Let's tie the motor boat fast
"Let's tie the motor boat fast".
"Why?" asked Sammy.
"Because, we don't know anything about that schooner," went on Bob. "Maybe all her crew died from smallpox, or something like that. Maybe she's sinking, and we wouldn't want to stay on board if she was. You can't tell what makes her this way. Tie our boat fast, I say, and then, if we want to, we can come back on theSkipif we don't like it on theMary Ellen," for that was the name of the drifting schooner, as they could see painted under her stern.
"Good idea," exclaimed Sammy. "We can live on theSkipfor a while, anyhow, if it doesn't storm again. But let's have a try on this schooner. We'll have more room there, and if it does get rough we won't mind it so."
They all agreed with this plan, and soon a rope from the motor boat was made fast to a cable from the schooner. Then, making sure they would not lose theSkip, the boys pulled themselves over the rail of theMary Ellen, and landed on her deck.
They looked about them curiously. There was not a sound except the creaking of ropes in pulley blocks, and the rattle and bang of the sails as they swung to and fro, not being held in check by the main sheets.
"There doesn't seem to be anybody here," said Bob. He spoke in a low voice, as though someone were dead.
"Not a soul," went on Sammy, in the same quiet tones.
The big boom of the forward sail swung across the deck over the heads of the boys. They ducked, but there was no need for it.
"We could make that fast, anyhow," suggested Frank.
"That's right," agreed Bob.
As my old readers know, the boys had sailed in thePuffbefore it was wrecked, and knew a little about such matters.
By hauling on a certain rope they pulled the end of the boom, or the bottom stick to which the sail is fastened, around so that it could not swing so far to either side. Then they did the same with the other sail.
"Come on, let's take a look below," said Frank.
The boys hesitated for a moment, and then started for the companionway, or stairs, that led below.
Standing at the head of the companionway, the three Fairview boys were in line. Then, in some strange manner, Sammy rather got behind his two chums. Frank noticed this at once.
"What's the matter?" he asked, turning to Sammy. "Are you afraid to go down?"
"No—no—of course not!" exclaimed Sammy, quickly. "But the stairs are so narrow——"
"Pooh, they're wide enough for us three," said Frank. "Here, I'll go first if you like—I'm not afraid."
"Neither am I!" retorted Sammy, as he stepped up between his chums once more.
"Let's all go down together," suggested Bob. "I don't believe that there's anything down there, but——"
Suddenly a deep, hollow groan sounded from somewhere in the lower region of the ship.
"Hark!" cried Sammy.
"Oh, we all heard it!" gasped Bob. "No need to hark! I'm going up on deck."
He turned to go back up the few steps he had come down, and Sammy went with him. Only Frank stood there.
"Say, what's the matter with you two fellows?" he asked.
"But did you hear it?" asked Sammy.
"Sure I heard it," said Frank. "It was——"
But he did not need to describe it, for the sound came again,a deep, hollow groan that seemed to vibrate all through the schooner.
"There—there's someone down there!" panted Bob.
"Well, what of it?" asked Frank, coolly. He did not seem nearly as frightened as were his chums.
"Then I'm not going down," went on Bob. "Maybe it's somebody hurt."
"That's all the more reason why we ought to go down—he may need help, if it's one of the sailors who couldn't get away when the others went," insisted Frank. "Come on down."
Frank's sensible talk made Bob and Sammy less afraid, and they again took their positions by their chum's side, ready to descend the companionway stairs.
Every once in a while the groan would sound again, but the boys were not so easily frightened now.
As they went down they looked about, but they saw no signs of disorder or confusion which they would have noticed had the captain and crew of the schooner left in a hurry, or after some struggle. Everything was in order, and it looked as if the sailors had just gone ashore in the regular way, leaving the vessel to the wind and sea. Before going down the boys had noticed that there were one or two small boats on the davits, showing that if the crew had left the schooner at sea, they had not taken all the rowing craft with them.
"It's a queer puzzle," said Frank, as he and his chums looked about.
"It sure is," agreed Bob. "I wonder——"
"Hark!" cried Sammy.
Again came that queer, groaning sound, and it was so close at hand that the boys jumped.
"The noise came from there," said Bob, pointing to the captain's stateroom.
"Maybe—maybe he's tied up in there—hurt," suggested Sammy.
"Maybe—and maybe not!" exclaimed Frank with vigor. "I'm going to have a look!"
His chums glanced at him admiringly. After just a moment of hesitation, Frank tried the knob of the stateroom door. The portal swung open easily, and the boys eagerly looked inside. They were rather disappointed, it must be confessed, when they did not see the body of the captain stretched out in his berth, bound with ropes. The stateroom was empty.
"Well, what—what made that groaning noise?" asked Sammy.
The groaning sound came again, and then all three of the boys saw what it was. A chest of drawers made fast to the side of the stateroom, had torn loose, probably when the schooner pitched and tossed in the storm, and this chest, swaying back and forth as the vessel rolled, scraped against the floor, making a groaning, creaking noise that sounded a good deal like a man in pain. Now that the boys were close to it, the sound did not seem quite so weird, but at a little distance almost anyone would have said it was a groan.
"And that's all it was!" exclaimed Sammy.
"Yes," said Frank, "that's usually the way things do turn out."
For a moment the boys stood peering about the small cabin Then Bob said:
"Let's look around a bit more. Maybe we can find somebody, or something, that will tell how the vessel came to be drifting this way."
They opened the other stateroom doors, but inside all was in order. The bunks were made up, and there was no confusion.
"Now for the place where the crew live!" cried Sammy.
"The fo'cas'le!" exclaimed Frank. "I should think you'd know that by this time, Sammy."
But they found nothing in the quarters where the crew ate and slept to explain the mystery. Things were not as nice there as in the cabin, but there was no disorder that would show a hasty flight from the ship. The boys went to the galley, which is the kitchen of a ship, but as they found a big coal range there, and did not want to kindle a fire in that, they decided to get their meals in their own small boat, on the oil stove.
They had now made an inspection of theMary Ellen, and they knew no more about her than at first. It was all a strange mystery of the sea.
"We're going along some," said Frank, as he looked over the side.
A little breeze had sprung up, and, now that the sails of the schooner were set to catch the wind, she went ahead through the waves, pulling the motor boat after her.
"Hadn't we better steer?" asked Bob.
"No, we can tie the wheel fast, while we eat," said Frank. "She'll steer herself then, and we won't have to bother."
"Which way shall we steer?" asked Bob.
"Straight ahead, I say," remarked Frank, who seemed to have taken command. "We don't know where we are, and we don't know which way land is, so one direction is as good as another. It will be easier to steer straight ahead, and we may sight land that way, as well as if we set the rudder to right or left."
To this his chums agreed, and soon the wheel was tied fast, or "lashed" to use the proper sea term. Then the boys pulled on the rope attached to the motor boat, and brought theSkipalongside. They could easily get on her raised cabin deckfrom the schooner rail, for the larger vessel was not very high in the water.
"Say, hold on," said Frank, when they were about to go aboard. "What's the matter with us bringing our grub up from there, and staying here? It's safer here if it comes on to blow again, and we'll be more comfortable. We can use the captain's cabin, and have more room to move about."
"But it will be a lot of work to cook on that big coal stove," objected Sammy.
"We won't have to. We can hoist theSkip'soil stove up here. It isn't very big. There's probably oil aboard here, too. I say let's stay here."
"I do, too!" cried Bob; and so it was arranged. They went aboard theSkipto get food, for they did not feel that they should take the stores of the schooner.
Then the oil stove was hauled to the deck of theMary Ellenby means of a rope. Fortunately the sea was very smooth while this was being done, so the boys had little trouble.
Then, rather tired from their work, and very hungry, they cooked a late breakfast, enjoying it very much.
"This is something like!" cried Frank, as he looked about the cozy cabin. "This is real traveling."
"We're not doing much traveling—we're letting the ship sail herself," remarked Sammy.
"Well, it's all we can do," said Bob. "And maybe we'll be worse off when it comes to a blow. But if only mom knew where we were, and that we were safe, I shouldn't mind. I'm afraid she'll worry, and get sick."
"I hope not," said Frank. "But we stand a better chance now of being picked up. Say, I never thought of it!" he cried. "We must run up a signal of distress. If some other ship sees us now they'll never know we're in trouble. We must run up a signal of distress."
"How do you do it?" asked Bob.
"The United States flag, upside down, will do," said Sammy, promptly. He had read of that in his books.
"Yes, that will do," agreed Frank. "Come on, let's hunt for a flag."
It did not take them long to find one in the locker where several signal flags were kept, and soon they discovered the right rope by which it could be hoisted to the masthead. It was sent up, with the stars down, and then the boys could only wait and hope.
They made sure that theSkipwas well fastened to the stern of the schooner, and the rest of the day they spent going about the ship. They found a telescope, and with this they searched the horizon for a sight of other vessels.
They saw several, even without the aid of the glass, but they could not signal to them, any more than they had already done, and the vessels were either too far away, or else paid no attention to the reversed flag on the mast. There was no wind to flutter it, and, naturally, it could not very well be seen from any other ship. The boys would have to trust to chance.
The day passed, night came, and the boys prepared to spend another period of darkness away from the cottage at Lighthouse Cove. True, they were better off than the night before, and there was no storm, but they very much wished to be safe with their folks again.
Slowly drifting before a gentle breeze, theMary Ellenmade her way over the water. The boys found lanterns and lighted them, for they knew the danger of being run down in the night if they displayed no signals. They sat up rather late, and watched for the lights of some passing craft, but saw none.
"I know what we can do in the morning if we're not picked up," said Frank.
"What?" asked Sammy.
"Make a smudge of smoke on board here. Smoke can be seen a long way, and maybe it will bring us help."
"We'll try it," decided Bob.
They went to bed, but they did not sleep as well as the night before. Morning came, and with it a dense fog.
"That's too bad!" exclaimed Frank. "No one will see us now, and we may be in danger of a collision."
"Can't we do anything?" asked Sammy.
"Yes, we can blow a horn every once in a while, if we can find one, and ring the ship's bell. That's what they always do in a fog."
"Then let's do it!" suggested Sammy.
So while the fog hung about them—a damp, white blanket—the boys tooted the horn, and clanged the bell. This was to warn other vessels not to run into them.
But, though they listened sharply, they heard no sounds that would indicate another vessel to be near them. They seemed all alone on the ocean, and they were more discouraged than before.
True they were not cold, for the day was warm, and they had plenty to eat. They were in a good, stout vessel, too, and in no great danger, unless another storm should come up.
But oh! how they wanted to be back on shore again!
Night came, and still the fog hung down. There was hardly a breath of air, and theMary Ellenrolled on the oily swell of the sea. The night passed slowly, but with the morning came hope.
Soon after sunrise the wind sprang up, and blew away the fog. Then the breeze increased, and the sails filled out. The schooner went along at a fast rate of speed.
"And see!" cried Frank, "our flag shows well now. I'm sure it will be noticed by someone, and we'll soon be rescued."
But the morning passed, and no rescuing ship came to them. The boys, with hearts that were much discouraged, prepared their dinner. They had seen several vessels, but though they waved pieces of sails to attract attention, the other craft did not change their course. They even shouted and blew the big fog horn, but they knew they were too far off to be heard.
"Oh, well, we'll get picked up sometime," said Frank, as cheerfully as he could, "and we've got enough to eat for over a week."
The boys were at dinner in the cabin and the schooner was going along under the pressure from a wind that was getting more and more strong.
"Pass the beans," asked Sammy, for they had plenty of the canned variety.
"Hark!" exclaimed Frank, pausing midway in reaching the dish over to his chum. "Did you hear anything?"
"I didn't," said Sammy.
"There it goes!" cried Frank. "Listen!"
As they listened intently they all heard a dull boom, coming from somewhere in the distance.
"A cannon!" cried Bob.
"Someone is firing at us!" exclaimed Sammy.
"More likely it's a signal gun!" burst out Frank. "Some ship has seen our distress signal. Come on up deck!"
He rushed from the table, followed by the others. Then, to their surprise and delight, they saw a steamer headed directly for them, and from her bow there shot a puff of white smoke. It was a signal gun she was firing, to let the boys know she was coming to their rescue.
"Heave to! Lower your sails and we'll send you a boat!"
Thus came the command through a megaphone from an officer on the deck of the steamer, which had come to a stop not far from the schooner. The steamship had approached as close as she dared.
The boys, all thought of breakfast forgotten now, crowded to the rail, eager for their rescue.
"Lower your sails!" came the command again, for the schooner was still sweeping on.
"That's right—we've got to stop!" shouted Frank. "Come on, fellows, let's let down the sails."
They knew just enough, from having sailed thePuff, to loosen the proper ropes. Of course they loosened a good many wrong ones before they got the right ones, but finally the two big sails came limply down.
TheMary Ellenslowly lost headway, and rode gently on the surface of the ocean.
"That's right!" came the voice through the megaphone. "Stand by to throw us a rope. I'm sending you a boat."
The rail of the steamer was crowded with passengers who were much interested in the novelty of a rescue at sea. The steamer seemed to be a coast liner, probably engaged in the fruit trade, Frank thought.
In a few minutes a boat, containing several sailors, and someone in command, swept around from the other side of the steamer. It came straight for the schooner, the boys' hearts beating high with hope at each stroke of the oars.
"We're all right now!" cried Bob. "Oh, I hope they have a wireless telegraph on board, so I can send word to my mother!"
Loyal little chap! His first thought was of her whom he knew would be worrying so!
"Oh, there's a wireless all right," said Frank, as he pointed to the wires strung between the signal masts of the steamer.
"Oh, I'm so glad!" cried Bob, and there were tears of joy in his eyes.
"But if they take us on board the steamer, what will we do with the schooner, and the motor boat?" asked Sammy.
"Oh, we won't have to worry about that!" cried Frank. "We've had troubles enough. Now we're going to take it easy!"
The boat containing the sailors came nearer. The officer looked at the three boys curiously. Frank had tossed a rope over the side. The schooner's rail was so low that no accommodation ladder was needed.
"Ahoy there!" called the officer, as the sailors brought the boat broadside to, and one of them held her there by clinging to the rope. "What schooner is that?"
"TheMary Ellen," answered Frank.
"Where from, and where bound?" asked the officer.
"We don't know," replied Frank, with a smile.
"You don't know! Well, who's in command?"
"I guess we are," went on Frank. "We picked her up yesterday, and we've been aboard ever since. She was abandoned."
The officer uttered a whistle of surprise.
"I'll come aboard," he said, a moment later. "Fend off, and stand by until I signal you," he added, to the sailors. The officer, who proved from the lettering on his cap, to be the chief mate, was soon on the deck of theMary Ellen, and then came a series of questions.
Frank and his chums told about all that had happened to them from the time of being blown out to sea in the motor boat until they were seen by the steamer.
"It was your flag, union down, that caught our attention," the mate said. "You're a set of plucky youngsters, and I congratulate you. Now I suppose you'd better come aboard the steamer, unless you want to take this schooner to port yourselves and claim the salvage money," he said with a smile.
"Indeed we do not!" exclaimed Bob. "We've had enough of her. I want to send a wireless message to my mother—quick."
"You can do that all right," said the mate. "Now I'll just have a look about, and see what the ship's papers say. They may solve the mystery. Then we'll go aboard the steamer."
"But what about theMary Ellen, and our motor boat?" asked Sammy.
"Oh, we'll look out for them," promised the mate. "I'll have the captain send a crew aboard the schooner to work her back to port, and they'll tow your motor boat, too. You needn't worry."
The mate went to the schooner-captain's cabin, and got what papers were there. These showed theMary Ellento be sailing from New York to Savannah, Georgia, with a mixed cargo, but gave no cause for the abandoning of the craft. However, that mystery was explained later.
Leaving one or two of the rowers in charge of the schooner, the mate went back with the three boys in the small boat to thesteamer. There they were received by the captain most kindly, and in his cabin they told their strange story.
"Well, I must say you lads are plucky!" exclaimed the commander. "And you've done yourselves a good turn, too. That schooner has a valuable cargo, and is worth considerable herself. Of course I shall have to lay claim, in the name of the owners of my vessel, to most of the salvage, for my crew will take her to port. But I will see that you boys get your proper share."
Bob and his chums were most surprised by their good luck.
The passengers of the steamer heard the lads' story, and made much of the boys, who were glad indeed to be safe on a vessel that could take them to some place whence they could reach Lighthouse Cove again.
Bob's first thought was to telegraph his mother that they were safe, and soon the wireless was cracking out a message that, when it was received, made Mrs. Bouncer a most happy mother, for it told her that Bob and his chums were all right.
More sailors were sent aboard the schooner to work her to the nearest port, towing the motor boat. Then the steamer started off again, with the boys as passengers. The captain promised to land them at a port where they could get a train back to Lighthouse Cove, and this he did, later in the day, sending them ashore in a launch.
That night Bob and his chums were home again.
By turns the boys told their story.
"Oh, but we were so worried!" exclaimed Mrs. Bouncer. "Of course it wasn't your fault, though. Silas kept telling us that his boat would ride out the storm, but your father has hired a large motor boat and is off searching for you."
But the good news soon reached Mr. Bouncer, for it was telegraphed all along the coast, and he heard it when he put in at a port to get gasolene. Then he hurried back to Barnacle Cottage.
"But what made the schooner abandoned?" asked Bob's father, when he had heard the story. The boys did not know, but a day or so later that mystery was cleared.
It seemed that, just before the storm that sent Bob and his chums to sea, the schooner had put in at a small port for a supply of fresh water, hers having leaked away because of faulty casks. All the crew was given shore leave, and the captain, too, went off to attend to some business. A watchman alone was left in charge, while theMary Ellenwas docked.
Then came a small hurricane. A neighboring vessel broke her mooring rope and crowded down on the schooner. The latter parted her cable and swung out into the channel. Then the wind caught her and sent her to sea, much as the boys had been blown. In the confusion that followed no one thought of trying to save theMary Ellenand away she went without a soul aboard, for the watchman had fallen overboard while trying to lower the sails. He was not, however, drowned.
So, after all, there was not much of a mystery about the schooner. She was claimed by her captain and crew, and her' owners gladly paid the salvage money, of which our young heroes received their proper share. Their parents put it in the bank for them.
A few days later Silas Warner got back his motor boat, which had been only slightly damaged.
"Well, that's over," said Sammy, a few days after their return from their unexpected voyage to sea. "Now if we could only find the pirate gold, we'd be all right."
"Oh, you're foolish!" exclaimed Frank. "There never was any pirate gold."
"Well, what was Professor Watson digging for?" demanded Sammy.
"I don't know," said Frank, "But it wasn't gold."
"There he is now, digging again," said Bob, quickly, "and he's on our beach, too. I guess now we've got a right to ask him what he's after."
Rather bashfully the boys approached the old man. He paid no attention to them, but went on digging. Suddenly he was observed to throw aside his shovel, make a grab for something in the sand, and then he cried out:
"I have it! I have it! At last I have found it!"
Eagerly the boys rushed forward. The man did not seem to notice them, but was closely looking at something in his hand.
"Have you found the pirate gold?" asked Bob, boldly.
The man looked at the boys. He did not seem annoyed now.
"Gold! No, I wasn't looking for gold," he said. "But I have found a very rare kind of seashell for which I have been searching all Summer. At last my scientific collection is complete. My search is ended!"
The boys did not know what to think.
"Weren't you looking for gold?" asked Sammy, much amazed.
"Gold! No, I care nothing for gold. I am a college professor and from my studies I decided that a certain rare seashell was to be found on this coast. I came here, and dug in many places for it. I even dug at night, for the creature that lives in this shell is said to prefer to feed at night. But I never had any luck until now."
"Then you know nothing about pirates," said Sammy, sadly.
The professor looked curiously at them.
"Ah, I have seen you boys before," he said, musingly.
"Yes, we followed you once," said Frank.
"I remember now. And I drove you away. I did not mean to be impolite, but this shell is a very delicate one, and you were walking over the land where I thought I might findone. I feared you would crush it. That is why I asked you to leave. But it is all right now. See, I have the treasure," and he showed the boys a curious pink and blue shell in his hand. To them it did not amount to much, but probably to the scientist it was very valuable.
The boys asked the professor about the night they had met him when the lighthouse beacon was out. He explained that he had just received word from an old fisherman, one of several he had told of his quest, with a command to kept it secret, that some sort of shells, very like the one the scientist wanted, might be found in a certain place. There the professor went, taking a light with him, and it was thus the boys met him.
"And so ends that mystery," murmured Bob.
"Well, I'm glad it's over," said Frank. "Maybe now you can think of something else besides pirate gold, Sammy, and we can have some fun."
"Yes, it's all over," said Sammy. "I wonder what will happen next?"
And what did occur I will relate to you in the next volume of this series, to be called "Fairview Boys on a Ranch; Or, Riding with the Cowboys."
But the days at Lighthouse Cove were not yet over. There still remained some glorious Summer weather and the boys enjoyed it to the utmost. They went swimming, crabbing and boating, but they never again went so near the inlet that they were in danger of being carried out to sea. And they neither looked for nor found the pirate gold although they did find some very pretty seashells.
And now we will take leave of the Fairview boys.
THE END.