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diff --git a/30727.txt b/30727.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..c4f7b2f --- /dev/null +++ b/30727.txt @@ -0,0 +1,6544 @@ +Project Gutenberg's Motor Boat Boys Down the Coast, by Louis Arundel + +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: Motor Boat Boys Down the Coast + or Through Storm and Stress to Florida + +Author: Louis Arundel + +Release Date: December 21, 2009 [EBook #30727] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MOTOR BOAT BOYS DOWN THE COAST *** + + + + +Produced by Al Haines + + + + + + + + + +[Transcriber's note: this book contains the short story "Mrs. Stone's +Money-Order." Its author is unknown.] + + + + +[Illustration: Cover art] + + + + +[Frontispiece: Jack, crouching there, with one elbow resting on his +knee, took as good an aim as the conditions allowed] + + + + +Motor Boat Boys + +Down the Coast + +Or + +_Through Storm and Stress to Florida_ + + + +By + + +LOUIS ARUNDEL + + +Author of "Motor Boat Boys on the St. Lawrence," "Motor Boat Boys +Cruise Down the Mississippi," "Motor Boat Boys on the Great Lakes," +"Motor Boat Boys Among the Florida Keys" + + + + + +Chicago + +M. A. DONOHUE & COMPANY + + + + +Copyright 1913 + +by + +M. A. DONOHUE & CO. + +CHICAGO + + + + +CONTENTS + + +CHAPTER + + I. AFLOAT ON THE LOWER DELAWARE + II. A GOOD OMEN FOR THE START + III. JACK TAKES A HYDRO-AEROPLANE MESSAGE + IV. THE FIRST CAMP FIRE ASHORE + V. A STORM, AND NO REFUGE IN SIGHT + VI. A CLOSE SHAVE, BUT NO DAMAGE DONE + VII. HOW THE MOTOR BOAT FLOTILLA WENT TO SEA + VIII. THE CAMP INVADED + IX. THE DESPERATION OF HUNGER + X. NICK IN SEARCH OF A MERMAID + XI. A STUNNING DISCOVERY + XII. THE CAMP UNDER CAPE CHARLES LIGHT + XIII. A SHOUT AT MIDNIGHT + XIV. NICK BAGS HIS GAME + XV. A WARM WELCOME TO THE STORMY CAPE + XVI. THE WIRELESS AS TRICKY AS EVER + XVII. GOODBYE TO AN ANCHOR + XVIII. A SIGNAL OF DISTRESS + XIX. THE MESSAGE OF HOPE + XX. MEETING TROUBLE HALF WAY + XXI. FOG BOUND WHILE AT SEA + XXII. SAVANNAH AT LAST + XXIII. THANKS TO THE PILOT--CONCLUSION + + + + +MOTOR BOAT BOYS SERIES + + + THE MOTOR CLUB'S CRUISE DOWN THE MISSISSIPPI + THE MOTOR CLUB ON THE ST. LAWRENCE RIVER + THE MOTOR CLUB ON THE GREAT LAKES + MOTOR BOAT BOYS AMONG THE FLORIDA KEYS + MOTOR BOAT BOYS DOWN THE COAST + MOTOR BOAT BOYS RIVER CHASE + MOTOR BOAT BOYS DOWN THE DANUBE + + + + +THE MOTOR BOAT BOYS + +DOWN THE COAST; + +or + +Through Storm and Stress to Florida + + +CHAPTER I. + +AFLOAT ON THE LOWER DELAWARE. + +"Toot your horn, Jimmy, and let everybody know we're off at last!" + +"Sure, there's the ould _Wireless_ coming up on us, hand over fist. +It's a broth of a bhoy George Rollins is for speed!" + +"Yes, he always starts out well, and with a rush; but generally manages +to have his engine break down; and then even the wide old tub _Comfort_ +gets there ahead of the narrow speed boat. Now give 'em a blast, +Jimmy. The coast cruise is on!" + +Accordingly, Jimmy Brannigan, who served as cook and crew aboard the +staunch motor boat _Tramp_, some twenty-three feet in length by six +feet wide (the boat, not Jimmy), and with Jack Stormways as pilot, +puffed out his cheeks and blew. + +It was a necessary method for sounding the conch shell horn, which, if +blown like a bugle, would send out a screech that could be heard a mile +away. + +Answering toots came from the two other crafts that had just left +Philadelphia astern, and were heading down the old Delaware River, +bound for Florida. + +Here were six of the happiest young chaps on the face of the globe; +and, indeed, how could they help it? Blessed with good health; three +of them owning motor boats that had served them now for two seasons, +and with stores aboard for a "bully" voyage down the Atlantic coast, +taking the inland passage, what more could the heart of a real boy, +with red blood in his veins, sigh for! + +These six lads lived in a town "out Mississippi way." They had long +ago ceased to be novices in the management of motor boats, and the +great benefit they seemed to have secured from previous trips on the +water, both down the wonderful Mississippi and on the Great Lakes, had +convinced their fathers that they were to be trusted under any and all +conditions. + +Hence, when a calamity befell the high school of their native place, +which all of them attended, fire destroying the main part of the +building, so that there could be no session until some time after +Christmas, and a brilliant scheme dawned upon the mind of Jack +Stormways, they were not long in convincing those who controlled their +destinies that the opportunity for a run down the Atlantic coast before +winter set in, with possibly a similar cruise along the Mexican gulf to +New Orleans, was too good to be lost. + +And so they had come to Philadelphia, with this object in view. + +As to the money part--for it takes a heap of cash to transport three +motor boats a thousand miles and more by fast freight--that was the +easiest part of the programme. + +It happened that the treasury of the Motor Boat Club was quite flush at +that particular time. On one of their former cruises, up on the Great +Lakes, and in the vicinity of the Thousand Islands, these lads had been +instrumental in bringing to justice a set of rogues, for whose +apprehension a large reward had been offered by the authorities. + +That sum, with others picked up in various ways, had been lying at +interest all this while. They had intended using it for their next +cruise, no matter where that might happen to take them. + +Various indeed had been the suggestions made from time to time; and +some of them bordering on the ridiculous. Strange to say, it was Nick +Longfellow, the companion of George Rollins on the narrow beam speed +boat _Wireless_, who gave utterance to most of these absurd +propositions. + +Nick was fat, and a tremendous eater. As a rule he could not be said +to be at all bold by nature; and yet he declared that nothing would +please him half so much as that they explore the Orinoco River in South +America, and discover things never before known by white people. + +Then there had been Josh Purdue, the tall and thin assistant of Herbert +Dickson on the beamy and steady if slow _Comfort_, who wanted them to +lose themselves for an entire month in the depths of the swampy country +to be found along the St. Francis River. + +But when Jack sprung his sensation about the long trip down the coast, +and around to New Orleans, it took like wildfire, and every other idea +was speedily forgotten. Preparations were hurried, the boats shipped, +and later on the boys turned up in Philadelphia, where they found their +craft waiting for them. + +And now, here they were, at noon on this late September day, with the +prows of their beloved boats turned toward the south, and plowing the +waters of the Delaware, the Quaker City left far astern. + +Doubtless many aboard the bustling tugs, and the vessels that came and +went, smiled as they heard the merry tooting of horns exchanged between +the three little power boats that were speeding along toward the wider +reaches of the lower river. + +They easily guessed that the boys had a good time ahead of them; but +truth to tell not one could have imagined the extent of the voyage upon +which the Motor Boat Club had now set out, with so confident a mien. + +Taken as a whole, a merrier set of young chaps could hardly have been +assembled than the six who constituted this same club. They had, of +course, their faults; but by now they were so accustomed to each +other's society that seldom was a discordant note heard. + +Jokes abounded, tricks were sometimes played, and accepted with good +nature; and without exception the boys had become very fond of each +other. + +For instance, there was stout roly-poly Nick, who could never tear his +mind away from his favorite subject of eating, and whom thin and +cadaverous Josh liked to tantalize whenever the occasion offered, +because he himself, while a great cook, seldom found much appetite for +his own messes, being troubled from time to time with indigestion. + +Then Jimmy, who, it can easily be understood, had sprung from the +rollicking Irish race, possessed a fine voice, as sweet as that of any +girl; and many the time did he beguile an evening at the campfire with +his songs and his clever dancing. Jimmy, by the way, happened to have +a fiery thatch, a multitude of freckles, and upon occasions lapsed into +the brogue of his ancestors, although he could talk as well as the +others when he chose. + +George had the speed mania. This had developed early in his career, +for his one delight was to outstrip others in a race. Consequently, +when he had his boat built, he sacrificed lots of things to have it +narrow in beam, and naturally it was anything but a pleasure to be +aboard the cranky craft. + +His mate, Nick, had suffered in the past from this condition of +affairs; and the log of former cruises would show that he had met with +more than one mishap because it was necessary to perfectly balance the +_Wireless_ at all times. Poor Nick often declared that if he chanced +to fail to part his hair directly in the middle, trouble was sure to +follow. + +The _Comfort_, as its name would indicate, had been fashioned on just +the opposite plan, and speed was the last thing considered. They made +all manner of fun of Herbert's boat, and called it such derogatory +names as "The Tub" and "The Ark"; but all the same, when hurry was not +an object, those aboard certainly had the best of the controversy. And +then the quick-going boats always had to wait for Herb and his +"life-raft," so they did not gain anything in the end. + +Then about the third craft, called the _Tramp_, and owned by the +recognized leader of the sextette, Jack Stormways. It united the good +qualities of both the other boats in that it was fast and at the same +time steady. While on occasion the cigar-shaped _Wireless_ could leave +Jack in the lurch, and the beamy _Comfort_ give more elbow room, taken +as a whole the _Tramp_ was the ideal cruiser; and both the other +skippers knew it away down in their secret hearts, though always ready +to stand up for their own boats. + +It was close on the beginning of October when they made their start +from the City of Brotherly Love. For some time they would have to +dodge the many vessels that were moving hither and thither before the +busy port; but later in the afternoon they could expect to have clearer +weather, where the river widened out, with the shores farther apart. + +For once George moderated his pace, and hovered near the others. He +felt so joyous over the sensation of being once more afloat, and with +such a glorious voyage ahead, that he wanted to be where he could +exchange remarks with his chums, and hear what they thought. + +George had been doing considerable pottering with his engine lately. +He claimed that he had been able to increase its speed several miles an +hour. + +"Wait till I get a good chance to show you, fellows," he now remarked, +with a satisfied air; "why, I expect to make rings around your blooming +old _Tramp_, Jack; and as for "The Ark," why, it'll be figure eights +for hers." + +"Wow! don't I just see my finish, then," wailed poor, fat Nick, shaking +his head sorrowfully. "The vibration always was just fierce, and now +it'll just rattle me, so I'll be only skin and bones. You'll be +calling me the Living Skeleton before we ever get to Jacksonville, I +bet you, boys." + +"Oh, when it gets so you just can't stand it any longer, call on Josh +here to change off with you, like he did once before," laughed Herbert. +"Josh is built on the order of a match, and seems to be especially +suited for a narrow-beam boat." + +But the party mentioned did not seem to like the prospect any better +than Nick, to judge from the protest he immediately put out. + +"Me to stick to the _Comfort_, fellows. One thing sure, if you are +last, you always know where you're at; and that's what I never did when +on that broncho of a _Wireless_. Why, it threw me twice; and souse I +went into the drink." + +"But just think, Josh," insinuated cunning Nick, "all this shaking +would be the best thing ever for that indigestion of yours. It rattles +up the liver, and does a heap of good. I don't need that sort of +thing, you see. Last time you bunked with George you know you improved +a hundred per cent." + +"Huh! mebbe," grunted Josh, "but it wasn't worth it, I tell you." + +"Look at that tug bucking up against the tide, will you?" exclaimed +George just then--being humiliated by all this talk about the cranky +qualities of his pet, and anxious to call their attention elsewhere in +order to change the subject. + +"Must be a greenhorn at the wheel, or else the fellow's had more drink +than he had ought to tackle," declared Nick. + +"He sure does wobble a heap," admitted Jack, keeping a wary eye on the +approaching craft, lest it foul his own boat, and bring sudden disaster +on the cruise which had begun so auspiciously. "But perhaps that's a +trick these river pilots have when heading up into an ebb tide. They +know all the wrinkles of the game, I guess, and how to save themselves +from wasted efforts." + +"Say, that rowboat had better look out; if he makes a quick turn with +the tug he's apt to run the little punkin seed down," George declared, +with a note of anxiety in his voice; for he was nervous by nature, as +his love for racing and making high speed would indicate. + +"That pilot must be watching us all the time, wondering whatever we're +heading for down the river, because the duck shooting below isn't on +yet. There! he's swung about again! I hope he don't knock that +rowboat galley west!" called Herbert. + +"Hey! look to your starboard--you're running down a boat!" shouted +Jack, dropping his wheel for three seconds in order to make a speaking +trumpet with both hands. + +There was a brief interval of suspense. Then came a plain crash, +accompanied by loud shouts, and more or less excitement aboard the tug +that was heading up river way. + +"He did it!" bellowed Josh, fairly wild with eagerness. "Oh! I'm +afraid the poor fellow will be drowned before that tug can come about +and go to his rescue. Turn your bally old tub, Herb, can't you? It +takes a whole day for you to get around." + +"No use of our trying it," declared the skipper of the big roomy +_Comfort_, calmly, for nothing could start Herb out of his customary +condition of mental poise, because he is as steady in his way as his +boat; "he'd be drowned twice over before we reached him. Besides, +there goes Jack in his _Tramp_, shooting straight for the smashed +rowboat. Unless the poor fellow was injured and has already sank our +chum will get him all right, Josh." + +"That's right," declared Josh. "George has gone and got flustrated, so +that he turned the wrong way; but if anybody can save that fellow it's +Jack Stormways. Oh! I hope he does it, because I'll take it as a good +sign that our new voyage down the coast is going to have a lucky start!" + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +A GOOD OMEN FOR THE START. + +Jack Stormways was always prepared. He never lost his head in an +emergency, for which more than one of his chums had had reason to be +thankful in times past. So, on the present occasion, when he saw that +the tug could not make a complete circuit against the running tide and +reach the wrecked rowboat in time to be of any assistance to the +unfortunate who had been hurled into the Delaware, Jack instantly +headed the little motor boat for the spot. + +"Get up in the bow with you, Jimmy, quick now, and take the boathook +along! I'll slow down when we get there; and perhaps you can grab him +in!" the skipper called out. + +Accustomed to obeying, Jimmy made haste to snatch up the implement +mentioned, and which had many the time proved its value in recovering +things that had been swept overboard in a wind storm. + +Then he hurried to gain a position near the bow of the boat, where he +crouched, after making sure of his footing, so as to guard against a +shock when he clapped the boathook into the clothing of the drowning +man. + +"I see him, Jack!" he bawled immediately. "He's holding to the boat, +so he is!" + +"All right, Jimmy," echoed the skipper, calmly; "I glimpsed him before +you did, I reckon. Steady yourself now, and try not to make a foozle +of it, old man. There you are. Jimmy; get him!" + +And Jimmy did the same, catching the coat of the man in the water with +his boathook, and holding on tenaciously. Jack, meanwhile, turned his +engine backward, so that the momentum of the boat was promptly checked. + +The man had been clinging to the rapidly sinking wreckage. In another +half minute, no doubt, he would have been left without any support; and +as he did not seem able to swim a stroke, his end must have speedily +come. + +Jimmy drew in with the haft of the boat-hook, until he could stretch +down and seize upon the collar of the man's coat. As the Irish lad was +brawny and nerved just then to mighty deeds, he managed to hoist the +fellow into the little motor boat. + +The unlucky man was white, and pretty nearly drowned. He had just had +enough sense to cling desperately to the wreck of his boat, and then +allow Jimmy to do the rescue act. + +"Did you get hurt when that tug struck your boat?" asked Jack, for that +was what he feared. + +The man was blinking at him, for his eyes had taken in more or less of +the brackish water of the river; but he shook his head in the negative. +This relieved Jack more than a little. Like Josh, he had been hoping +that in the very beginning of their new cruise a wet blanket might not +be cast over the spirits of the party by their witnessing the drowning +of a poor chap. + +"Here comes the tug down after us," remarked Jimmy. "I suppose the +omadhauns 'll be expressing their regrets for the accident. Sure, it +was criminal carelessness, if ever there was a case. And ye'll be +silly, sor, if so be ye don't make 'em pay for the boat they smashed." + +By degrees the man seemed to come out of the half stupor into which his +sudden immersion in the waters of the river had thrown him. + +"They just got to," he grumbled, shaking his head; "for 'twas a +borrowed boat, an' I can't pay for a new one." + +"We'll try and see you through," said Jack. "If they think we're ready +to tell what we saw, they'll not only pay you good damages, but take +you ashore in the bargain." + +"That's the ticket!" declared Jimmy, quite taken with the idea of +frightening the captain of the tug into doing the right thing by his +victim. + +Presently the tug came alongside, and an anxious voice called out: + +"Was he much hurt, boys? I'm sorry it happened. Second accident of +the week, and such things don't do a man's reputation as a pilot any +good." + +"Well," replied Jack, promptly, "suppose you whack up for his boat, and +a suit of clothes for the man; then take him ashore, and none of us +will say a word about the accident, as you call it, but which looked +mighty like criminal carelessness to us." + +There was a brief interval of silence, during which the two men in the +wheel-house of the tug seemed to be conferring. + +"How much does he want, my lad?" asked one, presently thrusting his +head and shoulders out, so that Jack could have almost shaken hands had +he wished. + +"The boat ought to be worth fifteen dollars; and say ten more to get +him a new suit. That's letting you down easy, my friend," called the +skipper of the _Tramp_. + +"Oh, well, I guess I'll have to stand it, though I don't believe the +old tub was worth five. Here you are, bub; and if you chuck the feller +across to us, we'll dry him off, and land him somewhere above." + +Jack eagerly took the proffered bills, and thrust them into the hand of +the man who had been so happily rescued. + +"Here you are, and good luck to you," he said, cheerily. "Do you think +you can get aboard the tug now, my man?" + +The other had gripped the several bank bills eagerly; but at the same +time a look of caution came into his eyes. + +"Say, mister, can't you manage to drop me ashore somewhere below here?" +he asked, in a hoarse whisper. + +"Well, it wouldn't be altogether convenient," replied Jack, hesitating; +and then as he saw the pilot of the tugboat watching them, with a grin +on his face, a sudden realization as to what the rescued man feared +broke in upon him. + +"They might make me give it back again, ye see, after I got dried off," +continued the poor fellow, who evidently had not held so much money in +his hand for many a long day. + +"By George! that's so!" Nick was heard to exclaim; for the _Wireless_ +had crept up, and now lay right alongside the _Tramp_. + +Jack was quick to make a decision, and as a rule his first thought was +the right one, too. + +"I'll land you myself!" he declared, sturdily; "it won't take much +time. And I guess a good deed done in the beginning of the voyage +ought to bring us luck to pull out of many a bad hole." + +Then raising his voice and addressing the man at the wheel of the tug, +Jack continued: + +"We'll set him ashore below, Captain. You see, he doesn't want to ride +up to the city; neither do you prefer to have him go. It's all right; +we'll say nothing of what we saw to anybody. So long, Captain!" + +And without waiting for an answer Jack simply started his motor, upon +which the _Tramp_ shot away from the tug. Looking back, Jack saw the +two men conferring, but he felt sure they would allow things to rest. + +"That negligence cost him twenty-five dollars, you see, Jimmy; and +perhaps he'll keep his eyes about him after this, when he's on the +move. It's lucky for him, as well as for our friend here, that a human +life was not snuffed out in the bargain." + +"And do we head for the shore now, Jack?" queried the mate and cook. + +"As soon as I find out which side the wrecked mariner wants to land +on," replied the skipper, turning to his passenger. + +"Just suit yourself, sir," spoke up the man, into whose face the color +was once more beginning to creep, as he looked frequently at the wad of +greenbacks, which he continued to caress with his fingers, as though +the very feel of them did his heart good. + +"But which side do you live on?" persisted Jack, wishing to do the best +he could for the fellow. + +"Well, now, I live over in Jersey, near Bridgeport," said the man; "but +I was goin' across to Lamokin in Pennsylvania, on a chance to get work. +So if you'll put me ashore anywhere below here, I can walk up the +railroad track to the junction." + +Jack immediately headed shoreward. + +"Take things easy, fellows, and we'll catch up with you before you've +gone many miles," he called out to those in the other boats, since +there seemed no necessity for all of them to leave the middle of the +river just to land one man. + +It was no trouble to get close in on the Pennsylvania shore; the case +might have been different over in Jersey, where they could see that +marshland abounded at this point. + +"Here you are; just step ashore on that rock; and good luck with you, +friend!" Jack sang out, as Jimmy piloted the boat alongside a section +of the shore, using his favorite boat-hook in so doing. + +"Shake hands first, please, young sir," said the other, who appeared to +be a decent working man, for his palms were calloused with toil. "You +sure done me a mighty good turn this day. I might a-died out there, +only for the way you come to the rescue. I won't forget it in a hurry, +I tell you." + +"Well, pass it along then," laughed Jack, grasping the other's hand at +the same time. "Perhaps you'll run across some poor chap who's worse +off than you are. Give him a helping hand, and we'll call the thing +squared." + +"I will, just as sure as I live, I will, that. It's a good idea, too. +And after gettin' me this money, I reckon ye saved it for me, by takin' +me ashore. That tugboat captain looked like he'd a-made me fork over +agin, once he had me aboard his craft." + +"I wouldn't be surprised if you were right," assented Jack. "Shake +hands with Jimmy too, while you're about it, friend. He yanked you in +like a good fellow. If your life was saved, Jimmy had a hand in it." + +After this ceremony had been carried out, the man managed to get +ashore. Then the boathook was brought into use again to push off; and +a minute or two later they were chugging along down-stream, heading +once more toward the middle of the broadening river. + +Jimmy waved to the man several times, until finally they lost sight of +him as he gained the railroad track, and started north. + +"Anyway, that was a good beginning, Jimmy," remarked Jack, in a +satisfied tone. + +"It sure was, for that bog-trotter," chuckled the other. "His ould +boat wasn't worth more'n five dollars, as the tug captain sez, an' here +he sells it for three toimes the sum. His clothes'll be dry on his +back before an hour, in this warm sun; an' he has a noice tin dollars +to buy new garments wid. It's the luckiest day av his life, so it is." + +"Well, I rather think that adventure did net him a cool twenty," +laughed Jack. "Not so bad for a dip in the river." + +"He naded a bath, too, so he did," declared Jimmy. "An, mark my word, +he'd be willing to kape it up all the blissed day at the same price, so +he would. Now we're safe out from the rocks along the shore, why not +hit her up, an' overhaul the rist av the bunch, Jack?" + +"Right you are, and here goes," sang out the other. "Take the wheel, +Jimmy, and look out for anything in the way. I want to watch how the +engine works. You know, George wasn't the only one who overhauled his +motor after our fun this last summer." + +"She is makin' better toime than she iver did in her whole blissed +life!" cried the delighted Jimmy, presently, after Jack had been +working at the engine a spell. "Be the powers! I do belave we kin +give George a race for his money nixt toime he challenges us, so I do. +Hurroo! we're flyin' over the wather, Jack!" + +"Less talk, and keep your eyes in front of you!" called the other. "If +you get as careless as that tugboat man, we'll be smashing into +something, too. And then good-bye to all our hopes for a jolly voyage +down the coast." + +"Aw! 'tis me that is boring the wather with me eyes all the toime, Jack +dear; and never a thing as could escape me aigle vision. I'm a broth +of bhoy when it comes to steering a boat, do ye mind." + +The stream was wide, and there were far less vessels moving up or down +than had been the case above, so that, just as Jimmy declared, it was +an easy job to keep clear of obstructions. + +Jack had become intensely interested in the splendid working of his +reconstructed motor. He was watching its pulsations, and experimenting +in many little ways, in order to find out just how to get the maximum +of speed from it. + +And then, all at once, he heard Jimmy give utterance to an exclamation +that might be freighted with either curiosity or alarm--perhaps both. + +Hardly knowing what to expect, the skipper of the little _Tramp_ +struggled to his knees, and then drew himself erect, to make a +discovery that thrilled him through and through. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +JACK TAKES A HYDRO-AEROPLANE MESSAGE. + +"Oh! murder! what a big birrd!" Jimmy was crying out. + +A shadow had fallen upon the water close by, and the distant cries of +the other young motor boat boys could be faintly heard. Jack, looking +hastily up, saw a strange thing that had extended wings like a monster +bird, apparently swooping down toward the surface of the wide river. + +Of course he knew that it was an up-to-date flying machine, and the +presence of aluminum pontoons under the body of the contrivance also +told him that for the first time in his life he was looking at a +hydro-aeroplane, capable of alighting on the water and starting up +again, after the manner of a wild duck. + +Even as the two in the _Tramp_ stared, the queer contrivance skipped +along the surface of the Delaware, sending the water in spray on either +side. Then it seemed to settle contentedly there, not ten feet away +from the motor boat. + +There was a young fellow squatted in the seat where the various levers +could be controlled. He was dressed after some odd fancy of his own, +calculated to serve in the cool air of the upper strata. To Jimmy the +vision was very startling. + +"Why, say, it's a real birdman after all, Jack!" he cried, as though he +had only discovered this remarkable fact after the machine had come to +a stop close by. + +The aviator laughed aloud. + +"What did you think it was, young fellow, an old-time roc come back to +life?" he called out; waving a hand at them cheerfully. + +Jack had shut off the engine at the time he heard the first exclamation +from his teammate, and at this time they were hardly more than moving +with the ebb tide, so that in reality the boat drew closer to the +hydro-aeroplane with each passing second. + +"You gave us a little start, that's all," laughed Jack. "Of course, I +knew what it was as soon as I saw the pontoons underneath. They seem +to do the trick first rate, too. Seems to me I'd like to sail in one +of those things, if I ever had the chance." + +"It's a great experience, all right," replied the aviator; "but the way +things are going right now, only a very few fellows are fitted for the +work. But are you in company with those other two jolly little boats +way off yonder?" + +"That's right," sang out Jimmy, determined to have his little say with +the bold navigator of the upper currents; "we're all chums, an' it's +the Motor Boat Club we do be represinting. Along the coast we're +bound, on a long cruise, by the same token." + +The young fellow appeared interested at once. + +"Say, that's nice," he remarked. "I bet you'll have a bully good time +of it, too. Headed up or down, may I ask?" + +He sat there, as much at his ease as though on an ocean steamer, +instead of a frail little machine that sprawled upon the heaving waves +very much as Jack had seen a big "darning needle," known also as a +"mosquito hawk," do on occasion. + +"Florida, by the inside route, and then perhaps along the gulf to New +Orleans," replied the skipper of the _Tramp_, in as careless a voice as +he could command, just as though a voyage that might cover a thousand +or two miles was hardly worth mentioning. + +The owner of the hydro-aeroplane whistled, to indicate his surprise. +His whole manner showed the keen interest he immediately took in such a +glorious prospect; and Jack guessed instantly from this that he +possessed the true love for outdoor life and sport. + +"That's simply immense," remarked the other, with what might seem like +an envious sigh. "I can see where your little crowd have a mighty fine +time ahead. Wish I could get off to accompany you; but even if I had +an invite, my contracts with the company would not allow me. But later +on I am to give some exhibitions in the South; and wouldn't it be +strange now if we happened to meet up with each other again?" + +Jack rather liked his looks, and of course immediately expressed the +hope that circumstances might throw them together again some fine day. + +"I'd be glad to see more of you, and learn something about your +experiences, for ten to one you've seen some rough times in your air +journeys," he remarked, as he leaned on the side of the _Tramp's_ +cabin, and let his wondering eyes travel over the peculiar mechanism of +the queer air and water craft combined. + +"Well, rather," smiled the other, nodding his head in a friendly way, +as though possibly he had been taken just as much by the frank and +fearless face of the motor boat skipper as Jack was by his countenance +and bearing. "Might I ask what your names are, in case we ever do run +together again?" + +He had a notebook and pencil in his hands while speaking, and Jack +quite willing to oblige, called off the roster of the Motor Boat Club, +with the names of the three craft included. + +"This is a great pleasure to me, I give you my word, Jack," remarked +the young fellow, as he thrust the memorandum book once more in his +pocket. "Never dreamed of such good luck when I took a notion to swoop +down, and see what three bully little craft were doing, headed for +Delaware Bay. Going all the way to Florida, you say; and by the inside +passage, too? I wonder, now, would that happen to take you in the +neighborhood of Beaufort, North Carolina?" + +An eager expression had suddenly flashed across his face, and Jack saw +his eyes sparkle, as with anticipation; though for the life of him he +could not understand just why this should be so, unless the said +Beaufort happened to have been the home port of the hydro-aeroplane +flier, and the mere thought of their being in that vicinity gave him a +homesick thrill. + +"Why, yes, I remember that I've got Beaufort marked on the chart as one +of our stopping places," Jack hastened to reply. "Could I do anything +for you while there? I'd be quite willing to oblige you--er, by the +way, you haven't told us your name in return for having ours!" + +"That's a fact, I haven't," he replied, quickly, but Jack thought with +just a trifle of embarrassment; "it's Malcolm Spence." + +"Oh! I believe I've read a lot about your doings with one of these air +and water fliers. There were some pretty stirring accounts of your +trips in the papers out our way not long ago!" Jack exclaimed, looking +at the young fellow with considerable admiration; since hero worship +has just as strong a hold upon the human heart in these modern days as +in times of old, when knights went forth to do battle with dragons, and +all kinds of terrible monsters. + +"I believe they have been showing me up, more or less; but I try to +avoid those newspaper men all I can, because they stretch things so," +young Spence modestly remarked. "That's why I come down here to try +out any new little wrinkle I may happen to have hit on. A week ago I +started off the deck of a Government war vessel, a big cruiser, went up +a thousand feet, dropped to the water, and last of all landed again in +the same place from which I started--all to prove how valuable a +hydro-aeroplane would be in case of real war." + +"Yes, I was reading about that while we were on the way here, but +somehow didn't remember the name of the one who had done it," Jack went +on, while the little motor boat and the new-fangled contraption that +seemed perfectly at home in the air or floating on the waves kept +company on the tide of the river. + +"Did I understand you to say that you would be willing to do me a +little favor, if it didn't put you to much inconvenience?" asked +Spence, his voice trembling with an eagerness that Jack could not help +noticing. + +"Certainly we will, if it lies in our power," he answered promptly. + +"They never was a more obliging gossoon in the wide worrld than this +same Jack Stormways, and ye can depind on that!" exploded Jimmy, +thinking it about time he injected his personality into the +conversation, since he did not wish to be an utter nonentity. + +Malcolm Spence thrust a hand into his tightly buttoned leather coat. +When he brought it out Jack saw that it held what looked like a small +packet, which, after all, might be a letter, though it was sealed. + +"I wanted to get this to a party by the name of Van Arsdale Spence," he +said, hurriedly, as though afraid that they might back out after all +from their kind proposition; "but I knew he no longer lived in +Beaufort, and I had no means of finding his present address. So, +instead of mailing it, I have carried the thing around with me for +three weeks, intending when I went South to make inquiries and send it +to his new address, if so be he was far away." + +"All right, then," declared Jack, stretching out his hand promptly; +"I'll promise to do everything in my power to get it into his +possession. Failing, you must give me some address through which I can +reach you, to tell you it was no go." + +"Here's my card, with the address of the makers of this machine. A +letter will always get to me if sent in their care, because, you see, +I'm under a three years' contract to exhibit this invention, and add +new ideas of my own. But I do hope you may be able to find the party. +I'd like that packet to fall into his hands as soon as possible. Too +much time has already been lost. Please keep it safe, will you, Jack?" + +The skipper of the _Tramp_ accepted the little packet in a serious +manner that no doubt impressed the other favorably. + +"Depend on me to do my level best for you; that's all any fellow could +promise, Mr. Spence," he said, simply, as he stowed the article away in +an inside pocket of his coat. + +"Shake hands, please, both of you!" exclaimed the birdman, heartily, +stretching across the little gap that separated him from the motor +boat; "I only wish it had been my good fortune to meet up with you +earlier." + +The formality of shaking hands was concluded with more or less +difficulty, owing to the fact that the wings of the aeroplane extended +far on either side, and kept the boat off; but in the end they managed +fairly well, though the eager Jimmy came near falling overboard in his +ambitious stretching, deeming it a great honor to have pressed the hand +of one about whom there was so much being printed in the papers. + +"Good luck go with you, boys!" called out the young aviator, as he +prepared to once more leave the surface of the water, and soar aloft +into airy space. "Give my regards to Herbert, Josh, George and Nick, +and tell them I hope some day in the near future to make their personal +acquaintance. I'm sure you must be a jolly bunch; and what glorious +times you have ahead! And I also hope you get track of the party that +packet is addressed to, Jack; it means much to me, I tell you." + +"I'll do everything in my power to find him, and give it personally +into his hands, Malcolm, I promise you. Shall I tell him how queerly +we met?" Jack went on. + +"Yes, and how some blessed inspiration caused me to believe there was +more than accident about our coming together, with you just on the way +down South by the coast route. So long, fellows; and again the best of +luck to you all." + +"Same to you!" called Jimmy, as he heard the motor of the +hydro-aeroplane begin to whirr, and saw the strange contrivance start +to spin along the little waves, once more sending the spray on either +side. + +Then it began to rise in the air with perfect freedom. They saw the +daring young aviator wave his hand in parting as he sped away, circling +upwards until he was hundreds of feet aloft, and constantly gaining. + +"Wow! wouldn't that make ye wink, now, Jack darlint?" exclaimed Jimmy, +as he twisted his neck badly in the endeavor to follow the course of +the wonderful machine that seemed as much at home in one element as the +other. + +Jack made no reply. + +He was bending down to start his own motor once more, and upon his face +there might have been seen an expression that told of mingled +resolution and curiosity. Yes, he would do everything possible to +deliver this strange missive that Malcolm Spence had entrusted to his +care, apparently on the impulse of the moment; at the same time Jack +would not have been human, and a boy, had he not experienced more or +less wonder as to what that same communication might contain. + +But the mystery was one that must remain such to the end of the +chapter, since the deep sense of honor that always went with his +actions would positively prevent his trying to ascertain what that +sealed packet contained. + +"Hey! get busy there, Jimmy!" he called out; "we're going to start +again, and make for the other boats. They've pulled up, and are +waiting for us to join them. And, believe me, those fellows are just +eating their heads off with envy, because they must have seen that we +were hobnobbing with a real birdman, who could scoot along the water as +easily as a flying-fish. All ready, are you? Then here she goes, +Jimmy," and immediately the merry hum of the motor sounded. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +THE FIRST CAMPFIRE ASHORE. + +"Ahoy there, _Tramp_! What's all this mean?" + +That was George hailing through his megaphone, as Jack and Jimmy drew +near the spot where the other boats were waiting. + +Jack simply waved his hand, to indicate that all in good time the other +fellows would hear the news; and that he did not mean to strain his +voice shouting across a stretch of water, when there was no necessity. + +Presently the three craft were moving along abreast, down the river, +and only a little distance apart. It might be noticed that while the +_Wireless_ hung on the starboard quarter, the _Comfort_ was just as +near on the port side; and thus conversation was made easy. + +"Now spin us the yarn, partner," spoke up impatient George, who did +everything in a hurry, though a mighty good comrade all the same. + +"Yes," broke in Nick, who was also in the same narrow boat, as usual +gripping the sides, as though to steady his fat form; "believe me, +fellows, we're consumed with curiosity to know what that chap in the +aeroplane wanted with you." + +"Say," came from the lanky Josh, squatted in the roomy _Comfort_, with +his long legs doubled up under him, after the manner of a Turk; "what +d'ye think, Jack, Nick here kinder expected to see you toddle aboard +that hydroplane, and take a spin up among the clouds. Said 'twould be +just like your luck to get hold of such a bully chance." + +"Well, hardly," laughed Jack. "But we did make the acquaintance of a +pretty fine young fellow, the same we've been reading about so much +lately--Malcolm Spence." + +"Oh, say! why couldn't we have been along?" grunted George, +disconsolately; "for if ever there was a fellow I'd give a heap to meet +up with, he's the one. It's a shame, next door to a crime, that we got +left out of the deal. But go on, Jack, old chum, and tell us all he +said." + +Jack accordingly proceeded to do so. He was frequently interrupted by +Jimmy, who fancied that he was neglecting some important feature of the +story. Between them everything was presently told. And the other four +hung upon the narration to the last word. + +"Let's see that queer old packet, Jack," said Herb. + +"That's so; give us a squint at it, anyhow," Nick demanded. + +So the skipper of the _Tramp_ took the letter out carefully and held it +up. + +"Excuse me for not passing it around, fellows," he remarked, "but I +gave my word it shouldn't go out of my possession until I'd found the +party mentioned. From the way the young chap acted, I guess it must be +more or less valuable, to him and this same party, anyhow." + +"What is the name on the envelope--you can tell me that, can't you?" +asked Josh. + +"Van Arsdale Spence," replied the bearer of the missive, as he just as +carefully replaced it in his pocket. + +"Hey! that's the same last name as his, ain't it?" remarked George. + +"Spence--yes, and it may be some relation of his, perhaps a brother or +father. But, fellows, that's none of our business, remember. Now, +let's talk of other things, and forget that little adventure for a +time." + +Jack generally had his way, and in this case his chums realized that he +was certainly right. So they started talking about their immediate +plans for the first night out. + +"We'll go ashore if we can, boys, and build a rousing fire," said Nick, +whose one great delight, outside of eating, was seeing a bonfire burn; +and, indeed, he always declared some of his remote ancestors must have +been real fire worshippers. + +"Yes, that would be a good idea," Jack admitted. "There's no telling +how often on this trip we'll find ourselves forced to eat and sleep +aboard, so when the opportunity offers we might as well get out to +stretch our legs." + +"Great scheme," declared Josh, who, being considerably longer than any +one of his shipmates, suffered more in consequence of cramped quarters. + +"Only one thing wrong," grunted Nick, shaking his head. + +"I can guess he's thinking of eating right now," flashed Josh, who knew +the symptoms in his companion only too well. + +"Well, Mister Smarty, for once you hit the nail on the head," grinned +the fat boy. "I just happened to think of something we hadn't ought to +have forgotten to fetch along for our first meal." + +"What was that?" demanded Jack. + +"Why, when I looked over that list of things you got up, Jack, blessed +if there was anything else I could think of," said George; "but it +takes my mate here to have 'em all in his mind, even if he can't cook +like Josh." + +"Let's hear what we forgot, then, Nick!" demanded Herb. + +"Oysters!" immediately cried the other, triumphantly. "This is the +country for the delicious bivalve, I understand, and the season is on. +I'd made up my mind some time ago, when this trip was first planned, +that I was going to have lots of feasts in that line. When a fellow +lives away back on the Mississippi River he gets mighty few chances for +real fresh oysters, you know, and I do love 'em so much!" + +"And a few more things in the bargain," chuckled Josh, who never could +resist a chance to get in a sly dig at his friend. + +"Lots of 'em," replied the stout boy, calmly, and without a blush. + +"But I thought you understood all about that," remarked Jack. "We +expect to pick up all the oysters we want on the way, so there was no +use laying in a supply at the start, when we needed room for more +important stores." + +"Depend on it, Nick, you'll get all the bivalves you want before we're +through with this cruise," Herb prophesied. + +"Bring 'em on, then," boasted Nick. "I'm ready to tackle a mountain of +'em right off the reel, in the shell or out. Never believed I could +get enough oysters. But about what time do we go ashore, boys?" + +"He's getting hungry already, I do believe?" cried Josh. "Honest, now, +to keep that fellow from complaining, there ought to be a bag of +crackers and cheese hung up all the time within his reach, so he could +take a snack every hour or two. I reckon those fat legs of his'n must +be hollow, for how else could he stow away all the grub he does? He's +a regular Oliver Twist, calling for more, more!" + +Nick took all this in the best of humor. He even grinned, just as +though he might look on it as some sort of compliment. + +"I guess I was born hungry, and never got over the complaint," he +observed; "but that don't answer my question, Jack. It's near four o +'clock, right now, and it gets dark not a great while after six, you +know." + +"All right, then; in about another hour we'll think of looking up a +creek along the shore, and make a snug harbor. Then for a fire, and a +supper, the first of the new cruise," the skipper of the _Tramp_ +replied. + +"Hear! hear! only another hour to wait," declared Nick, waving his hat +exultantly. + +"Think you can hold out that long?" demanded Josh. + +"I'll try," said Nick, meekly, as he drew an apple from one of his +pockets, and proceeded to calmly munch the same. + +"I give you my word, boys," said George, solemnly, "that's the seventh +he's bit into since we left the dock. Two did for me; and I can see +still more bunching up in his pockets. If he gets faint, I'll hand him +a cracker box to open. But I've some hopes the apples will be a life +preserver." + +Jack presently began to increase the speed of the flotilla. He wanted +to get as far down the river as possible before being compelled to put +up for the night. And having glanced at his, charts, he knew that they +must cover a number of miles ere they reached a tributary flowing into +the Delaware at this point. + +Five o'clock came around at last. Josh remarked that he was pleased to +see Nick still holding out, and that he had not wasted away to a mere +shadow. + +"Now we head in toward the western shore, and keep our eyes on the +lookout for the mouth of a creek that ought to be along down here," +Jack called out, as he began to gradually alter the course of his boat. + +Of course, this pleased them quite a little, as marking a change in the +monotony of the afternoon run. And truth to tell, Nick was not the +only fellow who enjoyed looking forward to supper time beside a roaring +fire. + +"Hey! that looks like an opening below us, Jack!" called George, who +was in the bow of the _Wireless_, steering, leaving to Nick the duty of +attending to other matters connected with the management of the speed +boat, especially its balance. + +"You're right, George, that's just what it is, the mouth of the creek; +so slow up everybody, and we'll go in." + +Impetuous George was the first to turn into the tributary. After +running up a short distance, the prospect for a camp not improving, +Jack called out: + +"It looks as if it might get worse instead of better, so let's stop off +here. There are a few trees anyway, and we can get all the wood we +need. Head in, George, and make a landing." + +Presently all of them stepped ashore. Although their surroundings did +not appeal very heartily to lads accustomed to dense timber, with all +that implies, still they knew how to make the best of a bad bargain. + +Nick began to gather firewood at once, and some of the others helped, +so that in a brief time a fire was started that at least made things +look a bit more comfortable and home-like, as Nick said, while puffing +like a porpoise in his labors. + +The cruisers had been securely tied up, since there was no danger of +any storm out on the river dashing them against the shore in this +peaceful harbor. + +Having brought the mess chests ashore, together with what cooking +things they needed, the boys began preparations for supper. Many hands +make light work, and Jack utilized every one for some purpose. Some +laid in a supply of wood, others opened cans, while Josh, being the +boss cook of the crowd, took charge of the menu. + +Meanwhile night began to settle around them, and with the coming +darkness a swarm of insect pests developed. + +"Whoop!" cried Nick, as he made his fat arms swing around his head like +a couple of old-time flails; "what d'ye call all this, tell me? Every +time I open my mouth a dozen hop right in. Talk to me about skeeters, +these must be the frisky Jersey brand we've heard so much about." + +"Say, it's lucky Jack thought to get nets for us all in Philadelphia," +remarked Herb, as he too waved the invaders aside when they harried him. + +"No sleeping ashore for me here," declared George. "The varmints would +carry a fellow off bodily, I do believe." + +A little breeze springing up caused the insects to drop into the grass +again, so that the boys had some peace. Supper being ready, they +finally sat around, and started to partake of the first meal of the +great cruise. + +As they were furiously hungry of course everything tasted just +splendid; but then it was good without any starvation sauce to tempt +them, for Josh had always proved a remarkably clever cook, even though +caring so little himself for eating. + +After the edge of their appetites had been taken off, the six boys +began to chat and joke. Josh was pleased to get a chance to sing one +of his little ditties, and required very little urging, after the meal +was over, and the things cleared away. + +It was mighty nice, sitting there in comfortable attitudes, listening +to Josh sing, and with the flames jumping up as Nick threw another +armful of fuel on the fire. Now and then one of them would make a +hurried slap at some over-strenuous mosquito that insisted on having +his meal, too; but, taken in all, the boys were enjoying it +tremendously. + +"When does the moon show up?" asked Herb, after a time. + +"Why, it's already up there in the west, and a fair-sized crescent, +too," remarked Jack. "Each night it'll get bigger, until we have it +full. That's the time I like most of all, when she hangs up there like +a big round shield, and the waves dance as if they were made of silver." + +"Listen to Jack getting poetical!" laughed George. + +"Well, who wouldn't, when you can hear the lap of the little waves out +there on the creek?" replied Jack, instantly. "And there, that must +have been a fish jumping, the way they told us the mullet do down +South." + +"Yes," said Nick, "me to get one of those castnets, and pull 'em in at +every throw. No danger of a fellow getting hungry in that country, I +guess." + +"If you didn't get hungry where would be the pleasure in living, tell +me that?" demanded Josh. + +Before Nick could frame any reply there suddenly broke out the most +terrible roaring sound any of the boys had ever heard. It seemed to +come from right off the surface of the dark creek close by, and gave +poor Nick such a fright that he almost fell into the fire upon +attempting to struggle to his feet, such was his clumsiness when +excited. + +All of them forgot the comfort they had been enjoying, and scrambled +erect. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +A STORM, AND NO REFUGE IN SIGHT. + +It was only natural that every one of the little party of cruisers +should feel their hearts beating much faster than ordinary, as they +were so startled by that horrible blast so near at hand. + +But Jack believed he had heard another sound close on the heels of the +first, and which was not unlike a hoarse laugh. That indicated the +presence of human beings; and, of course, would account for the roar +that had disturbed their first camp ashore. + +Looking in the direction from whence the sounds had apparently +proceeded, which was just below where their boats were pulled up, he +could just manage to make out some bulky moving object; then the +whipping of what seemed to be a discolored sail caught his eye, and he +understood. + +Of course, it must be some boat, possibly belonging to oystermen who +plied their trade out on the bay, close to which they now found +themselves. + +Coming into the creek, which was possibly their regular harbor for +night refuge, and discovering the fire as well as the boys, they had +blown a fog horn just in the spirit of frolic, to give the boys a scare. + +Both men were laughing now at the success of their scheme, and one of +them called out, with the idea of calming the bunch before they took to +shooting, in their excitement, as greenhorns were liable to do under +such conditions. + +"Hey, there! it's all right, boys; we're just oystermen, ye see, an' +meanin' to come ashore to jine ye, 'fore we goes home. Got a dock a +leetle ways up-creek. So hold yer guns, boys; no harm done, I reckons!" + +The sloop was run up on the sandy shore and both men jumped off. They +proved to be honest chaps, and soon the boys were quite relieved of +their first suspicious sensation at sight of such rough customers. + +These fellows had seldom looked on such dainty tricks as the three +little motor boats. Accustomed to heavy craft, they shook their heads +when they heard how Jack and his chums expected to make far distant +Florida in such frail boats. + +"Never kin do it, boys, an' I knows it," declared the taller fellow. + +"But ye got the grit, all right, I reckons," added the other. + +"We expect to meet up with lots of trouble on the way," said Jack; "but +then we've been through some experience, and know a little about +managing these things. Often a boat like mine will live in a sea that +would swamp a more clumsy craft. A canoe rides the waves like a duck, +where a rowboat would fill and sink, being logy." + +"They may be somethin' in that same," remarked one of the oystermen; +"but the chanct is, ye'll never make the riffle, boys. I hate to say +that same; but right down in this Delaware Bay they's bad spots where +ye kin git caught out in a blow, an' can't land. Many a fine boat's +gone down as I know of." + +"An' if so be ye do make shore they's hard characters all along that +section. Look out if ye happens to land near Murderkill Creek, that's +all I kin say," his mate spoke up, quite seriously, for they seemed to +have taken something of an interest in the boys, and their ambitious +plans. + +"Goodness gracious! did you ever hear such a terrible name as that?" +gasped Nick, looking pale, as his imagination worked overtime in +picturing the dreadful things apt to be met with in a country where +even the creeks bore such suggestive names. + +"Oh, sometimes things turn out less terrible than they seem!" laughed +Jack, who had read something about this same creek, and felt no +particular fear about making a camp along its border, should necessity +compel such a thing. + +"Now, we got to be goin' home, 'case we got famblies waitin' for us; +but we'll toss a lot o' oysters ashore here, if so be ye'd like to have +'em," the taller man remarked. + +"All right," spoke up Nick, so promptly that Jack was unable to get in +a reply; "give us fifty cents' worth, if that'll buy a bushel. I feel +like I could eat that many myself. Yum, yum, just think of the luck, +fellows!" + +The men laughed, but took the money, since their business was gathering +the bivalves, and there were doubtless many mouths to feed. And they +certainly tossed a full bushel ashore before pushing off, to continue +their run up the stream, to the dock they spoke of owning. + +Nick had galloped over to the _Wireless_, and was heard rummaging about +at a tremendous rate, all the while lamenting the fact that he could +not find what he was so eagerly searching for. + +"Oh, George! where did you ever hide that bully new oyster knife I +bought up in Philadelphia?" he bellowed, as he raised his head above +the side of the speed boat. + +"Never touched it," answered the other, promptly. "But I do remember +seeing some such thing in that locker up in the bow, where the tools +are kept." + +A triumphant squeal presently announced that Nick had unearthed his +treasure; and over the side he came, making at once for the heap of +bivalves. + +"You want to go slow with those things," warned Herb. + +"Oh, rats! I guess I know my capacity!" scoffed the fat boy, starting +to rap a shell smartly, and then insert the end of the knife between +its two jaws. "When I get enough I'll hold up." + +"You bet you will before you reach that point!" declared George, +"because some of us hanker after oysters, too. But just remember how +you cut your fingers with the shells the time we were down at New +Orleans. And be careful: they may not hurt much now, but tomorrow +they'll fair set you wild, boy." + +Nick only mumbled in reply. He was stuffing the first fat oyster into +his mouth, and as this was an extra large specimen, it allowed of no +room for words. + +The others soon got busy too, using such implements as they could find +among the tools. Jack had a regular oyster knife, but none of the +others had thought to provide themselves with such a necessary article, +save Nick alone. + +But by degrees they tamed the oyster fiend, and would not let him have +any more. Jimmy borrowed his knife, and amused himself in disposing of +the juicy contents of numerous shells. And Josh, after swallowing +several himself, proved to be a public benefactor by opening them for +those who were green at the business. + +But after a time they cried quits, and began to think of going aboard +again; for the venomous little pests were beginning to be very active, +and kept them all busy slapping right and left. + +Once under their nets they found a solid comfort that fully compensated +them for not being able to sleep ashore. + +And so the night passed. Nothing occurred to disturb them; and yet +despite the calm, it is doubtful whether any of the six slept very +well. The novelty of once more being away from civilization and +starting on a long cruise that might bring all sorts of adventures in +its train, kept them wakeful. + +Doubtless, too, memory carried them back to many scenes connected with +past experiences; and they lived again in the various happenings +marking those halcyon days. + +Up with the dawn some of them once more went ashore. The fire was +started afresh and preparations for breakfast were under way by the +time Nick made his appearance. He surveyed what was being done for a +little time, and then lifted his voice in protest: + +"What! no oysters for breakfast? That's mighty funny, now. I expected +to have 'em every meal, you know." + +Not getting any satisfaction from Josh, who was busy making some batter +for the camp flapjacks, Nick wandered off. They soon heard him hard at +work on oyster shells, though an occasional grunt told that he had cut +his tender fingers with the sharp points. + +He did succeed in opening a few, which he insisted on cooking for his +own breakfast; and Josh let him have his way; but it might have been +noticed that Nick consumed his full share of the batter cakes; and even +wistfully eyed a last one belonging to the cook, upon which Josh +generously passed it along, saying that he was "full up." + +If any one ever saw Nick in that condition it did not readily occur to +them, for the fat boy seemed to be built after the style of an omnibus, +with always room for "just one more," with crowding. + +"Looks like a good day ahead," remarked Herb, glancing at the sky. + +"I was just thinking the other way," spoke up Jack. + +"Eh? What makes you tell us that, after hearing what those oystermen +said about the danger we'd run, if we were caught in the big bay in a +storm?" asked George; for his narrow-beam boat always threatened to +turn turtle when the waves were very boisterous, and it kept him +guessing continually. + +"Oh! well, I may be wrong; but I didn't altogether like the looks of +those mottled clouds as the sun was coming up," Jack remarked. + +"And it was red, too, which I understand is always a bad sign," Nick +put in. "If we could only get another lot of shell fish, I'd vote to +stay right here for the day. Perhaps things would pick up by tomorrow." + +"Rats! Who's afraid?" laughed Josh, who knew he was sure of lots of +comfort aboard the roomy boat belonging to Herb. + +It was, however, put to a vote, because Jack believed in majority +ruling in matters affecting the whole crowd. Nick himself voted in +favor of going on. Whether he did this because he was ashamed to show +the white feather, or from fear lest they might not be able to secure a +further supply of oysters, none of them ever really knew. But the +motion to continue the cruise was carried unanimously. + +As they issued forth from the creek they found that the river seemed +much wider than they had believed it to be. And apparently it would +keep on that way, with the shores drawing further apart, until they +found themselves on Delaware Bay, which in parts, Jack understood, to +be something like twenty-five miles from side to side, an ocean in +fact, for such small craft. + +"We must have been camping in Delaware last night, eh, Jack?" called +out Herb, as the three boats ran along side by side, even George +curbing his propensity for rushing ahead. + +"Sure we did," spoke up George. "I found out on the chart where we +stopped. Look away over there in Jersey, and you'll see a cloud of +smoke hovering over Salem. How about that, Jack; am I correct?" + +"That's Salem, all right; and we've got to start at a better pace than +this if we hope to get anywhere before night. Hit her up, George, and +we'll do the best we can to follow," Jack answered. + +This pleased the jaunty skipper of the _Wireless_ first-rate. He +always liked to lead the procession, and set the pace for the rest. + +So, as the morning wore on, they made good progress. Of course the +others were compelled to tone down their speed to suit the pace of the +old _Comfort_, that just wallowed along in what George called a "good +natured way." Boat and skipper were very much alike; but then that +similarity also applied in the cases of George and his speed boat; yes, +and with regard to Jack, too, who united the good qualities of both +other skippers, as his craft did those of stability and speed. + +At noon they ate a lunch while still booming along; for Jack had +discovered a bank of clouds coming up in the west that he did not just +fancy, and hoped to make a certain point before the storm, if such +there was in store for them, should break. + +"What's this mean, Jack?" asked George, a couple of hours later, +falling back somewhat so that he might exchange words with the others. + +"Yes," said Herb at that; "it's getting as dark as the mischief. Guess +we're going to have that storm Jack prophesied this morning, fellows." + +"Say, perhaps I'd better be shooting ahead, then," suggested George, +uneasily. "You know this cranky boat of mine isn't the nicest thing +going, to be in when the waves are rolling ten feet high. And it's so +wide here, they'll beat that, in a pinch." + +"What would you be after going ahead for, then?" asked Jimmy. + +"So as to get to that creek with the lovely name we talked about," +George replied, looking troubled, nevertheless. "I noted its position +on the chart, and think I might find it." + +"But if the storm caught you beforehand, you'd be in a bad pickle, +George!" declared Jack, soberly. "No, better all keep together. Then, +if an accident happens, there's some chance for the others lending a +helping hand. But we'll head in more toward the Delaware side, though +if the wind strikes us from the east it'll be a bad place to be caught +on a lee shore." + +Nothing more was said just then. They changed their course somewhat, +and the three little motor boats continued to push steadily forward. +Meanwhile the gloom seemed to gather around them, until even +stout-hearted Jack shuddered a little as he surveyed the wide stretch +of waters that had begun to tumble in the freshening wind, and thought +what might happen if they could find no harbor, with a fierce late +equinoctial gale sweeping across the dangerous bay. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +A CLOSE SHAVE, BUT NO DAMAGE DONE. + +"See any signs of a harbor, Jack?" + +It was Nick who called this out, as he watched the skipper of the +_Tramp_ swing the pair of binoculars he was handling along the shore +ahead, while Jimmy had the wheel. + +"Not that I could say for certain," replied the other, lowering the +glasses for a minute in order to rest his strained eyes. "I was trying +to get our bearings; and from several things about the shore, that +resemble the line of the chart, I begin to believe I know where we are." + +"Not near that awful Murderkill Creek, I hope?" spoke up Nick, +shuddering. + +"What's the matter with you?" called George. "Any port in a storm, say +I; and even if it happened to be Slaughter Creek, which I believe lies +further on toward Lewes, I'd grab it in a hurry, if it came along. +Don't you go to saying a single word against that sweet harbor. We'll +rename it Paradise Creek, if only it serves us this day." + +As it was getting darker all the time, no wonder George had begun to +feel nervous. Even though he saved himself, and Nick, should he lose +his boat, it would almost break his heart; for in spite of her many and +serious faults the jaunty skipper of the erratic _Wireless_ fairly +loved the craft. + +"Yes, we are not many miles above Murderkill; and that or Jones Creek +will have to be our destination; for we must have passed the Dona +opening by mistake. But perhaps the storm will kindly hold off until +we're all snug in a harbor." + +While Jack said this, in order to buoy up the downcast chums, deep down +in his heart he believed that they were bound to be caught out on that +wide stretch of water, and have a fight for their lives, particularly +those who were manipulating the tricky speed boat. + +But it was useless to ask George to come aboard the _Comfort_, and try +to tow his craft. That would seem too ignoble, worse than having a +farm wagon drag the broken-down bubble wagon into town, in fact. + +They had gone in as near the western shore as prudence dictated. Jack +told everybody to be on the lookout for the first sign of an opening. +Beggars could not be choosers, and only too gladly would they welcome +any port, however ill-named or hard looking. + +"She's coming, all right," declared Jimmy, as he crouched there, his +hair blowing in the rising wind, and his eyes taking in every sign of +approaching trouble. + +"Yes, and I'm sorry to say from the one bad quarter, the southeast," +Jack made out to answer, between his set teeth. "If it had only been +west, now, we'd have had the shelter of the land, and could have crept +along nicely until we got where we wanted to go." + +The waves were surely increasing in size, and the small craft began to +heave in a very suggestive way. When they grew still larger, under the +influence of the rising wind, Jack expected that with the passing of +each billow the screw would flash out of water. That was the time to +be dreaded; for as resistance suddenly ceased with the passage of the +wave, the screw would revolve at lightning speed, and something was apt +to go wrong. + +Let an accident occur when in such a bad predicament, and it would be +all over with the unlucky mariners who chanced to be on the disabled +boat. + +"Be mighty careful, Herb and George," he called to the others. "Watch +each billow, and slow the engine before the screw is exposed. You know +what I mean. You've both done the same trick before." + +Constant vigilance was to be the price of safety from this moment on. +Nothing must distract the attention of those who manipulated the motors +of the three boats caught in this sea in a storm. + +Of course, George was accustomed to handling his narrow craft. Few +amateurs could have done better than the present skipper. He knew her +good qualities to a fraction, and was also acquainted with the bad +ones. Consequently, he was aware just how far he could allow her +quarter to face the sweep of wind and waves, without being thrown on +her beam-ends. + +It was a ticklish business, very much like managing a treacherous mule, +loaded with kicks and bites at both ends. One little error of +judgment, and the result would be a spill that must toss the occupants +into the raging waters. + +Jack had insisted that the owner of the _Wireless_ provide himself with +life preservers; each boat carried a couple, but in the case of George +and Nick, four had not been deemed too many. + +Acting on the advice of Jack, George had fastened one of the cork +jackets on himself before the storm really broke; because afterwards he +would have no time to spare in attempting such a thing. + +Nick had gone him one better; and seemed to be of huge proportions as +he crouched there, waiting for the worst to happen. He had also +secured his old White Wings, which had figured quite largely in +previous cruises, to his shoulders, as if he hoped and believed that +the bags filled with air would be of considerable assistance in keeping +him afloat. + +Altogether Nick looked next door to a freak escaped from some side show +connected with a Barnum and Bailey's circus. Jack often remembered the +sight with more or less inward laughter. But it was no time for +merriment now, with that wind growing in violence, and the waves +assuming a most threatening appearance. + +The minutes seemed like hours, so intense was the strain that held them +in its terrible grip. Jack had a double duty to perform, watching +those onsweeping waves, and at the same time keeping the shore under a +close supervision, so that he might discover when they came opposite +the mouth of a creek. + +Such a place might be so narrow as to pass unnoticed unless one had +exceedingly keen eyes; and, moreover, kept up an unremitting watch. + +Fortunately they were not fated to experience the worst that might have +happened to them; for the crux of the storm had not come along by any +means. + +Jack suddenly uttered a yell that startled the others on the laboring +boats. + +"I saw it, boys; it's all right! Just follow after me; you first, +George; and Herb bringing up the rear. Ready now! Here goes!" + +As he shouted these words at the top of his voice, for the water was +making considerable racket by now, Jack began to head straight for the +shore, so that the boat was soon running with the spinning sea. + +If he had made a mistake, and the opening failed them, there could be +nothing left but to beach their boats, and to try to save themselves +from the wreckage as best they might. + +But Jack had not made an error of judgment, for presently the others +also saw the creek, with its inviting mouth. Even timorous Nick was +only too delighted to find a safe harbor from the wild gale to care +just then what the name of the creek might happen to be; one was just +as good as another to them all. + +Jack made the shelter, and George managed to swing in, though his boat +did almost go over, being struck on the side by a counter sea, when the +pilot was not expecting it, so that she seemed to hang there for a +second or two, in the balance. + +But Nick rolled to the other side, and this dead weight was sufficient +to keep the narrow craft from going completely over; she righted, and +swept into the mouth of the creek. + +The steady going old _Comfort_ came rolling in like a big tub, with +Herb and Josh not at all alarmed, such was their faith in the reliable +qualities of the staunch craft under their feet. And it might be +noticed that Herb's pride in his possession increased in proportion as +George's faith decreased. What suited one did not please the other at +all, apparently. + +Making their way into the creek they tied up, being careful lest they +find themselves high and dry at low tide. Jack kept tabs on the state +of the tide, and at its flood wanted several more feet under him than +while it was at ebb. + +"Let us give thanks," said Nick, with due reverence, as they found +themselves safe. "That was a nasty little scare, all right. Our old +_Wireless_ kicked like a bucking broncho; I say that, even though I +never rode a cow pony, and only saw the breed at the circus. Oh! I'm +glad to be alive right now, and able to eat a few more camp meals!" + +No one even called him down for mentioning such a thing as food; for as +they had not taken the time to more than munch a few bites at noon, it +stood to reason that everybody was feeling quite sharp set. + +"No fire outdoors tonight, fellows, for here comes the rain," said +Jack; and even as he spoke the big drops did commence to fall, sending +them every one under shelter. + +George was hustling in the endeavor to get his tent up, and succeeded +in doing so before the rain became very heavy. Both Jack and Herb had +had a hunting cabin placed on their boats since last they took a long +cruise, for they knew how comfortable such a cover must prove in time +of stress and foul weather. But George, believing that to do this +would keep his boat out of the speed class, had declined to follow +suit, using a tent instead, which was fastened to a ridge pole +stretched at night-time fore and aft at a certain height above the +cockpit. + +Of course, once George had this waterproof canvas covering in place he +too was able to laugh at the rain that now poured down. It might not +be just as cozy under his flapping canvas as beneath the steady roofs +which the other boats boasted; but George would not complain, and Nick +dared not. + +Of course, every pair now had to cook their own supper. But it was not +the first time this same thing had occurred by any means; and hence +they knew just how to go about it. + +Each boat was supplied with one of those splendid Juwel kerosene +burning gas stoves, which burn common oil turned into a delightful blue +flame by the process of a generator. Once this was started, all manner +of cooking could be carried on. Indeed, it is simply astonishing how +much can be accomplished by means of this clever little device, which +most canoeists carry with them as a necessity, as well as a comfort. + +The boys had tied up in such a way that they could call out to one +another, as the humor seized them. And hence, there was more or less +exchange of comments on the bill of fare for supper that evening. + +When the meal had been finished night was at hand, though only for the +storm no doubt the sun might still have been seen shining in the low +west. Jimmy got out his banjo, and the musical plunkety-plunk of its +strings, now and then accompanying one of his jolly songs, did much to +cheer them up. + +Jack busied himself with his charts meanwhile, for there was a nasty +little experience awaiting them when they reached Lewes, where they +must watch for a favorable opportunity to pass out upon the open +Atlantic, and cover ten miles or so like a covey of frightened +partridges, heading for the inlet to Rehoboth Bay, and actually passing +around Cape Henlopen, since boats the size of theirs could not well be +carted across the land to Love Creek, as if they were canoes. + +Nick busied himself with the last of the oysters, which he had made +sure to throw aboard the _Wireless_, and had found no time up to now, +to tackle. George was tinkering with his motor, a customary amusement +with him; for his heart was bent on learning how to coax yet another +bit of speed from the engine that racked his boat so terribly when put +at full speed. + +On the _Comfort_, Josh and Herb, with room to spare, were having a game +of dominoes, and enjoying themselves very much. This was the time when +the joy of having plenty of elbow room made itself manifest. + +Later on, during a little lull in the rainfall, Jack crept out to take +observation, just as though he might have been an old salt, on board a +sea-going vessel. + +The storm was raging quite furiously, and made a roar that must have +seemed more or less terrifying, had one been out on the big bay, +instead of having this snug harbor. + +"Whether this is Murderkill Creek, or the one rejoicing in the +aristocratic name of Jones, it doesn't matter one cent," he declared, +as he turned to Jimmy, who had followed him outside for a breath of air +before laying down to sleep. "Just listen to that howl out yonder, and +then call this bully place a bad name, will you? Let her whoop it up +as she pleases, we can laugh, and sleep in peace; for there's good +ground between us and the raging sea. Hear the waves break on shore, +would you, Jimmy? Starting out by rescuing a poor chap from a watery +grave did bring us good luck, now, I'm thinking." + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +HOW THE MOTOR BOAT FLOTILLA WENT TO SEA. + +In spite of the racket made by the storm, the boys managed to get in a +pretty fair night's sleep. In the first place they were tired; and +then they had some lost rest to make up. That first night had not been +very much of a success as a slumber maker. + +With the breaking of morning Jack took an observation by peeping out. +The rain was still coming down spitefully; and the roar of the waves on +the nearby shore announced how utterly impossible it would be for the +small craft to continue their voyage south on this day. + +"We're in for a stop-over, Jimmy," he announced, as a sleepy voice from +among the blankets inquired as to the prospects. + +It was not long before other laments were heard in the land, as Nick, +George, Herb and Josh poked their heads out, in order to see what was +going on. + +"Gee! I hope you fellows don't think of butting into such a howler as +this?" remarked George, a bit anxiously. + +"I should say not," laughed Josh. "Though I reckon our comfy old tub +could stand up, and take her knocks without squealing. But we'd have +to wait over at Lewes just the same, so what's the use?" + +"I'd refuse to move a foot, and that's flat!" declared George, as he +teetered at the stern of the narrow speed boat; for it happened just +then that the clumsy Nick was moving around, and whenever this came +about, the balance of the craft was visibly disturbed. + +"No danger," declared Jack. "We're going to make the best of a bad +bargain, and roost here in Murderkill Creek for another day." + +"Whoo! once when I woke in the night," remarked Josh, "and as the wind +slackened up a bit, I heard the awfullest noise ever. Sounded just +like somebody was hollerin' for help. And when I remembered all they +told us about this pesky place, I was a long time getting to sleep +again, I give you my word." + +"Sure, I was after havin' the same thing myself," declared Jimmy, +eagerly. "And if any banshee in the ould country ever made a more +horrible noise, I'll eat me hat; and that's no lie. Whatever d'ye +suppose it was, Jack, old top?" + +Jack laughed. + +"Oh! owls!" he remarked, carelessly. + +"But looky here," Josh flashed up, "don't you reckon I've heard owls +hoot before now? I tell you this was different, and much more ghastly; +just like somebody was being half choked, and gurgling as he tried to +call for help. It made the cold chills creep up and down my spinal +column, that's right, now." + +"Perhaps they've got a special brand of owl down along here, that +outdoes all its species in whooping things up," laughed Jack. "And on +account of some one hearing those same fierce noises long ago, the +creek got its terrible name." + +"Oh! forget it," broke in Herb; "especially since we've got to pass +another night right here, and don't want to be bothered with bad +dreams." + +Breakfast was prepared in much the same fashion as their supper was +cooked on the preceding evening. George and Nick had much the worst of +it, with that flapping tent sheltering them, while the others found +solid comfort in their hunting cabins. + +Every little while George could be heard warning his stout and rather +unwieldy mate to be more careful. Either he was rocking the boat in a +manner most exasperating, or else rubbing up against the canvas top, +which, in that particular spot, quickly developed a disposition to +leak, as supposed waterproof canvas often will if you so much as place +a finger on the underside while it is wet. + +Along about nine o'clock, however, the clouds ceased to squeeze their +watery contents down upon the adventurous cruisers. + +"Hurra! boys!" Nick was heard to shout an hour later; "it's going to +clear up, as sure as you live! Looky up yonder, and you'll see a break +in the clouds. Then we can go ashore anyhow, and get some of the kinks +out of our legs." + +Nick proved a good prophet, for about eleven the clouds did begin to +roll away, so that the sun peeped out. It was a welcome sight, and +elicited a series of loud thankful cheers from the boys. + +They were not long about getting on land. Josh in particular was seen +to turn a few hand-flaps, as though in that energetic way he could +loosen up his muscles the more speedily. + +"But that sea will keep up more or less the rest of the day," observed +Jack, as they sauntered over to a point where they could look out on +the heaving surface of the broad Delaware Bay. + +Having a stretch of miles in which to gather force under the piping +wind, the waves were of considerable height, considering that the three +boats were of diminutive size. + +They watched the tumble of the billows until they were tired. Then +each set about doing whatever appealed the most to his nature. + +Thus Nick wandered along the bank of the creek, examining the shores +closely, in the hope of being able to pick up a few shellfish, since +his taste for oysters had grown to huge proportions after the feast +already indulged in. + +George set about drying things out on board the _Wireless_, so that he +could tinker a little with that high spirited engine of his. Josh +settled down to gather some wood, being bent on having an outdoor fire +when the next meal came around, meaning supper; for they would only +take a cold snack at noon. Herb was writing up his log; Jimmy getting +some fishing tackle in readiness, he having an idea that finny prizes +only awaited the taking in these parts; while Jack wandered forth, with +a gun thrown over his shoulder, hungry for a little hunt. + +They heard a double report half an hour later. Every fellow looked +interested, for well did they know that when Jack pulled trigger there +was a pretty fair chance of something dropping into the game bag. + +Nick, who was pottering with a few rather poor looking oysters he had +managed to discover in some little cove, grinned, and rubbed himself +comfortingly in the region of the stomach. + +"Which shall it be, brethren, wild duck, quail on toast, rabbit stew, +or great governor! wild turkey roasted?" he demanded, with the utmost +confidence that Jack would fulfill at least one of these conditions. + +When the Nimrod of the crowd came in sight, there was more or less +interest manifested as to what he had shot. After all, it proved to be +wild ducks. And Nick's eyes glistened when he saw that they were +mallards, three fat fellows at that. + +"I happened on 'em in a little wide reach of the creek about half a +mile away," Jack explained; "and as this was a pot hunt, fellows, +believe me, I didn't hesitate to shoot the first barrel straight at the +three as they sat on the water. Two dropped and the other fellow made +to rise; but that was dead easy, and I got him with the second shell." + +"Yum! yum! I can imagine how good they'll taste," remarked Nick. "But +as we haven't any oven along, how can we roast 'em? Jack, why not try +that hole in the ground trick that you showed us last year when we were +down on the Mississippi?" + +"That's right, Jack!" echoed George. + +"Just as you say, fellows; and the sooner we get our oven in working +order then, the better; because, you remember, it takes quite some +hours for it to do the job. It's really the original fireless cooker, +known to woodsmen for rafts of years before the idea was applied to +bottles that will keep the stuff warm forty hours; and contrivances to +gradually cook meats and other things. So here goes to get busy with +the oven. Nick, you and Herb and Jimmy each pluck one of the ducks in +the meantime, so they will be ready." + +Now, this was a part of the business that Nick liked not at all; but he +felt that it would be a shame to complain, when he delighted so much in +being about to share in the treat; so he set to work, after his clumsy +fashion, to make the feathers fly. + +Jack, meanwhile, dug a proper hole in the ground, where he could find +something like clay. With the help of Josh he started a fire in the +same. This was kept up a certain length of time, until the walls of +the oven were baked hard, and felt exceedingly hot. Then the ashes +were cleaned out, the three ducks placed therein, after being carefully +wrapped in big green leaves; and when this had been done the oven was +hermetically sealed. + +"We may have to wait a little later than usual for our supper," Jack +said; "but when they're done, it'll sure make your mouths water just to +get the scent, after that oven is opened." + +The afternoon passed slowly. All clouds had sailed away, and the sun +shone in a cherry manner, giving promise for a glorious day on the +morrow. Still, they could not think of changing their anchorage, +because the waves continued to run high; and that boat of George's was +always to be remembered as the one weak link in the chain. + +Josh did himself proud in preparing supper that night. And when the +oven was finally opened, the delicious odor that immediately assailed +the nostrils of the hungry lads sent them into the seventh heaven of +delightful anticipation. + +Nor was the eating of the ducks at all a disappointment. Never had +they tasted anything finer in all their lives. + +"Say, if mallards can touch the spot like this, what must redheads or +canvasbacks be like?" demanded Nick, as he polished a leg bone +handsomely, grunting his pleasure meanwhile, and perhaps inwardly +sighing because there was not one whole duck apiece. + +"We'll see, later on," replied Jack; "because, as we have to pass +through those North Carolina sounds where such ducks can be found, +there's a chance we'll take toll on the way." + +"But I thought the hunting clubs had monopolized every foot of that +water; and that only the wealthy New Yorkers, and ex-presidents, could +shoot on Albemarle and Currituck Sounds?" remarked Josh. + +"Well, pretty much all the best points are private territory now," Jack +answered, frowning; "but it's possible to sneak a few shots when you're +passing through on the way south. Wait and see what we can do, +fellows." + +"Well, one thing sure," declared Nick, admiringly; "if ever Jack +Stormways pulls trigger on a canvasback, he goes along with this bully +crowd, all right." + +"Hear! hear!" cried the others, which caused the flattered Jack to +smile and wave his hand in token of sincere appreciation. + +"I reckon now," remarked George, as they sat around the blaze later on, +conversing along various topics; "you've hung on to that bally old +mystery all tight enough, Jack?" + +"Meaning the little sealed packet the skipper of the hydro-aeroplane +gave into my keeping?" the one addressed made reply. "Why, of course I +have it safe; and if I manage to get through to Beaufort, I hope to +hunt up the same Van Arsdale Spence, and put it in his possession." + +"But it may turn out to be a tougher proposition than you imagine," +Herb remarked. "Perhaps the gentleman has buried himself in the wild +country around that coast town; we can't spend much time hunting all +over creation for him, can we?" + +"Of course, we don't expect to do that," Jack quickly responded. "I +only promised to look him up; and if he had gone away, to send the +packet to him by mail, if we could get his present address. But what's +the use crossing a bridge till you get to it? We worry a heap over +things that never happen. Who said he was sleepy?" + +"Me," spoke up Nick, who had been yawning at a prodigious rate for the +last half hour. "You see, we didn't get much of a snooze aboard the +old _Wireless_ these two nights. Even at the best, the quarters are +cramped; and if one fellow turns over, it nearly throws his mate out of +his blanket bed." + +"Rats!" scoffed George, always ready to stand up for his beloved craft, +even though deep down in his heart he knew that the criticism might be +well founded. "The trouble is, you're such a hefty fellow that you +never just roll over, you _wallow_! Now, when I had Josh for a while +with me, things went much smoother." + +"But I didn't go the same way, I'm telling you, George," declared the +tall boy, quickly; "and you needn't try to coax me to change places +with Nick any more. I've tried your boat, and I just don't like it. +I've got to have room to stretch; and after a night aboard the +_Wireless_ I used to feel that I was tied up in a double knot all +right. Nixy, I pass. Once is out for me." + +But all of them were sleepy, and it was not long before they went +aboard. There had been some talk of staying ashore; but it frittered +out. Whether it was because of the frolicsome mosquitoes, that had put +in their appearance with the dying out of the breeze; or recollections +of the fearful name by which the stream, was known on the chart and +among men, no one confessed. They dribbled aboard the three boats, and +went about making up their beds for the night in the most +matter-of-fact way possible. + +And, truth to tell, they did manage to secure a lot of refreshing sleep +before another dawn came to call them to duty. + +After breakfast they left their harbor, in which they had been +storm-bound; and were soon pushing along toward the southeast, where +Lewes, back of Cape Henlopen, lay. + +The bay was far from smooth, but by degrees it became more so as the +day passed. Finally, after passing several lighthouses, they had +glimpses of the great Government breakwater, and the barrier that has +been erected to keep the ice from injuring the shipping. + +That night they lay in a snug harbor in Broadhill Creek, a few miles +above the town. Herb and Josh had gone with the _Comfort_ to see if +there was any mail for them; and to pick up a few little things which +it was believed they needed to complete their happiness. + +"I hope tomorrow will be as fine as today has been," Jack remarked that +evening, as they sat around to partake of supper; "because we've got a +nasty outside run to make, reaching for an inlet below; and we've just +got to wait until the sea is smooth, if it takes a week. We promised +our folks at home not to take any unnecessary chances, you remember, +fellows." + +"And that's one I'd refuse to tackle," observed George, without a +blush. "The old ocean is a pretty big proposition for a teenty little +motor boat to buck up against." + +"Especially one that's built on the order of a wedge!" grunted Nick, +unconsciously rubbing one of his fat sides sympathetically, as though +he might be getting a chronic muscular pain there, from being kept in a +state of perpetual balance. + +When the morning did come they found that the signs seemed most +propitious indeed; and Jack declared that they could not afford to let +such a chance pass by. + +"Well, just as you say, Jack," sighed George. "The thing has to be +done; and in that case the sooner we get it over with, the better. But +I hope there won't be much more of this outside business before we +reach Florida." + +"Very little," replied the other, reassuringly. "And we're going to +take no chances at any time, remember. This outside work is easy +enough, always providing you bide your time, and no big wind from the +east or south comes up while you're making the trip from one inlet to +another. Sometimes, I'm told, the sea is like glass, with hardly a +ripple." + +"I hope it turns out that way today, then," remarked George, as he +began to do a little final tinkering with his machinery before the +start. + +Jack watched the tide, knowing something about how the wind would be +apt to come up at a certain change, as it usually does. Then, at eight +o'clock, or "eight bells," as Nick delighted to call it, the signal was +given, the gallant little flotilla started off; and an hour later the +three motor boats were moving through the heaving sea, with nothing but +water toward the east and south, as far as the eye could reach. + +They were now fully launched on the broad Atlantic, and must take +chances of making a safe harbor before the coming of the wind. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +THE CAMP INVADED. + +"Why, fellows, this is dead easy!" George called out, after they had +been making good time for an hour or more, with the heaving sea showing +no sign of taking undue advantage of the confiding little motor boats +that had ventured on its placid bosom. + +"Just as I told you," Jack answered, for they made sure to keep pretty +close to each other while undertaking this passage. "Choose the right +time, after a storm with the wind and sea gone to rest, and a little +run like this is a picnic." + +"But she looks pretty wide out there," remarked Nick, pointing toward +the east. + +"Oh! not so much," laughed Herb. "I should think that a matter of four +thousand miles or so would cover it." + +"Gee! whiz! that must be Africa over there, then?" Nick gasped. + +"That's right!" Jack called; "but there's a trifle of haze hanging out +just at present, so you can't quite see the tropical shores, with the +black natives dancing around some missionary. But joking aside, boys, +I think we're going to make the riffle without any trouble. Already we +must be well on the way there, and no sign of wind yet." + +"Perhaps when she does come it may be in the west?" suggested Josh, who +did occasionally have a brilliant thought, it seemed. + +"Just so, and in that case we'd be all hunky," Jack answered back; +"because with a west wind we could creep in close to the shore, since +there'd be no waves rolling up on the beach. Suppose we touch up for a +little faster gait." + +"I'm willing," George sent back. "Put it up to the _Comfort_ as usual. +We'll have to adapt our pace to what she can do." + +"Yes," called out Josh from the roomy boat, "and consider yourself +lucky, George, if you don't have to call on the old Ark to give you a +tow before we cross that same bar at the inlet. It wouldn't be the +first time; and it ain't goin' to be the last either, believe me!" + +"Oh! shucks! my engine is running as smooth as silk now. I could make +circles around the whole bunch if I wanted to; but what's the use? +We'd better stick together, you know. Somebody might want a little +help." + +"Sure, somebody might," mocked Josh. + +Jack had let Jimmy have the wheel. With his glasses he was +scrutinizing the shore line as they made steady progress. He felt sure +that he would be able to discover the right inlet long before they +arrived at a point where they must alter their course in order to cross +that bar which is always found at such openings. + +Drawing the small amount of water their boats did, he anticipated not +the slightest trouble in getting over. So as they increased their pace +somewhat, Jack divided his time between watching the shore and the sky. +Wind was something that would oblige them by remaining away. + +They had figured on taking three hours to make the run; but it was +nearer four, owing to the fact that there were some miles to pass over +in leaving the creek where they had spent the preceding night, and +reaching the open sea; and also because they had to go out some +distance. + +Jack sighted the inlet for which they were so anxiously pressing, and +when the three motor boats had crossed the bar, gaining the security +that lay behind the sandspits, all of them breathed easier. That night +they would not see the flashing of the Henlopen light, or catch the +distant gleam of the famous mariner's beacon on the point at Cape May, +for they were many miles to the south, and the glow of Chincoteague +Light closer at hand. + +But for some time at least they need not think of danger from a rising +sea. If troubles were fated to come, as was almost inevitable, they +were apt to be of an entirely different character. Perhaps they would +get aground in shallow waters; it might be there would be times when +the little flotilla would become lost in some intricate channels +connecting the numerous bays that parallel the coast, and which are by +degrees being dredged by the Government, with the idea of at some dim +future date having an inland coast canal by which even small vessels of +war may pass north and south. + +Again, Jack had before him his chart, printed by the Department at +Washington, and supposed to be perfectly reliable as to depth of water, +position of lights and shoals, the lay of the many sinuous creeks, and +all such important matters upon which the voyager over these sounds +must depend for safe progress. + +"Looky there, what's that over yonder on the water--gulls?" called +Nick, after they had been moving along in procession for some time, the +_Tramp_ leading the way--for George realized that he must curb his +speed propensity while navigating these deceptive shallow waters, +unless he wanted to take chances of wrecking his beloved craft on an +unseen oyster reef, or a sandbar that lay just below the surface. + +"I reckon they're ducks," quoth Josh, after a look. "How about it, +Jack?" + +Jack did not have to even make use of the glasses before replying in +the affirmative. + +Nick was all excitement at once. + +"Say, why can't we sneak up on 'em, and knock about six on the head?" +he hastened to demand; and then stooped down to drag out George's +shotgun; at which the others shouted to him to be careful, for he was +making the boat wobble fearfully. + +"Well, we might give them a try," said Jack, with a smile; "but even if +we did manage to bag a bunch, I reckon now, you wouldn't think them +worth cooking." + +"Why not; I've heard that even fishy ducks can be eaten, if you take +the trouble to draw the feathers and skin off together?" Nick declared. + +"Which is correct, all right, as far as it goes," Jack continued, +placidly; "but I'd defy even such an expert as Josh here, to cook those +ducks so as to disguise the woody flavor!" + +"Haw! haw! haw! Jack means they're only a bunch of wooden +decoys--stool ducks!" roared Josh, some of the others echoing his +merriment. "Perhaps you c'n digest pretty near anything, you're such a +walking cemetery, Nick; but I bet you draw the line at a wooden duck, +hey?" + +Nick relapsed into silence, but George took up the talk. + +"Ain't this early in October for duck hunting, Jack? Some of the +States don't allow it till November, you know," he inquired, seeking +information. + +"Yes; and perhaps this fellow is only giving his stools an airing, +after all, to see how they float; because the main raft of ducks won't +be here till later." + +During the day they landed at one or two docks, where the customary +groups of staring natives surrounded them, asking questions, examining +the clever little craft beside which their own looked cumbersome, +though sea-worthy, and giving such a sad mixture of information that in +the end Jack was glad he had his reliable charts to fall back on, since +one man's account seemed to be exactly contradictory in comparison with +the next one. + +The boys believed that it would be wise to halt for the night away from +any of the settlements along the sound or bay. Perhaps these rough +looking fellows might be all right, and just as honest as they make +them; but previous experiences had warned Jack and his chums that there +are always some bad characters belonging in every isolated town and +hamlet; and there was no use tempting such rascals more than seemed +necessary. + +Accordingly, when the afternoon drew near its end, they began to cast +about for a camping place. To the delight of Nick they had been able +to pick up a duck here and there, until there were now four on board. + +"If we could only get a brace more," he kept saying; "or even one might +do, as Josh eats so little; how nice it would be. Jack, don't you +suppose, now, you might creep up behind that island yonder, drop +ashore, since the law forbids one to shoot ducks from a craft driven by +sails or any motive power except a fellow's muscles, and get a shot +into the lovely little bunch that is sporting there?" + +"Anything to oblige," was the response; + +and with that the head of the _Tramp_ was turned aside, so that the +skipper could presently jump ashore. + +His crawl across the reedy island was not as pleasant as one might +wish; but when he fired both barrels at the rising flock, Nick nearly +laughed himself sick to see not only two, but five birds fall with as +many splashes into the water. + +One wounded duck managed to get away. Jack declared it must have +dived, and held on to some of the eel grass at the bottom, preferring +death to falling into the hands of duck-eating human beings; for this +often happens, as every hunter knows. + +Again an oven was to be made, and they hoped to have a feast for the +next day. + +"What's to hinder our sleeping on shore tonight, fellows?" asked Josh, +as they found a pretty good place for a camp. + +"Oh! please do!" cried poor, tortured Nick; "I'd love to rest comfy for +just once again." + +"Huh!" grunted stubborn George, "that suits me first rate, because I +insist on keeping to my quarters aboard, and there'll be plenty of +room. Besides, I won't wake up every little while when you roll over, +thinking the boat is going to turn turtle." + +Upon being put to a vote, five of them were in favor of trying it. So +about the time they began to feel sleepy, blankets were brought from +the boats, and each fellow started to make himself as comfortable as +possible under the circumstances. + +Jack had selected his sleeping place with an eye to its convenience; +also the fact that by raising himself on his elbow he could have a +survey of the entire camp, counting the three boats. And it might have +been noticed that both he and Herb made sure to take their guns to bed +with them, a fact Nick saw with a bit of uneasiness. + +The _Tramp_ and the _Comfort_ were both fastened up, for it was +possible to lock their cabins in an emergency. George was under his +canvas shelter, trying to make himself believe he fully enjoyed the +sensation of loneliness. + +Finally a silence came over the camp on the shore. The fire died down +gradually, for no one bothered to keep it going, the night being +anything but cold. + +Jack was always a light sleeper. He had trained himself to awaken if +there was anything unusual going on. And when he suddenly opened his +eyes, seeing the stars over his head, he knew instinctively that it was +not far from daybreak. He also had a sort of intuition that there was +some one or _something_ moving close by. + +And so, Jack, reaching out and securing his gun, began to softly raise +his head, hoping that the starlight would be strong enough to let him +see what was going on. What discovery he made gave him something of a +little shock. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +THE DESPERATION OF HUNGER. + +The night was still. Only the soft wash of the tiny waves on the shore +came to the ears of the _Tramp's_ skipper as he thus raised his head to +take an observation. + +First he looked in the direction of the three motor boats, and in +particular the one on board of which George was sleeping. Perhaps he +had a slight suspicion to the effect that some movement on the part of +this chum had caused the scuffling sounds. + +His search for an explanation in this quarter proved to be a failure. +He could plainly see the tan-colored canvas tent which covered the +speed boat; but it seemed to be perfectly motionless. + +Just then Jack sniffed the air two or three times. Come, that was +surely a most delightful odor that seemed to be wafted in his quarter. +Had Nick, for instance, been alongside, and wide-awake, he would have +immediately declared that it reminded him of roast duck! + +By the way, they did have a full half dozen waders in the process of +baking in that crude earthen oven. Jack shot a quick glance over in +the direction where he and Nick had built the receptacle. + +What could that dark object be? Even as he looked he surely saw it +move. Yes, a second and more positive examination convinced him of +this fact. Then there was danger of the expected breakfast being +carried off while they slept. + +Was it some prowling bear that had followed the scent, and dug out the +cooked fowls? The bulk of the figure assured him that it could be no +ordinary raccoon, or even a cunning fox. + +Would he be justified in shooting? At that short distance Jack +realized that he could riddle the object sadly; for the charge of shot, +having no chance to spread, would go with all the destructive power of +a bullet. + +His finger was on the trigger, but he wisely refrained. Perhaps after +all this night intruder might not prove to be a bear, nor yet any other +wild beast. Roast duck may appeal just as strongly to the human +family. If any prowler had seen them bury the ducks on the preceding +evening, might he not have waited patiently until this hour, just +before the dawn, in order to allow the fowls to cook? + +Was that a grunt of satisfaction he now caught? It certainly sounded +very much along that order. Evidently the transgressor and thief must +have finally succeeded in accomplishing his burrowing, judging from +that decided aroma that was scattering about the vicinity. Even then +he might be trying to gather up the spoils, loth to let a single duck +escape his bold foray. + +Well, Jack believed he ought to have something to say about that. He +had gone to considerable trouble to collect half a dozen ducks; and, +besides, it took more or less time to build that same oven and prepare +the game for the receptacle. They were not in the feeding line, +either. If a poor hungry wayfarer chose to approach them the right +way, and appeal for help, he would find that generous hearts beat in +the bosoms of these good-natured lads. But a thief who came crawling +into camp when they were asleep, and tried to make a clean sweep of +their expected breakfast, did not appeal to Jack at all. + +"Hello! there, my friend; if you start to run, I'm going to fill you +full of shot; so don't you dare try it!" Jack suddenly remarked, in a +clear voice. + +Up bobbed other heads near by, as these words awoke some of the +sleepers. + +"Keep still, boys, and don't get in my way," said Jack, calmly. "I've +got a thief covered, and expect to bring him down if he so much as +takes one jump. Easy now, Herb; keep your gun ready, and don't shoot +until I say so." + +For all he talked so threateningly, of course Jack would have done no +such thing had the fellow bolted. Better lose a thousand ducks than +have cause to regret hasty action. But it seemed that his bold words +had the effect he wanted; for the shadowy figure continued to hug the +ground in the spot where the oven lay. + +"Don't yuh shoot me, Mistah!" a quavering voice now broke out; and +immediately they understood that the intended spoiler of their +breakfast must be a negro. "I ain't 'tendin' tuh run away, 'deed I +ain't, sah. I gives mahself up. I ain't eben gut a knife 'long with +me!" + +"Josh!" said Jack, quietly. + +"Yes, I'm on deck, all right; what is it?" replied the tall boy, close +by. + +"You fixed some stuff for starting a fire in a hurry, didn't you?" +continued Jack. + +"Sure I did; and it's right here beside me," Josh hastened to reply. + +"Then strike a match, and let's have some light. We'll look this coon +over, and see whether we want to take him down to Franklin City with us +tomorrow, or give him some grub and let him go scot free." + +Jack was looked upon as a leader by his chums, and when he received +these instructions Josh never hesitated a second about starting to +carry them out to the letter. + +Scratch went his match, which he always kept handy, being the +recognized _chef_ of the expedition. Then the light wood flamed up, +communicated with other stuff, and in a "jiffy," as Josh called it, the +scene was illuminated. + +Meanwhile Jack had climbed out from among the folds of his blanket, +always keeping his shotgun leveled in the direction of the crouching +figure of the detected marauder of their stores. + +He found a badly frightened negro, rather a young fellow, and as black +as tar. The whites of his eyes looked staring as he followed the +movements of that threatening gun, every time Jack moved. + +"Come, get up here, and step nearer the fire," said Jack. "When we +have company we always like to entertain them in proper style. Now, +sit down here, and give an account of yourself. What's your name, to +start with?" + +George had come tumbling out of the depths of the _Wireless_, aroused +by the sound of voices, although Jack had not been talking in an +excited way. Herb, Jimmy and Josh were all on hand, with blankets +wrapped about them; for the night air was a bit keen, and they had on +only their underclothing and pajamas. + +But Nick could be heard snoring away contentedly in his snug nest, dead +to the world and all its cares. Nor did any one think to take the +trouble to arouse the fat boy, so that he calmly slept through the +entire proceedings. + +"I'se Jawge Washington Thomas; an' I libs back dar in de kentry at er +place called Pokomoke City, sah," the prowler promptly answered, as +though he realized that since he had now fallen into the hands of these +young fellows, he might as well make a clean breast of it. + +"And what are you doing here on the shore of Chincoteague Bay, creeping +into a camp, and raiding our provisions?" pursued the one who held the +gun. + +"'Deed, an' I done must a been a fool," sighed the prisoner; "an' dat's +no lie, tuh try an' git dem ducks like er fox, w'en I orter stepped up, +bold like, an' asked yuh foh a bite. But I was dat hungry, boss, I +jes' couldn't help it. I seen yuh put dem fowls in de little hole in +de groun', an' somethin' tempts me tuh hang 'round till dey orter be +done foh suah." + +"But you haven't told us why you're here, instead of over in Pokomoke +City, where you belong, George?" went on Jack, meaning to have the +whole story. + +"I'se gwine tuh tell yuh hit all, boss, 'deed I is. Den yuh kin do +what yuh want wid me, only foh de love o' misery gib me sumpin tuh eat +'fore yuh takes me down tuh Franklin City, what de sheriff is. I'se +ben hidin' out now foh nigh a month. Yuh see I done git in a muss wid +a white man, an' we had a scuffle. He done trip an' cut his haid on a +stone when he falls down; but dey declar I cut him. 'Taint nothin' +serious like, gib yuh mah word on it, boss; an' Hank he ben up an' +'round dis three weeks an' more. But dey got it in foh me ober dere, +an' I ain't gwine tuh take de chances ob gittin' kotched." + +"And so you've been hiding out for a whole month, have you, George?" +Jack asked, now lowering his gun, since he realized there was no longer +any necessity for standing guard over the dejected chap, hungry, ragged +and forlorn as he seemed to be. + +"Dat's jes' what I done has, sah. At fust I 'spected tuh make mah way +tuh Baltimore, 'case dar I got a brudder; but I jest cudn't go 'way, +yuh see, widout mah wife an' two chillen. So I kept right on hangin' +'round hyah, an' tryin' tuh git word tuh dem. I has a letter from +Susie jest yisterday, sayin' as how she'd jine me termorry at de +Scooter Landin', whar a boat is loadin' wid lumber foh Baltimore. An' +my Susie sez as how she got de money tuh take us all dar." + +"That sounds reasonable enough, George. Now tell us why you crawled +into camp and tried to lift those roast ducks?" Jack asked, turning to +wink at his chums, who in their odd garb were gathered around, +listening and grinning. + +"Jes' as I was sayin', boss; I seen yuh come in here las' night, an' +git ready tuh camp. Wanted tuh ask yuh foh sompin' tuh eat de wust +kin', but w'en I done sees de guns yuh kerry, I got cold feet; 'case I +kinder s'pected yuh mout be all alookin' foh me. So I hangs 'round +till I reckons de fowls dey must be ready tuh eat. Den I slicks in, +an' tried tuh grab one. Dat's de whole story, boss, gib yuh mah word +it is. An' I hopes yuh belibes me." + +"See here, George, when a man gives evidence in court he is expected to +prove it, if he can," Jack remarked, seriously. "Now, that's a rather +interesting story you tell; but how can we know that it's true? You +mentioned receiving a letter from your wife a bit ago; suppose you show +it to us. That would go a great ways toward making us believe; and +getting you a breakfast in the bargain." + +"Good for you, Jack!" exclaimed the skipper of the _Wireless_. + +"A bully idea!" commented Josh; while the other two nodded their heads, +as if they fully backed these sentiments. + +Jawge Washington Thomas seemed in no wise dismayed by this proposition. +They saw a wide grin expand across his sable face as he immediately +thrust a hand into the pocket of the ragged jacket he wore over his +faded cotton shirt. + +"Dat seems tuh be de right thing, sah," he remarked, as he drew +something out. "I'se right glad now I done kep' dis little letter. +Beckons as how I read de same half a million times dis last twenty-foah +hours. Dar she be, sah. Hopes as how yuh kin make out de writin'. My +Susie she smart gal, 'fore she marry dis good-foh nothin' nigga; she +eben done teach school. Reckon she too good foh me, boss; but if I +eber gits up in Baltimore, I'se gwine tuh do the right thing by Susie, +gib yuh my word I is, sah." + +The boys crowded around, each eager to see what sort of a letter Susie +had sent to her man, in his time of trouble. This was what they made +out, although the missive had been handled so often by the fugitive +that it was well begrimed: + +"George--The schooner _Terrapin_ will be at Scooter's Landing day after +tomorrow, Thursday. I sold out everything, and will be aboard with the +children, bound for Baltimore. We can live here in Pokomoke no longer. +Be on the lookout. Your wife Susie." + +That was all, but it must have brought a lot of hope to the wretched +fugitive, who believed that he would be tarred and feathered, or else +lynched, if ever he was caught by those Maryland whites. And his claim +that Susie had an education Jack saw was well founded. + +"How about it, boys; shall we take George to Franklin City, or give him +a good breakfast and let him wait for Susie and the kids?" asked Jack, +though he felt positive as to what the answer would be before he spoke. + +"He can have half of my duck!" announced Herb. + +"And the whole of mine," echoed Josh. + +"That settles it," laughed Jack. "So, George Washington Thomas, draw +right up to the fire and begin operations. A starving man can be +excused for doing lots of things that in a fellow with a full stomach +might appear to be a bad go. We'll forgive you this time; and hope +that when you get to Baltimore, you'll show Susie how you can work for +a woman who stands by her man like she has." + +"I'se gwine tuh, boss; I'se got mah mind made up on dat, I tells yuh," +declared the fugitive, with an air of determination that Jack liked to +see. + +And as his hunger was such a real thing, they forced him to begin to +eat without further delay. Having dressed themselves, for the dawn was +now coming on, they started operations looking toward breakfast, +wishing to give the poor fellow a treat in the way of some hot coffee +and a rasher of bacon. + +Fancy the amazement of Nick, as he sat up and rubbed his eyes, on +discovering an unknown negro, seated on a log, with a tin plate on his +knees, and devouring one of the ducks that had been placed in the +primitive oven the night before. + +"W-w-what's all this mean? Who's your friend, and whose duck is he +making 'way with, fellows? I hope now you haven't let me sleep on, +just to play a trick on me and leave a rack of bones on my dish. Did +he drop down out of the sky, or have you engaged a pilot for the +treacherous waters of the lower Chincoteague Bay?" was the way he broke +out, as he discovered his chums grinning. + +When he heard the story, Nick hardly knew whether to be provoked, or +take it as a joke, that he had been allowed to sleep through it all. + +"But I ain't going to be outdone by any of you," he said, +magnanimously; "and if George Washington can get away with another +whole duck, let him tackle mine!" + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +NICK IN SEARCH OF A MERMAID. + +"Good boy, Nick!" cried George, who knew what a great sacrifice the fat +boy had in mind, when he offered to give up his share to the hungry +stranger. + +"But there's no need of it," declared Josh. "You know I don't have any +appetite in the morning, so he's eating my duck." + +"And as for me," piped up Herb, "I'm satisfied with half a bird. +Besides, somehow, duck for breakfast seems rather strong. I'm used to +something light--a rasher of bacon, flapjacks, or hominy, with coffee. +So hold your horses, Nick, and get ready to take your turn." + +After the meal had been completed, preparations were made looking +toward an early start. They anticipated having a hard day's work, +several inlets having to be crossed, with the ocean setting in heavy +against them, it might be. + +Jack had heard some pretty wild stories concerning the perils that +might be expected while crossing these same inlets, where at the full +sweep of the tide small boats were in danger of being upset in the mad +swirl. + +He hardly believed more than half of what he heard, however, knowing +how prone the natives are to exaggerate things. Besides, the staunch +motor boats were not in the same class as the clumsy craft used by +those who navigated these shoal waters along the Virginia coast. + +They said good-bye to the fugitive black. Some of them, in the +generosity of their boyish hearts, had slipped quarters and half +dollars in the ready hand of the fellow; and his eyes danced with +happiness as he stood there, waving the skippers and crews of the +little flotilla farewell. + +"It was a mighty lucky thing for George Washington that he dropped into +our camp last night," laughed Herb, as they began to lose sight of the +waving hat of the negro. + +"Yes, and just as lucky that he made a failure of his job," remarked +Jack, for they were moving along close together, so that it was easy to +talk back and forth. "If he'd managed to get away with a duck or two, +that would have ended it all. As it is, he's holding a nice little +bunch of coin, that will help pay for the grub, after he gets to +Baltimore with his family." + +"I suppose it's a square deal George gave us?" queried Josh. + +"Now, what do you mean by that?" demanded Herb. + +"He couldn't have been playing a trick on us, could he?" the other went +on; for Josh was often inclined to be somewhat suspicious. + +"Come off!" scoffed George. + +"That's too bad, Josh, for you to suspect him of trying to pull the +wool over our eyes," Jack declared, reproachfully. + +"Oh! I don't doubt him, so to speak," Josh protested; "but you know +I'd hate everlastingly to be done by a coon." + +"That letter was genuine enough," observed Jack, thoughtfully; "and +fellows, perhaps you didn't notice the thing, but there were blurs on +that writing, just as if somebody had been crying, and the tears +dropped on the paper. Whether it was poor old George Washington, +feeling awful lonely, and hungry, who wept; or his wife while she was +writing the note, doesn't matter. But those marks went a big way +toward convincing me his story was genuine." + +Somehow Josh turned red, and no more was said. Those happy-go-lucky +lads could feel for the sentiment that had caused those tears. + +"That's Chincoteague Light, ain't it?" asked Herb, after a while, +pointing ahead. + +"Sure it is!" Jimmy cried. "I saw it winking at me every time I woke +up last night, so I did, me bhoy!" + +"Then we strike across that inlet soon?" suggested George, showing just +the slightest sign of nervousness, Jack thought. + +Of the three skippers, George had the most cause for looking serious +whenever there arose any chance for trouble, either through a storm, or +tidal currents. His speed boat, being so very narrow in beam, and +cranky, was least fitted to contend with raging seas; since there must +always be great danger of an upset. + +"In less than half an hour we'll spin across and get behind Wallop's +Island. As the tide is pretty well up, we ought to make the riffle +there. I'd hate to get stuck in the mud, and have to wait ten or +twelve hours for another tide to float us off," Jack made answer; for, +as he had the charts, they always looked to him for information. + +"Then what next?" asked Herb, wishing to be posted. + +"In an hour or more we ought to reach Assawaman Inlet, and after that +will come Gargathy, Matomkin, and then Watchapreague; which last is +said to be the most dangerous along the whole coast," replied the +commodore of the fleet. + +"You don't say!" ejaculated George, pretending to look unconcerned; +"and just why is that, please?" + +"Well, it happens to be wider than any other, and the currents are +fierce. Besides, some of the natives declare there are mermaids, or +something after that order, that try to overturn boats crossing." + +At that the boys let out a combined yell. + +"Me for a pretty mermaid, then!" cried Nick. "I always did want to +have a chat with one of those fair damsels of the sea, ever since I +read how they used to comb their hair and sing to the mariners in those +old days of Greece." + +"Makes a fellow think of all the old mythological things," declared +George. + +"That's right," Herb declared. "You remember about Scylla and +Charybdis, the two fabled monsters that used to alarm the old chaps +hundreds and hundreds of years ago; but which turned out to be a +dangerous rock and a big sucker hole, called a whirlpool? That's what +ails this old inlet, I guess. The currents suck hard; and these +crackers along the coast think unseen hands are trying to drag them +down." + +"What I don't like about it," remarked Josh, "is the sharks." + +"Oh! I see you have been reading about it, then," said Jack, quickly. +"I didn't mean to say anything about those monsters." + +"Then there are sharks around?" demanded George; while Nick turned a +little pale as he leaned over the side of the speed boat and listened. + +"Yes; all accounts agree on that score," Jack admitted. "But if we +manage right, and take the inlet at the proper time, there's no reason +why any of us should bother our heads about the scaly pirates of the +sea." + +"I only hope none of 'em butt up against the _Wireless_, that's all," +grunted the skipper of the narrow boat. + +"Gracious! do you think there's any chance of that?" asked Nick, +looking as though he half felt like begging Herb to take him aboard at +the crucial time, only that he hated to show the white feather. + +"Oh! hardly," laughed Jack, desirous of cheering the other up. + +"Still, it might be wise for Nick to keep under cover while we're +making that same passage across," suggested Josh, wickedly. + +"And just why me, any more than you?" demanded the fat boy, indignantly. + +"Well, the sight of such a bag of bones as me wouldn't be apt to stir +those man-eaters up to any extent; but if they caught a glimpse of such +a rolypoly morsel as you, Nick, it would set 'em wild." + +"Oh! let up, won't you?" grumbled Nick. "This is too serious a subject +to make fun over. I don't just hanker to make a dinner for any old +shark, and don't you forget it, Josh Purdue." + +They crossed the inlet at Chincoteague without the slightest trouble. +Beyond lay Wallop's Island, and their speed had to be considerably +reduced while navigating the tortuous and narrow channel lying between +that body of reedy land and the main shore. + +Despite the wideawake work of the pilot in the _Tramp_, there was +always a liability of some boat charging upon an unseen mudbank; and +hence it was advisable to take things rather easy, so that in case of +such a disaster, it would be possible to pull off again, with the help +of the other boats. + +Then came the next inlet, which was also crossed easily. + +"Say, nothing hard about this," George called out, as they headed once +more down the bay toward Gargathy Inlet. + +"Lots of things look harder than they turn out to be," answered Herb, +who was having it easy enough in his wide-beamed craft. + +"Still, be on your guard all the time," cautioned Jack, who meant to +keep near the erratic _Wireless_ all the time, because he felt it in +his bones that if any accident did happen it would be in that quarter. + +At noon they drew up and went ashore on a sandspit, where they ate +lunch. Nick of course "browsed" around, as he called it, in search of +oysters, and was speedily rewarded by discovering a supply. Indeed, +they had hard work making him break away, when Jack tooted his conch +shell as the signal for a start. + +Matomkin Inlet proved as easy as the others. + +"Now for the terror!" remarked George, as later in the afternoon they +approached the spot where Watchapreague lay. + +Ahead they could see the whitecaps marking the fierce cross currents +that have given this half-mile wide inlet its bad name. Many a wreck +of shore boats has taken place here, and lives been lost. + +"We might as well get over now, as in the morning, for the tide is as +good as it will ever be. Those whitecaps are caused by the wind +blowing from the shore, and the tide coming in," Jack decided, as they +advanced steadily on. + +"And in case of any accident, then, a fellow couldn't be carried out to +sea," George remarked, with what seemed like a distinct look of relief. + +So the start was made. All around them the water fairly boiled, and +unseen influences apparently tugged at the frail little craft, as +though the fingers of those fabled monsters were gripping their keels. + +They were just about the middle and most dangerous spot when George +gave a sudden cry. It was echoed by a wail from Nick. Looking up, +Jack discovered a sight that thrilled him to the core. The erratic +_Wireless_ had chosen to play its skipper a nasty trick at just the +time it should have been on its best behavior, coming to a stop with +such abruptness that poor Nick lost his hold forward, and went +splashing into the water like a giant frog! + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +A STUNNING DISCOVERY. + +In an instant all was confusion! + +All sorts of shouts broke from the boys; and George, leaning over the +side of his stalled _Wireless_, in the vain hope of being able to +clutch the boy who was in the dangerous waters of the inlet, came near +upsetting his tottering boat completely. + +Nick had disappeared as soon as he struck the water, but such a fat +fellow could not long remain under the surface, so he speedily made his +appearance, struggling terribly, and looking badly frightened. + +There had been a time when Nick could not swim a stroke; but, by +keeping heroically at it, he had managed to master the art to some +extent. Desperation assisted him in this predicament, and the way he +threshed the water was a caution. Herb afterwards declared it beat any +old stern-wheel towboat he had ever seen, charging up the current of +the mighty Mississippi. + +Luckily enough, Jack had anticipated something of this sort. That was +why he had persisted in keeping as close to the speed boat as he dared, +without risking a collision. He later on said he felt it in his bones +that if the _Wireless_ had one more kink of evil in her, she was just +bound to let it out at the most critical moment. And it had proven +just so. + +The first thing Jack did when he saw the head and wildly plunging arms +of his fat chum appear, was to hurl the life preserver he had snatched +up from the spot where he kept it handy. + +And so well aimed was the cork buoy that it fell just in front of the +struggling Nick, who gave a half-strangled whoop, doubtless under the +impression that it was a shark, or perhaps one of those same mermaids +he had declared it his ambition to meet face to face. + +"Grab hold of it, Nick!" shouted George, excitedly. + +"It's a life preserver. Get a grip on it, Nick!" bellowed Jack, as he +gradually turned the nose of the _Tramp_ around, meaning to bear down +upon the imperiled boy. + +Luckily Nick heard what they said, for he was seen to make a wild +clutch for the floating buoy, and catch hold of it before the +treacherous swirls carried it beyond his reach. + +"Oh! look there!" shrieked Jimmy. "That must be the fin of a shark!" + +It was. + +And further along Jack even caught sight of several more. The fierce +creatures had heard the splash, and apparently scenting a fine dinner, +were dashing this way and that, bent upon finding the object that had +made all the rumpus. + +"George, get your gun, and be ready to shoot!" said Jack, himself pale +now with sudden anxiety. + +So the skipper of the _Wireless_, understanding that this was a time to +keep cool if they would save their cheery comrade, reached down under +the side of his boat. When he bobbed up a few seconds later he was +clutching his rifle, which he had brought along, in the faint hope that +before the long cruise was done he might get a deer, or even a bear, +with it. + +Now the nose of the _Tramp_ was heading straight for the spot where +Nick clung to the life buoy. + +"Splash as hard as you can!" shrilled Josh, who seemed to remember that +sharks can sometimes be kept away by this means. + +And immediately the fat boy exerted himself at a great rate, his legs +and one arm beating the water until it sounded like a vast mill in +action. + +But as Jack cast a swift glance around he saw that the nearest shark +was heading straight toward poor Nick. Jimmy had heard what was said +to George. He, too, had pulled out a shotgun, and was cowering close +by, holding the weapon in his hands, and with a grim look of "do or +die" on his freckled face. + +Bang! went the rifle in George's hands. + +The bullet struck the water above the advancing monster, but seemed to +do no particular damage, for they could see that he was still coming +directly on. + +Now the prow of the _Tramp_ was just alongside Nick; but the shark +seemed dreadfully close, too. Dropping his hold on the wheel, Jack +bent over to clutch the shoulders of the fat boy. He knew that he +would have a tremendous task dragging him aboard, soaked as his clothes +were; but desperation causes those who try, to perform wonderful deeds, +and Jack felt equal to most anything just then. + +He was still dragging Nick upward, and the other was trying to help +himself as well as he was able, when the big fish, rushing under, +seemed to turn over while opening his terrible mouth, lined with cruel +teeth. + +And then Jimmy, who had been holding his fire for a good opportunity, +sent the contents of the shotgun straight into that distended mouth. + +Jack pulled his chum aboard, and almost fell himself, such was the +relief that passed over him. The boat was whirling around in the mad +currents, but as Jack again took the wheel he quickly mastered its +erratic movements. + +"Sure, I guv him the cowld meal, that toime, I did!" shouted the +delighted Jimmy, threatening to attempt a real jig in his excitement. +"How d'ye like cowld lead, me bully bhoy? Next toime take one of your +own kind, will ye, and lave our chum be. Look at the bog-trotter +kicking out yonder, would ye? Don't I hope some of his kind will ate +him up now. It's the biter bitten, fellows. Look! by the powers, if +they ain't tacklin' the gossoon, so they are!" + +It was even so, for the wildest commotion was taking place out in the +quarter where the wounded shark had been struggling. + +Even Nick managed to crawl to the side of the boat and gape. A look of +satisfaction took the place of the frightened expression on his round +face. + +"Anyhow, he didn't get me, did he, fellows?" Nick seemed to find a +strange pleasure in repeating time and again, in a hysterical way. + +The remainder of the inlet was readily passed, George managing to get a +rope to the skipper of the _Comfort_, who towed the tricky speed boat +to safety. + +Jack did not mean to lose that life preserver, and he had Jimmy get it +with the boathook as they passed by. It had served Nick a good turn, +and showed the wisdom of one being always prepared for trouble. + +Nick was shaking at a great rate. This might come partly from his +recent excitement, but Jack knew that the air was rather cool to one +who sat in garments saturated with salt water. + +"We'd better be on the lookout for a camping ground somewhere on +Paramore Island, here," he remarked. "A fire would come in handy for +Nick; and, besides, I reckon we've done all we ought to for one day. +If tomorrow pans out as lucky, we ought to get in touch with the +lighthouse at Cape Charles." + +"Well, I only hope," sighed Nick, between shivers, "that the programme +will be a bit varied tomorrow. If there _has_ to be somebody go +overboard to hunt for mermaids, let me off, won't you, fellows?" + +"We'll think it over, Nick," called George, who was taking it easy now, +since his engine was dead, and the _Comfort_ drawing him along in its +wake. + +They presently discovered a place that seemed to promise a certain +amount of comfort; and so a landing was made. + +"Smells like oysters around here, fellows," was the first remark Nick +made, as he scrambled ashore, and started to thresh his arms about, in +the endeavor to get up a circulation--Jack had advised this as a +preventative against a cold. + +"Well, I honestly believe that chap would think of eating if he heard +the angel Gabriel tooting his horn," declared Herb. "He'd say that he +wanted to be fortified again the journey across that old river Styx." + +"Sure, I would!" admitted the grinning fat boy, frankly. "Anyhow, +oysters are good stuff, whichever way you take 'em, and that nobody can +deny. Get your old fire going, so I can change my clothes, and have an +hour to gather a crop. Josh said if I got enough he'd give us +scalloped oysters for supper. Yum! yum! don't that just make your +mouths water, boys? It does mine." + +The fire was soon going, and beside its cheery heat Nick made the +change. His soaked garments were hung up to dry the best they could, +though it is a hard job when clothes have been in salt water. + +Then, with a tin pail Nick set out to gather his beloved shellfish, +signs of which had been noted near by. + +In half an hour he had deposited three pails of what seemed to be very +fair bivalves in a pile near the fire. + +"Set some of the others to work opening them, Josh," Nick observed. +"My fingers are too sore for the job. Besides, I've done my part, +seems like, in getting the crop gathered." + +Jack and Jimmy took hold, and with the oyster knives soon began to fill +a receptacle with the contents of the shells. + +Nick was busying himself whacking a few open on the side, "just to test +them," as he said; for they noticed that he made no contributions to +the general fund. + +"A trifle salty, but just prime," the judge of oysters remarked, +several times, as he devoured a fat one. "This is worth coming for, +boys. The coast for me every time, when you can get such treats as +this. Think I gathered enough? Want any more, Josh?" + +"Oh! hould up!" cried Jimmy, whose fingers were getting sore from the +various cuts received from the sharp edges. "Sure, we've got enough +for a rigiment, so we have. Just ate up the balance yoursilf, and stow +your gab, Nick." + +A short time later, Jack, who had been rummaging around aboard the +_Tramp_, called out: + +"Anybody see my old coat lying around loose?" + +At that, Jimmy uttered a startled cry and jumped up. + +"Glory be!" he exclaimed. "I forgot all about that, Jack, darlint. It +must have been your coat that wint overboard in the inlet, and sank, +while I was shootin' the murderous shark. And by the powers, that is +too bad, beca'se it had that bally ould paper missage in it ye was to +deliver to Van Arsdale Spence at Beaufort!" + +The other boys echoed the disconsolate cry of Jimmy, and looked at +Jack, as if they felt the greatest pity for him in his unfortunate loss. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +THE CAMP UNDER CAPE CHARLES LIGHT. + +"Say, he don't look bothered a teenty bit!" exclaimed Josh, surprised +because Jack seemed so free from care. + +"And look at him, would you!" burst out Herb; "why, blessed if he ain't +grinning right now, to beat the band!" + +"Here, own up, Jack, old boy, what's got you? Didn't you care much +whether you ever got that mysterious packet into the hands of this +Spence fellow?" demanded George. + +"To be sure, I did; and do yet," replied Jack; "but that's no reason +why I ought to go around pulling a long face and whimpering, especially +since no milk has been spilled after all." + +"But, sure, it was the ould coat as I saw go over!" ejaculated Jimmy, +stubbornly. + +"I guess it must have been, because I just can't find the same +anywhere," admitted the other, nodding. + +"And ye put that packet in the inside pocket, beca'se I saw ye," Jimmy +went on. + +"Yes, I did," Jack chuckled; "but then none of you saw me take it out +again later and stow it in another place. You see, I seemed to have an +idea my coat might get lost, because half the time I have it off." + +"Then the packet is,--where?" asked George, brightening up. + +"Down in the bottom of my fishing tackle box at this very minute, and +not in the stomach of a Watchapreague shark!" declared Jack, +confidently. + +"Hurrah! Count another for our wise ould chum, Jack. He's got the +long head, so he has. Let's have a squint at the documint again, now. +'Twould be good for sore eyes to glimpse the same!" Jimmy declared, +enthusiastically. + +So Jack had to get out his fishing tackle box, and, dipping down into +its depths, produce the valuable packet. + +After that, preparations for supper were allowed to go on apace. As +for the missing coat, Jack declared that it did not amount to much, +anyhow, as he had another handy. And besides, with a sweater to fall +back upon in case of cold occasions, he had no regrets. + +"I wonder will we really find this party, when we get around Beaufort?" +Herb remarked, as they sat there, watching Josh wrestle with the broken +crackers which, with the large pan of oysters, were to form the mess +which, cooked as best they could over the red coals of the fire, would +form the main part of the meal. + +"We will, if anybody can," replied Jack, with determination in his +manner. + +"You just bet we will," affirmed Nick, showing unexpected interest in +the idea. + +The fact was, despite the many raw oysters he had swallowed, Nick was +almost famished, and was trying the best he knew how to keep his +attention from the slow preparations being made for supper. + +But all in good time the meal was pronounced ready. Josh, in lieu of +an oven in which to bake his scalloped oysters, had kept the pan on the +fire, with a cover over the top; and really it had been pretty well +browned. + +They pronounced it simply delicious. Nick softened toward his ancient +tormentor, Josh, and, patting him on the back, declared that when it +came to cooking he had them all "beaten to a frazzle." + +"What's that light away off there to the south, Jack?" asked Herb, +after they had eaten to a standstill. + +"I rather fancy that must be the Hog Island Light," replied the other. +"Before we make that, we have to cross another inlet, this time over a +mile wide; but they say Little Machipongo isn't in the same class as +that last one, for danger and ugly currents." + +"Gee! I hope not," grumbled Nick, who was scraping the pan in which +the oysters had been cooked so beautifully. + +"Then comes Great Machipongo Inlet, and a few more for tomorrow, after +which we are due to reach Cape Charles," Jack went on, always ready to +impart information when he saw that his chums wanted to know anything. + +"This whole coast seems to be a series of bays and sounds, connected by +little creeks and channels that, at flood time, can be safely navigated +by a boat that don't happen to draw many feet of water," Herb remarked. + +"Yes, and that is the case pretty near all the way from New York to the +lower end of Florida," Jack observed. "Some day it's going to be +possible to make the entire trip as easy as falling off a log. The +Government is doing a heap of dredging in lots of places." + +"Yes," remarked George, sarcastically; "if they'd only put some of the +millions in here that they squander on good-for-nothing creeks in the +backwoods, it'd be done in no time." + +"Huh!" grunted Nick, "I'd just like to have the fat contract for +dredging out some of these muddy creeks. Say, mebbe a fellow wouldn't +get rich on the job, eh? I think I'll have to mention it to my dad, +for he's keen on contracts, you know." + +They passed a pleasant evening. Jimmy was easily induced to get out +his banjo and give them many brisk tunes that seemed to just go with +the plunkety-plunk of the joyous instrument. + +"Seems like a banjo just chimes in with Southern scenes," remarked Herb. + +"Oh! shucks! this ain't the Sunny South yet awhile, Herb," laughed +Josh. "Wait till we get down in South Carolina, anyhow, where we'll +run across some palmetto trees. That gives the real tropical flavor." + +"If there were only some monkeys frisking about in the feathery tops, +it'd add a heap to it, in my opinion," remarked Nick. + +"Or a few coy mermaids," laughed Jack; "but then our friend here +wouldn't find it quite so easy to climb to the top of a palmetto as to +tumble overboard." + +"Let up on that, won't you, Jack? It's mean, rubbing it in so hard," +complained the object of the roar that followed. + +In this way, then, the evening passed. As the mosquitoes began to get +in their work later, the boys changed their minds, and concluded to +sleep aboard, instead of on shore, as they had at first intended. + +With the morning, things began to happen again. Breakfast was eaten +first, and then Jack, who had been assisting George examine his motor, +discovered the cause of the unfortunate stop, so that the freakish +engine was now apparently all right again. + +They crossed both the Machipongo Inlets without any accident, though it +was evident that the skipper of the _Wireless_ was more or less +nervous, and kept hovering close to the other boats, with an eye on the +ropes which they kept coiled in the stern. + +And Nick also crouched down in the body of the boat, gripping some +substantial part of the framework, with the grim air of one who had +determined not to be pitched out into the water again, come what would. + +Both heaved plain sighs of relief when the crossings were made without +the least trouble. Cobb's Island now lay close by, and beyond were +several more openings, where the sea connected with the shore waters. +But these were small compared with those already navigated, and with a +fair amount of caution they had no need to borrow trouble longer. + +"There's what we're aiming to reach by evening, fellows!" remarked +Jack, about the middle of the afternoon. + +Following the direction in which his extended hand pointed, the others +could see a lighthouse not a great way ahead, though it might take some +time to reach it by way of winding connecting creeks. + +"The great Cape Charles Light, ain't it, Jack?" demanded Herb. + +"Just what it is," replied the commodore. + +"Then, tomorrow we'll have to cross the mouth of the Chesapeake and +arrive at Norfolk or Portsmouth; is that the programme?" asked George. + +"If everything looks good to us, yes," replied Jack, seriously. "We +want to take as few chances, you know, as we must. And that twenty +miles is a big trip for our little craft. All depends on the wind and +the sky. But there are always lots of boats around here; and if we got +in a peck of trouble they'd help us out." + +"That's a comfort," remarked Nick. "It was bad enough dropping +overboard in that inlet, and I don't hanker to try it in the ocean +itself. Excuse me, boys; I pass. I've shown you how to do the trick; +some one else take the next try." + +"We'll hope there isn't going to be any next, like the little boy's +apple core," Jack laughed. + +Then they had to drop into single file as the channel narrowed again, +with the pilot boat _Tramp_ leading the way as usual. + +"This is Smith Island, and the one on which the lighthouse is built. +We ought to bring up there in short order now, when the mouth of the +bay will be spread in front of us like a picture," Jack called, over +his shoulder. + +"All very nice," grumbled Nick; "but as for me, I'd much rather it was +spread out _behind_ us," and George doubtless echoed the thought, +though too proud to show any nervousness over the prospective trip on +the open sea. + +At least Jack's prediction came true, for they did succeed in making +the point of the island where the Cape Charles Light stood, a beacon to +all vessels trying to enter the great Chesapeake Bay. + +Far across the heaving waters lay Norfolk, Portsmouth, and Fortress +Monroe, the Government station. Near here one of the most important +naval engagements of the Civil War was fought, when Ericsson's "cheese +on a raft," the _Monitor_, faced the terrible Confederate ironclad ram, +_Merrimac_, and forced her to retire, after it seemed as though the +entire wooden United States navy was to be at the mercy of the enemy. + +No doubt many of these events thronged the minds of the four high +school lads as they stood there on the sandy beach looking across that +stretch of sea toward the object of their expectation. And George, +with Nick a good second, must have devoutly wished the labor of the +next twenty-four hours were completed, with the little fleet at safe +anchorage off the town of Norfolk, which they had determined to visit, +so as to get their mail, and secure a few fresh supplies, since the +hungry Nick was making a terrible hole in what they carried. + +And on this October night they camped ashore under the gleaming Cape +Charles Light. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +A SHOUT AT MIDNIGHT. + +In the morning, after they had eaten an early breakfast, the boys +called on the keeper of the light, and were allowed to climb to the top +of the tower. Here a glorious panorama was spread before them, with +many miles of the sea to the east, the sandy shore line stretching far +to the dim north, and one of the most beautiful pictures opening out to +the southwest, where lay Norfolk and those other places of interest, +across twenty miles of green waters that glistened in the early October +sunlight. + +Jack asked many questions concerning tides and prevailing winds. He +also noted the lay of the course they must follow in making their +passage across to the other side. + +The genial keeper gave him numerous points that might be of value. He +also declared it as his opinion that they could not have a better day +for the trip, as the sea was comparatively smooth, and the wind light, +as well as from a favorable quarter. + +And so the boys returned to their boats, determined to make the effort +to cross while the chances were so much in their favor. + +Nick was only waiting to be invited aboard the good old _Comfort_; and +Jack, who believed that it would be better to have only one to occupy +their attention in case anything went wrong with the untamed speed +boat, asked George if he had any objections to letting his crew change +ships, to which the other immediately replied that such a thing would +please him immensely. + +"I can manage her much better without a cargo, fellows," he declared, +earnestly. "Now, listen to him, would you, calling me a cargo?" +whimpered Nick; but while he thus pretended to be offended, it was +laughable to see how quickly he made the transfer, as though afraid +Jack might change his mind, or George want him to stay. + +About nine o'clock the start was made, as the tide would be most +favorable around that time, the lighthouse keeper had told them. + +Since the _Comfort_ had been overhauled she was capable of making +better time than previously, when she was known as the "Tub" by the +rest of the boys. Herb declared he could take her across in two hours, +though Jack privately believed it would be nearer three before they +reached Norfolk. + +It turned out to be a hedge, just two and a half hours elapsing from +the time they made the start until they drew up near the big wharves at +Norfolk. + +However, time was not giving these happy-go-lucky lads the least +uneasiness just at present, so long as they did reach port in safety. + +"And it's just as well we started so early," Jack remarked, "because +the wind is freshening all the while, and it will be blowing great guns +out there before long. + +"Hey, Josh! why not make a change again, and you get aboard the +_Comfort_?" proposed Nick, who hated to give up a good thing. + +"No you don't," retorted Josh, "not any for me. You just go and stew +in your own gravy, will you? Took me a whole month to get the creak +out of my bones after the last time you coaxed me to change places. +Over you get, now, or else it's a ducking for yours, my boy," and Josh +advanced in a warlike manner on the fat youth. + +So, sighing like a martyr, Nick felt compelled to clamber into the +speed boat. + +"You ought to have one for your own sweet self," declared George, as he +grasped the gunnel to keep from being tossed overboard, for Nick +careened the boat dreadfully upon climbing in. "Why, you just don't +know how fine the old _Wireless_ acted on the way over, with only me +aboard." + +"I wish I did have a boat, as big as a house," declared Nick. "I'm +wasting away to a mere shadow trying to keep my balance in this wedge. +If I forget to breathe with both lungs at the same time he tells me I'm +upsetting the equilibrium of the blessed thing. I feel most all the +time like I'm the acrobat in the circus trying to stand on one toe on +top of a flagpole." + +After they had tied up, Herb was dispatched for the mail, while Jack +went to buy a few provisions. Nick bombarded him with such a fearful +list of things he wanted him to purchase that Jack had to thrust his +fingers in his ears. + +"What do you take me for, Nick, a dray horse?" he laughed. "I'd have +to be, to carry the load you'd want. I've got a list of things we must +have, and that's all I'll promise to lug down here. If you want +anything else, you'll have to go after it yourself." + +"All right, I'll do that," said Nick, promptly. + +"Sure; and please tell me where you expect to stow all that truck?" +demanded George, immediately, with a frown. "Not aboard the +_Wireless_, I promise you, my boy. She's got all she can carry in +hauling you around, without a sack of potatoes, a ham, and all that +truck you mentioned. Hire a float, and perhaps we'll tow it behind us." + +Nick said not another word, being completely squelched, as Josh put it. + +Leaving Norfolk, they started up the broad Elizabeth River, meaning to +take the Albemarle and Chesapeake Canal, which had long ago been cut +through the Great Dismal Swamp and connected with Currituck Sound, that +noted ducking place where so many large gun clubs have their +headquarters. + +Entering this canal, they moved along steadily through the balance of +the afternoon. On all sides lay the most interesting sights; for the +moss hung heavily on the dismal-looking trees, and the boys thought +they had never seen a more depressing picture than was now presented to +their gaze. + +"Say, Jack, do we get out of this place tonight?" asked Herb, who was +not particularly fond of swamps and such ghostly places. + +"No, we made out to start a little too late to get to the little river +beyond before night sets in," Jack replied. + +"But there's a pretty good sized moon now, you remember, and we might +keep on. I'm afraid it'll give me the jim-jams to sleep in this +horrible old swamp," Herb went on to say. + +"Like to oblige you," laughed Jack; "but the fact is we're going to tie +up mighty soon now. Only looking for a half way decent place." + +"What's all the hurry?" grumbled the pilot of the _Comfort_. + +"Look aloft and you'll soon see," came the reply, which caused Herb to +cast his eyes upward. + +"Holy smoke! we're going to get some storm, I take it!" he immediately +exclaimed, as he saw heavy clouds mounting upward. "And to think that +nobody discovered the fact but you, Jack. Yes, I reckon, then, we'll +have to tie up, and get George's boat tent up before she comes. I'll +just have to grin and bear it." + +"That's the way to talk, Herb," said Josh. "What difference does it +make to us, tight in our snug little hunting cabin? If anybody made a +kick it ought to be the poor _Wireless_ crew." + +"Here, don't you waste your breath pitying us, now," flashed the +jealous George, who could never bear to have any one but himself run +his boat down. + +There seemed but little choice of a camping place, since the shores of +the canal proved to be pretty much alike; so presently Jack threw up +his hand as a signal that he meant to stop, and the three boats were +soon being tied to trees. + +"You'd think Herb expected a tornado, and wanted to make sure his old +houseboat didn't get carried away," laughed George, as he watched the +other secure both ends of the _Comfort_ with cables, that he tested +again and again. + +"Oh, well, you never can tell," replied the other, without showing the +least ill will; "and 'a stitch in time saves nine,' they taught me at +home. 'What's worth doing at all is worth doing well', and sometimes +it pays." + +"It always pays in a contented mind," remarked Jack, who admired this +positive trait in Herbert's nature, so different from George's flighty +ways. + +It was the case of the hare and the tortoise over again with these two; +and while the speedy hare lay down to take a nap, confident of winning, +the slow going tortoise was apt to come along and get to the goal +first, after all. + +The rain held off for a while, and they were able to cook supper +ashore, though Josh kept as anxious eye on those dark clouds overhead +while he worked. + +"It's going to prove a big fizzle after all," remarked Nick, after a +little water had come down, and the moon peeped out of a break in the +clouds. + +"Perhaps so; you never can tell what the weather will do," Jack +laughed. "But all the same we'll be apt to sleep aboard again, for +fear it does rain before morning." + +"You bet we will," remarked Herb; "at least this chicken does. Ugh! +I'd wake up, and think a raft of snakes was creeping out of that old +swamp there. Are you all of the same mind about bunking aboard?" + +"If anybody will go me, I'll stay ashore," announced Nick, to the +surprise of his chums; but then they knew the narrow confines of the +speed boat cramped his ample form, and that explained his boldness. +"That is, if George will only let me have his gun too." + +"Sure I will, and only too glad," declared that worthy, eagerly. "I'd +like to stretch all over the bally old boat myself, for once." + +Jimmy took up Nick's offer, and so Jack set to work making them a rude +sort of canopy that was calculated to shed water fairly well. It was +composed of branches from nearby trees, and might be called a hunter's +lean-to. + +When the time came for retiring, the two boys lay down under this, +drawing their blankets around them, for the night air was chilly. + +"If it rains too hard, crawl in where you belong," was the last +instruction Jack gave them before seeking the bed he had made in the +_Tramp's_ interior. + +Later on all was silent about the camp on the canal. From the swamp +near by various queer sounds might have been heard, had any one +remained awake to listen; but as the boys were all pretty tired, no +doubt they slept well. + +It might have been in the middle of the night that Jack was aroused by +a loud shout, which he recognized as coming from Nick. Wondering what +it meant, he immediately started to climb out of the boat, gun in hand, +when there came a tremendous report. Evidently Nick, whether he had +seen something suspicious or was dreaming he did, had fired George's +borrowed gun! + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +NICK BAGS HIS GAME. + +"Whoop! I got him!" + +That was certainly Nick shouting in an exultant strain; and as Jack +glanced in the direction of the lean-to he saw the fat boy hunching his +pudgy figure out, gun in hand--for the moon had not yet set in the west. + +Then Jack caught the sound of something struggling in the brush close +by. Not knowing what it might prove to be, he was in no hurry to jump +over that way. + +"What did you shoot at, Nick?" he demanded, as the excited boy +scrambled awkwardly to his feet, and appeared anxious to renew the +engagement; at the same time Jack made sure to lay hold on the other's +gun, lest he open fire recklessly. + +"I d--d--don't know for sure," stammered Nick; "but it looked awfully +like a tiger." + +"What?" exclaimed Jack, astonished. "Why, don't you know there isn't +such an animal in North America?" + +"Might have been a striped skunk, Jack?" suggested Josh, who had poked +his head out from the cabin of the _Comfort_. + +"Or a zebra escaped from a menagerie," Herb remarked. + +"All right, have all the fun you want, fellows," said Nick, doggedly; +"but all the same, whatever it was, I got it." + +"That's just what he did, boys, I reckon," Jack declared; "because you +can hear it kicking its last over yonder in the bushes. Here, where's +that lantern of ours, Jimmy? I let you have it, remember? Light up, +and show me the way in there." + +Jimmy quickly applied a match to the wick, and as the light flared up, +he swung the lantern in his hand. + +"Who's afraid?" he said, boldly, as he started toward the spot where +silence now reigned. "Come along after me, Jack, darlint; and please +remimber that if the beast springs at me, I depind on you to knock +spots out of him. Keep back, the rest of ye, now, till we solve the +puzzle." + +Jack kept his gun in readiness, for there could be no telling what lay +beyond that fringe of bushes. + +"I do be seein' somethin' there on the ground, Jack. Looky yonder, +honey, an' sure ye can't miss the same, by the token," Jimmy presently +said, in a low, strained voice, as he pointed a trembling finger ahead. + +"Yes, I see something," Jack admitted. "Go on, Jimmy, take a few more +steps. No matter what a ferocious monster it may prove to be, I rather +guess Nick nailed it with that charge of shot at close range." + +They kept on advancing, and the nearer they drew the bolder Jimmy +seemed to grow, until presently both boys stood over the victim of +Nick's fire. + +Then they broke out into a shout that made the weird echoes leap out of +the depths of Dismal Swamp. + +"Tare and ounds!" burst forth Jimmy, "if 'tisn't a shoat afther all he +killed." + +"Say rather a full grown razorback pig," laughed Jack, as he noted the +sharp snout of the rooter, and its slab sides. + +Jimmy immediately bent down and gripped the beast by one of its hind +legs. + +"'Tis a roast of frish pork we'll be afther havin' the morrow," he +declared. "They do be sayin' that these same Virginia pigs have the +flavor of the bist Irish pork; an' I've always wanted to try the same. +Think of Nick being the one to give us this trate. And if we iver run +up against the owner, it's Nick must stand the cost. A tiger, did he +say? He must have been saing double stripes the time." + +When they backed into the camp, and the defunct pig was shown, a chorus +of yells arose from the balance of the crowd. Even Nick joined in the +whooping. + +"Laugh all you want to, fellows," he remarked, as he assumed a proud +attitude, leaning on his gun as though posing for his picture, with +that wild boar at his feet, as the spoils of the hunt. "I thought it +was a wild beast about to attack the camp; and as the only one awake at +the time, I believed it my solemn duty to give him both barrels, which +I did. And what's more, you see that I got him. Now, what do you say +about my marksmanship, Josh Purdue?" + +"Not a word," returned that worthy, throwing up both hands. "Why, you +peppered the poor beast from bow to stern. Won't we have a fine time +picking the shot out of our teeth, if we try to eat him? But Jack, do +they ever make use of such awful thin-looking hogs as this?" + +"Of course, they do," replied the other, quickly. "All razorbacks are +thin. They live in the woods and swamps, feeding on mast, which means +acorns and nuts and sweet roots. That's what gives their flesh the +sweet taste it has, a sort of gamey flavor, they say, though I never +really ate part of a genuine razorback." + +"But you will now, I hope," remarked Nick. "This is my treat, and I +hereby cordially invite you, one and all, to partake with me when our +chef has a chance to cook one of these fresh hams." + +"He just wants us to be in it as deep as he is, so if the owner shows +up we'll stand by him," chuckled Josh. + +"Well, we ought to stand back of him," asserted Jack; "because Nick +really rested under the belief that he was protecting the camp from the +prowling monster. Of course, we accept your kind invite, Nick; and +now, let's get back under the blankets as fast as we can, because it's +kind of cool out here." + +All of them made haste to do so save Nick, who lingered for some time +to fairly gloat over his quarry. Seldom had the fat boy been enabled +to bring down any species of game worth mentioning, so that his +excitement was easily understood. + +On the next morning Jack cut up the lean pig, having a fair knowledge +of the methods employed in such a case. Of course, none of them just +fancied living off some man's property, and if they could only find out +who the owner of the razorback was they would have only too gladly paid +whatever it was worth. + +But whether they ever did find him out or not, it would be a wicked +shame to let all that sweet meat go to waste. And that very morning +they had some pretty nice chops from the pig's ribs, which gave them a +taste at any rate. + +That morning they continued to move south through Currituck Sound. +There were some ducks in sight, and more arriving, but only an +occasional discharge of a gun came to their ears. Once Jack pointed to +a wedge-shaped line of geese standing out against the clear sky far +above, and heading still further south for some favorite feeding bar. + +That night they camped on Roanoke Island, and the boys knew that they +had made gallant progress through a portion of North Carolina. + +"Tomorrow we will, I expect, get through Albemarle Sound, which is +something like twenty-five miles in length," Jack remarked, as around a +cheery fire that night they talked of what lay just before them. + +"And after that, what?" questioned Herb. + +"There's a lighthouse at the head of the narrower Croaton Sound, and if +you look over there to the east right now you'll see the one on Body +Island at Oregon Inlet. We've got to cross there first of all, you +see." + +"More inlets beyond that, are there?" asked George, trying to look +indifferent. + +"Two more before we reach Hatteras in Pamlico Sound, and known as New +Inlet and Loggerhead. That last one is a hummer, too, I understand; +but it can't be any worse than some we've successfully negotiated," +Jack answered. + +"Particularly that Watchapreague one," chuckled Josh, "where the jolly +mermaids lie in wait to coax all handsome fellows overboard." + +"Huh! that's right," remarked Nick; "and I noticed that you stayed +aboard all right, Josh." + +"Nothing to bother about with any of them, if only the boats behave +half way decently," declared Jack. "If the engine of the _Wireless_ +hadn't balked just when it did, George wouldn't have had any trouble." + +"And I'd have been saved my bath," chuckled Nick. + +"But what of me, kind sors?" broke in Jimmy, in his thickest brogue, +assumed, no doubt, for the occasion. "I'd have lost me chanct to win +immortal glory. Didn't I be afther fillin' that beast of a shark with +lead, so that his cronies they tore him into bits, an' devoured him in +a jiffy. Give the divvle his dues, boys." + +"Yes," Jack hastened to say, "give Jimmy all that's coming to him, +fellows. He deserves it," at which there was a roar. + +Starting again in the morning, the southward run was resumed. All were +now in a good humor. They seemed to be able to surmount any and all +difficulties as fast as they arose; and this disposition made them +light-hearted in the extreme. + +One of the hams had been cooked in an oven on the preceding night, and +proved to be very tender eating after all. + +Albemarle Sound was passed, and the one beyond it. Even the dreaded +Loggerhead Inlet proved to be a hollow mockery, in so far as giving +them any real trouble went, for they crossed it with the utmost ease. + +With several hours of daylight still ahead, they entered upon the great +wide Pamlico Sound, which in places is all of twenty miles from shore +to shore. As it is extremely shallow in many places, this body of +water makes a treacherous sailing ground, and many a boat has met with +disaster while navigating it. + +They had not been an hour afloat on Pamlico before Jack was sorry he +had started. Once more clouds had scurried above the horizon, and were +mounting with great fleetness. And this time he believed that the +storm would not prove a tempest in a teapot, as the last one had turned +out to be. + +Vainly they looked about them for a haven of safety. There was +absolutely no point of land where the water was of sufficient depth to +allow of their finding a temporary harbor. + +The clouds were climbing higher with a rapidity that told of the wind +that must soon sweep across that wide body of water with cruel violence. + +"Whew! perhaps we ain't in for it now!" called George, as he drew up +closer to the others, to find out what Jack had to say; for strange as +it might seem, when peril confronted the boys of the Motor Boat Club, +they seemed to turn toward Jack with much the same confidence the +needle shows in pointing directly to the north. + +"What can we do, Jack?" asked Nick, in more or less alarm, as they +plainly heard the distant growl of thunder; and in imagination the fat +boy could see himself in the cranky speed boat, as she caught the full +force of the wind, and turned turtle in the twenty-mile sound, amid the +crash of the storm. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +A WARM WELCOME TO THE STORMY CAPE. + +There was no time to waste. + +One last glance around told Jack the necessity for prompt action, if he +wished to pull the little flotilla out of the bad hole in which they +seemed settled. + +The storm was racing up from the southwest, beyond the distant +mainland. Consequently, the eastern side of the great shallow sound +would presently become a boisterous place for craft the size of theirs. + +"We've got to head into it, fellows!" was his decision, as he began to +change the course of the _Tramp_ to conform with his views. + +It looked like heroic treatment, but neither Herb nor George murmured. +They saw what the commodore had in mind, and that every mile they were +able to forge ahead would decrease the peril. Indeed, if they could +only manage to reach a point close in to that western shore, they would +escape the brunt of the rising waves, and only have to think of holding +their own against the wind itself. + +"Full speed, _Comfort_?" called Jack, waving an encouraging hand toward +the other. + +Now George found himself perplexed as to what his course should be. He +knew he could make almost twice the speed that the lumbering broad beam +boat was able to display at her best. The question was, did he dare +risk it? + +True, the _Wireless_ was in more danger out on that wide stretch than +any of the others, and it seemed good policy for him to speed for +shelter. But what if one of those exasperating breakdowns, to which +the mechanism of the narrow boat seemed subject, should take place +without warning? + +George shuddered as he contemplated such a possibility. He could +easily imagine his feelings upon being cast helplessly adrift in the +midst of a raging gale, with his tried and true chums hidden from his +sight by the rain and blowing spindrift. + +And so his decision was quickly made. Of the two evils he chose what +seemed to be the lesser. He would stick to the fleet. Then, in case +of trouble, they could help each other like comrades. + +Jack had kept an eye on the _Wireless_, for he guessed that just this +puzzling question would come up for George to solve. And when he +failed to see the speed boat shooting away, leaving the others in the +lurch, he understood that the wise skipper had decided on the better +way. + +They were making fine headway, but all the same the storm was doing +likewise; and unfortunately, at the time, they happened to be quite a +few miles away from the shore that promised shelter. + +"What ails George, do ye know?" questioned Jimmy, who could not +understand why the other did not make with all speed ahead, as he had +been known to do on a former occasion, considering that the best course. + +"That sudden stop on the part of his engine gave him a bad feeling," +was Jack's reply. "He doesn't trust it as he did, and is afraid that +it may repeat when he is in the midst of the storm. So he's going to +stick by us, through thick and thin." + +"It does his head credit, I'm thinkin'," declared Jimmy; and then, as +he stared hard into that inky space ahead, that was gradually creeping +up toward them, he continued: "Sure now, do ye think we can make it, +Jack darlint?" + +"Well, we've just got to, that's all," the other replied, firmly. "If +the wind doesn't blow us right out of the water, we'll keep on bucking +directly into it. The fight will be a tough one, Jimmy; but make up +your mind we _must_ win out. Half the battle is in confidence--that +and eternal watchfulness." + +It was in this manner that Jack Stormways always impressed his chums +with some of the zeal by which his own actions were governed. That +"never-give-up" spirit had indeed carried him through lots of hotly +contested battles on the gridiron or the diamond, wresting victory many +times from apparent defeat. + +So they continued to push steadily on. Jack counted every minute a +gain. He kept a close watch upon the surface of the sound, knowing +that here they must first of all discover the swoop of the gale, as its +skirmishing breath struck the water. + +The last movement of air seemed to have died out, yet this was the calm +that often precedes the coming of the storm, the deadly lull that makes +the tempest seem all the more terrible when it breaks. + +Jack calculated that they had been some five miles from the western +shore at the time they changed their southern course, and headed to +starboard. And as _Comfort_ could do no better than ten miles an hour, +under the most favorable conditions, it stood to reason that about half +an hour would be needed to place them in a position of safety. + +"We won't get it, that's flat," he was saying to himself, as he noted +the way in which the clouds gathered for the rush. + +Picking up the little megaphone which he carried, he shouted a few +sentences to the others. While the air around them remained so calm, +the thunder was booming in the quarter where that black cloud hung +suspended, so that talking was already out of the question unless one +used some such contrivance for aiding the voice. + +"George, better fall in just ahead of us, where we can get a line to +you in case you have engine trouble. Two sharp blasts will tell us +that you want help. Herb, try and keep as close to me as is safe! We +must stick it out together, hear?" + +Both of the other skippers waved their hands to indicate that they +understood, and doubtless George was given fresh courage to find how +calm and confident Jack seemed to face the approaching difficulty. + +The land was now less than two miles away, and a faint hope had begun +to stir in Jack's heart that there might be enough delay to allow their +reaching a point of safety. + +This, however, was dissipated when he suddenly discovered a white line +that looked as though a giant piece of chalk had been drawn along the +water. The squall had pounced down upon Pamlico, and was rushing +toward them at the rate of at least a mile a minute. + +"Hold hard!" shouted Jack through his megaphone. + +Then he devoted himself to engineering the _Tramp's_ destiny. Jimmy +knew what was expected of him in the emergency, and was nerved to +acquit himself with credit. While his skipper showed himself to be so +cool and self-possessed Jimmy could not think of allowing the spasm of +fear that passed over him to hold sway. What if that line of foamy +water was increasing in size as it rushed at them, until it assumed +dreadful proportions? The _Tramp_ had passed safely through other +storms, and with Jack at the wheel all must be serene. + +So Jimmy crouched there at the motor, ready to do whatever he was +told--crouched and gaped and shivered, yet with compressed teeth was +resolved to stand by his shipmate to the end. + +Then the foam-crested water struck the flotilla with a crash. First +the narrow _Wireless_ was seen to surge forward, rear up at a +frightfully perpendicular angle, until it almost seemed as though the +frail craft must be hurled completely over; and then swoop furiously +down into the basin that followed the comber. + +George held her firmly in line, and somehow managed to keep her head +straight into the shrieking wind, though he frankly confessed that his +heart was in his mouth when she took that header. + +But almost at the same instant the other boats tried the same frightful +plunge, and they, too, survived. Jack gave a sigh of relief when he +saw that all of them had passed through the preliminary skirmish +unharmed, for it had been that which gave him the greatest concern. + +And now the work began in earnest. They had to fight for every foot +they won against the combined forces of wind and wave. Had they been a +mile or so further out in the sound, so that the seas had a better +chance to become monstrous, nothing could have saved any of them. And +Jack's chums once again had reason to be thankful for the far-seeing +qualities which their commodore developed when he changed their course, +and headed into the teeth of the coming gale. + +At least several things favored them now. George's boat seemed to be +behaving wonderfully well, for one thing. Then again, after that first +swoop the gale had slackened somewhat in intensity, as is frequently +the case; though presently they could expect it to become more violent +than ever, when it caught its second wind, as Jerry expressed it. + +Then, another hopeful thing was the fact that with every yard passed +over they were really getting the benefit of drawing closer to the +shore that was serving as a sort of shield from the wind. + +The seas too gradually declined, since there was lacking the water +necessary to build them up. + +Jack had one thing to worry over. He knew that on such occasions +considerable water would be swept from the western side of the sound, +and this was apt to send the boats aground unless luck favored them. +Such a condition would keep them from going further in any great +distance, since the risk of striking became too pronounced. + +"It's all right, Jimmy!" he called to his helper, knowing how anxious +the latter must necessarily be; "we've got to a point now where we're +safe. We could even drop our mudhooks over right here, and ride it +out, if we wanted. But it's better to go on a little further." + +"Whoo! wasn't the same a scorcher, though?" Jimmy shouted, a sickly +grin coming over his good-natured, freckled face. + +"It was some wind, I'm thinking," Jack admitted. "I wasn't a bit +afraid about the _Tramp_ or the _Comfort_, but there's no telling what +that trick boat, _Wireless_, will do, when you don't expect it. But +everything is lovely, and the goose hangs high." + +"Sure it will, if ever ye get a sight on one with that bully little +gun; and it was poor hungry Nick I heard sayin', by the same token, +that he liked roast goose better than anything in the woide worrld +except oysters!" + +Ten minutes later and Jack blew a blast upon his conch shell horn that +told the others they were to come to anchor. Whereupon there was more +or less hustling, as the crews got busy. + +Presently the three little motor boats rode buoyantly to their anchors, +bobbing up and down on the rolling waves like ducks bowing to each +other. And as they had made out to select positions within the safety +zone of each other, it was possible for those aboard to hold +conversations, if they but chose to elevate their voices more or less, +in order to be heard above the shrieking wind and dashing waves. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +THE WIRELESS AS TRICKY AS EVER. + +"We're in for a bad night, Jack!" called George, some time later on; +while poor Nick hung over the side of the wobbling speed boat, and +looked forlorn indeed. + +"You are, in that contraption, George; but the rest of us don't give a +hang whether the old storm holds on or not. We expect to get busy +cooking supper right soon now, as these bully little Juwel stoves will +burn, no matter how the boats jump up and down." + +"Oh! I wish Herb would only open his heart, and invite me to spend the +night on board the good reliable old _Comfort_!" groaned Nick. + +"Sure! Come right along; plenty of room for three here. George can +tuck in, too, if he says the word," called Herb, cheerily. + +"What! desert my boat in time of need? What do you take me for?" cried +George, with a great show of righteous indignation; but as for Nick, he +became so excited, Jack feared he would jump in, and try to swim across. + +By letting out more cable George was enabled to swing his boat close +enough to the big craft to allow of Josh seizing hold; and while he +thus held on clumsy Nick managed to crawl aboard, though he came within +an ace of taking a bath, and would have done so, only that Herb gave +him a helping hand. + +Then George pulled back again to his former position. If he felt that +he was making something of a martyr of himself, in thus determining to +stick by the madly plunging _Wireless_ all night, George was too proud +to indicate as much. He might suffer all sorts of discomforts, and +never breathe a word of complaint. + +But the storm proved short-lived after all. + +Before they began to think of making up their beds the wind had +slackened in violence, and the clouds showed signs of breaking. +Indeed, as Jack pulled the blanket over him, he could see that the moon +was peeping out from behind the black curtains overhead. + +"It'll be a fairly decent night after all, Jimmy," he muttered; but as +there was no answer, he took it for granted that his mate had passed +into slumberland by the short route; indeed, Jimmy had a faculty for +getting to sleep almost as soon as his head touched his pillow, which +in this case was an inflated rubber one. + +And as the night wore on, the tossing of the boats became less and +less, until along about three in the morning Jack, chancing to awaken, +found that the little _Tramp_ lay perfectly quiet on the bosom of the +big sound. + +He could see out, and looking toward the southeast beheld the glow of +that great beacon marking the position of the most stormy cape along +the whole Atlantic coast--Hatteras. + +In the morning they were not long in getting under way, as soon as +breakfast had been hurried through with, and Nick had to get aboard his +own boat again, for his services were needed by his skipper. + +Across the sound they sped at a clipping rate, heading direct for the +sandy spit where the lighthouse stands. The roar of the ocean beating +against that barrier that has kept it out for ages came strongly to +their ears, as the breeze changed with the turn of the tide. + +Landing among the sand dunes near the light, they paid a visit to the +keeper, and met with a cordial reception. As a rule strangers are not +allowed to trespass upon Government property; but such a fine lot of +lads seemed to appeal to the heart of the keeper, who took them up to +the top of the tower, in order to let them have a view of what lay +before them to the south. + +They listened to his stories of famous wrecks that had strewn the +neighboring beaches with dismembered portions of gallant ships and +steamers for fifty years; and looking out on the ocean to where the +treacherous reefs lay, waiting for fresh victims, Jack could easily +picture the tragic scenes that were being described, even though at +that time the sun chanced to be shining brightly, and the sea fairly +smooth. + +Then again a start was made, for some difficult cruising lay ahead +before they could hope to reach Beaufort, where a little rest would be +taken, in order to carry out the promise they had made the young +aviator, Malcolm Spence. + +They had heard ugly stories about Hatteras Inlet. It was said to have +treacherous currents, and to abound in fierce man-eating sharks. Hence +George became more or less concerned as they bore down upon it on this +same morning. + +But like a good many other things in this world, the expectation of +trouble proved to be of far greater proportions than the actual +experience. Why, they passed over without the slightest difficulty. +Even Nick shouted in great glee when the dreaded inlet was a thing of +the past, and he waved his fat hand disdainfully back toward it as they +sped away. + +"It was dead easy, fellows!" he exclaimed. "Why, I just shut my eyes, +and counted twenty. Then, when I opened them again, we were across!" +and Nick hardly knew why his innocent confession of alarm was greeted +by such uproarious shouts. + +"But the sharks were there, all roight, beca'se I saw the muttherin' +critters pokin' their ould fins out of the wather!" declared Jimmy. + +"That's right, I saw the same," admitted Herb. + +The next crossing would be at Ocracoke Inlet. And then beyond that +they would come to Portsmouth, where mail from home might be expected, +since they had laid out a regular plan whereby those so dear to their +boyish hearts--the home folks--could communicate with the wanderers. +And at each place Jack, or one of the others, left word to have all +delayed mail forwarded on. + +"Sure we do be getting closer all the while to that same ould Beaufort, +where ye expect to discover the gintleman by the name of Van Arsdale +Spence," Jimmy was remarking, as the flotilla moved majestically on in +one-two-three order, the _Wireless_ leading for the time being. + +"We ought to get there some time tomorrow," Jack answered. "Tonight +the plan is to camp on Cedar Island, and that is in Cove Sound, where +Beaufort is located." + +"And then we'll know what the wonderful letter contains. It's bothered +me more'n a little to guess, even though I knowed right well I had no +business to think of it at all. But there's George pointing to +somethin' ahead." + +"Yes, he sees the rough water of Ocracoke Inlet, and is falling back," +laughed Jack, who was amused when the usually reckless skipper of the +speed boat developed a cautious vein. + +George was learning something by slow degrees, and this might be set +down to be the truth of that old proverb to the effect that the race is +not always to the swift. Perhaps, if he ever had another boat built to +order, he would not sacrifice safety and comfort to the mad desire to +make fast time. + +But Ocracoke proved no harder to negotiate than had Hatteras. Perhaps +it might be that experience was teaching the young motor boat cruisers +just how to manage their craft when passing these dangerous openings, +where the sweep of the sea had a full chance to strike them. + +Then came Portsmouth, where Jimmy was dispatched for the mail, as well +as some necessary food supplies. They all had such good appetites, +save perhaps Josh, for whose lack Nick more than made up, that it was +simply amazing how things just seemed to melt away. But then six boys +can always be depended upon to devour their own weight in "grub" during +a short cruise upon the water. The salty air seemed to make them +hungry all the time, so that it became necessary to piece between +regular meals. + +Jack timed their departure from Portsmouth so as to break into Cove +Sound, and reach Cedar Island, before night came on. Somehow he had +set his mind in making a camp here. Possibly he had read of some +former lone boatman doing the same, for he had devoured several books +containing descriptions of this inland passage. + +As nothing happened to disturb his plans, they drew up for the night at +Cedar Island, an hour and more before the sun would set. + +This gave them plenty of chances to do a number of things that happened +to appeal to them individually. George went ashore to stretch his +cramped legs, whither Nick had of course preceded him, leaving the +_Wireless_ at anchor just beyond the other two boats. + +And George took his gun with him, thinking there might be a chance to +pick up some shore birds, in the way of snipe or curlew. + +Jack was bent on trying to get a mess of fish for supper, and noting +what seemed to be a promising place close by, he set to work. They saw +him pull in several finny captives; and Nick would rub his stomach in +mute delight every time the patient angler made a strike, as he viewed +the possibilities of a prospective feast. + +Josh was busy making a fireplace out of some stones he picked up. It +always did him great good to have things fixed to suit his ideas of +what a cooking fire ought to be when in camp. It was fast becoming a +hobby with Josh; and yet, strange to say, with all his ability in the +line of cookery, he was often unable to partake of his own savory +messes on account of his disposition toward indigestion. + +Herb seemed to be whittling something out of a piece of nice wood he +had found; while Jimmy, always good-natured, and willing to be the +"handy boy" of the bunch, gathered wood for the cook. + +They heard George shoot a number of times, and new hope began to take +hold of Nick, who, moving closer to Josh, commenced quizzing him on how +shore birds ought to be cooked, in order to bring out their particular +flavor. Nick was never happier than when engaged in his favorite +conversation concerning appetizing things to eat. Indeed, there was +only one thing he liked better; and this was to indulge in the actual +demonstration itself, and devour the finished product of the cook's +skill. + +Suddenly Jimmy gave a yell. The others started up, thinking that +perhaps Jack had made an unusually fine haul, or been pulled in himself +by a large fish. George was just breaking through the scrub near by, +and he echoed the shout of Jimmy. + +"Look at the _Wireless_, would you, fellows? Say! she's bewitched, +that's what!" was what he whooped, as he started to run toward them. + +And as they turned their eyes in the direction of the erratic speed +boat, what was their amazement to see the little craft moving away at a +fast pace, although the engine was quite dead and cold, and not the +first sign of a human being could be detected aboard. + +It was a mystery that sent a cold chill through every heart! + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +GOOD-BYE TO AN ANCHOR. + +"Who's playing this trick on me?" demanded George, as he reached the +others. + +"Look around and you'll see we're all here, with Jack running like mad +this way," observed Herb, indignantly. + +"But what in the Sam Hill ails the bally old boat, then?" exclaimed +George, as he turned his eyes again on the fast receding _Wireless_, +that was heading out from the shore. + +"It's some trick of a native cracker; he's swimming under water, and +pulling the boat after him. We've got to get in the other boats and +give chase," declared shrewd Josh. + +"It's mighty queer, that's all!" gasped Nick; while Jimmy stood as if +turned into stone, his eyes round with fear and superstition, for Jimmy +had inherited the regular Irish belief in banshees and ghosts. + +George made a dash for the nearest boat, which happened to be the +_Tramp_. + +"Wait for me!" shouted the owner of that craft, who was putting on a +spurt in order to reach them quickly, having forgotten all about his +finny prizes in this new and overwhelming discovery. + +He came up on the run, but already Herb was in the _Comfort_, about to +start the engine. + +"No need, Herb," gasped Jack, "George and myself can overtake it with +the _Tramp_. The rest of you stay here." + +"But glory be, what ails the ould thing?" demanded Jimmy, determined +not to let the commodore get away without some explanation of the +puzzle. + +"Why, don't you understand?" said Jack, as he busied himself with the +motor. "A big fish, perhaps a wandering shark, has fouled the anchor +rope, and getting badly rattled, has put off at full speed, dragging +the boat after him. He's headed for the nearest inlet at this very +minute; but we'll beat him at that little game, won't we, George?" + +Then the rattle of the motor sounded, and immediately the _Tramp_ set +off in the wake of the runaway motor boat. + +A more surprised lot of boys it would have been difficult to find than +those thus left upon the little sandy beach on Cedar Island. They +stared after the two boats, and then turned to look at each other. + +"Well, did you ever?" gasped Nick. + +"Beats Bannigher, so it does," declared Jimmy, though it could be seen +that a humorous expression had taken the place of that look of fear on +his freckled face. + +"A shark got mussed up in the anchor rope, and then set out to steal +the whole outfit!" remarked Herb. "Well, of all the funny things, +don't that take the cake, though?" + +"That silly old boat of George's seems to me is always cutting up some +sort of capers. She's the toughest proposition ever," Josh declared. + +"That's what I'm saying all the blessed time," grunted Nick, +unconsciously beginning to feel of his various joints, as though the +mere mention of the _Wireless_ made him remember his aches. + +"But can they overtake the measly thing?" Josh asked, watching +nervously to see if he could determine how the race was progressing. + +"Just because the _Wireless_ is the faster boat, don't think Jack isn't +going to run her down, hand over fist," declared Herb. "Already he's +gaining on the other. You see, the shark isn't used to towing a boat +like that at race-horse speed. And then the anchor bothers him some, I +bet you." + +"Will George shoot the monster--for I take it a shark must be of pretty +good size to run away with a motor boat like that?" Josh inquired. + +"Watch and see what happens. George has his gun in his hands, and +seems to be looking over, as if he'd just like to shoot; but pshaw! the +shark will stick to the bottom right along, and he can't be touched." + +It was evident to them all that unless some other line of action was +brought into play the pursuers would have a pretty hard time of it +outwitting the thief that refused to show himself near the surface. + +But they knew Jack would be equal to any occasion, and it was with more +or less curiosity rather than alarm that those ashore stood there, +watching, and waiting to see the close of the exciting little drama. + +"There, George has put down his gun; and I reckon Jack told him it was +no good trying to cop the old pirate that way. Now what's he doing, +fellows?" Nick remarked. + +"I saw the sunlight shine on something he's got in his hand," declared +Herb. + +"That's roight," Jimmy observed, with conviction. "And it's a knife he +is howldin', so it is." + +"Oh! my goodness gracious! I hope that foolish and rash George isn't +thinking of going overboard, and engaging the man-eater in a fight, +just like I've read those pearl divers do!" Nick gasped. + +"Rats! what d'ye think George is made of to play such a foolish game?" +Jimmy cried. "It's to cut the anchor rope the laddy buck means to +thry!" + +"That's right, Jimmy; and you can be sure it was Jack put him wise to +that," Herb broke in with. + +"But," Nick went on, still half dazed, "he'll never see his blessed old +anchor any more, will he? The blooming old shark will run off with it." + +"Let him," laughed Josh, in derision. "Better to lose a measly anchor +than have the boat go to smash. Looky, fellows, he's going to do it +right now!" + +Every one of them stared as hard as he could. The two boats had not +gone so far off but what a pair of good eyes could observe what was +taking place, even though night was coming on apace, with some clouds +gathering overhead. + +Jack had run the _Tramp_ alongside the erratic runaway, and George was +seen to clamber aboard his own boat. Of course, after that it would be +a simple job to press the keen edge of Jack's knife upon the strained +anchor rope. + +"He did it!" shouted Jimmy, as the _Wireless_ was noticed to fall +suddenly behind the other craft, as though relieved from the unseen +force that had been towing her away at such a headlong pace. + +And presently the speed boat was seen to move of her own accord, George +having turned his engine, and thrown on power. + +They came back side by side, the skippers laughing heartily at the +harmless end of what had at one time threatened to prove a calamity. + +"No harm done except that I must buy a new cable and anchor at +Beaufort," said George, as he once more drew up by the side of the +_Comfort_. + +"I've got a spare rope I can lend you till then," spoke up Herb, who +liked to fish up all manner of contraptions from the depths of the +roomy craft, and see the surprise written on the faces of his chums. + +So, after all, the excitement died out, though they would never forget +their amazement at seeing the boat rushing off without any visible +reason for its flight. + +Jack went back and secured the finny prizes that he had taken, upon +which Josh set Jimmy to work, as the Irish boy was a master hand at +cleaning fish. George, it turned out, had knocked down a whole covey +of small birds, and several of them got busy plucking the feathers from +these. + +Nick was willing to do what he could, but truth to tell, he proved so +clumsy at the task that it took him the whole time to get just one +little bird ready, while Jack and Herb did six apiece. + +Of course, they feasted that night, and considerable of the talk around +the camp-fire concerned the late adventure. + +"It might have been much more serious," George declared. + +"That's a fact," added Josh, wagging his long head, solemnly, as was +his custom. "Suppose now that same thing had happened in the middle of +the night? Whew! we never would have known what had become of the +blessed old _Wireless_. Jimmy here would have said the ghosts had +carried her off." + +"Even if that shark had had a better start he might have given us a +long chase before we caught him. And you fellows saw how quick it got +dark tonight, with the clouds hanging over us," George continued. + +"What would you have done in that case, Jack?" asked Nick. + +"Do you mean if we found ourselves far out on the dark sound?" laughed +the one addressed. "Why, I reckon we could have heard you shout; and +if that failed there was the fire. Oh, I don't doubt we'd have found +some way to get back here, all in good time!" + +By ten o'clock the sky had cleared again, so that they concluded to +keep to the original plan, which included a night ashore. George was +seen to pay particular attention about fastening his boat to the others +with an extra cable. + +"He's meaning to make things secure," chuckled Josh. + +"Yes, one experience is quite enough for George, sometimes," commented +Herb. "If another shark gets the fever, and tries to run away with an +anchor, he's just got to take the entire bunch." + +"Yes, and the whole island in the bargain, because they've fastened the +boats to that tree, you notice," Josh observed. + +Their hopes of a good, quiet night suffered no blight, for nothing +happened to disturb their sleep, and morning found them eager to go on. + +They fully expected reaching Beaufort before long now, when the +mysterious little packet could be delivered to the party to whom it was +addressed, if they were fortunate enough to find him. Young Spence did +not seem to be sure that this Van Arsdale Spence still lived near +Beaufort, as he evidently once had done; but still Jack had hopes of +succeeding, since they seemed to carry such luck along with them. + +It was eight o'clock when they got started. As usual, George detained +them, finding occasion to do some more little necessary tinkering with +that miserable engine of his, that was forever getting out of order. + +Cove Sound lay shimmering in the sunlight as the three little boats +left the friendly beach of Cedar Island, and once more cut a passage +through the water, with their prows turned southward. + +It was a beautiful morning. + +"I only hope," Jack had said at starting, "that it is a good omen, and +that we will be able to get on the track of the party without too much +delay." + +And so they started on the last leg that was to take them to Beaufort. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +A SIGNAL OF DISTRESS. + +They made such fair speed that, as noon came along, they realized they +could reach the little city on the sound. Once or twice Jack had been +tempted to turn in to the shore, especially when he saw what looked to +be a very pretty plantation, with the house having a red roof, and +nestling in among many trees, for the idea had occurred to him that he +might just happen on some valuable information concerning the party +whom they sought. + +But it ended in his determining that on the whole he had better curb +his impatience until reaching Beaufort. At the postoffice he might get +in touch with some one who knew. + +When they pulled in they had eaten a little bite of cold stuff, as it +was not their intention to stop to cook anything. + +Jack himself set off for the postoffice, to secure what mail awaited +them, and at the same time make certain inquiries. + +"Can you tell me anything about a certain party named Van Arsdale +Spence?" he asked the postmaster, after receiving several letters. + +The other looked at him closely. + +"He used to live near here," he said, finally. + +"Yes, we understood that, and I want to find him very much," Jack went +on. + +"You passed his old home as you came here, and perhaps you noticed the +house in among the trees, the one with the red-tiled roof?" + +"Why, of course we did!" Jack exclaimed, "and I was tempted to put in +there, to make inquiries, but changed my mind. Then we must turn back, +and go there?" + +The postmaster shook his head. + +"Wouldn't do any good, young man. Mr. Spence no longer lives there," +he said. + +"Do you happen to know where he could be found, sir? I have a very +important message to deliver to him, which I promised to hand over +while we were passing along this section of the coast." + +To the surprise of Jack the official looked grave. + +"The rules of the department are very strict, sir, and prevent me from +telling you where Mr. Spence gets his mail now." Then seeing Jack's +look of bitter disappointment, and partly relenting, he continued: "But +there's a party over yonder who knows just as well as I do, and is +under no restrictions either. A drink, or a quarter, would do the +business with Pete Smalling." + +"Thank you; I'll make the try anyway," and Jack hurried across to where +he saw a rather disreputable citizen standing leaning against a fence, +chewing a straw. + +"Excuse me, are you Pete Smalling?" he asked, as he came up. + +The cracker looked him over, and then grinned. Evidently he recognized +that the other was a stranger in the community. Perhaps, too, he +scented two bits, and later on a happy time in his favorite tavern +taproom. + +"Them's my name, Mistah; what kin I do foh yuh?" he remarked, with the +true Southern accent. + +"I want to see a certain party named Van Arsdale Spence, and the +postmaster told me you would know and could direct me." + +Jack managed in some way to slip a piece of silver into the hand of the +other. It had the result of making him talkative. + +"He was right, stranger, I does happen tuh know thet same, an' kin take +yuh tuh whah Mistah Spence is aholin' out right now. Yuh see, it's tuh +the south o' hyah, quite a peart ways, p'raps half hour er more." + +"Could you tell us exactly where?" demanded the boy. + +"Wall, now, I reckon I knows, but she's thet hard tuh tell. Gut a +boat, Mistah, aint yuh?" Pete went on. + +"Yes, we've got three power boats with us. Could you pilot us to where +Mr. Spence is to be found?" Jack went on, beginning to understand how +profitable it was to know a thing, and yet be quite unable to describe +its location. + +"Cud I? Wall, nothin' is surer than thet same, suh; allers pervided +yuh made it wuth my time. I'm ginerally a busy man, yuh see, suh." + +Jack thought he must be, as long as he had a dime in his pocket with +which to pay for the stuff he guzzled; but then that was no affair of +his right then; what he wanted was to find Spence. + +"Would a dollar pay you for showing us?" Jack asked, with an air of +business that no doubt impressed the loafer. + +"Jest consider me engaged, Mistah. Take me tuh yer boat; on'y its gut +tuh be understood that I'm tuh be fetched back heah again. If Spence +cain't bring me, yuh promise tuh do hit, do yuh?" + +"Yes, I guess I'm safe in making that promise. Then come along with me +down to the water front. The sooner we start the better." + +Jack went on, believing in the old maxim that causes one to strike +while the iron is hot. + +"But I hain't had any dinner," said the fellow, with a cunning leer. + +"Oh! we'll see that you get plenty to eat on the way. No use waiting +here. Our time is limited, and we want to be going. Will you come +along?" Jack said. + +"Thet's all right, Mistah; yuh kin count on me, suh. A whole dollah +yuh sed, didn't yuh, suh; and make out tuh git me back in Beaufort +agin?" + +"Yes, a dollar and a return ticket. Come along." + +On the way Jack made several purchases that caused the hungry Pete to +lick his chops, and hope he would be able to soon meet up with that +promised lunch, for he was getting more and more hungry now with every +passing minute. That twenty-five cents in his pocket felt like it +weighed a ton, too, and he wondered if the young fellow, who he saw was +a Northerner or a Yankee, as all such are called below Mason and +Dixon's line, would wait for him while he exchanged it in a saloon. + +But Jack hurried along, so that they arrived at the place where the +three boats had been tied up before Pete could quite make up his mind +what he ought to do. + +Jack determined that he had not returned any too soon. A little crowd +of rowdies had gathered near, and were beginning to make remarks about +the boats and those aboard. Beaufort was no different from any other +place, north or south; there are always some rough characters to be +found, and when the town lies on the water it is generally the case +that they frequent the landings. + +George was sitting on deck, apparently shining up his gun. Jack knew, +however, that this was all pretense, and that his chum wanted to let it +be known that those in the motor boat flotilla were well armed, and, +moreover, knew how to take care of themselves. + +Pete was taken aboard the _Tramp_, because Jack wanted to talk with him +while on the way. Then the start was made. Just as Jack had +anticipated, some of the fellows on the shore called insultingly after +them. + +"Don't pay any attention to them," he cautioned his mates. + +It was hard to stand being abused without having done the least thing +to deserve such treatment, but all the boys knew the wisdom of +controlling their tempers under provocation. + +Then, finding that no attention was paid to their remarks, the fellows +started to hurling stones after the boats. Fortunately, when they +thought of this means for making a display of their rowdyism, the small +craft had gained such headway that they could not reach them with the +missiles. Several splashed water aboard and came near striking home, +but Jack breathed easy when he realized that they had passed beyond +range of the missiles. + +"That's a fine bunch of scoundrels," he said, partly to Jimmy. + +"They don't mean any harm, Mistah; that's on'y th' way they hes o' +havin' fun," Pete remarked, at which Jimmy laughed scornfully. + +"Fun, is it?" he said, with a gleam of anger in his blue eyes; "sure +it's little the big trotters 'd care if one of thim stones would be +after hittin' us on the head and knocking the daylight out of us. Fun, +do ye say? It'd give me great pleasure, so it would, to have a chanct +to teach some of thim manners. An' I could do it, too, d'ye mind, for +all I'm but a broth of a bhoy." + +Jack began to ask a few questions of the fellow, whom Jimmy had soon +supplied with an abundance of food. + +"It's on'y a few miles tuh whar Mistah Spence holds out now, suh, an' +we kin git thar right peart in this fine little boat," the other was +saying, when Jimmy broke into the conversation by exclaiming: + +"Looky yonder, Jack, darlint; d'ye twig the two gossoons wagging a +handkerchief at us? Holy smoke! I belave they've got a motor boat +half under water, and do be havin' an accident of some sort. How now, +Commodore, do we be after puttin' in to the rescue?" + +"You're right, Jimmy," remarked Jack, "they have got a boat of some +kind partly filled. Perhaps they went too near the shore and got +snagged on a stump or a rock. But we just can't pass them by and +pretend we don't see them. Listen, one is yelling." + +"Help! we're wrecked! Come ashore and take us off!" came the call. + +"Hang the luck!" remarked George, "what else is going to detain us? +Seems to me we've just done nothing but hold out a helping hand ever +since we started on this blooming trip." + +"But you know the rules of the road, and the law of the cruiser--'do as +you'd be done by,'" said Jack, who had changed his course and was +heading straight for the shore, where the two men stood up to their +knees in water beside their partly submerged motor boat. + +"We hit something, and punched a hole in the boat," one of them +explained, as Jack and his chums came up. + +"And if you'd only give us a lift a few miles we'd be very grateful, +and would gladly pay for what it was worth," the other, who looked like +a lawyer, hastened to say. + +"That's all right, gentlemen," Jack remarked, hospitably. "Climb +aboard the big boat. We're only going a short distance, however, to a +little place where Van Arsdale Spence is now living." + +The two pilgrims who had been wrecked looked at each other in surprise. + +"Why," said the shorter one, who seemed to be a man of some authority, +perhaps a marshal, or even a sheriff of the county, "that's queer, but +we're bound for that same place ourselves, strangers!" + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + +THE MESSAGE OF HOPE. + +"Do you mean that you were on your way to see Mr. Spence at the time +your boat struck a snag?" asked Jack, surprised and perplexed at the +same time. + +"That's just what we were, my boy," replied the other, looking +curiously at Jack, as though naturally wondering what sort of mission +could be taking this flotilla of Northern motor boats to visit the +party in question. + +Jack would have liked to ask questions, but realized that such a course +would be bordering on the impudent. There might be numerous people +interested in Van Arsdale Spence besides the young aviator whom they +had agreed to assist by carrying the packet to the coast town. + +"In that case you have only to remain aboard here, and we will land +you. I have a pilot with me, to lead us right," he remarked. + +"So I see, old Pete Smalling, eh? Hello! Pete, struck a job at last, +after looking for ten years?" remarked the man, winking at the hungry +passenger, who was disposing of his food at a prodigious rate of speed. + +"I reckon as I hev, Mistah Marshal," answered the other, with +considerable of respect in his voice and manner. + +So Jack knew his surmise was correct, and that the heavy-set individual +was an officer of the law, after all. But what he could be going to +see Spence for, was of course beyond his power to guess. The planter +who had owned that fine place now seemed to be living in what might be +called seclusion. Had he done anything for which he could be taken to +task by the law? Jack hoped not, for the sake of that fine young +aviator, Malcolm Spence, who must surely be some relative, and was +deeply interested in his welfare. + +The boats moved on in company, so that it was possible to converse back +and forth if any of them so desired. + +"I suppose this Mr. Spence must have lived around here quite some +time?" Jack remarked a little later, as the man smiled encouragingly +toward him. + +"All his life, suh, all his life. He was born on that spot north of +Beaufort; yes, and his father before him, I reckon. It never has gone +out of the hands of the Spences up to now," came the ready reply. + +"Oh! by the way, did this gentleman ever have any family?" asked Jack. + +"I should reckon he did that, suh--three fine gals, an' just one son. +The gals they stick by him through it all; but the boy, he left the old +man goin' on two yeahs now. It's nigh about broke his heart, I heah." + +"I don't suppose that this son's name could have been Malcolm?" +suggested Jack, pretty sure of his ground now. + +"That's just what it was, suh, Malcolm Gregory Spence. They was a time +when we all 'spected he was going to make something out of himself, +because you see the boy was mighty clever; but he quarreled with his +old man and went off. P'raps he's dead by now. The old man thinks so, +leastways; though one of the gals don't seem to believe that way." + +Jack could see it all. In some way, Malcolm, estranged from his +family, had managed to learn about their recent financial troubles, and +that they had left the old home, to go, he knew not where. + +And Jack, as he pressed his hand over the pocket where he had again +secreted that mysterious missive, only hoped that it would bring joy +and happiness into the home of the Spences. How pleasant it would seem +to be the bearer of good news. + +He said nothing more, though having discovered this much he could +easily guess that the errand of the marshal must have some connection +with the breaking of the last tie that would hold the Spence family to +the old home up the Sound. Perhaps the marshal and the lawyer were on +their way to inform the owner that foreclosure proceedings had been +instituted, and to get his signature to documents that were necessary +to the proper carrying out of the sad business. + +Pete, having stowed away an incredible amount of stuff, so that he +could hardly draw a full breath, began to manifest more or less +interest in their progress. He suggested little changes in the course +they were taking, and presently broke out with: + +"Thar, if so be yuh jest look yondah, suh, p'raps ye kin see a boat +tied up tuh a stake. Thet's whar old Van Arsdale lives now, a fishin' +shack on a patch o' ground he happens tuh own. But I done heard as how +them slick gals o' his'n gone an' made even sech a tough place look +kinder homelike. An' see, thar's the ole man right now, alookin' +toward us, wonderin' who we be." + +Jack could easily see all that the other described. It was a lonely +place for a man to bring his three sweet daughters; but doubtless +necessity compelled such a thing. + +The man with the white mustache and goatee, who looked like a real +Kentucky colonel, Jack thought, walked down to the rude little dock to +meet them. Of course, he recognized the marshal, who must have been an +old acquaintance of his; and had little difficulty in guessing the +errand that was probably bringing him there. + +Then three young girls came running down to gather about the old man, +as if suspecting the coming of new trouble they wished to be near to +help him bear his cross. + +Jack found himself quivering with eagerness. And again did he hope +that the message from the absent son and brother might soften the blow +that seemed about to fall upon this devoted little family. + +They reached the landing and hastened to get ashore; all but Pete, who +had developed a second-stage appetite, and started in eating again, +regardless of all other matters. + +The old planter stood there like a lion at bay, with his three +daughters clinging to him. It was a pretty picture, that would often +come up in the memory of the boys when far away from the scene itself. + +He seemed to be paying particular attention to the marshal, who stepped +forward and gravely shook hands with him. + +"I had your letter, Mr. Burrows, and looked to see you some time +today," was the way Mr. Spence opened the conversation. + +"And as I wrote you, Spence," the marshal replied, "I'm only here in my +official capacity to carry out the execution of the law's demands. As +your friend, suh, I deeply sympathize with you in your troubles, but +being sworn to do my duty, however painful it may be, there was no +choice left to me." + +"I understand all that, Burrows. This is only a mere matter of +routine, anyway. The blow fell months ago, when I had to leave my old +home. I thought I might save it in some way by keeping myself +secreted, in the hope that several friends in another part of the +country would come to my assistance. But that hope no longer exists, +sir, and I am now ready to do whatever is required." + +"There is no hurry, Spence," the marshal went on, curiosity concerning +the mission of the motor boat boys getting the better of him, "and as +these gentlemen happened to rescue us from a very serious position, +since our boat was wrecked, and they were even then on the way to visit +you, perhaps you would like to talk with them, suh." + +It seemed as though Mr. Spence noticed the presence of the boys for the +first time then. He looked at them with a puzzled brow, as though +unable to guess what such a party of pleasure seekers could want with a +broken-hearted Southern planter. + +So Jack at once stepped forward, while his mates gathered in a clump, +eagerly observing every little thing that transpired. + +"While we were coming down the Delaware River, sir, starting on our +long coast cruise, we happened to come in contact with a young aviator, +who had alighted on the water close by us in a new hydro-aeroplane. +When he mentioned his name we recognized it as belonging to a daring +aviator who had suddenly jumped into national fame as one of the most +skillful of his class. He heard of our plans, and that in all +probability we would pass close to Beaufort. And he asked us to bear a +packet to a Mr. Van Arsdale Spence, whose present place of residence he +did not seem to know, but believed we would be able to learn it after +we arrived here. So I am pleased, sir, to hand you the sealed message +that was given to us by your son, now famous in the world of aviation, +Mr. Malcolm Spence!" + +The old planter started, and turned pale as his trembling hand was +outstretched to take the packet. Indeed, he was utterly unable to open +it, so that one of his daughters proceeded to do this for him. + +Jack held his breath. Oh! how he did hope that it would be good news, +for if ever any one had need of cheering intelligence this old, +broken-down man did. + +He saw him adjust his glasses and commence to read. Already had the +three girls gleaned all that was contained in that missive, and from +their happy faces Jack understood that it was all right. + +If he had any doubt he had only to look at the face of the planter. +First it was eager, then yearning, and finally he turned to the marshal +with possibly the first laugh that had burst from his lips these many +moons. + +"Aha! you're having your journey for your pains, Burrows!" he cried. +"The old place isn't going to leave the Spence family after all. Look! +this is from my boy, and directs me to go to the bank in Beaufort, to +which he has transmitted funds to make the first payment that will save +our home! More will follow as soon as he hears from us. Money is +flowing in on him, money and honors as thick as they can come. And his +heart has gone out to the father and sisters he left years ago. It's +all right, Burrows, thanks to these kind boys who have borne his +message to me." + +He went around, shaking the hand of every one with vehemence. And no +one looked happier than the marshal, upon learning that stern duty +after all would not compel him to take from his old friend the home of +his ancestors. + +"But it was a close shave, let me say," was his remark later on to +Jack, as they all started to gather under the humble roof of the +fisherman's shack which the devotion of those three brave daughters had +almost beautified, so that the old man might not be too much broken +down; "another day would have been too late." + +"Then I'm glad that storms and breakdowns did not keep us from getting +here on time," said the commodore of the Motor Boat Club. + + + + +CHAPTER XX. + +MEETING TROUBLE HALF WAY. + +Jack had been studying his coast survey charts seriously of late. + +He knew that there were a few hardships before them ere they could +anchor in front of Florida's metropolis on the St. John's River, fair +Jacksonville. + +And as it was only right that every member of the club should share in +the discussion as to their course, he gave them to understand that +there would be held a caucus on the very next night. + +At the lower end of Bogue Sound amid the sedge grass they hoped to make +their next camp, when this question would be debated from every side, +and the plan of campaign adopted as majority decided. + +When they were getting ready to leave the Spence family, Jack felt some +one pulling at his sleeve, and looking around discovered that it was +old Pete. + +"How 'bout that ere dollar, boss?" asked the cracker. + +"That's a fact, I came near forgetting you, Pete," laughed Jack. "And +to prove that it wasn't intentional, here's double pay for you. I +guess we've had enough pleasure out of this to count for two dollars." + +"That's mighty nice of you-all," declared the fellow, actually showing +something like gratitude in his manner, as he held out a hand for Jack +to shake. "An' mout I be so bold as tuh 'mind yuh thet I don't hanker +'bout stayin' down heah any longer than I has tuh. Yuh promised tuh +see I gut back tuh Beaufort, suh," he said. + +"He's got you there, Jack, for that's just what you did," laughed Herb. + +"I reckon that money'll burn a hole in Pete's pocket, unless he manages +to get to town right smart," declared the marshal; "but Mr. Spence heah +has got an old sail boat in which the hull lot of us is goin' to head +foh Beaufort soon. Pete is welcome to go along, if he cares." + +"That pleases us a whole lot," remarked George, "because, you see, we +had a nasty little experience with some toughs along the water front, +and they bombarded us with a shower of stones as we pulled out, though +fortunately none of them struck either the boats or ourselves." + +"Yes, and as we've got a long trip ahead of us before we reach the +place we marked for the end of the motor boat cruise, the sooner we +make a start the better. So we'll say good-bye to you all; and Mr. +Spence, best wishes for your future happiness. Perhaps some day we may +run across that famous son of yours again, because he took our home +address and said he meant to get in touch with us. We'd all like to +meet him again, eh, boys?" and Jack turned to his chums as he asked +this. + +"That's what!" declared Nick, who had been especially interested in the +wonderful hydro-aeroplane, and even hinted that some day he also hoped +to fly through the upper currents in one, much to the amusement of his +comrades, who roared every time any one tried to picture the fat boy +trying such stunts. + +So they shook hands all around, not forgetting the three charming +girls, who seemed very friendly disposed toward the Yankee boys, after +discovering what fine news the voyagers had brought their father. + +"All aboard!" cried the commodore. + +As the three motor boats put out upon the sun-kissed water the girls +waved dainty handkerchiefs as long as they could see the fleet. Then a +change of course shut out the fishing shack, where love had made a home +for the planter in his hour of adversity. + +"After all, that was a most satisfying adventure, fellows," Jack +remarked, for the other boats were close by at the time. + +"I should say, yes," admitted Josh. + +"Only thing I didn't like," declared Nick, who was looking quite +unhappy, they began to notice, as though a spell of sea sickness had +gripped him, "was that we had to break away just when we were getting +to know 'em." + +At that frank admission the rest broke into roars of laughter. + +"So that's the way the tide sets, is it?" remarked Jack. + +"Why, sure," cried Josh, "didn't you see how smitten Nick was with that +little brunette with the snapping big black eyes? She was pretty, all +right, and ten to one he's got her address, because I saw him writing +something down in his note book, sure as you live." + +But Nick faced them, rosy red but defiant. + +"Don't care if I did," he said, with a decided shake of his head. +"It's just rank jealousy on Josh's part that makes him say that; +because Betty wouldn't notice him even a little bit. Now, let's talk +of something else. I don't care to bring the lady's name into the +discussion." + +"Good for you, Nick!" said Herb. + +"And he's quite right, too, boys," asserted Jack, positively, and +immediately switched the talk to another subject. + +They made decent progress during the hours that they kept on. In +Beaufort they had managed to renew their supply of gasolene, so that +they now had sufficient of the fuel to see them through for some time. +Once they reached Charleston it would be necessary to lay in another +lot. + +But there was a hard proposition before them ere they could hope to +gain the beautiful city by the sea. Boats drawing the water theirs did +could not hope to get through some of the small creeks uniting the +broad stretches of water lying parallel with the coast. Hence it would +be necessary for them to make another outside passage, possibly several. + +But Jack had it all planned, and wished to get the opinions of his +chums before the course was definitely decided on. + +Camp was made in the sedge grass on Bogue Sound, just as they had +figured on, and after supper had been disposed of, a council of war +called. At this the charts were closely scanned, especially the pencil +marks which Jack had made. He also explained minutely just what he +conceived to be the best method of procedure. + +"Now, if we were making this cruise in canoes instead of heavy power +boats," he remarked, laying his pencil on a particular section of the +chart, "our best plan would be to have the craft carried by ox wagon +across a little stretch of low rice country here, to the Waccamaw +River, which has a very swift current; and down that we could run some +seventy miles, bringing us far on our way. But as we'd never be able +to find a way to take our boats across country, we must go outside +again." + +There being no other way, the boys presently unanimously agreed to face +the music. Besides, their previous success at riding the heaving +billows of the ocean began to give them confidence. + +"If we go around Florida, and bring up in the Gulf, we're likely to do +a lot of this outside business," remarked George, as bravely as though +he never knew what fear meant. + +"Yes," put in Nick, also valiant when settled on solid ground, "and I +suppose we've just got to get used to the thing. Who's afraid, anyhow? +Settle it just as you think best, Jack. We rely on your judgment every +time. That's why we elected you to be commodore of the fleet." + +"Hear! hear!" murmured Josh, pretending to applaud the noble sentiment +feebly with his finger-tips. + +Once the plan of campaign was settled, they all felt better. For some +time they had known that this problem must come up for solution sooner +or later, and truth to tell, it had been rather a load on their minds. +There is a positive relief in knowing the worst. Means for meeting the +difficulty can then be discussed; and as a rule most obstacles lose +much of their terror when held up to the light. + +The little insect pests came around in such numbers that it was quickly +decided a night ashore would not be comfortable. Nick was the only one +who rebelled. + +"Why, I'd put up with ten million skeeters before I'd voluntarily +choose to try and compose myself to sleep in that narrow rocking +coffin," he declared. + +"Now, I like that," complained George, always up in arms when his +beloved craft was spoken of in an uncomplimentary manner. "Look a gift +horse in the mouth, if you like; but the sleeping accommodations aboard +are good enough for _me_. And to show you that I don't bear any +malice, Nick, I'm going to help you fix up a berth on shore here." + +Nick might have backed out, only he dared not after that, and sly +George, who really delighted in the prospect of having plenty of room +to turn over in, knew it, which was the main reason for his offer of +assistance. + +So when the time came for retiring Nick was left ashore with a little +tent constructed of cheese cloth, which was believed to be so closely +woven that even the smallest insect pest could not pass through. + +Nick had tried his best to coax Josh to share his accommodations; but +the lanky one was content with his comfortable quarters aboard. Even +Jimmy shook his head when the fat boy showed him how splendid it would +be to lie there, and get all the night air that was stirring. + +"Excuse me, Nick," Jimmy had said, "sure, I'd like to accommodate ye, +but it seems to me there's a quare smell in the air that makes me think +of bears. P'raps they do come down here out of the canebrake beyant. +And I'd feel safer aboard the boat." + +"Now, you think you're going to scare me, don't you?" demanded the +stout boy, pugnaciously, his stubborn nature having been aroused, "but +all the same you ain't. I c'n see through a knothole in a fence. The +rest of you are afraid, that's what! All right, it's good there's one +brave feller in the bunch. But, George, you've just got to loan me +your gun again." + +"More razorback pork for dinner tomorrow, fellows," laughed George. + +"Oh! well, if you try to throw every obstacle in my way, why of +course----" began Nick, eagerly seizing upon the slightest excuse to +hedge; when George, fearful that he might have to share the cramped +quarters aboard the _Wireless_ after all with his team mate, quickly +exclaimed: + +"You can have the gun, and welcome, Nick; only be careful how you +shoot. One of those charges at close range would go through the flimsy +planking of my boat like a bullet. Here, take the gun. And if there's +anything else I can do to make you comfortable, let me know. I'm the +most obliging fellow you ever met." + +Nick looked at him out of the corner of his eye, as though he strongly +suspected the genuine character of this generosity. Still, he felt +that he could not in decency draw back now, so he took the shotgun and +tucked it away beside his blanket. + +Considerably to the satisfaction of the entire club, the night passed +without any wild alarm. If there were bears in the neighborhood, as +Jimmy had wickedly suggested, they at least had the decency to keep +aloof from the camp. Perhaps they showed their wisdom in so doing when +Nick was on guard. That, at least, was what he boasted, when Jack and +the rest came ashore and aroused him from a sound sleep. + +The fact of the matter was that Nick had never once awakened during the +entire night. A dozen bears might have prowled around the camp, +sniffing at anything left lying around loose, and in all probability he +would never have been any the wiser, provided they did not tumble his +tent down about his ears. + +Once more they started on their way. Jack continually consulted his +charts. When connecting creeks had to be negotiated, in order to reach +some channel beyond, it was absolutely necessary that the tide be taken +at its flood, otherwise they were very apt to find themselves stuck in +the mud. + +Three full days did they keep this up, and then, having managed to +surmount every difficulty, they reached the point where that outside +run became a necessity, ere they could enter the Peedee River at Winyah +Bay, and once more take up the inside route. + +Another day was spent waiting for the conditions to become more +favorable. Time was not any great factor in their cruise, but safety +did enter very much into their calculations. They had passed through +another stormy period and were quite satisfied to snuggle down to camp, +to rest up after their arduous work of the last few days, wriggling +their way through those tortuous creeks, and working the setting pole +at times for hours, when the saving of the precious gasolene became an +object. + +"How's this for the right morning?" asked George, who was anxious to +have the long and hazardous outside run over with. + +"Looks good to me, so far," said Jack, "and I guess we'll get off right +after we've had breakfast. We might wait longer and fare worse, you +know, George." + +"Oh! I'm ready for the run. It can't come any too soon to suit me," +declared the skipper of the _Wireless_, "and I honestly believe I've +got my engine in better shape than ever before." + +"Thank goodness for that!" said Nick, who did not look any too happy. + +And at seven o'clock, while the sun was hanging low in the east, they +started off, with the longest outside run of the cruise confronting +them; and all sorts of possibilities for trouble looming up on the +horizon. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI. + +FOG BOUND WHILE AT SEA. + +"How much further do we have to go, Jack?" + +It was Herb calling out after this style. The three boats were close +together, and steadily making progress over the heaving surface of the +ocean. Off to the right lay the shore, plainly seen, though they did +not dare approach too close, lest they get into that sickening ground +swell, that rolled the narrow _Wireless_ in a way to make those aboard +dizzy. + +"As near as I can judge we ought to see the mouth of Winyah Bay inside +of the next half hour. It's different from an inlet, you understand, +and wide enough to fool us, unless we take great care," replied the +commodore, who had his marine glasses leveled at the shore about half +the time, trying to pick up landmarks calculated to tell him where they +were. + +"Wow! that _would_ be a tough proposition, now!" shouted Josh. "What +if we did go past, why we'd just have to keep right along this way till +we made Charleston." + +"Don't you think of trying it," called Nick, from the _Wireless_, which +was being held in leash by the now cautious skipper. "Why, this +racking fever of anxiety would just kill us if it had to keep up much +longer, and that's right, fellows, even if George here won't +acknowledge the corn." + +"Oh! shucks! it isn't half as bad as you make out, Nick. The trouble +is, you're so plagued logy you can't keep the balance of the boat. +These thoroughbreds are delicately constructed, you see, and have to be +treated different from other boats." + +"I should just guess, yes," complained poor Nick, in a dolorous tone. +"A feller has to be thinking of the blessed old boat all the while, and +forget his own aches and pains. Why, every muscle in my whole body is +sore from the strain." + +"I say, Jack, would ye moind turnin' the glass back yander and tellin' +us what sort of thing that cloud is that hugs the wather so close? +I've been watching the same some time now, and I do think it's comin' +this way," Jimmy remarked, loud enough for the others to hear, so that +immediately every eye was quickly turned in the quarter toward which +the Irish lad had pointed. + +Jack immediately felt a sudden thrill of alarm pass over him, even +before he had focussed the glasses upon Jimmy's so-called "cloud." He +suspected what it might prove to be, and the very thought of being +caught out on the ocean by a fog gave him a decidedly unpleasant +sensation. + +"Say, that ain't a cloud, I bet you," declared Nick. + +"Looks more like fog to me," Josh called out, "and as sure as you live, +boys, it's creeping down this way and widening out like fun. Hey! +Jack, ain't that fog?" + +"It sure is," replied the one who held the glasses, as he lowered them +and cast an anxious look in the direction of the shore, as though he +would take a last survey before the land became blotted out. + +This was one of the things Jack had feared. A sudden storm of course +would have brought alarm in its train; but this silent yet gripping fog +might be just as potent a force toward their undoing. Once it +enveloped them, they were apt to grope along for hours, possibly +working more and more out to see. And when a wind dissipated the fog, +perhaps they could not see land! + +Jack immediately determined to risk minor dangers by turning in more +toward the shore. If he could only listen for the beating of the +rollers on the beach, it would be possible to tell when they came to +the open bay by the sudden cessation of this sound. + +"What are you changing the course for?" demanded George, suspiciously, +a minute later, though he followed suit readily enough, determined not +to get far away from the other more stable boats. + +"We'd better get in nearer shore, so we can hear the sound of the +surf," Jack replied. + +"Oh! I see, you hope to keep tabs on our course by ear, when the eye +fails us; is that it, Jack?" asked Herb. + +"That's one reason," Jack called back. "Perhaps we may be able to tell +when we're opposite the mouth of the bay, if we listen carefully. But +in another five minutes that fog will be down on us, boys, by the way +it creeps on, faster than we are going." + +"How about signals?" asked George. + +"Every boat has a horn of some sort, and you remember what the +different blasts mean. The _Tramp_ is a single toot, the _Comfort_ two +in quick succession, while your _Wireless_ is denoted by three sharp +ones, George. Four will mean that we must turn a little more to +starboard, and five, draw closer together for a confab. Got all that, +now?" + +"All right here, Jack," assented Herb. + +"And ditto with us," declared George. + +"Well, be watchful and ready for anything, for here comes the wet +blanket to cover us," observed Jack. + +It was a nasty fog, as thick as pea soup, as George called out a little +later. First the outlines of the shore were blotted out as though by +an impenetrable curtain. Then even the boats, close as they were, +began to go, until it was no longer possible to distinguish them from +the sea of gray vapor around. + +Naturally the boys felt exceedingly nervous every minute of the time. +Jack had reduced speed, for he did not wish to run past the mouth of +Winyah Bay, if such a thing could be prevented by due caution. + +An hour crept along. It seemed like three times that length of time to +every one of the listening lads. All this while they had managed to +catch that low throbbing sound from the shore. Sometimes it would be +very faint, and require careful work in order to locate it; then again +the beat of the waves on the sandy strand came quite distinctly. + +Somehow, as long as they could catch this reassuring sound, they seemed +to feel renewed confidence. And yet the strain was terrible. The day +was passing, and if night came on, to find them still groping their way +in this incertain manner down the South Carolina coast, the prospect +would seem gloomy indeed. + +No one seemed to care to eat much. Even Nick, for the time being, had +gone back on that wonderful appetite of his, and actually turned up his +nose when George got out the bag that contained hard tack and cheese, +asking the fat boy if he cared to have a "snack" to fortify him against +what might yet be in store for them. + +"Excuse me," said Nick, loftily. "There are times to eat, but +according to my way of thinking this ain't one of 'em. When a feller +has to do a lot of high thinking he'd be wise to keep his mind clear +and let grub alone." + +Truth to tell, Nick was feeling rather squeamish. The swell rolled the +narrow boat more than had been the case when they kept further out; and +besides, such were his fears that they affected his nerves, and also +his stomach. + +"All right," said George, who did not happen to be in the same +condition, "I'm not a big feeder, but it's always wise to keep up your +strength. And talking about letting grub alone, when you once get +ashore again the way you'll pitch in must make our supplies look sad. +I know you, Nick; you can't fool me." + +Nick disdained to make any reply. He even turned his back on the +skipper when George started to munch biscuit and cheese. + +"What time is it?" asked George, after a while, upon seeing the fat boy +look at his little nickel watch, for the tenth time at least. + +"Just three o'clock!" groaned Nick, sadly replacing his timepiece and +looking longingly toward the west, where he knew solid ground lay, if +only they could ever set feet upon it once more. + +"And we started out on the sea by eight," remarked George. "Say, +that's something worth while; and when we get to talking it over we'll +have reason to be proud of the way these bully little boats have served +us. Eight hours on the ocean; just think of that, will you?" + +The others were close enough to hear what was said, for it was quite +still, as the motors were running at a reduced speed. + +"Perhaps it may be eighty before we're done!" called Josh, on the right. + +"I do believe we're going to bring up on the coast of Ould Ireland +before we're through with this job!" Jimmy was saying, from some unseen +place on the port side of the _Wireless_, which happened to be +occupying the middle berth at the time. + +At that the rest broke out into a laugh, though truth to tell there was +not any too much mirth about the same. + +"Say, I haven't heard anything for nearly five minutes now, Jack!" +called Herb, who, it seemed, was paying strict attention to business, +and not bothering about whether he got anything to eat or not, or what +would happen in case they headed out into the vast expanse of salt +water that stretched across to Africa. + +"Same here, Herb," echoed Jack. + +"Do you think we've been heading out too far, and is that the reason, +Jack?" + +"I've got my compass right before me and, if anything, we've been +edging in just a little bit more than at any other time," came Jack's +answer. + +"Then what?" asked the _Comfort's_ skipper, eagerly. + +"Perhaps the bay has opened up, and the shore line is miles away from +us!" was the cheering way Jack put it. + +"Good for you, commodore!" called Josh. + +"Oh! I hope that's so!" wailed Nick. + +"But how are we going to find out?" queried Herb. + +"By changing our course directly into the west, and taking the bull by +the horns," Jack replied, boldly. "We can creep along, you know, and +if we've made a mistake, why, it's easy to turn around and bear away +again. But somehow, I've got a pretty strong notion things are going +to work out all right for us, fellows." + +"Hurrah! that's the kind of talk!" cried Nick, beginning to perk up a +little, and wonder if after all George might not be right when he said +that they owed it to themselves as a duty to eat, whether hungry or +not, in order to conserve their strength for any emergency. + +"Are you turning now, Jack?" asked George. + +"Yes; keep close by and try to pattern after what I do. Here goes, +then, fellows." + +"Hit her up; who cares for expenses?" cried Josh, who had been taking +it comfortably right along, and seemed almost free from care. + +By exercising more or less caution, they managed to change their course +without losing each other in the fog. This was accomplished by calling +out from time to time, or even sounding the signals on the horns. + +In this fashion then they began to creep along. Only for that compass +which Jack had before him, they might as well have been heading out to +sea, for all any one could say. + +"Me to get a compass as soon as we strike Charleston!" declared Herb. + +"Yes, and George must do the same," Jack declared, from somewhere in +the opaque mist. "Supposing we were separated in some way; you two +fellows would be badly off with no means for locating east from west, +or north from south." + +"Jack, darlint!" they heard Jimmy cry out just then. + +"What is it?" asked the skipper of the _Tramp_. + +"I do be thinkin' I saw a break in the beastly ould fog beyont us; yis, +an' by the powers, it's a braze that fans me cheek at this identical +minute!" + +"He's right, fellows!" shouted George. + +"Then that means good-bye to the nasty old fog, which will be a +riddance of bad rubbish!" called the overjoyed Nick, reaching out and +possessing himself of the cracker bag, so as to be ready to do his duty +by his system. + +"The breeze is dead ahead, boys," said Jack. "And in that event the +fog will be swept to sea. Watch now, and you'll see something worth +while." + +Jack evidently knew what he was talking about, for in less than five +minutes it seemed as though some wizard must have waved his magical +wand, for suddenly they shot out of the thick pea-soup atmosphere and +into the bright sunshine. + +They were indeed in a big bay, with land on three sides. The sun, now +half way and more down the western sky, shone in an unclouded field, +and the water danced in the fresh shore breeze. + +Then every fellow shouted and waved his hat, such was the relief that +passed over them at the successful termination of the long outside dash. + +"Don't any one of you ever dare to run my bully engine down, after it +has stood by me so nobly," George was saying, as they started at a +faster clip up still further into Winyah Bay, into which the Peedee +River empties. + +No one was disposed to cast the slightest reflection on the cranky +motor of the speed boat; for just then they were feeling at peace with +all the world, and quite ready to forgive their worst enemies. + +That night they camped on the shore of a creek that emptied into the +bay, ready to take up their southern journey with the coming of the +morrow. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII. + +SAVANNAH AT LAST. + +After that came some more hard inside work. There were times when even +the sanguine Jack began to fear that they would never reach Charleston; +for even at high tide they found the connecting creeks in many +instances little more than shallow ponds, and before they could break +through, considerable pushing and dragging had to be done. + +But where there is a will there usually appears to be a way; and by +slow degrees they drew nearer the city on the coast. + +"With good luck, fellows, we ought to make it tomorrow," Jack +announced, one evening, after he had been closely examining his charts +again by the light of the cheery camp fire. + +"Do you really mean it, Jack, darlint?" demanded Jimmy, with the air of +one who had almost given up hope. + +"I sure do," replied the other. "As I make it out, this is Bull's +Island we are on right now. If that's a fact, there's a fine inside +passage all the way to Charleston Bay, behind several other islands, or +at least one big one called Capers. Our troubles are over, so far as +this part of the trip goes." + +"That's bully good news you're giving us, Jack," remarked George; "and +I hope it won't prove a delusion and a snare. I've had about as much +of that push pole business as is good for my constitution, I guess." + +"Yes, and look at me!" cried Nick, pulling a long face, though with +only a great effort; "pretty near skin and bones, with all this worry +and hard work; and to add insult to injury, put on half rations +latterly. It's a shame, that's what." + +"Rats!" scoffed the unbelieving George; "I'd like to wager now that +you've gone and picked up ten pounds since starting on this cruise. By +the way you put away the grub it ought to be nearer twenty." + +"You don't mean to hurt my feelings, I know, George," said the fat boy, +sweetly; "and, considering the source, I'll forgive you. But I warn +you plainly, right now, that if I have to keep on being crew to your +blooming old speed boat, I'm going to lay in a lot of rubber cushions +at Charleston, so as to keep me from rubbing all the skin off my poor +body when I have to sleep aboard here, and the boat wabbles with every +teenty wave. Don't you say a word, for my mind's made up." + +"Oh! get whatever you want in that line; it doesn't make a bit of +difference to me. I never have needed cushions so far," George +exploded, sarcastically. + +"Huh! that's easy; because you've got me to bang up against!" exclaimed +Nick. + +"That's right, George; he's got one on you there," laughed Jack. + +"And who'd want a finer cushion than our Nick?" remarked Herb. + +"Nature knew what was needed, when he was padded and filled out so +well," Josh managed to work in with; "and if ever I needed a bumper, +I'd pick him out first thing." + +"Get out!" snapped Nick; but all the same he grinned as though +complimented. + +On the following morning, then, they made an early start, for there was +considerable of a distance to be covered ere they could reach the +hospitable docks of Charleston by the sea. + +Jack knew that their supply of gas was growing alarmingly low. Indeed, +George had already been obliged to borrow from the _Comfort_, as that +craft had the largest reservoir and could spare a little. + +"It's going to be a close shave to get us there," he remarked, as they +started. + +"What if my tank goes empty again?" demanded George. + +"I've been thinking of that," said Jack. "As a last resort then, we'll +make camp, empty all we've got into one tank, and that boat can go +after a new supply." + +"That's the ticket!" cried Josh. + +"It takes Jack to solve these maddening puzzles!" declared Nick, with a +look of affection in the direction of the chum who never failed them. + +"But still, I have hopes we'll all pull through," Jack continued, +encouragingly. + +"How'd it be for one of the boats to do the towing act?" suggested Herb. + +"And that would mean the _Comfort_, because she's built more on the +lines of a tow boat than either of the others," remarked George. "I +enter a kick against anything of the kind. It's bad enough to be +humiliated that way when a fellow's motor goes back on him; but in calm +weather, and with the engine in the pink of condition, it just can't be +thought of for a minute." + +"Hey! what you trying to do again; throw me overboard?" demanded Nick, +aggressively, as he floundered about when the _Wireless_ came to a +sudden and totally unexpected stop, just as George ceased speaking. + +"His engine broke down again, that's what!" jeered Josh. + +"Is that a fact, George?" asked Jack, provoked at the idea of delay. + +"Oh! not quite so bad as that," replied George, peevishly; "I think I +know what happened. I forgot something, that's all. Perhaps I can +have it fixed in three shakes of a lamb's tail. You go on, and I'll +catch up easy enough." + +"Don't you dare to do it, fellows!" cried Nick. "That might mean for +us to be marooned here a whole day, yes, mebbe a week. And most of the +grub is aboard that old _Comfort_, you see." + +"We'll wait a while and see how it comes out," remarked Jack. "Do you +need any help, George?" + +"Who, me? Not in the least. I tell you, I know what's ailing, and +I'll get it to going all right in five minutes," George answered, +stiffly, for the many freaks of his engine gave him unhappy spells; as +Josh once declared, it was like a certain girl he knew, in that "when +it was good, it was very, very good; and when it was bad, it was +hor-rid!" + +However, for once George proved to be a truthful prophet. By the time +those five minutes were up, he had succeeded in coaxing the refractory +motor to behave itself; and suddenly the _Wireless_ shot off amid a +rattling volley of explosions that told full well how her muffler was +cut out. + +George continued on at a pace that took him far ahead of the rest. +Then they saw him draw up and wait, as though, having demonstrated the +ability of his motor to do good work, caution again dictated that he +keep in touch with the supply boat and the pilot craft. + +That day was the easiest of the week. They had an open passage nearly +all the way to the bay, the weather was all that could be asked; and +the rest did seem so fine after so much hard labor with push poles. + +"If this sort of thing would only keep up," Nick remarked, as they +landed on a sandspit to make a fire and have a pot of hot coffee at +noon, in order to cheer things up, "I'd have some hope of getting back +to my former condition again." + +"Well, if that means taking up any more room aboard my boat," grunted +George, "I hope you won't do it. Things are getting to a pass now that +I'm feeling squeezed half the time. Some day we hope you're going to +have that ferryboat made to order, as you've been threatening. Say, +it'll just be a jim dandy, I guess." + +"It's going to combine speed with comfort," declared Nick, +unblushingly. "While it'll beat Herb's tub all hollow for room, at the +same time it can make rings around the poor old _Wireless_. Just you +wait; I've got her all mapped out in my head, and some day I'll +surprise the bunch." + +The afternoon run took them in good time to where the sound they were +following broke into Charleston Bay. + +"There's the ruins of old Fort Sumter!" cried Nick, as they saw the +lovely panorama spread out in front of them. + +"And Port Moultrie, too! Gee! to think that we'd ever get to set eyes +on the places we used to read so much about in history," said Josh, +staring around. + +"Well," laughed Jack, "to my mind right now, the best of it is that +yonder lies Charleston, where we can lay in a new supply of gas; +because I'm expecting to find any minute that my well has gone dry. +It's an awful thing to have a thirsty engine and nothing to feed it. +But perhaps I'll pull through by making every drop tell." + +It proved to be better than that, for there was not the slightest +trouble experienced in making the run up the bay to the city. + +Skirting the shore, Jack kept his eyes on the alert for some shipyard, +knowing that such a place would better accommodate the three power +boats than any other harbor. + +It happened that Jimmy's sharp eyes caught the first sign of a boat +builder's establishment, and presently the three little craft that had +come through such a checkered experience with credit, were secured to +landings within the enclosed space of the shipyard. + +Here it was determined to remain for a couple of days, as there were a +number of things to be done besides replenishing their stock of fuel +and food. + +All of the boys wanted to see the city, about which, with its beauties, +they had heard considerable. + +"From here on to Jacksonville we ought to have it fairly easy," Jack +explained to the rest. "There's an inside route taken by steamers to +Savannah, and from that Georgia city clear to Fernandina in Florida. +Then we will have to go out for just a little run; after which we enter +the broad mouth of the St. Johns." + +"And we'll really be in Florida then, will we?" asked Nick. "My +goodness; sometimes, when we were sticking in those mud creeks, it +seemed to me that Florida must be just six thousand miles away. And +we're going to make it after all? Well, that's what comes of push and +grit. You fellers would have laid down long ago, only for my keeping +everlastingly at it. But you're improving, I admit that; and I've got +hopes that in time you'll do me credit." + +Of course they were quite used to Nick's method of joshing, and took +all this in good part. Had it been any one else he might have been +suspected of egotism; but they all knew Nick, and what an effort it was +to get him to do anything requiring an effort; so that the joke was not +lost. + +"When you take to prodding us to do things, water is going to run +up-hill," was George's way of heading him off. + +"Well, fellows, there have been a few things Nick knows how to do +better than the rest of the bunch, you must admit that," Jack remarked, +dryly. + +"'Course we do," grinned Josh. "F'r instance, he can beat any bullfrog +I ever set eyes on, makin' a jump from a boat into the water." + +"And sure, he can give the rist of us points on how to balance a boat +by partin' his hair exactly in the meddle," Jimmy spoke up. + +"And there ain't a living soul in the same class with Nick when it +comes to stowing away grub. I've often sat and admired him at it, +until I just groaned in despair of ever being able to copy after him. +I ain't built the right way, boys, you see. My pockets won't stretch +far enough." + +"Oh! keep it going, if it pleases you, boys," the good natured Nick +observed; "it don't hurt me any more'n water falling on a duck's back. +Josh as much as admits that he's just consumed by envy because he can't +enjoy his food like I do. But I'm used to being knocked around like a +football. George here has rolled all over me forty times, I guess, +since we've been shipmates. I'm beginning to get calloused around my +elbows and knees. By the time this cruise is finished I'll be ready to +hire out in a side show as the only and original human punching bag." + +The stay in Charleston was covered in two days, during which they +managed to get around pretty well, and see all that was worth while. +Besides, they had laid in all necessary stores, and the gas supply was +looked after. + +On the third morning the Motor Boat Club set out along the wide Stone +River, which soon narrowed, as all these southern rivers have a habit +of doing, a short distance from its mouth. Then, by degrees, they +passed through a tortuous channel, that, being safely navigated, took +them in turn to another river, called the Wadmelaw. + +Passing the lower stretches of the swift running Edisto River, they +managed to make the northern shore of St. Helena Sound by the middle of +the afternoon; and an hour later determined to camp there in the open, +rather than enter the tortuous watercourses leading to Beaufort. + +An early start on the following day gave them a chance to pass Beaufort +before ten o'clock, and then head for distant Savannah. + +The course was intricate; but Jack studied his chart closely; and +besides, they discovered that the channel was located by means of +targets which doubtless had been placed there by the steamboat company, +so that with any exercise of care they had little excuse for going +astray. + +And as the last of Calibogue Sound was left behind they managed to +reach the wide Savannah River, just as the sun was sinking in the west. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII. + +THANKS TO THE PILOT--CONCLUSION. + +When the adventurous six left Savannah in their wake, and struck in for +the stream below the city which would take them to Wassaw Sound, they +knew that they had really started on what was destined to be the last +leg of the trip to Florida. + +By noon they had managed to make Ossaban Sound, and still kept on, +hoping to cross the wide reach that formed St. Catherine's Sound that +same day. But it was not to be. The sky clouded up, the wind whipped +into the northwest, and in a short time the boys realized that it was +getting very chilly for this far south, in the middle of October. + +When they saw the wild aspect that wide stretch of tumbling water +presented, it was quickly settled that the crossing must be put off +until another day. Accordingly camp was made in a hamak, where the +force of the wind was broken. And here they proceeded to take things +as comfortably as possible. + +George took his gun and went out to see if he could scare up any sort +of game; for there had been murmurings of late to the effect that they +did not seem to be getting their full share of such things on this trip. + +The fact of the matter was, that so much of their precious time was +spent in trying to overcome the numerous difficulties by which they +found themselves confronted, that there were scant opportunities for +fishing and hunting. + +Nick persisted in getting a line out, as he had been seized with a +great desire to partake of fresh fish for supper, and no one else +showed any signs of intending to make a try. + +Twenty minutes later those in camp were aroused by hearing a tremendous +splash, accompanied by half muffled shouts. + +"Help! come quickly, or he'll get away! Hurry! hurry, boys!" + +Everybody ran like the wind to the spot where Nick had been seen calmly +seated on a log that projected over the water, offering him a fine +seat, from which to carry on his fishing operations. + +What they discovered was the stout boy floundering in the water of the +sound, being drawn this way and that by some unseen agency that was +fastened to the other end of his line. + +Nick's obstinate disposition was made manifest by the frantic way he +clung to that same fishing line. No danger seemed sufficient to cause +him to let it go. Perhaps, though, he had been unwise enough to wrap +the cord around his chubby wrist, and could not have let loose, even +had he so desired. + +Josh doubled up, and fairly howled, the sight was so very comical to +him; which made the fisherman all the more angry. + +"What ails that silly goose?" he spluttered, as well as he was able, +considering that half the time his mouth was filled with salty water. +"He only thinks of the funny part of it. Don't care a cent whether a +human life is sacrificed on the altar of friendship; or a jolly big +fish breaks the line and gets away. Jack, somebody come on in, and +help me land him, won't you?" + +Jack was already throwing his coat off, and in another minute he had +leaped from the bank into the water. Just as Nick had said, there was +some danger that he might be dragged out beyond his depth; and at least +the great struggling fish was liable to break away, and become lost to +them. + +Once Jack got hold of the line, and it was all over. By degrees they +drew the captive to the shore, upon which he was finally cast, proving +to be an enormous red drum, or as they are called in the South, a +channel bass, weighing pretty nearly forty pounds, Jack figured. + +"Is it good to eat?" was the first natural question fired at him by +Nick, whose eyes were fairly glistening with pride as they watched the +dying flops of the bronze-backed quarry. + +"First rate, if a bit dry," Jack replied. "The meat is snow white, and +something like halibut, only not quite so fine. But it's a great day +for you, Nick. I can see one time when you're sure to get your fill." + +Indeed, it proved to be a good day all around, for just then they heard +George letting fly with both barrels, and following it with a glad +whoop. + +"He's gone and got something," declared Josh. "Ain't it queer how +things run? With us it's feast or a famine all the while. D'ye reckon +it was a deer he knocked over, Jack?" + +"More'n likely another shoat," said Nick, grinning; "but even if it is, +razorback pork ain't half bad when a feller's real hungry." + +Presently George came in. It was getting near dusk, and they could +just see that he was carrying a load of some sort on his back, which he +tried to hide until he could reach camp. + +Josh began to grunt at a lively rate, by which he hinted that they +anticipated another diet of pork. + +"What did you run up against, George?" asked Jack. + +"That!" exclaimed the proud Nimrod, as he swung his burden around. + +"Great governor! it's a turkey, as sure as you live!" shouted Josh. + +At that Nick could hold in no longer, but began to dance around in +great glee, rubbing himself as though in anticipation of the feast to +come, and making all sorts of suggestive motions, after the manner of a +man feeding. + +"How under the sun did you get close enough to knock the big bird down +with a charge of quail shot?" asked Jack, pleased because George had +held up his reputation as a sportsman. + +"I don't just know," replied the other. "I was standing in the shade +of a tree, and thinking that it was no use going further, when +something lighted close by me, and I saw it was a wild turkey. Well, I +just up and gave him both barrels, as fast as I could pull the +triggers. Then he flopped over, I ran forward and nailed my prize. +And he's pretty heavy to tote any distance, too, I tell you." + +"That means another of those earth ovens tonight, don't it, Jack?" +asked Nick. + +"Nothing else would do the business," came the reply; "and so everybody +get busy, piling up the wood while I dig a hole," replied the one +addressed. + +The turkey was baked to a turn when they uncovered the oven in the +morning, and, having their appetites along, even so early in the day, +those six lads made that noble bird look like a rack of bones before +they admitted that they were satisfied. Indeed, they had to fairly +drag Nick away from the wreck, for he declared it to be the finest +treat of his whole life. + +But then, he often said that. What was present always seemed the best +to Nick. Fading events held little interest for him, since the mill +could never grind again with the water that was past. + +In the morning the big sound looked smooth enough to tempt them upon +its treacherous bosom. The crossing was made with ease; and later on +came Sapelo with its particular troubles, the wind having risen +meanwhile. + +But the boats proved seaworthy, and the young Corinthians who manned +them had learned many a valuable lesson from past experiences; so that +by noon they had navigated this dangerous sheet of water and were well +along their way. + +"There's a lighthouse away over there, Jack," announced Josh, pointing +ahead. + +"Yes; that must be Doboy Light, and the sound of the same name will be +the next to take our attention, boys," Jack replied, composedly, as +though he had the entire map of the coast region impressed on his mind +by now. + +"Is there any end to 'em?" asked Nick, dolefully. + +"Two more before we reach Fernandina, St. Simon's and big Cumberland. +And after we've rested at Fernandina we'll go through a few more +passages, and then take a little outside run of a few miles, when we +can enter the St. Johns." + +"Oh! happy day!" chanted Josh, pretending to strum a banjo as he sang. + +"Then, if all goes well, we ought to bring up at Jacksonville inside of +say two days at the most; is that so, Jack?" Herb inquired. + +"Correct. And nothing is going to happen, make up your mind to that, +fellows," Jack declared, resolutely. "We've allowed nothing to +frighten us up to now, and yet used a due amount of caution, just as we +promised those at home, when they gave us permission to take this jolly +trip. And that's our slogan all the time, 'Speed, with care!' It's a +winning combination, I tell you, boys." + +They spent the night near Darien, in a creek that they happened to be +passing through as a sort of short-cut. + +Jack's confidence proved to be well placed, for on the following day +they safely passed both St. Simon's and the big Cumberland Sound, +bringing up close to Fernandina by nightfall. + +Jack advised against trying to reach the city in the dusk. There was +danger of running upon a snag, or happening to attract the attention of +dissolute characters, who, taking advantage of the darkness of the +night and the fact of the cruisers being strangers to the place, might +attempt to rob them. + +His plan was to stay where they were, a safe distance away, until +morning, and then make their way across to the city. + +"Just to think that we've really and truly done it," said Nick, puffing +out with either pride or the amount of food he had consumed for supper; +"and right at this minute the Motor Boat Club is resting on Florida +soil! Why, I can hardly believe it. A year ago I'd have laughed if +any fellow told me I'd engage to do one quarter of the stunts we've +carried out since we left Philadelphia." + +"Oh! you're improving every way," chuckled Josh. "I can even see signs +of it in your eating. You've got three of us combined beat to a +frazzle right now; and honest Injun, we think that by another month you +can stand off the whole bunch. Long practice makes for success, and we +all give you credit for trying your level best, Nick, every time." + +It was a lovely night, this their first in Florida. The trees, +festooned with the long, swinging, gray Spanish moss, looked like the +real tropical thing to all of the boys. And they felt a pride that was +surely justifiable, in the success that had attended their cruise down +the coast. + +"Best thing we ever did, and that's straight," asserted Herb. + +"And not one serious accident to mar the record," Jack nodded, his eyes +sparkling with satisfaction. + +"Of course we don't count those several little adventures of our fat +friend here," Josh put in, jerking his thumb in the direction of Nick, +"because we all understand that, being such a good-natured fellow, and +wanting to keep us in good humor, he did those stunts on purpose. Yes, +I agree with the rest of you, that we deserve a whole lot of credit for +coming through it all without a serious accident." + +"And much of that luck is due to the wise head that piloted the +expedition," declared George, generously; "and fellows, I propose that +here and now, on the first night we spend on Florida soil, we give Jack +Stormways three good cheers and a tiger, just to show that we +appreciate his leadership. Here goes!" + +And they were given with a will that must have made Jack's boyish heart +swell with pleasure; for who among us but would feel flattered at the +expression of admiration from his chums? + +The next day they made for Nassau Sound; and happening to strike a +favorable time for passing over the few miles in the open, they crossed +the bar at the mouth of the St. Johns at just half-past two, continuing +up the river to the metropolis of fair Florida. + +Here in Jacksonville we will have to leave them for a time, +recuperating after their eventful voyage, and making due preparations +for continuing the same through Indian River and the keys that dot the +whole Florida coast, with New Orleans as their destination. + + + + +THE END. + + + +The further interesting and thrilling adventures of the Motor Boat Boys +will be found in volume No. 5 of this series, entitled "The Motor Boat +Boys Among the Florida Keys; or, A Struggle for the Leadership." + + + + +[Transcriber's note: This short story was part of the source book. Its +author is unknown.] + + + + +MRS. STONE'S MONEY-ORDER. + +One day a well dressed lady, purporting to be Mrs. Richard Stone, +called at the money-order division of the New York office and asked for +the money on an order for L10, which had been issued in Lowestoft, +England, payable to the order of Richard Stone. The order presented on +this occasion had apparently been properly endorsed by Richard Stone, +who had made it payable to his wife. + +The only precaution necessary on the part of the examiners and paying +clerks was, therefore, simply to satisfy themselves that the lady was +Mrs. Richard Stone, the rightful payee. There being no person present +to identify her she exhibited several letters addressed to herself and +her husband, and the identical letter from Lowestoft, which contained +the money-order. + +She told them where her husband was employed, and gave the name and +number of the street of their residence. It seemed clear enough, and +the money was paid. + +Just such transactions as this occur a hundred times a day, and it +cannot be expected that the clerks can remember very much about any +particular transaction many hours after it occurs. Three weeks later, +when another lady called, also purporting to be Mrs. Richard Stone, to +make inquiries about a money order for L10 sent to her husband from +Lowestoft, England, there was not very much to say except that the +order had been paid. + +This lady also produced a letter from her husband's sister in +Lowestoft, saying that on a certain day she sent a money-order for the +amount named; that she had just received his last letter, and there +being nothing said about having received the order, she wrote to +ascertain if the order had not been received. + +Mrs. Stone, the second, stated that this was the first that her +husband, or herself, had known of the existence of such an order, and +she had called to see what could be done about it. If it had been +paid, surely somebody must be responsible for the wrong payment. + +It is the custom, where a wrong payment can be established, for the +postmaster or the clerk making the mistake, to make the amount good to +the right payee. Mrs. Stone's case was accordingly referred to me for +adjustment. + +Her story was told in such a simple manner that no one who heard it +could doubt her word. But it was possible that she had received the +money, and had forgotten about the transaction. + +When the order was paid the lady who received the money was questioned +by two examiners, both of whom were satisfied that she was the person +to whom the order should be paid. The same two examiners talked with +Mrs. Stone, the second, and one of them thought she was the lady to +whom the money was paid, while the other could distinguish very little +similarity and felt confident the first Mrs. Stone was not the second +Mrs. Stone. + +On the following day Richard Stone himself called to talk the matter +over and give me some points. He suspected a young woman named Nellie +Mason, who had been in the habit of calling on his wife, who was an old +friend of hers, and who resembled her very much. + +Mr. and Mrs. Stone resided in Twenty-eighth Street at this time, but at +the time the missing letter must have arrived in New York they were +living in a flat in Twenty-seventh Street. The mail for the occupants +of this flat was left by the carrier on a table in the lower hall, and +any person so inclined could have picked up the lost letter. + +He had several samples of Nellie Mason's writing in the form of letters +that Mrs. Stone had received from her from time to time, and they +corresponded with the endorsements on the order. + +The case was now becoming interesting, and, at Stone's request, I +consented to call at his residence the next afternoon to talk with Mrs. +Stone about Miss Mason. + +Richard Stone was a young man of probably thirty-two, and an +Englishman. His dress and appearance were faultless, while his +conversation indicated that he was well educated. He had been in this +country scarcely fifteen months, yet he was holding a confidential +position in one of the largest corporations in the city, where he was +held in the highest esteem, and where he was complimented alike for his +rare abilities and gentlemanly deportment. Indeed, every person +interested was delighted with him, and they had all often wondered at +their good fortune in securing the services of such a preeminently +competent man. + +Mrs. Stone was somewhat younger than her husband, and was of fair size +and fine form. "Her brow was like the snowdrift; her voice was low and +sweet," and nature had also generously endowed her with an abundance of +the most beautiful red hair that ever gladdened the heart of man with +its warm and genial rays. She was an American, and had been married to +Mr. Stone only a few months. + +Mr. and Mrs. Stone were both at home when I called. I was as warmly +greeted as though I had been a welcome messenger of peace from a mortal +enemy. Mrs. Stone had hardly recovered from a terrible scare she had +received the previous evening, and the household affairs had scarcely +resumed their wonted cheerfulness and repose. + +"Was it a burglar?" "No, worse than burglars!" And having never +learned that anything brought more terror to womankind than the soft +step of the artful burglar, I listened with bated breath to the +interesting story of the husband. + +It was his custom to arrive home each afternoon about six o'clock, +where the bright smiles of Mrs. Stone had never, till yesterday, failed +to bathe him in the warm and tender adorations of perennial affection. +Last evening when he entered at the usual hour the house was still and +dark, and the bright face of his loved one greeted him not. + +A strange man approached him, in as great surprise us if the dead had +come to life, and bade him be calm and composed, and said he thought +Mrs. Stone would soon recover consciousness; that somebody had sent her +word that her husband had been killed, and the shock was too great and +too sudden for her to bear. A telegram from a down-town office, which +brought the dreadful intelligence, lay upon the table, and it was +signed, simply "N. M." + +From this circumstance alone it was painfully evident that Nellie Mason +was a bad and designing individual. Mrs. Stone was sweetly reclining +on a richly-covered couch, and her faithful husband was lovingly +administering to her every little want. The lady, like tender blades +of grass that have been watered by a passing storm, seemed more +beautiful than before her severe trial. Under the warm sunshine of +sympathy and love, her many pleasing charms shone like diamonds in the +diadem of royalty. + +Seating myself within easy hearing distance of the fair Mrs. Stone, she +began the enchanting tale about Nellie Mason, the sorceress. It was as +follows: + +"My maiden name was Francis West. My parents died when I was young, +and I went to live with an aunt in Peekskill on the Hudson. There I +received every attention that a dear relative could bestow upon the +young offspring of a deceased sister. There I attended school, and in +that school I first met Nellie Mason. She was about my age, and, like +myself, was living with an aunt, though she was not an orphan. + +"Pardon me when I tell you that I was an attractive young miss in those +days. Young girls know as well as older ones that good looks, grace, +and fine dress are envious attractions. No one understood this more +perfectly than Nellie Mason. + +"At school, at church, at parties, and everywhere, she seemed to grieve +at my good fortune. I always treated her kindly, for I had been taught +the charm of charity, yet, with all, it seemed that sometimes I could +no longer bear the unpleasant feeling that steals over a person when it +is known that another is constantly trying to imitate, and perhaps +injure you. + +"It is true, she looked like me in several particulars. That is, +Nature had made her something like me, and the points of difference she +was ceaselessly attempting to assimilate. There was only one marked +difference, but that was easily changed. Her hair was brown; now it is +exactly like mine. We were in the same classes and the same social +circles. + +"She tried to imitate my voice, my actions, and, so perfectly did she +imitate my writing, that no person can tell which is the genuine and +which the false. Whenever I procured a new gown, Nellie was as certain +to have one like it as she was to live. She would even squeeze her +foot into a two-and-a-half shoe, and was dying to imitate my smile. +Poor thing, how I did worry her! But what bothered her more than +anything else, was her inability in every instance to associate with +the same particular persons that I did. + +"In Peekskill, as I suppose it is in most places of its size, the young +men are quite attentive to the young ladies. While my aunt was very +solicitous about my company, I managed to receive about as much +attention as the other girls, and, do you know, I never had a beau in +my life that Nellie did not try to get away from me. + +"Finally, just to bother her, I would tell the young men that if they +paid Miss Mason any attention I would have nothing whatever to do with +them; that I would cut them squarely. Well, one young fellow, whom I +had thus admonished, thought it would be smart to tell the young lady +what I had said, and since that day Nellie Mason has not been trying so +much to imitate as she evidently has to injure me. + +"Soon after I married Richard and came to New York to live, Nellie went +home to Lewiston, Maine; and after she had been there a while she wrote +me a letter in which she said she had married. I have her letter now. +She did not remain long in Lewiston, for the next thing I heard of her +she was here in New York. + +"She called on me and said she was living with a Mrs. Gilbert, in East +Thirteenth Street; that she and her husband had quarreled, and that she +had resolved to make her own living, and was then at work in an +Insurance office. It is needless for me to say that I did not return +the call, but I presume it would have been better for me if I had. + +"One evening, about half-past five, about three weeks before we left +our old apartments, one of Mr. Stone's most intimate friends called. +There was nothing particularly singular or remarkable about the call, +for the gentleman often came with Richard and made real homelike +visits. He had not been in the house long on this occasion before he +said he was delighted to receive my kind letter. Of course, not +knowing what he referred to, I promptly demanded an explanation, when +he took from his pocket a neat little letter apparently written by me +and signed 'Frances,' requesting him to call at 5:30 that day, as I +wanted to see him particularly. Did you ever hear the like of that? + +"Well, to make matters still more embarrassing, presently in walks +Richard with another letter written in a scrawling anonymous hand, in +which he was advised to be home by 5:45 as he would find company. The +next thing we heard was the money-order affair, and the next was the +telegram announcing Mr. Stone's death last night, which nearly killed +me; and who knows what will be next?" + +The only appropriate words I could command, after Mrs. Stone had +finished, were: "Wonderful woman!" I assure you I was unable to state +just then whether I referred to Mrs. Stone or Nellie Mason. If the +strange story was true, Nellie Mason was wonderfully remarkable. If it +was untrue, then Mrs. Richard Stone was the most remarkable character I +had ever met. I promised to call again in a day or so, and hastily +withdrew to strengthen or unravel the nicely-woven fabric Mrs. Stone +had offered. + +Richard Stone had acted so much in sympathy with his beautiful wife, +that I began to think if she was wrong, Richard could not be right +himself; so I determined to know more about him. I called upon the +chief officer of the company where he was employed, and confidentially +asked him what he knew about Stone. + +He told me that Stone came from England with the best kind of written +recommendations from several of the oldest established business houses +in London and Norwich; and further, that he had been warmly recommended +by the Young Men's Association, in New York to which he had been +splendidly introduced, and in whom the officers of the association +still retained a deep interest. He was a first-rate business man, and +he thought there could be no more question about his character than +there was about his own. + +I told him there were some decidedly singular features about my case; +but, of course, they could possibly all be cleared up without leaving a +blemish on Stone's character. I thought, under all the circumstances, +it would be best to have a frank talk about the matter, and if he still +thought Stone was honest and honorable we would say no more about it. + +He was so impressed with the story that he said they could not afford +to retain him, valuable as he was, if there was a probability that he +was not what he should be. But to be sure that they were making no +mistake, they would commence the investigation in England, and at once. +That day a cablegram was forwarded to an agent in London, who was given +full instructions what to do and how to send his report. + +Having disposed of Mr. Stone for a brief period I devoted a day or two +to investigating Mrs. Stone and Nellie Mason, and I know the result +will be read with interest. There was no record at Peekskill that +showed that either of the ladies ever resided there. There was no +record in Lewiston of Nellie Mason's father or Nellie Mason. She had +never lived at Mrs. Gilbert's in East Thirteenth Street, but Miss +Frances West had, and, by the loquacious landlady, who knew about all +there was in this world worth knowing, and who had not kept a boarding +house all these years for nothing, I was advised to investigate Miss +West very sharply indeed. When I asked Mrs. Gilbert if she had not +heard of Miss West's marriage, she said: "Tut, tut, I do not believe +one word of it." + +I was not long in determining beyond a doubt that Mrs. Stone sent the +telegram to herself, announcing her husband's death. She had +ingeniously sent it to her own number in West Twenty-seventh Street, +knowing that the messenger, when he found no such person on the west +side, would surely cross to East Twenty-seventh, and would not reach +the last number till after she had arrived home. While I was looking +up the telegram I heard that a detective was looking up a Miss Nellie +Mason from Peekskill, who, it was supposed, had purloined a beautiful +stem-winding, full jeweled Elgin, No. 10,427 from a gentleman from +Boston, who had been spending a short vacation in New York. It is +needless to add that there was no such person as Nellie Mason, and that +the money-order was not repaid. + +When the first returns were in from London it was quite evident that +Mr. Stone had been elected by an unusually large majority. The highly +perfumed letters of recommendation that he brought over with him were +all false, the supposed writers never having heard of such a person. +He had been compelled to leave England because of a few slight slips of +the pen, which, at this time, it is not worth while to mention and that +at Lowestoft, where his parents resided, he was looked upon as a "very +slippery gentleman," whose true name was not Stone, but Hartley. + +Not long afterward, and quite recently, Stone attempted by +misrepresentations to procure a large amount of money from certain Wall +Street brokers, which would enable him, he said, "to return to England +and live in splendor." But the scheme failed after he had procured a +few hundred dollars, and, instead of being permitted to enjoy the +magnificence of the old world, he suddenly found himself enjoying the +splendors of one of the oldest prisons in New York. + + + + + +[Transcriber's note: the publisher's five-page catalog follows.] + + + + + + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Motor Boat Boys Down the Coast, by Louis Arundel + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MOTOR BOAT BOYS DOWN THE COAST *** + +***** This file should be named 30727.txt or 30727.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/0/7/2/30727/ + +Produced by Al Haines + +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. 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