joe, Han and Neil played whist most of the afternoon. Phil curled +up on a couch and read, and Ossie and Perry, after having a violent +argument over the proper way to make an omelet decided to settle the +question then and there. By the time the two omelets were prepared the +whist players were ready to stop and the entire ship's company partook +of the rival concoctions and decided the matter in favour of Ossie.</p> + +<p>"Although," explained Joe, "I'm not saying that Perry's omelet is bad. +If he had remembered to put a little salt in it—"</p> + +<p>"I did!" declared Perry resentfully. "You don't know a decent omelet +when you see it. Look how light mine was! Why, it was twice as high as +Ossie's!"</p> + +<p>"That's just it," said Steve gravely. "It was so light that it sort of +faded away before you could taste it. An omelet, Perry, should be +substantial and filling."</p> + +<p>"That shows how much you know about it," jeered Perry. "There were just +as many eggs in mine as there were in his. Only I made mine with water +and beat the eggs separately—"</p> + +<p>"Ah, there it is, you see," drawled Joe. "You beat the poor little eggs. +I'm surprised at you, Perry. Any fellow who will beat an inoffensive +egg—"</p> + +<p>"Huh, I found one that wasn't inoffensive by a long shot! Someone will +have to get some eggs tomorrow, for there are only eight left."</p> + +<p>"What!" Han viewed Perry in disgust. "Mean to say you went and used them +all up making those silly omelets?"</p> + +<p>"I notice you ate the silly omelets," said Ossie. "One egg apiece is +enough for breakfast, isn't it?"</p> + +<p>"Not for me. The doctor ordered two every morning. If I don't have two +eggs for breakfast I shall mutiny."</p> + +<p>"If you do you'll be put in irons," said Joe. "Or swung from the +yard-arm. Say, how long before we're going to have something to eat, +Ossie? I'm hungry. That egg thing sort of whetted my appetite."</p> + +<p>"Gosh, you fellows would keep me cooking all the time," grumbled the +steward. "It's only five, and we don't have supper until six. So you can +plaguey well starve for an hour."</p> + +<p>"Then I shall go to sleep and—um—forget the pangs of hunger. Move your +big feet out of the way, Phil."</p> + +<p>"I like your cheek, you duffer! Go on back to your own bunk."</p> + +<p>"Too faint for want of food," murmured Joe, stretching himself out in +spite of Phil's protests. "Someone sing to me, please."</p> + +<p>Supper went very well, in spite of the mid-afternoon luncheon, and after +that the riding light was set for the night, the hatches drawn shut and +all hands settled down to pass the evening in whatever way seemed best. +But bedtime came early tonight and, by half-past nine, with the sound of +a distant siren coming to them at intervals and the yacht's bells +chiming the hours and half-hours, all lights were out below and the +<i>Adventurer</i> was wrapped in fog and silence.</p> + +<p>The fog still held in the morning, although at times it took on a +yellowish tinge and made them hopeful that it would burn off. Steve said +it was not quite so thick, but no one else was able to see much +difference in it. Han managed to subsist on one egg, in spite of gloomy +predictions, but after breakfast he and Perry decided to paddle ashore +and find a place where they could purchase more. They tried to add to +the party, but no one else wanted to go, and so they disappeared into +the mist about nine o'clock, agreeing to be back at ten-thirty, at which +time, unless the fog should have lifted, those aboard the boat were to +sound the whistle.</p> + +<p>They landed on a narrow beach after a short row, and, stumbling through +a fringe of coarse sand, discovered a lane leading inland. They stopped +and strove to remember the location of the boat, and then followed the +lane. The fog was amber-hued now and the morning was fast losing its +chill. Perry broke into song and Han into a tuneless whistle that seemed +to give him a deal of satisfaction. They soon found a main-travelled +road and, after fixing the turn-off in their minds, wheeled to the left.</p> + +<p>"It would be a fine joke if we couldn't find the dingey again," chuckled +Han.</p> + +<p>"I think you've got a punk idea of humour," responded Perry. "Anyway, +all we'd have to do is find the beach and keep along until we barked our +skins on the boat. Bet you, though, this pesky fog will be gone in an +hour."</p> + +<p>The road left the shore presently and the travellers found that the fog +was thinner and sometimes lifted entirely over small spaces, and it +wasn't long before they stopped to take off their jackets and swing them +across their arms. Possibly they passed houses, but they saw none, and +the only incident occurred when the sound of wheels came to them from +the highway ahead and, presently, a queer, old-fashioned two-wheeled +chaise drawn by a piebald, drooping-eared horse passed slowly from the +mist ahead to the mist behind. The boys gazed at it in wonderment, too +interested in the equipage itself to heed the occupants. When it was out +of sight again Han ejaculated: "Well, I'll be switched, Perry! I didn't +suppose there was one of those things left in the world!"</p> + +<p>"Neither did I. And there won't be pretty quick, I guess, for it looked +and sounded as if it would fall to pieces before it got to—to wherever +it's going. Bet you anything that was the deacon's one-horse chaise in +the poem!"</p> + +<span style='margin-left: 1em;'>"<i>Have you heard of the wonderful one-hoss shay</i></span><br /> +<span style='margin-left: 1em;'><i>That was built in such a logical way</i></span><br /> +<span style='margin-left: 1em;'><i>It ran a hundred years to a day?</i>"</span><br /> + +<p>quoted Han. "Wouldn't that look funny alongside a Rolls-Royce, Perry?"</p> + +<p>"It would look funny alongside a flivver," answered the other. "Say, how +far do we have to walk? Seems to me we've done about five miles +already."</p> + +<p>"Rot! We haven't walked more than a mile. Not being able to see things +makes it seem farther, I guess." The encouraging sound of a cow mooing +reached them the next minute. "That must be the one we heard yesterday," +said Han. "I suppose there's just one on the island and it's set to go +off at the same time every day."</p> + +<p>"If there's a cow over there," said Perry, staring into the fog, "maybe +there's a farmhouse. Let's have a look."</p> + +<p>"All right, but we're just as likely to walk into a swamp as find a +house."</p> + +<p>But a very few steps off the highway put them on a narrow lane and +presently the big bulk of a barn loomed ahead. The house was soon +located and ten minutes later, having purchased two quarts of milk and +four dozen eggs, they retraced their steps. The fog had now apparently +changed its mind about lifting, for the yellow tinge had gone and the +world was once more grey and chill. They donned their coats again and, +carrying their precious burdens, trudged on. Occasionally a puff of air +came off the sound and the fog blew in trailing wreaths before them. +When they had walked what they considered to be the proper distance they +began to watch for that lane. And after they had watched for it for a +full quarter of an hour and had walked a deal farther than they should +have they reached the entirely justifiable conclusion that they were +lost!</p> + +<p>Perry set down the battered milk can on which they had paid a deposit of +twenty-five cents, took a long breath and, viewing the encompassing fog, +exclaimed melodramatically: "Lost on Martha's Vineyard, or The Mystery +of the Four Dozen Eggs!"</p> + +<p>"Well, we won't starve for awhile," laughed Han. "Say, where <i>is</i> that +lane we came up, anyway? Think we've passed it?"</p> + +<p>"About ten miles back," sighed Perry. "Come on and let's try dead +reckoning. The beach is over there somewhere and if we can find it—"</p> + +<p>"Great! But when we have found it, which way shall we go?"</p> + +<p>Perry pushed his hat back and thoughtfully scratched his head. "Give it +up!" he said at last. "You might go one way and I another. Anyway, let's +find the old beach."</p> + +<p>They scrambled across a wall into a bush-grown tract, Han discovering in +the process that he had chosen a place prettily bedecked with +poison-ivy. "That does for me," said Han gloomily. "I'll have a fine +time of it now for a couple of weeks. I can't even look at that stuff +without getting poisoned!"</p> + +<p>"Maybe it didn't see you," said Perry cheerfully. "In this fog—"</p> + +<p>"Don't be a silly goat," interrupted the other fretfully. "I tell you +I'll be all broken out tomorrow! And it's perfectly beastly, too. You +have blisters all over you and they itch so you can hardly stand it."</p> + +<p>"Too bad," said Perry, trying to sound sympathetic but failing because +he caught his foot in a bramble at the moment and almost pitched on his +face.</p> + +<p>"Well," continued Han, more cheerfully, "there's one good thing. Salt +water is fine to bathe in when you have ivy poisoning, and there'll be +plenty of that around."</p> + +<p>"Sure; and it won't cost you a cent, either." They reached the beach +then and gazed hopelessly about them as they crossed the softer sand. +"If only they'd blow their old whistle we'd know where we are."</p> + +<p>"If I had some alcohol I might backen it," observed Han.</p> + +<p>"Alcohol? Backen what?"</p> + +<p>"The ivy poison."</p> + +<p>"Oh! Well, there's plenty of alcohol on board. Wonder what time it is," +Perry drew out his watch and whistled surprisedly. "Only a quarter to +ten, Han! We couldn't have walked very far, after all. And they won't +signal us until ten-thirty. Here, I'm going this way."</p> + +<p>"It's the alkali that counteracts the poison," explained Han. "They say +that if you can bathe the places in alcohol soon after you come in—in +contact with the ivy—"</p> + +<p>"For the love of Pete!" exclaimed Perry. "Forget about it, Han! You'll +worry yourself to death over that poison-ivy. Maybe it didn't bite you, +after all."</p> + +<p>"Of course it did!" replied the other resentfully. "It always does. If I +had some alcohol, though—"</p> + +<p>"Well, come on and get some. We've got to find the boat first, haven't +we?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, but I don't think it's that way."</p> + +<p>"Then you try the other way, and if you find it, sing out so I'll hear +you."</p> + +<p>"All right." They separated, each following the edge of the water, and +presently Perry's voice rang out. "Here she is, Han!" he called. A faint +hail answered him and Perry stowed the milk-can in the bow of the little +boat and seated himself to wait. A few minutes later, as Han still +tarried, he shouted again. This time there was no reply however, and +Perry muttered impatiently and found a more comfortable position. When +some five minutes more had passed he got to his feet and yelled at the +top of his lungs. "Get a move on, Han! The milk's getting sour and I'm +getting cold!" he shouted. An answering cry came from closer by, but +what it was that Han said Perry couldn't make out. He turned his coat +collar up, plunged hands in pockets and viewed the grey mist +scowlingly. Then he began to listen for footsteps crunching the sand. +But no sound save the lapping of water on the beach and the creaking of +a boom on an unseen boat reached him.</p> + +<p>"It would serve him right to leave him here," he muttered resentfully. +"Anyway, I'm not going to yell at him any more. I suppose he's so taken +up with his poison-ivy business that he can't think of anything else. +Wonder if I got into that stuff, too!" The idea was distinctly +unwelcome. He thought he recalled brushing through leaves as he crossed +the wall. He had never had any experience with poison-ivy and didn't +know whether or not he was susceptible, but it seemed to him that there +was a distinct itching sensation on his back. He squirmed uncomfortably. +Then a prickly feeling on his left wrist set him to rubbing it. He +examined the skin and, sure enough, it was quite red! He had it, too! +You had blisters all over you, Han had said. Perry looked for blisters +but found none. Still, he reflected miserably, it was probably too early +for them yet. He suddenly found himself rubbing his right wrist too. And +that, also, was distinctly inflamed looking, although not so red as the +other. Gee, he'd ought to do something! Alcohol! That was it! He ought +to bathe the places in alcohol! He jumped out of the dingey, pushed it +down the beach into the water and sprawled across the bow. Then he +shoved further off with an oar and sudsided onto a seat.</p> + +<p>"Back in ten minutes for you, Han!" he shouted. "You wait here! I'll +bring some alcohol!"</p> + +<p>When a dozen choppy strokes had taken him out of sight of the shore his +panic subsided a little and two thoughts came to him. The first was that +he was treating Han rather scurvilly and the second was that he hadn't +more than the haziest notion where the <i>Adventurer</i> lay! But, having +embarked, he kept on. Probably ten or fifteen minutes wouldn't make much +difference in Han's case, while, as for finding the cruiser, he would +shout after he had rowed a little further and doubtless someone aboard +would hear him.</p> + +<p>So he went on into the mist, occasionally stopping to scratch a wrist or +wiggle about on the seat in the endeavour to abate the prickling +sensation in back or shoulders. It seemed to him now that he was +infected from head to toes. Presently, having rowed some distance, he +began to hail. "<i>Adventurer</i> ahoy!" he shouted, "O Steve! O Joe!"</p> + +<p>He stopped rowing, rubbed a wrist, peered into the fog and waited. But +no answering hail reached him. He lifted his voice again. "Ahoy! +<i>Adventurer</i> ahoy! Are you all dead? Where are you?"</p> + +<p>This time there was an answer, faint but unmistakable, and, somewhat to +Perry's surprise, it came from almost behind him. "Shout again!" he +called. "Where are you?"</p> + +<p>"He-e-ere! Hurry up!" At least, that was what the answer sounded like. +Perry grumblingly turned the boat around and rowed in the direction of +the voice. "I suppose," he thought, "I rowed in a circle. I always did +row harder with my right. But I don't see what they want me to hurry +for. And they might blow their whistle if they had any sense."</p> + +<p>"Shout again!" he yelled presently.</p> + +<p>"Hello-o-o!" came a hail from somewhere back of the boat, and: "Come +ahead!" called a voice from the fog in front. Perry exploded.</p> + +<p>"Shut up, one of you!" he called exasperatedly. "I can't row two ways at +once! Where's the boat?" But his remarks evidently didn't carry, for all +he got was another hail from behind. "All right," he muttered. "Why +didn't you say so before?" He swung the dingey around a second time and +rowed on a new course. "Wonder who the other chap was," he thought. "I +dare say, though, there are boats all around here if a fellow could see +them." A minute later he called again: "Come on, you idiots! Where are +you?"</p> + +<p>"Don't bust yourself," said a voice from almost over his shoulder. "And +watch where you're going if you don't want to stave that boat in."</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_IX'></a><h2>CHAPTER IX</h2> + +<p style="text-align: center"><b>SOUR MILK</b></p> +<br /> + +<p>Perry was so surprised that he almost fell off the seat, while, +forgetting to obey injunctions, he let the dingey run until there was a +sudden bump that toppled the milk-can over and nearly treated him the +same way. He looked startedly about. Six feet away lay a black boat and +a boy with a boat-hook was threatening him from the deck.</p> + +<p>"You silly idiot!" called the boy impatiently. "Look where you're going! +If I hadn't got you with the hook you'd have knocked half our paint +off!"</p> + +<p>The boy and the boat slowly vanished in the mist like a "fade-out" at +the movies, before Perry found his voice. Then: "Who the dickens are +you?" he gasped.</p> + +<p>"I'm the man who put the salt in the ocean," replied the voice +jeeringly. "Come on easy and I'll get you."</p> + +<p>"Well, but—but—what boat's that?"</p> + +<p>"U.S. Battleship <i>Pennsylvania</i>, Pride of the Navy! Come on, you +lubber!"</p> + +<p>Perry came on and again the boy with the boat-hook took form in the +fog. "You're Cas Temple," said Perry stupidly. "That's the <i>Follow Me</i>!"</p> + +<p>"Surest thing you know, son! Hello! Why, it's Perry Bush. I thought you +were Bert. What did you do with the fellows?"</p> + +<p>"What fellows?" asked Perry, puzzled, as Cas pulled the dingey alongside +the cruiser.</p> + +<p>"Why, Bert and Wink and the rest of them."</p> + +<p>"Haven't seen 'em."</p> + +<p>"Haven't? Where'd you get the boat, then?"</p> + +<p>"What boat?"</p> + +<p>"That one! The one you're in! Say, are you dippy?"</p> + +<p>"This is our boat and I got it—"</p> + +<p>"Your boat nothing! That's our boat, you silly chump! Think I don't know +our own tender?"</p> + +<p>"Wh-what!" gasped Perry. "So it is! Then, where's mine! I mean ours? How +did I get this one?"</p> + +<p>"Search me! If you don't know, I'm blessed if I do," chuckled Caspar +Temple. "You must remember something that's happened since yesterday +morning!"</p> + +<p>"Han and I went ashore," said Perry, staring puzzledly at the milk-can +from which a tiny stream was trickling past the loosened stopper. "Then +we went to look for our boat and I found this and I yelled to him and he +didn't come and so I started back to the boat to get some—" Perry +suddenly remembered his affliction. "Say, got any alcohol?" he asked +anxiously.</p> + +<p>"Alcohol? I don't know. Why?"</p> + +<p>"I want some." Perry started to scramble out of the tender. "I got +poisoned."</p> + +<p>"Snake?" asked Cas hopefully and eagerly.</p> + +<p>"Poison-ivy."</p> + +<p>"Oh!" The other's voice held keen disappointment. "Well, what do you +want alcohol for?"</p> + +<p>"It's good for it," explained Perry, reaching the cockpit. "See if +you've got any, will you, Cas?"</p> + +<p>"Y-yes but, honestly, Perry, I wouldn't try it if I were you."</p> + +<p>"Why not!"</p> + +<p>"Why—why, if you go and drink a lot of alcohol—Besides, I'm all alone +here, and if you got—got troublesome—"</p> + +<p>"Drink it, you silly goat! Who's going to drink it? I'm going to rub it +on the places!"</p> + +<p>"Oh, I see! That's different. I'll have a look, Perry." Cas was visibly +relieved as he scrambled down to the cabin. Perry dropped into the +dingey again and set the milk-can upright, and then, after another +minute, Cas returned empty-handed. "I'm sorry," he said, "but we haven't +a bit. Would peroxide do?"</p> + +<p>"I don't know," answered Perry doubtfully. "Maybe. Hand it here and I'll +give it a chance. Say," he continued as he laved his wrists, "did your +crowd leave this boat on the beach?"</p> + +<p>"I suppose so. That's where you found it, wasn't it! You'd better hustle +back with it, too, for they said they'd be back about eleven. They went +to Vineyard Haven."</p> + +<p>"It's all well enough to say hustle back with it," replied Perry +morosely, "but where's your pesky beach?"</p> + +<p>"Why, over there," said Cas, pointing. "The way you came."</p> + +<p>"I came forty-eleven different directions," answered Perry. "All right, +though. I'll try it. But I'm likely to be paddling around all day and +night. Got anything to eat on board?" Cas found some cookies and these, +with a glass of water, raised Perry's spirits. "Farewell," he said +feelingly, as he shoved off again. "I die for my country."</p> + +<p>"Did you fellows have any trouble finding this place yesterday?" asked +Cas as the departing guest dropped the oars in the locks.</p> + +<p>"Trouble?" Perry looked blank. "What sort of trouble?"</p> + +<p>"Why, the fog, you know. We had an awful time finding the harbour."</p> + +<p>"Oh, that!" Perry shrugged. "Why, we went straight for the jetty and +didn't have any trouble at all finding it. But then we've got a +navigator on our boat. So long!"</p> + +<p>Perry discovered that rowing was raising a blister on each palm and that +his arms were getting decidedly tired. The trouble with a dingey, he +decided, was that while it might do excellently as a bathtub, it was +certainly never meant for rowing. The oars were so short that the best +strokes he was capable of sent the boat ahead scarcely more than three +or four feet, and, being almost as broad as it was long, the tender +constantly showed a tendency to go any way but straight ahead. While he +had been aboard the <i>Follow Me</i> the fog had again taken on its amber hue +and now was unmistakably thinning out. But it was still thick enough to +hide objects thirty feet away and Perry couldn't for the life of him be +certain that he was sending his craft toward the beach. To be sure he +had started out in the general direction of the shore, as indicated by +Cas, but there was always the possibility that he was rowing stronger +with one oar than the other. He strove to curb that tendency and fancied +he was succeeding, but when, after being afloat a good quarter of an +hour, he still failed to see land or hear the break of waves on the +beach he was both puzzled and annoyed. The sun pierced the mist hotly +and he was soon panting and perspiring. He heartily wished that he had +never agreed to accompany Han on the search for eggs. Presently he +rested on his oars, and as he did so he heard voices quite close. He +called.</p> + +<p>"Hello, there! Where's the beach?"</p> + +<p>"Here," was the answer.</p> + +<p>He rowed on and in another minute land came abruptly out of the fog. Two +blurred forms resolved themselves into men as Perry beached the dingey +and tiredly dropped the oars. The men came toward him and proved, on +nearer acquaintance, to be middle-aged and apparently natives. "Quite a +fog," drawled one of them. "What boat you from, sir?"</p> + +<p>"The <i>Adventurer</i>." Perry viewed the immediate foreground with +misgiving. The beach looked more abrupt than he recalled it. "What +beach is this?" he inquired.</p> + +<p>"Well, I don't know as it's got any name exactly. What beach was you +lookin' for?"</p> + +<p>"The beach between Vineyard Haven and—and some other place."</p> + +<p>"Oh, West Chop? Why, that's across the harbour, son. This is Eastville, +this side."</p> + +<p>Perry groaned. He had rowed in a half-circle then. Unless Cas had +directed him wrong. Presently the true explanation came to him. The tide +had turned between the time the <i>Follow Me's</i> crowd had gone ashore and +the time that Perry had reached that boat, and Cas had not allowed for +the fact that the cruiser had swung around! "Well," he said wearily, "I +guess I've got to row across again."</p> + +<p>"Too bad," sympathised one of the men. "It's most a mile. Guess, though, +you'll be able to see your way pretty soon. This fog's burning off +fast."</p> + +<p>Out of sight of the men Perry again laid his oars down and reached +behind him for the can of milk. It was rather warm, but it tasted good +for all of that. Then, putting the wooden stopper back in place, he once +more took up his task. Perhaps he might have been rowing around that +harbour yet had not the fog suddenly disappeared as if by magic. Wisps +of it remained here and there, but even as he watched them, they curled +up and were burned into nothingness like feathers in a fire. He found +himself near the head of a two-mile-long harbour. The calm blue water +was rippling under the brushing of a light southerly breeze and here and +there lay boats anchored or moored. While the fog had hidden the harbour +he had supposed that not more than half a dozen craft were within sight, +but now, between mouth and causeway, fully two dozen sailboats and +launches dotted the surface. Over his shoulder was a little hamlet that +was doubtless Vineyard Haven. Facing him was a larger community, and he +decided that that would be Oak Bluffs. Half a mile down the harbour lay +the <i>Adventurer</i> and, nearer at hand, the <i>Follow Me</i>. But what was of +more present interest to Perry was a group of figures on the opposite +beach. They appeared to be seated and there was that in their attitude +which, even at this distance, told of dejection. So, reflected Perry, +might have looked a group of marooned sailors. He sighed and bent again +to his inadequate oars. He was under no misapprehension as to the sort +of welcome awaiting him, but, like an early Christian martyr on the way +to the arena, he proceeded with high courage if scant enthusiasm.</p> + +<p>With the sun pouring down upon him, with his hands blistered, with his +breath just about exhausted and his arms aching, he at last drew to the +shore amidst a dense and unflattering silence. Five irate youths stepped +into the tender and crowded the seats. Harry Corwin took his place +beside Perry and relieved him of the port oar. Perry would have yielded +the other very gladly, but none offered to accept it and he hadn't the +courage to make the suggestion. The dingey floated off the sand again, +headed for the <i>Follow Me,</i> and then the storm broke. It didn't descend +all at once, however. At first there were muffled growls of thunder from +Harry Corwin. Then came claps from Wink Wheeler. After that the elements +raged about Perry's defenceless head, even "Brownie" supplying some fine +lightning effects!</p> + +<p>Perry gathered in the course of the uncomplimentary remarks directed +toward him that the crowd, being unable to find the dingey where they +believed they had left it, had spent some twenty minutes searching up +and down the beach, that subsequently they had waited there in the fog +for a good forty minutes more and that eventually Perry Bush would +sooner or later come to some perfectly deplorable end and that for their +part they didn't care how soon it might be. By the time the <i>Follow Me</i> +was reached Perry was too worn out to offer any excuse. Cas, however, +did it for him, and, as the others' tempers had somewhat sobered by then +amusement succeeded anger. Perry faintly and vaguely described his +wanderings about the harbour and the amusement increased. As dinner was +announced about that time he was dragged to the cabin and propped in a +corner of a bunk and fed out of hand. An hour later he was transported, +somewhat recovered, to the <i>Adventurer</i> by Harry and Tom Corwin and Wink +Wheeler and delivered, together with his precious can of milk, into the +hands of his ship-mates.</p> + +<p>The <i>Adventurer's</i> tender bobbed about at the stern and the first person +Perry set eyes on as he scrambled onto the bridge deck was Han. Perry +fixed him with a scathing gaze. "Where," he demanded, "did you get to, +idiot?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, I'll tell you about that," answered Han. "You see I was afraid +about that poison-ivy and so I took a dip in the ocean. And—"</p> + +<p>"But I called you and called!"</p> + +<p>"Yes, and I answered a couple of times. And then I may have had my head +under water."</p> + +<p>"A monstrous pity you didn't keep it there!"</p> + +<p>"When," continued Han, "I went to look for you I couldn't find you. So +I—so I came back here."</p> + +<p>"Yes, you thought maybe I'd swum across, eh! Or found a boat?"</p> + +<p>"Sure! You did find a boat, didn't you?"</p> + +<p>"You make me tired," growled Perry amidst the laughter of the others. +"And I hope that poison-ivy gets you good and hard!"</p> + +<p>"I don't believe it took," replied Han gently, "Maybe it wasn't +poison-ivy, after all!"</p> + +<p>At that instant the outraged countenance of Ossie appeared in the +companion way. "What," he demanded irately of Perry, "do you mean by +bringing back half a gallon of sour milk?"</p> + +<p>Perry looked despairingly about at the unsympathetic and amused faces +and wandered limply aft to the seclusion of the cockpit.</p> + +<p>The next morning the Adventure Club chugged around to Edgartown, and +then, after putting in gasoline and water, set out at a little after +eleven, on a fifty-mile run to Pleasant Bay.</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_X'></a><h2>CHAPTER X</h2> + +<p style="text-align: center"><b>THE <i>FOLLOW ME</i> DISAPPEARS</b></p> +<br /> + +<p>There had been talk of going through the Cape Cod Canal and so obviating +the outside journey, but most of the voyagers thought that would be too +tame and unexciting. Besides, a barge had managed to sink herself across +the channel near the Buzzard's Bay end a week or so before and no one +seemed to know for certain whether she had yet pulled herself out and +gone on about her business, and, as Steve pointed out, they'd feel a bit +foolish if they got to the canal entrance and had to turn back again. +They had fair weather and light breezes all the way to New Harbour and +from there, the next day, around the tip of the Cape to Provincetown. +They dropped anchor off the yacht club landing at Provincetown at four +o'clock Friday afternoon and went ashore as soon as the boats were +berthed and sought the post-office. Provincetown had been selected as +the first certain port of call and most of the thirteen boys found mail +awaiting them. Only Neil, however, received tidings of importance, and +his letter from his parents brought an exclamation of dismay to his +lips.</p> + +<p>"Anything wrong?" asked Ossie, sitting beside him on the rail of the +hotel porch.</p> + +<p>"Rotten," replied Neil disgustedly. "I've got to go home!"</p> + +<p>"Go home!" echoed the other. "What for?"</p> + +<p>"Dad's got to go to England on some silly business or other," explained +Neil gloomily, "and he wants me to stay with mother. Of course I ought +to. Mother's sort of an invalid and there's no one else. But it's rotten +luck." He stowed the letter in his pocket and stared disappointedly at +the passing traffic. "I was having a bully time, too," he muttered +disconsolately.</p> + +<p>"That's a shame," said Ossie sympathetically. "When will you have to +go?"</p> + +<p>"He wants me to meet him in New York Sunday. He sails early Monday +morning. I suppose I'll have to go tomorrow. Guess I'd better get a time +table and see how the trains run."</p> + +<p>"Gee, I'm sorry," murmured Ossie.</p> + +<p>And so, for that matter, was every other member of the <i>Adventurer's</i> +company for Neil was well liked. And the <i>Follow He's</i> crew were +scarcely less regretful. A study of the railroad schedule showed that +the next train for Boston left at five-fifty-five in the morning and +that the only other train was at two-forty in the afternoon.</p> + +<p>"Five-fifty-five's a perfectly punk time for a train to leave anywhere, +even Provincetown," objected Neil. "And the two-forty will get me to +Boston too late for anything but a midnight train to New York."</p> + +<p>"Bother trains," said Steve. "We'll run you to Boston tomorrow in the +boat. We can do it in four hours or so. If the <i>Follow Me</i> crowd want to +stay here another day we'll wait for them at Boston, or we'll go on and +meet them further up the shore."</p> + +<p>"But I don't want to hurry you chaps away from the Cape," expostulated +Neil. "You were going to Plymouth, weren't you?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, we were, but there's nothing important about that. Hold on, +though! I say, look up the Plymouth trains, Neil. There must be more of +them from there and we can put you across to Plymouth in a couple of +hours."</p> + +<p>They found that a train leaving Plymouth at ten would put Neil in Boston +shortly after eleven, in plenty of time for the one o'clock express to +New York, and so it was decided that the <i>Adventurer</i> was to leave her +present port at seven in the morning. The <i>Follow Me</i> was to follow +more leisurely and the boats would spend the next night at Plymouth. +Neil and Ossie went off to send telegrams and the others roamed around +the town until it was time for supper. Afterwards Neil packed his +belongings in two pasteboard laundry boxes, having no bag with him, and +constantly bewailed his ill-fortune. Later the <i>Follow Me</i> crowd came +over and they had quite a jolly evening and Neil cheered up vastly.</p> + +<p>The next morning dawned clear and hot and, after an early breakfast, the +<i>Adventurer</i> weighed anchor. The <i>Follow Me's</i> whistle signalled +good-bye until they were half-way to Long Point and the <i>Adventurer</i> +replied. Once around the point the boat headed across the wide bay for +the mainland at a good sixteen-mile clip. The voyage was uneventful and +Manomet Hill was soon sighted. Then Plymouth Beach stretched before them +and presently they were rounding the head and pointing the +<i>Adventurer's</i> nose for the town. There was still the better part of an +hour left after the anchor was dropped and they all tumbled into the +dingey and found a landing and spent the next three-quarters of an hour +rambling around the historic town, Ossie and Perry bearing Neil's +strange-looking luggage. Neil insisted on viewing Plymouth Rock, +declaring that he might never get another opportunity, and after that +there was not much time left to them. They installed Neil on the train +impressively, stowed his luggage around him and then took up positions +outside the window, where, to the mingled curiosity and amusement of +other travellers, they conducted farewell exercises. These included an +entirely impromptu and unsolicited duet by Perry and Han, a much +interrupted speech by Joe, and, finally, as the train moved out of the +station, a hearty Dexter cheer with three "Neils!" on the end. In such +manner the <i>Adventurer</i> lost her cabin boy and the ranks of the club +were depleted by one.</p> + +<p>Neil's departure left a hole and as the others returned from the station +they spoke of him rather as though he had passed on to a better world, +recalling his good points and becoming quite sad in a cheerful way. In +view of their bereavement, they decided to have luncheon at a hotel and +during that meal recovered their spirits. More sight-seeing followed, +but the day was a hot one and by half-past three they had had enough and +so returned to the landing and pulled back to the cruiser. Steve, who +had supplied himself with yesterday's New York and Boston papers, +pre-empted a seat on the bridge deck and stretched himself out on it, +his legs crooked over the railing. The others found places in the shade +as best they could and talked and watched for the <i>Follow Me</i> and +listened to occasional snatches of news from Steve. There was +practically no breeze and the afternoon was uncomfortably hot even under +the awning. Joe finally solved the difficulty of keeping cool by +disappearing below and presently re-emerging in his swimming trunks and +dropping overboard. That set the fashion, and they all went in save +Steve, who was too absorbed in his papers to know whether he was warm or +not. The <i>Follow Me</i> came up the harbour just before five and tooted a +greeting as she swung around to a berth near the <i>Adventurer</i>. The +fellows, who were still in bathing attire, swam across to her, and very +shortly their ranks were increased by just half a dozen more. The sight +of Steve's feet hanging over the canvas was too much for Perry and he +yielded to temptation. Swimming up very quietly he deftly pulled off one +of Steve's "sneakers" and, in defiance of the owner's protests, they +played ball with it until the inevitable happened and it sank out of +sight before Wink Wheeler could dive for it. "Brownie" said then that +Steve might as well let them have the other one, since one shoe was no +use to him, but Steve's reply was not only non-compliant but actually +insulting in its terms. He took off the other "sneaker" and laid on it.</p> + +<p>That bath left them feeling both refreshed and hungry and Ossie had a +hard time finding enough for them to eat. Perry described the +astonishment of some Plymouth fisherman when he opened a codfish some +fine day and discovered a rubber-soled shoe inside. "You'll read all +about it in the paper, Steve, and won't you laugh!" he added.</p> + +<p>Steve, who had been forced to don a pair of leather shoes, didn't seem +to anticipate any great amount of amusement, however, and suggested that +it would be a gentlemanly act if Perry would hie himself to a store and +purchase a pair of number 8 "sneakers," a suggestion which Perry weighed +carefully and discarded. "You see," he explained, "it wouldn't be fair +to make me spend my hard-earned money for two 'sneakers' when I only +lost one. If the store would sell me half a pair, Steve, I'd make good +in a minute, but you see my point of view, don't you?"</p> + +<p>Steve didn't seem to.</p> + +<p>While they were still at table Harry Corwin's voice was heard and Ossie +investigated by the simple expedient of climbing on top of the galley +locker and thrusting his head through the open hatch. "He wants to know +if we'll go to the movies with them," said Ossie, ducking back into +sight.</p> + +<p>"Surest thing you know," agreed Perry.</p> + +<p>"We might as well, eh?" asked Joe. "It'll be beastly hot, though."</p> + +<p>"I'll go if they've got Charlie Chaplin," said Han. "Ossie, ask him if +they have, please."</p> + +<p>"He says he doesn't know," responded Ossie after an exchange of remarks. +"I told them we'd go, though," he added, dropping to the floor. "They're +going to wait for us on the landing in half an hour."</p> + +<p>"Half an hour!" grumbled Perry. "You told them that so I couldn't get +enough to eat, you stingy beggar! Got anything more out there?"</p> + +<p>"Great Jumping Jehosaphat!" ejaculated Ossie wildly. "I've cooked two +messes of potatoes and toasted a hundred slices of bread—"</p> + +<p>"Oh, all right. Bring on the dessert, then."</p> + +<p>"The dessert's on now," answered Ossie shortly. "Cookies and jelly. +That's all you get, Piggie."</p> + +<p>"Won't we have to buy some more grub pretty soon?" asked Steve.</p> + +<p>Ossie nodded and glanced darkly at Perry. "If <i>he</i> stays around we +will," he answered. "We've got enough for three or four days yet, +though. Better have some canned stuff, I guess. And some flour and +sugar."</p> + +<p>"How's the treasury, Phil?" inquired Han.</p> + +<p>"Still holding out. Where's the next stop, Steve?"</p> + +<p>"We said Portsmouth, but Harry wants to put in at Salem. I don't suppose +it matters much."</p> + +<p>"Then we cut out Boston altogether?"</p> + +<p>"Why, yes, it's out of the way a bit. Besides, we didn't start out on +this cruise to visit cities."</p> + +<p>"We started out to look for adventures," said Perry sadly, "but I don't +see many of them coming our way."</p> + +<p>"What do you call adventures?" asked Han. "Didn't you have a fine time +being lost in the fog the other day?"</p> + +<p>"Huh!" replied Perry, scraping the last of the jelly from the glass. +"Being lost in the fog isn't an adventure. It's just plain punk. What I +mean is—is pirates and—and desert islands and—and that sort of +thing."</p> + +<p>"You were born a hundred years or so too late," said Joe, shaking his +head. "Toss me a cookie, Han. Thanks. If you saw a pirate, Perry, +you'd—um—you'd drop dead."</p> + +<p>"If I saw a pirate," replied Perry indignantly, "I'd—um—live as long +as you would! Besides, I've got a perfect right to drop dead if I want +to."</p> + +<p>"Go ahead," said Joe lightly. "Any time you like, old chap."</p> + +<p>"The reason I spoke of Boston," reverted Phil, "was that I thought it +might be a good place to buy our supplies. There's no use paying any +more for them than we have to and going broke before the cruise is half +over."</p> + +<p>"Yes, but don't forget that gasoline's pretty expensive stuff these +days, Phil," said Steve. "I guess we'd burn up enough gas getting to +Boston to make up for any saving on supplies, eh? I suppose there are +stores in Salem."</p> + +<p>"Thought it burned up awhile ago," said Han.</p> + +<p>"Part of it did, but I don't suppose it stayed burned up, you idiot. +What time is it? We'd better beat it for shore."</p> + +<p>"Right-o," agreed Han. "I hope they have Charlie Chaplin, though."</p> + +<p>By some strange inadvertency, however, Mr. Chaplin's eccentric person +was missing from the screen. In spite of that, though, Han managed to +enjoy the evening. Afterwards Perry suggested light refreshments and +they set out in search of a lunch counter. But anyone who knows Plymouth +will realise the hopelessness of their search. After roaming around the +quiet and deserted streets and at last being assured by a policeman that +their quest was worse than idle they went back to the tenders. "I +suppose," said Perry disgustedly, "they close all the stores early so +they can go to the movies. I wish now we'd had some soda at that drug +store where the man had insomnia."</p> + +<p>"We've got food on board," said Ossie. "I'll fix up some sandwiches. I +wish you'd get enough to eat for once, though," he added as he took his +place in the dingey. "Don't they ever feed you at home, Perry?"</p> + +<p>"Huh, I'll bet you're as hungry as I am! What are they yelping about +over there?"</p> + +<p>The other tender had left the landing a moment before the <i>Adventurer's</i> +boat and now its occupants were heard shouting confusedly across the +moonlit water.</p> + +<p>"Can you make out what they're saying?" asked Steve of the rest.</p> + +<p>"Just nonsense, I guess," answered Phil, tugging at his oar.</p> + +<p>"Stop rowing a minute and listen," Steve directed. "Now then!"</p> + +<p>"Something about the boat," murmured Han. "I can't make it out, though."</p> + +<p>"By Jove, I can!" exclaimed Steve. "The <i>Follow Me's</i> gone! She must +have slipped her anchor or dragged or something. Row hard, fellows!"</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_XI'></a><h2>CHAPTER XI</h2> + +<p style="text-align: center"><b>PURSUIT</b></p> +<br /> + +<p>Whatever had happened, one fact was plain, and that was that the smaller +of the two cruisers was not swinging at anchor where they had left her. +Nor could they see her anywhere. That she had dragged her anchor was +impossible, since the harbour was almost land-locked and the night was +still, with hardly enough breeze to stir the water. After the first few +minutes of stunned surprise the twelve boys, gathered on the +<i>Adventurer</i>, held council. It was Phil who eventually summed up the +situation quietly and tersely as follows:</p> + +<p>"The boat's gone. She isn't in the harbour, because if she were we could +see her. Either she's been taken off as a joke or stolen. I can't +imagine anyone doing it as a joke. In any case it's up to us to find +her. We went ashore about eight, and it's now ten to eleven. It's +probable that whoever swiped her waited until we were safely ashore and +out of the way. I mean, they probably allowed us at least half an hour."</p> + +<p>"They were probably watching us," suggested Steve.</p> + +<p>"Why didn't they take this one instead of the other?" asked Cas Temple.</p> + +<p>"Perhaps," replied Steve, "because they found the control locked. All +they had to do on the <i>Follow Me</i> was break the padlock on the companion +way doors. Still, that's just a guess. They may have preferred the +<i>Follow Me</i> for some other reason."</p> + +<p>"Never mind that," said Joe impatiently. "The question now is how we're +to find her. Go ahead, Phil."</p> + +<p>"I was going to suggest that we inquire among the other boats between +here and the harbour entrance. Two or three still have lights aboard. +Maybe they saw the <i>Follow Me</i> pass out."</p> + +<p>"Somebody look after the tenders," said Steve briskly. "Haul ours out +and tie the other astern. Give her a short line, so she won't switch +around and fill with water. All ready, Joe?"</p> + +<p>Five minutes later the <i>Adventurer</i> slid through the still water toward +the mouth of the harbour. On her way she stopped twice to shout +inquiries, and the second time a sleepy mariner, leaning, in pajamas +across the rail of a small launch, supplied the information they sought.</p> + +<p>"Yes, there was a cruising motor-boat went by about nine, or a little +after, headed toward the Pier Head. I didn't notice her much, but she +was painted dark. Come to think of it, it must have been pretty nearly +half-past, for I remember hearing three bells strike just afterwards."</p> + +<p>"You didn't see her after she went by here?" asked Steve.</p> + +<p>"No, I was getting ready for bed and saw her through a port. Anything +wrong?"</p> + +<p>"Nothing," replied Steve dryly, "except that she belongs to us and +someone's evidently stolen her. Thanks very much. Good night."</p> + +<p>"Good night," was the answer. "I hope you get her."</p> + +<p>"Well, we know she got this far," said Joe, "but—um—which way did they +take her when they got outside?"</p> + +<p>"That's the question," said Harry Corwin. "They might have gone across +to Provincetown and around the Cape, or taken her up the shore or down. +I guess the best thing for us to do would be to hike back and give the +alarm. If we telegraphed—"</p> + +<p>"She went north," said Phil with conviction.</p> + +<p>"How do you know?" demanded Joe.</p> + +<p>"I don't <i>know</i>, but think a minute. If you were stealing a boat you'd +want to keep out of sight with her, wouldn't you?"</p> + +<p>"Suppose I should."</p> + +<p>"Then you wouldn't mess around in Cape Cod Bay. You'd set a course as +far from other craft and harbours as you could. If they went south +they'd be among boats right along, and they'd know that we'd work the +wires and that folks would be on the lookout."</p> + +<p>"Then where," began Steve.</p> + +<p>"Let's look at the chart from here north," said Phil. The cover of the +chart box was thrust back and the lamp lighted and as many as could do +so clustered about it. Phil traced a finger across Massachusetts Bay +past the tip of Cape Ann. "There's clear sailing for ninety miles or so, +straight to Portland, unless—How much gas has she aboard, Harry?"</p> + +<p>"Only about twelve gallons." It was Tom Corwin who answered. "We were +going to fill again in the morning."</p> + +<p>"How far can she go on that?"</p> + +<p>"Not more than seventy at ordinary speed, I guess. She's hard on gas."</p> + +<p>"Good! Then she'd have to put in at Gloucester or Newburyport or +somewhere."</p> + +<p>"Unless she ducked into Boston Harbour," said Steve. "I dare say she +could tuck herself away somewhere there quite safely. A coat of white +paint would change her looks completely."</p> + +<p>"That's possible," agreed Phil, "but painting a boat of that size would +take a couple of days, wouldn't it? It doesn't seem to me that they'd +want to take the chance."</p> + +<p>"Then your idea is that they're on their way to Portland?"</p> + +<p>"Somewhere up there. They'd argue that we wouldn't be likely to look for +them so far away."</p> + +<p>"Well, here we are," said Steve. "We've got to go one way or another." +The rougher water outside was making the <i>Adventurer</i> dip and roll. "As +far as I can see, Phil's theory is as good as another, or maybe better. +Shall we try going north, fellows?"</p> + +<p>No one answered until, after a moment's silence, Perry remarked +philosophically: "I don't believe we'll ever see her again, but we can't +stop here, and we were going northward anyhow."</p> + +<p>Murmurs of agreement came from the others. The only dissentient voice +was Bert Alley's. "<i>I</i> don't see your argument," he said. "If I had swiped +the <i>Follow Me</i> I'd hike out for New York or some place like that and +run her into some little old hole until I could either change her looks +or sell her."</p> + +<p>"And be nabbed on the way," said Joe.</p> + +<p>"Not if I stayed at sea."</p> + +<p>"But you couldn't stay at sea if you had only twelve gallons of gasoline +aboard. Wherever she's going, she will have to put in for gas before +long." Phil stared thoughtfully at the chart. "I'll allow," he went on, +"that she may have gone any other direction but north. For that matter, +she may be anchored just around the corner somewhere. It's all more or +less guesswork. But, looking at the probabilities, and they're all we've +got to work on, I think north is the likeliest trail for us to take."</p> + +<p>"Right-o," said Steve, turning the wheel and pointing the boat's slim +bow toward Gurnet Point, "We've got to take a chance, fellows, and this +looks like the best. In the morning we'll get busy with the telegraph +and tell our troubles, but just now the best we can do is keep a sharp +lookout and try to think we're on the right course. I'm going to speed +her up, Joe, so you might dab some more oil and grease around your old +engine."</p> + +<p>"All right. You fellows will have to clear out of here, though, while I +get this hatch up. Some of you might go forward and keep your eyes +peeled. I don't suppose, however," he added as he pulled the engine +hatch up, "that they'll show any lights on her."</p> + +<p>"Not likely to," agreed Harry Corwin. "They'll run dark, probably, until +they get near a harbour. Look for anything like a boat, fellows. It's a +mighty good thing we've got this moonlight."</p> + +<p>"Yes, and we'll have to make hay while the moon shines," added Wink +Wheeler as he climbed out of Joe's way, "for it won't last much longer. +It'll be as dark as pitch by one or two o'clock, I guess."</p> + +<p>"Well, we've got a searchlight," said Perry.</p> + +<p>"There's no need for more than three of us to stay up," said Steve. +"I'll keep the wheel and Joe will stay here with me. Phil, you take the +watch for a couple of hours and then wake someone else."</p> + +<p>"Huh!" said Perry. "I'm not going to bed! Who wants to sleep, anyway?"</p> + +<p>Apparently no one did, for although presently the dozen fellows were +distributed over the boat, not one went below. Phil and Han stretched +themselves out at the bow, Steve, Joe, Harry and Tom Corwin and Cas +Temple remained on the bridge deck and the rest of the company retired +to the cockpit, from where, by looking along the after cabin roof, they +had a satisfactory view of the course. Perhaps one or two of the boys +did nod a little during the next two hours, but real slumber was far +from the minds of any of them. The <i>Adventurer</i> was doing a good twenty +miles an hour, the propeller lashing the water into a long foaming path +that melted astern in the moonlight. Ossie busied himself in the galley +about midnight and served hot coffee and bread-and-butter sandwiches. +Only once was the <i>Adventurer</i> changed from her course, which Steve had +laid for Gloucester, and then the light which had aroused their +suspicions was soon seen to belong to a coasting schooner beating her +way toward Boston. Of small boats there were none until, at about one +o'clock, when the two white lights of Baker's Island lay west by north +and the red flash on Eastern Point showed almost dead ahead, Phil called +from the bow.</p> + +<p>"Steve, there's something ahead that looks like a boat or a rock. Can +you see it?"</p> + +<p>"Which side?"</p> + +<p>"A little to the left. Port, isn't it? Han doesn't see it, but—"</p> + +<p>"I've got it," answered Steve. After a moment he added with conviction: +"It's a boat. Has she changed her position, Phil?"</p> + +<p>"Not while I've been watching. Looks as if she was going about the same +way we are." The others came clustering forward from the stern to stare +across the water at the dark spot ahead which, in the uncertain light of +the setting moon, might be almost anything. If it was a boat, it showed +no light. Anxiously the boys watched, and after a few minutes Steve +announced with quiet triumph:</p> + +<p>"We're pulling up on her, fellows, whoever she is!"</p> + +<p>"She's the <i>Follow Me</i>," declared Harry Corwin. "She must be, or she +wouldn't be running without lights."</p> + +<p>"We'll know before long," said Steve. "I wish the moon would stay out a +little longer, though. Joe, try the searchlight and see if you can pick +her up."</p> + +<p>But the craft ahead was a good mile away and the <i>Adventurer's</i> small +searchlight was not powerful enough to bridge that distance with its +white glare. "They're making for the harbour, anyway," said Harry +Corwin, "and so she can't get away from us if we lose her now." Even as +he ended the last pallid rays of the moon vanished and they found +themselves in darkness save for the wan radiance of the stars. Lights +unnoticed before sprang up in the gloom along the shore and a dim +radiance in the sky showed where the town of Gloucester slumbered.</p> + +<p>"If they double on us now we'll lose them," muttered Steve. "Put that +light out, Joe. We can see better without it."</p> + +<p>"How far off is the harbour?" asked Harry.</p> + +<p>"About two miles. You can hear the whistle buoy. That white light to the +left of the red flash is the beacon on the end of the breakwater." He +moved the helm a trifle and examined the chart. "There are no rocks, +anyway, and that's a comfort. I can't say I like this running at night. +How far away was she when the moon went back on us, Harry?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, three-quarters, at a rough guess."</p> + +<p>"Nearer a mile and a quarter, I'd say. Well, if she doesn't dodge along +shore we'll have her in the harbour. Always supposing, that is, that she +really is the <i>Follow Me</i>."</p> + +<p>"She can't be anything else," answered Harry. "No sensible skipper would +go ploughing around at night without a light. Hello! Isn't that a light +there now?"</p> + +<p>"Where? Yes, you're right! She's lighted up at last! Afraid to go in +without lights, I dare say, for fear of arousing suspicion. I'm getting +to believe she <i>is</i> the <i>Follow Me</i>, Harry."</p> + +<p>"I haven't doubted it once. Do you suppose she knows we're after her?"</p> + +<p>"She knows we're here, of course, but she can't be certain we're after +her. Still, turning that searchlight on was a sort of give-away. If she +really does go inside it's just because she's afraid of her fuel giving +out. We'd better anchor as far out as we can and keep our eyes open +until daylight comes."</p> + +<p>"She couldn't get gas before morning, I guess," said Joe. "Looks to me +as if, if she <i>is</i> the <i>Follow Me</i>, they've run themselves into a trap!"</p> + +<p>"Hope so, I'm sure," said Wink Wheeler. "If we've caught her we've +certainly been lucky, fellows!"</p> + +<p>"Don't count your chickens until they're hatched," advised Ossie. "Maybe +she isn't the <i>Follow Me</i> at all."</p> + +<p>"I can't see her light now," called Phil from the bow. "Hold on, there's +a green light, I think! No, I guess I was wrong. Can't see anything now, +Steve. Can you?"</p> + +<p>"No, she's turned and run inside back of the breakwater. Keep your ears +and eyes open for that whistling buoy, Phil. I want to pass it to port."</p> + +<p>"It's pretty near. There it is now! Look!"</p> + +<p>"I've got it! All right. Now it's straight for the white beacon." Steve +sighed relievedly. "No use hurrying any longer, I guess." He eased the +throttle back and the <i>Adventurer</i> slowed her pace. "Have a look at the +chart, Harry. Isn't there a buoy near the end of the breakwater?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, a red spar buoy."</p> + +<p>"What's the depth just inside?"</p> + +<p>"Four fathoms, shoaling to one."</p> + +<p>"Good enough. We'll drop anchor just around the breakwater and train the +searchlight across the channel. I don't believe, though, they intend to +run out again before morning. All I'm afraid of is that they swung off +when darkness came and are sneaking around the Cape."</p> + +<p>"I'll bet anything we'll find her at anchor when daylight comes," +replied Harry. "She had only enough gas for seventy miles, and she's +gone about sixty at top speed. We've got her, Steve. Don't you worry."</p> + +<p>"Hope so. Get your bow anchor ready, Han, and stand by to heave. When +you let go make as little noise as you can. I'm going to turn the +lights out, fellows, so don't go messing about or you may walk +overboard. Switch them all off below, Ossie, will you? If those chaps +have anchored just inside the breakwater there's no sense in letting +them know that this is the <i>Adventurer</i>. Got your anchor ready, Han?"</p> + +<p>"Ay, ay, sir!"</p> + +<p>"All right. Don't let your windlass rattle. Keep quiet, fellows." +Suddenly all the lights on deck save that in the binnacle went out, +leaving the boat in darkness. Nearby the red flash of the lighthouse +glowed periodically, while, ahead, shone the white beacon. In silence +the <i>Adventurer</i> drew nearer and nearer to the latter, put it abeam and +then swung to starboard. "Let her go, Han," called Steve softly. Those +on the bridge deck heard the faint splash of the hundred-pound navy +anchor as it struck the water. Han crept back and swung himself down to +the bridge.</p> + +<p>"All fast, sir," he reported.</p> + +<p>Somewhere in the darkness at the head of the harbour, where tiny +pin-pricks of light twinkled, a town clock struck two.</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_XII'></a><h2>CHAPTER XII</h2> + +<p style="text-align: center"><b>WHAT STEVE SAW</b></p> +<br /> + +<p>Waiting was weary work after that. It was two hours and a half to +sunrise and, since two of their number were sufficient to keep watch, +the others presently went below and napped. Steve and Bert Alley +remained on deck. Steve, although he perhaps needed sleep more than +anyone, refused to trust other eyes than his own, and while darkness +lasted he watched the white path cast across the water by the +<i>Adventurer's</i> searchlight. But darkness and silence held until shortly +after four, when the eastern sky began to lighten. The next half-hour +passed more slowly than any that had gone before. Gradually their range +of vision enlarged, and Steve, peering into the greyness, drew Bert's +attention to a darker hulk that lay a few hundred yards up the harbour. +They watched it anxiously as the light increased. That it was a boat of +about the size of the <i>Follow Me</i> and that is was painted dark became +more and more apparent. Then, quite suddenly, a ray of rosy light shot +up beyond Eastern Point and the neighbouring motor-boat lay revealed. +Steve sighed his disappointment. She was not the <i>Follow Me</i> after all, +but a battered, black-hulled power-boat used for gill-netting.</p> + +<p>One by one, as the light strengthened, the others stumbled on deck, +yawning and rubbing their sleepy eyes. The <i>Adventurer</i> was anchored +more than a mile from the inner harbour, and between her and Ten Pound +Island lay a big, rusty-red salt bark, high out of water, and five +fishing schooners. But these, aside from the disreputable little +gill-netter, were all the craft that met their gaze.</p> + +<p>"Either," said Steve wearily, "she never came in at all or she's up in +the inner harbour. I'll wager she didn't get out again last night. We'll +go up and mosey around, I guess. Ossie, how about some coffee?"</p> + +<p>"I'll make some, Steve. Guess we'd better have an early breakfast too."</p> + +<p>"It can't be too early to suit me," murmured Bert Alley, as he dragged +his feet down the companion way and toppled onto a berth. The +<i>Adventurer</i> weighed anchor and in the first flush of a glorious Summer +dawn, chugged warily up the still harbour. She kept toward the eastern +shore and the boys swept every pier and cove with sharp eyes. Then +Rocky Neck turned back them and they picked a cautious way over sunken +rocks to the entrance of the inner harbour. By this time it was broad +daylight and their task was made easier. Still, as the inner harbour was +nearly a mile long and a good half-mile wide, and indented with numerous +coves, the search was long. They nosed in and out of slips, circled +basins and ran down a dozen false clues supplied by sailors on the +fishing schooners that lined the wharves. And, at seven o'clock they had +to acknowledge defeat. The <i>Follow Me</i> was most surely not in Gloucester +Harbour. Nor, for that matter, was there a cabin-cruiser that resembled +her in any way. It was the latter fact that puzzled them, for they had +somehow become convinced that the darkened craft that had led them past +the breakwater last night was, if not the <i>Follow Me</i>, at least a boat +of her size. "And," said Harry Corwin, "we know that that boat did come +in here, for we saw her light disappear behind the breakwater. Let's +look around again."</p> + +<p>"If she came in for gasoline," said Phil, "we might find out whether she +got it. There can't be many places where she could fill her tanks." The +<i>Adventurer</i> was slowly rounding a point that lay between the cove from +which she had just emerged and Western Harbour, and Wink Wheeler, who +was sitting on the rail on the starboard side of the deck, gave +utterance to an exclamation of surprise and pointed ahead to where a +drab-coloured power-boat had suddenly emerged into sight nearly a +half-mile away.</p> + +<p>"Look at that!" he cried.</p> + +<p>"That's not the <i>Follow Me</i>, you idiot," said Joe.</p> + +<p>"No, but where'd she come from?" demanded Wink.</p> + +<p>For a moment the boys stared and then Steve leaned quickly over the +chart. "By Jiminy!" he muttered. "There's a way out there. Look, +fellows! See where it says 'Drawbridge'? Evidently you can get through +there into the Squam River, and the river takes you out into Ipswich +Bay! It's dollars to doughnuts that's where they took the <i>Follow Me</i>!" +Steve drew down the throttle and the cruiser lunged forward in response. +"We'll have a look, anyway," he said. "It was stupid of me not to have +noticed that on the chart, but it's hardly big enough to be seen."</p> + +<p>Straight for the beach at the curve of the wide cove sped the +<i>Adventurer</i>, her nose set for the drawbridge that showed against the +blue sky. As they got closer an outlet showed clear, a narrow space +between the bridge masonry, with a strong current coming through from +the further side.</p> + +<p>"Gee, it doesn't look very big," said Joe. "And how about head-room, +Steve?"</p> + +<p>"Room enough," was the answer, as the <i>Adventurer</i> slowed down. "They'll +raise the draw if we whistle, I suppose, but we don't need to."</p> + +<p>"We'll scrape our funnel, as sure as shooting!" cried Perry as the +cruiser neared the bridge.</p> + +<p>"We'll miss by two feet," answered Steve untroubledly.</p> + +<p>They held their breaths and watched nervously as the shadow of the +bridge fell across the boat. Then, with the sound of the engine and +exhaust echoing loudly, the cruiser dug her nose into the out-running +tide and shot safely through to emerge into a narrow canal that +stretched straight ahead before them until it joined the river. They +breathed easier as the bridge was left behind. Once in the river it was +necessary to go cautiously and watch the channel buoys, for the chart +showed a depth of only four feet at low tide for the first mile and a +half. If they had not all been so absorbed in the fate and recovery of +the <i>Follow Me</i> they would have enjoyed that journey down the Squam +River immensely, for it was a beautiful stream, quiet and tranquil in +the morning sunlight. Summer camps and cottages dotted the shores and +green hills hemmed it in. They had breakfast on the way, eating it for +the most part on deck. Now and then the <i>Adventurer</i> paused while they +examined a motor-boat moored in some cove.</p> + +<p>"There's one thing certain," said Steve. "Those folks couldn't have +brought the <i>Follow Me</i> through here in the dark. If they did come +through that cut last night they anchored and waited for light. Keep a +watch for gasoline stations, fellows."</p> + +<p>They found the first one at Annisquam, near where the yacht club pier +stuck out into the channel. Steve sidled the <i>Adventurer</i> up to a +landing and, while Han held her with the hook, made inquiry of a +grizzled man in faded blue jumpers.</p> + +<p>"We're looking for a motor-boat called the <i>Follow Me</i>," he explained. +"Have you seen her?"</p> + +<p>The man shook his head. "What was she like?" he asked.</p> + +<p>Steve described her, aided by Harry Corwin, and the man pushed his old +straw hat back, and rubbed his forehead reflectively. Finally: "There +was a launch answerin' to that description stopped here about"—he gazed +at the sun—"about two hours ago, I cal'ate. She was black, but she +didn't have no name on her so far as I could see. I sold 'em thirty +gallons o' gas an' they went on out toward the bar."</p> + +<p>"Who was on her?" asked Steve quickly.</p> + +<p>"Two or three men I never seen before. Three, I cal'ate there was. She +wasn't here very long. They come up to the house an' got me up from the +breakfast table. Said they was in a hurry. Come to think on it, boys, I +believe they'd painted the name out on the stern. They ain't stolen her, +have they?"</p> + +<p>"That's just what they have done," answered Steve. "Shove off, Han! +Thank you, sir. About two hours ago, you say?"</p> + +<p>"Might be a little less than two hours. Well, I hope you get her. I +didn't much like the looks of the fellers aboard her."</p> + +<p>"Where do you think they'd take her?" called Joe as the boat swung her +stern around.</p> + +<p>"I dunno. They might switch around into the Essex River, or they might +take her in Ipswich way, or they might head straight for Newburyport. If +they wanted to hide her I cal'ate they might run in behind Plum Island +somewheres."</p> + +<p>"Sounds pretty hopeless," said Steve as the <i>Adventurer</i> took up her way +again. "Look at this chart and see all the places she <i>might</i> be, will +you? It's a regular what-do-you-call-it—labyrinth!"</p> + +<p>"It certainly is," agreed Joe. "And there's a lot of shallows about +here, too. Where's this Plum Island he spoke of?"</p> + +<p>Steve pointed it out, a seven-mile stretch of sand behind which emptied +four or five small rivers. "Shall we try it?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"Might as well be thorough," Joe replied. "What do you say, Harry?"</p> + +<p>"I say yes. Seems to me they'd be mighty likely to slide into some such +place if only to paint a new name on."</p> + +<p>"We'll have a look then," agreed Steve. The <i>Adventurer</i> dipped her way +across Squam Bar and Steve swung the wheel. "Southeast, one-fourth +south," he muttered, looking from the chart to compass. "Watch for a +black spar buoy off the lighthouse. If they took the <i>Follow Me</i> into +Essex Bay, though, we're running right away from her."</p> + +<p>To port, the sand dunes shone dazzlingly in the sunlight and a long +stretch of snow-white beach kept pace with them as they made for the +entrance to Plum Island Sound. Several boats, sailing and power craft, +had been sighted, but nothing that looked in the least like the <i>Follow +Me</i>. The sun climbed into a hazy blue sky and the day grew hot in spite +of the light westerly breeze. Steve picked up his buoys, a black and +then two red, and swung the cruiser in toward the mouth of the Ipswich +River. The chart showed feet instead of fathoms in places and Steve +slowed down cautiously until they were in the channel. They left Ipswich +Light on the port beam and kept on past the river mouth and into the +sound.</p> + +<p>"What happens," asked Harry Corwin, looking at the chart over Steve's +shoulder, "when there aren't any soundings shown?"</p> + +<p>"Just what I was wondering myself," replied the navigator. "It doesn't +tell you anything after you pass that last red spar buoy. Still, with +those two rivers coming in beyond up there, there must be enough water +for us if we can find it. I've about arrived at the conclusion that the +<i>Follow Me</i> was mighty well named, Harry. We've been following her for +twelve hours, pretty near, and as things look now we'll be still +following her a week from Christmas!"</p> + +<p>"I suppose," sighed the captain of the lost boat, "that what we should +have done was report it to the police and stayed right where we were. +Dad's going to be somewhat peeved if we lose that boat."</p> + +<p>"I thought she belonged to you and Tom," said Wink Wheeler.</p> + +<p>"So she does, but dad gave her to us and he's rather fond of her +himself."</p> + +<p>"Well, it's too bad," Wink answered, "but I don't believe we'll ever +find her now. It's like looking for a needle in a haystack, this sort of +thing. We don't even know for sure that she isn't down around New York +somewhere by this time!"</p> + +<p>"Yes, we do," said Steve quietly.</p> + +<p>"We do? How do we?"</p> + +<p>"Because I'm looking at her," was the reply. Steve nodded ahead and +pushed back the throttle. "If that isn't the <i>Follow Me</i> I'll—I'll eat +her!"</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_XIII'></a><h2>CHAPTER XIII</h2> + +<p style="text-align: center"><b>BULLETS FLY</b></p> +<br /> + +<p>A half-mile or so beyond a black cruiser lay at anchor at the mouth of a +cove on the island side of the sound. She was broadside-to and one look +at her was enough for Harry Corwin. "It is!" he cried. "We've got her, +fellows!"</p> + +<p>"Not yet," warned Phil as the fellows clustered from all parts of the +boat. "That's her, but how are we going to get her back? Hadn't we +better stop here, Steve, and decide what to do? Those men aren't going +to give her up just for the asking, I guess."</p> + +<p>"Right," agreed Steve. "Bow anchor, Han! Let her go as soon as you're +ready. Now then, fellows, let's think what's to be done." The +<i>Adventurer</i> pulled at the anchor line with her nose, found further +progress stopped and slowly began to swing around with the tide. "There +are three of them at least, according to the gasoline chap back there, +and there are twelve of us, but if they have guns—"</p> + +<p>"We've got two revolvers," said Perry eagerly. "Shall I get them, +Steve?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, fetch them up here, but we don't want to use them unless in +self-defence. Don't forget the cartridges, Perry. Now suppose we mosey +up to where we can talk to them, fellows."</p> + +<p>"That's the ticket," agreed Wink Wheeler. "If they get to acting ugly, +why, I guess there are enough of us to handle them. I think the best way +is to beat it right up there and tell them to hand the boat over."</p> + +<p>"And if they decline?" inquired Phil.</p> + +<p>"Go in and take it!"</p> + +<p>"And, as like as not, get shot full of holes! No, thanks!" This from +"Brownie."</p> + +<p>"How would it do for some of us to land and keep out of sight and come +around back of them?" asked Cas Temple.</p> + +<p>"What are we going to do with them if we catch them?" Tom Corwin wanted +to know. "Take them back and hand them over to the police?"</p> + +<p>"I don't believe they'll let us catch them," answered Phil. "Either +they'll take to that small boat they've got astern there or they'll try +to make a dash past us."</p> + +<a name="image-2"><!-- Image 2 --></a> +<center><a href="images/002_lg.jpg"> +<img border=0 src="images/002.jpg" height="383" width="300" +alt=""It is!" he cried. "We've got her, fellows!""> +</a> +</center> + +<p style="text-align: center"><span style=' +font-style:italic; font-weight:700'><small>"It is!" he cried. "We've +got her, fellows!"</small></span></p> + +<p>"Much good that would do them!" Harry shrugged his shoulders. "The +<i>Adventurer</i> can sail all around our boat."</p> + +<p>"We're not getting anywhere," observed Steve, who had been all the while +watching the other craft attentively. "And they've seen us at last, for +they're looking over the top of the cabin."</p> + +<p>"Well, let's do something," said Perry, who was back with the two +revolvers and as many boxes of cartridges. "Can they go the other way or +do they have to pass us to get out of this place, Steve?"</p> + +<p>"They can go the other way for about five miles according to the chart, +but they can't get out. There's a bridge there. And, anyway, I guess +it's only navigable for small boats at high tide. Perry, for the love of +lemons, drop those things and let them alone."</p> + +<p>"They aren't loaded," said Perry, injuredly.</p> + +<p>"That's the kind that always blow your head off. Well, what's the +decision, fellows?"</p> + +<p>Everyone talked at once for a minute, and, at last, Phil said: "Why not +do the natural thing and ask for our boat? Why let them think that we +expect trouble? Perhaps when they see that the game's up they'll give in +sensibly."</p> + +<p>"That's the idea," agreed Harry and most of the rest. "Let's breeze +right up to them and talk big."</p> + +<p>"We'll never get the <i>Follow Me</i> by lying here, anyway," said Steve, +turning to the wheel. "Get your anchor up, Han. Give him a hand, +someone. Wink, open a box of those cartridges and load the revolvers, +will you? But keep them out of Perry's way! All right now. Settle down, +fellows, and we'll try a bluff."</p> + +<p>The <i>Adventurer</i> went on and the distance between the two boats lessened +rapidly. They could see two men watching them over the top of the cabin, +but there was no sign of alarm visible aboard the <i>Follow Me</i>. When the +<i>Adventurer</i> was almost opposite the black cruiser Steve threw out the +clutch, turned the wheel and let her run shoreward. "We're getting out +of the channel," he said to Harry. "Watch for sand-bars." He slipped the +clutch in again and again disengaged it. The two boats were some twenty +yards apart now and the men on the <i>Follow Me</i> were observing the +newcomers unblinkingly from the cockpit.</p> + +<p>Steve leaned over the rail and sent a hail across. "<i>Follow Me</i>, ahoy!" +he called. "We'll trouble you for that boat, please."</p> + +<p>For a moment there was no answer. Then one of the two men in sight +moved forward and drawled: "Speaking to us, are you? What was it you +said?"</p> + +<p>"I said we'd trouble you for that boat," repeated Steve. "It happens to +belong to us, you see."</p> + +<p>"This boat?"</p> + +<p>"That identical boat."</p> + +<p>"Belongs to you!"</p> + +<p>"You've got it."</p> + +<p>"That's a good joke, friend. We've owned this boat three years. Where do +you come in?"</p> + +<p>"She's the <i>Follow Me</i>, even if you have painted her name out, and you +took her from her anchorage in Plymouth Harbour last night. What's the +use of throwing a fool bluff like that?"</p> + +<p>The man laughed hoarsely and his companion joined him. "Run away, kids!" +he said finally. "You're crazy with the heat. This boat's the +<i>Esmeralda</i>, of Providence, and she belongs to me and this feller. What +do you mean, took her? Callin' me a thief, are you?"</p> + +<p>"I'm not taking the trouble to. If you know what's good for you you'll +dig out of there and do it quick."</p> + +<p>"Is that so?" drawled the man. "Well, ain't that nice? An' supposin' it +don't suit me to hand over my boat to you? Then what you goin' to do?"</p> + +<p>"Take her," answered Steve quietly. "There are twelve of us here and +we've followed you all the way from Plymouth, and we aren't likely to +let you bluff us off now. Come on, now, what do you say?"</p> + +<p>"Come on and take her, kids!" was the answer. "We're scared to death!" +The men thought that extremely funny, and laughed a lot over it. Just +then, Steve, leaning outboard over the railing, felt someone tug at his +arm.</p> + +<p>"Look at the middle port, Steve," whispered Phil.</p> + +<p>Steve looked. The nearer side of the <i>Follow Me</i> was in shadow, but a +quivering beam of sunlight, reflected from the surface of the water, +glinted on the muzzle of a revolver held just inside the open port.</p> + +<p>"Every fellow under cover," said Steve quietly. "That means you, too, +Joe. Duck! They've got a gun trained on us. Who's the best shot here?"</p> + +<p>"Wink," answered Joe.</p> + +<p>"Give him one of the revolvers. Are you there, Wink?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," answered the other from the forward companion way.</p> + +<p>"Get a bead on that middle port. You'll see a gun sticking through +there. Don't shoot unless they shoot first. Better go into the other +cabin. There's no harm in letting them see you, but don't keep your head +exposed. Someone hand me that other revolver."</p> + +<p>On the other boat Steve's silence was accepted as a confession of +indecision and a jeering laugh came across the water. The <i>Adventurer</i> +was drifting toward the shore now, and Steve turned and slipped the +clutch into reverse and churned back a few yards. Then he faced the men +again.</p> + +<p>"You can't get away with it, you know," he said untroubledly. "We can +stay here as long as you can. If you run we'll follow you, and at the +first port we'll hand you over to the authorities. You've only got +thirty gallons of gas and that won't take you far. If you have any sense +you'll pile into your tender and light out while you've got a good +chance."</p> + +<p>It was evident that those on the stolen boat had glimpsed Wink's +revolver, for one of the men leaned toward his companion and spoke in +low tones and their eyes sought the port. After a moment the spokesman +replied placatingly. "Maybe you're right, Sport. Guess you've got us +this time. But this ain't any place to go ashore. Tell you what we'll +do. We'll run her back to Gloucester and hand her over to you there. +That's fair, ain't it?"</p> + +<p>"It doesn't listen well," answered Steve. "You land on the other side +there and you'll only have to walk a few miles to a train."</p> + +<p>"Yeah, walk about six miles across sand dunes in a sun hot enough to +blister you! Nothin' doin', Sport. Take it or leave it."</p> + +<p>"Leave it, thanks."</p> + +<p>For answer one of the men climbed to the cabin roof and went forward. +"He's going to pull up anchor," warned Joe, peering over the rail. +Steve's voice rang out sharply:</p> + +<p>"If you touch that cable we'll shoot!"</p> + +<p>The man paused, stared across doubtfully and went on.</p> + +<p>"Can you hear me, Wink?" asked Steve softly.</p> + +<p>"Yes," came from the after cabin.</p> + +<p>"If he lays a hand on the anchor cable, shoot, but shoot wide."</p> + +<p>"All right, Steve!"</p> + +<p>"Say," called the man in the cockpit, "don't you start nothin', because +we got you covered. If there's any shootin' you'll get the worst of it."</p> + +<p>The man forward dropped to a knee, his gaze turned warily toward the +enemy, and took hold of the anchor cable. As he did so Steve whipped his +revolver into sight and flattened himself against the bulkhead. A sharp +report broke the silence and a bullet sang its way across the <i>Follow +Me's</i> bow. The man dropped the rope and sprang back along the roof to +tumble frightenedly into the cockpit. From the cabin of the <i>Adventurer</i> +floated up the acrid smoke of Wink's revolver. The man at the stern of +the other boat had instantly disappeared.</p> + +<p>"Look out," shouted Perry from the forward cabin. "They're going to +shoot from the ports! Come down from there, Steve!"</p> + +<p>But Steve's hand was on the clutch and, as the <i>Adventurer</i> began to go +astern, his other hand turned the spokes of the wheel and the cruiser's +bow came slowly around toward the <i>Follow Me.</i> "Come up here, Wink," he +called, and then: "Put that hatch up all the way and keep behind it," he +added as Wink slipped to his side. "Can you get them from there?"</p> + +<p>"Fine!" answered the other cheerfully.</p> + +<p>"I'll try to keep her bow-on. Careful not to kill anyone, old man. Shoot +for their arms."</p> + +<p>"How can I when they're out of sight down there?" Wink complained. "All +I can do is shoot for the ports."</p> + +<p>"Don't shoot at all unless you have to," Steve cautioned. "We don't want +to knock any more splinters off her than necessary."</p> + +<p>"We're too near, Steve. The deck's getting in the way."</p> + +<p>"I'll back her off." The <i>Adventurer</i> retreated until Wink, his elbow +resting on the closed cover of the chart-box, could train his revolver +on the <i>Follow Me's</i> ports. Several of the others emerged from the +cabins and huddled from sight on the deck.</p> + +<p>"What's the next act, Steve?" inquired Phil.</p> + +<p>Steve shook his head. "I'm wondering," he answered. "About all we can do +is keep them from running away until they talk sense."</p> + +<p>"Why not let them run? We can go faster than they can."</p> + +<p>"I'm afraid of tricks," responded Steve. "I don't know these waters, and +I suspect that they do. They might manage to give us the slip as they +did last night. I guess when they find they can't get away they'll come +to terms." Steve raised his head cautiously above the chart-box on his +side and a bullet promptly ploughed through the frame of the open +window in front of him and went singing astern.</p> + +<p>"Rotten shooting," observed Wink, as Steve ducked to safety. "Shall I +give 'em one, Steve?"</p> + +<p>Steve hesitated and then shook his head. "What's the use? You'd only +plug a hole in the <i>Follow Me's</i> cabin. Wait until they show +themselves."</p> + +<p>"Well, you take care not to show yourself," advised Wink, peering warily +past the smoke-stack. "Those murderous pirates are shooting to kill, I +guess."</p> + +<p>Another shot rang out across the dancing water and a bullet flattened +itself against a pipe stanchion. "Guess you'd better put a shot into +each of those ports," said Steve. "Maybe they'll keep away from them. +Sorry to damage your boat, Harry."</p> + +<p>"Bother the damage!" said Harry. "Plug her full of lead if you like!"</p> + +<p>Wink's revolver spoke, and: "Bull's-eye," he announced calmly. Another +shot followed. "Got that one, too," he muttered. "Can't see the other +port from here, Steve. Smokestack's in the way. You try it."</p> + +<p>Steve tried and missed, the bullet knocking a long splinter from the +edge of the cabin roof, and at the same moment a pistol aboard the +<i>Follow Me</i> barked and Perry, sitting crouched on one of the seats, +uttered an exclamation. Phil, beside him, turned anxiously. Perry's face +expressed blank amazement as he pushed his right sleeve up and gazed at +a wound from which the blood was spurting.</p> + +<p>"Gosh," he said awedly, "I'm shot!"</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_XIV'></a><h2>CHAPTER XIV</h2> + +<p style="text-align: center"><b>A RUSE THAT FAILED</b></p> +<br /> + +<p>"I should think so!" cried Phil. "Come on down and let me fix it."</p> + +<p>"What is it?" asked Steve anxiously.</p> + +<p>"Perry's hit in the arm. They must have shot along the side, and the +bullet glanced from something. Come on, Perry."</p> + +<p>"All you fellows get out of here," commanded Steve. "It might happen +again, and you're not doing any good here, anyway. The chest's in the +bottom locker in our cabin, Phil. Is it bad?"</p> + +<p>"Don't think so," was the reply from the companion way. "Only a flesh +wound, I guess. I'll look after it."</p> + +<p>Steve had forgotten to try a second shot at the port, but Wink again let +go at where the glint of a revolver muzzle showed and a cry of pain came +across the water.</p> + +<p>"Got him!" said Wink.</p> + +<p>"You must have," agreed Steve. "I hope you didn't hurt him much."</p> + +<p>"Suffering snakes!" ejaculated Wink. "Why shouldn't I hurt him? They +potted Perry, didn't they? What are we supposed to do! Lie around here +and let them shoot us full of lead and just smile? Why, you pig-headed, +solid concrete—"</p> + +<p>But Wink's flow of eloquence was interrupted by two shots from the +<i>Follow Me</i>. There was a tinkling of glass as one of them smashed +through the upper frame of the window on Steve's side. The other +ploughed into the chart-box. Wink instantly fired back twice, aiming at +the two ports he commanded. "Harry's boat will look like a sieve," he +chuckled as he broke his revolver and jammed fresh cartridges into it. +"Get busy there, Steve!"</p> + +<p>For answer Steve's revolver spoke twice and the thud of the bullets came +to them. "Got the boat anyway," chuckled Wink. "We can scare 'em even if +we can't pot 'em! Better back up a little, Steve. I don't want to bust +our flag-pole."</p> + +<p>Once more the <i>Adventurer</i> increased the distance between her and the +adversary, and once more the engine beneath their feet relapsed into a +quiet purr as the load was taken off again.</p> + +<p>"If it wasn't that we'd bust the <i>Follow Me</i>," exclaimed Steve savagely, +"I'd ram them! They're knocking our paint off and breaking our glass and +raising the dickens!"</p> + +<p>Wink glanced across the deck. Steve, his revolver laid on the floor +beside him, was knotting a handkerchief about his hand with his teeth. +"Hello!" exclaimed Wink. "Did they get you!"</p> + +<p>"No, it's only a piece of glass. It's bleeding a bit, that's all." Steve +gave a final tug at the knot and seized his revolver again. "I wish +they'd show themselves!"</p> + +<p>"They probably wish the same of us," laughed Wink. "How long does this +keep up? I'm getting hungry!"</p> + +<p>"It keeps up until they give in," responded Steve determinedly. "Below +there! Tell Ossie to start on the dinner."</p> + +<p>"Dinner!" exclaimed Ossie from the aft companion. "Suppose they plugged +a bullet into the galley?"</p> + +<p>"Don't be an idiot," begged Steve impatiently. "You've got four inches +of planking and a pile of rope and a refrigerator and a lot of other +stuff between you and the bullets. Get busy and do your bit!"</p> + +<p>"All right, Steve. I'd forgotten about the refrigerator. But you can bet +I'm not going to leave the door open!" This jest was rewarded with a +laugh from the others as Ossie pushed his way past them and dived +hurriedly across the deck to the forward companion way. "Pistols and +coffee for twelve," he added as he disappeared.</p> + +<p>For several minutes there was no further sound or movement aboard the +<i>Follow Me</i>. "They're probably fixing up the chap who got plugged," +opined Wink cheerfully, as he watched the ports. "Wish we had a rifle, +Steve. We could get them right through the hull, I guess."</p> + +<p>"Yes, and if we had a torpedo we could sink her," said Cas Temple from +the hatch. "Suppose they've run out of cartridges, Steve?"</p> + +<p>"I don't believe so. I guess they don't think it's worth while wasting +what they've got."</p> + +<p>A cheering aroma of coffee stole up from the galley and murmurs of +satisfaction were heard. Perry, his forearm bandaged neatly and +scientifically, crowded his way up the after companion. "Say, Steve, let +me have a shot at them, will you?" he begged earnestly. "Just one, +Steve, like a good fellow!"</p> + +<p>"How's the arm, Perry?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, all right, I guess. It hurts a little. Phil's got it so blamed +tight that I can't close my fingers. Will you, Steve?"</p> + +<p>Steve was denied an answer by a sudden interruption from Wink. "She's +moving, Steve!" he cried. "They've started her!"</p> + +<p>"But they're anchored!" exclaimed Joe.</p> + +<p>"They've cut the line. Probably reached through a port on the other +side," said Steve, working quickly at the controls. "It's lucky we +didn't have ours down, too!"</p> + +<p>The <i>Follow Me</i>, gathering headway, pushed for the channel, and the +<i>Adventurer</i> lunged forward with a mighty splashing of her screw, Steve +bringing her head around as fast as he could. "How the dickens are they +steering her, Harry?" he demanded, staring in puzzlement at the empty +cockpit of the other craft.</p> + +<p>"There's an auxiliary wheel forward, in the stateroom. They're coming +around, fellows. Get under cover! Steve, you'd better drop!"</p> + +<p>The others scuttled for the companion ways, and none too soon, for, as +the <i>Follow Me</i> swung around into the channel those behind her ports had +a clean sweep of the <i>Adventurer's</i> bridge deck and a fusillade of shots +swept across the forty or fifty yards dividing the boats. Steve and Wink +had dropped below the rail, while, in the cabins, the others were taking +good care to crouch beneath the level of the ports. Some eight shots +were fired, but, although several took effect on various parts of the +bridge, the fact that the <i>Adventurer</i> was now plunging around in a +half-circle at a full twelve miles an hour and the other boat was +running at top speed down the channel made accuracy impossible. Neither +Steve nor Wink had a chance to reply until it was too late for their +shots to be effective. By that time the two cruisers had straightened +out on the course and the chase had begun.</p> + +<p>Harry Corwin was entrusted with Steve's revolver and, standing on the +dining table set from locker to locker across the galley, he could +thrust head and shoulders through the hatch. But the cockpit of the +<i>Follow Me</i> remained empty and the entrance to the cabin was closed. +Wink, his revolver ready, had returned to his post and watched grimly +while the <i>Adventurer</i>, her engine fairly humming, slowly wore down the +distance that separated her from the enemy.</p> + +<p>"They're certainly getting some speed out of her," called Wink +admiringly. The rest of the company had returned to the bridge and were +watching eagerly. Tom Corwin, who had remained unaffected by the potting +of the <i>Follow Me's</i> hull, was fighting mad now because the thieves had +lost the bow anchor, and sputtered wrathfully as he gazed over Steve's +shoulder. "If I was Harry I'd put a bullet through that door," he +muttered. "I wish someone would let me have a shot at them!"</p> + +<p>"You couldn't hit her at this distance, with the boats swinging," said +Steve. "Wonder why it doesn't occur to them to cut away that tender. +It's taking a mile off their speed."</p> + +<p>"Afraid of getting hit, I guess," replied Joe.</p> + +<p>"It doesn't seem to me that we're gaining very fast."</p> + +<p>"We're not, but we're gaining fast enough. Hello!" The <i>Follow Me</i>, +having approached the end of the island, had turned her nose to port +straight for the end of the beach. "How much does she draw, Tom?"</p> + +<p>"Two feet and a half; same as this."</p> + +<p>"And the chart shows two feet of water there at low tide!" exclaimed +Steve. "And it's nearly dead low now, I guess. She's taking a chance, +all right!"</p> + +<p>The channel ran straight ahead, close to the shore of the mainland, and +if the <i>Follow Me's</i> exploit proved successful she was due to increase +her dwindling lead by a good mile unless the <i>Adventurer</i> accepted the +challenge and followed her example. For a minute Steve hesitated. Then: +"If she can do it, we can," he muttered, and slowly turned the wheel, +his eyes darting to the chart. "No depth shown here," he said. "Two feet +further along. Then four and seven. If we can get to the point of sand +there we're all right."</p> + +<p>They watched the <i>Follow Me</i> breathlessly. She was dancing almost in the +breakers now and for a long moment it seemed that she would surely pile +herself on the spit that ran seaward from the end of the island. But she +got by safely and the <i>Adventurer</i> plunged after her. There were +strained faces on the bridge deck then and Ossie was seen to lay a +tentative hand on the cushion of the nearer seat. Steve, with grim +countenance, kept his eyes on the rollers, trying his best to follow in +the wake of the other boat. Here and there white water hinted at shoals +and it was between two of these that the <i>Follow Me</i> had gone. Steve +eased the wheel and slowed the engine a trifle and the <i>Adventurer</i>, +rocking in the long swells that were breaking on the beach hardly more +than a stone-throw to port, went on. Steve was in the act of breathing a +long sigh of relief when there came a jar that threw several of the boys +off their balance and brought cries of consternation to their lips. For +one horrid moment the <i>Adventurer</i> hung with her propeller churning the +sand, and then shook herself free and lunged forward again.</p> + +<p>Shouts of relief went up and a smile of triumph came to Steve's face as +he pulled her back into the course and slipped into deeper water. The +<i>Follow Me</i> was still a good eighth of a mile ahead and swinging +northward around the curve of beach. "They're going to make for +Newburyport," said Steve. "Watch them try to get me into trouble now, +Joe."</p> + +<p>"How do you mean?"</p> + +<p>"They're keeping in close to shore. See? Look on the chart."</p> + +<p>"I see twelve little black crosses about there. What do they mean? Oh, I +get you. 'Emerson Rocks,' eh? But I don't see them!"</p> + +<p>"No, they're sunken. The <i>Follow Me's</i> running as near them as she +dares, hoping that we'll try to cut the corner more and strike. Those +fellows know this coast as I know the inside of my hat! But we'll fool +them this time!"</p> + +<p>So close to the submerged danger did the <i>Adventurer</i> go that Perry, +watching over the side, caught a glimpse of a dark mass under the green +water. Then the chase straightened out once more and Steve drew the +throttle wide, experimented with the spark for a moment and sent the +white cruiser surging along in pursuit. There could be no doubt as to +the outcome of the race. It was only a question of time. The thieves had +staked all on the attempt to elude the <i>Adventurer</i> in the shallows, and +now they were doomed to open water, for Plum Island ran straight and +unbroken for seven miles, and not until the entrance to Newburyport +Harbour was reached was there the smallest chance to slip out of sight.</p> + +<p>Ossie announced that dinner would be ready in a few minutes, but no one +paid any attention. Every eye was fixed on the <i>Follow Me</i>, which, dead +ahead, was scurrying along at a rate which Tom, who had thought he knew +the engine thoroughly, marvelled at. But the distance was shortening +between pursued and pursuer. Off the life-saving station the fleeing +craft was scarcely a hundred yards in advance, and it became more and +more certain that the boats would be on even terms long before the +seven-mile stretch was half traversed.</p> + +<p>Wink went below and summoned Harry Corwin down from his perch, much to +the relief of Ossie, whose preparations for dinner had not been made +easier by having to dive under the table every time he sought the +ice-chest, and posted him at a port in the forward cabin. "If they won't +give up," he explained, "we'll have to go on plugging them. I'll take +it in the other cabin. Better fire first from one port then from +another. That'll keep them guessing. It's just as well for them not to +know that we've got only two pieces of artillery!"</p> + +<p>"All right," said Harry, "but there's no use staying here now, is there? +There's nothing in sight but a sea-gull!"</p> + +<p>"No, but be ready when we get abreast, Harry. I think that gun pulls to +the right a little. You might watch it."</p> + +<p>Wink returned to the deck, followed by Harry as far as the companion, +and looked forward at the <i>Follow Me</i>. Since he had gone below the +positions of the boats had altered noticeably, and now, had he wished, +he might easily have put a bullet through the mahogany door beyond the +cockpit. Steve was bearing seaward a little, intending to run up on the +starboard side of the black cruiser.</p> + +<p>"I'll bet they're doing a whole lot of thinking about now," said +"Brownie." "Guess I'll go down and sit on the floor again. They'll be +able to plug us in another minute or so."</p> + +<p>"You'd all better beat it," said Steve. "If the bullets begin to fly +again someone will get hurt."</p> + +<p>Slowly but certainly the bow of the <i>Adventurer</i> crept up on the +<i>Follow Me's</i> stern. Some sixty feet of water divided them. Beyond the +black cruiser lay the long yellow beach, dazzling in the noonday +sunlight. Suddenly the <i>Follow Me's</i> bow turned straight for the +breakers and Steve gave a cry.</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_XV'></a><h2>CHAPTER XV</h2> + +<p style="text-align: center"><b>SURRENDER</b></p> +<br /> + +<p>"They're going to run her ashore!" shouted Steve.</p> + +<p>He slid out the clutch, throttled down the engine and swung the boat's +nose to starboard as the others piled back to the deck. The <i>Adventurer</i> +swept around in a long circle while the <i>Follow Me</i>, churning the +shoaling water into white froth, ran straight for the shore.</p> + +<p>"Gosh, what a mess!" groaned Harry Corwin. "We'll never get her off +there!"</p> + +<p>Steve made no answer, nor did the others. They were all watching that +wild rush of the black cruiser. On and on she went, rising and falling +with the gentle swells, until it looked as though she must surely be +churning the sand with her hurrying screw. Suddenly the cabin doors flew +open and three men, one hatless and with a white towel bound around his +head, leaped out and scampered along the roof to the bow. Wink raised +his revolver, but Steve pulled his arm down.</p> + +<p>"Don't!" he said. "Let them go if they will."</p> + +<p>At that instant the <i>Follow Me</i> faltered, stopped, and went on again for +another yard or so as a breaking wave rushed under her keel, and then +rolled over to starboard and subsided so, her propeller still beating +and her stern slowly working around. Into the two feet of water dropped +the trio on the bow and, keeping the <i>Follow Me</i> between them and the +enemy, scuttled to land, and then, once on the hard sand, ran as hard as +their legs would take them up the beach to the north. Wink sent one shot +hurtling after them, just, as he explained afterwards, to encourage +them, and Steve, having cautiously edged the <i>Adventurer</i> as near shore +as he dared, gave his orders hurriedly.</p> + +<p>"Get the big cable from the rope locker, Han," he directed. "Joe, you +and Harry jump into the tender and stand by here. When you get the cable +pull in to the <i>Follow Me</i> and make it fast to the stern cleat. Tom, +you'd better go along, too. Put your engine into reverse and try to back +off. The tide's still running out and if we don't get her off now we'll +have a hard time later. I'll pull on the stern and you jockey her with +her own power. I think we can do it. Now then, Han, give me that. Here, +take this end forward and make it fast around the cleat. Pass it +outside that stanchion, you chump! Catch, Harry! All right! Get a move +on, fellows!"</p> + +<p>Off plugged the tender, Joe bending furiously at the short oars, the big +cable paying out astern. A minute or two later they were tumbling aboard +the <i>Follow Me</i>, Tom to dart below to the engine, Harry to make fast +their end of the line and Joe to look after the tender. Then Harry waved +a hand and shouted, and the <i>Adventurer</i>, which had been going slowly +astern, taking up the slack of the cable, settled to her task. The big +rope tightened, throwing a spray of water into the sunlight along its +length, strained and creaked and the <i>Follow Me's</i> propeller, reversed, +did its part. There was an anxious two minutes. Very grudgingly the +black cruiser's stern came around. Steve drew the <i>Adventurer's</i> +throttle down a couple of notches. The <i>Follow Me</i> gave up her notion of +spending her declining years on the sands of Plum Island and slowly +backed away. A shout of delight arose from a dozen throats as, with the +water once more under her she bobbed sedately to an even keel and +followed the tug of the big hawser.</p> + +<p>A quarter of an hour later the two boats continued their way up the +shore, the <i>Follow Me</i> poorer by one eighty-pound anchor and richer by +one cedar dingey which the six boys aboard seriously suspected of having +been stolen. They ate dinner at half-past two, anchored on Joppa Flats, +the two crews once more assembled around and about the <i>Adventurer's</i> +hospitable board, and as they ate, very hungrily and quite happily, they +discussed the day's adventure.</p> + +<p>The <i>Follow Me</i> showed numerous signs of Steve's and Wink's +marksmanship, both outside and in, but there was no damage that nails +and hammer, paint and putty wouldn't repair. The stolen boat's larder +was sadly depleted and, as Tom said disgustedly, the cabin looked as +though a dozen pigs had lived in it a week! But, all in all, the cruiser +had come off well. As for the lost anchor, why, as Wink pointed out, the +tender would more than buy them a new one. There was some discussion as +to their right to dispose of that tender and in the end they agreed that +the proper thing to do would be to leave it at Newburyport and mail an +advertisement to the Plymouth papers. If the owner claimed the boat he +would pay for the advertisement. If he didn't, they would recover it +later on their way back down the coast. The <i>Adventurer</i>, too, showed +numerous scars. One bullet had plugged straight in at one side of the +smokestack and out the other, the glass in one window had been shattered +to bits and in various other places damage had been wrought. But they +had recovered the <i>Follow Me</i>, and that, viewing the affair in +retrospect, had been something of an achievement. Everyone, even Tom by +now, was more than satisfied at the outcome of their first real +adventure. Dinner, delayed as it was and none too palatable by reason of +having been prepared for a much earlier hour, was a merry meal.</p> + +<p>After it was over they went on up to Newburyport, found a berth and set +out to look for a yard where they could have the two cruisers patched. +Repairs kept them there two days, and then, having acquired a new anchor +for the <i>Follow Me</i> and left the extra dingey in safe storage, the +Adventure Club set forth once more in the early hours of a drizzly +morning.</p> + +<p>They passed the Isles of Shoals before nine and in the middle of the +forenoon Steve pointed through the haze to where an indistinct blot +against the sky line proclaimed Boon Island. After that the cruisers +kept well toward shore, for, although the drizzle had stopped, the +navigators feared that a fog might take its place, and that one +experience in Vineyard Sound had been sufficient to last them for the +balance of the cruise. Off Cape Porpoise the boats found rough seas and +the crew of the <i>Follow Me</i> were secretly delighted to observe that the +smaller craft made much easier going. The <i>Adventurer</i> seemed to be +having a thoroughly good time, for she kicked up her heels and waved her +nose and fairly rolled in merriment as the seas came sliding under her +quarter. The bridge deck was a damp place until both side curtains were +lowered and laced to the rails and stanchions. Poor Joe stood it as long +as he could, getting paler and paler and sitting, hands in pockets, +gazing fixedly at the brass kickplate at the top of the forward +companion way, about the only thing in his range of vision that was +fairly steady, and at intervals lurching below with an assumption of +carelessness that deceived nobody, to dose himself with his sea-sickness +remedy. That remedy, however, failed him, and it was not very long +before the Chief Engineer was conspicuous on the bridge by his absence, +while those who listened could hear at intervals a low moaning sound +proceeding from the after cabin. But Joe was not the only one aboard the +<i>Adventurer</i> who suffered qualms of uneasiness, although he alone gave +up the struggle. Both Perry and Han showed pale countenances and looked +big-eyed and pathetic. Neither displayed the least interest in dinner, +while Joe, when cruelly summoned by Ossie, only groaned lugubriously and +turned his pallid face to the wall. At two o'clock the sun broke through +and dyed the sea a wonderful green, and the <i>Adventurer</i> began to meet +other boats. As she left Scarboro Beach on her port beam and began to +nose in toward Peak's Island the sea calmed and by the time the cruiser +was ready to drop her anchor in Portland harbour, Joe, albeit still +rather greenish, had pulled himself back to deck to gaze approvingly at +the shore.</p> + +<p>A week went by during which the Adventure Club, one and all, had a +glorious time without anything that in the least resembled adventure. +They spent a whole day in Portland—spent, also, a deal of money there +replenishing an utterly exhausted galley—and then, to use Perry's +inelegant phrase, "bummed around" Casco Bay for three days more. Joe +fell in love with more islands during that time than he had known +existed. "I've always wanted to own an island," he would explain, "and +that's the very island. Let's go ashore, Steve, and look around."</p> + +<p>Steve humoured him several times, until the others complained that they +were getting tired of stopping at every bunch of rocks on the Maine +Coast, and pointed out, besides, that, as Perry had owned to having but +nine dollars in his pocket just a few days before, it wasn't at all +likely that he would find an island within his means. After exhausting +the interest of Casco Bay the two boats ran further up the shore and +spent another forty-eight hours at Camden. Steve had friends there and +the whole tribe of mariners were invited to dinners and luncheons and +found that "home cooking" was all that it was popularly believed to be. +Ossie had a most perfect time during those two days.</p> + +<p>"Nothing to cook but breakfast," he said ecstatically, "and real food +the other two meals! Gee, but it's fine to eat something some other poor +duffer has cooked! Say, Joe, what is it that pigs have that kills them +off in bunches: sort of a—an epidemic?"</p> + +<p>"Hog cholera," hazarded Joe. "Aren't you feeling well, Ossie?"</p> + +<p>"Well, I wish they'd all have it," said Ossie devoutly. "I'm so plumb +sick of cooking bacon!"</p> + +<p>The rest agreed, away from Ossie's hearing, that it was a very fortunate +thing that the period of eating ashore had arrived when it did, for +Ossie had been showing symptoms of mutiny of late and his cooking had +noticeably fallen off. "He was due to strike in another few days," said +Han. "Then someone else would have had to take the job, and we would all +have starved to death."</p> + +<p>"In the absence of the cook," observed Perry gravely, "the job falls to +the crew."</p> + +<p>"No, sir, to the second mate," corrected Han. "Isn't that so, Joe?"</p> + +<p>"I'm not sure. The only thing I am sure of is that—um—it doesn't fall +to the chief engineer."</p> + +<p>"I should say not!" retorted Perry. "Think of eating food flavoured with +engine oil!"</p> + +<p>"Couldn't be any worse than pudding flavoured with onion extract," +chuckled Joe, referring to a viand prepared by Ossie while at +Newburyport. Ossie had meant to put in a spoonful of vanilla, but the +two bottles looked so much alike—</p> + +<p>The pudding was never eaten, unless the fish consumed it, and the +mention of it still caused Ossie great pain and humiliation.</p> + +<p>They went into the water every morning before breakfast, lived almost +every minute in the open air—for even at night the wide-open ports and +doors made the cabins like sleeping porches—ate heartily, got enough +exercise to keep them lean and hungry and became tanned with sun and +wind to the colour of light mahogany. Khaki trousers, sleeveless shirts +and rubber-soled canvas shoes made up their ordinary attire, although +for shore visits they "dolled up" remarkably. Those early morning baths +were fine appetisers, as will be understood by the reader who has had +experience of the water along the Maine coast, and the number of eggs +and slices of crisp bacon that came off the alcohol stove would sound +like a fairy tale if told. At Camden the two cruisers lay side by side, +with just enough room between to allow them to swing, and by keeping the +tenders alongside the gangways it was only a momentary task to ferry +from one boat to the other. In consequence the two crews mingled a good +deal and it was no unusual thing for one breakfast table to be thronged +while the other was half empty of a morning. When the boys got tired of +swimming they simply climbed over the rail of the nearer craft and, +after partly drying themselves, went down to breakfast. As getting dry +was a somewhat perfunctory proceeding, the linoleum in the forward cabin +was covered with pools of salt water by the time the last platter of +bacon and eggs was empty.</p> + +<p>Many friends were made and the boys spent more time on shore than +aboard. There was tennis to be played, for one thing, and Phil, Steve +and Joe were all dabsters at that game. And then there was a big, +freckle-faced youth named Globbins who spent most of his waking hours in +the driver's seat of a high-powered roadster automobile and who ran the +fellows many miles over the roads and was never, seemingly, more +contented than when every available inch of the car was occupied. Its +normal capacity was three, but by careful packing it was possible to get +seven in, on or about it. In return, Globbins was entertained aboard the +<i>Adventurer</i> and given a thirty-mile cruise one evening, but it was easy +to see that he wasn't really enjoying himself and that his hands fairly +ached for the feel of that corrugated wheel of the roadster. They had +such a jolly time at Camden that they promised faithfully to stop there +again on the return voyage, and really meant to keep the promise when +they chugged out of the harbour one crisp morning and turned the +cruisers' bows eastward for the run across Penobscot Bay.</p> + +<p>They lazed that day, for, as Steve said, it was too fine to hurry. +Dinner was eaten with the two boats side by side, with only fenders +between, in a fairy pool. They found the place quite by accident when +exploring the shore of an island whose name they are to this day +ignorant of. There was an entrance to the tiny bay through which a +schooner might barely have scraped her way. Beyond the mouth lay a +wonder land. The pool was as round as a dish and its water the bluest +they had ever seen. Straight across from the entrance a cliff of granite +towered for a hundred feet or more, its tree-clad summit almost leaning +over the boats at anchor. Its face was clothed with vines and dwarf +evergreens and birches. On the other encircling shores of the pool +tumbled boulders hung over the blue depths and were reflected so clearly +that, looking down, one received the same impression of air and space as +when lying on one's back staring into the sky. There never were such +reflections, they declared. No one came to disturb them, and only the +songs and chirpings of birds and the sleepy sigh of the faint breeze in +the boughs broke the silence. Green and blue was that fairyland, warm +with the sun and redolent of the sea and the sappy fragrance of +sun-bathed foliage.</p> + +<p>They ate dinner on the decks, the two boats snuggled so close that it +was the easiest thing in the world to pass dishes from one to another. +After dinner they lolled in the sunlight and gazed up at the sheer +granite bluff or the smiling and cloudless sky and talked lazily or +slumbered a little. And finally Wink Wheeler thought of fishing and in a +few minutes a half-dozen lines were overboard, and, while the catches +were not big, they were fairly frequent, and the question of what they +were to have for supper was solved there and then. It was Harry Corwin's +idea to stay in the pool overnight and everyone instantly applauded it. +Later, a party went ashore and explored, but there were no paths to be +found and Nature was jealous of her secrets and they came back without +more knowledge of this unknown island than they had had before. They +named it Mystery Island and called the little harbour Titania's Mirror, +a suggestion from Bert Alley which elicited jibes and a final agreement.</p> + +<p>"It's not 'mushy' a bit," said Steve, in Bert's defence. "It's a fine +name for the prettiest bit of water any of us ever saw, and you know it. +The only trouble with you is that you're afraid someone will laugh at +you for being poetical or imaginative. If Bert had suggested calling it +Put-In Bay or Simpkins' Cove or something like that you'd have said +'Fine!' and secretly thought him a perfect ass!"</p> + +<p>Twilight came early and the still, limpid water of the pool took on all +sorts of strange and wonderful hues, like the iridescent surface of a +pearl-shell. It grew very still and a little bit eery as the shadows +crept over the scene, and it was a relief when Cas Temple and Bert Alley +brought forth their mandolins. I am sorry to say that Titania's Mirror +was a bit too thickly inhabited by mosquitoes for comfort, and there +were restless turnings and muttered expostulations to be heard for some +time after lights were out.</p> + +<p>The morning broke radiantly and at half-past six Titania's Mirror was +turned into a highly satisfactory bathtub. Brown arms clove the shadowed +surface and dripping heads rose and fell as fully half the number set +out on a spirited race to the entrance. When almost there they emerged +into a flood of pale sunlight, and looking down through the pellucid +water they could see the sloping sides of the basin converging like the +sides of a bowl. Tragedy was surely the last thing to be thought of +amidst such idyllic surroundings, and yet it was hovering very close.</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_XVI'></a><h2>CHAPTER XVI</h2> + +<p style="text-align: center"><b>THE BURGLARS</b></p> +<br /> + +<p>Wink Wheeler reached the little channel first and gingerly climbed out +on a brown ledge that flanked it on one side. Others joined him there to +lie panting in the sunlight. Only Joe and Phil kept on and were +presently swimming within a short distance of each other well outside. +They were both strong rather than fast swimmers, and, although Han +frowned slightly as he watched them bob in and out of sight in the long, +smooth swells, the others soon turned their attention to Wink's +suggestion that they dive from the rock and race around the anchored +boats and back again. Wink offered the others a ten-yard start. All save +"Brownie" accepted the challenge—"Brownie" was built for comfort rather +than speed—and in a moment they were lined up rather unsteadily on the +edge of the boulder awaiting the word. Then three bodies launched +themselves through the air and the race was on. When the others had +taken the first half-dozen strokes after reappearing Wink plunged after +them. "Brownie" watched until the foremost swimmer disappeared beyond +the boats and then turned his gaze seaward. For a moment he could not +find the two venturesome ones, but presently he spied them. They had +turned and were coming back straight for the mouth of the little +harbour, Phil leading and Joe a dozen yards behind. It looked like a +race from the way in which both boys were keeping under and "Brownie" +found it more exciting than the other contest. And then, while he +watched, something happened, and he sprang to his feet and gazed seaward +with wildly beating heart.</p> + +<p>Joe had stopped swimming and was on his back with one brown arm held +aloft. If he made any outcry "Brownie" failed to hear it, but apparently +he had, for Phil was turning now and hurrying back with short, quick +strokes. But before he had covered half the distance separating him from +the other, the watcher on shore uttered an involuntary cry of alarm. Joe +was no longer in sight!</p> + +<p>"Brownie" looked despairingly toward the boys in the pool, but the +nearest was still a long way from the channel. Confused thoughts of the +boats were cast aside and "Brownie" threw himself from the rock, hitting +the water like a barrel, and turned into the channel. As he felt the +tug of the tide he experienced a revulsion of fright, for he had no +stomach for the task ahead of him. "Brownie's" swimming was usually done +in safer water than that he was making for. But he tried his best to +forget the depths below him and the long swim ahead, to remember only +that Joe was in trouble out there and that Phil, probably by now +somewhat exhausted, would never be able to bring him to shore +unassisted.</p> + +<p>The long swells hid the others from him. Once, though, poised for a +moment on the round summit of a bank of water, he glimpsed ere he +descended into the green valley beyond, a darker spot ahead and so found +his direction. He knew better than to tire himself out by desperate +strokes. His only hope of getting there and getting back was to conserve +his strength. All sorts of thoughts came and went in a strange jumble. +Sometimes it seemed that he was making no progress, that the slow waves +were bearing him remorselessly back to the cove, or, at least just +defeating the strokes of his arms and legs. Breathing became laboured +and once a veritable panic seized him and it was all he could do to keep +from turning and swimming wildly back toward shore. Instead, though, +fighting his fears, he turned on his back for a moment with his round +face to the blue breeze-swept sky, and took long, grateful breaths of +the sun-sweet air. Above him a grey gull swept in a wide circle, +uttering harsh, discordant cries. Then, his panic gone, "Brownie" turned +over again and struggled on with renewed strength and courage. And +suddenly, the long swells were behind him and there, but a few yards +away, was Phil, Phil very white of face but as calm as ever.</p> + +<p>He was swimming slowly on his side, one arm cleaving the water and the +other supporting the nearly inert body of Joe. "Here comes 'Brownie,'" +the rescuer heard him say cheerfully. "All right now, Joe. We'll get you +in in a jiffy! Roll over, 'Brownie,' and get your breath," he added. +"We're all right for a minute. That's the trick."</p> + +<p>"I'm—a bit—tuckered," gasped "Brownie," as he lay and puffed with +outstretched arms.</p> + +<p>"Don't blame you," said Phil. "How are you now, Joe?"</p> + +<p>"Punk," muttered the other. "Don't you fellows bother too much. If +you'll just stay by for a minute or two—I'll be—um—all right, I +guess."</p> + +<p>"No need to do that," replied Phil quietly. "'Brownie' and I will take +you between us. Put a hand on my shoulder. Easy, son! That's it. Now the +other on 'Brownie's.' Right you are. Just let yourself float. Ready, +'Brownie?' Don't hurry. Easy does it. We've got an eighth of a mile or +so and there's no use getting tired at the start. I guess the tide will +help us, though."</p> + +<p>There were no more words until the shore was nearly reached. By that +time "Brownie" was frankly all-in and Phil was in scarcely better +condition. Joe had so far recovered then, however, as to be able to aid +weakly with his legs, and before they reached the channel half a dozen +eager helpers splashed to their assistance. Anxious questions were +showered on them, but only Joe had the breath to answer them.</p> + +<p>"I had a cramp," he explained apologetically. "It hit me all of a sudden +out there. It was fierce!"</p> + +<p>"Legs?" asked Steve.</p> + +<p>"No—yes—about everywhere below my shoulders. It seemed to start in my +tummy. I got sort of sick all over. Thought—um—thought I was a goner +until—"</p> + +<p>"All right! Shut up now. Someone give Phil a hand. He's about ready to +quit. 'Brownie,' too." Steve and Wink had taken the places of the +rescuers and Joe was finishing his journey at top speed. It was no easy +task getting him aboard, but they finally accomplished it and hurried +him below. "Brownie," too, had to be pushed and pulled over the side, +and while Phil got aboard almost unaided he slumped onto a seat and, to +use Perry's expression, "passed out." Hot coffee and many blankets and +at least three different remedies from the medicine chest presently left +Joe out of pain, while in the case of Phil and "Brownie" the hot coffee +and rest were alone sufficient.</p> + +<p>Breakfast was rather late that morning, and Joe's place was vacant, for +that youth was enjoying a sleep in the after cabin. "Brownie" and Phil, +however, recovered wonderfully at the sight of bacon and eggs and did +full justice to the repast. Steve laid down the law during breakfast as +follows:</p> + +<p>"After this there'll be no more swimming away from the boats, fellows. +We came on this trip for fun and not funerals. You took a big chance, +Phil, when you went that far out. This water's about ten degrees colder +than what you and Joe are used to. It's a wonder you didn't both have +cramps and drown."</p> + +<p>"I guess it was rather foolish," agreed Phil. "The water was a lot +colder out there than inside, too. Still it didn't bother me any." He +lowered his voice, with a glance toward the companion way and the other +cabin. "I thought old Joe was a goner, though, fellows. I was about +forty feet away, I suppose, when I heard him yell, and before I could +get back he'd gone down. I was afraid he meant to keep on going, but he +thrashed his way up again and I managed to grab him. The trouble was +then that he wanted to drown both of us and I had a hard time making him +see reason."</p> + +<p>"Someone ought to recommend you for the Carnegie Medal, Phil," said Han, +with a laugh that didn't disguise his earnestness.</p> + +<p>Phil shook his head. "I wasn't the hero of the adventure," he replied +quietly. "I'm fairly at home in the water and I've done four miles +without tiring much. It's 'Brownie' who deserves the medal, fellows. He +saw Joe go down and jumped right in and beat it out there; and you all +know that 'Brownie' isn't any swimmer. I think he was just about scared +to death!"</p> + +<p>"I'll bet he was," agreed Steve. "He's never been known to go ten yards +from shore or boat. Yes, I guess 'Brownie' is the real hero, as you say, +Phil."</p> + +<p>"He certainly is, because I'll tell you frankly that I never could have +got Joe in alone. I was just about used up by the time we'd tried to +drown each other out there."</p> + +<p>"We didn't know anything about it," explained Ossie, filling Phil's cup +again unasked, "until someone happened to look from the <i>Follow Me</i> and +saw you three out there. It was Tom Corwin, I think. I heard him +yelling—I was getting my clothes on down here—and I ran up on deck and +then grabbed the megaphone and shouted to Steve and Wink and the others +who were over on the rock near the inlet. By the time they got it +through their thick heads—"</p> + +<p>"Thick heads be blowed!" exclaimed Steve disgustedly. "You were just +yelling a lot of words that didn't mean anything. If you hadn't kept on +pointing we'd never have known what was up. We all thought you had a +fit."</p> + +<p>All's well that ends well, however, and an hour after breakfast the +incident was, if not forgotten, dismissed. Joe reappeared, looking +rather pale still, but announcing himself quite all right. "I was nice +and sick at my tummy," he explained, "and now I feel fine."</p> + +<p>"Being sick at your tummy," remarked Perry unkindly, "is quite the best +thing you do, Joe. If you can't be sea-sick you go and try to drown +yourself!"</p> + +<p>Of course "Brownie" was allowed to surmise that he had done something +rather big, and Joe thanked him very nicely, but Mr. Carnegie is still +in ignorance of his exploit!</p> + +<p>The two boats floated out of the pool about ten and set off for Bar +Harbor. The barely averted tragedy somewhat modified their regret at +leaving Titania's Mirror and Mystery Island. Later, Steve and Joe tried +to locate that island on the charts but without certain success. There +were so many islands thereabouts that neither dared to more than guess +at the identity of the one they had visited. Looking back at it from a +distance of a half-mile they saw that it was in reality much smaller +than they had supposed, being scarcely more than a huge rock pushed up +from the ocean bed. Ossie, who had a leaning toward geology, furnished +the theory that Mystery Island was no more nor less than the top of an +extinct volcano and that Titania's Mirror was the crater.</p> + +<p>"It probably sank, like lots of them did," he elaborated, "and the sea +wore away part of it and flowed into the crater. I'm pretty sure that +that rock we climbed out on this morning when we were swimming was +volcanic."</p> + +<p>"Sure," agreed Perry. "It was pumice stone. I meant to bring a bit of it +along for you to clean your hands with."</p> + +<p>"I didn't say pumice," replied Ossie haughtily. "It was more probably +obsidian."</p> + +<p>"My idea exactly! In fact, it had a very obstinate feeling. It—it left +quite an impression on me!"</p> + +<p>The <i>Follow Me</i> developed engine trouble that morning and they lay by +for a half-hour or more while Tom Corwin toiled and perspired, argued +and threatened. It was well after two o'clock when they ran up the +eastern shore of Mount Desert Island and finally dropped anchor in +Frenchman's Bay. They ate only a luncheon on board and then clothed +themselves in their gladdest raiment and went ashore. They "did" the +town that afternoon, mingling, as Wink said, with the "haut noblesse," +and had dinner ashore at an expense that left a gaping hole in each +purse. But they were both hungry and glad to taste shore food again, and +no one begrudged the cost.</p> + +<p>It was when they were on their way back to the landing that the glow of +coloured lanterns behind a trim hedge drew their attention to the fact +that someone was conducting a lawn party. The imposing entrance, through +which carriages were coming and going, met their sight a moment later +and inspired Perry with a brilliant idea.</p> + +<p>"Say, fellows, let's go," he said, as they paused in a body to allow a +handsome landau to enter. "I've never been to one of these lawn fêtes, +or whatever they call them in the society papers, and here's the +chance."</p> + +<p>"Anybody invited you?" drawled Joe.</p> + +<p>"No, but maybe they meant to. You can't tell. Maybe if they knew we were +here—"</p> + +<p>"Might send word in to them," suggested Wink Wheeler. "Say that the +crews of the <i>Adventurer</i> and the <i>Follow Me</i> are without and—"</p> + +<p>"Yes, without invitations," agreed Perry. "I get you, but that might +cause our hostess embarrassment, eh? Why not just save her all that by +dropping in sociably?"</p> + +<p>"Are you crazy?" demanded Steve.</p> + +<p>"Crazy to go and see all the pretty lanterns and things, yes. And maybe +they'll have a feed, fellows! Come on! Take a chance! They can't any +more than put us out! Besides, they probably won't know whether they +invited us or not. It's just a lark. Be sports, fellows!"</p> + +<p>The notion appealed to most of them, but Steve and Phil and Bert Alley +declined to countenance it. "What will happen to you," said Steve +grimly, "is that you'll all spend the rest of the night in the town jail +for impersonating gentlemen!"</p> + +<p>"Oh, if that's all you're afraid of," responded Perry sweetly, "you +might as well come, too, Steve. They'd never charge <i>you</i> with that."</p> + +<p>"Sub-tile, sub-tile," murmured Cas Temple.</p> + +<p>"Anyhow, our clothes are perfectly O.K.," continued Perry. "White +trousers and dark coats are quite <i>de rigor</i>. Come on, fellows."</p> + +<p>They went on, all save the disapproving trio, Perry and Wink Wheeler +leading the way up the winding avenue toward the glow of fairy lights +ahead. No one challenged them, although they were observed with +curiosity by several servants before they came out on a wide lawn in +front of a spacious residence. Fully a hundred guests were already +assembled. A platform overhung by twinkling and vari-coloured electric +lamps had been laid for dancing and, as the uninvited guests paused to +survey the scene, an orchestra, hidden by shrubbery and palms in tubs, +started to play. Chairs dotted the lawn and a big marquee was nearby. On +a low terrace in front of the hospitable doorway of the residence the +hostess was receiving as the carriages rolled around the immaculate +drive and stopped to discharge the guests. The boys viewed each other +questioningly. Perry pulled down his waistcoat and walked boldly across +the lawn and the drive and stepped to the terrace. Wink followed +unhesitatingly, but the others hung back for a moment. Then they, too, +approached, their assurance oozing fast. They reached the terrace in +time to witness Perry's welcome.</p> + +<p>"Good evening," said that youth in bored and careless tones, shaking +hands with the middle-aged lady. "Awfully jolly night, isn't it!"</p> + +<p>"How do you do, Mister—ah—so glad you could come. Yes, isn't it +splendid to have such perfect weather? Marcia, you remember +Mister—ah—"</p> + +<p>Perry was passed on to a younger lady, evidently the daughter of the +house.</p> + +<p>"Howdy do?" murmured the latter, shaking hands listlessly.</p> + +<p>"How do!" returned Perry brightly. "Bully night, eh!"</p> + +<p>"Yes, isn't it?" drawled the young lady. Then Perry gave place to Wink.</p> + +<p>"Good evening," said Wink, grinning blandly.</p> + +<p>"Howdy do? So nice of you to come," murmured the lady. Wink joined +Perry and they crossed to the other side of the terrace and maliciously +watched the embarrassment of the other boys. Joe and Harry Corwin +carried things off rather well, but the others were fairly speechless. +Perry chuckled as he saw the growing bewilderment on the face of the +hostess. But finally the ordeal was over and Perry led the way back to +the festivities. Ossie groaned when they were safely out of ear-shot.</p> + +<p>"She's on to us," he muttered. "I could see it in her eye! I'm off +before they throw me out!"</p> + +<p>"Don't be a jay," begged Perry. "The evening's young and the fun's just +starting. Mrs. Thingamabob doesn't know whether she asked us or not. I'm +going to see what's in the big tent over there. Come on, fellows."</p> + +<p>They went, dodging their way between chattering groups and impeding +chairs, but when Perry peered through the doorway of the marquee he was +met with a chilly look from a waiter on guard there. "Supper is at ten +o'clock, sir," said the servant haughtily.</p> + +<p>"That's all right," replied Perry kindly. "Don't hurry on my account, +old top!"</p> + +<p>What to do for the succeeding hour was the question, for, while all +save Perry and Ossie danced more or less skilfully, they knew no one to +dance with. "If you ask me," remarked Cas Temple, yawning, "I call this +dull. I'd rather be in my bunk, fellows."</p> + +<p>"Well, let's find something to do," said Joe. "Maybe they've got a +roller-coaster or a merry-go-round somewhere. Let's—um—explore."</p> + +<p>By this time the dancing had begun in earnest and the platform was well +filled with whirling couples. The boys paused to look on and, since the +throng was growing larger every minute, were forced to change their +position more than once with the result that presently Perry, Wink and +Ossie found themselves separated from their companions. They looked +about them unavailingly and waited for several minutes, and then, as the +others did not appear, went on.</p> + +<p>"We'll run across them," said Perry cheerfully. "Let's stroll around and +see who's here."</p> + +<p>"Awfully mixed crowd," said Wink. "Really, you know, Mrs. Jones-Smythe +should be more particular. Why, some of the folks don't look as though +they had ever been invited!"</p> + +<p>"I know," agreed Perry, with a sigh. "Society's going to the dogs these +days. One meets all sorts of people. It's perfectly deplorable."</p> + +<p>"Beastly," agreed Ossie, stumbling over a chair. "Bar Harbor's getting +very common, I fear."</p> + +<p>"Hello, that's pretty!" exclaimed Perry. They had emerged onto a walled +space that looked straight out over the water. Hundreds of lights dotted +the purple darkness and the air held the mingled fragrance of sea and +roses. "This isn't so punk, you know," continued Perry, leaning over the +wall. "Maybe this would suit me as well as an island."</p> + +<p>"You're on an island," Ossie reminded him.</p> + +<p>"I meant a real island," murmured Perry. Ossie was about to argue the +matter when footsteps approached and they moved off again. A flight of +steps led to a stone-floored verandah and they went up it and perched +themselves on the parapet, to the probable detriment of the ivy growing +across it, and watched the colourful scene. They were quite alone there, +for the porch was detached from the terrace that crossed the front of +the house. Two French windows were opened and beyond them lay a +dimly-lighted library. Perry, hugging one foot in his hands, looked in +approvingly.</p> + +<p>"Whoever owns this shanty knows what's what," he said. "Just have a +squint at all those books, will you? Millions of them! Wonder if anyone +has ever read them."</p> + +<p>"Well, I'm glad I don't have to," said Wink feelingly. "But that's a +corking room, though. These folks must have slathers of money, fellows."</p> + +<p>"Oh, fairly well fixed, I dare say," responded Perry carelessly. "Say, +what time is it! Feed begins at ten, and with all that mob down there +it's the early bird that's going to catch the macaroons. Wonder if +they'll have lobster salad."</p> + +<p>"Nothing but sandwiches and ices, I guess," said Ossie. "I wouldn't +object to a steak and onions, myself. Funny how hungry you get up in +this part of the world."</p> + +<p>"You sure do," agreed Wink. "Let's move along. If the Corwin family gets +in there ahead of us we might just as well pull in our belts and beat +it."</p> + +<p>"Let's go in through here," said Perry. "It's nearer, I guess." He +started toward the first window.</p> + +<p>"Oh, we'd better not," Ossie objected. "They might not like it."</p> + +<p>"Piffle! They'll be tickled to death. They like folks to see their +pretties." He stepped through the window and, dubiously, his companions +followed. The library was a huge apartment, occupying, as it seemed to +them, more than half the length of the house, with several long windows +opening onto the terrace at the front. The furnishings were sombrely +elegant and the dim lights caught the dull polished surface of mahogany +and glinted on the gold-lettered backs of the shelf on shelf of books +that hid the walls. Deep-toned rugs rendered footsteps soundless as they +made their way toward the wide doorway at the far end of the room. They +had traversed barely a third of the distance when a sudden sound brought +them up short.</p> + +<p>One of the windows that opened onto the terrace further along swung +inward and a middle-aged man in evening attire stepped into the room. +Perry, in spite of his former assurance, drew back into the shadow of a +high-backed chair, stepping on Wink's foot and bringing a groan from +that youth. The newcomer, however, evidently failed to hear Wink's +protest, for, closing the window behind him in a stealthy manner, he +crossed the further end of the library and paused beside a huge stone +fireplace. Wink and Ossie had dropped to the protecting darkness of a +big table, but Perry still peered, crouching, from behind the chair. In +the dim light of an electric lamp the intruder's face had shown for an +instant, and in that instant Perry had sensed it all! The stealthy +manner of the man's entrance from the terrace instead of by the door, +the plainly furtive way in which he crossed the room and the anxious +expression of his face, a face which Perry saw at once to be criminal, +was enough! The watcher was not in the least surprised when the man, +hurriedly and still stealthily, drew out a square of mahogany paneling +at the left of the fireplace and revealed the front of a small safe. +Perry's heart began to thump agitatedly at the thought of witnessing a +robbery. The man's fingers worked deftly at the knob. Perry could hear +in the silence the click of the tumblers as they slid into place. Then +the door was pulled open.</p> + +<p>Between Perry and the robber lay a full thirty feet of floor, and a big +table impeded his progress, but it took the boy less than a second to +cover the distance, to seize the robber from behind, pinioning his arms, +and to bear him heavily back to the floor.</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_XVII'></a><h2>CHAPTER XVII</h2> + +<p style="text-align: center"><b>FLIGHT</b></p> +<br /> + +<p>"Wink!" he cried. "Ossie! Come quick! Help here!"</p> + +<p>The robber, having uttered a stifled cry of alarm at the instant of the +unexpected attack, was now thrashing mightily about on the thick rug.</p> + +<p>"Help!" he shouted. "Who are you? Let me go!"</p> + +<p>"S-sh!" commanded Perry sternly, as the others plunged to his aid, +overturning a chair on the way. "Be quiet! Sit on his legs, Ossie!" +Perry was astride the man's chest, holding his arms to the floor. "Punch +him if he makes a noise, Wink!" Perry, breathing hard, surveyed his +captive in triumph. "Now then," he asked, "what have you got to say for +yourself? What were you doing at that safe?"</p> + +<p>The man glared in silence for an instant. To Wink it seemed that the +emotion exhibited on the robber's countenance was amazement rather than +fear.</p> + +<p>"Come on," urged Perry. "What's the game?"</p> + +<p>"Game!" choked the man, finding his voice at last. "Game? You—you young +ruffians! You—"</p> + +<p>"Cut that out, or I'll hand you something," growled Wink. "Answer +politely."</p> + +<p>"Let me up!"</p> + +<p>"Nothing doing!" answered Perry. "Come across. What's your name and +where do you come from? As you didn't get anything out of there, maybe +we'll be easy with you if you talk quick."</p> + +<p>"Let me suggest, if I may," said the man in a strangely quiet and +restrained tone, "that you get off my stomach. This conversation can +just as well be conducted under more comfortable conditions."</p> + +<p>Perry blinked and Wink viewed the captive doubtfully.</p> + +<p>"Promise not to try to run?" demanded Perry.</p> + +<p>"I have no intention of running, thanks." The robber carefully dusted +his clothes as he arose and then felt anxiously of a bruised elbow. +"Now, if you will inform me what this—this murderous assault means I +shall be greatly obliged to you."</p> + +<p>"Suppose you tell us what you were doing at that safe?" said Perry +sternly.</p> + +<p>"Is that any of your business?" asked the other. It was evident that he +was losing his temper again, and Wink drew a step nearer. "I presume I +have a perfect right to open my own safe! What I wish to know—"</p> + +<p>"Your own safe!" gasped Perry. "Oh, come now, you needn't try to tell us +that you—you live here. You're a cracksman, my friend, that's what you +are—"</p> + +<p>Ossie tugged at Perry's sleeve, but Perry failed to notice it.</p> + +<p>"One look at that face of yours is enough, old top," continued Perry. +"It's got crook written all over it!"</p> + +<p>"It has, has it?" gasped the man. "Let me tell you that my name is +Drummond, sir, and that this is my house, and that is my safe, and—and +if you'll mind your own business—"</p> + +<p>"What!" asked Perry weakly. "You mean that you—that this—you mean +that—"</p> + +<p>"I mean," interrupted the man angrily, "that I was about to deposit some +money in that safe, some money I'd been carrying around in my pocket all +the evening and feared I might lose, when you—you young thugs set on me +and knocked me down! Knocked me down right in my own house, on my own +hearth-rug! Why, you—you—"</p> + +<p>Mr. Drummond's wrath got the better of his speech and he only sputtered, +waving an accusing finger at the retreating Perry. Wink was already +glancing about for a means of escape and Ossie was frankly deserting.</p> + +<p>"I—I didn't know!" gasped Perry. "I—we saw you come in—and you looked +like—like a—"</p> + +<p>"You've said that already!" said the man, "Never mind my criminal looks, +young man!"</p> + +<p>"No, sir, we don't—I mean I was mistaken, sir! But, you see, it looked +so—so queer, you coming in like that—"</p> + +<p>"Queer! What was queer about it!" demanded Mr. Drummond irascibly, "No +one but a parcel of young idiots would think it queer!" He took an +envelope from his pocket, tossed it into the safe, closed door and panel +and faced them again. "Who are you, anyway? I don't remember you."</p> + +<p>"Er—my name—my name—" stammered Perry, "my name—"</p> + +<p>"Well, well! Don't you know your name? Who invited you here?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir, oh, yes, sir! It's Bush. We—you see, we were on the porch +there, and we wanted to get back to the—the front of the house—"</p> + +<p>"Who invited you here, tonight? Who—" The host's expression changed +from indignation to suspicion. "Huh!" he ejaculated. "Robber, eh! Well, +what were you doing in this room? Seems to me—hm! We'll look into this, +I think!" He stepped back and touched a button in the wall. "We'll have +this explained! We'll see who the robber is! We—"</p> + +<p>"<i>Good night!</i>" Perry spurned the table against which he was leaning, +hurdled a chair and plunged down the room. Ossie was at his heels and +Wink was a good third. They fled at top speed and from behind them came +the irate commands of their host:</p> + +<p>"Stop! Come back! Stop, I say!"</p> + +<p>But they didn't stop. They only ran faster. Wink beat Ossie to the first +window easily and passed out even with Perry. And as they landed on the +stone flagging outside they heard Mr. Drummond excitedly directing the +pursuit.</p> + +<p>"Quick, Wilkins! Get them! They tried to rob the house!" Mr. Drummond's +voice pursued them along the verandah. "Help! Robbers! Head them off!"</p> + +<p>The boys took the stone steps in two bounds, crashed at the bottom into +a hedge, went tearing through and emerged beyond in a service yard, +dimly lighted by one struggling electric bulb over a back doorway. It +was Ossie who fell into the clothes basket and Wink who collided with +the clothes reel and sent it spinning wildly and creakingly around in +the darkness. Perry fortunately avoided all pitfalls and was leading by +six yards when he reached the top of another flight of steps and saw the +marquee and the dancing platform and the gay lights at his right. To +make their way in that direction would be sheer folly, while in front of +them lay a tangle of shrubbery and trees. Into this they hurtled, as +from behind them came cries of "Stop, thief!" and the crunching of many +footsteps.</p> + +<p>Off went Wink's hat as he fled after the scurrying Perry. Ossie went +down in a tangle of briars and prickly things with a grunt, rolled +somehow clear and was off again. "This way!" shouted a voice. "I seen +'em! They went in here! Come on, men!"</p> + +<p>Perry was running alongside a wall now, as he hoped, in the general +direction of the street. Behind him came Wink and Ossie, crashing +through shrubbery with a desperate disregard for noise. Then suddenly, +the wall turned abruptly to the right. Perry stopped short, looked and +decided.</p> + +<p>"We've got to get over!" he gasped, as Wink ran blindly into him. "Give +me a leg-up!"</p> + +<p>Wink leaned weakly against the wall and Perry set a foot on his cupped +hands and was just able to reach the top of the wall. But that was +enough. Up he climbed. Then up came Ossie, and together, while the +pursuit drew instantly closer, they pulled Wink to safety. For a brief +moment they sat there and caught their breath while wondering what lay +below them in the gloom of the further side. But there was scant time +for conjectures, for the pursuit was in sight. Three bodies launched +themselves into space, there was a frightful, devastating sound of +breaking glass and the boys disengaged themselves from a cold-frame and +sped on again into the darkness.</p> + +<p>A house loomed suddenly before them, a house with lights and folks about +the porch and a panting automobile curving its way down a drive. They +turned to the right and kept along a lawn in the shadows of the trees. +The automobile passed them with a purr and a sweeping flare of white +light. Then Perry was after it and in another moment they were all +three huddled somehow on the gas-tank at the rear and going with +increasing speed out of the grounds and along a road. For a few minutes +they hung there, breathing hard, and then Wink gasped:</p> + +<p>"We've got to get off, Perry! It's going the wrong way!"</p> + +<p>"If we do, we'll get killed," answered Perry. "Wait till it slows up."</p> + +<p>They waited, but it seemed that it never would slow up. It went faster +and faster. It passed houses and stores and a church. It went like the +wind. Ossie groaned as they left the village behind.</p> + +<p>"I can't stay on much longer, fellows!" he said hopelessly. "I'm +clinging by my t-t-teeth!"</p> + +<p>"You've got to!" answered Perry above the noise of the exhaust. "You'll +break something if you don't! Wait till it slows up!"</p> + +<p><i>Toot! Toot! To-o-oot!</i> said the horn. And then, so suddenly that +Perry's head collided with something particularly hard, the brakes +squeaked harshly, the car slewed into an avenue and the boys, making the +most of the opportunity, fell off. Ossie rolled a full half-dozen yards +before his progress was stayed by a tree, and Wink, or so Perry +declared afterwards, described a beautiful and quite perfect circle. +Bruised, breathless and dizzy, they got to their feet and staggered to +the side of the road and subsided on the turf.</p> + +<p>After a long minute Ossie said feebly: "Where—do you—suppose—we are?"</p> + +<p>"About ten miles—in the country," answered Wink.</p> + +<p>There was silence then, silence long and profound. At last they climbed +to their feet and, without speaking, walked off in the darkness in the +direction from which they had come. Perhaps ten minutes later there came +the first sound to break the silence. It was a choking sort of gurgle +from Wink.</p> + +<p>"What's the matter with you?" inquired Perry listlessly.</p> + +<p>"I was just—just thinking," replied Wink. "It was so—so—" But words +failed him and he began to laugh. After a dubious instant Perry +chuckled, and then Ossie, and presently they were clinging to each other +convulsively in the middle of the unknown road and sending shrieks of +laughter up to the starlit sky.</p> + +<p>Over an hour later they reached the landing. Both tenders were gone. The +<i>Follow Me</i> was dark, but a faint light still burned aboard the +<i>Adventurer</i>. Perry cupped his hands and sent a hail across the water. A +sleepy response was followed by the sound of someone tumbling into the +dingey and then by the measured creak of oars. Han was grumbling as he +drew to the float.</p> + +<p>"A fine time to be coming back," he said. "Where the dickens did you +fellows get to, anyway? We looked all around the shop for you. Did you +get any grub?"</p> + +<p>"N-no," answered Perry, as he sank wearily into a seat. "We got tired of +sticking around there and—and went for a ride."</p> + +<p>"A ride? Where to?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, just around a bit. Out in the country a ways. Was—was the grub any +good?"</p> + +<p>"Was it!" Han grew quite animated. "It was the best ever! They had about +a dozen kinds of salad, and cold meats all over the place, and +sandwiches and cakes and ice-cream and ices and coffee and—"</p> + +<p>"Oh, shut up!" begged Ossie almost tearfully.</p> + +<p>"It was bully! Were you there when we chased the burglars?"</p> + +<p>"When you—what?" asked Wink.</p> + +<p>"Chased the burglars, I said. Mr. Drummer, or something—I never did +get the name of the folks—found three of them trying to break into his +safe, and they knocked him down and half-killed him, and the servants +chased them, and then everyone took a hand! It was fine and exciting, I +tell you! Had you gone off before that?"</p> + +<p>"Why—er—seems to me we did hear something," said Perry. "When—when +was this?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, about a quarter to ten, I suppose. We were dancing—"</p> + +<p>"<i>You</i> were dancing?" ejaculated Wink.</p> + +<p>"Sure! All of us danced. Didn't you?"</p> + +<p>"Who with, for the love of Mike?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, lots of girls. Mrs. Thingamabob happened to find Joe standing +around and made him tell her his name, and then she took him off and +introduced him to some girls, and then he introduced the rest of us. It +was a peachy floor. Some of the girls were all right, too."</p> + +<p>"You seem to have got on fairly well," said Wink, "considering you +weren't invited."</p> + +<p>"We were invited just as much as you were," responded Han indignantly.</p> + +<p>"Maybe, son, maybe," answered Wink, as he climbed aboard the darkened +<i>Follow Me</i>, "but I'll bet they weren't half as sorry to see you go as +they were to see us!"</p> + +<p>With which cryptic remark Wink stumbled into the cockpit and +disappeared.</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_XVIII'></a><h2>CHAPTER XVIII</h2> + +<p style="text-align: center"><b>THE SQUALL</b></p> +<br /> + +<p>Although the Adventure Club remained in port for another day, neither +Perry, Wink nor Ossie went ashore again, and all the efforts of the rest +of the party failed to coax them off the boats. They were, they +declared, fed up with Bar Harbor. And they hinted that so far as they +were concerned the voyage might continue at any moment without protest. +Han brought back a newspaper that afternoon containing a vivid and +highly sensational account of the attempted robbery of the Alfred Henry +Drummond "cottage." The three read it with much interest, and especially +that portion of it which stated that "the local police force is +investigating and has every expectation of making arrests within +twenty-four hours, since it is not believed the burglars have succeeded +in leaving the island and all avenues of escape are being closely +guarded."</p> + +<p>It might have been observed by the others, but wasn't, that Perry and +Ossie, on the <i>Adventurer</i>, and Wink, on the <i>Follow Me</i>, exhibited a +strange fondness for the seclusion of the cabins from that time until +the next day at eight, when the cruisers up-anchored and passed out of +the harbour. And as the broad Atlantic rolled under the keels three +hearty sighs emerged from as many throats.</p> + +<p>The two boats passed Petit Manan Island toward ten that forenoon, a tiny +rocky islet holding aloft a tall shaft against the blue of the Summer +sky. "A hundred and fourteen feet," said Joe informatively, "and the +highest lighthouse on the coast except one."</p> + +<p>"Gee, think of living there in Winter!" said Perry awedly.</p> + +<p>"Guess Petit Manan isn't as bad as some of the islands along here, at +that," said Joe. "Some of them are a lot further from the mainland. +Remember Matinicus?"</p> + +<p>"Think of folks living on them," murmured Han. "They must be merry +places in Winter with a blizzard blowing around! Lonely, wow!"</p> + +<p>"Remember the white yacht we passed the other day near Burnt Coal?" +asked Phil, looking up from the book he was reading. "The <i>Sunbeam</i> was +the name of her. Well, a chap was telling me yesterday about her. It +seems she's a sort of Mission boat, the Sea Coast Mission, I think it's +called. The folks that live on these off-shore islands along here were +in pretty bad shape a few years ago, bad shape in every way. There were +no schools, or mighty few, and no churches, and the folks were just +naturally pegging out from sheer loneliness and—and lack of ambition, +just drifting right back into a kind of semi-civilized state, as folks +do on islands in the Pacific that you read about. Well, someone realised +it and got busy, and this Mission was started. There was a chap named +MacDonald, Alexander MacDonald—"</p> + +<p>"Sounds almost Scotch," observed Joe dryly.</p> + +<p>"Never mind what he was. He's American now, if he was ever anything +else," replied Phil warmly. "He was teaching school on one of the +islands near Mount Desert in the Summers and going to college the rest +of the time. There wasn't any church on this island and so he used to +conduct services in the place they used for a school. Somehow, that put +it into his head—or maybe his heart—to be a preacher. He preached +around in all sorts of out-of-the-way places, and then this Mission +started up and the folks behind it just naturally got hold of him and +put him in charge. A New York woman had the <i>Sunbeam</i> built for him +three or four years ago and now he lives right on it, he and a couple +of men for crew, and she keeps pegging around the islands, up and down +the coast, Summer and Winter. You fellows know what Doctor Grenfell does +up around Labrador and beyond? Well, this Mr. MacDonald does the same +stunt along this coast, and, by jiminy, fellows, it's some stunt! Think +of plunging around these waters in Winter, eh? Breaking his own way +through the ice often enough—the boat was built for it they say—and +plugging through some of the nor'easters! Say, I take my hat off to that +fellow!"</p> + +<p>"Some job," agreed Steve thoughtfully. "Man's work, fellows."</p> + +<p>"What does he do for 'em?" asked Ossie.</p> + +<p>"Teaches them, son. Teaches them how to live clean, how to look after +the kids, how to keep healthy. And prays with them, too, I guess. And +brings them books and founds schools. Don't you guess that when this +<i>Sunbeam</i> comes in sight of some of those little, forsaken islands the +folks on shore sort of perk up? Guess the Reverend Mr. MacDonald is +pretty always certain of a welcome, fellows!"</p> + +<p>"Rather!" said Joe. "That's what I call—um—being useful in the world. +Bet you he's a fine sort. Bound to be, eh?"</p> + +<p>"I'd like to make a trip with him," said Perry. "Gee, but it would be +some sport, wouldn't it? Talk about finding adventures! Bet you he has +'em by the hundreds."</p> + +<p>"I dare say," said Phil, "that he'd be glad to dispense with a good many +of them. Hope I haven't bored you, fellows," he added, returning to his +book.</p> + +<p>"You haven't, old scout," answered Han. "Any time you learn anything as +interesting as that, you spring it. Blamed if it doesn't sort of make a +fellow want to be of more use in the world. Guess I'll polish some +brass!"</p> + +<p>They passed many of those islands during the next few days, lonely, +rock-girt spots scantily clad with wild grass and wind-worried fir +trees. Sometimes there was a lighthouse, and nearly always the rocks +were piled with lobster-traps, for lobstering is the chief industry of +the inhabitants. They touched at one small islet one afternoon and went +ashore. There were but three houses there, old, weather-faded shacks +strewn around with broken lobster-pots and nets and discarded tin cans +and rubbish. The folks they met, and they met them all, from babes in +arms to a ninety-eight-year-old great-grandmother, looked sad and +listless and run-to-seed. Even the children seemed too old for their +years. It was all rather depressing, in spite of the evident kindliness +of the people, and the boys were glad to get away again. They bought +some lobsters and nearly a gallon of blueberries before they went. Ossie +declared afterwards that those lobsters looked to him a sight happier +than the folks they had seen ashore!</p> + +<p>They went eastward leisurely, making many stops, and had fine weather +until they sighted Grand Manan. Then a storm drove them to shelter one +afternoon and they lay in a tiny harbour for two days while the wind +lashed the ports and the rain drove down furiously. Nothing of great +interest happened, although the time went fast and pleasantly. To be +sure, there were minor incidents that Phil entered in the log-book he +was keeping: as when Han fell overboard one morning in a heavy sea when +the <i>Adventurer</i> was reeling off her twelve miles and was pretty well +filled with brine and very near exhaustion when he reached the life-buoy +they threw him. And once Ossie pretty nearly cut a finger off while +opening a lobster. And then there was the time—it was during those two +weather-bound days and everyone's temper was getting a bit short—when +Perry cast aspersions on Ossie's biscuits at supper. Perry said they +were so hard he guessed they were Ossie-fied, and the others laughed +and Ossie got angry and they nearly came to blows: would have, perhaps, +had not Steve promised to throw them both overboard if they did!</p> + +<p>They spent two days at Grand Manan, and Perry, who had never before been +further from Philadelphia than the Adirondacks, was vastly thrilled when +he discovered that Grand Manan was a part of New Brunswick. "This," he +declaimed grandly as he stamped down on a clam-shell, "is the first time +I've ever set foot on a foreign shore!"</p> + +<p>The end of the first week in August found them harboured at Eastport. +They stayed there four days, not so much because the place abounded in +interest as because the <i>Adventurer</i>, who had behaved splendidly for +several hundred miles, suddenly refused to go another fathom. Steve said +he guessed the engine needed a good overhauling, and Perry chortled and +offered his services to Joe to help take it apart. But Joe, in spite of +his invaluable and ever-present hand-book, acknowledged his limitations, +and the job went to a professional and the <i>Adventurer</i> spent most of +three days tied up to a smelly little dock while the engine specialist +took the motor down before be discovered that a fragment of waste and +other foreign matter had lodged in the gasoline supply pipe. +Fortunately, his charge was moderate. Had it been otherwise they might +have had to stay in Eastport until financial succour reached them, for +the exchequer was almost depleted.</p> + +<p>They found a letter from Neil among the mail that was awaiting them at +Eastport. Neil was evidently down on his luck and begged for news of the +club. He got it in the shape of an eight-page epistle from Phil.</p> + +<p>Perry made a close study of the sardine industry and laid gorgeous plans +for conducting a similar venture on the banks of the Delaware when he +returned home. "You see," he explained, "a sardine is just whatever you +like to call it in this country. I used to think that a sardine had to +come from Sardinia."</p> + +<p>"From where?" asked Ossie, the recipient of Perry's confidences.</p> + +<p>"Sardinia."</p> + +<p>"Where's that?"</p> + +<p>"I dunno. Spain, I think. Or maybe Italy. Somewhere over there." He +waved a hand carelessly in the general direction of Grand Manan. +"Anyway, there's nothing to it. A man told me this morning that the +sardines they use here are baby herring or menhaden or—or something +else. I guess most any fish is a sardine here if it's young enough. +Unless it's a whale. Now why couldn't you use minnows? There are heaps +of minnows in the Delaware River. Or young shad. A shad's awfully decent +eating when he's grown up, and so it stands to reason that he'd make a +perfectly elegant sardine."</p> + +<p>"Nothing but bones," objected Ossie.</p> + +<p>"A young shad, say a week-old one, wouldn't have any bones, you chump. +At least, they'd be nice and soft. It's a dandy business, Ossie. All you +have to have is some fish and a lot of oil and some tin cans."</p> + +<p>"Sounds easy the way you tell it. I suppose you pour the oil in the tin +can and drown the fish in the oil and clamp the lid on, eh?"</p> + +<p>"N-no, there's a little more to it than that. There's something about +boiling them. They have big kettles. Want to go over this afternoon and +see them do it? There's a fine, healthy smell around there!"</p> + +<p>"Thanks, but I got a whiff of it a while ago. Unless you want me to sour +on sardines, Perry, you won't take me to the place they build them."</p> + +<p>The engine was reassembled in the course of time and, with fresh +supplies, the <i>Adventurer</i> turned homeward, the <i>Follow Me</i> close +astern. They started after an early dinner, having decided to make +Northeast Harbor that evening and proceed to Camden the next day. They +had seen enough of the eastern end of the coast, they thought, while +from Camden westward there were numerous places that had looked +enticing. So "No Stop" was the order, and the <i>Adventurer</i>, turning back +into home waters off Lubec, churned her way through the Bay of Fundy at +a good pace. The morning had dawned hazy, but the sun had shone brightly +for awhile in mid-afternoon. Later the sunlight disappeared again and +the northern sky piled itself with clouds. South West Head was abeam +then and Steve half-heartedly offered to run to shelter. But the others +pooh-poohed the suggestion.</p> + +<p>"If we duck every time there's a cloud," said Joe, "we'll never get back +to Camden. There isn't any wind and the barometer says fair."</p> + +<p>The barometer was rather a joke aboard the <i>Adventurer</i>. It hung just +inside the forward companion way and was undoubtedly a most excellent +instrument. But not a soul aboard could read it properly. When it +dropped, the skies cleared and the wind blew. When it rose, it +invariably rained or got foggy. Steve had long since given it up in +despair, but Joe still maintained a belief in his powers of +prognosticating weather by the barometer, a belief that no one else on +the boat shared.</p> + +<p>"If the pesky thing says that," remarked Han, "it'll snow before night! +Still, I don't see why we need to run into harbour yet. There's no sign +of fog, and if it's only rain that's coming, why, we've been wet before. +I say let her flicker, Steve."</p> + +<p>"I guess so. We're not out far and if it does get very wet we can soon +get under cover somewhere. Find me the next chart, Joe, will you?"</p> + +<p>They could see the Seal Islands, or they thought they could, off to port +at a little past three. The <i>Follow Me</i> was hiking along about a quarter +of a mile astern, making better going than the <i>Adventurer</i>, just as she +always did in a heavy sea. And today the sea was piling up a good deal. +Joe looked anxious at times, but he had passed his novitiate and now it +took a good deal of tossing to send him below. What happened at about +half-past three occurred so suddenly that no one aboard the <i>Adventurer</i> +was prepared for it.</p> + +<p>It grew dark almost between one plunge of the cruiser's bow and another, +and before Steve could punch out his warning on the whistle, +preparatory to heading to starboard, a gust of wind tore down on them +from the north like a blast from the pole and set canvas rattling and +flags snapping. Steve headed toward Englishman's Bay, nine miles due +west, and the <i>Follow Me</i> altered her course accordingly. But that storm +had no intention of awaiting anyone's pleasure. The first gust was +quickly followed by a second and the sky darkened rapidly. The spray +began to come over the rail, and Han and Perry tugged down a flapping +curtain and lashed it to the stanchions. The next time Steve looked for +the <i>Follow Me</i> she was no longer in sight, for the darkness had closed +in between the two craft.</p> + +<p>"This is a mess," shouted Steve, peering through the spray-wet glass +ahead. "I wish we were about seven or eight miles further along, +fellows."</p> + +<p>"Well, we will be presently," replied Phil cheerfully. "I dare say this +blow won't last long. It's only a squall, probably."</p> + +<p>"It's a good one, then," muttered Steve. "If you don't believe it take +hold of this wheel. Feel her kick? Keep a lookout for that island in +there, Joe."</p> + +<p>Things went from bad to worse and ten minutes after the first warning +the <i>Adventurer</i> was tossing about like a cork, her propeller as often +out of water as in, and making hard work of it.</p> + +<p>They had to hold tight to whatever was nearest to keep from being +pitched across the bridge deck. The seas began to pile in over the roof +of the after cabin and the deck was soon awash. Steve held to the wheel +like grim death, with Joe at his side when needed, and they plunged on. +But it didn't take Steve long to realise that to attempt to make the +haven under such conditions would be folly. There were islands and reefs +ahead and the gloom made it impossible to see for any distance.</p> + +<p>"The only thing we can do, fellows," he said presently, shouting to make +himself heard above the wind, "is to run for it straight down the shore. +If we can get in past Wass Island we can anchor, I guess, but if we try +to make Englishman's Bay we'll pile up somewhere as sure as shooting! I +wish I was certain the <i>Follow Me</i> was all right."</p> + +<p>"If we are, she's sure to be," said Joe. "She's a nifty little chip in +tough weather. Here comes some rain, Steve!"</p> + +<p>Joe's description was weak, however. It was more than "some" rain; it +was a deluge! It swept past the edges of the curtains and splashed on +the deck in dipperfulls. And it hid everything beyond the torn and +tattered Union Jack at the bow. Looking through the dripping windows was +like looking through the glass side of an aquarium, for beyond it was a +solid sheet of water. Steve gazed anxiously from chart to compass under +the electric lights and eased off to port.</p> + +<p>"There's too much land around here," he shouted to Joe, "to leave me +happy. And, what's more, I'm none too certain just where we are at this +blessed minute. So it's the wide ocean for yours truly. We'll just have +to run for it and trust to luck!"</p> + +<p>"Right-o," called Joe sturdily. "Let her flicker, old man! There's one +thing plumb certain, and that is if we come across an island +we're—um—likely to run clean over it!"</p> + +<p>But Joe was wrong.</p> + +<p>The words were scarcely off his lips when a cry of mingled astonishment +and alarm sprang from Steve as he threw his weight on the wheel. At the +same moment there was a shock that sent all hands reeling, the +<i>Adventurer</i> quivered from stern to stern, and then, after a moment no +longer than a heart-beat, lurched forward again. Directly over the bow, +glimpsed vaguely through the rain and gloom, rose a towering cliff. +Steve's frantic efforts were in vain, for although he tore at the +clutch and the propeller thrashed the water astern, the <i>Adventurer</i> was +already in the smother of the surf and an instant later she struck.</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_XIX'></a><h2>CHAPTER XIX</h2> + +<p style="text-align: center"><b>SHIPWRECKED</b></p> +<br /> + +<p>Afterwards the boys looked back on the ensuing five minutes as a dream +rather than a reality. The cruiser grounded with an impetus that set +pans rattling in galley, lifted again and once more thumped her stern +down, as she did so swinging her stern slowly around in a last frantic +effort to pull clear. Then the boat careened, a sea washed clean across +the deck and, with her keel forward of the engine firmly imbedded in the +sand, she lay still save for the tremors that shook her when the angry +surf rushed in across her beam.</p> + +<p>There was confusion enough, but on the whole the six alarmed boys +behaved sensibly. Steve, wet to his waist, turned off the engine and +banged shut the chart-box even as he shouted his orders. "Life +preservers, fellows! Han, get the big cable from the locker. Keep your +heads now!"</p> + +<p>Clinging like a leech to the canted roof of the forward cabin, Steve +himself worked along with the rope and, half-drowned in rain and surf, +made it fast to the cleat. The others, struggling into life-belts, +clung to the stanchions or whatever they could find. Steve crawled back +with the coil, drenched and breathless.</p> + +<p>"We've got to get off, fellows," he said. "It's only a dozen yards to +the beach and we can make it all right. Close every hatch. Ossie, fetch +a can of biscuits. See that the lid's tight." Wave after wave struck on +the starboard beam and fell hissing across the boat. The side curtains +were ripped from the stanchions and fluttered wildly about them.</p> + +<p>"Going to swim for it?" asked Joe above the roar of waves and tempest.</p> + +<p>"Yes! We've got to. The boat would swamp in an instant. I'll start ahead +with the line. You fellows wait and then follow it in."</p> + +<p>"Better let me go along," said Joe, his hands formed into a +speaking-trumpet.</p> + +<p>"No need. I'll make it."</p> + +<p>"Look out for back-tow!"</p> + +<p>The other nodded. He had pulled off his coat and unlaced his shoes and +now he dropped these things through the forward hatch and wrapped the +big rope around his waist. "Better not try to swim with your coats, +fellows," he instructed. "Nor shoes. Don't take any chances. Last man +off see that this hatch is shut tight." He crawled around the +stanchions on the starboard side and crept along to the bow, the others, +huddled together on the sloping bridge, watching anxiously. Then he +slipped from sight. Once they saw his head, or thought they saw it, a +darker blot in the grey-green welter. Joe was already creeping toward +the bow, and, having reached it, he crouched there, blinded by rain and +spray, and waited for the rope to tauten. It seemed a long while before +he waved an arm to the watchers behind and swung himself off. They saw +his hands travel along the rope a moment and then he was smothered up in +the spume.</p> + +<p>One by one the others followed without misadventure save when Han +slipped on the deck and would have rolled across and plunged over the +further side had he not fortunately caught the iron support of the +searchlight in front of the funnel. Phil was the last to go. With a +final look about the deck as he clung to an awning pipe, he followed +Ossie. The latter was swinging himself hand-over-hand by the rope with +the waves surging to his shoulders. Then Phil saw him strike out and the +waters hid him. The beach was visible at moments from the bow, and once +Phil, as he prepared to swing himself off, thought he saw figures +there. Then he, too, was battling. The waves swept him under the rope +and would have wrenched him from it had he not clung on desperately. +Holding to it with his right hand, he sought to find it with his left +and so draw himself on, but the surf swirled him about dizzily and he +gave up the attempt. Instead, almost drowned in the smother, he used his +left arm and his legs for swimming, edging his right hand along the +cable as best he could, and presently, although none too soon, felt the +churning gravel beneath his stockinged feet. But when he tried to stand, +the receding water swept his legs from under him so unexpectedly and +forcibly that he lost his grasp of the rope. He went down and felt the +water tugging him back, swam mightily and was lifted to the top of an +in-rushing breaker, filled his lungs with air and felt blindly for the +rope. Then hands seized him and Joe and Han, clinging to the cable, +dragged him ashore.</p> + +<p>Phil found himself under the frowning battlement of the huge cliff on a +ledge of sand and shingle scarcely twenty feet wide. But there was less +sweep for the rain here and the <i>Adventurer</i> was plainly visible through +the strange semi-darkness. Steve had made the shore end of the cable +fast to a boulder that stood, half out of the shingle, at the base of +the cliff. For a long minute the six boys huddled there in the storm and +disconsolately gazed at the boat. It was Han who voiced the thought of +most of them.</p> + +<p>"She won't stay together long, I guess," he said sorrowfully. "Those +waves will batter her to pieces."</p> + +<p>"She'll stand a lot of battering," answered Steve hopefully. "It's +hitting her on the beam and she hasn't swung much since I left her. The +tide's still coming in and—" He stopped. Then: "I ought to have +dropped the stern anchor over," he went on. "What an idiot! If she had +that to hold her from swinging broadside—"</p> + +<p>"Would it hold her?" asked Joe dubiously.</p> + +<p>"It would help." Steve tightened his belt. "I'm going back," he said.</p> + +<p>They remonstrated, but to no purpose. Then Joe and Han wanted to go +along, and were denied. "It's no trick," said Steve resolutely. "I can +do it easily. You fellows stand by when I come ashore again. That's the +only tough part of it. Someone might see if there's a way up from this +beach. If the tide comes much higher it's going to be a bit damp here."</p> + +<p>It was Perry who undertook that task, while the others followed Steve to +the breakers' edge and watched him return to the <i>Adventurer</i>. He made +no attempt to swim, but pulled himself along by the line, +hand-over-hand, his head for the most of the time under the water. But +presently he emerged and they saw him clamber to the deck, crawl along +it and disappear. He seemed a long time there, but he came into sight +again eventually and began the return trip. Perry was back by then and +they formed a line by clasping hands and Joe stood well above his waist, +battered by the surf, and Steve was helped along from one to another and +presently they were all back on the beach once more.</p> + +<p>"I got it over," gasped Steve, "but it was hard work. I think it will +hold. If the storm will only go down pretty soon she may get through. I +think some of her planks are sprung, though. There's a foot of water in +the after cabin. I got some matches and this cup." He pulled a tin cup +from a trousers pocket. "Can we get up the cliff a way?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," answered Perry. "There's a sort of a shelf about a hundred feet +beyond there. I'll show you the way."</p> + +<a name="image-3"><!-- Image 3 --></a> +<center><a href="images/003_lg.jpg"> +<img border=0 src="images/003.jpg" height="377" width="300" +alt=""Those waves will batter her to pieces""> +</a> +</center> + +<p style="text-align: center"><span style=' +font-style:italic; font-weight:700'><small>"Those waves will batter her to pieces"</small></span></p> + +<p>They followed. Real darkness was coming fast now and Perry found +difficulty in retracing his steps. But in a few minutes, by dint of +scrambling and pulling themselves upward, they reached the shelf. It +was barely large enough to hold them all and was scarcely ten feet above +the level of the beach below. Nor was it at all level, for it had been +formed by the accumulation of falling debris from the cliff and sloped +outward at a steep angle. Some dwarf firs and low bushes had gained +rootage, however, and it was possible for them to huddle there without +fear of rolling to the rocks beneath. Steve tried to find some dead +branches to build a fire, and did succeed in getting a few, but his +first attempt to set them alight proved the futility of the undertaking. +There was nothing for it save to lie as close together as they could, +for warmth, and await the morning.</p> + +<p>That was a miserable night. They all slept at times, and by changing +places they all, for a while at least, found some degree of warmth. But +they had been drenched through to start with and when, at last, the +stormy world began to lighten their garments were still sodden and they +shivered whenever they stirred. Ossie was ill toward morning, but there +was nothing they could do for him except huddle closely about him. He +complained of intense pains in his chest and Steve had horrible visions +of pneumonia until Ossie, asked to locate the trouble more definitely, +laid a trembling hand on a portion of his anatomy and muttered "Here" +through chattering teeth.</p> + +<p>"That's not your chest, you idiot," said Steve, vastly relieved. "That's +your stomach!"</p> + +<p>"Is it?" returned the sufferer miserably. "Well, it hurts just the +same!"</p> + +<p>But after an hour he felt considerably better and went off to sleep. By +that time it was early morning and they could see about them. The rain +had almost ceased, but the wind still blew hard and the surf was still +pounding. Once during the darkness the waves had, from the sound, +entirely covered the little beach. Now, however, they had receded and, +as the light grew, they saw that the <i>Adventurer</i> lay, with regard to +the tide, about as they had last glimpsed her. But she had swung her +stern further around, in spite of the anchor Steve had dropped, and the +waves were breaking almost squarely across her. She was a pathetic +sight. Her side curtains were waving in ribands, the forward flag-pole +held nothing but one tiny rag of blue bunting and the tender, torn from +the chocks, was jammed between the stanchions ahead.</p> + +<p>"But she's still whole," said Steve from between blue lips. "And the +storm's going down. If she isn't sprung too much, and we could only get +her off of there—"</p> + +<p>"Getting her off," said Joe with a pessimism born of hunger and cold and +the gloom of the early morning, "will be about as easy as moving a house +with a toothpick. I dare say the sand's bedded around her two feet +high."</p> + +<p>"I'm afraid so," Steve agreed. "Well, let's have something to eat. Will +you have steak or chicken, Joe?"</p> + +<p>"Broiled ham and a baked potato, please, and a couple of eggs. Not more +than two minutes for the eggs. And you might bring me a couple of hot +biscuits—"</p> + +<p>"Oh, shut up," begged Steve miserably.</p> + +<p>"Well, you started it! Who's awake here?"</p> + +<p>"I am," muttered Perry. "Seems to me I haven't been anything but awake +for ten years."</p> + +<p>"Well, want to order your breakfast now, or will you wait?" asked Joe +cheerfully.</p> + +<p>"Guess I'll wait," answered Perry grimly. "Where are those crackers?"</p> + +<p>They got Ossie awake with difficulty and Steve doled out six crackers to +each. The tin cup came in handy, for there was a pool of rain water in a +ledge below them.</p> + +<p>"What I can't see," grumbled Ossie, "is why we didn't stay on board the +boat. It would have been a lot drier than this place."</p> + +<p>"You may think so now," replied Steve, "but wait till you get aboard +again. We might have stayed on her, as it's turned out, but the boat +didn't look very homelike to me yesterday!"</p> + +<p>"How the dickens were we to know that it would hold together, or even +stay on its keel?" asked Joe disgustedly. "Don't talk like a sick +goldfish, Ossie!"</p> + +<p>As soon as they had consumed breakfast they scrambled down to the beach +with many groans and stretched their cramped and aching limbs. The rain, +although now little more than a very heavy mist, limited their vision to +a hundred yards or so in any direction. Steve hazarded the opinion that +they were not more than two miles from the mainland, although he made no +attempt to give a name to the island they were on. The fate of the +<i>Follow Me</i> worried them all, but Phil, always the most sanguine in +times of stress, pointed out that as the other craft had not followed +them onto the island she was probably safe.</p> + +<p>"She may be piled up further along somewhere," suggested Joe. "I say +we'd better have a look. It would help a bit to know what sort of a +place we've struck, anyway. For all we know there may be a house just +around the corner!"</p> + +<p>So they set out in two parties, Steve, Ossie and Phil going one way and +the rest the other. It was agreed that they were to be back in an hour +at the most. Twenty minutes later, each exploration party having stuck +to the beach, they came together again, much to their mutual surprise.</p> + +<p>"The pesky thing isn't more than a few acres big!" exclaimed Joe +disgustedly.</p> + +<p>"And it's entirely surrounded by water," added Perry brightly.</p> + +<p>"Most islands are," said Ossie. "We can get up on top easily enough +here, fellows. Let's see what it looks like."</p> + +<p>Their island was little more than a rock stuck out of the water. Just +how big it was was difficult to determine since the haze of driving mist +allowed but little view. From the beach, at a point presumably directly +opposite the place where they had come ashore they climbed by the aid of +rocky footholds and bushes to a broken but generally level summit clad +with a tangled growth of blueberry and briars and sprinkled most +liberally with boulders. The ground arose gradually as they advanced, +guided by Steve's pocket compass, and before very long they reached the +wind-swept edge of the cliff against which they had spent the night. +From the summit they could see dimly at brief intervals the form of the +<i>Adventurer</i> far below.</p> + +<p>"Well, I don't see that we've accomplished much," said Han. "We're here, +but where are we? And how the dickens are we going to get back again? If +anyone thinks that I'm going to risk my neck sliding down here he's +mistaken."</p> + +<p>"We don't ask you to, Ossie dear," said Han. "Your little neck is much +too precious. One thing is certain, anyway, I guess: there's no hotel on +the place!"</p> + +<p>"Hotel!" said Joe. "Gee, I'd be satisfied with a—um—cow-shed!"</p> + +<p>Nevertheless, they made the return journey in better spirits, for they +had walked the aches from their limbs and warmth into their bodies. On +the way Steve made them gather fagots of dead branches and they found a +number of larger pieces of wood on the beach. By the time they were once +more "at home," as Perry put it, they had all the material for a fire +save paper or some other form of kindling. Steve experimented with twigs +from the fir trees on the ledge, but they were too wet to burn. No one +had any paper, or if they had it was too damp.</p> + +<p>"What would Robinson Crusoe have done?" asked Steve, frowning +thoughtfully.</p> + +<p>Joe, who had seated himself tiredly on the wet sand and was digging his +stockinged heels into it, sneered at Mr. Crusoe. "He'd have made a trip +on his raft," he said, "and fetched ashore a bundle of kindling. If it +hadn't been for that wreck to draw on Robinson Crusoe would have starved +to death in twenty-four hours!"</p> + +<p>"Of course!" exclaimed Steve. "That's the idea!"</p> + +<p>"What, starve?" asked Joe distastefully.</p> + +<p>"No, you idiot, go out to the <i>Adventurer</i> and get some gasoline!"</p> + +<p>"Sure!" agreed Ossie. "Only—just when we were getting dry at last—"</p> + +<p>"What's the matter with stripping," asked Steve cheerfully, suiting +action to word. "Is there a can or anything I can put it in, Ossie?"</p> + +<p>"There's a jug in the starboard locker. There's about a pint of vinegar +in it, but I guess we can sacrifice that."</p> + +<p>"Drink it, Steve, and save it," suggested Perry.</p> + +<p>The tide had retreated further by now and the bow of the cruiser was +almost beyond the breakers and Steve's journey was not difficult. When +he got back, with the vinegar jug filled with gasoline hung around his +neck, he reported the <i>Adventurer</i> waist-deep in water at the stern. +"You fellows start the fire," he said, "and I'll go back and bring some +grub ashore. There's no reason for starving with food handy."</p> + +<p>Joe volunteered to accompany him, and, after disrobing and putting his +damp clothes under a stone to keep them from blowing away, he and Steve +plunged back into the water. Meanwhile success met the efforts of the +firemen and soon a good-sized blaze was roaring in spite of wind and +mist. They had located it as near the foot of the cliff as possible and, +although the smoke made itself disagreeable by billowing out in their +faces, it was thereby somewhat sheltered from the elements. Steve and +Joe made three trips and brought back frying-pan, coffee-pot and smaller +utensils, as well as provisions, and a half-hour later they were +beginning a supplementary breakfast of bacon and coffee. And if anything +in all the wide world, from the time of Noah to that of the Adventure +Club, ever tasted sublime to a shipwrecked mariner it was that same +bacon and coffee!</p> + +<p>When they had finished, Phil's watch—the only one of six which had +neither run down for lack of winding or been incapacitated by immersion +in salt water—gave the hour as twenty minutes past seven. Comforted by +food and drink, they warmed themselves at the fire and waited for the +tide to recede far enough to allow a survey of the <i>Adventurer</i>. The +comfort was too much for Perry and he fell asleep with his feet almost +in the embers and his head on a rock and slumbered emphatically. At last +the line of breakers was well astern of the cruiser and the boys, +leaving their stockings to dry by the fire and rolling their trousers +up, began their investigation.</p> + +<p>On the whole the <i>Adventurer</i> had so far come off easily. Her planks had +been strained in several places, but there were no breaks. Steve, +hanging over the stern, tried to get sight of the propeller but failed, +as the sand had settled about it. Joe, wading out into the water, had +better success when he investigated. He came up, dripping, with the +welcome announcement that the blades were intact and that, so far as he +could ascertain by feeling, the shaft was not bent. But things looked +pretty dismal below-decks. The forward cabin was awash, as was the +engine-well, and the after stateroom was knee-deep. They gathered on the +bridge deck and held council.</p> + +<p>"We can plug her seams, all right," said Steve, "and by keeping a pump +going get to port, <i>if</i> we can only get her off the beach. But I can't, +for the life of me, see how we're going to do that. Her bow's settled a +foot deep in sand and it's piled up along this side of her. Even her +propeller's buried!"</p> + +<p>"Not very much," said Joe. "If we start her she'll kick it away in a +minute."</p> + +<p>"But there isn't any use starting her," said Steve thoughtfully, "unless +she's afloat a good deal more than she was this morning. If only we had +something to fix a line to astern we might pull her off with the +windlass." His gaze ran seaward and in an instant he was on his feet +gazing intently through the mist. "What's that back there?" he demanded +eagerly. "Isn't it a rock, fellows?"</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_XX'></a><h2>CHAPTER XX</h2> + +<p style="text-align: center"><b>THE DERELICT</b></p> +<br /> + +<p>It was a rock whose brown head was thrust barely two feet above the +water.</p> + +<p>"It's the ledge we grazed last night," cried Joe. "Could we get a rope +to that, Steve?"</p> + +<p>"Why not? We'll have a go at it, anyway. Help me with the tender, +someone!"</p> + +<p>It was difficult work. As a first step the bow line was replaced by a +smaller rope and taken through the breakers to the out-cropping ledge. +There, working precariously in the water while Joe held him from the +boat and Han did his best to keep the dingey steady, Steve eventually +got the big cable around the rock, protecting it from the rough edges by +a blanket from one of the berths. Fortunately, the rock was so formed +that, once drawn tight, there was no danger of the rope slipping off, +and they returned to the <i>Adventurer</i>, Steve towing behind, in triumph. +In the meanwhile the others, directed by Phil, were stuffing the worst +of the seams with strips of muslin, using table knives for caulking +irons. The cable to the rock was led through a ring at the stern and +carried forward to the windlass. By the time the tide had begun to rise +again they had got the hull free of water, taking turns at the hand-pump +and operating the bilge-pump at the same time. Then they waited to see +how well they had succeeded at their caulking. It was noon by that time, +and they ate cold rations in the galley, and while they were below a +transient gleam of sunlight shone for an instant through the hatch above +and they tumbled to deck. The fine rain had almost ceased and although +the sunlight was gone again, the clouds were breaking. Steve whooped for +joy and the others joined him. It might have been only in imagination, +but it seemed that the wind was less fierce and that the in-rolling +breakers were less formidable.</p> + +<p>There was little to do save to set the cruiser as much to rights inside +and out as was possible and wait for high tide again. As the water once +more surrounded the boat they were pleased and encouraged to find that +while the water was again coming in through the seams it filled the +bilge so slowly that the pump could easily take care of it. Perry +declared proudly that they had done a "caulking job!" They went ashore +before the water cut them off entirely and built the fire up again. +About four the wind died down appreciably and the sun, which had been +flirting with the world ever since noon, burst forth in a sudden blaze +of glory. The mist disappeared as if by magic and exclamations of +surprise burst from six throats as eager eyes looked shoreward.</p> + +<p>There, as it seemed scarcely a half-mile distant, was the mainland; +green fields, grey cliffs, white houses! In reality the distance was +well over a mile and a quarter, but so clear had the atmosphere suddenly +become that the space of tumbled green water intervening looked hardly +more than a swimmer's stunt! They cheered and would have waved their +caps had they had any to wave. A small steamer was ducking her way along +near shore and they could almost see the spray tossing from the bow. +They found a nearer way to the top of the cliff and climbed to the +summit and tried to decide just where they were, but even Steve was at a +loss, although he was fairly certain that Englishman's Bay was well to +the north, probably as far distant as six miles. But, since from where +they gazed islands and mainland melted into each other, even Wass Island +was not determinate. But after all it didn't much matter where they +were. In a calm sea they could reach the shore in the dingey if it +became necessary, while a distress signal would undoubtedly be soon seen +from the nearer head-land. But Steve was not ready to call for aid yet, +and together they made their way back to the beach and settled down +philosophically to await evening and high tide.</p> + +<p>With the prospect of release from their desert island to cheer them, +waiting was not so hard. They had some supper about six and after that +the time passed fairly quickly. At half-past eight they made their way +out to the <i>Adventurer</i>. The wind had died entirely down at sunset and +now the sea was probably as quiet and well-behaved as it ever was just +there. About nine they began operations. No one was too sanguine of the +results, but when, having started the engine and experimentally moved +the clutch into reverse to clear the sand from around the propeller, no +untoward incident happened they became more encouraged. The heaving +lever was put into the windlass and, with Phil astern to watch the cable +where it ran through the ring bolt, Steve operated the engine while the +others took turns, two and two, at the windlass. Gradually the manila +cable tightened and strained and the screw churned hard, but the +<i>Adventurer</i>, save for righting herself a trifle, gave no indication of +moving from her sandy bed. Steve summoned the boys who were not working +the windlass to the after part of the boat in order to lighten the bow +as much as possible, and they worked on. Just when it seemed that not +another inch of the cable was to be conquered there was a shout from +Ossie and Han, who were panting at the lever, and the <i>Adventurer</i> +moved!</p> + +<p>After that it was only a matter of time. Inch by inch the cruiser +dragged her keel along the sand, each minute floating a little freer and +each minute putting her deck more level as the stern found the deep +water. And, perhaps a half-hour from the time they had started, they had +the boat riding clear and slowly going astern to take up the cable. It +was out of the question to get the rope free of the rock and so they had +to cut it, and, having done so, they swung cautiously around in a wide +circle and headed toward the cheerful white beam of a lighthouse that +beckoned from the shore.</p> + +<p>They had to keep the pump going, for a leak they had not suspected +developed forward, but that was a small matter and they were so glad to +get out of the adventure with nothing worse than a few sprung planks, +some bent stanchions and the loss of the side curtains that they would +willingly have pumped by hand. Half an hour later, after a slow and +careful passage from island to mainland, with the searchlight picking +out her path, the <i>Adventurer</i> dropped anchor in a narrow harbour.</p> + +<p>They stayed there only overnight, for in the morning they found that +there was no prospect of getting repairs made there, and so, with the +bilge pump sucking merrily, they ran ten miles further down the coast +and before dinner time saw the <i>Adventurer</i> on a cradle and hauled high +and dry from the water. The damage to the hull, while nowhere severe, +was more general than they had thought, and the man who was to do the +repairs decreed a week's stay. After discussing the situation it was +decided that all save Steve and Phil were to proceed to Camden by rail +and wait there for the <i>Adventurer</i>. Steve was to remain to superintend +the repairs and painting—the cruiser stood in need of paint by +then—and Phil volunteered to keep him company and help take the boat on +when it was ready.</p> + +<p>In the meanwhile, after a day of uncertainty, the <i>Follow Me</i> was +located by telegraph at Jonesport. "All well. Sailing for Camden +tomorrow. Meet you there" was the reply from Harry Corwin. Steve and +Phil, watching seaward from the deck of the <i>Adventurer</i>, sitting high +up on a marine railway, thought that they made out the <i>Follow Me</i> about +ten o'clock the next morning, but couldn't be sure. The two boys, +captain and first mate, lived aboard and took their meals wherever they +could get them. They were there just six days and had a very happy if +unexciting time. Several absurd epistles reached them from Camden, all +of which indicated that the other members of the Adventure Club were +enjoying themselves hugely. At last, shining with new paint and polished +brass and refurnished with new curtains, the <i>Adventurer</i> slid down the +railway again, floated out from the cradle and pointed her nose toward +Penobscot Bay. In the middle of a bright Friday afternoon she dropped +anchor alongside her companion craft, Phil doing wild and ecstatic +things with the whistle and eliciting no response from the <i>Follow Me</i>. +Steve and Phil donned proper shore-going togs and tumbled into the +dingey. The <i>Follow Me</i> was totally deserted, which accounted for the +fact that, while their noisy arrival had aroused not a little interest +on other craft, the <i>Follow Me</i> had received them very coldly. They +found some of the party at the hotel and the others rounded up later. +Everyone was flatteringly glad to see the new arrivals again, but none +more so than Perry. Perry was absolutely pathetic in his greetings and +refused to let Steve out of his sight for an instant.</p> + +<p>"I'm quite taken by surprise," declared Steve. "I knew you loved me +devotedly, Perry, but this is—this is really touching!"</p> + +<p>Perry grew a trifle red and coughed. "Er—well—I hope so," he blurted.</p> + +<p>"You hope so? Hope what?"</p> + +<p>"Hope it's touching," explained the other, grinning. "You see, I'm flat +broke, Steve, and so is everyone else, or pretty near, and if you could +lend me a couple of dollars—"</p> + +<p>"I feared it wasn't all just affection," sighed Steve, reaching for his +purse. "But it was worth the price, Perry!"</p> + +<p>"Much obliged! You—you might make it three, if you don't mind. I owe +Han fifty cents and Ossie a quarter—no, thirty-five—"</p> + +<p>"Here's five, you spendthrift. Let me have it back as soon as you can, +though, for I'm down near the bottom myself."</p> + +<p>"I will, Steve. I've sent for some and it ought to be along in a day or +two. Money doesn't last any time here!"</p> + +<p>Friends and acquaintances made during their former visit had done +everything possible to make the boys' stay so very more than pleasant, +and when the matter of going on was introduced the suggestion met with +scant sympathy. However, Steve was not at all averse to a week or so of +lotus eating and, having satisfied his conscience by the proposal, he +settled down, to enjoy himself with the rest. His friends ashore were +lavish with hospitality, while "Globbins the Speed Fiend," as Perry had +dubbed the freckle-faced proprietor of the restless automobile, was +indefatigably attentive. A second letter from Neil, forwarded from one +port of call to another in their wake, reached them one day, and they +composed a reply between them and all hands signed it. Neil was having +rather a dull time of it, they gathered, and they hoped their letter +would cheer him up a bit.</p> + +<p>At last, when they had, after two postponements, fixed a day of +departure, a storm that tied up shipping all along the North Atlantic +Coast for four days caused a final delay, and consequently it was well +toward the last of August when they said good-bye and set forth for +Squirrel Island. No one particularly cared to visit Squirrel Island save +Han, who had friends there, but as there was still a full week at their +disposal they were in no great hurry and one port was as good as +another. They remained there a day and then made Portland. At Portland +supplies were put in, and one Wednesday morning they picked up the +anchor at a little after six o'clock and started for Provincetown with +the fine determination to cover the distance of approximately a hundred +and twenty-five miles before they sat down to supper. That they didn't +do so was no fault of either the <i>Adventurer</i> or the <i>Follow Me</i>.</p> + +<p>It was about half-past eight that Phil, sitting on the forward cabin +roof with his back braced against the smokestack, called Steve's +attention to an object far off to port. They had then put some thirty +miles between them and Portland and were twenty miles off Cape Neddick. +The morning was lowery, with occasional spatters of rain, and the storm, +which had blown off to the northward the day before, had left a heavy +sea running. For an hour the <i>Adventurer</i> and the <i>Follow Me</i> had been +climbing up the slopes of grey-green swells and sliding down into +swirling troughs, and for a minute Steve couldn't find the dark speck at +which Phil was pointing. When he did at last sight it over the tumbled +mounds of water he stared in puzzlement a moment before he took the +binoculars from their place and fitted them to his eyes. He looked long +and then silently handed the glasses through the window to Phil, punched +two shrill blasts on the whistle and swung the wheel to port.</p> + +<p>"Looks like a wreck," said Phil, after an inspection of the distant +object. "Going to see?"</p> + +<p>Steve nodded. "Might be someone aboard," he answered. "We can tell in +another mile or so, I guess."</p> + +<p>Phil gave up the glasses to the others, who had clustered to the bridge, +while the <i>Follow Me</i> altered her course in obedience to the signal, her +company probably wondering why Steve had suddenly chosen to stand out to +sea. At the end of ten minutes it was plainly to be determined with the +aid of the binoculars that the object which had attracted their +attention and curiosity was without any doubt a wreck, and as the +<i>Adventurer</i> drew momentarily closer her plight was seen to be extreme. +Whether anyone remained aboard was still a question when the cruiser was +a mile distant, but everything pointed against it. The craft, which +proved to be a small coasting schooner, had evidently seen a lot of +trouble. Both masts were broken off, the foremast close to the deck and +the mainmast some dozen feet above it. She lay low in the water, with +her decks piled high with lumber. A tangle of spars and ropes hung +astern, but save for her cargo the decks had been swept clean. She was a +sad sight even at that distance, and more than one aboard the +<i>Adventurer</i> felt the pathos of her.</p> + +<p>"No sign of life," said Steve. "If anyone was aboard there'd be a signal +flying. And the boats are all gone, too, although that wouldn't mean +much in itself because they might have been swept away. I guess, though, +it got a bit too strenuous and the crew remembered the 'Safety First' +slogan. There's nothing we can do, anyway."</p> + +<p>He started to swing the cruiser about again, but Perry intervened. +"She's a whatyoucallit!" he exclaimed excitedly. "She's—"</p> + +<p>"No, little one," Joe corrected gently, "she's a wreck."</p> + +<p>"She's a derelict," persisted Perry eagerly, "and no one belongs to her! +If we got her she'd belong to us, Steve! Wouldn't she?"</p> + +<p>"I suppose she would," replied Steve dubiously, his hand hesitating on +the wheel, "but finding her and getting her are two mighty different +things, Perry. If we <i>could</i> get her she'd be a nice prize, I guess, for +lumber's worth real money these days, and although she isn't very big +it's safe to say she's got quite a bunch of it on her, below deck and +above. I guess that lumber is what kept her afloat, from the looks of +the hull."</p> + +<p>"Let's see what we can do," said Han. "Someone will find her and—"</p> + +<p>"It might as well be us," added Perry enthusiastically. "Couldn't we tow +her, Steve!"</p> + +<p>"Tow her! Gee, she'd follow about as easily as a brick house!"</p> + +<p>"But if we both pulled—"</p> + +<p>"Well"—Steve cast an appraising eye at the weather—"I'm game to try it +if the rest of you say so. Full steam ahead, Mr. Chapman!"</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_XXI'></a><h2>CHAPTER XXI</h2> + +<p style="text-align: center"><b>ON BOARD THE <i>CATSPAW</i></b></p> +<br /> + +<p>Steve communicated the project to those aboard the <i>Follow Me</i> which had +now drawn up as near as she dared, and there followed a moment of blank +amazement aboard the smaller boat. But discussion there was brief, and +almost at once Harry Corwin raised his megaphone again and bellowed +across:</p> + +<p>"Go to it! What do you want us to do, Steve?"</p> + +<p>"Nothing yet," was the answer. "We're going to board her first and see +how she looks. If we take on the job we'll want your heaviest cable."</p> + +<p>Harry signalled assent. By this time they were within a hundred yards of +the derelict, and, with engines just moving, they tossed about on the +long swells and had a better look at the schooner. She was about eighty +feet long, with a beam of probably twenty-two, and displaced +approximately a hundred tons. She was square-sterned and blunt-nosed, +evidently built for capacity rather than speed. Her name, in gold +letters on the bow, was quite distinct: <i>Catspaw</i>. Later, when they +rounded her stern, they saw that her home port was Norfolk. Her cargo, +or at least so much of it as was above deck, consisted of rough pine +boards, and every available foot of space was occupied with it. The +deck-house was all but hidden. The mainmast dragged by a tangle of ropes +aft of the starboard beam and was acting as a sort of sea-anchor. For +the rest, her lumber-piled deck was swept clean save for a splintered +gaff that had become wedged in the boards. Her hull had been painted +black, but not very recently, and a dingy white streak led along the +side.</p> + +<p>The two cruisers worked cautiously around to the leeward side of the +<i>Catspaw</i>, the <i>Adventurer's</i> tender was dropped over and Steve, Joe and +Han climbed in. Boarding in that sea was no child's work, for the big +swells, which slammed into and sometimes over the schooner without much +effect, tossed the dingey high in air. But by rowing hard at first and +then taking advantage of the quieter water near the schooner they at +last reached the old black hull in safety and, while Han managed the +boat-hook, the other two scrambled aboard.</p> + +<p>As they had suspected, the hulk was utterly deserted, and the fact that +the forecastle and the captain's quarters were bare of anything of +value and that the davits were empty indicated that the vessel had been +abandoned in order. There was a good deal of water in her, but, as Steve +pointed out, she wouldn't sink in a dozen years with that load of lumber +to hold her up. "She wouldn't show much speed," he said when they had +completed their investigations and were once more on deck, "and she'll +tow about as easy as a lump of lead, but it's only thirty miles or so to +Portsmouth, and even if we make only two miles an hour, and I guess we +won't make much more, we can get her there tomorrow. That is, we can if +our cables hold and the weather doesn't get nasty. I don't much like the +looks of that same weather, though."</p> + +<p>"Well, the barometer is rising," said Joe, "and that means—"</p> + +<p>"Never mind your old barometer," laughed Steve. "Anyway, we'll have a go +at this. If we have to give it up, all right, but we'd be silly not to +try it. Come on and we'll get the cables aboard."</p> + +<p>Two hours of hard work followed. With the cruisers tagging along nearby, +suiting their pace to the slow drift of the schooner, the boys cut away +the wreckage and rigged a jury-mast at the stump of the foremast. On +this they spread a spare forestaysail which they dug from the sail +locker. That it would aid greatly in the ship's progress Steve did not +expect, but it would, he figured, make steering easier. Then the +cruiser's heaviest anchor cables were taken aboard and made fast at the +bow. A "prize crew" consisting of Joe, Han and Perry, from the +<i>Adventurer</i>, and Wink and Bert, from the <i>Follow Me</i>, was placed in +charge and enough food for two meals supplied them. The galley stove was +still in running order, although it reeked of grease, and there was a +fair supply of wood handy. Bert Alley, who had volunteered to do the +cooking, objected to an inch or so of water that swashed around the +floor, but the others pulled a pair of old rubber boots from a chest in +the forecastle and he became reconciled. At noon they all returned to +their respective cruisers and ate dinner, which, under the conditions, +was no easy matter. They had to hold the dishes to the table and swallow +their tea between plunges. Joe was inordinately proud of himself that +day, for, in spite of the nasty motion—and there's nothing much more +likely to induce sickness than a long ground-swell—he not only remained +on duty but consumed his dinner with a fine appetite. It rained quite +hard for a half-hour about noon and then ceased just in time for them +to set off to the <i>Catspaw</i> again. It was decided that the <i>Follow Me's</i> +tender was to be left with the schooner, in case of necessity, and Joe +acknowledged that he felt a bit easier in his mind when it had been +hoisted, not without difficulty, to one of the davits.</p> + +<p>"It's all fine and dandy to say that this old tub can't sink," he +confided to Wink Wheeler, "but—um—suppose she <i>did</i> sink? Then that +little old dingey would be worth about a thousand dollars, I guess."</p> + +<p>"It would be worth about ten cents," answered Wink pessimistically, +"after we'd crowded five fellows into her in a sea like this!"</p> + +<p>"Well, anyway, she's bigger than ours," said Joe. "And I saw a life belt +downstairs—I mean below."</p> + +<p>Joe and Wink were to take watches at the wheel, Perry and Han were to +tend to the sail and keep a lookout and Bert was to cook. Steve issued +his final directions at a little past one and then the two hawsers were +stretched to the cruisers. Another squall of rain set in as the final +preparations were made. A code of signals had been arranged between the +three boats, a flag or piece of sailcloth to be used while the light +held and a lantern after darkness. The "prize crew" cheered gaily as +the others pulled away in the <i>Adventurer's</i> dingey and were cheered in +return, and five minutes later the two cables tautened, the water foamed +under the overhangs of the motor-boats and, reluctantly and even +protestingly, the <i>Catspaw</i> obeyed the summons and started slowly to +follow in the wakes of the distant cruisers.</p> + +<p>Han and Perry, at the bow, waved caps triumphantly as the blunt nose of +the schooner began to dig into the waves, and Joe, at the wheel, shouted +back. The three-cornered sail was shifted to meet the following breeze +and soon the <i>Catspaw</i> was wallowing along slowly but, as it seemed, in +a determined way at the rate of, perhaps, three miles an hour. Perry, +protected by a slicker, seated himself on the windlass and felt very +important. Now and then someone aboard one of the cruisers waved a hand +and Perry waved superbly back. Those cruisers were a long way off in +case of danger, he reflected once, but he decided not to let his mind +dwell on the fact.</p> + +<p>Joe found that the wheel of the <i>Catspaw</i> required a good deal more +attention than that of the <i>Adventurer</i>, and his arms were fairly tired +by the time he yielded his place to the impatiently eager Wink. +Steering the <i>Catspaw</i> with the sea almost up to her deck line was a +good deal like steering a scow loaded with pig-iron, Joe decided. Not, +of course, that he had ever steered a scow of any sort, but he had +imagination.</p> + +<p>The <i>Adventurer</i> and <i>Follow Me</i> were heading West Southwest one-fourth +West to pass Boon Island to starboard, and Kittery Point lay some thirty +miles away. As it was then just short of three bells, and as they were +making, as near as those aboard the <i>Catspaw</i> could judge, very nearly +three miles an hour, it seemed probable that by two o'clock that night +they would be at anchor off Portsmouth Harbour. Of course, there was +always the possibility of bad weather or a broken cable, but the +<i>Catspaw's</i> crew declined to be pessimistic. They were having a royal +good time. There was enough danger in the enterprise to make it +exciting, and, being normal, healthy chaps, excitement was better than +food. Perry proclaimed his delight at last finding an adventure quite to +his taste.</p> + +<p>"Being wrecked on that island the other day was poor fun," he declared. +"And it was dreadfully messy, too. But this is the real thing, fellows! +Why, this old hooker might take it into her head to go down <i>ker-plop</i> +any minute!"</p> + +<p>"Huh," replied Wink Wheeler, "that may be your idea of the real thing, +Perry, but it isn't mine. I'm just as strong for adventure as you, +sonny, but I prefer mine on top of the water and not underneath!"</p> + +<p>"Shucks," said Joe, "this thing can't sink. Look at all the lumber on +her!"</p> + +<p>"Yes, but it might get water-logged," suggested Bert from the door of +the deck-house. "Wood does, doesn't it?"</p> + +<p>"Not for a long time," said Joe. "Years, maybe. And this lumber's new. +You can tell by the looks of it."</p> + +<p>"Well, don't be to sure," advised Perry, darkly. "You never can tell. +And there's another thing, too. We're top-heavy, with all these boards +piled up on deck here, and if a storm came up we might easily turn +turtle."</p> + +<p>"Oh, dry up," said Han. "You're worse than Poe's raven. Besides, she +couldn't turn over, you idiot, as long as the lumber floated. She'd have +to stay right-side up."</p> + +<p>"Wish we had a barometer aboard," said Joe. "We'd know what to expect +then."</p> + +<p>"You mean we'd know what you'd tell us to expect," replied Perry +ironically. "And then we'd get something else. For my part, I'm glad +they took their old barometer with them."</p> + +<p>"They took about everything that wasn't nailed down except the stove," +said Wink.</p> + +<p>"That's nailed down, too," said Bert. "Or, at least, it's bolted. How +many do you suppose there were on board when the storm hit them?"</p> + +<p>"About five, maybe. Perhaps six. I guess five could handle a schooner +this size. Five are handling her now, anyway," Joe added.</p> + +<p>Nothing of moment occurred during the afternoon, if we except occasional +squalls of rain, until, at about five, those on the schooner observed a +smudge of smoke to the southward that eventually proved to be coming +from an ocean tug. The tug approached them half an hour later and ran +alongside the <i>Adventurer</i>. The boys on the <i>Catspaw</i> saw the boat's +captain appear from the pilot-house and point a megaphone toward the +white cruiser, and glimpsed Steve replying. What was said they could +only surmise, but the tug's mission was evident enough.</p> + +<p>"He wants the job," said Joe anxiously. "Wonder if Steve will let him +have it."</p> + +<p>"I hope he doesn't," said Wink. "We can do the trick without anyone's +help, I guess. Besides, he'd want half the money we'll get."</p> + +<p>"More than half, probably," said Han. "He's still talking. I wish he'd +run away smiling."</p> + +<p>He did finally. That is, he went off, but whether he was smiling they +couldn't say. They fancied, however, that he was not, for the <i>Catspaw</i> +would have made a nice prize for the tug's owners.</p> + +<p>The tug plunged off the way she had come and was soon only a speck in +the gathering twilight. It seemed a bit more lonesome after she had +gone, and more than one of the quintette aboard the <i>Catspaw</i> wondered +whether, after all, it might not have been the part of wisdom to have +accepted assistance. Darkness came early that evening, and by six the +lights on the <i>Adventurer</i> and <i>Follow Me</i> showed wanly across the +surly, shadowy sea. Han and Perry had already prepared the two lanterns +they had found on board and as soon as the cruisers set the fashion they +placed them fore and aft, one where it could be plainly seen from the +boats ahead and the other on the roof of the deck-house. While they were +at that task the darkness settled down rapidly, and by the time they had +finished the cruisers were only blotches against which shone the white +lights placed at the sterns for the guidance of the <i>Catspaw's</i> +navigators.</p> + +<p>The boys ate their suppers in relays about half-past six. Bert had +prepared plenty of coffee and cooked several pans of bacon and eggs, and +had done very well for a tyro. Later the <i>Adventurer</i> turned on her +searchlight and against the white path of it she was plainly visible. A +more than usually severe squall of wind and rain broke over them about +eight and when the rain, which pelted quite fiercely for a few minutes, +had passed on the wind continued. It was coming from the northwest and +held a chilliness that made the amateur mariners squirm down into their +sweaters and raincoats. The <i>Catspaw</i>, low in the water as she was, +nevertheless felt the push of the wind and keeping her blunt nose +pointed midway between the two lights ahead became momentarily more +difficult. At the end of an hour it required the services of both Joe +and Wink to hold the schooner steady. Perry and Han, huddled as much out +of the chilling wind as they could be, kept watch at the bow. Keeping +watch, though, was more a figure of speech than an actuality, for the +night was intensely dark and save for the lights of the towing craft +nothing was discernible.</p> + +<p>The sea arose under the growing strength of the nor'wester and soon the +waves were thudding hard against the rail and the piled lumber and +sending showers of spray across the deck. The <i>Catspaw</i> rolled and +wallowed and the watchers at the bow soon knew from the sound of the +straining cables that the cruisers were having difficulty. Bert crawled +forward through the darkness and spray and joined them.</p> + +<p>"Joe says they'll be signalling to cast off the hawsers pretty quick," +he bellowed above the wind and waves. "He says we aren't making any +headway at all now."</p> + +<p>"Gee, it'll be fine to be left pitching around here all night," said +Perry alarmedly. "If we only had an anchor—"</p> + +<p>"I'd rather keep on drifting," said Han. "It'll be a lot more +comfortable."</p> + +<p>"Maybe, but we'll be going out to sea again. Seems to me they might keep +hold of us even if they don't get along much." Perry ducked before the +hissing avalanche of spray that was flung across the deck. "There's one +thing certain," he added despondently. "We've got to stay on this old +turtle as long as she'll let us, for we couldn't get that dingey off now +if we tried!"</p> + +<p>"What's the difference?" asked Han. "They'll stick around us until the +wind goes down again, and we're just as well off here as they are on +the boats. Bet you the <i>Adventurer</i> is doing some pitching herself about +now!"</p> + +<p>They relapsed into silence then, for making one's self heard above the +clamour of wind and water and the groans and creakings of the schooner +was hard work. They watched the <i>Adventurer</i> for the expected signal for +a long time, but it was nearly ten when a lantern began to swing from +side to side on the cruiser. A moment later they heard faintly the +shriek of the <i>Adventurer's</i> whistle.</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_XXII'></a><h2>CHAPTER XXII</h2> + +<p style="text-align: center"><b>INTO PORT</b></p> +<br /> + +<p>"Cast off!" said Han. "Take this one first, Perry. Gee, but it's stiff!" +They had to fumble several minutes at the wet cable before they got it +clear and let it slip over the bow. Then the other was cast off as well +and Bert swung the lantern four times above his head as a signal to haul +in. An answering dip of the light on the stern of the <i>Adventurer</i> +answered, just as Joe joined them.</p> + +<p>"All right?" he asked anxiously.</p> + +<p>"Yes, both clear," replied Han. "What do we do now, Joe?"</p> + +<p>"Sit tight and wait. Some of us had better get some sleep. Perry, you +and Bert might as well turn in for awhile. I'm going to. It's ten +o'clock. I'll wake you at two, and you can relieve Han. Bert, you might +make some coffee when you tumble out again. We'll probably need it."</p> + +<p>"I'm not sleepy a bit," protested Perry. But Joe insisted and he and +Bert followed the other below and laid down in the bunks in the +captain's cabin. In spite of his disclaimer and the noise and rolling of +the ship, Perry was asleep almost as soon as he touched the berth, and +the others were not far behind.</p> + +<p>Joe had the faculty of waking up at any predetermined hour, and at two +he was shaking the others from their slumbers. It was at once evident +that the gale had increased, for it was all they could do to keep their +feet under them as they made their way to the galley. Bert set about +making a fire while the others made their way to the wheel. Wink greeted +them cheerfully enough from the lantern-lit darkness there, but his +voice sounded weary in spite of him.</p> + +<p>"I had Han take the sail down," he announced. "She steers better without +it. The wind's pretty fierce, isn't it? Look out!"</p> + +<p>A big wave broke over the rail and descended on them in bucketfulls.</p> + +<p>"That's what makes it so pleasant," shouted Wink. "Guess I'll take a nap +if I can."</p> + +<p>"Bert's making some coffee," said Joe. "Better have some before you turn +in."</p> + +<p>Perry made his way cautiously forward and relieved Han. "Seen anything?" +he asked.</p> + +<p>"Not a thing."</p> + +<p>"Hello, where are the boats?" Perry stared ahead in surprise.</p> + +<p>"One of them—I think it's the <i>Adventurer</i>—is back there." Han turned +Perry about until he glimpsed a faint flicker of light far off over the +starboard beam. "Don't know where the other is. Guess they're having a +rough time of it."</p> + +<p>"I'll bet!" agreed Perry. "You're to have some coffee and turn in, Han."</p> + +<p>"Coffee!" murmured the other gratefully. "Have you had some?"</p> + +<p>"No, I'll get mine later. Beat it, you!"</p> + +<p>Han disappeared in the darkness and Perry, wrapping himself as best he +could in the folds of his slicker, settled himself to his task. Now and +then he looked back for a glimpse of the friendly light at the stern or +for sight of the <i>Adventurer</i>. The wind made strange whistling sounds +through the interstices of the lumber and the battered hull groaned and +creaked rheumatically. When he stood erect the gale tore at him +frantically, and at all times the spray, dashing across the deck, kept +him running with water. He grew frightfully sleepy about three and had +difficulty in keeping awake. In spite of his efforts his head would sink +and at last he had to walk the few paces he could manage, accommodating +his uncertain steps to the roll of the boat, in order to defeat slumber.</p> + +<p>To say that Perry did not more than once regret his suggestion of +rescuing the <i>Catspaw</i> would be far from the truth. He felt very lonely +out there on that bow, and his stomach was none too happy. And the +thought of what would happen to him and the others if the schooner +decided to give up the struggle was not at all pleasant to dwell on. And +so he did his best not to think about it, but he didn't always succeed. +On the whole it was a very miserable three hours that he spent on +lookout duty that night. Once Bert crawled forward and shared his +loneliness, but didn't remain very long, preferring the partial shelter +of the house. No one was ever much gladder to see the sky lighten in the +east than was Perry that morning. But even when a grey dawn had settled +over the ocean the surroundings were not much more cheerful. As Wink +said, it was a bit better to drown by daylight than to do it in the +dark, but, aside from the fact that the <i>Catspaw</i> was still afloat, +there wasn't much to be thankful for.</p> + +<p>One of the cruisers was barely visible off to the northward, but the +other was nowhere in sight. The grey-green waves looked mountain-high +when seen from the water-washed deck of the <i>Catspaw</i>, and the wind, +while seeming to have passed its wildest stage, still blew hard. There +was no sight of land in any direction and Joe pessimistically decided +that they were then some forty miles at sea and about off the Isles of +Shoals. Soon after the sun had come up, somewhere behind the leaden +clouds, they sighted a brig to the southward. She was hardly hull-up and +was making her way under almost bare yards toward the west. She stayed +in sight less than half an hour.</p> + +<p>The boys had breakfast about half-past six. Except coffee and bread +there was little left, and the outlook, in case the gale continued, was +not inspiring! Perry declared that he'd much rather drown than starve to +death. The first cheerful event that happened was the drawing near of +the <i>Adventurer</i>. The white cruiser came plunging up to within a quarter +of a mile about nine o'clock and signals were exchanged. An hour later +the <i>Follow Me</i> appeared coming up from westward and at noon the +schooner and the two convoys were reunited. But there was still no +chance of getting lines aboard. All that they could do was wait. Dinner +hour aboard the <i>Catspaw</i> was dinner hour in name only. There was +coffee, to be sure, but the sugar was low and the condensed milk had +given out completely. All else had disappeared at breakfast time. The +spirits of the "prize crew" got lower and lower as the afternoon began +and they were faced with another night aboard the schooner. Twice they +sighted other craft, once a steamer headed toward the northeast and once +a schooner dipping along under reefed sails. Neither craft showed any +curiosity and each went on its way without a sign.</p> + +<p>Once the <i>Adventurer</i> circled close to the windward and Steve shouted +encouragement through his megaphone. Just what was said they couldn't +make out, and Joe's attempts to acquaint the cruiser with the fact that +they were out of provisions was unsuccessful, since he had only his +hands to shout through and the wind was unsympathetic. But having the +cruisers at hand was comforting, and when, at about four, there was a +brief glimpse of sunlight to the south their spirits arose somewhat. The +wind now began to go down perceptibly and by five it no longer roared +down on them from the northwest, but, swinging around to the northeast, +became quite docile and friendly. They put up their sail again and +gradually the <i>Catspaw</i> pointed her nose toward the coast. Just before +darkness came the sea had quieted enough to make possible an attempt to +get the cables aboard again and those on the schooner saw the cruisers +draw together. Steve and Phil caught the line hurled from the <i>Follow +Me</i> after several attempts and then the tender was dropped over and with +the two cables aboard the boys made for the <i>Catspaw</i>.</p> + +<p>Those on the schooner watched anxiously. At one moment the tiny dingey +was seen poised on the summit of a great green sea and the next was +quite gone from sight. The sun came out momentarily before saying Good +Night, as though to watch that struggle. At last the tender came sidling +down the slope of a wave, the occupants striving hard at the oars, and +after one breathless moment, during which it seemed that the little boat +would be crushed to splinters against the old black hull of the +schooner, Joe caught the painter, Steve made a flying leap for the deck +and gained it in safety, and Phil, boat-hook in hand, worked manfully +and skilfully to fend off while the cables were brought aboard. The +dingey had fetched food as well and a shout of joy went up as Phil, +taking advantage of the calm moments between the rushing waves, hurled +the bundles to the deck.</p> + +<p>There was little time for conversation, for darkness was coming fast, +but Steve heard a brief account of the <i>Catspaw's</i> experiences, and, +while helping to make fast the cables, told of the night aboard the +<i>Adventurer</i>. "It was fierce," Steve said. "No one had much sleep, I +guess. We almost pitched on our nose time and again. If it hadn't been +for you chaps we'd have cut and run about midnight. We lost sight of +your lights several times; they were so low in the water, and thought +that you'd gone down at first. The <i>Follow Me</i> had to run for it, and I +guess they weren't very happy either. But we'll make it this time. It's +clearing up nicely and we're only forty miles from Portsmouth. Keep your +lips stiff, fellows, and we'll be eating breakfast ashore!"</p> + +<p>The dingey pulled off again, narrowly escaping capsizing more than once, +and ten minutes afterwards the <i>Catspaw</i> was once more wallowing along +in the wake of the cruisers. Supper, with bacon and potatoes and lots of +bread, perked the crew up mightily, and when the stars began to peep +through the scudding clouds and the sea stopped tormenting the poor old +<i>Catspaw</i> they got quite cheerful. That second night was an easy one +for all hands. The weather cleared entirely by two o'clock and the sea +calmed to almost normal conditions. The <i>Catspaw</i> strained along at the +ends of the cables at about three miles an hour until she got close +enough to the shore to feel the tide. After that she went more slowly. +At early dawn—and it was a real dawn this time, with sunlight on the +water and a golden glow in the eastern sky—the Isles of Shoals lay six +miles to the southwest and the blue shore line was beckoning them. At a +little before eleven that forenoon the <i>Catspaw</i> passed Portsmouth Light +and half an hour later, having been given over to the care of a tug, was +lying snugly against a wharf.</p> + +<p>It was a tired but triumphant dozen that stretched their legs ashore at +noon and set out in search of dinner. Already they had answered a score +of questions and told their story half a dozen times, and even after +they were seated at table in the best restaurant that the city +afforded—and it was a very good restaurant, too—an enterprising +newspaper reporter found them out and Steve, as spokesman, recounted +their adventures once more between mouthfuls.</p> + +<p>And when at last they could eat no more and the reporter had gone off +to write his story, Steve, Joe and Wink set forth to an address they had +secured on the wharf and the others adjourned to the porch of a nearby +hotel to await their return. "Tell him," instructed Perry as they +parted, "that we won't accept a cent less than a thousand dollars! And," +he added to himself, "I wouldn't go through it again for fifty +thousand!"</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_XXIII'></a><h2>CHAPTER XXIII</h2> + +<p style="text-align: center"><b>SALVAGE</b></p> +<br /> + +<p>Mr. Anthony T. Hyatt, attorney-at-law, leaned smilingly back in a +swivel-chair, matched ten pudgy fingers together and smiled expansively +at his clients. There was a great deal of Mr. Hyatt, and much of it lay +directly behind his clasped hands. He had a large, round face in the +centre of which a small, sharp nose surmounted a wide mouth and was +flanked by a pair of pale brown eyes at once innocent and shrewd. Steve +counted three chins and was not certain there wasn't another tucked away +behind the collar of the huge shirt. Mr. Hyatt had a deep and mellow +voice, and his words rolled and rumbled out like the reverberations of a +good-natured thunder storm. From the windows of the bright, breeze-swept +office the boys could look far out to sea, and it was possible that the +faintly nautical atmosphere that appertained both to the office and its +occupant was due to the sight and smell of the salt water. While Steve +told his story the lawyer's expression slowly changed from jovial +amusement to surprise, and when the narrative was ended he drew himself +ponderously from the chair and rolled to a window.</p> + +<p>"You say you've got her tied up to Sawyer's Wharf, eh?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir."</p> + +<p>"I want to know! Well! Well! Where'd you say you came across her?" Steve +told him again. "And you brought her in yourself, eh?"</p> + +<p>"The lot of us did. Now what we want to know is what claim have we got +against the owners, Mr. Hyatt?"</p> + +<p>The lawyer heaved himself back to his chair and lowered himself into it +with what the boys thought was a most reckless disregard of the +article's capacity and strength. But the chair only creaked dismally. +"Of course you do! Of course you do!" he rumbled smilingly. "But +s'posing I was to tell you you hadn't any claim at all on 'em?"</p> + +<p>"What! No claim at all?" exclaimed Steve.</p> + +<p>The man laughed and shook. "I only said s'posing," he protested. He +weaved his fingers together again over his ample stomach. "As a matter +of law, young gentlemen, you have an excellent claim, a steel-bound, +double-riveted claim. Whether it's against the owners or some insurance +company is what you'll have to find out first. Most likely that ship and +cargo were insured. As to just what amount you are entitled to, the law +doesn't state. That's a matter generally agreed on between the salvors +and the owners. When no agreement can be reached the case goes to the +Admiralty Court."</p> + +<p>"Oh," said Steve. "The first thing to do—"</p> + +<p>"I guess the first thing to do is find out who the owners are and see +what they have to say. If they make you a fair offer, well and good. +Now, do you want me to take this case for you?"</p> + +<p>"Why, yes, sir, I think so," replied Steve, glancing inquiringly at the +others, who nodded assent. "How much—that is, what—"</p> + +<p>"What would I charge you for my services?" boomed the lawyer. "Nothing +at all, boys, unless you get a settlement. If we don't have to go to +court you may pay me a hundred dollars. If we do, we'll make another +arrangement later. That satisfactory?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, indeed," answered Steve heartily, and the rest murmured agreement. +"How long will it take to find out, sir?"</p> + +<p>"I'll have the owner's name in half an hour. Then I'll send them a wire. +You drop in tomorrow at this time and I dare say I'll have something to +tell you. I'll have a look at the boat this afternoon and get an idea of +her value as a bottom. Then we'll get someone to give an estimate on her +cargo. Would you be willing to pay ten dollars for an appraisement?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir, if that's advisable."</p> + +<p>"Well, I think it is. We'd better know what we've got, eh? All right, +gentlemen. You leave it to me. Where are you stopping?"</p> + +<p>"We're staying aboard our boats, sir, the <i>Adventurer</i> and the <i>Follow +Me</i>."</p> + +<p>"I want to know! Regular mariners, ain't ye? Well! Well! Guess you're +having a fine time, too, eh?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir, we've had a pretty good time. About—about how much do you +think we ought to get for the boat, Mr. Hyatt?"</p> + +<p>"Including cargo? Well, now, I don't know, Mister—What did you say your +name is?"</p> + +<p>"Stephen Chapman."</p> + +<p>"Mr. Stephen Chapman, eh?" The lawyer wrote it on a scrap of paper and +thrust it carelessly into a pigeon-hole of the old walnut desk. "Well, +there ought to be a tidy sum coming to you, sir; yes, sir, a tidy sum. +Lumber is fetching money just now, and you tell me the <i>Catspaw</i> is +loaded high."</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir, she's loaded up to her rails. Do you suppose we'll get a +thousand dollars?"</p> + +<p>"A thousand dollars, eh?" Mr. Hyatt beamed broadly and nodded until all +his chins in sight shook. "Yes, you might look for a thousand dollars, +boys. It isn't sense to get your expectations too high, but I guess you +can safely bank on a thousand. Oh, yes, a thousand isn't unreasonable. +Well, you drop around tomorrow and maybe there'll be something to +report. I'll get right to work, gentlemen. Good afternoon!"</p> + +<p>"Funny old whale, isn't he?" commented Joe when they were once more on +the street. "Suppose he knows what he's talking about?"</p> + +<p>"Why not?" asked Wink. "He struck me as being rather a canny customer."</p> + +<p>"Well, he said a thousand dollars," replied Joe. "That's a lot of money, +isn't it, for an old schooner like the <i>Catspaw</i>?"</p> + +<p>"It isn't much for the schooner and the cargo, too," said Steve. "I'm +wondering if it oughtn't to be a lot more; say fifteen hundred. You see, +a schooner like that costs quite a lot of money when it's new. And then, +as Mr. Hyatt said, lumber is high right now, and there's a pile of it on +board."</p> + +<p>"A thousand will suit me all right," said Joe. "A twelfth of a thousand +is—is—"</p> + +<p>"A thirteenth you mean," corrected Steve. "Don't forget Neil."</p> + +<p>"And don't count your chickens until they're hatched," Wink advised. +"It's unlucky, Joe."</p> + +<p>They found the other members of the expedition in various states of coma +induced by a hearty dinner and lack of sleep, but they were all wide +awake when Steve announced the result of the visit to the lawyer.</p> + +<p>"Gee!" exclaimed "Brownie." "A thousand dollars! He's fooling, isn't he? +Why, I thought we'd get maybe three hundred!"</p> + +<p>"A thousand isn't a cent too much," said Perry. "Come to think of it, +fellows, I earned that much myself!"</p> + +<p>"Just a minute, fellows," said Steve, interrupting the jeers that +greeted Perry's statement. "What are we going to do with the money when +we get it?"</p> + +<p>There was a moment of silence. Then Tom Corwin inquired: "Do with it? +How do you mean, do with it, Steve? I thought it would be divided up pro +rata."</p> + +<p>"Of course," agreed Cas and Ossie in unison.</p> + +<p>"Wait a minute," said Phil. "Steve's got something on his mind. Let's +hear it."</p> + +<p>Steve swung himself to the porch rail and faced the half-circle of boys. +"It's just an idea," he began, "and if you don't like it you've only got +to say so. As I look at it, fellows, this club has been a good deal of a +success. If we haven't had any whopping big adventures, we've had some +mild ones—"</p> + +<p>"Great Jumping Jehoshaphat!" muttered Han. "What do you call +adventures?"</p> + +<p>Steve smiled and went on, "At any rate, we've had a whole lot of fun. At +least, I have." He looked about him inquiringly.</p> + +<p>"You bet we have!" answered Joe heartily, and the rest echoed him.</p> + +<p>"Of course, we got the club up just for this Summer, I suppose, but I +don't see any reason why we shouldn't make it a—a permanent affair."</p> + +<p>"Bully!" exclaimed Perry. "Second the motion!"</p> + +<p>"Sit down!" growled Wink.</p> + +<p>"There's next Summer coming, fellows. We could do something like this +again if we wanted to. We needn't make a trip in motor-boats, but we +could do something just as good. Well, now, why not take this money +when we get it and stow it away in the Club treasury instead of spending +it? Then we'd have enough to do almost anything we liked next year. If +we each got our seventy-seven dollars, or whatever the shares might be, +we'd have it spent in a month and never know where it got to. But if we +put it in the bank at interest we'd—we'd have something. If you don't +like the scheme, just say so. I'm willing to do whatever the rest of you +say, only I thought—"</p> + +<p>"It's a corking idea," declared Harry Corwin enthusiastically. "You're +dead right, Steve, too. Seventy-seven dollars would last about two weeks +with me. Why hang it, I've had it spent ten times already, and each time +for some fool thing I didn't really want! I say, let's keep the Club +going, fellows, and put the money in the treasury. And let Phil deposit +it in a bank. At four per cent, or whatever it is banks pay you, it +would come to nearly—nearly thirty dollars by next Summer. And thirty +dollars would buy us gasoline for a month!"</p> + +<p>"Right you are," agreed Wink. "We'll make a real club of it."</p> + +<p>"How about the rest of you?" asked Steve.</p> + +<p>The others were all in favour, although Perry couldn't quite smother a +sigh of regret for the cash in hand he had dreamed of, and there +followed an enthusiastic discussion of plans for next Summer, and Bert +Alley echoed the sentiment of all when he remarked regretfully that next +Summer was an awfully long way off! Ossie made the suggestion that it +might be a good plan to reimburse the members from the salvage money for +what sums they had expended on the present cruise, explaining, however, +that he wasn't particular on his own account. The question was argued +and finally decided in the negative. As Phil put it, what they had spent +would have been spent in any case, whether they had gone on the cruise +or stayed at home, and they had all received full value for their +contributions. Still planning, they went back to the boats and spent the +rest of the afternoon in cleaning them up inside and out, for both the +<i>Adventurer</i> and the <i>Follow Me</i> had been sadly neglected for the past +forty-eight hours.</p> + +<p>Being persons of wealth, they supped ashore and went to a moving picture +show, and afterwards, since no one had had his full allowance of sleep +for the past two nights, "hit the hay," in Perry's phraseology, in short +order and slept like so many logs until sun-up.</p> + +<p>"I wish," remarked Han at breakfast the next morning, "that we were +just starting out instead of going home."</p> + +<p>"Me too," agreed Perry. "It'll be all over in two or three days, and +I'll have to go back to school again. I suppose," he added sadly, "I +shan't see any of you fellows again until next Summer; no one but Ossie, +that is."</p> + +<p>"You don't have to look at me if you don't want to," said Ossie, +reaching backward into the galley for the coffee-pot. "I'm not +particular."</p> + +<p>"You'll see us before Summer," replied Steve. "I've been thinking."</p> + +<p>"So that's it," murmured Joe. "I thought maybe you just—um—hadn't +slept well."</p> + +<p>"If we're going to keep the Club together," continued Steve, treating +the interruption disdainfully, "we've got to keep in touch with each +other. Suppose now we have a meeting about Christmas time, during +vacation."</p> + +<p>"Good scheme!" applauded Phil.</p> + +<p>"I think so. My idea is to keep out about thirty dollars of that money, +or take it out later, I suppose, and have a feed somewhere, a sort of +Annual Banquet of the Adventure Club of America, not Incorporated. We +could hold a business meeting first and then feed our faces and talk +over this Summer's fun and have a jolly old time. What do you say! Pass +the sugar, Han."</p> + +<a name="image-4"><!-- Image 4 --></a> +<center><a href="images/004_lg.jpg"> +<img border=0 src="images/004.jpg" height="388" width="297" +alt=""They offer you—" Mr. Hyatt leaned forward in the +protesting chair"> +</a> +</center> + +<p style="text-align: center"><span style=' +font-style:italic; font-weight:700'><small>"They offer you—" +Mr. Hyatt leaned forward in the +protesting chair</small></span></p> + +<p>They said many things, but they were all in praise of the idea, and +later the <i>Follow Me's</i> contingent was quite as enthusiastic, and Steve, +in his official capacity of Number One, finally found a calendar and +solemnly announced that Saturday, the twenty-third day of December, was +the date, that the hour was six o'clock, post meredian, and that the +place would be decided on later. After which they all went ashore and +passed the time until dinner in various ways. And at a little before two +Steve, Joe and Wink once more climbed the narrow stairway to Lawyer +Hyatt's office.</p> + +<p>"I have here," said Mr. Hyatt, when they had seated themselves and +greetings had been exchanged and the weather duly and thoroughly +disposed of, "a telegram from Barrows and Leland, of Norfolk, Virginia, +agents for the owners of the schooner <i>Catspaw</i>. In it they make an +offer of settlement of your claim, subject, of course, to the facts and +conditions being as stated in my telegram to them."</p> + +<p>He paused impressively and the boys shuffled their feet in silent +expectancy.</p> + +<p>"Hm. Now I'm not going to advise you to accept their offer and I'm not +going to advise you not to," he rumbled. "Only, I do say this, +gentlemen. If you take your case to the Admiralty Court it will cost you +a good deal of money and you won't get a final judgment for a long time. +Of course, you might, in the end, get a better figure. I'd almost be +willing to guarantee that you would. But you want to remember that the +costs of a trial aren't small and that they might eat a big hole in the +difference between the present offer and the court's award."</p> + +<p>"What—what do they offer us?" asked Steve as the lawyer paused to clear +his throat.</p> + +<p>"There's no doubt that the value of the <i>Catspaw</i> and her cargo is a +sight more than these fellows offer us," resumed Mr. Hyatt, quite as +though he had not heard the question. "But there's the old adage about a +bird on toast being worth more than a bird on the telegraph wire." He +chuckled deeply. "And, of course, no owner ever thinks of paying the +full value of salvaged property. Nor does the court expect him to. +Something like an equable division is what they try to award."</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir," murmured Steve nervously. "Yes, sir. Would you mind—"</p> + +<p>"You said something yesterday about a thousand dollars, and I told you +you might expect that much, didn't I?"</p> + +<p>Steve nodded silently.</p> + +<p>"Well—" The lawyer took up a sheet of creased yellow paper from the +desk and ran his eyes along the message thereon. "Well, I've got to tell +you they don't offer you a thousand, boys."</p> + +<p>"Oh!" murmured Steve.</p> + +<p>"Don't they?" gasped Joe weakly.</p> + +<p>"Then what—" began Wink dejectedly.</p> + +<p>"They offer you—" Mr. Hyatt leaned forward in the protesting chair and +held the telegram toward Steve—"they offer you four thousand, seven +hundred and sixty-one dollars, young gentlemen."</p> + +<hr style='width: 35%;' /> + +<p>Isn't this a good place to end our story? I might tell how they wired +the good news to Neil, and how they set forth that afternoon for New +York, and how, after a jolly but uneventful trip, the two boats parted +company off Bay Shore, and how the <i>Adventurer</i>, having done her best to +deserve the name she bore, at last sidled up to a slip in the yacht +basin and discharged her crew. And I might depict the awed delight with +which, two days later, Steve, Joe and Phil gazed upon a narrow strip of +green paper bearing the wonderful legend "Four Thousand Seven Hundred +Sixty-one Dollars." But we set out in search of adventures, and we have +reached the last of them, and so the chronicle should end. And since it +began with a remark from Perry let us end it so. Perry's closing remark +was made from the platform of the train for Philadelphia.</p> + +<p>"Good-bye, you fellows," said Perry, smiling widely to show that he +didn't mind leaving the others the least bit in the world. "We had a +corking good time, didn't we? But just let me tell you something. It +isn't a patch on the fun we're going to have on the next trip of the +Adventure Club!"</p> + +<br> +<br> +<hr class="full" noshade> +<p>***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE ADVENTURE CLUB AFLOAT***</p> +<p>******* This file should be named 13897-h.txt or 13897-h.zip *******</p> +<p>This and all associated files of various formats will be found in:<br /> +<a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/3/8/9/13897">https://www.gutenberg.org/1/3/8/9/13897</a></p> +<p>Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed.</p> + +<p>Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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C. Caswell + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: The Adventure Club Afloat + +Author: Ralph Henry Barbour + +Release Date: October 30, 2004 [eBook #13897] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE ADVENTURE CLUB AFLOAT*** + + +E-text prepared by Juliet Sutherland, Kathryn Lybarger, and the Project +Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team + + + +THE ADVENTURE CLUB AFLOAT + +by + +RALPH HENRY BARBOUR + +Author of _Left End Edwards_, _Left Tackle Thayer_, etc. + +With Illustrations by E. C. Caswell + +1917 + + + + + + + +[Illustration: The two cruisers were chug-chugging out of the harbour.] + + + +TO + +H.P. HOLT, + +WHOSE THUNDER I HAVE STOLEN + + +ILLUSTRATIONS + +THE TWO CRUISERS WERE CHUG-CHUGGING OUT OF THE HARBOUR + +"IT IS!" HE CRIED. "WE'VE GOT HER, FELLOWS!" + +"THOSE WAVES WILL BATTER HER TO PIECES" + +"THEY OFFER YOU--" MR. HYATT LEANED FORWARD IN THE PROTESTING CHAIR + + + + + +CHAPTER I + +HOW IT STARTED + + +The Adventure Club had its inception, one evening toward the last of +June, in Number 17 Sumner Hall, which is the oldest, most vine-hidden +and most hallowed of the seven dormitories of Dexter Academy. It was a +particularly warm evening, the two windows were wide open and the +green-shaded light on the study table in the centre of the room had been +turned low--Sumner prided itself on being conservative to the extent of +gas instead of electricity and tin bathtubs instead of porcelain--and in +the dim radiance the three occupants of the room were scarcely more than +darker blurs. + +Since final examinations had ended that afternoon and Graduation Day was +only some twenty-eight hours away, none of the three was doing anything +more onerous than yawning, and the yawn which came from Perry Bush, +didn't sound as though it cost much of an effort. It was, rather, a +comfortable, sleepy yawn, one that expressed contentment and relief, a +sort of "Glad-that's-over-and-I'm-still-alive" yawn. + +There was a window-seat under each casement in Number 17, and each was +occupied by a recumbent figure. Perry was on the right-hand seat, his +hands under his head and one foot sprawled on the floor, and Joe +Ingersoll was in the other, his slim, white-trousered legs jack-knifed +against the darker square of the open window. Near Joe, his feet tucked +sociably against Joe's ribs, Steve Chapman, the third of the trio, +reclined in a Morris chair. I use the word reclined advisedly, for Steve +had lowered the back of the chair to its last notch, and to say that he +was sitting would require a stretch of the imagination almost as long as +Steve himself! Through the windows Steve could see the dark masses of +the campus elms, an occasional star between the branches, and, by +raising his head the fraction of an inch, the lights in the upper story +of Hawthorne, across the yard. Somewhere under the trees outside a group +of fellows were singing to the accompaniment of a wailing ukelele. They +sang softly, so that the words floated gently up to the open casements +just distinguishable: + + "_Years may come and years may go, + Seasons ebb and seasons flow, + Autumn lie 'neath Winters' snow, + Spring bring Summer verdancy. + Life may line our brow with care, + Time to silver turn our hair, + Still, to us betide whate'er, + Dexter, we'll remember thee!_ + + "_Other memories may fade, + Hopes grow dim in ev'ning's shade, + Golden friendships that we made_--" + +"Aw, shut up!" muttered Perry, breaking the silence that had held them +for several minutes. Joe Ingersoll laughed softly. + +"You don't seem to like the efforts of the--um--sweet-voiced +choristers," he said in his slow way. + +"I don't like the sob-stuff," replied Perry resentfully. "What's the use +of rubbing it in? Why not let a fellow be cheerful after he has got +through by the skin of his teeth and kicked his books under the bed? +Gosh, some folks never want anyone to be happy!" He raised himself by +painful effort and peered out and down into the gloom. "Sophs, I'll +bet," he murmured, falling back again on the cushions. "No one else +would sit out here on the grass and sing school songs two days before +the end. I hope that idiot singing second bass will get a brown-tail +caterpillar down his neck!" + +"The end!" observed Steve Chapman. "You say that as if we were all going +to die the day after tomorrow, Perry! Cheer up! Vacation's coming!" + +"Vacation be blowed!" responded Perry. "What's that amount to, anyway? +Nothing ever happens to me in vacation. It's all well enough for you +fellows to laugh. You're going up to college together in the Fall. I'm +coming back to this rotten hole all alone!" + +"Not quite alone, Sweet Youth," corrected Joe. "There will be some four +hundred other fellows here." + +"Oh, well, you know what I mean," said Perry impatiently. "You and Steve +will be gone, and I don't give a hang for any other chaps!" + +He ended somewhat defiantly, conscious that he had indulged in a most +unmanly display of sentiment, and was glad that the darkness hid the +confusion and heightened colour that followed the confession. Steve and +Joe charitably pretended not to have noticed the lamentable exhibition +of feeling, and a silence followed, during which the voices of the +singers once more became audible. + + "_Dexter! Mother of our Youth! + Dexter! Guardian of the Truth!_" + +"_Cut it out!_" Perry leaned over the windowsill and bawled the command +down into the darkness. A defiant jeer answered him. + +"Don't be fresh," said Steve reprovingly. Perry mumbled and relapsed +into silence. Presently, sighing as he changed his position, Joe said: + +"I believe Perry's right about vacation, Steve. Nothing much ever does +happen to a fellow in Summer. I believe I've had more fun in school than +at home the last six years." + +The others considered the statement a minute. Then: "Correct," said +Steve. "It's so, I guess. We're always crazy to get home in June and +just as crazy to get back to school again in September, and I believe we +all have more good times here than at home." + +"Of course we do," agreed Perry animatedly. "Anyway, I do. Summers are +all just the same. My folks lug me off to the Water Gap and we stay +there until it's time to come back here. I play tennis and go motoring +and sit around on the porch and--and--bathe--" + +"Let's hope so," interpolated Joe gravely. + +"And nothing really interesting ever happens," ended Perry despairingly. +"Gee, I'd like to be a pirate or--or something!" + +"Summers _are_ rather deadly," assented Steve. "We go to the seashore, +but the place is filled with swells, and about all they do is change +their clothes, eat and sleep. When you get ready for piracy, Perry, let +me know, will you! I'd like to sign-on." + +"Put me down, too," said Joe. "I've always had a--um--sneaking idea that +I'd make a bully pirate. I'm naturally bloodthirsty and cruel. And I've +got a mental list of folks who--um--I'd like to watch walk the plank!" + +"Fellows of our ages have a rotten time of it, anyway," Perry grumbled. +"We're too old to play kids' games and too young to do anything worth +while. What I'd like to do--" + +"Proceed, Sweet Youth," Joe prompted after a moment. + +"Well, I'd like to--to start something! I'd like to get away somewhere +and do things. I'm tired of loafing around in white flannels all day +and keeping my hands clean. And I'm tired of dabbing whitewash on my +shoes! Didn't you fellows ever think that you'd like to get good and +dirty and not have to care? Wouldn't you like to put on an old flannel +shirt and a pair of khaki trousers and some 'sneakers' and--and roll in +the mud?" + +"Elemental stuff," murmured Joe. "He's been reading Jack London." + +"Well, that's the way I feel, lots of times," said Perry defiantly. "I'm +tired of being clean and white, and I'm tired of dinner jackets, and I'm +sick to death of hotel porches! Gee, a healthy chap never was intended +to lead the life of a white poodle with a pink ribbon around his neck! +Me for some rough-stuff!" + +"You're dead right, too," agreed Steve. "That kind of thing is all right +for Joe, of course. Joe's a natural-born 'fusser.' He's never happier +than when he's dolled up in a sport-shirt and a lavender scarf and +toasting marshmallows. But--" + +"Is that so?" inquired Joe with deep sarcasm. "If I was half the +'fusser' you are--" + +"What I want," interrupted Perry, warming to his theme, "is adventure! +I'd like to hunt big game, or discover the North Pole--" + +"You're a year or two late," murmured Joe. + +"--or dig for hidden treasure!" + +"You should--um--change your course of reading," advised Joe. "Too much +Roosevelt and Peary and Stevenson is your trouble. Read the classics for +awhile--or the Patty Books." + +"That's all right, but you chaps are just the same, only you won't own +up to it." + +"One of us will," said Steve; "and does." + +"Make it two," yawned Joe. "Beneath this--um--this polished exterior +there beats a heart--I mean there flows the red blood of--" + +"Look here, fellows, why not?" asked Steve. + +"Why not what?" asked Perry. + +"Why not have adventures? They say that all you have to do is look for +them." + +"Don't you believe it! I've looked for them for years and I've never +seen one yet." Perry swung his feet to the floor and sat up. + +"Well, not at Delaware Water Gap, naturally. You've got to move around, +son. You don't find them by sitting all day with your feet on the rail +of a hotel piazza." + +"Where do you find them, then?" Perry demanded. + +Steve waved a hand vaguely aloft into the greenish radiance of the lamp. +"All round. North, east, south and west. Land or sea. Adventures, +Perry, are for the adventurous. Now, here we are, three able-bodied +fellows fairly capable of looking after ourselves in most situations, +tired of the humdrum life of Summer resorts. What's to prevent our +spending a couple of months together and finding some adventures? Of +course, we can't go to Africa and shoot lions and wart-hogs--whatever +they may be,--and we can't fit out an Arctic exploration party and +discover Ingersoll Land or Bush Inlet or Chapman's Passage, but we could +have a mighty good time, I'd say, and, even if we didn't have many +hair-breadth escapes, I'll bet it would beat chasing tennis balls and +doing the Australian crawl and keeping our white shoes and trousers +clean!" + +"We could be as dirty as we liked!" sighed Perry ecstatically. "Lead me +to it!" + +"It sounds positively fascinating," drawled Joe, "but just how would we +go about it? My folks, for some unfathomable reason, think quite a lot +of me, and I don't just see them letting me amble off like that; +especially in--um--such disreputable company." + +"I should think they'd be glad to be rid of you for a Summer," said +Perry. "Anyhow, let's make believe it's possible, fellows, and talk +about it." + +"Why isn't it possible?" asked Steve. "My folks would raise objections +as well as yours, Joe, but I guess I could fetch them around. After all, +there's no more danger than in staying at home and trying to break your +neck driving an automobile sixty miles an hour. Let's really consider +the scheme, fellows. I'm in earnest. I want to do it. What Perry said is +just what I've been thinking without saying. Why, hang it, a fellow +needs something of the sort to teach him sense and give him experience. +This thing of hanging around a hotel porch all Summer makes a regular +mollycoddle of a fellow. I'm for revolt!" + +"Hear! Hear!" cried Perry enthusiastically. "Revolution! _A bas la_ +Summer Resort! _Viva_ Adventure!" + +"Shut up, idiot! Do you really mean it, Steve, or are you just talking? +If you mean it, I'm with you to the last--um--drop of blood, old chap! +I've always wanted to revolt about something, anyway. One of my +ancestors helped throw the English breakfast tea into Boston Harbour. +But I don't want to get all het up about this unless there's really +something in it besides jabber." + +"We start the first day of July," replied Steve decisively. + +"Where for?" + +"That is the question, friends. Shall it be by land or sea?" + +"Land," said Joe. + +"Sea," said Perry. + +"The majority rules and I cast my vote with Perry. Adventures are more +likely to be found on the water, I think, and it's adventures we are +looking for." + +"But I always get seasick," objected Joe. "And when I'm seasick you +couldn't tempt me with any number of adventures. I simply--um--don't +seem to enthuse much at such times." + +"You can take a lemon with you," suggested Perry cheerfully. "My +grandmother--" + +Joe shook his head. "They don't do you any good," he said sadly. + +"Don't they! My grandmother--" + +"Bother your grandmother! How do we go to sea, Steve? Swim or--or how?" + +"We get my father's cruiser," replied Steve simply. "She's a +forty-footer and togged out like an ocean-liner. Has everything but a +swimming-pool. She--" + +"Nix on the luxuries," interrupted Perry. "The simple life for me. +Let's hire an old moth-eaten sailboat--" + +"Nothing doing, Sweet Youth! If I'm to risk my life on the heaving ocean +I want something under me. Besides, being seasick is rotten enough, +anyhow, without having to roll around in the cock-pit of a two-by-twice +sailboat. That cruiser listens well, Steve, but--um--will papa fall for +it? If it was my father--" + +"I think he will," answered Steve seriously. "Dad doesn't have much +chance to use the boat himself, and this Summer he's likely to be in the +city more than ever. The trouble is that the _Cockatoo_ is almost too +big for three of us to handle." + +"Oh, piffle!" + +"It's so, though. I know the boat, Perry. She's pretty big when it comes +to making a landing or picking up a mooring. If we were all fairly good +seamen it might be all right, but I wouldn't want to try to handle the +_Cockatoo_ without a couple of sailors aboard." + +"I once sailed a knockabout," said Perry. + +"And I had a great-grandfather who was a sea captain," offered Joe +encouragingly. "What price great-grandfather?" + +"Don't see where your grandfather and Perry's grandmother come into +this," replied Steve. "How would it do if we gathered up two or three +other fellows? The _Cockatoo_ will accommodate six." + +"Who could we get?" asked Joe dubiously. + +"Neil Fairleigh, for one." + +"How about Han?" offered Joe. + +"Hanford always wants to boss everything," objected Perry. + +"He knows boats, though, and so does Neil," said Steve. "And they're +both good fellows. That would make five of us, and five isn't too many. +We can't afford to hire a cook, you know; at least, I can't; and someone +will have to look after that end of it. Who can cook?" + +"I can't!" Perry made the disclaimer with great satisfaction. + +"No more can I," said Joe cheerfully. "Let Neil be cook." + +"I guess we'll all have to take a try at it. I dare say any of us can +fry an egg and make coffee; and you can buy almost everything ready to +eat nowadays." + +"Tell you who's a whale of a cook," said Perry eagerly. "That's Ossie +Brazier. Remember the time we camped at Mirror Lake last Spring? +Remember the flapjacks he made? M-mm!" + +"I didn't go," said Steve. "What sort of a chap is Brazier? I don't know +him very well." + +"Well, Oscar's one of the sort who will do anything just as long as he +thinks he doesn't have to," replied Joe. "If we could get him to come +along and tell him that he--um--simply must _not_ ask to do the cooking, +why--there you are!" + +"Merely a matter of diplomacy," laughed Steve. "Well, we might have +Brazier instead of Hanford--or Neil." + +"Why not have them all if the boat will hold six?" asked Joe. "Seems to +me the more we have the less each of us will have to do. I mean," he +continued above the laughter, "that--um--a division of labour--" + +"We get you," said Perry. "But, say, I wish you'd stop talking about it, +fellows. I'm going to be disappointed when I wake up and find it's only +a bright and gaudy dream." + +"It isn't a dream," answered Steve, "unless you say so. I'll go, and +I'll guarantee to get the _Cockatoo_ without expense other than the cost +of running her. If you and Joe can get your folks to let you come, and +we can get hold of, say, two other decent chaps to fill the crew, why, +we'll do it!" + +"Do you honestly mean it?" demanded Perry incredulously. "Gee, I'll get +permission if I have to--to go without it!" + +"How about you, Joe?" + +"Um--I guess I could manage it. How long would we be gone?" + +"A month. Two, if you like. Start the first of July, or as soon after as +possible, and get back in August." + +"How much would it cost us?" inquired Perry. "I'm not a millionaire like +you chaps." + +"Wouldn't want to say offhand. We'd have to figure that. That's another +reason for filling the boat up, though. The more we have the less +everyone's share of the expense will be." + +"Let's have the whole six, then, for money's scarce in my family these +days. Let's make it a club, fellows. The Club of Six, or something of +that sort. It sounds fine!" + +"Take in another fellow and call it The Lucky Seven," suggested Joe. + +"We might not be lucky, though," laughed Steve. "I'll tell you a better +name." + +"Shoot!" + +"The Adventure Club." + + + + +CHAPTER II + +THE CLUB GROWS + + +And that is the way in which it happened. It began in fun and ended +quite seriously. They sat up in Number 17 Sumner until long after +bedtime that night, figuring the cost of the expedition, planning the +cruise, even listing supplies. The more they talked about it the more +their enthusiasm grew. Perry was for having Steve send a night message +then and there to his father asking for the boat, but Steve preferred to +wait until he reached home and make the request by word of mouth. + +"He would just think I was fooling or crazy if I telegraphed," he +explained. "Tomorrow we'll try to dig up three other fellows to go +along, and then, as soon as we all get home, we'll find out whether our +folks will stand for it. You must all telegraph me the first thing. +Don't wait to write, because I must know as soon as possible. I dare say +there's work to be done on the _Cockatoo_ before she's ready for the +water, and we don't want to have to wait around until the end of July. +The fun of doing anything is to do it right off. If you wait you lose +half the pleasure. Now you'd better beat it, Perry. It's after ten. If +you meet a proctor close your eyes and make believe you're walking in +your sleep." + +Perry reached his own room, on the floor above, without being sighted, +however, and subsequently spent a sleepless hour in joyous anticipation +of at last finding some of those adventures that all his life he had +longed for. And when he did at length fall asleep it was to have the +most outlandish dreams, visions in which he endured shipwreck, fought +pirates and was all but eaten by cannibals. The most incongruous phase +of the dream, as recollected on waking, was that the _Cockatoo_ had +been, not a motor-boat at all, but a trolley-car! He distinctly +remembered that the pirates, on boarding it, had each dropped a nickel +in the box! + +Fortunately for the success of the Adventure Club, the next morning held +no duties. In the afternoon the deciding baseball game was to be played, +but, except for gathering belongings together preliminary to packing, +nothing else intervened between now and the graduation programme of the +morrow. Hence it was an easy matter to hold what might be termed the +first meeting of the club. Besides the originators there were present +Messrs. Fairleigh, Hanford and Brazier. After Steve had locked the door +to prevent interruption, he presented to the newcomers a summary of the +scheme. It was received with enthusiasm and unanimous approval, but Neil +Fairleigh and Oscar Brazier sadly admitted that in their cases parental +permission was extremely doubtful. George Hanford, whose parents were +dead and who was under the care of a guardian, thought that in his case +there would be no great difficulty. The other two viewed him a trifle +enviously. Then, because one may always hope, they had to hear the +particulars and each secretly began to fashion arguments to overcome the +objections at home. Finally Oscar Brazier inquired interestedly: + +"Who is going to cook for you?" + +"Oh, we'll take turns, maybe," answered Joe. "Or we might hire a cook." + +Joe stole a look at Steve. Oscar only shuffled his feet. + +"I say hire," remarked Perry. "Any of us could do it after a fashion, I +dare say, but you get frightfully hungry on the water and need good +stuff well cooked, and lots of it." + +"Yes," agreed Steve, "any of us would make an awful mess of it. +Cooking's an art." + +Oscar cleared his throat and frowned. "You'd have to pay a lot for a +cook," he said. "It isn't hard, really. I could do it--if I were going +along." + +"That's so," George Hanford confirmed. But the rest seemed +unflatteringly doubtful. The silence was almost embarrassing. At last +Joe said hurriedly: + +"Well, we don't have to decide that now. Besides, if you can't come with +us--um--" His voice trailed off into a relieved silence. Oscar smiled +haughtily. + +"That's all right," he said. "If you prefer a cook, say so. Only, if I +did go I'd be willing to do the cooking, and I'll bet I could do it as +well as any cook you could hire. Isn't it so, Han?" + +"Yes, I call you a mighty nifty cook, Ossie. I've eaten your biscuits +more than once. Flapjacks, too." + +"Well," said Joe politely, "camp cooking is um--different, I guess, from +regular cooking. Of course, I don't say Ossie couldn't do it, mind you, +but--we wouldn't want to take chances. On the whole, I think it would be +best to have a regular cook." + +"We might let Ossie try it," suggested Perry judicially. + +"Oh, I'm not crazy about it," disclaimed Oscar, piqued. "If you prefer +to pay out good money for a cook--" + +"Not at all," interrupted Steve soothingly. "We want to do the whole +thing as cheaply as we can. I see no harm in leaving the cooking end of +it to you, Brazier; that is, if you can go." + +"I'm going to make a big try for it," declared Oscar resolutely. "If my +folks won't let me, they--they'll wish they had!" + +Whereupon, emboldened by Oscar's stand, Neil Fairleigh expressed the +conviction that he, too, could manage it some way. "I dare say that if I +tell my dad that all you chaps are going he will think it's all right. +It wouldn't be for all Summer, anyway, would it?" + +"The idea now," responded Steve, "is to start out for a month's cruise +and extend it if we cared to. I suppose any of us that got tired could +quit after the month was up." He smiled. "We'd all have to sign-on for a +month, though." + +"Right-o," agreed Hanford. "What about electing officers? Oughtn't we to +do that? Someone ought to be in charge, I should think." + +"Sure!" exclaimed Joe. "We'll ballot. Throw that pad over here, Ossie." + +"Wait a minute," said Steve. "I've been thinking, fellows. The +_Cockatoo_ will hold six comfortably. The main cabin has berths for four +and the owner's cabin for two, but if I'm not mistaken the berths in the +owner's cabin are extension, and if they are we could bunk three fellows +in there, or even four at a pinch. That would give us room for seven or +eight in all. Eight might make it a bit crowded, but she's a big, roomy +boat and I think we could do with seven fellows all right. And seven's a +lucky number, too. So suppose we take in one more while we're at it?" + +"The more the merrier," agreed Joe. "Who have you got in mind?" + +Steve shook his head. "No one, but I guess we can think of a fellow. +There's--" + +Steve was interrupted by a knock on the door, and when Hanford, who was +nearest, had, at a nod from Steve, unlocked the portal a tall, rather +serious-faced youth of seventeen entered. + +"Oh, am I butting-in?" he asked. "I didn't know. I'll come back later, +Joe." Philip Street smiled apologetically and started a retreat, but +Steve called him back. + +"Hold on, Phil!" he cried. "Come in here. You're the very fellow we +want. Close the door and find a seat, will you?" + +"By Jove, that's so!" exclaimed Joe, and the others heartily endorsed +him. Oddly enough, not one would have thought of Phil Street in all +probability, but each recognised the fact that he was the ideal fellow +to complete the membership. Steve, Joe aiding and the others attempting +to, outlined the plan. If they had expected signs of enthusiasm from +Phil they were doomed to disappointment, for that youth listened +silently and attentively until they had ended and then asked simply: + +"When are you planning to get away?" + +"As near the first of the month as we can," replied Steve. + +"I'm afraid I couldn't go, then," said Phil. "I'm a delegate to the C.B. +Convention, you see, and that doesn't end until the sixth." + +"I'd forgotten that," said Joe disappointedly. + +"What's C.B. stand for?" inquired Hanford. + +"Christian Brotherhood," supplied Steve. "Look here, Phil, could you go +after the sixth?" + +"Yes, I'd love to, thanks." + +"All right then, you're signed-on. If we get away before that we'll pick +you up somewhere. If we don't you can start with us. How is that?" + +"Quite satisfactory," answered Phil. + +"But are you sure your folks will let you?" asked Perry. + +"Oh, yes, I spend my Summers about as I like." + +"Think of that!" sighed Perry. "Gee, I wish my folks were like that." + +"I guess," said Steve, "that Phil's folks know he won't get into +trouble, Perry, while yours are pretty certain that you will. It makes a +difference. Now we can go ahead with that election, can't we? How about +nominations?" + +"No need of them," declared Joe. "What officers do we want?" + +"Well, this is a club--the Adventure Club, Phil, is the name we've +chosen--and so I suppose we ought to have a president and a +vice-president and--" + +"Rot!" said Perry. "Too high-sounding. Let's elect a captain and a +treasurer and let it go at that." + +"I never heard of a club having a captain," Oscar Brazier objected. + +"Nor anyone else," agreed Joe. "Let's follow the Nihilist scheme and +elect a Number One, a Number Two and a Number Three. Number One can be +the boss, a sort of president, you know, Number Two can correspond to a +vice-president and Number Three can be secretary and treasurer. How's +that?" + +"Suits me," said Steve. "Tear up some pieces of paper, Perry. We'll each +vote for the three officers, writing the names in order, then the fellow +getting the most votes--" + +"I don't know as I ought to vote," said Neil Fairleigh, "because I'm not +sure I can go. Maybe I'd better not, eh?" + +"Oh, shucks, never mind that," replied Perry. "You can join the club, +anyway, and be a sort of non-resident member. Here you are, fellows. +Who's got a pen or something?" + +During the ensuing two or three minutes there was comparative silence in +Number 17, and while the seven occupants of the room busy themselves +with pens or pencils let us look them over since we are likely to spend +some time in their company from now on. + +First of all there is Steve Chapman, seventeen years of age, a tall, +well-built and nicely proportioned youth with black hair and eyes, a +quick, determined manner and an incisive speech. Steve was Football +Captain last Fall. Next him sits George Hanford. Han, as the boys call +him, is eighteen, also a senior, and also a football player. He is big +and rangey, good-natured and popular, and is president of the senior +class. + +Joe Ingersoll's age is seventeen. He is Steve's junior by two months. He +is of medium height, rather thin, light complexioned and has peculiarly +pale eyes behind the round spectacles he wears. Joe is first baseman on +the Nine, and a remarkably competent one. He is slow of speech and +possesses a dry humour that on occasion can be uncomfortably ironical. +Beside him, Perry Bush is a complete contrast, for Perry is +large-limbed, rather heavy of build, freckle-faced, red-haired and +jolly. He has very dark blue eyes and, in spite of a moon-shaped +countenance, is distinctly pleasing to look at; he is sixteen. + +Neil Fairleigh and Phil Street are of an age, seventeen, but in other +regards are quite unalike. Neil is of medium height, with his full +allowance of flesh, and has hair the hue of new rope and grey-blue eyes. +He is even-tempered, easy-going and, if truth must be told, somewhat +lazy. Phil Street is quite tall, rather thin and dark complexioned, a +nice-looking, somewhat serious youth whose infrequent smile is worth +waiting for. He is an Honor Man, a distinction attained by no other +member of our party save Steve. The last of the seven is Oscar Brazier, +and Ossie, as the boys call him, is sixteen years old, short and +square, strongly-made and conspicuous for neither beauty nor scholarly +attainments. Ossie has a snub nose, a lot of rebellious brown hair, red +cheeks and a wide mouth that is usually smiling. Renowned for his +good-nature, he is nevertheless a hard worker at whatever he undertakes, +and if he sometimes shows a suspicious disposition it is only because +his good-nature has been frequently imposed on. + +When the last pencil had stopped scratching Joe gathered the slips +together and after a moment's figuring announced that Steve had been +elected Number One without a dissenting vote, that he himself had been +made Number Two and that Phil was Number Three. If Perry felt +disappointment he hid it, and when Phil declared that in his opinion +Perry should have been elected instead of him, since Perry was, so to +say, a charter member, Perry promptly disclaimed any desire of the sort. + +"No, thanks," he said. "If I was secretary I'd have to keep the accounts +and all that sort of thing, and I'm no good at it. You're the very +fellow for the job, Phil." + +The assemblage broke up shortly after, to meet again that evening at +eight, Steve undertaking to have a map on hand then so that they might +plan their cruise. As none of the seven was bound to secrecy, what +happened is only what might have been expected. By the time the ball +game was half over Steve and Joe had received enough applications for +membership in the Adventure Club to have, in Joe's words, filled an +ocean liner. It is probable that a large proportion of the applicants +could not have obtained permission to join the expedition, but they were +each and all terribly enthusiastic and eager to join, and it required +all of Steve's and Joe's diplomacy to turn them away without hurting +their feelings. Wink Wheeler--his real name was Warren, but no one ever +called him that--refused politely but firmly to take no for an answer. +Wink said he didn't care where he bunked and that he never ate anything +on a boat, anyway, because he was always too seasick to bother about +meals. + +"One more won't matter, Steve," Wink pleaded. "Be a good chap and let me +in, won't you? My folks are going out to California this Summer and I +don't want to go, and they'll let me do anything I like. Tell you what, +Steve. If you'll take me I'll buy something for the boat. I'll make the +club a present of--of a tender or an anchor or whatever you say!" + +Steve found it especially hard to turn Wink down, because he liked the +fellow, just as everyone else did. Wink was eighteen and had been five +years getting through school, but he was a big, good-hearted, jovial +boy, and, as Steve reflected, one who would be a desirable companion on +such an adventure as had been planned. Steve at last told Wink that he +would speak to the others about him that evening, but that Wink was not +to get his hopes up, and Wink took himself off whistling cheerfully and +quite satisfied. But when Steve tentatively broached the matter of +including one more member in the person of Wink Wheeler, Joe staggered +him by announcing that he had promised Harry Corwin to intercede for the +latter. + +"He pestered the life out of me," explained Joe ruefully, "and I finally +told him I'd ask you fellows. But I suppose we can't take two more. Nine +would--um--be rather overdoing it, eh?" + +Everyone agreed that it would. Han suggested that Wink Wheeler and Harry +Corwin might toss up for the privilege of joining the club. "After all," +he added, "we aren't all of us certain that we can go. If one or two of +us drop out there'll be room for Wink and Harry, too." + +"Seems to me," said Phil Street, "it might be a good plan to enlarge +the membership to, say, twelve, and let the new members find a boat of +their own. I dare say they could. Then--" + +"Fine!" exclaimed Joe. "Harry and his brother have some sort of a +motor-boat. He told me so today. That's a bully idea, Phil! With twelve +of us we could divide up between the two boats--" + +"How many will Corwin's boat hold?" asked Neil. + +"I don't know. I'll see him and find out. But it ought to be big enough +to hold four, anyway. There are seven of us now, and Wink and Harry and +his brother Tom would make ten, and we could easily pick out two more." + +"Let's make the membership thirteen," said Perry. + +"Thirteen!" echoed Han. "Gee, that's unlucky!" + +"Rot! Why, you've got thirteen letters in your name. George Hanford." +Perry counted on his fingers. "This is the Adventure Club, isn't it? +Well, starting out with thirteen members is an adventure right at the +start!" + +"Sure!" agreed Ossie. "Let's take a chance. It's only a silly +what-do-you-call-it anyway." + +"Meaning superstition?" asked Steve. "Well, I'm agreeable. Who else do +we want? Bert Alley asked to join, and so did George Browne." + +"And Casper Temple," added Joe. "And they're all good fellows. But I +want it distinctly understood that I'm going on the _Cockatoo_." + +"Me too!" exclaimed Perry. "All of us fellows must go on the _Cockatoo_. +We were the first." + +"But suppose Corwin's boat won't hold five?" said Han. + +"We can squeeze eight into the _Cockatoo_, if we have to," said Steve. +"Joe, you cut along and find Corwin and bring him up here. We might as +well settle the thing now." + +"All right, but don't settle about the cruise while I'm gone," answered +Joe. "I'll have him here in ten minutes." + +When the meeting adjourned that evening the club had added six new +members and enlarged its fleet by the addition of the cabin-cruiser, +_Follow Me_. It was just half-past ten when Joe and Steve produced the +last of their supply of ginger-ale from under the window-seat and, +utilising glasses, tooth-mugs and pewter trophies, the members present +drank success to the Adventure Club. + + + + +CHAPTER III + +CAST OFF! + + +Some two weeks later, or, to be exact, sixteen days, making the date +therefor, the eighth day of July, a round-faced, freckle-cheeked youth +in a pair of khaki trousers, white rubber-soled shoes, a light flannel +shirt that had once been brown and was now the colour of much diluted +coffee and a white duck hat sat on the forward deck of a trim motor-boat +with his feet suspended above the untidy water of a slip. By turning his +head slightly he could have looked across the sunlit surface of +Buttermilk Channel to the green slopes of Governor's Island and, beyond +the gleaming Statue of Liberty. But Perry Bush was far more interested +in the approach that led from the noisy, granite-paved street behind a +distant fence to the pier against which the boat was nestled. As he +watched he sniffed gratefully of the mingled odours that came to him; +the smell of salt water, of pitch and oakum, of paint from a +neighbouring craft receiving her Summer dress, of fresh shavings and +sawdust from the nearby shed whence came also the shriek of the +band-saw and the _tap-tap_ of mallets. Ballinger's Yacht Basin was a +busy place at this time of the year, and the slips were crowded with +sailboats and motor-boats, while many craft still stood, stilted and +canvas-wrapped, in the shade of the long sheds. Perry whistled a gay +tune softly as he basked there in the warm sunlight and awaited the +arrival of the rest of the boat's crew. + +Much had happened since that Thursday when they had toasted the +Adventure Club in Steve's and Joe's room in Sumner. Graduation Day had +sent them scurrying homeward. Then had followed much correspondence with +Steve. After an anxious four days, Perry and the rest had each received +a brief but highly satisfactory telegram: "_Cockatoo_ ours for two +months. Meet Ballinger's Basin, Brooklyn, fourth." But work on the +cruiser had delayed the starting date, and they had now been kicking +their heels about New York for four days. Perry and Phil Street had been +taken care of by Steve, and Joe had had Neil, Han and Ossie as his +guests. At Bay Shore, on the south side of Long Island, the _Follow Me_ +was awaiting them impatiently. The _Follow Me_ had been ready to put to +sea for a full week. + +Although Steve and Joe had provisioned the _Cockatoo_--which, by the +way, was no longer the _Cockatoo_, but the _Adventurer_, having been +renamed during the process of painting--the crew had not been altogether +idle during their wait. Each had thought of something further to add. +Ossie, who, as a special favour, was to be allowed to try his hand at +cooking, had made several trips between a big department store on Fulton +Street and had returned to the basin laden each time with mysterious +packages, many of which rattled or clinked when deposited in the galley. +Perry had purchased an inexpensive talking machine and a dozen records. +Neil had contributed a patent life-preserver that looked like a +waistcoat to be used by an Arctic explorer and was guaranteed to keep +Barnum and Bailey's fat man afloat. Phil had supplied the cabin with +magazines, few of them, to Perry's chagrin, of the sort anyone but a +"highbrow" would care to tackle. Joe, as an after-thought, had stocked +up heavily with Mother Somebody's Cure for Seasickness. George Hanford +had tried to smuggle on board a black and white puppy about a foot long +which he had bought on a street corner for two dollars and a half. +Steve, however, had objected strenuously and Han had been forced to see +the puppy's former owner and sell his purchase back for a dollar, the +value of it having decreased surprisingly in a few hours. Even Steve +had supplemented the boat's contents the day before by stowing two +desperate-looking revolvers and several boxes of cartridges in a locker +in the forward cabin. + +Then, too, they had each outfitted more or less elaborately, according +to their pocket-books. Steve and Joe had pointed out that, with seven +aboard, locker room would be at a premium, and had urged the others to +take as little in the way of personal luggage as they could get along +with. But when the out-of-town boys got into the stores the advice was +soon forgotten. Neil had outfitted as if he was about to set forth on a +voyage around the world, and Han was not far behind him. Perry would +have liked, too, to become the proud possessor of some of the things the +former fellows brought aboard, but Perry's finances were low after he +had paid for that talking machine, and so, with the exception of a new +grey sweater, he had made no additions to his wardrobe. This morning he +had volunteered to go to the basin early and superintend the loading of +ice and water, and now, those things aboard, he was wondering, a trifle +resentfully, why the others didn't come. They were to cast off at eleven +and it was now well after ten. + +"Probably," he muttered, edging back so that he could have the support +of the big, round smoke-stack, "Neil's buying another necktie! It would +serve them right if I started the thing up and went off without them." +As, however, Perry knew absolutely nothing about a gasoline engine, +there was little likelihood of his carrying that threat into action. In +any case, there would have been no excuse, for less than a minute later +he descried the tardy ones skirting the shed and coming along the wharf. +They looked, Perry thought with satisfaction, very hot and disgruntled +as, each carrying his belongings in a parcel so that there would be no +bags to stow away, they approached the boat. Although Perry was no +mechanician, he quite understood the operation of an electric horn, and +now, swinging nimbly down to the bridge deck, he set the palm of his +hand against a big black button. The result was all that he desired. An +amazing, ear-splitting shriek broke the ordinary clamour of the scene. +Perry smiled ecstatically and peered out and up from under the awning. +But the half-dozen countenances that looked down at him expressed only +disgust, and Joe's voice came to him even above the blast of the horn. + +"Don't be a silly fool, Perry!" shouted Joe peevishly. "Let that alone +and catch these bundles!" + +Perry obeyed and one by one the fellows scrambled from wharf to boat. +And, having reached the bridge deck, they subsided exhaustedly onto the +two cushioned seats or the gunwale. Perry viewed their inflamed, +perspiring faces in smiling surprise. "What did you do?" he asked. "Run +all the way?" + +"Joe got us on the wrong car," panted Neil, "and we went halfway to +Coney Island, I guess." + +"It wasn't my fault any more than it was yours," growled Joe. "You had +eyes, hadn't you?" + +"We had eyes," replied Ossie from behind his handkerchief, as he wiped +his streaming face, "but we aren't supposed to know where these silly +cars go to." + +"I didn't have any trouble," murmured Perry. + +"Well, we did," said Han resentfully. "We waited ten minutes on a +broiling-hot corner and then, when we did get another car, it got +blocked behind ten thousand drays and we had to foot it about eleven +miles! Got any ice-water aboard?" + +"We've got ice and we've got water," replied Perry. "If you mix 'em in +the proper proportions--" + +"Oh, dry up and blow away," muttered Han, dragging himself painfully +down the companion on his way to the galley. Phil Street smiled. + +"Seems to me we're starting our adventure rather inauspiciously," he +said. "If we have a grouch before we leave the dock what's going to +happen later?" + +"Maybe it's a good thing to have it now and get over it," laughed Steve. +"It was hot, though! And it isn't much cooler here. Let's get under way, +fellows, and find a breeze. It will take us the better part of four +hours to get to Bay Shore, anyway, and I telephoned Wink yesterday that +we'd be there by three. Every fellow into sea-togs as quick as he can +make it. Joe and Phil and I bunk aft, the rest of you in the main cabin. +Get your things put away neatly, fellows. Anyone caught being disorderly +will be keel-hauled. Have a look at this thermometer, Joe. It's almost +eighty-nine! Let's get out of here in a hurry!" + +For the next ten minutes the fellows busied themselves as Steve had +directed. All, that is, save Perry. As Perry was already dressed for sea +he used his leisure to sit in the hatchway of the after cabin and +converse entertainingly with the occupants until, on the score that he +was keeping the air out, he was driven up to the cockpit. There he +perched himself in one of the four comfortable wicker chairs, placed his +feet on the leather-cushioned seat across the stern and languorously +observed a less fortunate person scrape the deck of a sloop on the far +side of the slip. + +Suppose that, while the _Adventurer's_ crew prepares for service, we +have a look over the boat. The _Adventurer_, late the _Cockatoo_, was a +forty-foot V-bottom, military type cruiser, with a nine-foot beam and a +draught of two feet and six inches. Below the water-line she was painted +a dark green. Above it she was freshly, immaculately white as to hull, +while decks and smoke-stack were buff. The exterior bulkheads were of +panelled mahogany, and a narrow strip of mahogany edged the deck. There +was a refreshing lack of gold in sight, and, viewed from alongside, the +_Adventurer_ had a very business-like appearance. As she was of the +raised-deck cabin type, with full head-room everywhere, she stood well +above the water, and the low, sweeping lines that suggest speed were +lacking. But the _Adventurer_ had speed, nevertheless, for under the +bridge deck was a six-cylinder 6x6 Van Lyte engine that could send her +along at twenty miles an hour when necessary. On the stern was the +legend "ADVENTURER: NEW YORK," and the name appeared again on each of +the mahogany boards that housed the sidelights. The cockpit, which was +self-bailing, was roomy enough to accommodate seven persons comfortably. +A broad leather-cushioned seat ran across the stern and there were four +wicker chairs besides. Life preservers were ingeniously strapped under +the chair seats and two others hung at each side of the after cabin +door. + +The after cabin, or owner's stateroom, held two extension seats which at +night were converted into wide and comfortable berths. At the forward +end a lavatory occupied one side and a clothes locker the other. Other +lockers occupied the space between the seats and the three ports. This +compartment, like the main cabin, was enamelled in cream-white with +mahogany trim. Three steps led to the bridge deck, a roomy place which +housed engine, steering wheel and all controls. The engine, although +under deck, was readily accessible by means of sectional hatches. On the +steering column were wheel, self-starter switch, spark, throttle and +clutch, making it easily possible for one person to operate the boat if +necessary. Two seats were built against the after bulkhead, chart boxes +flanked the forward hatchway and the binnacle was above the steering +column. Forward, the compartment was glassed in, but on other sides +khaki curtains were depended on in bad weather. When not in use the +curtains rolled up to the edge of the awning, which was set on a +pipe-frame. + +From the bridge deck three steps led down to the main cabin. Here in the +daytime were two longitudinal couches with high upholstered backs. At +night the backs swung out and up to form berths, so that the compartment +supplied sleeping accomodations for four persons. There were roomy +lockers under the seats and at meal times an extension table made a +miraculous appearance and seated eight. Forward of the main cabin was +the galley, gleaming with white enamel and brass. It was fitted with a +large ice-chest, many lockers, a sink with running water, a two-burner +alcohol stove with oven and a multitude of plate-racks. It was the +lightest place in the boat, for, besides a light-port on each side, it +had as well a hatch overhead. The hatch, although water-tight, was made +to open for the admission of ice and supplies. Still forward, in the +nose of the boat, was a large water tank and, beyond that, the rope +locker. The gasoline tanks, of which there were four, held two hundred +and fifty gallons. The boat was lighted by electricity in all parts by +means of a generator and storage battery. An eight-foot tender rested on +chocks atop the main cabin. The boat carried no signal mast, but +flag-poles at bow and stern and abaft the bridge deck frame held the +Union Jack, the yacht ensign and the club burgee. All in all, the +_Adventurer_ was a smart and finely appointed craft, and a capable one, +too. Steve's father had had her built only a little more than a year ago +and she had seen but scant service. In the inelegant but expressive +phraseology of Perry, "she was a rip-snorting corker of a boat." The +consensus of opinion was to the effect that Mr. Chapman was "a peach to +let them have it," and there was an unuttered impression that that +kind-hearted gentleman was taking awful chances! + +For, after all, except that Steve had had a brief week or so on the boat +the preceding Summer and that Joe had taken two days of instruction in +gasoline engine operation, not a member of the crew knew much of the +work ahead. Still, George Hanford had operated a twelve-foot motor +dingey at one time, Phil Street had sailed a knockabout and all had an +average amount of common-sense, and it seemed that, with luck, they +might somehow manage to escape death by drowning! Mr. Chapman surely +must have had a good deal of faith in Steve and his companions or he +would never have consented to their operating the cruiser without the +aid of a seasoned navigator. As for the boys themselves, they +anticipated many difficulties and some hazards, but, with the confidence +of youth, they expected to "muddle through," and, as Neil said, what +they didn't know now they soon would. + +At exactly seven minutes past eleven by the ship's clock the +_Adventurer_ gave a prolonged screech and, moorings cast off, edged her +way out of the basin and dipped her nose in the laughing waters of the +bay, embarked at last on a voyage that was destined to fully vindicate +her new name. + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +THE _FOLLOW ME_ + + +Two days before they had decided that Steve was to be captain, Joe, +chief engineer, Phil, first mate, Perry, second mate, Ossie, steward, +Neil, cabin boy and Han, crew. Neil and Han had naturally rebelled at +being left without office or title and the omission had been laughingly +remedied to their entire satisfaction. In fact, Han was quite stuck up +over his official position, pointing out that it might be possible for a +boat to get along without a captain or mate or even a steward, but that +a crew was absolutely essential. He declared his intention of purchasing +a yachting cap at the first port of call and having the inscription +"Crew" worked on it in gold bullion. + +When the _Adventurer_ left her berth each member of the boat's company +was at his post, or, at least, at what he surmised to be his post. +Steve, of course, was at the control, Joe, with the hatches up, was +watching his engine approvingly, Phil, boat-hook in hand, was on the +forward deck, Perry hovered around Steve, begging to be allowed to blow +the whistle, Ossie and Neil watched from opposite sides of the bridge +deck and Han, in the role of crew, hitched his trousers at intervals, +touched his cap when anyone so much as looked at him and said "Ay, ay, +sir!" at the slightest provocation. And with all hands on duty the +cruiser pointed her white bow towards The Narrows. + +Steve never took his eyes from the course for more than a moment until +they had passed Coney Island Light, for there were many craft bustling +or slopping about and it really required some navigation to get through +The Narrows and past Gravesend Bay without running into something. Perry +suspected that Steve was working the whistle overtime, but realized that +too many precautions were better than too few. It was Perry's ambition +to learn navigation so that he might ultimately be entrusted with the +wheel, and to that end he stood at Steve's elbow until, when they gained +the Main Channel, Ossie's dulcet voice was heard proclaiming, "Grub, +fellows!" from below. Steve was rather too preoccupied to be very +informative, but Perry did manage to imbibe some information. For +instance, he learned that a sailing craft had the right of way over a +power craft, something he had not known previously, and observed that a +large proportion of them used that right to its limit. He got quite +incensed with a small, blunt-nosed schooner which insisted on crossing +the _Adventurer's_ course just as they were passing Fort Hamilton. Steve +had to slow down rather hurriedly to avoid a collision and Perry viewed +the two occupants of the schooner's deck with a scowl as they lazed +across the cruiser's bows. + +"Cheeky beggars," he muttered. + +He also learned the whistle code that morning: one blast for starboard, +two for port, four short blasts for danger and three for going astern. +Joe, who had applied oil to every part of the engine that he could +reach, supplied the added information that a sailboat under way on the +starboard tack had the right of way over anything afloat--with the +possible exception of a torpedo!--and that other craft had to turn to +port in passing them. Joe had wrested that bit of knowledge from a +volume entitled, "Motor Boats and Boating," which he carried in a side +pocket every minute of the trip, and passed it on with evident pride. +For the next few days he discovered other interesting items in that +precious book and divulged them at intervals with what to Perry seemed +a most offensive assumption of superiority. + +"You just read that in your old book," Perry would grumble. "Anybody +could do that!" Nevertheless, he hearkened and remembered against the +time when the conduct of the boat should be handed over to the hands of +the efficient second mate. When Joe became insufferably informative +Perry blandly asked him questions about the engine, such as, "What's the +difference, Joe, between a two-cycle and a four-cycle motor?" or "What +happens when the water-jacket becomes unbuttoned?" and was delighted to +find that Joe lapsed into silence until he had had time to +surreptitiously consult his book. + +Today, however, Joe's ignorance of motors mattered not at all, for the +engine ran sweetly and the _Adventurer_ churned through the green water +without a falter. More than once Joe might have been observed gazing +down at the six cylinder-heads surmounted by their maze of wires with an +expression of awe. Joe's thoughts probably might have been put into +words thus: "Yes, I see you doing it, but--but _why?_" + +Steve didn't go down to the cabin for dinner, but ate it as best he +could on the bridge. Neil, in his capacity of cabin-boy, arranged a +folding stool beside him, and from that, at intervals between moving the +wheel, blowing the whistle or anxiously scanning the course, Steve +seized his food. The others descended to the main cabin and squeezed +themselves about the table, which, adorned with a cloth of wonderful +sheen and whiteness that bore the cruiser's former name and flag woven +in the centre, held a plentiful supply of canned beans, fried bacon, +potato chips, bread and butter and raspberry jam. Everything was +thrillingly fine, from the pure linen tablecloth and napkins to the +silverware. The plates held the same design that was worked into the +napery, as did even the knives and forks and spoons. Ossie was +apologetic as to the menu, although he need not have been. + +"There wasn't time to do much cooking," he said, "and, besides, I +haven't got the hang of things yet. I never tried to do anything on an +alcohol stove before. It takes longer, seems to me. I couldn't get the +oven heated until about five minutes ago, and so if those potato-chips +aren't very warm--" + +"I'm warm enough, if they aren't," said Neil. "How do you open these +little round window things?" + +"Turn the thumb-screws," advised Han. "I think everything's bully, and +I'm as hungry as a bear. Pass the beans, Perry. Got any more tea out +there, cook?" + +"Yes, but I'm steward and not cook," replied Ossie, arising from his +camp-stool and stepping into the galley. "Hand over the bread plate, +someone, and I'll cut some more. Bet you it's going to cost us something +for grub, fellows!" + +"Well," responded Han, "I'd rather go broke that way than some others. +What kind of tea is this, Ossie?" + +"Ceylon. Doesn't it suit you?" + +"Oh, I can worry it down, thanks. Sugar, please, Phil. I generally drink +orange pekoe, though. You might lay in a few pounds of it at the next +stop." + +"I might," said Ossie, resuming his place at the end of the board, "and +then again I might not. And the probabilities are not. If you don't want +all the potatoes, Joe, you may shove them along this way." + +The repast was frequently interrupted by the shrill blast of the +whistle, and whenever that sounded most of the diners scrambled up to +peer interestedly through the ports. In fact, so loth were they to miss +anything that might be happening that they finished dinner in record +time, consuming dessert, which consisted of bananas and pears, outside. +Ossie alone remained below, and from the galley came the clatter of +dishes and a cheerful tune as the steward cleared away and washed up. +Joe smiled at Phil. + +"Ossie's having the time of his life now," he said, "but wait until the +novelty wears off. Then we'll hear some tall kicking about the +dishwashing, or I miss my guess." + +"We'll have to take turns helping him at that," said Steve. "If we don't +he's likely to mutiny. There's Coney over there, fellows." + +The others gathered on the port side to gaze across the water at the +crowded beach and the colourful maze of buildings. "It looks jolly, +doesn't it?" asked Han. "Couldn't we run in closer, Steve?" + +"We could, but it would take us out of our course. I'm heading for +Rockaway Point over there. We've got a good ways to go yet before we +reach Fire Island." Steve had the chart opened before him and he laid a +finger on the point mentioned. + +"Looks like it would be more fun to duck in there," said Neil, vaguely +indicating the neighbourhood of Hempstead Bay. + +"Maybe it would," answered the Captain, "but there are too many islands +and things to suit me. I'd rather stay outside here and slip in through +Fire Island Inlet. After I get used to running this hooker I'll take her +anywhere there's a heavy dew, but right now I'm all for the open sea, +Neil." + +Phil and Han, who had never before gazed on the marvels of Coney Island, +even from a distance, were listening to Joe's tales of the delights of +that entrancing resort and following his finger as he pointed out the +features he recognised. "There's the coaster where I bounced up and came +down on a nail," he chuckled. "It was a fine, able-bodied nail, too, and +I--um--had to stay on it all the rest of the trip because the car was so +crowded there wasn't room to shift." + +"Smell the peanuts, fellows," murmured Perry dreamily. "Gee, I wish I +had some!" + +Ossie appeared on deck ten minutes later and was very indignant because +he had not been informed that they were passing Coney. "I think some of +you lobsters might have sung out," he mourned. "I've never seen Coney +Island." + +"Well, have a look," laughed Han. "That's it back there." + +"Huh! Can't see anything at this distance," growled Ossie. "It's just a +smear of buildings. What's the place ahead there!" + +"Rockaway," answered Joe, "and that's Jamaica Bay in there. Say, there's +some sea on, isn't there?" + +In fact the _Adventurer_ was now doing a good deal of plunging as she +made her way through the long swells that swept around the sandy point. +And she wasn't satisfied with merely kicking her head and heels up, +either, for with the forward and aft motion there was considerable +rocking, and as the point came abreast a shower of spray deluged the +forward deck and spattered in on the bridge. At Steve's direction the +windows were closed, Han performing the task with many "Ay, ay, sirs!" +Joe looked anxious and presently sought the forward cabin, reappearing a +minute later to ask all and sundry if they knew where he had put his +supply of "anti-seasick stuff." No one could tell him and he again took +himself off, and before he could locate the medicine the _Adventurer_ +had passed the inlet and had settled down on an even keel again. Han and +Ossie spread themselves out on the forward cabin roof and the others +made themselves comfortable on the seats of the bridge deck, Phil +pointing out seriously and with evident satisfaction that the cushions +were not only cushions but life-preservers as well. Perry was for +borrowing Phil's fountain-pen and putting his name on one. + +There was no longer any talk of being too warm, for the breeze was +straight from the southeast and soon sent them, one after another, into +the cabins for their sweaters. They passed Rockaway Beach a good three +miles to port and by half-past one were off Point Lookout. Every instant +held interest, for many pleasure boats were out and their white sails +gleamed in the crisp sunlight. Three porpoise appeared off Short Beach +and proved very companionable, for they stayed with the _Adventurer_ for +quite ten minutes. One placed himself directly in front of the boat and +the others took up positions about six feet apart on the starboard bow, +and for two miles or more they maintained their stations, their dusky, +gleaming backs arching from the water with the regularity of clock-work. +Most of the boys had never seen the fish before and were much +interested. Joe called them "puffing pigs" and Perry insisted that they +were dolphins, and a fervid argument followed. They finally agreed, at +Phil's suggestion, to compromise and call them "porphins." Possibly the +discussion bored the subjects, or maybe they were insulted by the title +applied to them, for about the time Joe and Perry reached an agreement +the porpoise disappeared as suddenly as they had arrived on the scene +and it was minutes later before the puzzled mariners descried them +heading shoreward some distance away. + +They missed Ossie after that and when he was found he was stretched out +on a seat in the main cabin sound asleep and snoring. Neil came back +with the news that one of the "puffing pigs" had flopped aboard and was +asleep below. Steve took advantage of plain sailing to instruct Joe, +Phil and Perry in the handling of the wheel and controls, and each of +the pupils took his turn at guiding the cruiser along the sandy coast. +Fire Island Inlet was reached shortly before three and Steve took the +wheel again and ran the _Adventurer_ past Jack's Island, around the +curve of Short Beach and into the waters of the Great South Bay. There +was still a six-mile run to their anchorage, however, and it was nearly +four when the cruiser at last crept in among the clustered craft off Bay +Shore and dropped her anchor. A hundred yards away a cluster of boys on +the deck of a sturdy cabin-cruiser swung their caps and sent a hail +across. Steve seized the megaphone from its rack and answered. + +"_Follow Me_, ahoy!" he shouted. + +"Ahoy yourself!" was the ribald reply. "We're coming over!" + +The crew of the _Follow Me_ tumbled into a tiny dingey, cast off and +were lost to sight beyond the intervening craft. Then they reappeared, +their small boat so deep that the water almost spilled over the sides, +Wink Wheeler struggling with a pair of ludicrously short oars and the +other five laughingly urging him on. + +"Throw a couple of fenders over, Han," instructed Steve, "and stand by +with your boat-hook." + +The _Follow Me's_ tender crept alongside amidst noisy greetings, Perry +performing excruciatingly on the whistle until pulled away, and in +another moment the visitors were aboard. They were a nice-looking, +upstanding lot, already well sunburned by a week afloat. Wink Wheeler +was the oldest of the six, for he was eighteen. Harry Corwin, Bert Alley +and Caspar Temple were seventeen and George Browne, or "Brownie," as he +was called, and Tom Corwin were sixteen. First of all they had to see +the boat and so the whole gathering trooped from one end to the other, +exclaiming and admiring. + +"The _Follow Me_'s a regular tub compared with this palace," said Harry +Corwin. "Why, there isn't anything finer than this along the South +Shore, I guess!" + +"Don't you call our boat names," protested "Brownie." "The _Follow Me_ +may not be as nifty as this, but she's one fine little boat, just the +same. How long did it take you to come from New York, Joe?" + +"Nearly four hours and a half, but we ran slow. I guess we could have +done it in three hours easily if we'd tried to. This boat can do twenty +at a pinch. How fast is the _Follow Me?_" + +"She's done eighteen," answered Harry Corwin, "but fourteen's her +average gait. She burns up gas like the dickens when she does any more. +Yesterday we went to Freeport in fifty-seven minutes, and that's a good +seventeen and a half miles. She had to hump herself, though." + +After the wonders of the _Adventurer_ had been exhausted the boys +gathered on the bridge deck and Steve laid a chart on the floor and they +discussed their plans. It had already been decided that they should +cruise northward as far as Maine. As there was no hurry in getting +there, they were to take things easy, stopping at such points as +promised interest and putting into harbour at night. As it was already +after four o'clock, they finally concluded to stay where they were until +morning, although the _Follow Me_ crowd were eager to be away. "Our +first harbour would be Ponquogue," said Steve, "and that's a good +forty-six or-seven mile run. Personally, I don't care much about messing +around outside after dark. This is all new water to me. If we start in +the morning we'll have plenty of time to run as far as Shelter Island, +if we want to." + +This was agreed to, although Perry protested that as the charts showed a +life-saving station every five miles or so all down the shore it was a +shame not to take a chance. "I've always wanted to be taken off a +sinking ship in a breeches-buoy," he said. + +"Would you mind being wrecked in the daytime?" asked Neil. "I'd love to +see you in a breeches-buoy, Perry, and I couldn't if it was dark." + +"Let's all go up to the hotel for dinner," suggested Wink Wheeler. "They +have dandy feeds there, and maybe we can scare up some fun. Any of you +fellows like to bowl?" + +"First of all," said Han, "we want to see your boat, fellows. Let's go +over now. I'm ready for hotel grub if the rest of you are. Can we all +go, Steve, or does someone have to stay behind and look after the +boat?" + +"That's the crew's duty," said Phil gravely. "We'll bring you back a +sandwich, Han." + +"Yes, a Han-sandwich," added Perry. + +When he had been toppled backward down the after cabin steps Harry +Corwin said that they'd been in the habit of leaving the _Follow Me_ +unguarded for hours at a time and that so far no one had molested her, +and Steve decided that it would be safe enough if they locked the +cabins. So presently the _Adventurer's_ tender was lifted off the chocks +and put overboard and after hasty toilets the boys piled into it and the +two dingeys, each loaded to the limit, set off for the _Follow Me_. The +latter was a thirty-four foot craft, with a hunting cabin that reached +almost to the stern, leaving a cockpit scarcely large enough to swing a +cat in; although, as Perry remarked, it wasn't likely anyone would want +to swing a cat there. The cabin was surprisingly roomy and held four +berths, while a fifth bunk was placed forward of the tiny galley. The +latter was intended for the crew but at present it was the quarters of +"Brownie." The sixth member of the ship's company occupied at night a +mattress placed on the floor and philosophically explained that +sleeping there had the advantage of security; there was no chance to +roll out of bed in rough weather. The engine compartment lay between +cabin and cockpit and held a six-cylinder engine. Steering was done from +the cockpit, under shelter of an awning, but the engine control was +below. The _Follow Me_ was four years old and had seen much service, but +she had been newly painted, varnished and overhauled and looked like a +thoroughly comfortable and seaworthy boat. She was copper painted below +the water-line and black above, with a gilt line and her name in gilt on +bows and stern. Compared to the _Adventurer_ she was a modest enough +craft, but her six mariners asked nothing better and secretly believed +that in rough weather she would put the bigger boat to shame. Captain +Corwin levied on the slender supply of ginger-ale and sarsaparilla +contained in the tiny ice-chest and after that they again set forth, +this time for the nearest landing. + +They "did" the town exhaustively and at six-thirty descended on the +hotel thirteen strong and demanded to be placed together at one table. +It is doubtful if the hotel management made much money on the thirteen +dinners served to the boys, for everyone of them ate as though he hadn't +seen food for days. Somewhere around eight or half-past they dragged +themselves back to the boats and paddled out to the _Adventurer_, where, +since the evening was decidedly chilly, they thronged the after cabin +and flowed out into the cockpit. Perry started up his talking machine +and played his dozen records over a number of times, and everyone talked +at once--except some who sang--and, in the words of the country +newspapers, "a pleasant time was had by all." And at ten the _Follow +Me's_ crew got back into their dingey and went off into the darkness of +a starlight night, rather noisy still in a sleepy way, and, presumably, +reached their destination. At least, no more was heard of them that +night. On the _Adventurer_ berths were pulled out or let down and a +quarter of an hour after the departure of the visitors not a sound was +to be heard save the lapping of the water against the hull and the +peaceful breathing of seven healthily tired boys. + + + + +CHAPTER V + +SUNDAY ASHORE + + +Before the sun had much more than climbed to a position where it could +peer over the low yellow ridge of Fire Island and see what the Adventure +Club was up to, the two cruisers were chug-chugging out of the harbour +with all flags flying. First went the _Adventurer_, as flag-ship of the +fleet, to use Neil's metaphor, and, a little way behind came the _Follow +Me_, her black hull and battleship-grey deck reminding the occupants of +the other boat of one of the "puffing pigs" of yesterday. The bay was +almost as smooth as the proverbial mill-pond this morning, and the +slanting shafts of sunlight cast strange and beautiful shades of gold +and copper on the tiny wavelets. It was still cool, and in the shadow of +the bridge deck one felt a bit shivery. But the sun promised a warm day. +The crew was polishing bright-work rather awkwardly but most +industriously and with a fine willingness, explaining that if he +polished brass some other poor Indian would have to swab decks, a remark +which inspired Neil to state with much emphasis that cleaning decks was +not, at all events, within the province of the ship's boy, and that, +anyway, he had helped with the dishes and that right now he was going to +lie in the sun on the galley roof and that if anyone disturbed him +there'd be trouble. + +Joe had been having a fine time with his engine. He was getting on terms +of real familiarity with it now, having lost some of the awe with which +he had regarded it yesterday. Today he called it "She" almost +patronisingly and even dared lay his hand on the cylinders with a +knowing cock of his head. Perry, looking on, asked sarcastically if he +was feeling the engine's pulse, and Joe haughtily replied that he wanted +to make sure the cylinders weren't overheating. Ossie, emerging from the +cabin, wiping his hands on his khaki trousers after wringing out his +dish cloths, gave it as his opinion that if there was any overeating +done it would not be done by the engine, accompanying the statement with +a meaning glance at Perry. + +About this time the _Follow Me_ left her position astern and began to +creep alongside. Steve supposed she wanted to send a message across and +told the others on the deck to keep still a minute. But the _Follow Me_ +kept on her way, the fellows sprawling around her deck and cockpit +looking across the few fathoms of water in silence. + +"Well, what do you know about that?" gasped Neil. "She's trying to pass +us!" + +Steve grunted, smiled and advanced his throttle. The click-click from +under the engine hatches became hurried and louder. Joe wrinkled his +forehead anxiously. The _Adventurer_ stopped going astern of the other +boat and for a little distance they hung bow to bow. They saw Harry +Corwin, at the wheel of the _Follow Me_, lower his head to speak to his +brother in the engine room. The _Follow Me_ began to forge ahead again, +slowly but certainly. + +"Give her more gas, Steve," begged Perry. "We can't have a little old +'puffing pig' of a boat like that walking away from us. Look at those +idiots grin!" + +"And watch them change their faces," laughed Steve as he drew the +throttle forward another two or three notches. Under the hatches the +engine uttered a new note and a quick jarring became felt. Joe's anxiety +increased to uneasiness. + +"Say, Steve, do you think--is it all right--I mean--" + +"She's only doing about seventeen," replied Steve calmly. "The throttle +isn't nearly open yet. But I guess that's enough," he added as he +glanced across the water. Perry, leaning across the gunwale, beckoned +insultingly. + +"Come on!" he called. "What are you stopping there for?" + +The _Follow Me_ replied to the taunt, but what the reply was they didn't +know on the _Adventurer_, for the latter was ahead now by its full +length and gaining perceptibly every moment. Tom Corwin's head appeared +over the cabin roof, he took a look at the rival craft and popped from +sight again. The _Follow Me_ stopped going back and hung with her nose +abreast the _Adventurer's_ stern. Phil, who had been writing a letter in +the cabin, emerged and joined the group outside. + +"How fast is she going, Steve?" he asked. + +"About seventeen, I think. Still, Harry said the _Follow Me's_ best was +eighteen, and she isn't losing any, and so we may be doing eighteen, +too. Guess we might as well settle the matter right now, though." + +With which he pulled the throttle to the limit, and the white cruiser, +quivering from stem to stern, forged ahead. "We're doing a good twenty +miles an hour now," shouted Steve above the hum of the motor, "and she +won't go any faster unless we get out and push!" + +But twenty miles was fast enough to distance the _Follow Me_, although +that boat held on gamely all the way across the bay and only slowed down +when, a good quarter of a mile behind the _Adventurer_, she was abreast +Pelican Bar. The _Adventurer_ dropped her gait to twelve and presently +the black cruiser, having negotiated the inlet in the wake of the other +craft, drew within hailing distance and Harry Corwin called across +through the megaphone. + +"Some boat, Steve!" he shouted. "We're satisfied!" + +Steve waved back and the two cruisers settled down to their forty-mile +run along the shore, the _Follow Me_ gliding smoothly along abaft the +_Adventurer's_ starboard beam. They sighted few other craft this +morning, and, as there was a deal of sameness in the coast, the fellows +settled down to various occupations. Steve conducted a second class in +navigation, with Perry and Han as pupils, and Perry was allowed to take +the wheel all the way from Smith's Point to a position off the Moriches +Life-Saving Station. Phil went on with his letters, Ossie performed +mysterious rites in the galley, with Han looking on interestedly from +atop the dish-board, and Neil, exhausted by his labours as crew, +reclined on the seat in the cockpit and stared sleepily at a blue and +unclouded sky. Joe hunched himself on a seat on the bridge deck and +studied his book on motor boating, becoming, if truth were told, more +and more mystified as to the working of that remarkable affair that was +click-clicking away under his feet. + +The _Adventurer_ reached the inlet to Shinnecock Bay a few minutes past +ten and, closely followed by her companion boat, put through and turned +her nose past Ponquogue Point. As Comorant Point drew near the shores of +the bay closed in and the cruiser turned to port and, signalling her way +past various craft, finally came to a pause outside the canal entrance. +When the _Follow Me_ floated alongside Wink Wheeler called across. + +"What do you say to going ashore, fellows?" he asked. "It looks like a +jolly sort of place. We've got plenty of time, haven't we?" + +"All the time in the world and nothing to do," replied Steve cheerfully. +"We'll make that landing over there and you can come alongside us, +Harry." + +Ten minutes later they were stretching their legs ashore. Canoe Place +held plenty to interest them. The view was magnificent, for on one side +of them lay Shinnecock Bay, across whose still, pond-like waters they +had just sailed, and on the other stretched the blue expanse of Great +Peconic Bay, sun-bathed, aglint with rippling waves and dotted with +white sails. A small boy with one suspender performing the duty of two +and a straw hat minus about everything except the brim offered to guide +them and his proposition was quickly accepted and a bright new quarter +changed hands. The quaint old Inn was visited and their informant +gravely pointed to two sentinel willow trees and told them that "them +trees was planted by Napoleon a couple o' hunerd years ago. He got 'em +some place called Saint Helen. They had him in prison there for +somethin'." The boys viewed the willows doubtfully, but, as Phil said, +it was more fun to believe the extraordinary tale and they tried hard to +do so. Steve attempted to secure more historical information from the +small boy, but the latter appeared to have exhausted his fund. After +that they viewed several Summer estates from respectful distances and, +finding that their guide had nothing further of real interest for them, +went back to the landing and re-embarked. + +A quarter-mile or so of artificial canal took them through the narrow +neck of land between the two bays and let them out in a cove beyond +whose mouth the waters of Great Peconic stretched, apparently +illimitable. The course was set northeast by east and they began the +trip to Shelter Island. About half an hour later Joe discovered that the +_Follow Me_ was far behind and it was soon evident that she had stopped. +After a moment Steve decided to turn back and see what was wrong, and +when the _Adventurer_ rounded the smaller boat's stern they learned that +the _Follow Me_ was having engine trouble. For a few minutes the +_Adventurer_ hovered by, and then, as there was a fair breeze blowing +now and Joe and Neil were showing interest in the sea-sickness remedy, +Steve suggested a tow and Harry Corwin, after some hesitation, pocketed +his pride and agreed. A little before one o'clock the two boats slipped +into North Sea Harbour and dropped anchors. While the _Follow Me_ +doctored her engine the _Adventurer_ sat down to a delayed dinner. Ossie +gloomily predicted that everything would be spoiled, but if it was, no +one save Ossie apparently knew it. There was broiled bluefish and boiled +potatoes and spinach and sliced cucumbers that day, followed by a +marvellous concoction which the steward called a prune pudding. Perry +said he didn't care what it was called so long as it came, and, please +he'd like some more! No cook can withstand such a compliment as that, +and Ossie cast off his gloom. They all declared that that dinner was +just about the best they had ever eaten, and they meant it, and Ossie +swelled visibly with pride and almost declined Han's half-hearted offer +to help wash dishes! + +When the rest went back to the deck and saw the fellows on the _Follow +Me_ eating sandwiches and other items of a cold repast on deck they felt +rather apologetic, and Joe and Steve slung the tender over and paddled +across to lend what assistance they might. But they found Tom Corwin, +very dirty and hot and somewhat peevish, reassembling the engine with +the help of "Brownie," and learned that the trouble had been discovered +and that the boat would go just as soon as they could get her together +again, which, from present indications, would be some time the day after +tomorrow! Harry Corwin told Steve he had better go ahead, that there was +no use in the _Adventurer_ lying around and waiting, but Steve replied +that there was no hurry and that they'd stand by. The atmosphere on the +_Follow Me_ was not very cheerful and the visitors went back to their +own craft after a decent lapse of time. About three the fellows donned +swimming tights and went in from the boat and had a fine time in the +water, and by the time they had had enough of that there came a +heartening _chug-chug-chug_ from the _Follow Me's_ exhaust and Wink +announced that they were ready to go on. + +As a result of the delay, it was almost six when they reached Shelter +Island and steered the cruiser to an anchorage. They had supper ashore +at seven, having dressed themselves in shore-going attire, but it was +noticeable that it was the _Follow Me's_ company who made the most of +the meal. Neil met up with an acquaintance on the hotel porch after +supper--they chose to call it supper although it was really a +full-course dinner--and that meeting led to introductions and the boys +"did the society act," to use Perry's disgusted phrase, for the rest of +the evening. As it was a Saturday night there was a dance going on, and +Steve and Joe and Han, of the _Adventurer's_ crowd, and several of the +other boat's company, took part. They didn't get back to the boats until +almost midnight, and Perry fell asleep in the dingey, on the second +trip, and had to be practically hoisted aboard. He muttered protestingly +until he had been dumped in his berth and then promptly went to sleep as +he was. + +They spent the next day at Shelter Island, not because anyone +considered it wrong to cruise on Sunday, but because Steve and Joe and +Han had discovered attractions at the hotel. Perry demanded that the +question of staying be put to a vote and the rest agreed, but the result +wasn't what Perry had hoped for because Neil basely cast his ballot with +Steve and Joe and Han. The four went off soon after breakfast, having +spent much time and effort on their various attires, and weren't seen +again until late afternoon. At least, they weren't seen again aboard the +cruiser until that time, although Perry, Phil and Ossie, following them +ashore after dinner, were scandalised to see them strolling around quite +brazenly in the company of an equal number of young ladies. + +"Girls!" snorted Perry scornfully. "Why, the big chumps, they look as if +they liked it! Gee, it's enough to sicken a fellow!" + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +IN THE FOG + + +"We've been going two whole days now," declared Perry, "and we haven't +even glimpsed an adventure." It was Tuesday morning and the two cruisers +were lying side by side in New Bedford harbour. A light drizzle was +falling and even under the awning of the bridge deck everything was +coated with a film of moisture. The _Adventurer_ and the _Follow Me_ had +done just short of a hundred miles yesterday, reaching the present port +at nightfall. They had averaged fifteen miles an hour and neither engine +had missed an explosion all day long. Joe had been rather stuck-up over +the way his engine had performed and had been inclined to take a good +share of the credit to himself. Perry, however, had declared that the +only reason the thing had run was because Joe had left it alone. + +"It's lucky for us you're afraid to touch it," said Perry. "If you +weren't we'd have been wallowing around somewhere between here and +Africa two days ago!" + +It had been too late to go ashore for sight-seeing last evening, and +they had put it off until morning. And now it was drizzling in a steady, +whole-hearted way that promised to make sight-seeing a miserable +business. Some of the crew of the _Follow Me_ had come aboard to discuss +plans and the question was whether to remain in harbour and await better +weather or to set out again and run as far as Martha's Vineyard. Perry +was all for action, and he had the support of numerous others, but Steve +pointed out that running the cruiser in such weather in strange waters +was not over pleasant. "It's all well enough for the rest of you, for +all you have to do is lie around and read, but it's another thing to +stand up there at the wheel and keep from running into the landscape!" + +"Give her to me," advised Perry. "I'll get her to Edgartown or wherever +you want to go, right-side-up with care." + +"If you take the wheel," said Han, "I get out and walk every foot of the +way." + +"Better put your rubbers on," suggested Wink Wheeler. + +"You fellows make me very tired," continued Perry severely. "You call +yourselves the Adventure Club and start out to see some sport, and then +the first time there's a heavy mist you want to stick around an old +harbour for fear you'll get damp! We've been going two whole days now, +and we haven't even glimpsed an adventure!" + +"An adventure is one thing," said Ossie, "and getting drowned is +something else again. Tell you what, Perry; if you are so keen for sport +why don't you slip into the tender and run over to Vineyard Haven +yourself? We'll follow along tomorrow, or maybe this afternoon." + +"I want to see this town," said Joe. "There's lots to look at in here. +Whaling ships and a museum and--and lots of romantic things." + +"The whaling ships are all gone now," said Perry disdainfully. "They've +chopped them all up and sold them by the cord for fire wood. I know, for +we bought a lot of it once. It cost dad about ten dollars for express +and didn't burn any different from any other wood. My grandmother--" + +Steve groaned. "For the love of lemons, Perry, don't resurrect your +grandmother. Let the poor old lady lie." + +"She isn't dead," denied Perry indignantly. "She's ninety-one and a heap +smarter than you are." + +"Perry," charged Joe severely, "I distinctly remember you telling us +that your grandmother died of sea-sickness." + +"I didn't. I told you she ate lemons and--" + +"Died of acid stomach? Oh, all right. I knew she was dead." + +"Oh, dry up! She ate lemons to keep from being sea-sick, you idiot. And +if you ate them you wouldn't have to lug around a lot of silly medicine +that doesn't amount to a row of pins. And if--" + +"All very interesting," interrupted Phil mildly, "but it isn't deciding +whether we're to stay here or go on. Personally, I think that that +should be up to the captain. If he isn't to decide whether the weather +is right or wrong, who is?" + +"That's so," agreed several. "Steve's the captain. What you say goes, +Steve." + +"Very well. Then we'll stay here until it stops misting, or, at any +rate, until tomorrow. If it's still nasty then and you fellows want to +go on, I'll go. Now let's go ashore and see what's doing." + +"O Harry!" called Wink. "We're going to stay until tomorrow. Come +ashore." + +In spite of the drizzle they found a good deal to interest them in New +Bedford, and Joe actually did find a whaler, although it was no longer +in commission. At noon, Ossie, having made many purchases in the town, +served a dinner that made the world look a lot brighter. Afterwards the +crews of the two boats exchanged calls, read, dozed, played the +graphophone and didn't much care whether it drizzled or not. Toward the +end of the day the sun peered forth experimentally and there followed +another expedition ashore. But the sun soon gave up its attempt to do +any business that day and the drizzle set in harder than ever. In the +evening the entire club attended a moving picture show and thus disposed +of several hours that might otherwise have proved difficult to get +through. A motor-boat, no matter how large or luxurious, is not the most +interesting place to live on in wet weather. + +The next morning the mist had ceased, but the sun was hidden behind dark +clouds and the world was still rather dreary. But plenty of hot coffee, +some of Ossie's baking powder biscuits and the almost invariable fried +bacon cheered them remarkably, and at a little past eight the order was +given to weigh anchor and the two cruisers, the _Adventurer_ showing the +way, set forth across Buzzard's Bay for Edgartown. + +It was a sixteen-mile run to the channel between Nonamesset Island and +the mainland, and Steve followed the steamboat course closely. The +chart showed many rocks and ledges in the first six miles, but neither +of the cruisers drew enough to make it necessary for their skippers to +worry. There was rough water, however, and Joe was seen to look +anxiously toward the after cabin. A flukey breeze came out of the +southeast and made sweaters comfortable. The shore of Naushon Island was +grey and indistinct when the _Adventurer_ straightened out for the run +across the bay. Behind her the _Follow Me_ plunged gallantly, doing her +fourteen miles without a murmur. As they neared Penzance the sea +moderated and they swung into the channel on an almost even keel. Good +harbours beckoned, and the plan of lying by until after dinner was +discussed and finally abandoned. Edgartown was only another hour's sail +and it would be better to keep on and lie in there for dinner. But when +the _Adventurer_ had passed into Vineyard Sound Steve began to wish he +had waited. A bank of grey mist hid the island toward which they were +headed and he feared they would find themselves in it before they could +reach the nearest harbour, which was Vineyard Haven. But since the +_Adventurer_ had already left Wood's Holl two miles behind and Vineyard +Haven Harbour was only some four miles further it seemed silly to turn +back. There was always the chance that the fog would blow off, besides. +Nevertheless Steve frowned dubiously through the moist pane ahead and, +without saying anything of his fears to the rest, drew the throttle a +few notches down and kept the _Adventurer_ close to her course. Behind, +the _Follow Me_ speeded up as well and the two boats hurried for where, +out of sight in the grey void ahead, West Chop pointed a blunt nose to +sea. + +But it was a losing race, for ten minutes later Steve saw that the fog +bank was rolling down upon them and from somewhere to the eastward came +the dismal hoot of a steamer feeling her way along. Joe, too, saw what +they were in for and turned anxiously to Steve. "That's fog, isn't it?" +he asked. + +Steve nodded. "Get the fog-horn ready, will you? We don't want anyone +bumping into us. I'm going to slow down to six miles. There's too much +water here to drop anchor in." He eyed the advancing fog distastefully +and then shrugged his shoulders. "You've got to learn some time, I +suppose, Joe, and here's where I learn to make harbour by the compass. +Now we're in it!" + +At that instant the grey mist enveloped them silently, chillingly. Joe +drew a long wail from the fog-horn and in response a similar but +higher-keyed wail came through the fog from the _Follow Me_. And at the +same moment the other members of the ship's company stuck inquiring +heads through the companion ways. + +"Hello," exclaimed Perry. "Fog! Gee, that's exciting! Say, you can't see +a thing, can you? Look, fellows, the boat hasn't any bow!" + +"Nor any stern," added Han. "You can almost taste the stuff. Say, Steve, +isn't it hard to steer in a fog?" + +"Not a bit," answered Steve cheerfully. "Steering's perfectly easy. The +only trouble is to steer right." + +"To-o-ot!" said the fog-horn and was answered from astern. Then +somewhere to the south-eastward a siren sent a wailing cry, subdued by +distance. The fog settled on everything and shone on the boys' sweaters +in little beads of moisture. The _Adventurer_ seemed to be standing +still, for, with nothing to judge by, progress was made known only by +the slow lazy throb of the engine. Even the water alongside was scarcely +discernible. Joe pulled the lever of the fog-horn again, and this time, +beside the response from the _Follow Me_, an answering bellow came +across the water. + +"A steamer," muttered Steve, peering uselessly into the grey void. +"She's a good ways off, though. Give her another pull, Joe." + +Again the _Adventurer_ proclaimed her position but there was no answer +from the steamer. "She doesn't seem very talkative," said Phil. "How +fast are we going, Steve?" + +"Six." + +"And how far is Edgartown?" + +"About twelve, but we're not going there. I'm trying to make Vineyard +Haven. It's only about two miles." He glanced puzzledly at the compass +and moved the wheel a fraction. "There's a jetty comes out there and I +guess we'd better give it a good wide berth." Collars were pulled up to +keep the moisture from creeping down necks, and Perry begged to be +allowed to manipulate the fog-horn. He went at it whole-souledly and +Steve had to curb his enthusiasm. "Once a minute will do, Perry," he +said. "You sound like a locomotive scaring a cow off the track." + +"How do you know there isn't a cow ahead?" demanded Perry. "Or a whale? +Gee, wouldn't it be a surprise if we bust right into a whale? Who would +get the worst of it, Steve?" + +"I guess we would. Shut up a minute, fellows, please!" + +Silence held the bridge deck, silence save for the subdued purr of the +engine under their feet and the drip, drip of the drops from the awning +edge. Steve peered anxiously ahead, his senses alert. At last: + +"Hear anything?" he asked. + +They all said no. + +"I guess I was mistaken then," Steve explained, "but I could have sworn +I heard surf." He leaned over the chart. "This doesn't show anything, +though, nearer than the land. Toot your horn, Perry." + +Perry obeyed. At long intervals the unseen, distant steamer bellowed her +warning and more frequently the _Follow Me_ groaned dismally on a hand +horn. It was ten minutes later, perhaps, when Steve suddenly swung +around and looked back past the bow of the dingey on the after cabin +roof. + +"That's funny!" he exclaimed. "The _Follow Me_ sounded away over there!" +He looked anxiously at the compass, hesitated and shook his head. "If I +didn't know this thing was all right, fellows, I'd say it was crazy. Or +if there was a strong current here--" His voice dwindled away to a +murmur as he studied the chart again. Just then the _Follow Me's_ +fog-horn sounded and it was undeniably further away and well over to +port. "Either he's off his course or I am," muttered Steve. "And I +simply don't see how I can be. Give them a long one, Perry!" + +Perry sent a frantic wail across the water and they listened intently. +But no reply came from the _Follow Me_. Instead, from somewhere off +their port bow travelled the steamer's bellow. That, too, seemed +considerably further away. Then the distant siren sounded, and after +that there was silence again. But the silence lasted only a moment, for +before anyone could hazard a conjecture as to the _Follow Me's_ erratic +behaviour, Phil's voice arose warningly. + +"Listen, Steve!" he cried. "Isn't that surf I hear?" + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +STEVE TAKES HER IN + + +Steve's hand flew to the clutch as the rest joined Phil at the side of +the boat, and, in the grey silence that ensued, strained their ears. + +"You're right," said Neil, after an instant. "There's surf there, or I'm +a Dutchman. And it isn't far away." + +Steve, who had handed the wheel to Joe, nodded. "It's surf, all right," +he agreed, "but it hasn't any business there. What are you going to do +when you can't depend on the chart? Well, the only thing for us to try +is another direction." He swung the wheel well to port and slid the +clutch in gently and, with the engine throttled down, the _Adventurer_ +nosed forward once more. "Phil, beat it out to the bow and keep your +ears open, will you? Watch that deck, though; it's slippery." An anxious +silence held for several minutes. Then Phil's voice came from the +fog-hidden bow: + +"Surf dead ahead, Steve!" he called. + +"Can you see anything?" shouted Steve as he again disengaged. + +"No, but I can hear the waves breaking." + +They all could now that the propeller had stopped churning. Steve gazed +dazedly from fog to compass and from compass to chart, and finally shook +his head helplessly. + +"It's too much for me, fellows," he said. "I'm going back as straight as +I know how, or--" He stopped. "Hang it, there can't be land on _all_ +sides!" He pulled the bow still further to port and again started. "Keep +your ears open, Phil," he called. "I'll run her as slow as she'll go. If +you hear the surf plainer, shout." + +The _Adventurer_ went on again. After a moment Han, leaning outboard +over the deck rail, said: "It's not so loud, Steve. I think we're going +away from it slowly." + +"Or else running parallel," suggested Perry. "Anyhow, it isn't any +nearer." + +Another minute or two passed, with all hands listening intently. Then +Phil sounded another warning. "Hold up, Steve! I may be crazy, but I'll +swear there's surf dead ahead again!" + +Steve motioned to Joe and, yielding the wheel after throwing out the +clutch again, swung around a stanchion and crept cautiously along the +roof of the main cabin and galley until he reached Phil's side. Then, +dropping to his knees and steadying himself by the flag-pole, he +listened. Quite plainly and, as it seemed, from alarmingly nearby, came +the gentle _swish-swash_ of tiny waves breaking on a beach. In the fog +it was difficult to tell whether the sound came from directly ahead or +from starboard. At all events, when Steve turned his head to port the +sound was certainly at his right or behind him. + +"I'll try it again," he said. "You stay here, Phil." He climbed back to +the bridge deck. "Perry, are you working that fog-horn?" he demanded. +"If you aren't, get busy with it!" Once more the cruiser picked up and +stole forward, her nose slowly swinging around to port. Steve had given +up watching the compass now. All he wanted to do was find clear water. +The _swish_ of surf died away by degrees as the _Adventurer_ edged +cautiously along and, after five minutes, Steve gave a sigh of relief. +"I guess we're all right now," he muttered to Joe, "but I'm going to +keep her just moving. We might anchor, I suppose, but it's dollars to +doughnuts we'd have to spend the night here; wherever here is," he +added, scowling resentfully at the chart. "Look here, Joe." He reached +forward and laid a finger on the map. "Here's where we were, or where +we ought to have been, when we heard the surf first. According to this +we were a good mile from the shore and the only shoal is that one and +it's marked six feet at mean low water. There's a black-and-red spar +buoy there, as you see, but we haven't sighted it. Now, what I want to +know is how the dickens we could have got a mile off our course to +starboard. Also, if we are off our course, where are we? Unless we've +slipped over the beach and got into that pond down there--" + +"_Steve! Back up! We're running on the rocks!_" + +It was the frenzied voice of Phil in the bow. Steve thrust Joe aside and +seizing the clutch put it quickly into neutral. + +"Bring the boat-hook here!" shouted Phil. "Reverse, Steve! Hard!" + +But Steve had already slammed the clutch into reverse and pulled down +the throttle. A mighty thrashing and foaming sounded astern and the +_Adventurer_ trembled, hesitated and began to churn her way backward. +Perry, boat-hook in hand, was sliding and stumbling along the wet deck. +He reached the bow just in time to see the menacing face of a high stone +jetty disappear again into the mist. Phil, clinging to the flag-pole, +was sprawled on the deck with his legs stretched out to fend the boat +off. + +"Just in time!" he muttered, pulling himself back to safety. "Did you +see it, Perry!" + +"Did I see it? I almost fell overboard! That's enough, Steve!" + +The _Adventurer_ stopped going astern and Steve called anxiously from +the wheel. "What was it, Phil?" he questioned. + +"A breakwater about ten feet high! We almost hit it!" + +"A breakwater!" Steve turned swiftly to the chart. "Then I know where we +are at last! Look here, Joe!" He pointed. "We're cornered in here, see? +Here's the shore on that side and the jetty dead ahead of us. How we got +here I don't know, but here we are. If we can find the end of the jetty +we're all right. Keep that horn going, Perry!" + +"Why not drop an anchor where we are?" asked Joe. + +"We could do that, of course, but here's the harbour right around the +end of the jetty. Seems to me we might as well get in there, Joe." + +"All right," agreed the other doubtfully, "but this feeling around in +the dark is making me nervous. First thing we know we'll--um--we'll be +running into the First National Bank or the Congregational Church or +something! Still, if you think we can find our way, all right. I'm +game." + +Steve eyed the compass thoughtfully and in silence for a moment. Then: +"You still there, Phil?" he called. + +"Yes." + +"Keep your eyes and ears open. I'm going to try to run along the side of +the jetty and find the harbour. If you see a red spar buoy, sing out. +Sing out if you see anything at all. Everyone keep a watch. We're going +to eat dinner in the harbour or know why!" + +The cruiser moved slowly on once more, her nose turning sharply. Then +she paused, went back and again moved forward, Steve turning the wheel +slowly with his eyes on the compass. "Now watch on the starboard side, +Phil!" he called. + +"Which is that? My right?" + +"Yes, you land-lubber! Hear anything?" + +"N-no! I didn't _hear_ anything before until we were almost on the +breakwater. Sometimes I think I can hear--" + +Phil's voice died away to silence. + +"Hear what?" asked Steve. + +"Well, water sort of lapping. It may be against our boat, though." + +"Neil, you go forward, too, will you?" said Steve. Neil joined Phil and +for some minutes the _Adventurer_ stole quietly along through the grey +void with little sound save the slow working of the engine below deck +and the lazy thud of the propeller. It was so quiet that when Perry +suddenly worked the fog-horn Han almost fell over the wet rail on which +he was sitting. It was Ossie who broke the silence finally. + +"Well, I guess we've got to eat, whether we run ashore or stay afloat. +I'm going to put some potatoes on." + +"All right," replied Steve quietly. "But if you feel a bump, put out +your alcohol flame the first thing you do, Ossie." + +"Sure, but you can bet I won't wait down there to see whether the +potatoes are done!" + +"How about it, you chaps?" asked Steve presently. + +"Don't hear a thing," answered Phil. + +"All right. I'm going to bring her around now. Yell the minute you see +anything. You needn't worry. She's only crawling and I'll have her going +astern before you can shout twice." + +Very slowly Steve moved the wheel to starboard. In the stillness they +could hear the gear creak under the deck. No warning came from the two +lookouts and, after a moment, Steve again turned gingerly. For all the +watchers could tell, the _Adventurer_ never altered her course, but +Steve, his gaze on the compass card, knew that she was headed now +straight east. Now and then he peered questioningly forward, but his +gaze was defeated by the fog. At intervals Perry sent a groaning wail +from the fog-horn. Presently Steve heard the boys talking on the bow and +in a moment Neil's voice hailed him: + +"Surf off to starboard, Steve! Not very near, though." + +The others listened, but there was just enough noise from the engine to +drown the sound heard by the lookouts. + +"Tell me if it gets louder," called Steve. "Still hear it?" + +"Not so well," answered Phil. "I think we're going away from it." + +"Waves against the end of the jetty," explained Steve. "I think we're +all right now." He moved the wheel over slowly, spoke by spoke. "Keep +your horn going, Perry. We're entering the harbour. Watch for buoys, +fellows. Take it on this side, Joe." + +Followed a dubious five minutes during which the only sounds that +reached them from outside the boat were distant fog signals and, once, +the unmistakable moo of a cow! + +"Gee," murmured Perry, "that's the best thing I've heard all day! That +means we really are in the harbour, doesn't it?" + +"Might be a sea-cow," suggested Ossie, from the companion. + +"Ready with the bow anchor!" called Steve. + +Han scuttled forward into the mist. "All right, sir!" he announced in +his best nautical manner. + +Steve disengaged the clutch. There was a moment of silence aboard the +_Adventurer_. Then: "Over with it, Han," directed Steve. There was a +splash, followed by the rasping of the cable through the chock and then +a cheerful whistle from the crew as he made fast. "About eighteen feet, +Steve, I should say," he called. + +"Sixteen," corrected the Captain gravely. Joe smiled. + +"Mean it?" he asked. + +Steve nodded and put a finger on the chart. "We're right here," he said. +Then he covered the compass and drew down the lid of the chart box and +stretched his arms luxuriously. "That's over with," he added, "and I'm +glad of it! How about dinner, Ossie?" + +"On the fire, Cap! Ready in five minutes." + +"Then I'm going to get into a dry shirt. I'm soaked through. Some of you +chaps pull the side curtains down on the port side. We might as well +keep as dry as we can." + +"Looks to me as if the fog was rolling in from the starboard, though," +said Han. + +"Yes, it's coming from the southeast, but we'll swing around in a few +minutes because the tide's coming in. Wonder where the _Follow Me_ is." + +"Harry would probably make for harbour, too, wouldn't he?" asked Joe, +following the other down to the cabin. "I wouldn't be surprised if we +found them here when the fog clears." + +A yacht, hidden somewhere in the fog ahead, sounded eight bells and was +instantly echoed from further away. "Great Scott!" exclaimed Steve. "Is +it twelve already?" + +Joe nodded, glancing at the ship's clock at the end of the cabin. "Two +minutes after if our clock's right. Say, Steve, the next time we go out +in a fog we'll--um--we won't go, eh?" + +"Not while I'm running this hooker," agreed Steve with intense +conviction. "Now that it's over, Joe, I don't mind telling you that I +was a bit worried. I wanted like anything to drop anchor back there by +the jetty." + +"Why didn't you then?" + +"I don't quite know," replied the other thoughtfully, "but I think it +was chiefly because I didn't like to be beaten." + +"Dinner!" called Ossie from the forward cabin. "All hands to dinner! Get +a move on!" + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +PERRY LOSES HIS WAY + + +They stayed aboard all that day, for the fog held tight, and, if Steve's +calculations were right, the _Adventurer_ lay well down toward the +entrance to the harbour and the nearest settlement was a good mile and +three-quarters away. None of the seven felt sufficiently ambitious to +put out for shore in that smother of mist. They managed to pass the time +without much trouble, however. There was always the graphophone, +although they were destined to become rather tired of the records, and +Steve, Joe, Han and Neil played whist most of the afternoon. Phil curled +up on a couch and read, and Ossie and Perry, after having a violent +argument over the proper way to make an omelet decided to settle the +question then and there. By the time the two omelets were prepared the +whist players were ready to stop and the entire ship's company partook +of the rival concoctions and decided the matter in favour of Ossie. + +"Although," explained Joe, "I'm not saying that Perry's omelet is bad. +If he had remembered to put a little salt in it--" + +"I did!" declared Perry resentfully. "You don't know a decent omelet +when you see it. Look how light mine was! Why, it was twice as high as +Ossie's!" + +"That's just it," said Steve gravely. "It was so light that it sort of +faded away before you could taste it. An omelet, Perry, should be +substantial and filling." + +"That shows how much you know about it," jeered Perry. "There were just +as many eggs in mine as there were in his. Only I made mine with water +and beat the eggs separately--" + +"Ah, there it is, you see," drawled Joe. "You beat the poor little eggs. +I'm surprised at you, Perry. Any fellow who will beat an inoffensive +egg--" + +"Huh, I found one that wasn't inoffensive by a long shot! Someone will +have to get some eggs tomorrow, for there are only eight left." + +"What!" Han viewed Perry in disgust. "Mean to say you went and used them +all up making those silly omelets?" + +"I notice you ate the silly omelets," said Ossie. "One egg apiece is +enough for breakfast, isn't it?" + +"Not for me. The doctor ordered two every morning. If I don't have two +eggs for breakfast I shall mutiny." + +"If you do you'll be put in irons," said Joe. "Or swung from the +yard-arm. Say, how long before we're going to have something to eat, +Ossie? I'm hungry. That egg thing sort of whetted my appetite." + +"Gosh, you fellows would keep me cooking all the time," grumbled the +steward. "It's only five, and we don't have supper until six. So you can +plaguey well starve for an hour." + +"Then I shall go to sleep and--um--forget the pangs of hunger. Move your +big feet out of the way, Phil." + +"I like your cheek, you duffer! Go on back to your own bunk." + +"Too faint for want of food," murmured Joe, stretching himself out in +spite of Phil's protests. "Someone sing to me, please." + +Supper went very well, in spite of the mid-afternoon luncheon, and after +that the riding light was set for the night, the hatches drawn shut and +all hands settled down to pass the evening in whatever way seemed best. +But bedtime came early tonight and, by half-past nine, with the sound of +a distant siren coming to them at intervals and the yacht's bells +chiming the hours and half-hours, all lights were out below and the +_Adventurer_ was wrapped in fog and silence. + +The fog still held in the morning, although at times it took on a +yellowish tinge and made them hopeful that it would burn off. Steve said +it was not quite so thick, but no one else was able to see much +difference in it. Han managed to subsist on one egg, in spite of gloomy +predictions, but after breakfast he and Perry decided to paddle ashore +and find a place where they could purchase more. They tried to add to +the party, but no one else wanted to go, and so they disappeared into +the mist about nine o'clock, agreeing to be back at ten-thirty, at which +time, unless the fog should have lifted, those aboard the boat were to +sound the whistle. + +They landed on a narrow beach after a short row, and, stumbling through +a fringe of coarse sand, discovered a lane leading inland. They stopped +and strove to remember the location of the boat, and then followed the +lane. The fog was amber-hued now and the morning was fast losing its +chill. Perry broke into song and Han into a tuneless whistle that seemed +to give him a deal of satisfaction. They soon found a main-travelled +road and, after fixing the turn-off in their minds, wheeled to the left. + +"It would be a fine joke if we couldn't find the dingey again," chuckled +Han. + +"I think you've got a punk idea of humour," responded Perry. "Anyway, +all we'd have to do is find the beach and keep along until we barked our +skins on the boat. Bet you, though, this pesky fog will be gone in an +hour." + +The road left the shore presently and the travellers found that the fog +was thinner and sometimes lifted entirely over small spaces, and it +wasn't long before they stopped to take off their jackets and swing them +across their arms. Possibly they passed houses, but they saw none, and +the only incident occurred when the sound of wheels came to them from +the highway ahead and, presently, a queer, old-fashioned two-wheeled +chaise drawn by a piebald, drooping-eared horse passed slowly from the +mist ahead to the mist behind. The boys gazed at it in wonderment, too +interested in the equipage itself to heed the occupants. When it was out +of sight again Han ejaculated: "Well, I'll be switched, Perry! I didn't +suppose there was one of those things left in the world!" + +"Neither did I. And there won't be pretty quick, I guess, for it looked +and sounded as if it would fall to pieces before it got to--to wherever +it's going. Bet you anything that was the deacon's one-horse chaise in +the poem!" + + "_Have you heard of the wonderful one-hoss shay + That was built in such a logical way + It ran a hundred years to a day?_" + +quoted Han. "Wouldn't that look funny alongside a Rolls-Royce, Perry?" + +"It would look funny alongside a flivver," answered the other. "Say, how +far do we have to walk? Seems to me we've done about five miles +already." + +"Rot! We haven't walked more than a mile. Not being able to see things +makes it seem farther, I guess." The encouraging sound of a cow mooing +reached them the next minute. "That must be the one we heard yesterday," +said Han. "I suppose there's just one on the island and it's set to go +off at the same time every day." + +"If there's a cow over there," said Perry, staring into the fog, "maybe +there's a farmhouse. Let's have a look." + +"All right, but we're just as likely to walk into a swamp as find a +house." + +But a very few steps off the highway put them on a narrow lane and +presently the big bulk of a barn loomed ahead. The house was soon +located and ten minutes later, having purchased two quarts of milk and +four dozen eggs, they retraced their steps. The fog had now apparently +changed its mind about lifting, for the yellow tinge had gone and the +world was once more grey and chill. They donned their coats again and, +carrying their precious burdens, trudged on. Occasionally a puff of air +came off the sound and the fog blew in trailing wreaths before them. +When they had walked what they considered to be the proper distance they +began to watch for that lane. And after they had watched for it for a +full quarter of an hour and had walked a deal farther than they should +have they reached the entirely justifiable conclusion that they were +lost! + +Perry set down the battered milk can on which they had paid a deposit of +twenty-five cents, took a long breath and, viewing the encompassing fog, +exclaimed melodramatically: "Lost on Martha's Vineyard, or The Mystery +of the Four Dozen Eggs!" + +"Well, we won't starve for awhile," laughed Han. "Say, where _is_ that +lane we came up, anyway? Think we've passed it?" + +"About ten miles back," sighed Perry. "Come on and let's try dead +reckoning. The beach is over there somewhere and if we can find it--" + +"Great! But when we have found it, which way shall we go?" + +Perry pushed his hat back and thoughtfully scratched his head. "Give it +up!" he said at last. "You might go one way and I another. Anyway, let's +find the old beach." + +They scrambled across a wall into a bush-grown tract, Han discovering in +the process that he had chosen a place prettily bedecked with +poison-ivy. "That does for me," said Han gloomily. "I'll have a fine +time of it now for a couple of weeks. I can't even look at that stuff +without getting poisoned!" + +"Maybe it didn't see you," said Perry cheerfully. "In this fog--" + +"Don't be a silly goat," interrupted the other fretfully. "I tell you +I'll be all broken out tomorrow! And it's perfectly beastly, too. You +have blisters all over you and they itch so you can hardly stand it." + +"Too bad," said Perry, trying to sound sympathetic but failing because +he caught his foot in a bramble at the moment and almost pitched on his +face. + +"Well," continued Han, more cheerfully, "there's one good thing. Salt +water is fine to bathe in when you have ivy poisoning, and there'll be +plenty of that around." + +"Sure; and it won't cost you a cent, either." They reached the beach +then and gazed hopelessly about them as they crossed the softer sand. +"If only they'd blow their old whistle we'd know where we are." + +"If I had some alcohol I might backen it," observed Han. + +"Alcohol? Backen what?" + +"The ivy poison." + +"Oh! Well, there's plenty of alcohol on board. Wonder what time it is," +Perry drew out his watch and whistled surprisedly. "Only a quarter to +ten, Han! We couldn't have walked very far, after all. And they won't +signal us until ten-thirty. Here, I'm going this way." + +"It's the alkali that counteracts the poison," explained Han. "They say +that if you can bathe the places in alcohol soon after you come in--in +contact with the ivy--" + +"For the love of Pete!" exclaimed Perry. "Forget about it, Han! You'll +worry yourself to death over that poison-ivy. Maybe it didn't bite you, +after all." + +"Of course it did!" replied the other resentfully. "It always does. If I +had some alcohol, though--" + +"Well, come on and get some. We've got to find the boat first, haven't +we?" + +"Yes, but I don't think it's that way." + +"Then you try the other way, and if you find it, sing out so I'll hear +you." + +"All right." They separated, each following the edge of the water, and +presently Perry's voice rang out. "Here she is, Han!" he called. A faint +hail answered him and Perry stowed the milk-can in the bow of the little +boat and seated himself to wait. A few minutes later, as Han still +tarried, he shouted again. This time there was no reply however, and +Perry muttered impatiently and found a more comfortable position. When +some five minutes more had passed he got to his feet and yelled at the +top of his lungs. "Get a move on, Han! The milk's getting sour and I'm +getting cold!" he shouted. An answering cry came from closer by, but +what it was that Han said Perry couldn't make out. He turned his coat +collar up, plunged hands in pockets and viewed the grey mist +scowlingly. Then he began to listen for footsteps crunching the sand. +But no sound save the lapping of water on the beach and the creaking of +a boom on an unseen boat reached him. + +"It would serve him right to leave him here," he muttered resentfully. +"Anyway, I'm not going to yell at him any more. I suppose he's so taken +up with his poison-ivy business that he can't think of anything else. +Wonder if I got into that stuff, too!" The idea was distinctly +unwelcome. He thought he recalled brushing through leaves as he crossed +the wall. He had never had any experience with poison-ivy and didn't +know whether or not he was susceptible, but it seemed to him that there +was a distinct itching sensation on his back. He squirmed uncomfortably. +Then a prickly feeling on his left wrist set him to rubbing it. He +examined the skin and, sure enough, it was quite red! He had it, too! +You had blisters all over you, Han had said. Perry looked for blisters +but found none. Still, he reflected miserably, it was probably too early +for them yet. He suddenly found himself rubbing his right wrist too. And +that, also, was distinctly inflamed looking, although not so red as the +other. Gee, he'd ought to do something! Alcohol! That was it! He ought +to bathe the places in alcohol! He jumped out of the dingey, pushed it +down the beach into the water and sprawled across the bow. Then he +shoved further off with an oar and sudsided onto a seat. + +"Back in ten minutes for you, Han!" he shouted. "You wait here! I'll +bring some alcohol!" + +When a dozen choppy strokes had taken him out of sight of the shore his +panic subsided a little and two thoughts came to him. The first was that +he was treating Han rather scurvilly and the second was that he hadn't +more than the haziest notion where the _Adventurer_ lay! But, having +embarked, he kept on. Probably ten or fifteen minutes wouldn't make much +difference in Han's case, while, as for finding the cruiser, he would +shout after he had rowed a little further and doubtless someone aboard +would hear him. + +So he went on into the mist, occasionally stopping to scratch a wrist or +wiggle about on the seat in the endeavour to abate the prickling +sensation in back or shoulders. It seemed to him now that he was +infected from head to toes. Presently, having rowed some distance, he +began to hail. "_Adventurer_ ahoy!" he shouted, "O Steve! O Joe!" + +He stopped rowing, rubbed a wrist, peered into the fog and waited. But +no answering hail reached him. He lifted his voice again. "Ahoy! +_Adventurer_ ahoy! Are you all dead? Where are you?" + +This time there was an answer, faint but unmistakable, and, somewhat to +Perry's surprise, it came from almost behind him. "Shout again!" he +called. "Where are you?" + +"He-e-ere! Hurry up!" At least, that was what the answer sounded like. +Perry grumblingly turned the boat around and rowed in the direction of +the voice. "I suppose," he thought, "I rowed in a circle. I always did +row harder with my right. But I don't see what they want me to hurry +for. And they might blow their whistle if they had any sense." + +"Shout again!" he yelled presently. + +"Hello-o-o!" came a hail from somewhere back of the boat, and: "Come +ahead!" called a voice from the fog in front. Perry exploded. + +"Shut up, one of you!" he called exasperatedly. "I can't row two ways at +once! Where's the boat?" But his remarks evidently didn't carry, for all +he got was another hail from behind. "All right," he muttered. "Why +didn't you say so before?" He swung the dingey around a second time and +rowed on a new course. "Wonder who the other chap was," he thought. "I +dare say, though, there are boats all around here if a fellow could see +them." A minute later he called again: "Come on, you idiots! Where are +you?" + +"Don't bust yourself," said a voice from almost over his shoulder. "And +watch where you're going if you don't want to stave that boat in." + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +SOUR MILK + + +Perry was so surprised that he almost fell off the seat, while, +forgetting to obey injunctions, he let the dingey run until there was a +sudden bump that toppled the milk-can over and nearly treated him the +same way. He looked startedly about. Six feet away lay a black boat and +a boy with a boat-hook was threatening him from the deck. + +"You silly idiot!" called the boy impatiently. "Look where you're going! +If I hadn't got you with the hook you'd have knocked half our paint +off!" + +The boy and the boat slowly vanished in the mist like a "fade-out" at +the movies, before Perry found his voice. Then: "Who the dickens are +you?" he gasped. + +"I'm the man who put the salt in the ocean," replied the voice +jeeringly. "Come on easy and I'll get you." + +"Well, but--but--what boat's that?" + +"U.S. Battleship _Pennsylvania_, Pride of the Navy! Come on, you +lubber!" + +Perry came on and again the boy with the boat-hook took form in the +fog. "You're Cas Temple," said Perry stupidly. "That's the _Follow Me_!" + +"Surest thing you know, son! Hello! Why, it's Perry Bush. I thought you +were Bert. What did you do with the fellows?" + +"What fellows?" asked Perry, puzzled, as Cas pulled the dingey alongside +the cruiser. + +"Why, Bert and Wink and the rest of them." + +"Haven't seen 'em." + +"Haven't? Where'd you get the boat, then?" + +"What boat?" + +"That one! The one you're in! Say, are you dippy?" + +"This is our boat and I got it--" + +"Your boat nothing! That's our boat, you silly chump! Think I don't know +our own tender?" + +"Wh-what!" gasped Perry. "So it is! Then, where's mine! I mean ours? How +did I get this one?" + +"Search me! If you don't know, I'm blessed if I do," chuckled Caspar +Temple. "You must remember something that's happened since yesterday +morning!" + +"Han and I went ashore," said Perry, staring puzzledly at the milk-can +from which a tiny stream was trickling past the loosened stopper. "Then +we went to look for our boat and I found this and I yelled to him and he +didn't come and so I started back to the boat to get some--" Perry +suddenly remembered his affliction. "Say, got any alcohol?" he asked +anxiously. + +"Alcohol? I don't know. Why?" + +"I want some." Perry started to scramble out of the tender. "I got +poisoned." + +"Snake?" asked Cas hopefully and eagerly. + +"Poison-ivy." + +"Oh!" The other's voice held keen disappointment. "Well, what do you +want alcohol for?" + +"It's good for it," explained Perry, reaching the cockpit. "See if +you've got any, will you, Cas?" + +"Y-yes but, honestly, Perry, I wouldn't try it if I were you." + +"Why not!" + +"Why--why, if you go and drink a lot of alcohol--Besides, I'm all alone +here, and if you got--got troublesome--" + +"Drink it, you silly goat! Who's going to drink it? I'm going to rub it +on the places!" + +"Oh, I see! That's different. I'll have a look, Perry." Cas was visibly +relieved as he scrambled down to the cabin. Perry dropped into the +dingey again and set the milk-can upright, and then, after another +minute, Cas returned empty-handed. "I'm sorry," he said, "but we haven't +a bit. Would peroxide do?" + +"I don't know," answered Perry doubtfully. "Maybe. Hand it here and I'll +give it a chance. Say," he continued as he laved his wrists, "did your +crowd leave this boat on the beach?" + +"I suppose so. That's where you found it, wasn't it! You'd better hustle +back with it, too, for they said they'd be back about eleven. They went +to Vineyard Haven." + +"It's all well enough to say hustle back with it," replied Perry +morosely, "but where's your pesky beach?" + +"Why, over there," said Cas, pointing. "The way you came." + +"I came forty-eleven different directions," answered Perry. "All right, +though. I'll try it. But I'm likely to be paddling around all day and +night. Got anything to eat on board?" Cas found some cookies and these, +with a glass of water, raised Perry's spirits. "Farewell," he said +feelingly, as he shoved off again. "I die for my country." + +"Did you fellows have any trouble finding this place yesterday?" asked +Cas as the departing guest dropped the oars in the locks. + +"Trouble?" Perry looked blank. "What sort of trouble?" + +"Why, the fog, you know. We had an awful time finding the harbour." + +"Oh, that!" Perry shrugged. "Why, we went straight for the jetty and +didn't have any trouble at all finding it. But then we've got a +navigator on our boat. So long!" + +Perry discovered that rowing was raising a blister on each palm and that +his arms were getting decidedly tired. The trouble with a dingey, he +decided, was that while it might do excellently as a bathtub, it was +certainly never meant for rowing. The oars were so short that the best +strokes he was capable of sent the boat ahead scarcely more than three +or four feet, and, being almost as broad as it was long, the tender +constantly showed a tendency to go any way but straight ahead. While he +had been aboard the _Follow Me_ the fog had again taken on its amber hue +and now was unmistakably thinning out. But it was still thick enough to +hide objects thirty feet away and Perry couldn't for the life of him be +certain that he was sending his craft toward the beach. To be sure he +had started out in the general direction of the shore, as indicated by +Cas, but there was always the possibility that he was rowing stronger +with one oar than the other. He strove to curb that tendency and fancied +he was succeeding, but when, after being afloat a good quarter of an +hour, he still failed to see land or hear the break of waves on the +beach he was both puzzled and annoyed. The sun pierced the mist hotly +and he was soon panting and perspiring. He heartily wished that he had +never agreed to accompany Han on the search for eggs. Presently he +rested on his oars, and as he did so he heard voices quite close. He +called. + +"Hello, there! Where's the beach?" + +"Here," was the answer. + +He rowed on and in another minute land came abruptly out of the fog. Two +blurred forms resolved themselves into men as Perry beached the dingey +and tiredly dropped the oars. The men came toward him and proved, on +nearer acquaintance, to be middle-aged and apparently natives. "Quite a +fog," drawled one of them. "What boat you from, sir?" + +"The _Adventurer_." Perry viewed the immediate foreground with +misgiving. The beach looked more abrupt than he recalled it. "What +beach is this?" he inquired. + +"Well, I don't know as it's got any name exactly. What beach was you +lookin' for?" + +"The beach between Vineyard Haven and--and some other place." + +"Oh, West Chop? Why, that's across the harbour, son. This is Eastville, +this side." + +Perry groaned. He had rowed in a half-circle then. Unless Cas had +directed him wrong. Presently the true explanation came to him. The tide +had turned between the time the _Follow Me's_ crowd had gone ashore and +the time that Perry had reached that boat, and Cas had not allowed for +the fact that the cruiser had swung around! "Well," he said wearily, "I +guess I've got to row across again." + +"Too bad," sympathised one of the men. "It's most a mile. Guess, though, +you'll be able to see your way pretty soon. This fog's burning off +fast." + +Out of sight of the men Perry again laid his oars down and reached +behind him for the can of milk. It was rather warm, but it tasted good +for all of that. Then, putting the wooden stopper back in place, he once +more took up his task. Perhaps he might have been rowing around that +harbour yet had not the fog suddenly disappeared as if by magic. Wisps +of it remained here and there, but even as he watched them, they curled +up and were burned into nothingness like feathers in a fire. He found +himself near the head of a two-mile-long harbour. The calm blue water +was rippling under the brushing of a light southerly breeze and here and +there lay boats anchored or moored. While the fog had hidden the harbour +he had supposed that not more than half a dozen craft were within sight, +but now, between mouth and causeway, fully two dozen sailboats and +launches dotted the surface. Over his shoulder was a little hamlet that +was doubtless Vineyard Haven. Facing him was a larger community, and he +decided that that would be Oak Bluffs. Half a mile down the harbour lay +the _Adventurer_ and, nearer at hand, the _Follow Me_. But what was of +more present interest to Perry was a group of figures on the opposite +beach. They appeared to be seated and there was that in their attitude +which, even at this distance, told of dejection. So, reflected Perry, +might have looked a group of marooned sailors. He sighed and bent again +to his inadequate oars. He was under no misapprehension as to the sort +of welcome awaiting him, but, like an early Christian martyr on the way +to the arena, he proceeded with high courage if scant enthusiasm. + +With the sun pouring down upon him, with his hands blistered, with his +breath just about exhausted and his arms aching, he at last drew to the +shore amidst a dense and unflattering silence. Five irate youths stepped +into the tender and crowded the seats. Harry Corwin took his place +beside Perry and relieved him of the port oar. Perry would have yielded +the other very gladly, but none offered to accept it and he hadn't the +courage to make the suggestion. The dingey floated off the sand again, +headed for the _Follow Me,_ and then the storm broke. It didn't descend +all at once, however. At first there were muffled growls of thunder from +Harry Corwin. Then came claps from Wink Wheeler. After that the elements +raged about Perry's defenceless head, even "Brownie" supplying some fine +lightning effects! + +Perry gathered in the course of the uncomplimentary remarks directed +toward him that the crowd, being unable to find the dingey where they +believed they had left it, had spent some twenty minutes searching up +and down the beach, that subsequently they had waited there in the fog +for a good forty minutes more and that eventually Perry Bush would +sooner or later come to some perfectly deplorable end and that for their +part they didn't care how soon it might be. By the time the _Follow Me_ +was reached Perry was too worn out to offer any excuse. Cas, however, +did it for him, and, as the others' tempers had somewhat sobered by then +amusement succeeded anger. Perry faintly and vaguely described his +wanderings about the harbour and the amusement increased. As dinner was +announced about that time he was dragged to the cabin and propped in a +corner of a bunk and fed out of hand. An hour later he was transported, +somewhat recovered, to the _Adventurer_ by Harry and Tom Corwin and Wink +Wheeler and delivered, together with his precious can of milk, into the +hands of his ship-mates. + +The _Adventurer's_ tender bobbed about at the stern and the first person +Perry set eyes on as he scrambled onto the bridge deck was Han. Perry +fixed him with a scathing gaze. "Where," he demanded, "did you get to, +idiot?" + +"Oh, I'll tell you about that," answered Han. "You see I was afraid +about that poison-ivy and so I took a dip in the ocean. And--" + +"But I called you and called!" + +"Yes, and I answered a couple of times. And then I may have had my head +under water." + +"A monstrous pity you didn't keep it there!" + +"When," continued Han, "I went to look for you I couldn't find you. So +I--so I came back here." + +"Yes, you thought maybe I'd swum across, eh! Or found a boat?" + +"Sure! You did find a boat, didn't you?" + +"You make me tired," growled Perry amidst the laughter of the others. +"And I hope that poison-ivy gets you good and hard!" + +"I don't believe it took," replied Han gently, "Maybe it wasn't +poison-ivy, after all!" + +At that instant the outraged countenance of Ossie appeared in the +companion way. "What," he demanded irately of Perry, "do you mean by +bringing back half a gallon of sour milk?" + +Perry looked despairingly about at the unsympathetic and amused faces +and wandered limply aft to the seclusion of the cockpit. + +The next morning the Adventure Club chugged around to Edgartown, and +then, after putting in gasoline and water, set out at a little after +eleven, on a fifty-mile run to Pleasant Bay. + + + + +CHAPTER X + +THE _FOLLOW ME_ DISAPPEARS + + +There had been talk of going through the Cape Cod Canal and so obviating +the outside journey, but most of the voyagers thought that would be too +tame and unexciting. Besides, a barge had managed to sink herself across +the channel near the Buzzard's Bay end a week or so before and no one +seemed to know for certain whether she had yet pulled herself out and +gone on about her business, and, as Steve pointed out, they'd feel a bit +foolish if they got to the canal entrance and had to turn back again. +They had fair weather and light breezes all the way to New Harbour and +from there, the next day, around the tip of the Cape to Provincetown. +They dropped anchor off the yacht club landing at Provincetown at four +o'clock Friday afternoon and went ashore as soon as the boats were +berthed and sought the post-office. Provincetown had been selected as +the first certain port of call and most of the thirteen boys found mail +awaiting them. Only Neil, however, received tidings of importance, and +his letter from his parents brought an exclamation of dismay to his +lips. + +"Anything wrong?" asked Ossie, sitting beside him on the rail of the +hotel porch. + +"Rotten," replied Neil disgustedly. "I've got to go home!" + +"Go home!" echoed the other. "What for?" + +"Dad's got to go to England on some silly business or other," explained +Neil gloomily, "and he wants me to stay with mother. Of course I ought +to. Mother's sort of an invalid and there's no one else. But it's rotten +luck." He stowed the letter in his pocket and stared disappointedly at +the passing traffic. "I was having a bully time, too," he muttered +disconsolately. + +"That's a shame," said Ossie sympathetically. "When will you have to +go?" + +"He wants me to meet him in New York Sunday. He sails early Monday +morning. I suppose I'll have to go tomorrow. Guess I'd better get a time +table and see how the trains run." + +"Gee, I'm sorry," murmured Ossie. + +And so, for that matter, was every other member of the _Adventurer's_ +company for Neil was well liked. And the _Follow He's_ crew were +scarcely less regretful. A study of the railroad schedule showed that +the next train for Boston left at five-fifty-five in the morning and +that the only other train was at two-forty in the afternoon. + +"Five-fifty-five's a perfectly punk time for a train to leave anywhere, +even Provincetown," objected Neil. "And the two-forty will get me to +Boston too late for anything but a midnight train to New York." + +"Bother trains," said Steve. "We'll run you to Boston tomorrow in the +boat. We can do it in four hours or so. If the _Follow Me_ crowd want to +stay here another day we'll wait for them at Boston, or we'll go on and +meet them further up the shore." + +"But I don't want to hurry you chaps away from the Cape," expostulated +Neil. "You were going to Plymouth, weren't you?" + +"Yes, we were, but there's nothing important about that. Hold on, +though! I say, look up the Plymouth trains, Neil. There must be more of +them from there and we can put you across to Plymouth in a couple of +hours." + +They found that a train leaving Plymouth at ten would put Neil in Boston +shortly after eleven, in plenty of time for the one o'clock express to +New York, and so it was decided that the _Adventurer_ was to leave her +present port at seven in the morning. The _Follow Me_ was to follow +more leisurely and the boats would spend the next night at Plymouth. +Neil and Ossie went off to send telegrams and the others roamed around +the town until it was time for supper. Afterwards Neil packed his +belongings in two pasteboard laundry boxes, having no bag with him, and +constantly bewailed his ill-fortune. Later the _Follow Me_ crowd came +over and they had quite a jolly evening and Neil cheered up vastly. + +The next morning dawned clear and hot and, after an early breakfast, the +_Adventurer_ weighed anchor. The _Follow Me's_ whistle signalled +good-bye until they were half-way to Long Point and the _Adventurer_ +replied. Once around the point the boat headed across the wide bay for +the mainland at a good sixteen-mile clip. The voyage was uneventful and +Manomet Hill was soon sighted. Then Plymouth Beach stretched before them +and presently they were rounding the head and pointing the +_Adventurer's_ nose for the town. There was still the better part of an +hour left after the anchor was dropped and they all tumbled into the +dingey and found a landing and spent the next three-quarters of an hour +rambling around the historic town, Ossie and Perry bearing Neil's +strange-looking luggage. Neil insisted on viewing Plymouth Rock, +declaring that he might never get another opportunity, and after that +there was not much time left to them. They installed Neil on the train +impressively, stowed his luggage around him and then took up positions +outside the window, where, to the mingled curiosity and amusement of +other travellers, they conducted farewell exercises. These included an +entirely impromptu and unsolicited duet by Perry and Han, a much +interrupted speech by Joe, and, finally, as the train moved out of the +station, a hearty Dexter cheer with three "Neils!" on the end. In such +manner the _Adventurer_ lost her cabin boy and the ranks of the club +were depleted by one. + +Neil's departure left a hole and as the others returned from the station +they spoke of him rather as though he had passed on to a better world, +recalling his good points and becoming quite sad in a cheerful way. In +view of their bereavement, they decided to have luncheon at a hotel and +during that meal recovered their spirits. More sight-seeing followed, +but the day was a hot one and by half-past three they had had enough and +so returned to the landing and pulled back to the cruiser. Steve, who +had supplied himself with yesterday's New York and Boston papers, +pre-empted a seat on the bridge deck and stretched himself out on it, +his legs crooked over the railing. The others found places in the shade +as best they could and talked and watched for the _Follow Me_ and +listened to occasional snatches of news from Steve. There was +practically no breeze and the afternoon was uncomfortably hot even under +the awning. Joe finally solved the difficulty of keeping cool by +disappearing below and presently re-emerging in his swimming trunks and +dropping overboard. That set the fashion, and they all went in save +Steve, who was too absorbed in his papers to know whether he was warm or +not. The _Follow Me_ came up the harbour just before five and tooted a +greeting as she swung around to a berth near the _Adventurer_. The +fellows, who were still in bathing attire, swam across to her, and very +shortly their ranks were increased by just half a dozen more. The sight +of Steve's feet hanging over the canvas was too much for Perry and he +yielded to temptation. Swimming up very quietly he deftly pulled off one +of Steve's "sneakers" and, in defiance of the owner's protests, they +played ball with it until the inevitable happened and it sank out of +sight before Wink Wheeler could dive for it. "Brownie" said then that +Steve might as well let them have the other one, since one shoe was no +use to him, but Steve's reply was not only non-compliant but actually +insulting in its terms. He took off the other "sneaker" and laid on it. + +That bath left them feeling both refreshed and hungry and Ossie had a +hard time finding enough for them to eat. Perry described the +astonishment of some Plymouth fisherman when he opened a codfish some +fine day and discovered a rubber-soled shoe inside. "You'll read all +about it in the paper, Steve, and won't you laugh!" he added. + +Steve, who had been forced to don a pair of leather shoes, didn't seem +to anticipate any great amount of amusement, however, and suggested that +it would be a gentlemanly act if Perry would hie himself to a store and +purchase a pair of number 8 "sneakers," a suggestion which Perry weighed +carefully and discarded. "You see," he explained, "it wouldn't be fair +to make me spend my hard-earned money for two 'sneakers' when I only +lost one. If the store would sell me half a pair, Steve, I'd make good +in a minute, but you see my point of view, don't you?" + +Steve didn't seem to. + +While they were still at table Harry Corwin's voice was heard and Ossie +investigated by the simple expedient of climbing on top of the galley +locker and thrusting his head through the open hatch. "He wants to know +if we'll go to the movies with them," said Ossie, ducking back into +sight. + +"Surest thing you know," agreed Perry. + +"We might as well, eh?" asked Joe. "It'll be beastly hot, though." + +"I'll go if they've got Charlie Chaplin," said Han. "Ossie, ask him if +they have, please." + +"He says he doesn't know," responded Ossie after an exchange of remarks. +"I told them we'd go, though," he added, dropping to the floor. "They're +going to wait for us on the landing in half an hour." + +"Half an hour!" grumbled Perry. "You told them that so I couldn't get +enough to eat, you stingy beggar! Got anything more out there?" + +"Great Jumping Jehosaphat!" ejaculated Ossie wildly. "I've cooked two +messes of potatoes and toasted a hundred slices of bread--" + +"Oh, all right. Bring on the dessert, then." + +"The dessert's on now," answered Ossie shortly. "Cookies and jelly. +That's all you get, Piggie." + +"Won't we have to buy some more grub pretty soon?" asked Steve. + +Ossie nodded and glanced darkly at Perry. "If _he_ stays around we +will," he answered. "We've got enough for three or four days yet, +though. Better have some canned stuff, I guess. And some flour and +sugar." + +"How's the treasury, Phil?" inquired Han. + +"Still holding out. Where's the next stop, Steve?" + +"We said Portsmouth, but Harry wants to put in at Salem. I don't suppose +it matters much." + +"Then we cut out Boston altogether?" + +"Why, yes, it's out of the way a bit. Besides, we didn't start out on +this cruise to visit cities." + +"We started out to look for adventures," said Perry sadly, "but I don't +see many of them coming our way." + +"What do you call adventures?" asked Han. "Didn't you have a fine time +being lost in the fog the other day?" + +"Huh!" replied Perry, scraping the last of the jelly from the glass. +"Being lost in the fog isn't an adventure. It's just plain punk. What I +mean is--is pirates and--and desert islands and--and that sort of +thing." + +"You were born a hundred years or so too late," said Joe, shaking his +head. "Toss me a cookie, Han. Thanks. If you saw a pirate, Perry, +you'd--um--you'd drop dead." + +"If I saw a pirate," replied Perry indignantly, "I'd--um--live as long +as you would! Besides, I've got a perfect right to drop dead if I want +to." + +"Go ahead," said Joe lightly. "Any time you like, old chap." + +"The reason I spoke of Boston," reverted Phil, "was that I thought it +might be a good place to buy our supplies. There's no use paying any +more for them than we have to and going broke before the cruise is half +over." + +"Yes, but don't forget that gasoline's pretty expensive stuff these +days, Phil," said Steve. "I guess we'd burn up enough gas getting to +Boston to make up for any saving on supplies, eh? I suppose there are +stores in Salem." + +"Thought it burned up awhile ago," said Han. + +"Part of it did, but I don't suppose it stayed burned up, you idiot. +What time is it? We'd better beat it for shore." + +"Right-o," agreed Han. "I hope they have Charlie Chaplin, though." + +By some strange inadvertency, however, Mr. Chaplin's eccentric person +was missing from the screen. In spite of that, though, Han managed to +enjoy the evening. Afterwards Perry suggested light refreshments and +they set out in search of a lunch counter. But anyone who knows Plymouth +will realise the hopelessness of their search. After roaming around the +quiet and deserted streets and at last being assured by a policeman that +their quest was worse than idle they went back to the tenders. "I +suppose," said Perry disgustedly, "they close all the stores early so +they can go to the movies. I wish now we'd had some soda at that drug +store where the man had insomnia." + +"We've got food on board," said Ossie. "I'll fix up some sandwiches. I +wish you'd get enough to eat for once, though," he added as he took his +place in the dingey. "Don't they ever feed you at home, Perry?" + +"Huh, I'll bet you're as hungry as I am! What are they yelping about +over there?" + +The other tender had left the landing a moment before the _Adventurer's_ +boat and now its occupants were heard shouting confusedly across the +moonlit water. + +"Can you make out what they're saying?" asked Steve of the rest. + +"Just nonsense, I guess," answered Phil, tugging at his oar. + +"Stop rowing a minute and listen," Steve directed. "Now then!" + +"Something about the boat," murmured Han. "I can't make it out, though." + +"By Jove, I can!" exclaimed Steve. "The _Follow Me's_ gone! She must +have slipped her anchor or dragged or something. Row hard, fellows!" + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +PURSUIT + + +Whatever had happened, one fact was plain, and that was that the smaller +of the two cruisers was not swinging at anchor where they had left her. +Nor could they see her anywhere. That she had dragged her anchor was +impossible, since the harbour was almost land-locked and the night was +still, with hardly enough breeze to stir the water. After the first few +minutes of stunned surprise the twelve boys, gathered on the +_Adventurer_, held council. It was Phil who eventually summed up the +situation quietly and tersely as follows: + +"The boat's gone. She isn't in the harbour, because if she were we could +see her. Either she's been taken off as a joke or stolen. I can't +imagine anyone doing it as a joke. In any case it's up to us to find +her. We went ashore about eight, and it's now ten to eleven. It's +probable that whoever swiped her waited until we were safely ashore and +out of the way. I mean, they probably allowed us at least half an hour." + +"They were probably watching us," suggested Steve. + +"Why didn't they take this one instead of the other?" asked Cas Temple. + +"Perhaps," replied Steve, "because they found the control locked. All +they had to do on the _Follow Me_ was break the padlock on the companion +way doors. Still, that's just a guess. They may have preferred the +_Follow Me_ for some other reason." + +"Never mind that," said Joe impatiently. "The question now is how we're +to find her. Go ahead, Phil." + +"I was going to suggest that we inquire among the other boats between +here and the harbour entrance. Two or three still have lights aboard. +Maybe they saw the _Follow Me_ pass out." + +"Somebody look after the tenders," said Steve briskly. "Haul ours out +and tie the other astern. Give her a short line, so she won't switch +around and fill with water. All ready, Joe?" + +Five minutes later the _Adventurer_ slid through the still water toward +the mouth of the harbour. On her way she stopped twice to shout +inquiries, and the second time a sleepy mariner, leaning, in pajamas +across the rail of a small launch, supplied the information they sought. + +"Yes, there was a cruising motor-boat went by about nine, or a little +after, headed toward the Pier Head. I didn't notice her much, but she +was painted dark. Come to think of it, it must have been pretty nearly +half-past, for I remember hearing three bells strike just afterwards." + +"You didn't see her after she went by here?" asked Steve. + +"No, I was getting ready for bed and saw her through a port. Anything +wrong?" + +"Nothing," replied Steve dryly, "except that she belongs to us and +someone's evidently stolen her. Thanks very much. Good night." + +"Good night," was the answer. "I hope you get her." + +"Well, we know she got this far," said Joe, "but--um--which way did they +take her when they got outside?" + +"That's the question," said Harry Corwin. "They might have gone across +to Provincetown and around the Cape, or taken her up the shore or down. +I guess the best thing for us to do would be to hike back and give the +alarm. If we telegraphed--" + +"She went north," said Phil with conviction. + +"How do you know?" demanded Joe. + +"I don't _know_, but think a minute. If you were stealing a boat you'd +want to keep out of sight with her, wouldn't you?" + +"Suppose I should." + +"Then you wouldn't mess around in Cape Cod Bay. You'd set a course as +far from other craft and harbours as you could. If they went south +they'd be among boats right along, and they'd know that we'd work the +wires and that folks would be on the lookout." + +"Then where," began Steve. + +"Let's look at the chart from here north," said Phil. The cover of the +chart box was thrust back and the lamp lighted and as many as could do +so clustered about it. Phil traced a finger across Massachusetts Bay +past the tip of Cape Ann. "There's clear sailing for ninety miles or so, +straight to Portland, unless--How much gas has she aboard, Harry?" + +"Only about twelve gallons." It was Tom Corwin who answered. "We were +going to fill again in the morning." + +"How far can she go on that?" + +"Not more than seventy at ordinary speed, I guess. She's hard on gas." + +"Good! Then she'd have to put in at Gloucester or Newburyport or +somewhere." + +"Unless she ducked into Boston Harbour," said Steve. "I dare say she +could tuck herself away somewhere there quite safely. A coat of white +paint would change her looks completely." + +"That's possible," agreed Phil, "but painting a boat of that size would +take a couple of days, wouldn't it? It doesn't seem to me that they'd +want to take the chance." + +"Then your idea is that they're on their way to Portland?" + +"Somewhere up there. They'd argue that we wouldn't be likely to look for +them so far away." + +"Well, here we are," said Steve. "We've got to go one way or another." +The rougher water outside was making the _Adventurer_ dip and roll. "As +far as I can see, Phil's theory is as good as another, or maybe better. +Shall we try going north, fellows?" + +No one answered until, after a moment's silence, Perry remarked +philosophically: "I don't believe we'll ever see her again, but we can't +stop here, and we were going northward anyhow." + +Murmurs of agreement came from the others. The only dissentient voice +was Bert Alley's. "_I_ don't see your argument," he said. "If I had swiped +the _Follow Me_ I'd hike out for New York or some place like that and +run her into some little old hole until I could either change her looks +or sell her." + +"And be nabbed on the way," said Joe. + +"Not if I stayed at sea." + +"But you couldn't stay at sea if you had only twelve gallons of gasoline +aboard. Wherever she's going, she will have to put in for gas before +long." Phil stared thoughtfully at the chart. "I'll allow," he went on, +"that she may have gone any other direction but north. For that matter, +she may be anchored just around the corner somewhere. It's all more or +less guesswork. But, looking at the probabilities, and they're all we've +got to work on, I think north is the likeliest trail for us to take." + +"Right-o," said Steve, turning the wheel and pointing the boat's slim +bow toward Gurnet Point, "We've got to take a chance, fellows, and this +looks like the best. In the morning we'll get busy with the telegraph +and tell our troubles, but just now the best we can do is keep a sharp +lookout and try to think we're on the right course. I'm going to speed +her up, Joe, so you might dab some more oil and grease around your old +engine." + +"All right. You fellows will have to clear out of here, though, while I +get this hatch up. Some of you might go forward and keep your eyes +peeled. I don't suppose, however," he added as he pulled the engine +hatch up, "that they'll show any lights on her." + +"Not likely to," agreed Harry Corwin. "They'll run dark, probably, until +they get near a harbour. Look for anything like a boat, fellows. It's a +mighty good thing we've got this moonlight." + +"Yes, and we'll have to make hay while the moon shines," added Wink +Wheeler as he climbed out of Joe's way, "for it won't last much longer. +It'll be as dark as pitch by one or two o'clock, I guess." + +"Well, we've got a searchlight," said Perry. + +"There's no need for more than three of us to stay up," said Steve. +"I'll keep the wheel and Joe will stay here with me. Phil, you take the +watch for a couple of hours and then wake someone else." + +"Huh!" said Perry. "I'm not going to bed! Who wants to sleep, anyway?" + +Apparently no one did, for although presently the dozen fellows were +distributed over the boat, not one went below. Phil and Han stretched +themselves out at the bow, Steve, Joe, Harry and Tom Corwin and Cas +Temple remained on the bridge deck and the rest of the company retired +to the cockpit, from where, by looking along the after cabin roof, they +had a satisfactory view of the course. Perhaps one or two of the boys +did nod a little during the next two hours, but real slumber was far +from the minds of any of them. The _Adventurer_ was doing a good twenty +miles an hour, the propeller lashing the water into a long foaming path +that melted astern in the moonlight. Ossie busied himself in the galley +about midnight and served hot coffee and bread-and-butter sandwiches. +Only once was the _Adventurer_ changed from her course, which Steve had +laid for Gloucester, and then the light which had aroused their +suspicions was soon seen to belong to a coasting schooner beating her +way toward Boston. Of small boats there were none until, at about one +o'clock, when the two white lights of Baker's Island lay west by north +and the red flash on Eastern Point showed almost dead ahead, Phil called +from the bow. + +"Steve, there's something ahead that looks like a boat or a rock. Can +you see it?" + +"Which side?" + +"A little to the left. Port, isn't it? Han doesn't see it, but--" + +"I've got it," answered Steve. After a moment he added with conviction: +"It's a boat. Has she changed her position, Phil?" + +"Not while I've been watching. Looks as if she was going about the same +way we are." The others came clustering forward from the stern to stare +across the water at the dark spot ahead which, in the uncertain light of +the setting moon, might be almost anything. If it was a boat, it showed +no light. Anxiously the boys watched, and after a few minutes Steve +announced with quiet triumph: + +"We're pulling up on her, fellows, whoever she is!" + +"She's the _Follow Me_," declared Harry Corwin. "She must be, or she +wouldn't be running without lights." + +"We'll know before long," said Steve. "I wish the moon would stay out a +little longer, though. Joe, try the searchlight and see if you can pick +her up." + +But the craft ahead was a good mile away and the _Adventurer's_ small +searchlight was not powerful enough to bridge that distance with its +white glare. "They're making for the harbour, anyway," said Harry +Corwin, "and so she can't get away from us if we lose her now." Even as +he ended the last pallid rays of the moon vanished and they found +themselves in darkness save for the wan radiance of the stars. Lights +unnoticed before sprang up in the gloom along the shore and a dim +radiance in the sky showed where the town of Gloucester slumbered. + +"If they double on us now we'll lose them," muttered Steve. "Put that +light out, Joe. We can see better without it." + +"How far off is the harbour?" asked Harry. + +"About two miles. You can hear the whistle buoy. That white light to the +left of the red flash is the beacon on the end of the breakwater." He +moved the helm a trifle and examined the chart. "There are no rocks, +anyway, and that's a comfort. I can't say I like this running at night. +How far away was she when the moon went back on us, Harry?" + +"Oh, three-quarters, at a rough guess." + +"Nearer a mile and a quarter, I'd say. Well, if she doesn't dodge along +shore we'll have her in the harbour. Always supposing, that is, that she +really is the _Follow Me_." + +"She can't be anything else," answered Harry. "No sensible skipper would +go ploughing around at night without a light. Hello! Isn't that a light +there now?" + +"Where? Yes, you're right! She's lighted up at last! Afraid to go in +without lights, I dare say, for fear of arousing suspicion. I'm getting +to believe she _is_ the _Follow Me_, Harry." + +"I haven't doubted it once. Do you suppose she knows we're after her?" + +"She knows we're here, of course, but she can't be certain we're after +her. Still, turning that searchlight on was a sort of give-away. If she +really does go inside it's just because she's afraid of her fuel giving +out. We'd better anchor as far out as we can and keep our eyes open +until daylight comes." + +"She couldn't get gas before morning, I guess," said Joe. "Looks to me +as if, if she _is_ the _Follow Me_, they've run themselves into a trap!" + +"Hope so, I'm sure," said Wink Wheeler. "If we've caught her we've +certainly been lucky, fellows!" + +"Don't count your chickens until they're hatched," advised Ossie. "Maybe +she isn't the _Follow Me_ at all." + +"I can't see her light now," called Phil from the bow. "Hold on, there's +a green light, I think! No, I guess I was wrong. Can't see anything now, +Steve. Can you?" + +"No, she's turned and run inside back of the breakwater. Keep your ears +and eyes open for that whistling buoy, Phil. I want to pass it to port." + +"It's pretty near. There it is now! Look!" + +"I've got it! All right. Now it's straight for the white beacon." Steve +sighed relievedly. "No use hurrying any longer, I guess." He eased the +throttle back and the _Adventurer_ slowed her pace. "Have a look at the +chart, Harry. Isn't there a buoy near the end of the breakwater?" + +"Yes, a red spar buoy." + +"What's the depth just inside?" + +"Four fathoms, shoaling to one." + +"Good enough. We'll drop anchor just around the breakwater and train the +searchlight across the channel. I don't believe, though, they intend to +run out again before morning. All I'm afraid of is that they swung off +when darkness came and are sneaking around the Cape." + +"I'll bet anything we'll find her at anchor when daylight comes," +replied Harry. "She had only enough gas for seventy miles, and she's +gone about sixty at top speed. We've got her, Steve. Don't you worry." + +"Hope so. Get your bow anchor ready, Han, and stand by to heave. When +you let go make as little noise as you can. I'm going to turn the +lights out, fellows, so don't go messing about or you may walk +overboard. Switch them all off below, Ossie, will you? If those chaps +have anchored just inside the breakwater there's no sense in letting +them know that this is the _Adventurer_. Got your anchor ready, Han?" + +"Ay, ay, sir!" + +"All right. Don't let your windlass rattle. Keep quiet, fellows." +Suddenly all the lights on deck save that in the binnacle went out, +leaving the boat in darkness. Nearby the red flash of the lighthouse +glowed periodically, while, ahead, shone the white beacon. In silence +the _Adventurer_ drew nearer and nearer to the latter, put it abeam and +then swung to starboard. "Let her go, Han," called Steve softly. Those +on the bridge deck heard the faint splash of the hundred-pound navy +anchor as it struck the water. Han crept back and swung himself down to +the bridge. + +"All fast, sir," he reported. + +Somewhere in the darkness at the head of the harbour, where tiny +pin-pricks of light twinkled, a town clock struck two. + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +WHAT STEVE SAW + + +Waiting was weary work after that. It was two hours and a half to +sunrise and, since two of their number were sufficient to keep watch, +the others presently went below and napped. Steve and Bert Alley +remained on deck. Steve, although he perhaps needed sleep more than +anyone, refused to trust other eyes than his own, and while darkness +lasted he watched the white path cast across the water by the +_Adventurer's_ searchlight. But darkness and silence held until shortly +after four, when the eastern sky began to lighten. The next half-hour +passed more slowly than any that had gone before. Gradually their range +of vision enlarged, and Steve, peering into the greyness, drew Bert's +attention to a darker hulk that lay a few hundred yards up the harbour. +They watched it anxiously as the light increased. That it was a boat of +about the size of the _Follow Me_ and that is was painted dark became +more and more apparent. Then, quite suddenly, a ray of rosy light shot +up beyond Eastern Point and the neighbouring motor-boat lay revealed. +Steve sighed his disappointment. She was not the _Follow Me_ after all, +but a battered, black-hulled power-boat used for gill-netting. + +One by one, as the light strengthened, the others stumbled on deck, +yawning and rubbing their sleepy eyes. The _Adventurer_ was anchored +more than a mile from the inner harbour, and between her and Ten Pound +Island lay a big, rusty-red salt bark, high out of water, and five +fishing schooners. But these, aside from the disreputable little +gill-netter, were all the craft that met their gaze. + +"Either," said Steve wearily, "she never came in at all or she's up in +the inner harbour. I'll wager she didn't get out again last night. We'll +go up and mosey around, I guess. Ossie, how about some coffee?" + +"I'll make some, Steve. Guess we'd better have an early breakfast too." + +"It can't be too early to suit me," murmured Bert Alley, as he dragged +his feet down the companion way and toppled onto a berth. The +_Adventurer_ weighed anchor and in the first flush of a glorious Summer +dawn, chugged warily up the still harbour. She kept toward the eastern +shore and the boys swept every pier and cove with sharp eyes. Then +Rocky Neck turned back them and they picked a cautious way over sunken +rocks to the entrance of the inner harbour. By this time it was broad +daylight and their task was made easier. Still, as the inner harbour was +nearly a mile long and a good half-mile wide, and indented with numerous +coves, the search was long. They nosed in and out of slips, circled +basins and ran down a dozen false clues supplied by sailors on the +fishing schooners that lined the wharves. And, at seven o'clock they had +to acknowledge defeat. The _Follow Me_ was most surely not in Gloucester +Harbour. Nor, for that matter, was there a cabin-cruiser that resembled +her in any way. It was the latter fact that puzzled them, for they had +somehow become convinced that the darkened craft that had led them past +the breakwater last night was, if not the _Follow Me_, at least a boat +of her size. "And," said Harry Corwin, "we know that that boat did come +in here, for we saw her light disappear behind the breakwater. Let's +look around again." + +"If she came in for gasoline," said Phil, "we might find out whether she +got it. There can't be many places where she could fill her tanks." The +_Adventurer_ was slowly rounding a point that lay between the cove from +which she had just emerged and Western Harbour, and Wink Wheeler, who +was sitting on the rail on the starboard side of the deck, gave +utterance to an exclamation of surprise and pointed ahead to where a +drab-coloured power-boat had suddenly emerged into sight nearly a +half-mile away. + +"Look at that!" he cried. + +"That's not the _Follow Me_, you idiot," said Joe. + +"No, but where'd she come from?" demanded Wink. + +For a moment the boys stared and then Steve leaned quickly over the +chart. "By Jiminy!" he muttered. "There's a way out there. Look, +fellows! See where it says 'Drawbridge'? Evidently you can get through +there into the Squam River, and the river takes you out into Ipswich +Bay! It's dollars to doughnuts that's where they took the _Follow Me_!" +Steve drew down the throttle and the cruiser lunged forward in response. +"We'll have a look, anyway," he said. "It was stupid of me not to have +noticed that on the chart, but it's hardly big enough to be seen." + +Straight for the beach at the curve of the wide cove sped the +_Adventurer_, her nose set for the drawbridge that showed against the +blue sky. As they got closer an outlet showed clear, a narrow space +between the bridge masonry, with a strong current coming through from +the further side. + +"Gee, it doesn't look very big," said Joe. "And how about head-room, +Steve?" + +"Room enough," was the answer, as the _Adventurer_ slowed down. "They'll +raise the draw if we whistle, I suppose, but we don't need to." + +"We'll scrape our funnel, as sure as shooting!" cried Perry as the +cruiser neared the bridge. + +"We'll miss by two feet," answered Steve untroubledly. + +They held their breaths and watched nervously as the shadow of the +bridge fell across the boat. Then, with the sound of the engine and +exhaust echoing loudly, the cruiser dug her nose into the out-running +tide and shot safely through to emerge into a narrow canal that +stretched straight ahead before them until it joined the river. They +breathed easier as the bridge was left behind. Once in the river it was +necessary to go cautiously and watch the channel buoys, for the chart +showed a depth of only four feet at low tide for the first mile and a +half. If they had not all been so absorbed in the fate and recovery of +the _Follow Me_ they would have enjoyed that journey down the Squam +River immensely, for it was a beautiful stream, quiet and tranquil in +the morning sunlight. Summer camps and cottages dotted the shores and +green hills hemmed it in. They had breakfast on the way, eating it for +the most part on deck. Now and then the _Adventurer_ paused while they +examined a motor-boat moored in some cove. + +"There's one thing certain," said Steve. "Those folks couldn't have +brought the _Follow Me_ through here in the dark. If they did come +through that cut last night they anchored and waited for light. Keep a +watch for gasoline stations, fellows." + +They found the first one at Annisquam, near where the yacht club pier +stuck out into the channel. Steve sidled the _Adventurer_ up to a +landing and, while Han held her with the hook, made inquiry of a +grizzled man in faded blue jumpers. + +"We're looking for a motor-boat called the _Follow Me_," he explained. +"Have you seen her?" + +The man shook his head. "What was she like?" he asked. + +Steve described her, aided by Harry Corwin, and the man pushed his old +straw hat back, and rubbed his forehead reflectively. Finally: "There +was a launch answerin' to that description stopped here about"--he gazed +at the sun--"about two hours ago, I cal'ate. She was black, but she +didn't have no name on her so far as I could see. I sold 'em thirty +gallons o' gas an' they went on out toward the bar." + +"Who was on her?" asked Steve quickly. + +"Two or three men I never seen before. Three, I cal'ate there was. She +wasn't here very long. They come up to the house an' got me up from the +breakfast table. Said they was in a hurry. Come to think on it, boys, I +believe they'd painted the name out on the stern. They ain't stolen her, +have they?" + +"That's just what they have done," answered Steve. "Shove off, Han! +Thank you, sir. About two hours ago, you say?" + +"Might be a little less than two hours. Well, I hope you get her. I +didn't much like the looks of the fellers aboard her." + +"Where do you think they'd take her?" called Joe as the boat swung her +stern around. + +"I dunno. They might switch around into the Essex River, or they might +take her in Ipswich way, or they might head straight for Newburyport. If +they wanted to hide her I cal'ate they might run in behind Plum Island +somewheres." + +"Sounds pretty hopeless," said Steve as the _Adventurer_ took up her way +again. "Look at this chart and see all the places she _might_ be, will +you? It's a regular what-do-you-call-it--labyrinth!" + +"It certainly is," agreed Joe. "And there's a lot of shallows about +here, too. Where's this Plum Island he spoke of?" + +Steve pointed it out, a seven-mile stretch of sand behind which emptied +four or five small rivers. "Shall we try it?" he asked. + +"Might as well be thorough," Joe replied. "What do you say, Harry?" + +"I say yes. Seems to me they'd be mighty likely to slide into some such +place if only to paint a new name on." + +"We'll have a look then," agreed Steve. The _Adventurer_ dipped her way +across Squam Bar and Steve swung the wheel. "Southeast, one-fourth +south," he muttered, looking from the chart to compass. "Watch for a +black spar buoy off the lighthouse. If they took the _Follow Me_ into +Essex Bay, though, we're running right away from her." + +To port, the sand dunes shone dazzlingly in the sunlight and a long +stretch of snow-white beach kept pace with them as they made for the +entrance to Plum Island Sound. Several boats, sailing and power craft, +had been sighted, but nothing that looked in the least like the _Follow +Me_. The sun climbed into a hazy blue sky and the day grew hot in spite +of the light westerly breeze. Steve picked up his buoys, a black and +then two red, and swung the cruiser in toward the mouth of the Ipswich +River. The chart showed feet instead of fathoms in places and Steve +slowed down cautiously until they were in the channel. They left Ipswich +Light on the port beam and kept on past the river mouth and into the +sound. + +"What happens," asked Harry Corwin, looking at the chart over Steve's +shoulder, "when there aren't any soundings shown?" + +"Just what I was wondering myself," replied the navigator. "It doesn't +tell you anything after you pass that last red spar buoy. Still, with +those two rivers coming in beyond up there, there must be enough water +for us if we can find it. I've about arrived at the conclusion that the +_Follow Me_ was mighty well named, Harry. We've been following her for +twelve hours, pretty near, and as things look now we'll be still +following her a week from Christmas!" + +"I suppose," sighed the captain of the lost boat, "that what we should +have done was report it to the police and stayed right where we were. +Dad's going to be somewhat peeved if we lose that boat." + +"I thought she belonged to you and Tom," said Wink Wheeler. + +"So she does, but dad gave her to us and he's rather fond of her +himself." + +"Well, it's too bad," Wink answered, "but I don't believe we'll ever +find her now. It's like looking for a needle in a haystack, this sort of +thing. We don't even know for sure that she isn't down around New York +somewhere by this time!" + +"Yes, we do," said Steve quietly. + +"We do? How do we?" + +"Because I'm looking at her," was the reply. Steve nodded ahead and +pushed back the throttle. "If that isn't the _Follow Me_ I'll--I'll eat +her!" + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +BULLETS FLY + + +A half-mile or so beyond a black cruiser lay at anchor at the mouth of a +cove on the island side of the sound. She was broadside-to and one look +at her was enough for Harry Corwin. "It is!" he cried. "We've got her, +fellows!" + +"Not yet," warned Phil as the fellows clustered from all parts of the +boat. "That's her, but how are we going to get her back? Hadn't we +better stop here, Steve, and decide what to do? Those men aren't going +to give her up just for the asking, I guess." + +"Right," agreed Steve. "Bow anchor, Han! Let her go as soon as you're +ready. Now then, fellows, let's think what's to be done." The +_Adventurer_ pulled at the anchor line with her nose, found further +progress stopped and slowly began to swing around with the tide. "There +are three of them at least, according to the gasoline chap back there, +and there are twelve of us, but if they have guns--" + +"We've got two revolvers," said Perry eagerly. "Shall I get them, +Steve?" + +"Yes, fetch them up here, but we don't want to use them unless in +self-defence. Don't forget the cartridges, Perry. Now suppose we mosey +up to where we can talk to them, fellows." + +"That's the ticket," agreed Wink Wheeler. "If they get to acting ugly, +why, I guess there are enough of us to handle them. I think the best way +is to beat it right up there and tell them to hand the boat over." + +"And if they decline?" inquired Phil. + +"Go in and take it!" + +"And, as like as not, get shot full of holes! No, thanks!" This from +"Brownie." + +"How would it do for some of us to land and keep out of sight and come +around back of them?" asked Cas Temple. + +"What are we going to do with them if we catch them?" Tom Corwin wanted +to know. "Take them back and hand them over to the police?" + +"I don't believe they'll let us catch them," answered Phil. "Either +they'll take to that small boat they've got astern there or they'll try +to make a dash past us." + +[Illustration: "It is!" he cried. "We've got her, fellows!"] + +"Much good that would do them!" Harry shrugged his shoulders. "The +_Adventurer_ can sail all around our boat." + +"We're not getting anywhere," observed Steve, who had been all the while +watching the other craft attentively. "And they've seen us at last, for +they're looking over the top of the cabin." + +"Well, let's do something," said Perry, who was back with the two +revolvers and as many boxes of cartridges. "Can they go the other way or +do they have to pass us to get out of this place, Steve?" + +"They can go the other way for about five miles according to the chart, +but they can't get out. There's a bridge there. And, anyway, I guess +it's only navigable for small boats at high tide. Perry, for the love of +lemons, drop those things and let them alone." + +"They aren't loaded," said Perry, injuredly. + +"That's the kind that always blow your head off. Well, what's the +decision, fellows?" + +Everyone talked at once for a minute, and, at last, Phil said: "Why not +do the natural thing and ask for our boat? Why let them think that we +expect trouble? Perhaps when they see that the game's up they'll give in +sensibly." + +"That's the idea," agreed Harry and most of the rest. "Let's breeze +right up to them and talk big." + +"We'll never get the _Follow Me_ by lying here, anyway," said Steve, +turning to the wheel. "Get your anchor up, Han. Give him a hand, +someone. Wink, open a box of those cartridges and load the revolvers, +will you? But keep them out of Perry's way! All right now. Settle down, +fellows, and we'll try a bluff." + +The _Adventurer_ went on and the distance between the two boats lessened +rapidly. They could see two men watching them over the top of the cabin, +but there was no sign of alarm visible aboard the _Follow Me_. When the +_Adventurer_ was almost opposite the black cruiser Steve threw out the +clutch, turned the wheel and let her run shoreward. "We're getting out +of the channel," he said to Harry. "Watch for sand-bars." He slipped the +clutch in again and again disengaged it. The two boats were some twenty +yards apart now and the men on the _Follow Me_ were observing the +newcomers unblinkingly from the cockpit. + +Steve leaned over the rail and sent a hail across. "_Follow Me_, ahoy!" +he called. "We'll trouble you for that boat, please." + +For a moment there was no answer. Then one of the two men in sight +moved forward and drawled: "Speaking to us, are you? What was it you +said?" + +"I said we'd trouble you for that boat," repeated Steve. "It happens to +belong to us, you see." + +"This boat?" + +"That identical boat." + +"Belongs to you!" + +"You've got it." + +"That's a good joke, friend. We've owned this boat three years. Where do +you come in?" + +"She's the _Follow Me_, even if you have painted her name out, and you +took her from her anchorage in Plymouth Harbour last night. What's the +use of throwing a fool bluff like that?" + +The man laughed hoarsely and his companion joined him. "Run away, kids!" +he said finally. "You're crazy with the heat. This boat's the +_Esmeralda_, of Providence, and she belongs to me and this feller. What +do you mean, took her? Callin' me a thief, are you?" + +"I'm not taking the trouble to. If you know what's good for you you'll +dig out of there and do it quick." + +"Is that so?" drawled the man. "Well, ain't that nice? An' supposin' it +don't suit me to hand over my boat to you? Then what you goin' to do?" + +"Take her," answered Steve quietly. "There are twelve of us here and +we've followed you all the way from Plymouth, and we aren't likely to +let you bluff us off now. Come on, now, what do you say?" + +"Come on and take her, kids!" was the answer. "We're scared to death!" +The men thought that extremely funny, and laughed a lot over it. Just +then, Steve, leaning outboard over the railing, felt someone tug at his +arm. + +"Look at the middle port, Steve," whispered Phil. + +Steve looked. The nearer side of the _Follow Me_ was in shadow, but a +quivering beam of sunlight, reflected from the surface of the water, +glinted on the muzzle of a revolver held just inside the open port. + +"Every fellow under cover," said Steve quietly. "That means you, too, +Joe. Duck! They've got a gun trained on us. Who's the best shot here?" + +"Wink," answered Joe. + +"Give him one of the revolvers. Are you there, Wink?" + +"Yes," answered the other from the forward companion way. + +"Get a bead on that middle port. You'll see a gun sticking through +there. Don't shoot unless they shoot first. Better go into the other +cabin. There's no harm in letting them see you, but don't keep your head +exposed. Someone hand me that other revolver." + +On the other boat Steve's silence was accepted as a confession of +indecision and a jeering laugh came across the water. The _Adventurer_ +was drifting toward the shore now, and Steve turned and slipped the +clutch into reverse and churned back a few yards. Then he faced the men +again. + +"You can't get away with it, you know," he said untroubledly. "We can +stay here as long as you can. If you run we'll follow you, and at the +first port we'll hand you over to the authorities. You've only got +thirty gallons of gas and that won't take you far. If you have any sense +you'll pile into your tender and light out while you've got a good +chance." + +It was evident that those on the stolen boat had glimpsed Wink's +revolver, for one of the men leaned toward his companion and spoke in +low tones and their eyes sought the port. After a moment the spokesman +replied placatingly. "Maybe you're right, Sport. Guess you've got us +this time. But this ain't any place to go ashore. Tell you what we'll +do. We'll run her back to Gloucester and hand her over to you there. +That's fair, ain't it?" + +"It doesn't listen well," answered Steve. "You land on the other side +there and you'll only have to walk a few miles to a train." + +"Yeah, walk about six miles across sand dunes in a sun hot enough to +blister you! Nothin' doin', Sport. Take it or leave it." + +"Leave it, thanks." + +For answer one of the men climbed to the cabin roof and went forward. +"He's going to pull up anchor," warned Joe, peering over the rail. +Steve's voice rang out sharply: + +"If you touch that cable we'll shoot!" + +The man paused, stared across doubtfully and went on. + +"Can you hear me, Wink?" asked Steve softly. + +"Yes," came from the after cabin. + +"If he lays a hand on the anchor cable, shoot, but shoot wide." + +"All right, Steve!" + +"Say," called the man in the cockpit, "don't you start nothin', because +we got you covered. If there's any shootin' you'll get the worst of it." + +The man forward dropped to a knee, his gaze turned warily toward the +enemy, and took hold of the anchor cable. As he did so Steve whipped his +revolver into sight and flattened himself against the bulkhead. A sharp +report broke the silence and a bullet sang its way across the _Follow +Me's_ bow. The man dropped the rope and sprang back along the roof to +tumble frightenedly into the cockpit. From the cabin of the _Adventurer_ +floated up the acrid smoke of Wink's revolver. The man at the stern of +the other boat had instantly disappeared. + +"Look out," shouted Perry from the forward cabin. "They're going to +shoot from the ports! Come down from there, Steve!" + +But Steve's hand was on the clutch and, as the _Adventurer_ began to go +astern, his other hand turned the spokes of the wheel and the cruiser's +bow came slowly around toward the _Follow Me._ "Come up here, Wink," he +called, and then: "Put that hatch up all the way and keep behind it," he +added as Wink slipped to his side. "Can you get them from there?" + +"Fine!" answered the other cheerfully. + +"I'll try to keep her bow-on. Careful not to kill anyone, old man. Shoot +for their arms." + +"How can I when they're out of sight down there?" Wink complained. "All +I can do is shoot for the ports." + +"Don't shoot at all unless you have to," Steve cautioned. "We don't want +to knock any more splinters off her than necessary." + +"We're too near, Steve. The deck's getting in the way." + +"I'll back her off." The _Adventurer_ retreated until Wink, his elbow +resting on the closed cover of the chart-box, could train his revolver +on the _Follow Me's_ ports. Several of the others emerged from the +cabins and huddled from sight on the deck. + +"What's the next act, Steve?" inquired Phil. + +Steve shook his head. "I'm wondering," he answered. "About all we can do +is keep them from running away until they talk sense." + +"Why not let them run? We can go faster than they can." + +"I'm afraid of tricks," responded Steve. "I don't know these waters, and +I suspect that they do. They might manage to give us the slip as they +did last night. I guess when they find they can't get away they'll come +to terms." Steve raised his head cautiously above the chart-box on his +side and a bullet promptly ploughed through the frame of the open +window in front of him and went singing astern. + +"Rotten shooting," observed Wink, as Steve ducked to safety. "Shall I +give 'em one, Steve?" + +Steve hesitated and then shook his head. "What's the use? You'd only +plug a hole in the _Follow Me's_ cabin. Wait until they show +themselves." + +"Well, you take care not to show yourself," advised Wink, peering warily +past the smoke-stack. "Those murderous pirates are shooting to kill, I +guess." + +Another shot rang out across the dancing water and a bullet flattened +itself against a pipe stanchion. "Guess you'd better put a shot into +each of those ports," said Steve. "Maybe they'll keep away from them. +Sorry to damage your boat, Harry." + +"Bother the damage!" said Harry. "Plug her full of lead if you like!" + +Wink's revolver spoke, and: "Bull's-eye," he announced calmly. Another +shot followed. "Got that one, too," he muttered. "Can't see the other +port from here, Steve. Smokestack's in the way. You try it." + +Steve tried and missed, the bullet knocking a long splinter from the +edge of the cabin roof, and at the same moment a pistol aboard the +_Follow Me_ barked and Perry, sitting crouched on one of the seats, +uttered an exclamation. Phil, beside him, turned anxiously. Perry's face +expressed blank amazement as he pushed his right sleeve up and gazed at +a wound from which the blood was spurting. + +"Gosh," he said awedly, "I'm shot!" + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +A RUSE THAT FAILED + + +"I should think so!" cried Phil. "Come on down and let me fix it." + +"What is it?" asked Steve anxiously. + +"Perry's hit in the arm. They must have shot along the side, and the +bullet glanced from something. Come on, Perry." + +"All you fellows get out of here," commanded Steve. "It might happen +again, and you're not doing any good here, anyway. The chest's in the +bottom locker in our cabin, Phil. Is it bad?" + +"Don't think so," was the reply from the companion way. "Only a flesh +wound, I guess. I'll look after it." + +Steve had forgotten to try a second shot at the port, but Wink again let +go at where the glint of a revolver muzzle showed and a cry of pain came +across the water. + +"Got him!" said Wink. + +"You must have," agreed Steve. "I hope you didn't hurt him much." + +"Suffering snakes!" ejaculated Wink. "Why shouldn't I hurt him? They +potted Perry, didn't they? What are we supposed to do! Lie around here +and let them shoot us full of lead and just smile? Why, you pig-headed, +solid concrete--" + +But Wink's flow of eloquence was interrupted by two shots from the +_Follow Me_. There was a tinkling of glass as one of them smashed +through the upper frame of the window on Steve's side. The other +ploughed into the chart-box. Wink instantly fired back twice, aiming at +the two ports he commanded. "Harry's boat will look like a sieve," he +chuckled as he broke his revolver and jammed fresh cartridges into it. +"Get busy there, Steve!" + +For answer Steve's revolver spoke twice and the thud of the bullets came +to them. "Got the boat anyway," chuckled Wink. "We can scare 'em even if +we can't pot 'em! Better back up a little, Steve. I don't want to bust +our flag-pole." + +Once more the _Adventurer_ increased the distance between her and the +adversary, and once more the engine beneath their feet relapsed into a +quiet purr as the load was taken off again. + +"If it wasn't that we'd bust the _Follow Me_," exclaimed Steve savagely, +"I'd ram them! They're knocking our paint off and breaking our glass and +raising the dickens!" + +Wink glanced across the deck. Steve, his revolver laid on the floor +beside him, was knotting a handkerchief about his hand with his teeth. +"Hello!" exclaimed Wink. "Did they get you!" + +"No, it's only a piece of glass. It's bleeding a bit, that's all." Steve +gave a final tug at the knot and seized his revolver again. "I wish +they'd show themselves!" + +"They probably wish the same of us," laughed Wink. "How long does this +keep up? I'm getting hungry!" + +"It keeps up until they give in," responded Steve determinedly. "Below +there! Tell Ossie to start on the dinner." + +"Dinner!" exclaimed Ossie from the aft companion. "Suppose they plugged +a bullet into the galley?" + +"Don't be an idiot," begged Steve impatiently. "You've got four inches +of planking and a pile of rope and a refrigerator and a lot of other +stuff between you and the bullets. Get busy and do your bit!" + +"All right, Steve. I'd forgotten about the refrigerator. But you can bet +I'm not going to leave the door open!" This jest was rewarded with a +laugh from the others as Ossie pushed his way past them and dived +hurriedly across the deck to the forward companion way. "Pistols and +coffee for twelve," he added as he disappeared. + +For several minutes there was no further sound or movement aboard the +_Follow Me_. "They're probably fixing up the chap who got plugged," +opined Wink cheerfully, as he watched the ports. "Wish we had a rifle, +Steve. We could get them right through the hull, I guess." + +"Yes, and if we had a torpedo we could sink her," said Cas Temple from +the hatch. "Suppose they've run out of cartridges, Steve?" + +"I don't believe so. I guess they don't think it's worth while wasting +what they've got." + +A cheering aroma of coffee stole up from the galley and murmurs of +satisfaction were heard. Perry, his forearm bandaged neatly and +scientifically, crowded his way up the after companion. "Say, Steve, let +me have a shot at them, will you?" he begged earnestly. "Just one, +Steve, like a good fellow!" + +"How's the arm, Perry?" + +"Oh, all right, I guess. It hurts a little. Phil's got it so blamed +tight that I can't close my fingers. Will you, Steve?" + +Steve was denied an answer by a sudden interruption from Wink. "She's +moving, Steve!" he cried. "They've started her!" + +"But they're anchored!" exclaimed Joe. + +"They've cut the line. Probably reached through a port on the other +side," said Steve, working quickly at the controls. "It's lucky we +didn't have ours down, too!" + +The _Follow Me_, gathering headway, pushed for the channel, and the +_Adventurer_ lunged forward with a mighty splashing of her screw, Steve +bringing her head around as fast as he could. "How the dickens are they +steering her, Harry?" he demanded, staring in puzzlement at the empty +cockpit of the other craft. + +"There's an auxiliary wheel forward, in the stateroom. They're coming +around, fellows. Get under cover! Steve, you'd better drop!" + +The others scuttled for the companion ways, and none too soon, for, as +the _Follow Me_ swung around into the channel those behind her ports had +a clean sweep of the _Adventurer's_ bridge deck and a fusillade of shots +swept across the forty or fifty yards dividing the boats. Steve and Wink +had dropped below the rail, while, in the cabins, the others were taking +good care to crouch beneath the level of the ports. Some eight shots +were fired, but, although several took effect on various parts of the +bridge, the fact that the _Adventurer_ was now plunging around in a +half-circle at a full twelve miles an hour and the other boat was +running at top speed down the channel made accuracy impossible. Neither +Steve nor Wink had a chance to reply until it was too late for their +shots to be effective. By that time the two cruisers had straightened +out on the course and the chase had begun. + +Harry Corwin was entrusted with Steve's revolver and, standing on the +dining table set from locker to locker across the galley, he could +thrust head and shoulders through the hatch. But the cockpit of the +_Follow Me_ remained empty and the entrance to the cabin was closed. +Wink, his revolver ready, had returned to his post and watched grimly +while the _Adventurer_, her engine fairly humming, slowly wore down the +distance that separated her from the enemy. + +"They're certainly getting some speed out of her," called Wink +admiringly. The rest of the company had returned to the bridge and were +watching eagerly. Tom Corwin, who had remained unaffected by the potting +of the _Follow Me's_ hull, was fighting mad now because the thieves had +lost the bow anchor, and sputtered wrathfully as he gazed over Steve's +shoulder. "If I was Harry I'd put a bullet through that door," he +muttered. "I wish someone would let me have a shot at them!" + +"You couldn't hit her at this distance, with the boats swinging," said +Steve. "Wonder why it doesn't occur to them to cut away that tender. +It's taking a mile off their speed." + +"Afraid of getting hit, I guess," replied Joe. + +"It doesn't seem to me that we're gaining very fast." + +"We're not, but we're gaining fast enough. Hello!" The _Follow Me_, +having approached the end of the island, had turned her nose to port +straight for the end of the beach. "How much does she draw, Tom?" + +"Two feet and a half; same as this." + +"And the chart shows two feet of water there at low tide!" exclaimed +Steve. "And it's nearly dead low now, I guess. She's taking a chance, +all right!" + +The channel ran straight ahead, close to the shore of the mainland, and +if the _Follow Me's_ exploit proved successful she was due to increase +her dwindling lead by a good mile unless the _Adventurer_ accepted the +challenge and followed her example. For a minute Steve hesitated. Then: +"If she can do it, we can," he muttered, and slowly turned the wheel, +his eyes darting to the chart. "No depth shown here," he said. "Two feet +further along. Then four and seven. If we can get to the point of sand +there we're all right." + +They watched the _Follow Me_ breathlessly. She was dancing almost in the +breakers now and for a long moment it seemed that she would surely pile +herself on the spit that ran seaward from the end of the island. But she +got by safely and the _Adventurer_ plunged after her. There were +strained faces on the bridge deck then and Ossie was seen to lay a +tentative hand on the cushion of the nearer seat. Steve, with grim +countenance, kept his eyes on the rollers, trying his best to follow in +the wake of the other boat. Here and there white water hinted at shoals +and it was between two of these that the _Follow Me_ had gone. Steve +eased the wheel and slowed the engine a trifle and the _Adventurer_, +rocking in the long swells that were breaking on the beach hardly more +than a stone-throw to port, went on. Steve was in the act of breathing a +long sigh of relief when there came a jar that threw several of the boys +off their balance and brought cries of consternation to their lips. For +one horrid moment the _Adventurer_ hung with her propeller churning the +sand, and then shook herself free and lunged forward again. + +Shouts of relief went up and a smile of triumph came to Steve's face as +he pulled her back into the course and slipped into deeper water. The +_Follow Me_ was still a good eighth of a mile ahead and swinging +northward around the curve of beach. "They're going to make for +Newburyport," said Steve. "Watch them try to get me into trouble now, +Joe." + +"How do you mean?" + +"They're keeping in close to shore. See? Look on the chart." + +"I see twelve little black crosses about there. What do they mean? Oh, I +get you. 'Emerson Rocks,' eh? But I don't see them!" + +"No, they're sunken. The _Follow Me's_ running as near them as she +dares, hoping that we'll try to cut the corner more and strike. Those +fellows know this coast as I know the inside of my hat! But we'll fool +them this time!" + +So close to the submerged danger did the _Adventurer_ go that Perry, +watching over the side, caught a glimpse of a dark mass under the green +water. Then the chase straightened out once more and Steve drew the +throttle wide, experimented with the spark for a moment and sent the +white cruiser surging along in pursuit. There could be no doubt as to +the outcome of the race. It was only a question of time. The thieves had +staked all on the attempt to elude the _Adventurer_ in the shallows, and +now they were doomed to open water, for Plum Island ran straight and +unbroken for seven miles, and not until the entrance to Newburyport +Harbour was reached was there the smallest chance to slip out of sight. + +Ossie announced that dinner would be ready in a few minutes, but no one +paid any attention. Every eye was fixed on the _Follow Me_, which, dead +ahead, was scurrying along at a rate which Tom, who had thought he knew +the engine thoroughly, marvelled at. But the distance was shortening +between pursued and pursuer. Off the life-saving station the fleeing +craft was scarcely a hundred yards in advance, and it became more and +more certain that the boats would be on even terms long before the +seven-mile stretch was half traversed. + +Wink went below and summoned Harry Corwin down from his perch, much to +the relief of Ossie, whose preparations for dinner had not been made +easier by having to dive under the table every time he sought the +ice-chest, and posted him at a port in the forward cabin. "If they won't +give up," he explained, "we'll have to go on plugging them. I'll take +it in the other cabin. Better fire first from one port then from +another. That'll keep them guessing. It's just as well for them not to +know that we've got only two pieces of artillery!" + +"All right," said Harry, "but there's no use staying here now, is there? +There's nothing in sight but a sea-gull!" + +"No, but be ready when we get abreast, Harry. I think that gun pulls to +the right a little. You might watch it." + +Wink returned to the deck, followed by Harry as far as the companion, +and looked forward at the _Follow Me_. Since he had gone below the +positions of the boats had altered noticeably, and now, had he wished, +he might easily have put a bullet through the mahogany door beyond the +cockpit. Steve was bearing seaward a little, intending to run up on the +starboard side of the black cruiser. + +"I'll bet they're doing a whole lot of thinking about now," said +"Brownie." "Guess I'll go down and sit on the floor again. They'll be +able to plug us in another minute or so." + +"You'd all better beat it," said Steve. "If the bullets begin to fly +again someone will get hurt." + +Slowly but certainly the bow of the _Adventurer_ crept up on the +_Follow Me's_ stern. Some sixty feet of water divided them. Beyond the +black cruiser lay the long yellow beach, dazzling in the noonday +sunlight. Suddenly the _Follow Me's_ bow turned straight for the +breakers and Steve gave a cry. + + + + +CHAPTER XV + +SURRENDER + + +"They're going to run her ashore!" shouted Steve. + +He slid out the clutch, throttled down the engine and swung the boat's +nose to starboard as the others piled back to the deck. The _Adventurer_ +swept around in a long circle while the _Follow Me_, churning the +shoaling water into white froth, ran straight for the shore. + +"Gosh, what a mess!" groaned Harry Corwin. "We'll never get her off +there!" + +Steve made no answer, nor did the others. They were all watching that +wild rush of the black cruiser. On and on she went, rising and falling +with the gentle swells, until it looked as though she must surely be +churning the sand with her hurrying screw. Suddenly the cabin doors flew +open and three men, one hatless and with a white towel bound around his +head, leaped out and scampered along the roof to the bow. Wink raised +his revolver, but Steve pulled his arm down. + +"Don't!" he said. "Let them go if they will." + +At that instant the _Follow Me_ faltered, stopped, and went on again for +another yard or so as a breaking wave rushed under her keel, and then +rolled over to starboard and subsided so, her propeller still beating +and her stern slowly working around. Into the two feet of water dropped +the trio on the bow and, keeping the _Follow Me_ between them and the +enemy, scuttled to land, and then, once on the hard sand, ran as hard as +their legs would take them up the beach to the north. Wink sent one shot +hurtling after them, just, as he explained afterwards, to encourage +them, and Steve, having cautiously edged the _Adventurer_ as near shore +as he dared, gave his orders hurriedly. + +"Get the big cable from the rope locker, Han," he directed. "Joe, you +and Harry jump into the tender and stand by here. When you get the cable +pull in to the _Follow Me_ and make it fast to the stern cleat. Tom, +you'd better go along, too. Put your engine into reverse and try to back +off. The tide's still running out and if we don't get her off now we'll +have a hard time later. I'll pull on the stern and you jockey her with +her own power. I think we can do it. Now then, Han, give me that. Here, +take this end forward and make it fast around the cleat. Pass it +outside that stanchion, you chump! Catch, Harry! All right! Get a move +on, fellows!" + +Off plugged the tender, Joe bending furiously at the short oars, the big +cable paying out astern. A minute or two later they were tumbling aboard +the _Follow Me_, Tom to dart below to the engine, Harry to make fast +their end of the line and Joe to look after the tender. Then Harry waved +a hand and shouted, and the _Adventurer_, which had been going slowly +astern, taking up the slack of the cable, settled to her task. The big +rope tightened, throwing a spray of water into the sunlight along its +length, strained and creaked and the _Follow Me's_ propeller, reversed, +did its part. There was an anxious two minutes. Very grudgingly the +black cruiser's stern came around. Steve drew the _Adventurer's_ +throttle down a couple of notches. The _Follow Me_ gave up her notion of +spending her declining years on the sands of Plum Island and slowly +backed away. A shout of delight arose from a dozen throats as, with the +water once more under her she bobbed sedately to an even keel and +followed the tug of the big hawser. + +A quarter of an hour later the two boats continued their way up the +shore, the _Follow Me_ poorer by one eighty-pound anchor and richer by +one cedar dingey which the six boys aboard seriously suspected of having +been stolen. They ate dinner at half-past two, anchored on Joppa Flats, +the two crews once more assembled around and about the _Adventurer's_ +hospitable board, and as they ate, very hungrily and quite happily, they +discussed the day's adventure. + +The _Follow Me_ showed numerous signs of Steve's and Wink's +marksmanship, both outside and in, but there was no damage that nails +and hammer, paint and putty wouldn't repair. The stolen boat's larder +was sadly depleted and, as Tom said disgustedly, the cabin looked as +though a dozen pigs had lived in it a week! But, all in all, the cruiser +had come off well. As for the lost anchor, why, as Wink pointed out, the +tender would more than buy them a new one. There was some discussion as +to their right to dispose of that tender and in the end they agreed that +the proper thing to do would be to leave it at Newburyport and mail an +advertisement to the Plymouth papers. If the owner claimed the boat he +would pay for the advertisement. If he didn't, they would recover it +later on their way back down the coast. The _Adventurer_, too, showed +numerous scars. One bullet had plugged straight in at one side of the +smokestack and out the other, the glass in one window had been shattered +to bits and in various other places damage had been wrought. But they +had recovered the _Follow Me_, and that, viewing the affair in +retrospect, had been something of an achievement. Everyone, even Tom by +now, was more than satisfied at the outcome of their first real +adventure. Dinner, delayed as it was and none too palatable by reason of +having been prepared for a much earlier hour, was a merry meal. + +After it was over they went on up to Newburyport, found a berth and set +out to look for a yard where they could have the two cruisers patched. +Repairs kept them there two days, and then, having acquired a new anchor +for the _Follow Me_ and left the extra dingey in safe storage, the +Adventure Club set forth once more in the early hours of a drizzly +morning. + +They passed the Isles of Shoals before nine and in the middle of the +forenoon Steve pointed through the haze to where an indistinct blot +against the sky line proclaimed Boon Island. After that the cruisers +kept well toward shore, for, although the drizzle had stopped, the +navigators feared that a fog might take its place, and that one +experience in Vineyard Sound had been sufficient to last them for the +balance of the cruise. Off Cape Porpoise the boats found rough seas and +the crew of the _Follow Me_ were secretly delighted to observe that the +smaller craft made much easier going. The _Adventurer_ seemed to be +having a thoroughly good time, for she kicked up her heels and waved her +nose and fairly rolled in merriment as the seas came sliding under her +quarter. The bridge deck was a damp place until both side curtains were +lowered and laced to the rails and stanchions. Poor Joe stood it as long +as he could, getting paler and paler and sitting, hands in pockets, +gazing fixedly at the brass kickplate at the top of the forward +companion way, about the only thing in his range of vision that was +fairly steady, and at intervals lurching below with an assumption of +carelessness that deceived nobody, to dose himself with his sea-sickness +remedy. That remedy, however, failed him, and it was not very long +before the Chief Engineer was conspicuous on the bridge by his absence, +while those who listened could hear at intervals a low moaning sound +proceeding from the after cabin. But Joe was not the only one aboard the +_Adventurer_ who suffered qualms of uneasiness, although he alone gave +up the struggle. Both Perry and Han showed pale countenances and looked +big-eyed and pathetic. Neither displayed the least interest in dinner, +while Joe, when cruelly summoned by Ossie, only groaned lugubriously and +turned his pallid face to the wall. At two o'clock the sun broke through +and dyed the sea a wonderful green, and the _Adventurer_ began to meet +other boats. As she left Scarboro Beach on her port beam and began to +nose in toward Peak's Island the sea calmed and by the time the cruiser +was ready to drop her anchor in Portland harbour, Joe, albeit still +rather greenish, had pulled himself back to deck to gaze approvingly at +the shore. + +A week went by during which the Adventure Club, one and all, had a +glorious time without anything that in the least resembled adventure. +They spent a whole day in Portland--spent, also, a deal of money there +replenishing an utterly exhausted galley--and then, to use Perry's +inelegant phrase, "bummed around" Casco Bay for three days more. Joe +fell in love with more islands during that time than he had known +existed. "I've always wanted to own an island," he would explain, "and +that's the very island. Let's go ashore, Steve, and look around." + +Steve humoured him several times, until the others complained that they +were getting tired of stopping at every bunch of rocks on the Maine +Coast, and pointed out, besides, that, as Perry had owned to having but +nine dollars in his pocket just a few days before, it wasn't at all +likely that he would find an island within his means. After exhausting +the interest of Casco Bay the two boats ran further up the shore and +spent another forty-eight hours at Camden. Steve had friends there and +the whole tribe of mariners were invited to dinners and luncheons and +found that "home cooking" was all that it was popularly believed to be. +Ossie had a most perfect time during those two days. + +"Nothing to cook but breakfast," he said ecstatically, "and real food +the other two meals! Gee, but it's fine to eat something some other poor +duffer has cooked! Say, Joe, what is it that pigs have that kills them +off in bunches: sort of a--an epidemic?" + +"Hog cholera," hazarded Joe. "Aren't you feeling well, Ossie?" + +"Well, I wish they'd all have it," said Ossie devoutly. "I'm so plumb +sick of cooking bacon!" + +The rest agreed, away from Ossie's hearing, that it was a very fortunate +thing that the period of eating ashore had arrived when it did, for +Ossie had been showing symptoms of mutiny of late and his cooking had +noticeably fallen off. "He was due to strike in another few days," said +Han. "Then someone else would have had to take the job, and we would all +have starved to death." + +"In the absence of the cook," observed Perry gravely, "the job falls to +the crew." + +"No, sir, to the second mate," corrected Han. "Isn't that so, Joe?" + +"I'm not sure. The only thing I am sure of is that--um--it doesn't fall +to the chief engineer." + +"I should say not!" retorted Perry. "Think of eating food flavoured with +engine oil!" + +"Couldn't be any worse than pudding flavoured with onion extract," +chuckled Joe, referring to a viand prepared by Ossie while at +Newburyport. Ossie had meant to put in a spoonful of vanilla, but the +two bottles looked so much alike-- + +The pudding was never eaten, unless the fish consumed it, and the +mention of it still caused Ossie great pain and humiliation. + +They went into the water every morning before breakfast, lived almost +every minute in the open air--for even at night the wide-open ports and +doors made the cabins like sleeping porches--ate heartily, got enough +exercise to keep them lean and hungry and became tanned with sun and +wind to the colour of light mahogany. Khaki trousers, sleeveless shirts +and rubber-soled canvas shoes made up their ordinary attire, although +for shore visits they "dolled up" remarkably. Those early morning baths +were fine appetisers, as will be understood by the reader who has had +experience of the water along the Maine coast, and the number of eggs +and slices of crisp bacon that came off the alcohol stove would sound +like a fairy tale if told. At Camden the two cruisers lay side by side, +with just enough room between to allow them to swing, and by keeping the +tenders alongside the gangways it was only a momentary task to ferry +from one boat to the other. In consequence the two crews mingled a good +deal and it was no unusual thing for one breakfast table to be thronged +while the other was half empty of a morning. When the boys got tired of +swimming they simply climbed over the rail of the nearer craft and, +after partly drying themselves, went down to breakfast. As getting dry +was a somewhat perfunctory proceeding, the linoleum in the forward cabin +was covered with pools of salt water by the time the last platter of +bacon and eggs was empty. + +Many friends were made and the boys spent more time on shore than +aboard. There was tennis to be played, for one thing, and Phil, Steve +and Joe were all dabsters at that game. And then there was a big, +freckle-faced youth named Globbins who spent most of his waking hours in +the driver's seat of a high-powered roadster automobile and who ran the +fellows many miles over the roads and was never, seemingly, more +contented than when every available inch of the car was occupied. Its +normal capacity was three, but by careful packing it was possible to get +seven in, on or about it. In return, Globbins was entertained aboard the +_Adventurer_ and given a thirty-mile cruise one evening, but it was easy +to see that he wasn't really enjoying himself and that his hands fairly +ached for the feel of that corrugated wheel of the roadster. They had +such a jolly time at Camden that they promised faithfully to stop there +again on the return voyage, and really meant to keep the promise when +they chugged out of the harbour one crisp morning and turned the +cruisers' bows eastward for the run across Penobscot Bay. + +They lazed that day, for, as Steve said, it was too fine to hurry. +Dinner was eaten with the two boats side by side, with only fenders +between, in a fairy pool. They found the place quite by accident when +exploring the shore of an island whose name they are to this day +ignorant of. There was an entrance to the tiny bay through which a +schooner might barely have scraped her way. Beyond the mouth lay a +wonder land. The pool was as round as a dish and its water the bluest +they had ever seen. Straight across from the entrance a cliff of granite +towered for a hundred feet or more, its tree-clad summit almost leaning +over the boats at anchor. Its face was clothed with vines and dwarf +evergreens and birches. On the other encircling shores of the pool +tumbled boulders hung over the blue depths and were reflected so clearly +that, looking down, one received the same impression of air and space as +when lying on one's back staring into the sky. There never were such +reflections, they declared. No one came to disturb them, and only the +songs and chirpings of birds and the sleepy sigh of the faint breeze in +the boughs broke the silence. Green and blue was that fairyland, warm +with the sun and redolent of the sea and the sappy fragrance of +sun-bathed foliage. + +They ate dinner on the decks, the two boats snuggled so close that it +was the easiest thing in the world to pass dishes from one to another. +After dinner they lolled in the sunlight and gazed up at the sheer +granite bluff or the smiling and cloudless sky and talked lazily or +slumbered a little. And finally Wink Wheeler thought of fishing and in a +few minutes a half-dozen lines were overboard, and, while the catches +were not big, they were fairly frequent, and the question of what they +were to have for supper was solved there and then. It was Harry Corwin's +idea to stay in the pool overnight and everyone instantly applauded it. +Later, a party went ashore and explored, but there were no paths to be +found and Nature was jealous of her secrets and they came back without +more knowledge of this unknown island than they had had before. They +named it Mystery Island and called the little harbour Titania's Mirror, +a suggestion from Bert Alley which elicited jibes and a final agreement. + +"It's not 'mushy' a bit," said Steve, in Bert's defence. "It's a fine +name for the prettiest bit of water any of us ever saw, and you know it. +The only trouble with you is that you're afraid someone will laugh at +you for being poetical or imaginative. If Bert had suggested calling it +Put-In Bay or Simpkins' Cove or something like that you'd have said +'Fine!' and secretly thought him a perfect ass!" + +Twilight came early and the still, limpid water of the pool took on all +sorts of strange and wonderful hues, like the iridescent surface of a +pearl-shell. It grew very still and a little bit eery as the shadows +crept over the scene, and it was a relief when Cas Temple and Bert Alley +brought forth their mandolins. I am sorry to say that Titania's Mirror +was a bit too thickly inhabited by mosquitoes for comfort, and there +were restless turnings and muttered expostulations to be heard for some +time after lights were out. + +The morning broke radiantly and at half-past six Titania's Mirror was +turned into a highly satisfactory bathtub. Brown arms clove the shadowed +surface and dripping heads rose and fell as fully half the number set +out on a spirited race to the entrance. When almost there they emerged +into a flood of pale sunlight, and looking down through the pellucid +water they could see the sloping sides of the basin converging like the +sides of a bowl. Tragedy was surely the last thing to be thought of +amidst such idyllic surroundings, and yet it was hovering very close. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI + +THE BURGLARS + + +Wink Wheeler reached the little channel first and gingerly climbed out +on a brown ledge that flanked it on one side. Others joined him there to +lie panting in the sunlight. Only Joe and Phil kept on and were +presently swimming within a short distance of each other well outside. +They were both strong rather than fast swimmers, and, although Han +frowned slightly as he watched them bob in and out of sight in the long, +smooth swells, the others soon turned their attention to Wink's +suggestion that they dive from the rock and race around the anchored +boats and back again. Wink offered the others a ten-yard start. All save +"Brownie" accepted the challenge--"Brownie" was built for comfort rather +than speed--and in a moment they were lined up rather unsteadily on the +edge of the boulder awaiting the word. Then three bodies launched +themselves through the air and the race was on. When the others had +taken the first half-dozen strokes after reappearing Wink plunged after +them. "Brownie" watched until the foremost swimmer disappeared beyond +the boats and then turned his gaze seaward. For a moment he could not +find the two venturesome ones, but presently he spied them. They had +turned and were coming back straight for the mouth of the little +harbour, Phil leading and Joe a dozen yards behind. It looked like a +race from the way in which both boys were keeping under and "Brownie" +found it more exciting than the other contest. And then, while he +watched, something happened, and he sprang to his feet and gazed seaward +with wildly beating heart. + +Joe had stopped swimming and was on his back with one brown arm held +aloft. If he made any outcry "Brownie" failed to hear it, but apparently +he had, for Phil was turning now and hurrying back with short, quick +strokes. But before he had covered half the distance separating him from +the other, the watcher on shore uttered an involuntary cry of alarm. Joe +was no longer in sight! + +"Brownie" looked despairingly toward the boys in the pool, but the +nearest was still a long way from the channel. Confused thoughts of the +boats were cast aside and "Brownie" threw himself from the rock, hitting +the water like a barrel, and turned into the channel. As he felt the +tug of the tide he experienced a revulsion of fright, for he had no +stomach for the task ahead of him. "Brownie's" swimming was usually done +in safer water than that he was making for. But he tried his best to +forget the depths below him and the long swim ahead, to remember only +that Joe was in trouble out there and that Phil, probably by now +somewhat exhausted, would never be able to bring him to shore +unassisted. + +The long swells hid the others from him. Once, though, poised for a +moment on the round summit of a bank of water, he glimpsed ere he +descended into the green valley beyond, a darker spot ahead and so found +his direction. He knew better than to tire himself out by desperate +strokes. His only hope of getting there and getting back was to conserve +his strength. All sorts of thoughts came and went in a strange jumble. +Sometimes it seemed that he was making no progress, that the slow waves +were bearing him remorselessly back to the cove, or, at least just +defeating the strokes of his arms and legs. Breathing became laboured +and once a veritable panic seized him and it was all he could do to keep +from turning and swimming wildly back toward shore. Instead, though, +fighting his fears, he turned on his back for a moment with his round +face to the blue breeze-swept sky, and took long, grateful breaths of +the sun-sweet air. Above him a grey gull swept in a wide circle, +uttering harsh, discordant cries. Then, his panic gone, "Brownie" turned +over again and struggled on with renewed strength and courage. And +suddenly, the long swells were behind him and there, but a few yards +away, was Phil, Phil very white of face but as calm as ever. + +He was swimming slowly on his side, one arm cleaving the water and the +other supporting the nearly inert body of Joe. "Here comes 'Brownie,'" +the rescuer heard him say cheerfully. "All right now, Joe. We'll get you +in in a jiffy! Roll over, 'Brownie,' and get your breath," he added. +"We're all right for a minute. That's the trick." + +"I'm--a bit--tuckered," gasped "Brownie," as he lay and puffed with +outstretched arms. + +"Don't blame you," said Phil. "How are you now, Joe?" + +"Punk," muttered the other. "Don't you fellows bother too much. If +you'll just stay by for a minute or two--I'll be--um--all right, I +guess." + +"No need to do that," replied Phil quietly. "'Brownie' and I will take +you between us. Put a hand on my shoulder. Easy, son! That's it. Now the +other on 'Brownie's.' Right you are. Just let yourself float. Ready, +'Brownie?' Don't hurry. Easy does it. We've got an eighth of a mile or +so and there's no use getting tired at the start. I guess the tide will +help us, though." + +There were no more words until the shore was nearly reached. By that +time "Brownie" was frankly all-in and Phil was in scarcely better +condition. Joe had so far recovered then, however, as to be able to aid +weakly with his legs, and before they reached the channel half a dozen +eager helpers splashed to their assistance. Anxious questions were +showered on them, but only Joe had the breath to answer them. + +"I had a cramp," he explained apologetically. "It hit me all of a sudden +out there. It was fierce!" + +"Legs?" asked Steve. + +"No--yes--about everywhere below my shoulders. It seemed to start in my +tummy. I got sort of sick all over. Thought--um--thought I was a goner +until--" + +"All right! Shut up now. Someone give Phil a hand. He's about ready to +quit. 'Brownie,' too." Steve and Wink had taken the places of the +rescuers and Joe was finishing his journey at top speed. It was no easy +task getting him aboard, but they finally accomplished it and hurried +him below. "Brownie," too, had to be pushed and pulled over the side, +and while Phil got aboard almost unaided he slumped onto a seat and, to +use Perry's expression, "passed out." Hot coffee and many blankets and +at least three different remedies from the medicine chest presently left +Joe out of pain, while in the case of Phil and "Brownie" the hot coffee +and rest were alone sufficient. + +Breakfast was rather late that morning, and Joe's place was vacant, for +that youth was enjoying a sleep in the after cabin. "Brownie" and Phil, +however, recovered wonderfully at the sight of bacon and eggs and did +full justice to the repast. Steve laid down the law during breakfast as +follows: + +"After this there'll be no more swimming away from the boats, fellows. +We came on this trip for fun and not funerals. You took a big chance, +Phil, when you went that far out. This water's about ten degrees colder +than what you and Joe are used to. It's a wonder you didn't both have +cramps and drown." + +"I guess it was rather foolish," agreed Phil. "The water was a lot +colder out there than inside, too. Still it didn't bother me any." He +lowered his voice, with a glance toward the companion way and the other +cabin. "I thought old Joe was a goner, though, fellows. I was about +forty feet away, I suppose, when I heard him yell, and before I could +get back he'd gone down. I was afraid he meant to keep on going, but he +thrashed his way up again and I managed to grab him. The trouble was +then that he wanted to drown both of us and I had a hard time making him +see reason." + +"Someone ought to recommend you for the Carnegie Medal, Phil," said Han, +with a laugh that didn't disguise his earnestness. + +Phil shook his head. "I wasn't the hero of the adventure," he replied +quietly. "I'm fairly at home in the water and I've done four miles +without tiring much. It's 'Brownie' who deserves the medal, fellows. He +saw Joe go down and jumped right in and beat it out there; and you all +know that 'Brownie' isn't any swimmer. I think he was just about scared +to death!" + +"I'll bet he was," agreed Steve. "He's never been known to go ten yards +from shore or boat. Yes, I guess 'Brownie' is the real hero, as you say, +Phil." + +"He certainly is, because I'll tell you frankly that I never could have +got Joe in alone. I was just about used up by the time we'd tried to +drown each other out there." + +"We didn't know anything about it," explained Ossie, filling Phil's cup +again unasked, "until someone happened to look from the _Follow Me_ and +saw you three out there. It was Tom Corwin, I think. I heard him +yelling--I was getting my clothes on down here--and I ran up on deck and +then grabbed the megaphone and shouted to Steve and Wink and the others +who were over on the rock near the inlet. By the time they got it +through their thick heads--" + +"Thick heads be blowed!" exclaimed Steve disgustedly. "You were just +yelling a lot of words that didn't mean anything. If you hadn't kept on +pointing we'd never have known what was up. We all thought you had a +fit." + +All's well that ends well, however, and an hour after breakfast the +incident was, if not forgotten, dismissed. Joe reappeared, looking +rather pale still, but announcing himself quite all right. "I was nice +and sick at my tummy," he explained, "and now I feel fine." + +"Being sick at your tummy," remarked Perry unkindly, "is quite the best +thing you do, Joe. If you can't be sea-sick you go and try to drown +yourself!" + +Of course "Brownie" was allowed to surmise that he had done something +rather big, and Joe thanked him very nicely, but Mr. Carnegie is still +in ignorance of his exploit! + +The two boats floated out of the pool about ten and set off for Bar +Harbor. The barely averted tragedy somewhat modified their regret at +leaving Titania's Mirror and Mystery Island. Later, Steve and Joe tried +to locate that island on the charts but without certain success. There +were so many islands thereabouts that neither dared to more than guess +at the identity of the one they had visited. Looking back at it from a +distance of a half-mile they saw that it was in reality much smaller +than they had supposed, being scarcely more than a huge rock pushed up +from the ocean bed. Ossie, who had a leaning toward geology, furnished +the theory that Mystery Island was no more nor less than the top of an +extinct volcano and that Titania's Mirror was the crater. + +"It probably sank, like lots of them did," he elaborated, "and the sea +wore away part of it and flowed into the crater. I'm pretty sure that +that rock we climbed out on this morning when we were swimming was +volcanic." + +"Sure," agreed Perry. "It was pumice stone. I meant to bring a bit of it +along for you to clean your hands with." + +"I didn't say pumice," replied Ossie haughtily. "It was more probably +obsidian." + +"My idea exactly! In fact, it had a very obstinate feeling. It--it left +quite an impression on me!" + +The _Follow Me_ developed engine trouble that morning and they lay by +for a half-hour or more while Tom Corwin toiled and perspired, argued +and threatened. It was well after two o'clock when they ran up the +eastern shore of Mount Desert Island and finally dropped anchor in +Frenchman's Bay. They ate only a luncheon on board and then clothed +themselves in their gladdest raiment and went ashore. They "did" the +town that afternoon, mingling, as Wink said, with the "haut noblesse," +and had dinner ashore at an expense that left a gaping hole in each +purse. But they were both hungry and glad to taste shore food again, and +no one begrudged the cost. + +It was when they were on their way back to the landing that the glow of +coloured lanterns behind a trim hedge drew their attention to the fact +that someone was conducting a lawn party. The imposing entrance, through +which carriages were coming and going, met their sight a moment later +and inspired Perry with a brilliant idea. + +"Say, fellows, let's go," he said, as they paused in a body to allow a +handsome landau to enter. "I've never been to one of these lawn fêtes, +or whatever they call them in the society papers, and here's the +chance." + +"Anybody invited you?" drawled Joe. + +"No, but maybe they meant to. You can't tell. Maybe if they knew we were +here--" + +"Might send word in to them," suggested Wink Wheeler. "Say that the +crews of the _Adventurer_ and the _Follow Me_ are without and--" + +"Yes, without invitations," agreed Perry. "I get you, but that might +cause our hostess embarrassment, eh? Why not just save her all that by +dropping in sociably?" + +"Are you crazy?" demanded Steve. + +"Crazy to go and see all the pretty lanterns and things, yes. And maybe +they'll have a feed, fellows! Come on! Take a chance! They can't any +more than put us out! Besides, they probably won't know whether they +invited us or not. It's just a lark. Be sports, fellows!" + +The notion appealed to most of them, but Steve and Phil and Bert Alley +declined to countenance it. "What will happen to you," said Steve +grimly, "is that you'll all spend the rest of the night in the town jail +for impersonating gentlemen!" + +"Oh, if that's all you're afraid of," responded Perry sweetly, "you +might as well come, too, Steve. They'd never charge _you_ with that." + +"Sub-tile, sub-tile," murmured Cas Temple. + +"Anyhow, our clothes are perfectly O.K.," continued Perry. "White +trousers and dark coats are quite _de rigor_. Come on, fellows." + +They went on, all save the disapproving trio, Perry and Wink Wheeler +leading the way up the winding avenue toward the glow of fairy lights +ahead. No one challenged them, although they were observed with +curiosity by several servants before they came out on a wide lawn in +front of a spacious residence. Fully a hundred guests were already +assembled. A platform overhung by twinkling and vari-coloured electric +lamps had been laid for dancing and, as the uninvited guests paused to +survey the scene, an orchestra, hidden by shrubbery and palms in tubs, +started to play. Chairs dotted the lawn and a big marquee was nearby. On +a low terrace in front of the hospitable doorway of the residence the +hostess was receiving as the carriages rolled around the immaculate +drive and stopped to discharge the guests. The boys viewed each other +questioningly. Perry pulled down his waistcoat and walked boldly across +the lawn and the drive and stepped to the terrace. Wink followed +unhesitatingly, but the others hung back for a moment. Then they, too, +approached, their assurance oozing fast. They reached the terrace in +time to witness Perry's welcome. + +"Good evening," said that youth in bored and careless tones, shaking +hands with the middle-aged lady. "Awfully jolly night, isn't it!" + +"How do you do, Mister--ah--so glad you could come. Yes, isn't it +splendid to have such perfect weather? Marcia, you remember +Mister--ah--" + +Perry was passed on to a younger lady, evidently the daughter of the +house. + +"Howdy do?" murmured the latter, shaking hands listlessly. + +"How do!" returned Perry brightly. "Bully night, eh!" + +"Yes, isn't it?" drawled the young lady. Then Perry gave place to Wink. + +"Good evening," said Wink, grinning blandly. + +"Howdy do? So nice of you to come," murmured the lady. Wink joined +Perry and they crossed to the other side of the terrace and maliciously +watched the embarrassment of the other boys. Joe and Harry Corwin +carried things off rather well, but the others were fairly speechless. +Perry chuckled as he saw the growing bewilderment on the face of the +hostess. But finally the ordeal was over and Perry led the way back to +the festivities. Ossie groaned when they were safely out of ear-shot. + +"She's on to us," he muttered. "I could see it in her eye! I'm off +before they throw me out!" + +"Don't be a jay," begged Perry. "The evening's young and the fun's just +starting. Mrs. Thingamabob doesn't know whether she asked us or not. I'm +going to see what's in the big tent over there. Come on, fellows." + +They went, dodging their way between chattering groups and impeding +chairs, but when Perry peered through the doorway of the marquee he was +met with a chilly look from a waiter on guard there. "Supper is at ten +o'clock, sir," said the servant haughtily. + +"That's all right," replied Perry kindly. "Don't hurry on my account, +old top!" + +What to do for the succeeding hour was the question, for, while all +save Perry and Ossie danced more or less skilfully, they knew no one to +dance with. "If you ask me," remarked Cas Temple, yawning, "I call this +dull. I'd rather be in my bunk, fellows." + +"Well, let's find something to do," said Joe. "Maybe they've got a +roller-coaster or a merry-go-round somewhere. Let's--um--explore." + +By this time the dancing had begun in earnest and the platform was well +filled with whirling couples. The boys paused to look on and, since the +throng was growing larger every minute, were forced to change their +position more than once with the result that presently Perry, Wink and +Ossie found themselves separated from their companions. They looked +about them unavailingly and waited for several minutes, and then, as the +others did not appear, went on. + +"We'll run across them," said Perry cheerfully. "Let's stroll around and +see who's here." + +"Awfully mixed crowd," said Wink. "Really, you know, Mrs. Jones-Smythe +should be more particular. Why, some of the folks don't look as though +they had ever been invited!" + +"I know," agreed Perry, with a sigh. "Society's going to the dogs these +days. One meets all sorts of people. It's perfectly deplorable." + +"Beastly," agreed Ossie, stumbling over a chair. "Bar Harbor's getting +very common, I fear." + +"Hello, that's pretty!" exclaimed Perry. They had emerged onto a walled +space that looked straight out over the water. Hundreds of lights dotted +the purple darkness and the air held the mingled fragrance of sea and +roses. "This isn't so punk, you know," continued Perry, leaning over the +wall. "Maybe this would suit me as well as an island." + +"You're on an island," Ossie reminded him. + +"I meant a real island," murmured Perry. Ossie was about to argue the +matter when footsteps approached and they moved off again. A flight of +steps led to a stone-floored verandah and they went up it and perched +themselves on the parapet, to the probable detriment of the ivy growing +across it, and watched the colourful scene. They were quite alone there, +for the porch was detached from the terrace that crossed the front of +the house. Two French windows were opened and beyond them lay a +dimly-lighted library. Perry, hugging one foot in his hands, looked in +approvingly. + +"Whoever owns this shanty knows what's what," he said. "Just have a +squint at all those books, will you? Millions of them! Wonder if anyone +has ever read them." + +"Well, I'm glad I don't have to," said Wink feelingly. "But that's a +corking room, though. These folks must have slathers of money, fellows." + +"Oh, fairly well fixed, I dare say," responded Perry carelessly. "Say, +what time is it! Feed begins at ten, and with all that mob down there +it's the early bird that's going to catch the macaroons. Wonder if +they'll have lobster salad." + +"Nothing but sandwiches and ices, I guess," said Ossie. "I wouldn't +object to a steak and onions, myself. Funny how hungry you get up in +this part of the world." + +"You sure do," agreed Wink. "Let's move along. If the Corwin family gets +in there ahead of us we might just as well pull in our belts and beat +it." + +"Let's go in through here," said Perry. "It's nearer, I guess." He +started toward the first window. + +"Oh, we'd better not," Ossie objected. "They might not like it." + +"Piffle! They'll be tickled to death. They like folks to see their +pretties." He stepped through the window and, dubiously, his companions +followed. The library was a huge apartment, occupying, as it seemed to +them, more than half the length of the house, with several long windows +opening onto the terrace at the front. The furnishings were sombrely +elegant and the dim lights caught the dull polished surface of mahogany +and glinted on the gold-lettered backs of the shelf on shelf of books +that hid the walls. Deep-toned rugs rendered footsteps soundless as they +made their way toward the wide doorway at the far end of the room. They +had traversed barely a third of the distance when a sudden sound brought +them up short. + +One of the windows that opened onto the terrace further along swung +inward and a middle-aged man in evening attire stepped into the room. +Perry, in spite of his former assurance, drew back into the shadow of a +high-backed chair, stepping on Wink's foot and bringing a groan from +that youth. The newcomer, however, evidently failed to hear Wink's +protest, for, closing the window behind him in a stealthy manner, he +crossed the further end of the library and paused beside a huge stone +fireplace. Wink and Ossie had dropped to the protecting darkness of a +big table, but Perry still peered, crouching, from behind the chair. In +the dim light of an electric lamp the intruder's face had shown for an +instant, and in that instant Perry had sensed it all! The stealthy +manner of the man's entrance from the terrace instead of by the door, +the plainly furtive way in which he crossed the room and the anxious +expression of his face, a face which Perry saw at once to be criminal, +was enough! The watcher was not in the least surprised when the man, +hurriedly and still stealthily, drew out a square of mahogany paneling +at the left of the fireplace and revealed the front of a small safe. +Perry's heart began to thump agitatedly at the thought of witnessing a +robbery. The man's fingers worked deftly at the knob. Perry could hear +in the silence the click of the tumblers as they slid into place. Then +the door was pulled open. + +Between Perry and the robber lay a full thirty feet of floor, and a big +table impeded his progress, but it took the boy less than a second to +cover the distance, to seize the robber from behind, pinioning his arms, +and to bear him heavily back to the floor. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII + +FLIGHT + + +"Wink!" he cried. "Ossie! Come quick! Help here!" + +The robber, having uttered a stifled cry of alarm at the instant of the +unexpected attack, was now thrashing mightily about on the thick rug. + +"Help!" he shouted. "Who are you? Let me go!" + +"S-sh!" commanded Perry sternly, as the others plunged to his aid, +overturning a chair on the way. "Be quiet! Sit on his legs, Ossie!" +Perry was astride the man's chest, holding his arms to the floor. "Punch +him if he makes a noise, Wink!" Perry, breathing hard, surveyed his +captive in triumph. "Now then," he asked, "what have you got to say for +yourself? What were you doing at that safe?" + +The man glared in silence for an instant. To Wink it seemed that the +emotion exhibited on the robber's countenance was amazement rather than +fear. + +"Come on," urged Perry. "What's the game?" + +"Game!" choked the man, finding his voice at last. "Game? You--you young +ruffians! You--" + +"Cut that out, or I'll hand you something," growled Wink. "Answer +politely." + +"Let me up!" + +"Nothing doing!" answered Perry. "Come across. What's your name and +where do you come from? As you didn't get anything out of there, maybe +we'll be easy with you if you talk quick." + +"Let me suggest, if I may," said the man in a strangely quiet and +restrained tone, "that you get off my stomach. This conversation can +just as well be conducted under more comfortable conditions." + +Perry blinked and Wink viewed the captive doubtfully. + +"Promise not to try to run?" demanded Perry. + +"I have no intention of running, thanks." The robber carefully dusted +his clothes as he arose and then felt anxiously of a bruised elbow. +"Now, if you will inform me what this--this murderous assault means I +shall be greatly obliged to you." + +"Suppose you tell us what you were doing at that safe?" said Perry +sternly. + +"Is that any of your business?" asked the other. It was evident that he +was losing his temper again, and Wink drew a step nearer. "I presume I +have a perfect right to open my own safe! What I wish to know--" + +"Your own safe!" gasped Perry. "Oh, come now, you needn't try to tell us +that you--you live here. You're a cracksman, my friend, that's what you +are--" + +Ossie tugged at Perry's sleeve, but Perry failed to notice it. + +"One look at that face of yours is enough, old top," continued Perry. +"It's got crook written all over it!" + +"It has, has it?" gasped the man. "Let me tell you that my name is +Drummond, sir, and that this is my house, and that is my safe, and--and +if you'll mind your own business--" + +"What!" asked Perry weakly. "You mean that you--that this--you mean +that--" + +"I mean," interrupted the man angrily, "that I was about to deposit some +money in that safe, some money I'd been carrying around in my pocket all +the evening and feared I might lose, when you--you young thugs set on me +and knocked me down! Knocked me down right in my own house, on my own +hearth-rug! Why, you--you--" + +Mr. Drummond's wrath got the better of his speech and he only sputtered, +waving an accusing finger at the retreating Perry. Wink was already +glancing about for a means of escape and Ossie was frankly deserting. + +"I--I didn't know!" gasped Perry. "I--we saw you come in--and you looked +like--like a--" + +"You've said that already!" said the man, "Never mind my criminal looks, +young man!" + +"No, sir, we don't--I mean I was mistaken, sir! But, you see, it looked +so--so queer, you coming in like that--" + +"Queer! What was queer about it!" demanded Mr. Drummond irascibly, "No +one but a parcel of young idiots would think it queer!" He took an +envelope from his pocket, tossed it into the safe, closed door and panel +and faced them again. "Who are you, anyway? I don't remember you." + +"Er--my name--my name--" stammered Perry, "my name--" + +"Well, well! Don't you know your name? Who invited you here?" + +"Yes, sir, oh, yes, sir! It's Bush. We--you see, we were on the porch +there, and we wanted to get back to the--the front of the house--" + +"Who invited you here, tonight? Who--" The host's expression changed +from indignation to suspicion. "Huh!" he ejaculated. "Robber, eh! Well, +what were you doing in this room? Seems to me--hm! We'll look into this, +I think!" He stepped back and touched a button in the wall. "We'll have +this explained! We'll see who the robber is! We--" + +"_Good night!_" Perry spurned the table against which he was leaning, +hurdled a chair and plunged down the room. Ossie was at his heels and +Wink was a good third. They fled at top speed and from behind them came +the irate commands of their host: + +"Stop! Come back! Stop, I say!" + +But they didn't stop. They only ran faster. Wink beat Ossie to the first +window easily and passed out even with Perry. And as they landed on the +stone flagging outside they heard Mr. Drummond excitedly directing the +pursuit. + +"Quick, Wilkins! Get them! They tried to rob the house!" Mr. Drummond's +voice pursued them along the verandah. "Help! Robbers! Head them off!" + +The boys took the stone steps in two bounds, crashed at the bottom into +a hedge, went tearing through and emerged beyond in a service yard, +dimly lighted by one struggling electric bulb over a back doorway. It +was Ossie who fell into the clothes basket and Wink who collided with +the clothes reel and sent it spinning wildly and creakingly around in +the darkness. Perry fortunately avoided all pitfalls and was leading by +six yards when he reached the top of another flight of steps and saw the +marquee and the dancing platform and the gay lights at his right. To +make their way in that direction would be sheer folly, while in front of +them lay a tangle of shrubbery and trees. Into this they hurtled, as +from behind them came cries of "Stop, thief!" and the crunching of many +footsteps. + +Off went Wink's hat as he fled after the scurrying Perry. Ossie went +down in a tangle of briars and prickly things with a grunt, rolled +somehow clear and was off again. "This way!" shouted a voice. "I seen +'em! They went in here! Come on, men!" + +Perry was running alongside a wall now, as he hoped, in the general +direction of the street. Behind him came Wink and Ossie, crashing +through shrubbery with a desperate disregard for noise. Then suddenly, +the wall turned abruptly to the right. Perry stopped short, looked and +decided. + +"We've got to get over!" he gasped, as Wink ran blindly into him. "Give +me a leg-up!" + +Wink leaned weakly against the wall and Perry set a foot on his cupped +hands and was just able to reach the top of the wall. But that was +enough. Up he climbed. Then up came Ossie, and together, while the +pursuit drew instantly closer, they pulled Wink to safety. For a brief +moment they sat there and caught their breath while wondering what lay +below them in the gloom of the further side. But there was scant time +for conjectures, for the pursuit was in sight. Three bodies launched +themselves into space, there was a frightful, devastating sound of +breaking glass and the boys disengaged themselves from a cold-frame and +sped on again into the darkness. + +A house loomed suddenly before them, a house with lights and folks about +the porch and a panting automobile curving its way down a drive. They +turned to the right and kept along a lawn in the shadows of the trees. +The automobile passed them with a purr and a sweeping flare of white +light. Then Perry was after it and in another moment they were all +three huddled somehow on the gas-tank at the rear and going with +increasing speed out of the grounds and along a road. For a few minutes +they hung there, breathing hard, and then Wink gasped: + +"We've got to get off, Perry! It's going the wrong way!" + +"If we do, we'll get killed," answered Perry. "Wait till it slows up." + +They waited, but it seemed that it never would slow up. It went faster +and faster. It passed houses and stores and a church. It went like the +wind. Ossie groaned as they left the village behind. + +"I can't stay on much longer, fellows!" he said hopelessly. "I'm +clinging by my t-t-teeth!" + +"You've got to!" answered Perry above the noise of the exhaust. "You'll +break something if you don't! Wait till it slows up!" + +_Toot! Toot! To-o-oot!_ said the horn. And then, so suddenly that +Perry's head collided with something particularly hard, the brakes +squeaked harshly, the car slewed into an avenue and the boys, making the +most of the opportunity, fell off. Ossie rolled a full half-dozen yards +before his progress was stayed by a tree, and Wink, or so Perry +declared afterwards, described a beautiful and quite perfect circle. +Bruised, breathless and dizzy, they got to their feet and staggered to +the side of the road and subsided on the turf. + +After a long minute Ossie said feebly: "Where--do you--suppose--we are?" + +"About ten miles--in the country," answered Wink. + +There was silence then, silence long and profound. At last they climbed +to their feet and, without speaking, walked off in the darkness in the +direction from which they had come. Perhaps ten minutes later there came +the first sound to break the silence. It was a choking sort of gurgle +from Wink. + +"What's the matter with you?" inquired Perry listlessly. + +"I was just--just thinking," replied Wink. "It was so--so--" But words +failed him and he began to laugh. After a dubious instant Perry +chuckled, and then Ossie, and presently they were clinging to each other +convulsively in the middle of the unknown road and sending shrieks of +laughter up to the starlit sky. + +Over an hour later they reached the landing. Both tenders were gone. The +_Follow Me_ was dark, but a faint light still burned aboard the +_Adventurer_. Perry cupped his hands and sent a hail across the water. A +sleepy response was followed by the sound of someone tumbling into the +dingey and then by the measured creak of oars. Han was grumbling as he +drew to the float. + +"A fine time to be coming back," he said. "Where the dickens did you +fellows get to, anyway? We looked all around the shop for you. Did you +get any grub?" + +"N-no," answered Perry, as he sank wearily into a seat. "We got tired of +sticking around there and--and went for a ride." + +"A ride? Where to?" + +"Oh, just around a bit. Out in the country a ways. Was--was the grub any +good?" + +"Was it!" Han grew quite animated. "It was the best ever! They had about +a dozen kinds of salad, and cold meats all over the place, and +sandwiches and cakes and ice-cream and ices and coffee and--" + +"Oh, shut up!" begged Ossie almost tearfully. + +"It was bully! Were you there when we chased the burglars?" + +"When you--what?" asked Wink. + +"Chased the burglars, I said. Mr. Drummer, or something--I never did +get the name of the folks--found three of them trying to break into his +safe, and they knocked him down and half-killed him, and the servants +chased them, and then everyone took a hand! It was fine and exciting, I +tell you! Had you gone off before that?" + +"Why--er--seems to me we did hear something," said Perry. "When--when +was this?" + +"Oh, about a quarter to ten, I suppose. We were dancing--" + +"_You_ were dancing?" ejaculated Wink. + +"Sure! All of us danced. Didn't you?" + +"Who with, for the love of Mike?" + +"Oh, lots of girls. Mrs. Thingamabob happened to find Joe standing +around and made him tell her his name, and then she took him off and +introduced him to some girls, and then he introduced the rest of us. It +was a peachy floor. Some of the girls were all right, too." + +"You seem to have got on fairly well," said Wink, "considering you +weren't invited." + +"We were invited just as much as you were," responded Han indignantly. + +"Maybe, son, maybe," answered Wink, as he climbed aboard the darkened +_Follow Me_, "but I'll bet they weren't half as sorry to see you go as +they were to see us!" + +With which cryptic remark Wink stumbled into the cockpit and +disappeared. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII + +THE SQUALL + + +Although the Adventure Club remained in port for another day, neither +Perry, Wink nor Ossie went ashore again, and all the efforts of the rest +of the party failed to coax them off the boats. They were, they +declared, fed up with Bar Harbor. And they hinted that so far as they +were concerned the voyage might continue at any moment without protest. +Han brought back a newspaper that afternoon containing a vivid and +highly sensational account of the attempted robbery of the Alfred Henry +Drummond "cottage." The three read it with much interest, and especially +that portion of it which stated that "the local police force is +investigating and has every expectation of making arrests within +twenty-four hours, since it is not believed the burglars have succeeded +in leaving the island and all avenues of escape are being closely +guarded." + +It might have been observed by the others, but wasn't, that Perry and +Ossie, on the _Adventurer_, and Wink, on the _Follow Me_, exhibited a +strange fondness for the seclusion of the cabins from that time until +the next day at eight, when the cruisers up-anchored and passed out of +the harbour. And as the broad Atlantic rolled under the keels three +hearty sighs emerged from as many throats. + +The two boats passed Petit Manan Island toward ten that forenoon, a tiny +rocky islet holding aloft a tall shaft against the blue of the Summer +sky. "A hundred and fourteen feet," said Joe informatively, "and the +highest lighthouse on the coast except one." + +"Gee, think of living there in Winter!" said Perry awedly. + +"Guess Petit Manan isn't as bad as some of the islands along here, at +that," said Joe. "Some of them are a lot further from the mainland. +Remember Matinicus?" + +"Think of folks living on them," murmured Han. "They must be merry +places in Winter with a blizzard blowing around! Lonely, wow!" + +"Remember the white yacht we passed the other day near Burnt Coal?" +asked Phil, looking up from the book he was reading. "The _Sunbeam_ was +the name of her. Well, a chap was telling me yesterday about her. It +seems she's a sort of Mission boat, the Sea Coast Mission, I think it's +called. The folks that live on these off-shore islands along here were +in pretty bad shape a few years ago, bad shape in every way. There were +no schools, or mighty few, and no churches, and the folks were just +naturally pegging out from sheer loneliness and--and lack of ambition, +just drifting right back into a kind of semi-civilized state, as folks +do on islands in the Pacific that you read about. Well, someone realised +it and got busy, and this Mission was started. There was a chap named +MacDonald, Alexander MacDonald--" + +"Sounds almost Scotch," observed Joe dryly. + +"Never mind what he was. He's American now, if he was ever anything +else," replied Phil warmly. "He was teaching school on one of the +islands near Mount Desert in the Summers and going to college the rest +of the time. There wasn't any church on this island and so he used to +conduct services in the place they used for a school. Somehow, that put +it into his head--or maybe his heart--to be a preacher. He preached +around in all sorts of out-of-the-way places, and then this Mission +started up and the folks behind it just naturally got hold of him and +put him in charge. A New York woman had the _Sunbeam_ built for him +three or four years ago and now he lives right on it, he and a couple +of men for crew, and she keeps pegging around the islands, up and down +the coast, Summer and Winter. You fellows know what Doctor Grenfell does +up around Labrador and beyond? Well, this Mr. MacDonald does the same +stunt along this coast, and, by jiminy, fellows, it's some stunt! Think +of plunging around these waters in Winter, eh? Breaking his own way +through the ice often enough--the boat was built for it they say--and +plugging through some of the nor'easters! Say, I take my hat off to that +fellow!" + +"Some job," agreed Steve thoughtfully. "Man's work, fellows." + +"What does he do for 'em?" asked Ossie. + +"Teaches them, son. Teaches them how to live clean, how to look after +the kids, how to keep healthy. And prays with them, too, I guess. And +brings them books and founds schools. Don't you guess that when this +_Sunbeam_ comes in sight of some of those little, forsaken islands the +folks on shore sort of perk up? Guess the Reverend Mr. MacDonald is +pretty always certain of a welcome, fellows!" + +"Rather!" said Joe. "That's what I call--um--being useful in the world. +Bet you he's a fine sort. Bound to be, eh?" + +"I'd like to make a trip with him," said Perry. "Gee, but it would be +some sport, wouldn't it? Talk about finding adventures! Bet you he has +'em by the hundreds." + +"I dare say," said Phil, "that he'd be glad to dispense with a good many +of them. Hope I haven't bored you, fellows," he added, returning to his +book. + +"You haven't, old scout," answered Han. "Any time you learn anything as +interesting as that, you spring it. Blamed if it doesn't sort of make a +fellow want to be of more use in the world. Guess I'll polish some +brass!" + +They passed many of those islands during the next few days, lonely, +rock-girt spots scantily clad with wild grass and wind-worried fir +trees. Sometimes there was a lighthouse, and nearly always the rocks +were piled with lobster-traps, for lobstering is the chief industry of +the inhabitants. They touched at one small islet one afternoon and went +ashore. There were but three houses there, old, weather-faded shacks +strewn around with broken lobster-pots and nets and discarded tin cans +and rubbish. The folks they met, and they met them all, from babes in +arms to a ninety-eight-year-old great-grandmother, looked sad and +listless and run-to-seed. Even the children seemed too old for their +years. It was all rather depressing, in spite of the evident kindliness +of the people, and the boys were glad to get away again. They bought +some lobsters and nearly a gallon of blueberries before they went. Ossie +declared afterwards that those lobsters looked to him a sight happier +than the folks they had seen ashore! + +They went eastward leisurely, making many stops, and had fine weather +until they sighted Grand Manan. Then a storm drove them to shelter one +afternoon and they lay in a tiny harbour for two days while the wind +lashed the ports and the rain drove down furiously. Nothing of great +interest happened, although the time went fast and pleasantly. To be +sure, there were minor incidents that Phil entered in the log-book he +was keeping: as when Han fell overboard one morning in a heavy sea when +the _Adventurer_ was reeling off her twelve miles and was pretty well +filled with brine and very near exhaustion when he reached the life-buoy +they threw him. And once Ossie pretty nearly cut a finger off while +opening a lobster. And then there was the time--it was during those two +weather-bound days and everyone's temper was getting a bit short--when +Perry cast aspersions on Ossie's biscuits at supper. Perry said they +were so hard he guessed they were Ossie-fied, and the others laughed +and Ossie got angry and they nearly came to blows: would have, perhaps, +had not Steve promised to throw them both overboard if they did! + +They spent two days at Grand Manan, and Perry, who had never before been +further from Philadelphia than the Adirondacks, was vastly thrilled when +he discovered that Grand Manan was a part of New Brunswick. "This," he +declaimed grandly as he stamped down on a clam-shell, "is the first time +I've ever set foot on a foreign shore!" + +The end of the first week in August found them harboured at Eastport. +They stayed there four days, not so much because the place abounded in +interest as because the _Adventurer_, who had behaved splendidly for +several hundred miles, suddenly refused to go another fathom. Steve said +he guessed the engine needed a good overhauling, and Perry chortled and +offered his services to Joe to help take it apart. But Joe, in spite of +his invaluable and ever-present hand-book, acknowledged his limitations, +and the job went to a professional and the _Adventurer_ spent most of +three days tied up to a smelly little dock while the engine specialist +took the motor down before be discovered that a fragment of waste and +other foreign matter had lodged in the gasoline supply pipe. +Fortunately, his charge was moderate. Had it been otherwise they might +have had to stay in Eastport until financial succour reached them, for +the exchequer was almost depleted. + +They found a letter from Neil among the mail that was awaiting them at +Eastport. Neil was evidently down on his luck and begged for news of the +club. He got it in the shape of an eight-page epistle from Phil. + +Perry made a close study of the sardine industry and laid gorgeous plans +for conducting a similar venture on the banks of the Delaware when he +returned home. "You see," he explained, "a sardine is just whatever you +like to call it in this country. I used to think that a sardine had to +come from Sardinia." + +"From where?" asked Ossie, the recipient of Perry's confidences. + +"Sardinia." + +"Where's that?" + +"I dunno. Spain, I think. Or maybe Italy. Somewhere over there." He +waved a hand carelessly in the general direction of Grand Manan. +"Anyway, there's nothing to it. A man told me this morning that the +sardines they use here are baby herring or menhaden or--or something +else. I guess most any fish is a sardine here if it's young enough. +Unless it's a whale. Now why couldn't you use minnows? There are heaps +of minnows in the Delaware River. Or young shad. A shad's awfully decent +eating when he's grown up, and so it stands to reason that he'd make a +perfectly elegant sardine." + +"Nothing but bones," objected Ossie. + +"A young shad, say a week-old one, wouldn't have any bones, you chump. +At least, they'd be nice and soft. It's a dandy business, Ossie. All you +have to have is some fish and a lot of oil and some tin cans." + +"Sounds easy the way you tell it. I suppose you pour the oil in the tin +can and drown the fish in the oil and clamp the lid on, eh?" + +"N-no, there's a little more to it than that. There's something about +boiling them. They have big kettles. Want to go over this afternoon and +see them do it? There's a fine, healthy smell around there!" + +"Thanks, but I got a whiff of it a while ago. Unless you want me to sour +on sardines, Perry, you won't take me to the place they build them." + +The engine was reassembled in the course of time and, with fresh +supplies, the _Adventurer_ turned homeward, the _Follow Me_ close +astern. They started after an early dinner, having decided to make +Northeast Harbor that evening and proceed to Camden the next day. They +had seen enough of the eastern end of the coast, they thought, while +from Camden westward there were numerous places that had looked +enticing. So "No Stop" was the order, and the _Adventurer_, turning back +into home waters off Lubec, churned her way through the Bay of Fundy at +a good pace. The morning had dawned hazy, but the sun had shone brightly +for awhile in mid-afternoon. Later the sunlight disappeared again and +the northern sky piled itself with clouds. South West Head was abeam +then and Steve half-heartedly offered to run to shelter. But the others +pooh-poohed the suggestion. + +"If we duck every time there's a cloud," said Joe, "we'll never get back +to Camden. There isn't any wind and the barometer says fair." + +The barometer was rather a joke aboard the _Adventurer_. It hung just +inside the forward companion way and was undoubtedly a most excellent +instrument. But not a soul aboard could read it properly. When it +dropped, the skies cleared and the wind blew. When it rose, it +invariably rained or got foggy. Steve had long since given it up in +despair, but Joe still maintained a belief in his powers of +prognosticating weather by the barometer, a belief that no one else on +the boat shared. + +"If the pesky thing says that," remarked Han, "it'll snow before night! +Still, I don't see why we need to run into harbour yet. There's no sign +of fog, and if it's only rain that's coming, why, we've been wet before. +I say let her flicker, Steve." + +"I guess so. We're not out far and if it does get very wet we can soon +get under cover somewhere. Find me the next chart, Joe, will you?" + +They could see the Seal Islands, or they thought they could, off to port +at a little past three. The _Follow Me_ was hiking along about a quarter +of a mile astern, making better going than the _Adventurer_, just as she +always did in a heavy sea. And today the sea was piling up a good deal. +Joe looked anxious at times, but he had passed his novitiate and now it +took a good deal of tossing to send him below. What happened at about +half-past three occurred so suddenly that no one aboard the _Adventurer_ +was prepared for it. + +It grew dark almost between one plunge of the cruiser's bow and another, +and before Steve could punch out his warning on the whistle, +preparatory to heading to starboard, a gust of wind tore down on them +from the north like a blast from the pole and set canvas rattling and +flags snapping. Steve headed toward Englishman's Bay, nine miles due +west, and the _Follow Me_ altered her course accordingly. But that storm +had no intention of awaiting anyone's pleasure. The first gust was +quickly followed by a second and the sky darkened rapidly. The spray +began to come over the rail, and Han and Perry tugged down a flapping +curtain and lashed it to the stanchions. The next time Steve looked for +the _Follow Me_ she was no longer in sight, for the darkness had closed +in between the two craft. + +"This is a mess," shouted Steve, peering through the spray-wet glass +ahead. "I wish we were about seven or eight miles further along, +fellows." + +"Well, we will be presently," replied Phil cheerfully. "I dare say this +blow won't last long. It's only a squall, probably." + +"It's a good one, then," muttered Steve. "If you don't believe it take +hold of this wheel. Feel her kick? Keep a lookout for that island in +there, Joe." + +Things went from bad to worse and ten minutes after the first warning +the _Adventurer_ was tossing about like a cork, her propeller as often +out of water as in, and making hard work of it. + +They had to hold tight to whatever was nearest to keep from being +pitched across the bridge deck. The seas began to pile in over the roof +of the after cabin and the deck was soon awash. Steve held to the wheel +like grim death, with Joe at his side when needed, and they plunged on. +But it didn't take Steve long to realise that to attempt to make the +haven under such conditions would be folly. There were islands and reefs +ahead and the gloom made it impossible to see for any distance. + +"The only thing we can do, fellows," he said presently, shouting to make +himself heard above the wind, "is to run for it straight down the shore. +If we can get in past Wass Island we can anchor, I guess, but if we try +to make Englishman's Bay we'll pile up somewhere as sure as shooting! I +wish I was certain the _Follow Me_ was all right." + +"If we are, she's sure to be," said Joe. "She's a nifty little chip in +tough weather. Here comes some rain, Steve!" + +Joe's description was weak, however. It was more than "some" rain; it +was a deluge! It swept past the edges of the curtains and splashed on +the deck in dipperfulls. And it hid everything beyond the torn and +tattered Union Jack at the bow. Looking through the dripping windows was +like looking through the glass side of an aquarium, for beyond it was a +solid sheet of water. Steve gazed anxiously from chart to compass under +the electric lights and eased off to port. + +"There's too much land around here," he shouted to Joe, "to leave me +happy. And, what's more, I'm none too certain just where we are at this +blessed minute. So it's the wide ocean for yours truly. We'll just have +to run for it and trust to luck!" + +"Right-o," called Joe sturdily. "Let her flicker, old man! There's one +thing plumb certain, and that is if we come across an island +we're--um--likely to run clean over it!" + +But Joe was wrong. + +The words were scarcely off his lips when a cry of mingled astonishment +and alarm sprang from Steve as he threw his weight on the wheel. At the +same moment there was a shock that sent all hands reeling, the +_Adventurer_ quivered from stern to stern, and then, after a moment no +longer than a heart-beat, lurched forward again. Directly over the bow, +glimpsed vaguely through the rain and gloom, rose a towering cliff. +Steve's frantic efforts were in vain, for although he tore at the +clutch and the propeller thrashed the water astern, the _Adventurer_ was +already in the smother of the surf and an instant later she struck. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX + +SHIPWRECKED + + +Afterwards the boys looked back on the ensuing five minutes as a dream +rather than a reality. The cruiser grounded with an impetus that set +pans rattling in galley, lifted again and once more thumped her stern +down, as she did so swinging her stern slowly around in a last frantic +effort to pull clear. Then the boat careened, a sea washed clean across +the deck and, with her keel forward of the engine firmly imbedded in the +sand, she lay still save for the tremors that shook her when the angry +surf rushed in across her beam. + +There was confusion enough, but on the whole the six alarmed boys +behaved sensibly. Steve, wet to his waist, turned off the engine and +banged shut the chart-box even as he shouted his orders. "Life +preservers, fellows! Han, get the big cable from the locker. Keep your +heads now!" + +Clinging like a leech to the canted roof of the forward cabin, Steve +himself worked along with the rope and, half-drowned in rain and surf, +made it fast to the cleat. The others, struggling into life-belts, +clung to the stanchions or whatever they could find. Steve crawled back +with the coil, drenched and breathless. + +"We've got to get off, fellows," he said. "It's only a dozen yards to +the beach and we can make it all right. Close every hatch. Ossie, fetch +a can of biscuits. See that the lid's tight." Wave after wave struck on +the starboard beam and fell hissing across the boat. The side curtains +were ripped from the stanchions and fluttered wildly about them. + +"Going to swim for it?" asked Joe above the roar of waves and tempest. + +"Yes! We've got to. The boat would swamp in an instant. I'll start ahead +with the line. You fellows wait and then follow it in." + +"Better let me go along," said Joe, his hands formed into a +speaking-trumpet. + +"No need. I'll make it." + +"Look out for back-tow!" + +The other nodded. He had pulled off his coat and unlaced his shoes and +now he dropped these things through the forward hatch and wrapped the +big rope around his waist. "Better not try to swim with your coats, +fellows," he instructed. "Nor shoes. Don't take any chances. Last man +off see that this hatch is shut tight." He crawled around the +stanchions on the starboard side and crept along to the bow, the others, +huddled together on the sloping bridge, watching anxiously. Then he +slipped from sight. Once they saw his head, or thought they saw it, a +darker blot in the grey-green welter. Joe was already creeping toward +the bow, and, having reached it, he crouched there, blinded by rain and +spray, and waited for the rope to tauten. It seemed a long while before +he waved an arm to the watchers behind and swung himself off. They saw +his hands travel along the rope a moment and then he was smothered up in +the spume. + +One by one the others followed without misadventure save when Han +slipped on the deck and would have rolled across and plunged over the +further side had he not fortunately caught the iron support of the +searchlight in front of the funnel. Phil was the last to go. With a +final look about the deck as he clung to an awning pipe, he followed +Ossie. The latter was swinging himself hand-over-hand by the rope with +the waves surging to his shoulders. Then Phil saw him strike out and the +waters hid him. The beach was visible at moments from the bow, and once +Phil, as he prepared to swing himself off, thought he saw figures +there. Then he, too, was battling. The waves swept him under the rope +and would have wrenched him from it had he not clung on desperately. +Holding to it with his right hand, he sought to find it with his left +and so draw himself on, but the surf swirled him about dizzily and he +gave up the attempt. Instead, almost drowned in the smother, he used his +left arm and his legs for swimming, edging his right hand along the +cable as best he could, and presently, although none too soon, felt the +churning gravel beneath his stockinged feet. But when he tried to stand, +the receding water swept his legs from under him so unexpectedly and +forcibly that he lost his grasp of the rope. He went down and felt the +water tugging him back, swam mightily and was lifted to the top of an +in-rushing breaker, filled his lungs with air and felt blindly for the +rope. Then hands seized him and Joe and Han, clinging to the cable, +dragged him ashore. + +Phil found himself under the frowning battlement of the huge cliff on a +ledge of sand and shingle scarcely twenty feet wide. But there was less +sweep for the rain here and the _Adventurer_ was plainly visible through +the strange semi-darkness. Steve had made the shore end of the cable +fast to a boulder that stood, half out of the shingle, at the base of +the cliff. For a long minute the six boys huddled there in the storm and +disconsolately gazed at the boat. It was Han who voiced the thought of +most of them. + +"She won't stay together long, I guess," he said sorrowfully. "Those +waves will batter her to pieces." + +"She'll stand a lot of battering," answered Steve hopefully. "It's +hitting her on the beam and she hasn't swung much since I left her. The +tide's still coming in and--" He stopped. Then: "I ought to have +dropped the stern anchor over," he went on. "What an idiot! If she had +that to hold her from swinging broadside--" + +"Would it hold her?" asked Joe dubiously. + +"It would help." Steve tightened his belt. "I'm going back," he said. + +They remonstrated, but to no purpose. Then Joe and Han wanted to go +along, and were denied. "It's no trick," said Steve resolutely. "I can +do it easily. You fellows stand by when I come ashore again. That's the +only tough part of it. Someone might see if there's a way up from this +beach. If the tide comes much higher it's going to be a bit damp here." + +It was Perry who undertook that task, while the others followed Steve to +the breakers' edge and watched him return to the _Adventurer_. He made +no attempt to swim, but pulled himself along by the line, +hand-over-hand, his head for the most of the time under the water. But +presently he emerged and they saw him clamber to the deck, crawl along +it and disappear. He seemed a long time there, but he came into sight +again eventually and began the return trip. Perry was back by then and +they formed a line by clasping hands and Joe stood well above his waist, +battered by the surf, and Steve was helped along from one to another and +presently they were all back on the beach once more. + +"I got it over," gasped Steve, "but it was hard work. I think it will +hold. If the storm will only go down pretty soon she may get through. I +think some of her planks are sprung, though. There's a foot of water in +the after cabin. I got some matches and this cup." He pulled a tin cup +from a trousers pocket. "Can we get up the cliff a way?" + +"Yes," answered Perry. "There's a sort of a shelf about a hundred feet +beyond there. I'll show you the way." + +[Illustration: "Those waves will batter her to pieces"] + +They followed. Real darkness was coming fast now and Perry found +difficulty in retracing his steps. But in a few minutes, by dint of +scrambling and pulling themselves upward, they reached the shelf. It +was barely large enough to hold them all and was scarcely ten feet above +the level of the beach below. Nor was it at all level, for it had been +formed by the accumulation of falling debris from the cliff and sloped +outward at a steep angle. Some dwarf firs and low bushes had gained +rootage, however, and it was possible for them to huddle there without +fear of rolling to the rocks beneath. Steve tried to find some dead +branches to build a fire, and did succeed in getting a few, but his +first attempt to set them alight proved the futility of the undertaking. +There was nothing for it save to lie as close together as they could, +for warmth, and await the morning. + +That was a miserable night. They all slept at times, and by changing +places they all, for a while at least, found some degree of warmth. But +they had been drenched through to start with and when, at last, the +stormy world began to lighten their garments were still sodden and they +shivered whenever they stirred. Ossie was ill toward morning, but there +was nothing they could do for him except huddle closely about him. He +complained of intense pains in his chest and Steve had horrible visions +of pneumonia until Ossie, asked to locate the trouble more definitely, +laid a trembling hand on a portion of his anatomy and muttered "Here" +through chattering teeth. + +"That's not your chest, you idiot," said Steve, vastly relieved. "That's +your stomach!" + +"Is it?" returned the sufferer miserably. "Well, it hurts just the +same!" + +But after an hour he felt considerably better and went off to sleep. By +that time it was early morning and they could see about them. The rain +had almost ceased, but the wind still blew hard and the surf was still +pounding. Once during the darkness the waves had, from the sound, +entirely covered the little beach. Now, however, they had receded and, +as the light grew, they saw that the _Adventurer_ lay, with regard to +the tide, about as they had last glimpsed her. But she had swung her +stern further around, in spite of the anchor Steve had dropped, and the +waves were breaking almost squarely across her. She was a pathetic +sight. Her side curtains were waving in ribands, the forward flag-pole +held nothing but one tiny rag of blue bunting and the tender, torn from +the chocks, was jammed between the stanchions ahead. + +"But she's still whole," said Steve from between blue lips. "And the +storm's going down. If she isn't sprung too much, and we could only get +her off of there--" + +"Getting her off," said Joe with a pessimism born of hunger and cold and +the gloom of the early morning, "will be about as easy as moving a house +with a toothpick. I dare say the sand's bedded around her two feet +high." + +"I'm afraid so," Steve agreed. "Well, let's have something to eat. Will +you have steak or chicken, Joe?" + +"Broiled ham and a baked potato, please, and a couple of eggs. Not more +than two minutes for the eggs. And you might bring me a couple of hot +biscuits--" + +"Oh, shut up," begged Steve miserably. + +"Well, you started it! Who's awake here?" + +"I am," muttered Perry. "Seems to me I haven't been anything but awake +for ten years." + +"Well, want to order your breakfast now, or will you wait?" asked Joe +cheerfully. + +"Guess I'll wait," answered Perry grimly. "Where are those crackers?" + +They got Ossie awake with difficulty and Steve doled out six crackers to +each. The tin cup came in handy, for there was a pool of rain water in a +ledge below them. + +"What I can't see," grumbled Ossie, "is why we didn't stay on board the +boat. It would have been a lot drier than this place." + +"You may think so now," replied Steve, "but wait till you get aboard +again. We might have stayed on her, as it's turned out, but the boat +didn't look very homelike to me yesterday!" + +"How the dickens were we to know that it would hold together, or even +stay on its keel?" asked Joe disgustedly. "Don't talk like a sick +goldfish, Ossie!" + +As soon as they had consumed breakfast they scrambled down to the beach +with many groans and stretched their cramped and aching limbs. The rain, +although now little more than a very heavy mist, limited their vision to +a hundred yards or so in any direction. Steve hazarded the opinion that +they were not more than two miles from the mainland, although he made no +attempt to give a name to the island they were on. The fate of the +_Follow Me_ worried them all, but Phil, always the most sanguine in +times of stress, pointed out that as the other craft had not followed +them onto the island she was probably safe. + +"She may be piled up further along somewhere," suggested Joe. "I say +we'd better have a look. It would help a bit to know what sort of a +place we've struck, anyway. For all we know there may be a house just +around the corner!" + +So they set out in two parties, Steve, Ossie and Phil going one way and +the rest the other. It was agreed that they were to be back in an hour +at the most. Twenty minutes later, each exploration party having stuck +to the beach, they came together again, much to their mutual surprise. + +"The pesky thing isn't more than a few acres big!" exclaimed Joe +disgustedly. + +"And it's entirely surrounded by water," added Perry brightly. + +"Most islands are," said Ossie. "We can get up on top easily enough +here, fellows. Let's see what it looks like." + +Their island was little more than a rock stuck out of the water. Just +how big it was was difficult to determine since the haze of driving mist +allowed but little view. From the beach, at a point presumably directly +opposite the place where they had come ashore they climbed by the aid of +rocky footholds and bushes to a broken but generally level summit clad +with a tangled growth of blueberry and briars and sprinkled most +liberally with boulders. The ground arose gradually as they advanced, +guided by Steve's pocket compass, and before very long they reached the +wind-swept edge of the cliff against which they had spent the night. +From the summit they could see dimly at brief intervals the form of the +_Adventurer_ far below. + +"Well, I don't see that we've accomplished much," said Han. "We're here, +but where are we? And how the dickens are we going to get back again? If +anyone thinks that I'm going to risk my neck sliding down here he's +mistaken." + +"We don't ask you to, Ossie dear," said Han. "Your little neck is much +too precious. One thing is certain, anyway, I guess: there's no hotel on +the place!" + +"Hotel!" said Joe. "Gee, I'd be satisfied with a--um--cow-shed!" + +Nevertheless, they made the return journey in better spirits, for they +had walked the aches from their limbs and warmth into their bodies. On +the way Steve made them gather fagots of dead branches and they found a +number of larger pieces of wood on the beach. By the time they were once +more "at home," as Perry put it, they had all the material for a fire +save paper or some other form of kindling. Steve experimented with twigs +from the fir trees on the ledge, but they were too wet to burn. No one +had any paper, or if they had it was too damp. + +"What would Robinson Crusoe have done?" asked Steve, frowning +thoughtfully. + +Joe, who had seated himself tiredly on the wet sand and was digging his +stockinged heels into it, sneered at Mr. Crusoe. "He'd have made a trip +on his raft," he said, "and fetched ashore a bundle of kindling. If it +hadn't been for that wreck to draw on Robinson Crusoe would have starved +to death in twenty-four hours!" + +"Of course!" exclaimed Steve. "That's the idea!" + +"What, starve?" asked Joe distastefully. + +"No, you idiot, go out to the _Adventurer_ and get some gasoline!" + +"Sure!" agreed Ossie. "Only--just when we were getting dry at last--" + +"What's the matter with stripping," asked Steve cheerfully, suiting +action to word. "Is there a can or anything I can put it in, Ossie?" + +"There's a jug in the starboard locker. There's about a pint of vinegar +in it, but I guess we can sacrifice that." + +"Drink it, Steve, and save it," suggested Perry. + +The tide had retreated further by now and the bow of the cruiser was +almost beyond the breakers and Steve's journey was not difficult. When +he got back, with the vinegar jug filled with gasoline hung around his +neck, he reported the _Adventurer_ waist-deep in water at the stern. +"You fellows start the fire," he said, "and I'll go back and bring some +grub ashore. There's no reason for starving with food handy." + +Joe volunteered to accompany him, and, after disrobing and putting his +damp clothes under a stone to keep them from blowing away, he and Steve +plunged back into the water. Meanwhile success met the efforts of the +firemen and soon a good-sized blaze was roaring in spite of wind and +mist. They had located it as near the foot of the cliff as possible and, +although the smoke made itself disagreeable by billowing out in their +faces, it was thereby somewhat sheltered from the elements. Steve and +Joe made three trips and brought back frying-pan, coffee-pot and smaller +utensils, as well as provisions, and a half-hour later they were +beginning a supplementary breakfast of bacon and coffee. And if anything +in all the wide world, from the time of Noah to that of the Adventure +Club, ever tasted sublime to a shipwrecked mariner it was that same +bacon and coffee! + +When they had finished, Phil's watch--the only one of six which had +neither run down for lack of winding or been incapacitated by immersion +in salt water--gave the hour as twenty minutes past seven. Comforted by +food and drink, they warmed themselves at the fire and waited for the +tide to recede far enough to allow a survey of the _Adventurer_. The +comfort was too much for Perry and he fell asleep with his feet almost +in the embers and his head on a rock and slumbered emphatically. At last +the line of breakers was well astern of the cruiser and the boys, +leaving their stockings to dry by the fire and rolling their trousers +up, began their investigation. + +On the whole the _Adventurer_ had so far come off easily. Her planks had +been strained in several places, but there were no breaks. Steve, +hanging over the stern, tried to get sight of the propeller but failed, +as the sand had settled about it. Joe, wading out into the water, had +better success when he investigated. He came up, dripping, with the +welcome announcement that the blades were intact and that, so far as he +could ascertain by feeling, the shaft was not bent. But things looked +pretty dismal below-decks. The forward cabin was awash, as was the +engine-well, and the after stateroom was knee-deep. They gathered on the +bridge deck and held council. + +"We can plug her seams, all right," said Steve, "and by keeping a pump +going get to port, _if_ we can only get her off the beach. But I can't, +for the life of me, see how we're going to do that. Her bow's settled a +foot deep in sand and it's piled up along this side of her. Even her +propeller's buried!" + +"Not very much," said Joe. "If we start her she'll kick it away in a +minute." + +"But there isn't any use starting her," said Steve thoughtfully, "unless +she's afloat a good deal more than she was this morning. If only we had +something to fix a line to astern we might pull her off with the +windlass." His gaze ran seaward and in an instant he was on his feet +gazing intently through the mist. "What's that back there?" he demanded +eagerly. "Isn't it a rock, fellows?" + + + + +CHAPTER XX + +THE DERELICT + + +It was a rock whose brown head was thrust barely two feet above the +water. + +"It's the ledge we grazed last night," cried Joe. "Could we get a rope +to that, Steve?" + +"Why not? We'll have a go at it, anyway. Help me with the tender, +someone!" + +It was difficult work. As a first step the bow line was replaced by a +smaller rope and taken through the breakers to the out-cropping ledge. +There, working precariously in the water while Joe held him from the +boat and Han did his best to keep the dingey steady, Steve eventually +got the big cable around the rock, protecting it from the rough edges by +a blanket from one of the berths. Fortunately, the rock was so formed +that, once drawn tight, there was no danger of the rope slipping off, +and they returned to the _Adventurer_, Steve towing behind, in triumph. +In the meanwhile the others, directed by Phil, were stuffing the worst +of the seams with strips of muslin, using table knives for caulking +irons. The cable to the rock was led through a ring at the stern and +carried forward to the windlass. By the time the tide had begun to rise +again they had got the hull free of water, taking turns at the hand-pump +and operating the bilge-pump at the same time. Then they waited to see +how well they had succeeded at their caulking. It was noon by that time, +and they ate cold rations in the galley, and while they were below a +transient gleam of sunlight shone for an instant through the hatch above +and they tumbled to deck. The fine rain had almost ceased and although +the sunlight was gone again, the clouds were breaking. Steve whooped for +joy and the others joined him. It might have been only in imagination, +but it seemed that the wind was less fierce and that the in-rolling +breakers were less formidable. + +There was little to do save to set the cruiser as much to rights inside +and out as was possible and wait for high tide again. As the water once +more surrounded the boat they were pleased and encouraged to find that +while the water was again coming in through the seams it filled the +bilge so slowly that the pump could easily take care of it. Perry +declared proudly that they had done a "caulking job!" They went ashore +before the water cut them off entirely and built the fire up again. +About four the wind died down appreciably and the sun, which had been +flirting with the world ever since noon, burst forth in a sudden blaze +of glory. The mist disappeared as if by magic and exclamations of +surprise burst from six throats as eager eyes looked shoreward. + +There, as it seemed scarcely a half-mile distant, was the mainland; +green fields, grey cliffs, white houses! In reality the distance was +well over a mile and a quarter, but so clear had the atmosphere suddenly +become that the space of tumbled green water intervening looked hardly +more than a swimmer's stunt! They cheered and would have waved their +caps had they had any to wave. A small steamer was ducking her way along +near shore and they could almost see the spray tossing from the bow. +They found a nearer way to the top of the cliff and climbed to the +summit and tried to decide just where they were, but even Steve was at a +loss, although he was fairly certain that Englishman's Bay was well to +the north, probably as far distant as six miles. But, since from where +they gazed islands and mainland melted into each other, even Wass Island +was not determinate. But after all it didn't much matter where they +were. In a calm sea they could reach the shore in the dingey if it +became necessary, while a distress signal would undoubtedly be soon seen +from the nearer head-land. But Steve was not ready to call for aid yet, +and together they made their way back to the beach and settled down +philosophically to await evening and high tide. + +With the prospect of release from their desert island to cheer them, +waiting was not so hard. They had some supper about six and after that +the time passed fairly quickly. At half-past eight they made their way +out to the _Adventurer_. The wind had died entirely down at sunset and +now the sea was probably as quiet and well-behaved as it ever was just +there. About nine they began operations. No one was too sanguine of the +results, but when, having started the engine and experimentally moved +the clutch into reverse to clear the sand from around the propeller, no +untoward incident happened they became more encouraged. The heaving +lever was put into the windlass and, with Phil astern to watch the cable +where it ran through the ring bolt, Steve operated the engine while the +others took turns, two and two, at the windlass. Gradually the manila +cable tightened and strained and the screw churned hard, but the +_Adventurer_, save for righting herself a trifle, gave no indication of +moving from her sandy bed. Steve summoned the boys who were not working +the windlass to the after part of the boat in order to lighten the bow +as much as possible, and they worked on. Just when it seemed that not +another inch of the cable was to be conquered there was a shout from +Ossie and Han, who were panting at the lever, and the _Adventurer_ +moved! + +After that it was only a matter of time. Inch by inch the cruiser +dragged her keel along the sand, each minute floating a little freer and +each minute putting her deck more level as the stern found the deep +water. And, perhaps a half-hour from the time they had started, they had +the boat riding clear and slowly going astern to take up the cable. It +was out of the question to get the rope free of the rock and so they had +to cut it, and, having done so, they swung cautiously around in a wide +circle and headed toward the cheerful white beam of a lighthouse that +beckoned from the shore. + +They had to keep the pump going, for a leak they had not suspected +developed forward, but that was a small matter and they were so glad to +get out of the adventure with nothing worse than a few sprung planks, +some bent stanchions and the loss of the side curtains that they would +willingly have pumped by hand. Half an hour later, after a slow and +careful passage from island to mainland, with the searchlight picking +out her path, the _Adventurer_ dropped anchor in a narrow harbour. + +They stayed there only overnight, for in the morning they found that +there was no prospect of getting repairs made there, and so, with the +bilge pump sucking merrily, they ran ten miles further down the coast +and before dinner time saw the _Adventurer_ on a cradle and hauled high +and dry from the water. The damage to the hull, while nowhere severe, +was more general than they had thought, and the man who was to do the +repairs decreed a week's stay. After discussing the situation it was +decided that all save Steve and Phil were to proceed to Camden by rail +and wait there for the _Adventurer_. Steve was to remain to superintend +the repairs and painting--the cruiser stood in need of paint by +then--and Phil volunteered to keep him company and help take the boat on +when it was ready. + +In the meanwhile, after a day of uncertainty, the _Follow Me_ was +located by telegraph at Jonesport. "All well. Sailing for Camden +tomorrow. Meet you there" was the reply from Harry Corwin. Steve and +Phil, watching seaward from the deck of the _Adventurer_, sitting high +up on a marine railway, thought that they made out the _Follow Me_ about +ten o'clock the next morning, but couldn't be sure. The two boys, +captain and first mate, lived aboard and took their meals wherever they +could get them. They were there just six days and had a very happy if +unexciting time. Several absurd epistles reached them from Camden, all +of which indicated that the other members of the Adventure Club were +enjoying themselves hugely. At last, shining with new paint and polished +brass and refurnished with new curtains, the _Adventurer_ slid down the +railway again, floated out from the cradle and pointed her nose toward +Penobscot Bay. In the middle of a bright Friday afternoon she dropped +anchor alongside her companion craft, Phil doing wild and ecstatic +things with the whistle and eliciting no response from the _Follow Me_. +Steve and Phil donned proper shore-going togs and tumbled into the +dingey. The _Follow Me_ was totally deserted, which accounted for the +fact that, while their noisy arrival had aroused not a little interest +on other craft, the _Follow Me_ had received them very coldly. They +found some of the party at the hotel and the others rounded up later. +Everyone was flatteringly glad to see the new arrivals again, but none +more so than Perry. Perry was absolutely pathetic in his greetings and +refused to let Steve out of his sight for an instant. + +"I'm quite taken by surprise," declared Steve. "I knew you loved me +devotedly, Perry, but this is--this is really touching!" + +Perry grew a trifle red and coughed. "Er--well--I hope so," he blurted. + +"You hope so? Hope what?" + +"Hope it's touching," explained the other, grinning. "You see, I'm flat +broke, Steve, and so is everyone else, or pretty near, and if you could +lend me a couple of dollars--" + +"I feared it wasn't all just affection," sighed Steve, reaching for his +purse. "But it was worth the price, Perry!" + +"Much obliged! You--you might make it three, if you don't mind. I owe +Han fifty cents and Ossie a quarter--no, thirty-five--" + +"Here's five, you spendthrift. Let me have it back as soon as you can, +though, for I'm down near the bottom myself." + +"I will, Steve. I've sent for some and it ought to be along in a day or +two. Money doesn't last any time here!" + +Friends and acquaintances made during their former visit had done +everything possible to make the boys' stay so very more than pleasant, +and when the matter of going on was introduced the suggestion met with +scant sympathy. However, Steve was not at all averse to a week or so of +lotus eating and, having satisfied his conscience by the proposal, he +settled down, to enjoy himself with the rest. His friends ashore were +lavish with hospitality, while "Globbins the Speed Fiend," as Perry had +dubbed the freckle-faced proprietor of the restless automobile, was +indefatigably attentive. A second letter from Neil, forwarded from one +port of call to another in their wake, reached them one day, and they +composed a reply between them and all hands signed it. Neil was having +rather a dull time of it, they gathered, and they hoped their letter +would cheer him up a bit. + +At last, when they had, after two postponements, fixed a day of +departure, a storm that tied up shipping all along the North Atlantic +Coast for four days caused a final delay, and consequently it was well +toward the last of August when they said good-bye and set forth for +Squirrel Island. No one particularly cared to visit Squirrel Island save +Han, who had friends there, but as there was still a full week at their +disposal they were in no great hurry and one port was as good as +another. They remained there a day and then made Portland. At Portland +supplies were put in, and one Wednesday morning they picked up the +anchor at a little after six o'clock and started for Provincetown with +the fine determination to cover the distance of approximately a hundred +and twenty-five miles before they sat down to supper. That they didn't +do so was no fault of either the _Adventurer_ or the _Follow Me_. + +It was about half-past eight that Phil, sitting on the forward cabin +roof with his back braced against the smokestack, called Steve's +attention to an object far off to port. They had then put some thirty +miles between them and Portland and were twenty miles off Cape Neddick. +The morning was lowery, with occasional spatters of rain, and the storm, +which had blown off to the northward the day before, had left a heavy +sea running. For an hour the _Adventurer_ and the _Follow Me_ had been +climbing up the slopes of grey-green swells and sliding down into +swirling troughs, and for a minute Steve couldn't find the dark speck at +which Phil was pointing. When he did at last sight it over the tumbled +mounds of water he stared in puzzlement a moment before he took the +binoculars from their place and fitted them to his eyes. He looked long +and then silently handed the glasses through the window to Phil, punched +two shrill blasts on the whistle and swung the wheel to port. + +"Looks like a wreck," said Phil, after an inspection of the distant +object. "Going to see?" + +Steve nodded. "Might be someone aboard," he answered. "We can tell in +another mile or so, I guess." + +Phil gave up the glasses to the others, who had clustered to the bridge, +while the _Follow Me_ altered her course in obedience to the signal, her +company probably wondering why Steve had suddenly chosen to stand out to +sea. At the end of ten minutes it was plainly to be determined with the +aid of the binoculars that the object which had attracted their +attention and curiosity was without any doubt a wreck, and as the +_Adventurer_ drew momentarily closer her plight was seen to be extreme. +Whether anyone remained aboard was still a question when the cruiser was +a mile distant, but everything pointed against it. The craft, which +proved to be a small coasting schooner, had evidently seen a lot of +trouble. Both masts were broken off, the foremast close to the deck and +the mainmast some dozen feet above it. She lay low in the water, with +her decks piled high with lumber. A tangle of spars and ropes hung +astern, but save for her cargo the decks had been swept clean. She was a +sad sight even at that distance, and more than one aboard the +_Adventurer_ felt the pathos of her. + +"No sign of life," said Steve. "If anyone was aboard there'd be a signal +flying. And the boats are all gone, too, although that wouldn't mean +much in itself because they might have been swept away. I guess, though, +it got a bit too strenuous and the crew remembered the 'Safety First' +slogan. There's nothing we can do, anyway." + +He started to swing the cruiser about again, but Perry intervened. +"She's a whatyoucallit!" he exclaimed excitedly. "She's--" + +"No, little one," Joe corrected gently, "she's a wreck." + +"She's a derelict," persisted Perry eagerly, "and no one belongs to her! +If we got her she'd belong to us, Steve! Wouldn't she?" + +"I suppose she would," replied Steve dubiously, his hand hesitating on +the wheel, "but finding her and getting her are two mighty different +things, Perry. If we _could_ get her she'd be a nice prize, I guess, for +lumber's worth real money these days, and although she isn't very big +it's safe to say she's got quite a bunch of it on her, below deck and +above. I guess that lumber is what kept her afloat, from the looks of +the hull." + +"Let's see what we can do," said Han. "Someone will find her and--" + +"It might as well be us," added Perry enthusiastically. "Couldn't we tow +her, Steve!" + +"Tow her! Gee, she'd follow about as easily as a brick house!" + +"But if we both pulled--" + +"Well"--Steve cast an appraising eye at the weather--"I'm game to try it +if the rest of you say so. Full steam ahead, Mr. Chapman!" + + + + +CHAPTER XXI + +ON BOARD THE _CATSPAW_ + + +Steve communicated the project to those aboard the _Follow Me_ which had +now drawn up as near as she dared, and there followed a moment of blank +amazement aboard the smaller boat. But discussion there was brief, and +almost at once Harry Corwin raised his megaphone again and bellowed +across: + +"Go to it! What do you want us to do, Steve?" + +"Nothing yet," was the answer. "We're going to board her first and see +how she looks. If we take on the job we'll want your heaviest cable." + +Harry signalled assent. By this time they were within a hundred yards of +the derelict, and, with engines just moving, they tossed about on the +long swells and had a better look at the schooner. She was about eighty +feet long, with a beam of probably twenty-two, and displaced +approximately a hundred tons. She was square-sterned and blunt-nosed, +evidently built for capacity rather than speed. Her name, in gold +letters on the bow, was quite distinct: _Catspaw_. Later, when they +rounded her stern, they saw that her home port was Norfolk. Her cargo, +or at least so much of it as was above deck, consisted of rough pine +boards, and every available foot of space was occupied with it. The +deck-house was all but hidden. The mainmast dragged by a tangle of ropes +aft of the starboard beam and was acting as a sort of sea-anchor. For +the rest, her lumber-piled deck was swept clean save for a splintered +gaff that had become wedged in the boards. Her hull had been painted +black, but not very recently, and a dingy white streak led along the +side. + +The two cruisers worked cautiously around to the leeward side of the +_Catspaw_, the _Adventurer's_ tender was dropped over and Steve, Joe and +Han climbed in. Boarding in that sea was no child's work, for the big +swells, which slammed into and sometimes over the schooner without much +effect, tossed the dingey high in air. But by rowing hard at first and +then taking advantage of the quieter water near the schooner they at +last reached the old black hull in safety and, while Han managed the +boat-hook, the other two scrambled aboard. + +As they had suspected, the hulk was utterly deserted, and the fact that +the forecastle and the captain's quarters were bare of anything of +value and that the davits were empty indicated that the vessel had been +abandoned in order. There was a good deal of water in her, but, as Steve +pointed out, she wouldn't sink in a dozen years with that load of lumber +to hold her up. "She wouldn't show much speed," he said when they had +completed their investigations and were once more on deck, "and she'll +tow about as easy as a lump of lead, but it's only thirty miles or so to +Portsmouth, and even if we make only two miles an hour, and I guess we +won't make much more, we can get her there tomorrow. That is, we can if +our cables hold and the weather doesn't get nasty. I don't much like the +looks of that same weather, though." + +"Well, the barometer is rising," said Joe, "and that means--" + +"Never mind your old barometer," laughed Steve. "Anyway, we'll have a go +at this. If we have to give it up, all right, but we'd be silly not to +try it. Come on and we'll get the cables aboard." + +Two hours of hard work followed. With the cruisers tagging along nearby, +suiting their pace to the slow drift of the schooner, the boys cut away +the wreckage and rigged a jury-mast at the stump of the foremast. On +this they spread a spare forestaysail which they dug from the sail +locker. That it would aid greatly in the ship's progress Steve did not +expect, but it would, he figured, make steering easier. Then the +cruiser's heaviest anchor cables were taken aboard and made fast at the +bow. A "prize crew" consisting of Joe, Han and Perry, from the +_Adventurer_, and Wink and Bert, from the _Follow Me_, was placed in +charge and enough food for two meals supplied them. The galley stove was +still in running order, although it reeked of grease, and there was a +fair supply of wood handy. Bert Alley, who had volunteered to do the +cooking, objected to an inch or so of water that swashed around the +floor, but the others pulled a pair of old rubber boots from a chest in +the forecastle and he became reconciled. At noon they all returned to +their respective cruisers and ate dinner, which, under the conditions, +was no easy matter. They had to hold the dishes to the table and swallow +their tea between plunges. Joe was inordinately proud of himself that +day, for, in spite of the nasty motion--and there's nothing much more +likely to induce sickness than a long ground-swell--he not only remained +on duty but consumed his dinner with a fine appetite. It rained quite +hard for a half-hour about noon and then ceased just in time for them +to set off to the _Catspaw_ again. It was decided that the _Follow Me's_ +tender was to be left with the schooner, in case of necessity, and Joe +acknowledged that he felt a bit easier in his mind when it had been +hoisted, not without difficulty, to one of the davits. + +"It's all fine and dandy to say that this old tub can't sink," he +confided to Wink Wheeler, "but--um--suppose she _did_ sink? Then that +little old dingey would be worth about a thousand dollars, I guess." + +"It would be worth about ten cents," answered Wink pessimistically, +"after we'd crowded five fellows into her in a sea like this!" + +"Well, anyway, she's bigger than ours," said Joe. "And I saw a life belt +downstairs--I mean below." + +Joe and Wink were to take watches at the wheel, Perry and Han were to +tend to the sail and keep a lookout and Bert was to cook. Steve issued +his final directions at a little past one and then the two hawsers were +stretched to the cruisers. Another squall of rain set in as the final +preparations were made. A code of signals had been arranged between the +three boats, a flag or piece of sailcloth to be used while the light +held and a lantern after darkness. The "prize crew" cheered gaily as +the others pulled away in the _Adventurer's_ dingey and were cheered in +return, and five minutes later the two cables tautened, the water foamed +under the overhangs of the motor-boats and, reluctantly and even +protestingly, the _Catspaw_ obeyed the summons and started slowly to +follow in the wakes of the distant cruisers. + +Han and Perry, at the bow, waved caps triumphantly as the blunt nose of +the schooner began to dig into the waves, and Joe, at the wheel, shouted +back. The three-cornered sail was shifted to meet the following breeze +and soon the _Catspaw_ was wallowing along slowly but, as it seemed, in +a determined way at the rate of, perhaps, three miles an hour. Perry, +protected by a slicker, seated himself on the windlass and felt very +important. Now and then someone aboard one of the cruisers waved a hand +and Perry waved superbly back. Those cruisers were a long way off in +case of danger, he reflected once, but he decided not to let his mind +dwell on the fact. + +Joe found that the wheel of the _Catspaw_ required a good deal more +attention than that of the _Adventurer_, and his arms were fairly tired +by the time he yielded his place to the impatiently eager Wink. +Steering the _Catspaw_ with the sea almost up to her deck line was a +good deal like steering a scow loaded with pig-iron, Joe decided. Not, +of course, that he had ever steered a scow of any sort, but he had +imagination. + +The _Adventurer_ and _Follow Me_ were heading West Southwest one-fourth +West to pass Boon Island to starboard, and Kittery Point lay some thirty +miles away. As it was then just short of three bells, and as they were +making, as near as those aboard the _Catspaw_ could judge, very nearly +three miles an hour, it seemed probable that by two o'clock that night +they would be at anchor off Portsmouth Harbour. Of course, there was +always the possibility of bad weather or a broken cable, but the +_Catspaw's_ crew declined to be pessimistic. They were having a royal +good time. There was enough danger in the enterprise to make it +exciting, and, being normal, healthy chaps, excitement was better than +food. Perry proclaimed his delight at last finding an adventure quite to +his taste. + +"Being wrecked on that island the other day was poor fun," he declared. +"And it was dreadfully messy, too. But this is the real thing, fellows! +Why, this old hooker might take it into her head to go down _ker-plop_ +any minute!" + +"Huh," replied Wink Wheeler, "that may be your idea of the real thing, +Perry, but it isn't mine. I'm just as strong for adventure as you, +sonny, but I prefer mine on top of the water and not underneath!" + +"Shucks," said Joe, "this thing can't sink. Look at all the lumber on +her!" + +"Yes, but it might get water-logged," suggested Bert from the door of +the deck-house. "Wood does, doesn't it?" + +"Not for a long time," said Joe. "Years, maybe. And this lumber's new. +You can tell by the looks of it." + +"Well, don't be to sure," advised Perry, darkly. "You never can tell. +And there's another thing, too. We're top-heavy, with all these boards +piled up on deck here, and if a storm came up we might easily turn +turtle." + +"Oh, dry up," said Han. "You're worse than Poe's raven. Besides, she +couldn't turn over, you idiot, as long as the lumber floated. She'd have +to stay right-side up." + +"Wish we had a barometer aboard," said Joe. "We'd know what to expect +then." + +"You mean we'd know what you'd tell us to expect," replied Perry +ironically. "And then we'd get something else. For my part, I'm glad +they took their old barometer with them." + +"They took about everything that wasn't nailed down except the stove," +said Wink. + +"That's nailed down, too," said Bert. "Or, at least, it's bolted. How +many do you suppose there were on board when the storm hit them?" + +"About five, maybe. Perhaps six. I guess five could handle a schooner +this size. Five are handling her now, anyway," Joe added. + +Nothing of moment occurred during the afternoon, if we except occasional +squalls of rain, until, at about five, those on the schooner observed a +smudge of smoke to the southward that eventually proved to be coming +from an ocean tug. The tug approached them half an hour later and ran +alongside the _Adventurer_. The boys on the _Catspaw_ saw the boat's +captain appear from the pilot-house and point a megaphone toward the +white cruiser, and glimpsed Steve replying. What was said they could +only surmise, but the tug's mission was evident enough. + +"He wants the job," said Joe anxiously. "Wonder if Steve will let him +have it." + +"I hope he doesn't," said Wink. "We can do the trick without anyone's +help, I guess. Besides, he'd want half the money we'll get." + +"More than half, probably," said Han. "He's still talking. I wish he'd +run away smiling." + +He did finally. That is, he went off, but whether he was smiling they +couldn't say. They fancied, however, that he was not, for the _Catspaw_ +would have made a nice prize for the tug's owners. + +The tug plunged off the way she had come and was soon only a speck in +the gathering twilight. It seemed a bit more lonesome after she had +gone, and more than one of the quintette aboard the _Catspaw_ wondered +whether, after all, it might not have been the part of wisdom to have +accepted assistance. Darkness came early that evening, and by six the +lights on the _Adventurer_ and _Follow Me_ showed wanly across the +surly, shadowy sea. Han and Perry had already prepared the two lanterns +they had found on board and as soon as the cruisers set the fashion they +placed them fore and aft, one where it could be plainly seen from the +boats ahead and the other on the roof of the deck-house. While they were +at that task the darkness settled down rapidly, and by the time they had +finished the cruisers were only blotches against which shone the white +lights placed at the sterns for the guidance of the _Catspaw's_ +navigators. + +The boys ate their suppers in relays about half-past six. Bert had +prepared plenty of coffee and cooked several pans of bacon and eggs, and +had done very well for a tyro. Later the _Adventurer_ turned on her +searchlight and against the white path of it she was plainly visible. A +more than usually severe squall of wind and rain broke over them about +eight and when the rain, which pelted quite fiercely for a few minutes, +had passed on the wind continued. It was coming from the northwest and +held a chilliness that made the amateur mariners squirm down into their +sweaters and raincoats. The _Catspaw_, low in the water as she was, +nevertheless felt the push of the wind and keeping her blunt nose +pointed midway between the two lights ahead became momentarily more +difficult. At the end of an hour it required the services of both Joe +and Wink to hold the schooner steady. Perry and Han, huddled as much out +of the chilling wind as they could be, kept watch at the bow. Keeping +watch, though, was more a figure of speech than an actuality, for the +night was intensely dark and save for the lights of the towing craft +nothing was discernible. + +The sea arose under the growing strength of the nor'wester and soon the +waves were thudding hard against the rail and the piled lumber and +sending showers of spray across the deck. The _Catspaw_ rolled and +wallowed and the watchers at the bow soon knew from the sound of the +straining cables that the cruisers were having difficulty. Bert crawled +forward through the darkness and spray and joined them. + +"Joe says they'll be signalling to cast off the hawsers pretty quick," +he bellowed above the wind and waves. "He says we aren't making any +headway at all now." + +"Gee, it'll be fine to be left pitching around here all night," said +Perry alarmedly. "If we only had an anchor--" + +"I'd rather keep on drifting," said Han. "It'll be a lot more +comfortable." + +"Maybe, but we'll be going out to sea again. Seems to me they might keep +hold of us even if they don't get along much." Perry ducked before the +hissing avalanche of spray that was flung across the deck. "There's one +thing certain," he added despondently. "We've got to stay on this old +turtle as long as she'll let us, for we couldn't get that dingey off now +if we tried!" + +"What's the difference?" asked Han. "They'll stick around us until the +wind goes down again, and we're just as well off here as they are on +the boats. Bet you the _Adventurer_ is doing some pitching herself about +now!" + +They relapsed into silence then, for making one's self heard above the +clamour of wind and water and the groans and creakings of the schooner +was hard work. They watched the _Adventurer_ for the expected signal for +a long time, but it was nearly ten when a lantern began to swing from +side to side on the cruiser. A moment later they heard faintly the +shriek of the _Adventurer's_ whistle. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII + +INTO PORT + + +"Cast off!" said Han. "Take this one first, Perry. Gee, but it's stiff!" +They had to fumble several minutes at the wet cable before they got it +clear and let it slip over the bow. Then the other was cast off as well +and Bert swung the lantern four times above his head as a signal to haul +in. An answering dip of the light on the stern of the _Adventurer_ +answered, just as Joe joined them. + +"All right?" he asked anxiously. + +"Yes, both clear," replied Han. "What do we do now, Joe?" + +"Sit tight and wait. Some of us had better get some sleep. Perry, you +and Bert might as well turn in for awhile. I'm going to. It's ten +o'clock. I'll wake you at two, and you can relieve Han. Bert, you might +make some coffee when you tumble out again. We'll probably need it." + +"I'm not sleepy a bit," protested Perry. But Joe insisted and he and +Bert followed the other below and laid down in the bunks in the +captain's cabin. In spite of his disclaimer and the noise and rolling of +the ship, Perry was asleep almost as soon as he touched the berth, and +the others were not far behind. + +Joe had the faculty of waking up at any predetermined hour, and at two +he was shaking the others from their slumbers. It was at once evident +that the gale had increased, for it was all they could do to keep their +feet under them as they made their way to the galley. Bert set about +making a fire while the others made their way to the wheel. Wink greeted +them cheerfully enough from the lantern-lit darkness there, but his +voice sounded weary in spite of him. + +"I had Han take the sail down," he announced. "She steers better without +it. The wind's pretty fierce, isn't it? Look out!" + +A big wave broke over the rail and descended on them in bucketfulls. + +"That's what makes it so pleasant," shouted Wink. "Guess I'll take a nap +if I can." + +"Bert's making some coffee," said Joe. "Better have some before you turn +in." + +Perry made his way cautiously forward and relieved Han. "Seen anything?" +he asked. + +"Not a thing." + +"Hello, where are the boats?" Perry stared ahead in surprise. + +"One of them--I think it's the _Adventurer_--is back there." Han turned +Perry about until he glimpsed a faint flicker of light far off over the +starboard beam. "Don't know where the other is. Guess they're having a +rough time of it." + +"I'll bet!" agreed Perry. "You're to have some coffee and turn in, Han." + +"Coffee!" murmured the other gratefully. "Have you had some?" + +"No, I'll get mine later. Beat it, you!" + +Han disappeared in the darkness and Perry, wrapping himself as best he +could in the folds of his slicker, settled himself to his task. Now and +then he looked back for a glimpse of the friendly light at the stern or +for sight of the _Adventurer_. The wind made strange whistling sounds +through the interstices of the lumber and the battered hull groaned and +creaked rheumatically. When he stood erect the gale tore at him +frantically, and at all times the spray, dashing across the deck, kept +him running with water. He grew frightfully sleepy about three and had +difficulty in keeping awake. In spite of his efforts his head would sink +and at last he had to walk the few paces he could manage, accommodating +his uncertain steps to the roll of the boat, in order to defeat slumber. + +To say that Perry did not more than once regret his suggestion of +rescuing the _Catspaw_ would be far from the truth. He felt very lonely +out there on that bow, and his stomach was none too happy. And the +thought of what would happen to him and the others if the schooner +decided to give up the struggle was not at all pleasant to dwell on. And +so he did his best not to think about it, but he didn't always succeed. +On the whole it was a very miserable three hours that he spent on +lookout duty that night. Once Bert crawled forward and shared his +loneliness, but didn't remain very long, preferring the partial shelter +of the house. No one was ever much gladder to see the sky lighten in the +east than was Perry that morning. But even when a grey dawn had settled +over the ocean the surroundings were not much more cheerful. As Wink +said, it was a bit better to drown by daylight than to do it in the +dark, but, aside from the fact that the _Catspaw_ was still afloat, +there wasn't much to be thankful for. + +One of the cruisers was barely visible off to the northward, but the +other was nowhere in sight. The grey-green waves looked mountain-high +when seen from the water-washed deck of the _Catspaw_, and the wind, +while seeming to have passed its wildest stage, still blew hard. There +was no sight of land in any direction and Joe pessimistically decided +that they were then some forty miles at sea and about off the Isles of +Shoals. Soon after the sun had come up, somewhere behind the leaden +clouds, they sighted a brig to the southward. She was hardly hull-up and +was making her way under almost bare yards toward the west. She stayed +in sight less than half an hour. + +The boys had breakfast about half-past six. Except coffee and bread +there was little left, and the outlook, in case the gale continued, was +not inspiring! Perry declared that he'd much rather drown than starve to +death. The first cheerful event that happened was the drawing near of +the _Adventurer_. The white cruiser came plunging up to within a quarter +of a mile about nine o'clock and signals were exchanged. An hour later +the _Follow Me_ appeared coming up from westward and at noon the +schooner and the two convoys were reunited. But there was still no +chance of getting lines aboard. All that they could do was wait. Dinner +hour aboard the _Catspaw_ was dinner hour in name only. There was +coffee, to be sure, but the sugar was low and the condensed milk had +given out completely. All else had disappeared at breakfast time. The +spirits of the "prize crew" got lower and lower as the afternoon began +and they were faced with another night aboard the schooner. Twice they +sighted other craft, once a steamer headed toward the northeast and once +a schooner dipping along under reefed sails. Neither craft showed any +curiosity and each went on its way without a sign. + +Once the _Adventurer_ circled close to the windward and Steve shouted +encouragement through his megaphone. Just what was said they couldn't +make out, and Joe's attempts to acquaint the cruiser with the fact that +they were out of provisions was unsuccessful, since he had only his +hands to shout through and the wind was unsympathetic. But having the +cruisers at hand was comforting, and when, at about four, there was a +brief glimpse of sunlight to the south their spirits arose somewhat. The +wind now began to go down perceptibly and by five it no longer roared +down on them from the northwest, but, swinging around to the northeast, +became quite docile and friendly. They put up their sail again and +gradually the _Catspaw_ pointed her nose toward the coast. Just before +darkness came the sea had quieted enough to make possible an attempt to +get the cables aboard again and those on the schooner saw the cruisers +draw together. Steve and Phil caught the line hurled from the _Follow +Me_ after several attempts and then the tender was dropped over and with +the two cables aboard the boys made for the _Catspaw_. + +Those on the schooner watched anxiously. At one moment the tiny dingey +was seen poised on the summit of a great green sea and the next was +quite gone from sight. The sun came out momentarily before saying Good +Night, as though to watch that struggle. At last the tender came sidling +down the slope of a wave, the occupants striving hard at the oars, and +after one breathless moment, during which it seemed that the little boat +would be crushed to splinters against the old black hull of the +schooner, Joe caught the painter, Steve made a flying leap for the deck +and gained it in safety, and Phil, boat-hook in hand, worked manfully +and skilfully to fend off while the cables were brought aboard. The +dingey had fetched food as well and a shout of joy went up as Phil, +taking advantage of the calm moments between the rushing waves, hurled +the bundles to the deck. + +There was little time for conversation, for darkness was coming fast, +but Steve heard a brief account of the _Catspaw's_ experiences, and, +while helping to make fast the cables, told of the night aboard the +_Adventurer_. "It was fierce," Steve said. "No one had much sleep, I +guess. We almost pitched on our nose time and again. If it hadn't been +for you chaps we'd have cut and run about midnight. We lost sight of +your lights several times; they were so low in the water, and thought +that you'd gone down at first. The _Follow Me_ had to run for it, and I +guess they weren't very happy either. But we'll make it this time. It's +clearing up nicely and we're only forty miles from Portsmouth. Keep your +lips stiff, fellows, and we'll be eating breakfast ashore!" + +The dingey pulled off again, narrowly escaping capsizing more than once, +and ten minutes afterwards the _Catspaw_ was once more wallowing along +in the wake of the cruisers. Supper, with bacon and potatoes and lots of +bread, perked the crew up mightily, and when the stars began to peep +through the scudding clouds and the sea stopped tormenting the poor old +_Catspaw_ they got quite cheerful. That second night was an easy one +for all hands. The weather cleared entirely by two o'clock and the sea +calmed to almost normal conditions. The _Catspaw_ strained along at the +ends of the cables at about three miles an hour until she got close +enough to the shore to feel the tide. After that she went more slowly. +At early dawn--and it was a real dawn this time, with sunlight on the +water and a golden glow in the eastern sky--the Isles of Shoals lay six +miles to the southwest and the blue shore line was beckoning them. At a +little before eleven that forenoon the _Catspaw_ passed Portsmouth Light +and half an hour later, having been given over to the care of a tug, was +lying snugly against a wharf. + +It was a tired but triumphant dozen that stretched their legs ashore at +noon and set out in search of dinner. Already they had answered a score +of questions and told their story half a dozen times, and even after +they were seated at table in the best restaurant that the city +afforded--and it was a very good restaurant, too--an enterprising +newspaper reporter found them out and Steve, as spokesman, recounted +their adventures once more between mouthfuls. + +And when at last they could eat no more and the reporter had gone off +to write his story, Steve, Joe and Wink set forth to an address they had +secured on the wharf and the others adjourned to the porch of a nearby +hotel to await their return. "Tell him," instructed Perry as they +parted, "that we won't accept a cent less than a thousand dollars! And," +he added to himself, "I wouldn't go through it again for fifty +thousand!" + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII + +SALVAGE + + +Mr. Anthony T. Hyatt, attorney-at-law, leaned smilingly back in a +swivel-chair, matched ten pudgy fingers together and smiled expansively +at his clients. There was a great deal of Mr. Hyatt, and much of it lay +directly behind his clasped hands. He had a large, round face in the +centre of which a small, sharp nose surmounted a wide mouth and was +flanked by a pair of pale brown eyes at once innocent and shrewd. Steve +counted three chins and was not certain there wasn't another tucked away +behind the collar of the huge shirt. Mr. Hyatt had a deep and mellow +voice, and his words rolled and rumbled out like the reverberations of a +good-natured thunder storm. From the windows of the bright, breeze-swept +office the boys could look far out to sea, and it was possible that the +faintly nautical atmosphere that appertained both to the office and its +occupant was due to the sight and smell of the salt water. While Steve +told his story the lawyer's expression slowly changed from jovial +amusement to surprise, and when the narrative was ended he drew himself +ponderously from the chair and rolled to a window. + +"You say you've got her tied up to Sawyer's Wharf, eh?" he asked. + +"Yes, sir." + +"I want to know! Well! Well! Where'd you say you came across her?" Steve +told him again. "And you brought her in yourself, eh?" + +"The lot of us did. Now what we want to know is what claim have we got +against the owners, Mr. Hyatt?" + +The lawyer heaved himself back to his chair and lowered himself into it +with what the boys thought was a most reckless disregard of the +article's capacity and strength. But the chair only creaked dismally. +"Of course you do! Of course you do!" he rumbled smilingly. "But +s'posing I was to tell you you hadn't any claim at all on 'em?" + +"What! No claim at all?" exclaimed Steve. + +The man laughed and shook. "I only said s'posing," he protested. He +weaved his fingers together again over his ample stomach. "As a matter +of law, young gentlemen, you have an excellent claim, a steel-bound, +double-riveted claim. Whether it's against the owners or some insurance +company is what you'll have to find out first. Most likely that ship and +cargo were insured. As to just what amount you are entitled to, the law +doesn't state. That's a matter generally agreed on between the salvors +and the owners. When no agreement can be reached the case goes to the +Admiralty Court." + +"Oh," said Steve. "The first thing to do--" + +"I guess the first thing to do is find out who the owners are and see +what they have to say. If they make you a fair offer, well and good. +Now, do you want me to take this case for you?" + +"Why, yes, sir, I think so," replied Steve, glancing inquiringly at the +others, who nodded assent. "How much--that is, what--" + +"What would I charge you for my services?" boomed the lawyer. "Nothing +at all, boys, unless you get a settlement. If we don't have to go to +court you may pay me a hundred dollars. If we do, we'll make another +arrangement later. That satisfactory?" + +"Yes, indeed," answered Steve heartily, and the rest murmured agreement. +"How long will it take to find out, sir?" + +"I'll have the owner's name in half an hour. Then I'll send them a wire. +You drop in tomorrow at this time and I dare say I'll have something to +tell you. I'll have a look at the boat this afternoon and get an idea of +her value as a bottom. Then we'll get someone to give an estimate on her +cargo. Would you be willing to pay ten dollars for an appraisement?" + +"Yes, sir, if that's advisable." + +"Well, I think it is. We'd better know what we've got, eh? All right, +gentlemen. You leave it to me. Where are you stopping?" + +"We're staying aboard our boats, sir, the _Adventurer_ and the _Follow +Me_." + +"I want to know! Regular mariners, ain't ye? Well! Well! Guess you're +having a fine time, too, eh?" + +"Yes, sir, we've had a pretty good time. About--about how much do you +think we ought to get for the boat, Mr. Hyatt?" + +"Including cargo? Well, now, I don't know, Mister--What did you say your +name is?" + +"Stephen Chapman." + +"Mr. Stephen Chapman, eh?" The lawyer wrote it on a scrap of paper and +thrust it carelessly into a pigeon-hole of the old walnut desk. "Well, +there ought to be a tidy sum coming to you, sir; yes, sir, a tidy sum. +Lumber is fetching money just now, and you tell me the _Catspaw_ is +loaded high." + +"Yes, sir, she's loaded up to her rails. Do you suppose we'll get a +thousand dollars?" + +"A thousand dollars, eh?" Mr. Hyatt beamed broadly and nodded until all +his chins in sight shook. "Yes, you might look for a thousand dollars, +boys. It isn't sense to get your expectations too high, but I guess you +can safely bank on a thousand. Oh, yes, a thousand isn't unreasonable. +Well, you drop around tomorrow and maybe there'll be something to +report. I'll get right to work, gentlemen. Good afternoon!" + +"Funny old whale, isn't he?" commented Joe when they were once more on +the street. "Suppose he knows what he's talking about?" + +"Why not?" asked Wink. "He struck me as being rather a canny customer." + +"Well, he said a thousand dollars," replied Joe. "That's a lot of money, +isn't it, for an old schooner like the _Catspaw_?" + +"It isn't much for the schooner and the cargo, too," said Steve. "I'm +wondering if it oughtn't to be a lot more; say fifteen hundred. You see, +a schooner like that costs quite a lot of money when it's new. And then, +as Mr. Hyatt said, lumber is high right now, and there's a pile of it on +board." + +"A thousand will suit me all right," said Joe. "A twelfth of a thousand +is--is--" + +"A thirteenth you mean," corrected Steve. "Don't forget Neil." + +"And don't count your chickens until they're hatched," Wink advised. +"It's unlucky, Joe." + +They found the other members of the expedition in various states of coma +induced by a hearty dinner and lack of sleep, but they were all wide +awake when Steve announced the result of the visit to the lawyer. + +"Gee!" exclaimed "Brownie." "A thousand dollars! He's fooling, isn't he? +Why, I thought we'd get maybe three hundred!" + +"A thousand isn't a cent too much," said Perry. "Come to think of it, +fellows, I earned that much myself!" + +"Just a minute, fellows," said Steve, interrupting the jeers that +greeted Perry's statement. "What are we going to do with the money when +we get it?" + +There was a moment of silence. Then Tom Corwin inquired: "Do with it? +How do you mean, do with it, Steve? I thought it would be divided up pro +rata." + +"Of course," agreed Cas and Ossie in unison. + +"Wait a minute," said Phil. "Steve's got something on his mind. Let's +hear it." + +Steve swung himself to the porch rail and faced the half-circle of boys. +"It's just an idea," he began, "and if you don't like it you've only got +to say so. As I look at it, fellows, this club has been a good deal of a +success. If we haven't had any whopping big adventures, we've had some +mild ones--" + +"Great Jumping Jehoshaphat!" muttered Han. "What do you call +adventures?" + +Steve smiled and went on, "At any rate, we've had a whole lot of fun. At +least, I have." He looked about him inquiringly. + +"You bet we have!" answered Joe heartily, and the rest echoed him. + +"Of course, we got the club up just for this Summer, I suppose, but I +don't see any reason why we shouldn't make it a--a permanent affair." + +"Bully!" exclaimed Perry. "Second the motion!" + +"Sit down!" growled Wink. + +"There's next Summer coming, fellows. We could do something like this +again if we wanted to. We needn't make a trip in motor-boats, but we +could do something just as good. Well, now, why not take this money +when we get it and stow it away in the Club treasury instead of spending +it? Then we'd have enough to do almost anything we liked next year. If +we each got our seventy-seven dollars, or whatever the shares might be, +we'd have it spent in a month and never know where it got to. But if we +put it in the bank at interest we'd--we'd have something. If you don't +like the scheme, just say so. I'm willing to do whatever the rest of you +say, only I thought--" + +"It's a corking idea," declared Harry Corwin enthusiastically. "You're +dead right, Steve, too. Seventy-seven dollars would last about two weeks +with me. Why hang it, I've had it spent ten times already, and each time +for some fool thing I didn't really want! I say, let's keep the Club +going, fellows, and put the money in the treasury. And let Phil deposit +it in a bank. At four per cent, or whatever it is banks pay you, it +would come to nearly--nearly thirty dollars by next Summer. And thirty +dollars would buy us gasoline for a month!" + +"Right you are," agreed Wink. "We'll make a real club of it." + +"How about the rest of you?" asked Steve. + +The others were all in favour, although Perry couldn't quite smother a +sigh of regret for the cash in hand he had dreamed of, and there +followed an enthusiastic discussion of plans for next Summer, and Bert +Alley echoed the sentiment of all when he remarked regretfully that next +Summer was an awfully long way off! Ossie made the suggestion that it +might be a good plan to reimburse the members from the salvage money for +what sums they had expended on the present cruise, explaining, however, +that he wasn't particular on his own account. The question was argued +and finally decided in the negative. As Phil put it, what they had spent +would have been spent in any case, whether they had gone on the cruise +or stayed at home, and they had all received full value for their +contributions. Still planning, they went back to the boats and spent the +rest of the afternoon in cleaning them up inside and out, for both the +_Adventurer_ and the _Follow Me_ had been sadly neglected for the past +forty-eight hours. + +Being persons of wealth, they supped ashore and went to a moving picture +show, and afterwards, since no one had had his full allowance of sleep +for the past two nights, "hit the hay," in Perry's phraseology, in short +order and slept like so many logs until sun-up. + +"I wish," remarked Han at breakfast the next morning, "that we were +just starting out instead of going home." + +"Me too," agreed Perry. "It'll be all over in two or three days, and +I'll have to go back to school again. I suppose," he added sadly, "I +shan't see any of you fellows again until next Summer; no one but Ossie, +that is." + +"You don't have to look at me if you don't want to," said Ossie, +reaching backward into the galley for the coffee-pot. "I'm not +particular." + +"You'll see us before Summer," replied Steve. "I've been thinking." + +"So that's it," murmured Joe. "I thought maybe you just--um--hadn't +slept well." + +"If we're going to keep the Club together," continued Steve, treating +the interruption disdainfully, "we've got to keep in touch with each +other. Suppose now we have a meeting about Christmas time, during +vacation." + +"Good scheme!" applauded Phil. + +"I think so. My idea is to keep out about thirty dollars of that money, +or take it out later, I suppose, and have a feed somewhere, a sort of +Annual Banquet of the Adventure Club of America, not Incorporated. We +could hold a business meeting first and then feed our faces and talk +over this Summer's fun and have a jolly old time. What do you say! Pass +the sugar, Han." + +[Illustration: "They offer you--" Mr. Hyatt leaned forward in the +protesting chair] + +They said many things, but they were all in praise of the idea, and +later the _Follow Me's_ contingent was quite as enthusiastic, and Steve, +in his official capacity of Number One, finally found a calendar and +solemnly announced that Saturday, the twenty-third day of December, was +the date, that the hour was six o'clock, post meredian, and that the +place would be decided on later. After which they all went ashore and +passed the time until dinner in various ways. And at a little before two +Steve, Joe and Wink once more climbed the narrow stairway to Lawyer +Hyatt's office. + +"I have here," said Mr. Hyatt, when they had seated themselves and +greetings had been exchanged and the weather duly and thoroughly +disposed of, "a telegram from Barrows and Leland, of Norfolk, Virginia, +agents for the owners of the schooner _Catspaw_. In it they make an +offer of settlement of your claim, subject, of course, to the facts and +conditions being as stated in my telegram to them." + +He paused impressively and the boys shuffled their feet in silent +expectancy. + +"Hm. Now I'm not going to advise you to accept their offer and I'm not +going to advise you not to," he rumbled. "Only, I do say this, +gentlemen. If you take your case to the Admiralty Court it will cost you +a good deal of money and you won't get a final judgment for a long time. +Of course, you might, in the end, get a better figure. I'd almost be +willing to guarantee that you would. But you want to remember that the +costs of a trial aren't small and that they might eat a big hole in the +difference between the present offer and the court's award." + +"What--what do they offer us?" asked Steve as the lawyer paused to clear +his throat. + +"There's no doubt that the value of the _Catspaw_ and her cargo is a +sight more than these fellows offer us," resumed Mr. Hyatt, quite as +though he had not heard the question. "But there's the old adage about a +bird on toast being worth more than a bird on the telegraph wire." He +chuckled deeply. "And, of course, no owner ever thinks of paying the +full value of salvaged property. Nor does the court expect him to. +Something like an equable division is what they try to award." + +"Yes, sir," murmured Steve nervously. "Yes, sir. Would you mind--" + +"You said something yesterday about a thousand dollars, and I told you +you might expect that much, didn't I?" + +Steve nodded silently. + +"Well--" The lawyer took up a sheet of creased yellow paper from the +desk and ran his eyes along the message thereon. "Well, I've got to tell +you they don't offer you a thousand, boys." + +"Oh!" murmured Steve. + +"Don't they?" gasped Joe weakly. + +"Then what--" began Wink dejectedly. + +"They offer you--" Mr. Hyatt leaned forward in the protesting chair and +held the telegram toward Steve--"they offer you four thousand, seven +hundred and sixty-one dollars, young gentlemen." + + * * * * * + +Isn't this a good place to end our story? I might tell how they wired +the good news to Neil, and how they set forth that afternoon for New +York, and how, after a jolly but uneventful trip, the two boats parted +company off Bay Shore, and how the _Adventurer_, having done her best to +deserve the name she bore, at last sidled up to a slip in the yacht +basin and discharged her crew. And I might depict the awed delight with +which, two days later, Steve, Joe and Phil gazed upon a narrow strip of +green paper bearing the wonderful legend "Four Thousand Seven Hundred +Sixty-one Dollars." But we set out in search of adventures, and we have +reached the last of them, and so the chronicle should end. And since it +began with a remark from Perry let us end it so. Perry's closing remark +was made from the platform of the train for Philadelphia. + +"Good-bye, you fellows," said Perry, smiling widely to show that he +didn't mind leaving the others the least bit in the world. "We had a +corking good time, didn't we? But just let me tell you something. It +isn't a patch on the fun we're going to have on the next trip of the +Adventure Club!" + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE ADVENTURE CLUB AFLOAT*** + + +******* This file should be named 13897.txt or 13897.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/3/8/9/13897 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. 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