They spent some time looking down into the hole. The masses of vapor, or clouds, rolled and swirled hundreds of feet below them, but never broke sufficiently to allow of a clear sight.
"Well, we had better go back to the ship," remarked the professor. "We must continue our voyage."
They were soon on thePorpoiseand steaming away from the strange island, the inventor deciding to get far off out of the influence of the terrible waterfall.
The night was, as usual, spent with the ship slowly steaming ahead on the surface of the water. It was getting on toward twelve o'clock and Washington had the watch. He was to be relieved by Jack.
The latter had been awakened by the alarm clock at the head of his bed, which time-piece he had set to arouse him so that he might take Washington's place. Jack was just getting the sleepfrom his eyes by a vigorous rubbing when he heard a loud yell.
"Land a' Massy!" cried Washington from the deck above. "I's goin' t' die suah! De ghostess am after me ag'in!"
Without waiting to dress, Jack sprang up the ladder and was soon out on the deck. He saw Washington kneeling down in front of the conning tower door while, at the after end of the deck, was a mysterious white object; the same strange shape that had been observed before.
"I'm going to solve this puzzle!" exclaimed Jack to himself as he made a dive toward the object in white. "This ghost business will have to stop!"
But, unfortunately for his plans, his foot slipped on the smooth steel deck, and he went down in a heap. When he got up the ghost was nowhere to be seen.
Washington, however, was still kneeling down and praying to be spared from the attack of the midnight visitor. Jack limped over to the colored man.
"Keep still," said the boy. "It's gone now. What was it, anyhow?"
"Some ghost from de grabeyard," replied Washington.
"When did you see it first?" went on Jack.
"'Bout ten minutes ago," replied Washington.
"Well it's gone now," said Jack, though he had to admit to himself that the affair was somewhat puzzling. Professor Henderson had been awakened by the yells of the colored man and came on deck to see what the trouble was. He appeared somewhat annoyed when Washington told him what had happened.
"There are no ghosts!" declared the inventor in positive tones.
"You wouldn't say so, Perfessor, if you'd seen him," spoke Washington. "He were all in white, tall an' slim, an' big red eyes, an' a green nose, an' fire comin' from his mouth an'—"
"Nonsense," interrupted Jack. "It was nothing but a white object, Professor Henderson. I saw it."
"And what do you think it was?" asked the inventor.
"I—I can hardly say," replied Jack. "Of course I don't believe in ghosts, but this—"
"It was probably a mist from the ocean," interrupted the professor. "Don't let me hear any more of it. Washington, go below. Your watch is up and Jack will take charge. I don't believe there will be any more ghosts."
Nor were there that night. ThePorpoiseglided along, requiring little attention, and whenmorning broke was several miles nearer the southern pole.
The journey was continued beneath the waves and it was found much cooler under them than upon the surface, for the ship was in the midst of the equatorial heat.
About four o'clock in the afternoon, when all was quiet aboard, there came a sudden yell from the engine room. Washington's voice could be heard calling for help. Then it died away in a groan.
"Something has happened!" called Jack. "Washington is in trouble."
He hurried toward where the machinery could be heard buzzing. The professor, with Andy and Mark followed. They expected to see the colored man caught in some shaft or belt, but he was nowhere in sight.
"Perhaps he has fallen into the ocean," suggested Mark.
"The engine room does not open into the sea," answered the professor.
A deep groan came from some corner of the engine room.
"There he is!" cried Jack.
But a careful search failed to reveal Washington. Still he could be heard to groan at intervals. Bill and Tom came and aided in the search, whileMrs. Johnson, who was worried at the unusual activity, asked what the trouble was.
Captain Henderson did not tell her, for, as he said afterward, he did not want any women fainting away on his ship. At his request Mrs. Johnson went back to her cabin, and the hunt for Washington continued.
"Here he is!" cried Jack at last.
The boy had climbed up on a small ladder that led to the big storage battery tanks. He had looked down, and there, in the large metal box had spied the colored man on the bottom. Washington was unconscious and breathing heavily.
"He has been overcome by the fumes of the sulphuric acid!" exclaimed the professor. "We must get him out quickly or he will die!"
"I'll get him!" cried Andy.
The old hunter grabbed a small step ladder that stood against the wall of the engine room. With this on his shoulder he climbed up the steps which led to the top of the storage battery tank. Then, by means of his ladder, he descended inside.
He had to work quickly as the fumes were very strong, but he managed to hoist Washington up so that Bill and Tom, from outside, could take hold of him. Then the colored man was carried out on the deck, where the fresh air and some restoratives the professor used soon revived him.
"Is I dead," were Washington's first words, as he sat up and looked about him.
"Not this time," replied the professor. "You had a close call, though. How did it happen?"
Washington explained that he started to clean the battery tank, when he lost his balance and fell in. He cried as he felt himself falling, but as soon as he struck the bottom of the tank the fumes of the chemicals made him unconscious. His deep breathing, which had sounded like groans, alone served to attract attention to his location.
In a little while Washington was all right save for a slight weakness. Captain Henderson made him go to his bunk, and ordered him to remain there until morning.
During the excitement over Washington's mishap all thought of steering the ship had been forgotten, and when Mr. Henderson went to the conning tower about five o'clock he found that thePorpoisewas several points off her course and was headed to the east instead of to the south. How many miles out of her way the craft had steamed could only be guessed, but as she had been going wrong for nearly an hour, it must be quite a few the inventor calculated.
However, he said, no great harm had been done. Even this slight accident would not have happened had not Bill, who was in the conning tower steering, forgotten to put the automatic device in operation when he left the wheel to join in the search for Washington.
"We'll soon make up the lost ground," said Mr. Henderson. "Another week or ten days ought to see us at the end of our journey."
"And what will we do when we get there?" asked Jack.
"We will make some important geographical and scientific observations," said the professor. "Not only that, but we will have done something that no living person has ever accomplished. We reached the north pole, though we could not land on the exact spot. Let us hope we will be more successful regarding the south pole."
The professor set the ship on her course again. Bill and Tom got supper in place of Washington, while Mrs. Johnson helped set the table.
The meal was eaten, and then the inventor started the ship toward the surface, following the plan of not sailing beneath the waves after dark, in order to avoid accidents.
The craft was making good speed ahead, with the big screw revolving in the tunnel and spurting the water from the rear, when there came a sudden jar, and everyone nearly toppled over from the quick stopping of thePorpoise. At the same time the forward end seemed to go up in the air.
"What has happened? Are we sinking?" cried Mrs. Johnson.
"I think we are going up," spoke the professor in cool tones.
"In the air?" asked the lady.
"On the land," answered the inventor. "I think we have struck shore and slid up on a beach."
He ordered the engine stopped and hurried to the conning tower to make an observation. He turned on the searchlight and looked carefully at what the beams showed. Then he came back to the cabin.
"Well, what is it?" asked Mrs. Johnson.
"We have gone ashore, just as I supposed," said Mr. Henderson.
"And whereabouts are we?"
"On the coast of South America."
"Near where?"
"Near Terra Del Fuego, the land of fire!"
"Are we in any danger?" asked Mrs. Johnson.
"I hope not," replied the captain. "If the ship is not strained the rising tide will probably float her safely, and we can continue our trip. We will have to wait until morning to see, however."
"And if the ship is damaged?"
"We will have to do what we can. We will hope for the best, madam."
The professor went on deck. His first opinion of the accident was confirmed. ThePorpoise, in emerging from the waves, had slid well up on a sandy shore, where she was held fast because the tide was rapidly falling. It would be twelve hours before there would be a chance of her floating again.
The mishap had occurred because the ship had gotten off her course when Washington's accident occurred, and had not been set right in time.
However, as Mr. Henderson had said, there was no particular danger, unless it was found that someof the plates had been strained, which might cause a leak.
The night was passed with the nose of thePorpoisewell up on shore, and before morning, as the tide continued to fall, more and more of the craft became exposed until the whole steel body rested on the sloping beach.
Jack was the first to awaken. He was up with the sun, and went out on the deck to take a view of the country he had often heard about. A stretch of wild landscape met his eyes, and to the left and right of the ship the waves were breaking on jagged rocks.
"It's a good thing we didn't hit the rocks," thought the youth.
Mark came up on deck, and the two boys looked over the scene. It was a strange one. Beyond the beach was a low level country, green in places, with now and then a patch of what looked like trees.
"And what are those brown spots moving about?" asked Mark.
"I guess they are herds of cattle," replied Jack. "You know South America is a great place for them."
For half an hour the two lads gazed about. Except for the stern of thePorpoiseall of the craft was now out of water, and one could have jumpedfrom the low deck down to a mound of white sand of the beach.
"Let's go ashore and take a run," suggested Mark. "I've almost forgotten how to walk on dry land."
"Go ahead," answered Jack. "I'm with you."
"All right."
The boys lost no time in getting down to the beach. They found it hard and firm, and made their way to the strip of grass-covered land lying beyond. Up and down they wandered, finding many curious and beautifully marked shells where the waves had washed them.
Suddenly Jack gave a big jump and let out a yell.
"What's the matter?" asked Mark.
"I thought I saw one of those cocoanuts move," answered Jack, pointing to where several of the big shaggy fruits lay under a tree from which they had fallen.
"I guess you're right," spoke Mark. "I certainly saw one of them take a little side step. I wonder what does it."
As the boys watched they were surprised, to see one of the cocoanuts come toward them, apparently advancing without any visible means of locomotion.
"This is a queer country," remarked Jack, getting ready to run in case the strangely moving cocoanut might be a warning of danger.
"Look! There's a whole lot of them moving," cried Mark.
Sure enough a dozen or more of the nuts began to advance toward the lads. The boys were not so much afraid as they were surprised. But a few seconds later the reason for the strange sight was made plain.
As they looked they saw one of the nuts roll down a little mound of sand. Then they noticed that a big land crab was on the tiny hill and it was evident that the nut had fallen from his claws.
"It's the crabs!" exclaimed Mark. "I remember reading about them now. They come ashore from the water where they live part of the time and get the cocoanuts. Then they smash the shells by pounding the nuts on a stone and eat the white meat inside. They are called cocoanut crabs."
"I was beginning to think we were in some enchanted land," spoke Jack.
"Well, it certainly looked queer," agreed Mark.
For some time the boys watched the strange sight. Then they walked along the beach, seeing several large star fish, and some big horse-shoe crabs that had been stranded by the tide.
"Look at that immense turtle!" exclaimedMark, as one of the creatures scuttled over the sand toward the sea. "I'll bet she's been laying eggs!"
"Perhaps so."
They made a rush for the tortoise but were not quick enough, for she slid into the water and made off.
"Here's her nest, anyhow," called Jack, as he pointed to some eggs, thinly covered with sand. "Let's go back and take them with us. I've heard they are good eating."
Jack and Mark started to gather up as many of the eggs as they could in their hats. While they were thus engaged they heard a call from the ship and looked up to see coming toward them, all of the ship's company except Washington.
"I wonder if anything could have happened," spoke Mark.
He and Jack dropped the eggs and started on a run toward the stranded ship. They were reassured, however, when they saw the professor waving his hand at them. When he got within hailing distance the inventor called:
"It's all right, boys. We're just taking a little walk, before breakfast, for an appetizer. It's been some time since we were on land. Washington says he'll have some fine fried ham for us in a little while."
"And here are the eggs to go with it," spoke Jack.
"Have you found a hen house?" asked Mr. Henderson in some wonder.
"No, but we discovered a turtle, which is just as good," replied Mark. The professor agreed with him, and called for Washington to come and get the eggs.
"Wall I 'clare to goodness!" exclaimed the colored man as he gathered the product of the turtle up in his cook's apron. "Dis suttinly am a queer contraption of a country to find eggs growin' in de sand."
He shuffled back to the ship, while the others walked up and down on the beach. In about half an hour the professor suggested that they return.
"Washington must have breakfast ready by now," he said, "and I, for one, am hungry enough to enjoy it."
They turned toward the strandedPorpoisebut no sooner had their eyes taken in the sweep of the ocean that lay before them than they uttered cries of fear.
Spreading out from the beach in a big half circle that enclosed within its curve the submarine, were three score of canoes, each one filled with half naked savages.
"The natives are going to attack the ship!"cried the professor. "We must hurry back or we are lost!"
He started on the run, accompanied by the boys and men. Mrs. Johnson and her daughter brought up the rear. The adventurers had gone from one misfortune into another.
At the top of their speed they approached the stranded ship. The natives saw them coming and the next instant hundreds of paddles broke the waves into a mass of sparkling water as the wily savages urged their canoes swiftly toward the submarine.
"If we can only reach it first we can hold them off until the tide floats us, and then we can escape," said the professor.
He increased his pace though the run wasbeginningto tell on his aged frame. The adventurers were now within an eighth of a mile of the ship, but the savages were closer, and had the advantage of being able to make greater speed. The two forces approached nearer and nearer. Finally the first of the canoes reached the submerged end of thePorpoise.
With wild shouts a score of the brown men leaped from the boats and scrambled up the steel sides. An instant later they were joined by several canoe loads of their companions. They swarmed up on the deck, and some peered downthe winding stairs that led to the interior of the ship.
"Too late!" cried the professor. "They have captured thePorpoise!"
"But Washington is aboard!" shouted Jack.
As he spoke the colored man was seen clambering up out of the companion way. He gave one look at the wild natives who swarmed over the ship, and then, with a yell to be heard a long way off, disappeared below.
The shouts and cries of the savages grew louder and they seemed to be doing a sort of war dance.
"We must make one effort to drive them away," said the professor in desperation.
"We haven't even a revolver," spoke Andy.
"Let's use stones," suggested Jack, grabbing up a handful from the beach.
"Look out!" yelled Mark. "They are going to shoot some arrows!"
A second later a flight of the weapons filled the air. Fortunately the natives were too far away to permit the shots taking effect, but it showed that they intend to fight and take possession of the ship.
Even this did not frighten Mr. Henderson. His vessel was more than life to him and he kept on. Several arrows fell dangerously close and he might have been hurt had not old Andy run afterhim and induced him to go farther up the beach and out of harm's way.
"They will kill Washington!" cried Jack as he thought of the colored man at the mercy of the savages.
"There he comes!" yelled Mark.
He pointed toward the ship and as they all looked in that direction they saw the colored man climbing out on the deck. Under one arm he bore a long narrow box, and in the other hand he carried one of the electric guns.
"He's goin' to fight 'em!" exclaimed Andy. "He's got a gun and he will show 'em what's what!"
But Washington did not seem to have any such intentions. With a yell that equalled the savage cries of the natives, he sprang over the side of the ship, onto the sand and ran toward the group of adventurers. A flight of arrows followed him, but he was not hit.
"Why don't he shoot his gun at 'em?" demanded Andy, capering about on the sand. "He could soon scare 'em off!"
"I'm afraid Washington is too frightened to do anything like that," answered Professor Henderson. "He is lucky to have escaped alive."
"Wait until he gets here with that gun, an' I'll do some huntin' that will make them savages skip!" exclaimed Andy.
In a little while Washington came up to where the others from thePorpoisestood on the beach. The colored man was panting from his run.
"De most monstrous disproportionately extradition ob circumstantial occurrances dat ever transpositioned on my optical vasionariness!" he exclaimed as he laid his gun and the black box carefully down on the sand. "Ten thousand naked imps of darkness swarmin' ober de ship an' not a pusson to say what dey ought to do an' where dey ought t' go! It am suttinly terrible!"
"Why didn't you shoot some of 'em?" demanded Andy.
"Me?" exclaimed Washington. "What for I want t' shoot 'em? S'pose I want 'em t' git mad at me?"
"Well, you're a great one," went on Andy, picking up the gun. "I guess I'll have to take a few shots myself."
"Yes, sah."
From Washington the adventurers learned how the savages had silently come up in their canoes and surrounded the ship, gaining possession of it before he could make any effort at defense, even had he so desired.
"What are we to do now?" asked Mrs. Johnson, when they had retreated out of sight of the savages. "The natives have possession of the boat, and how are we to regain her when there are so many of them?"
"It certainly is a hard nut to crack," admitted the professor. "We will have to camp out on the beach for a while and see what happens. Perhaps they may leave the vessel when they find it will do them no good. They can't run her."
"But they can tear her all apart and damage the machinery," said Jack. "Then we would be in a pickle."
"Well, we won't hope for any such bad luck asthat," interrupted the professor. "We will look for the best."
"When are we going to have breakfast?" asked the little girl, after a long wait. "I'm hungry, mother."
"We will have it pretty soon," replied Mrs. Johnson in order to quiet her daughter's mind.
"But I want it now," continued Nellie. "I'm very hungry."
"Hush!" said Mrs. Johnson.
"An' I had de finest brekfust what was ever invented," said Washington, rolling his big eyes. "Mud turkle eggs, ham, preserves, coffee—"
"That will do, Washington," said the professor. "It only makes our mouths water to think about such things."
At the mention of the turtle eggs Jack nudged Mark, and signalled him to walk to one side. When they were out of earshot of the others Jack said:
"What's the matter with cooking some of the eggs that are left on the sand? There are plenty of them, and there is no sense in our going hungry."
"How you going to cook 'em?" asked Mark.
"I'll show you," replied Jack.
He scooped a hollow place out in the sand until he had quite a hole. This he banked up withstones until he had a small oven. By arching the stones over toward the top there was left a sort of circular opening. Over this Jack fitted a monster clam shell, with the concave side uppermost.
This made an improvised stew pan. Underneath was piled small bits of dry drift-wood, which a match soon set on fire. In a little while the water in the big shell was boiling.
"Now get some other shells for dishes," said Jack to Mark.
Soon Mark had piled up a lot of smaller shells.
"Help me gather some eggs now," said Jack, "and we'll put them in to boil. Then we'll invite the rest of the folks to breakfast."
The two boys soon uncovered from the sand a pile of the eggs, and in a little while they were steaming in the hot water. Then Jack arranged the shell-dishes on the sand. He went over to where the others were gloomily considering their plight.
"Breakfast is ready," he announced.
"This isn't any time for joking," spoke Professor Henderson, rather sternly.
"But I mean it," went on Jack. "Just come over and see. I'm not fooling you."
Wondering what he had done they all followed him.
"Welcome to Hotel Terra del Fuego!" criedMark. "We haven't much of a variety, but what there is we can recommend."
He began to dip the eggs out of the water with a bit of shell and placed them on the improvised dishes.
"Everyone sit down," commanded Jack. "The bill of fare is ready."
They all joined in the short laugh that followed, and soon were seated in a circle about the beach-oven. The eggs proved to be very good, even though there was no pepper. The salt of the sea water they were boiled in was more than sufficient.
"Now if there was only bread in that ammunition bag Washington brought with the gun," said Andy, "we wouldn't want a better meal."
"He'p yo'se'f!" exclaimed the colored man with a grin as he extended a canvas bag that was tied to the stock of the electric gun.
The old hunter opened it and found it filled with ship biscuits.
"Well I am stumped!" he exclaimed.
"I grabbed up de wrong thing in my haste," Washington explained. "I thought I had de electrical lightning bullets, but I didn't. Howsomever de gun's got some in de chamber."
"It's a lucky mistake," commented the professor as he munched a biscuit and an egg. "Bullets are good but these are better, when one is hungry."
They managed to make a fairly good meal, so that even hungry Nellie was satisfied. The boys found a spring of fresh water up on shore, and this furnished something to drink, for which they were grateful.
They sat about on the beach, after the breakfast and discussed what they had better do. It was evident that an attempt to regain possession of the ship, with their small force and only one weapon, was out of the question.
"We've got to use strategy," said Andy. "If we could play some trick on the savages we might scare them away. Otherwise I don't see what we are to do."
"It's a bad state of affairs," replied professor Henderson. "Even if we got the ship we might find it so badly damaged that it would be impossible to run it. It is a terrible thing," and he heaved a deep sigh.
The hours passed with no change in the situation. The savages remained in possession of the submarine, and did not seem inclined to quit the vessel. Most of them were inside, but quite a number paddled about the stranded craft in their canoes.
There was nothing for the adventurers to do but to await developments. With no chance of attacking the force of natives, they might considerthemselves lucky if the savages did not come ashore to give battle.
The sun was high in the heavens when, in the shade of a big tree where they had all taken refuge from the heat, Nellie again announced that she was hungry.
"I guess the boys will have to provide another meal," said Mr. Henderson.
Jack and Mark said they guessed they could find some more turtle eggs, and Washington volunteered to accompany them. As they were looking for a nest in the sand they saw one of the tortoises scurrying down to the ocean.
"Git her, quick!" cried the colored man. "Turn her ober on her back!"
The boys did so, though they did not know what Washington's object was. The big animal lay bottom side up, vainly moving its flippers. In a few minutes Washington had killed the turtle and cut it out of the shell.
"Now we'll hab turtle soup!" he exclaimed.
Soon the fire was again blazing in the improvised stove, and a little later an appetizing smell filled the air. Washington had made the soup, and, in addition, had cooked a number of the turtle eggs.
Big clam shells again served for dishes and a better meal than the breakfast was served.
"Now if we only had some dessert," spoke Mr.Henderson in a joking tone, "we wouldn't want much more. But I suppose dessert is out of the question."
Jack and Mark looked at each other and, without a word went off toward the woods. In a little while they came back, their arms filled with cocoanuts.
"How will these do for dessert?" asked Jack.
"Fine!" cried Mr. Henderson.
The fruit was broken open with stones and the delicious milk and soft pulp eaten with much relish. Then the adventurers stretched out beneath the trees and rested. The thoughts of each one were busy with plans for recovering the submarine, though no one seemed to be able to suggest any thing.
It was getting dusk, when, somewhat discouraged over the result of the visit of the savages, they were all seated on the beach. They were beginning to think again of something to eat when Andy Sudds, discovered the long black box which Washington had brought with him in his flight from thePorpoise, and dropped in a hollow.
"I suppose you've got something very fine in there, Washington?"
"I declare to goodness I don't know what dat air contraption am conglomerated with," said the colored man. "I jest grabbed it up and run."
The old hunter had, in the meanwhile, taken the cover off.
"What in the world have we struck," he exclaimed.
"Sky rockets!" cried Jack, with a glance at the contents of the box.
"Yes," said Professor Henderson. "I took some aboard in case we might have to signal for help on the water."
"Hurrah!" yelled Andy.
"What's the matter?" asked Jack.
"We'll use the sky rockets as weapons against the natives!" shouted the old hunter, capering about on the sand.
At first the others did not know what he meant. Andy seemed much excited, and for a time the professor thought the heat and worry might have affected the hunter's mind.
"We'll show 'em a thing or two!" cried Andy. "I once scared a lot of Indians this way so they didn't know whether they were on their head or their feet. Hurrah!"
"What are you talking about?" asked Mr. Henderson. "Hadn't you better sit down and rest a bit?"
"I'm all right," replied Andy. "I'm talking about those sky rockets. They'll be better than bullets. You see," he went on, "after it gets dark we'll shoot the rockets over the ship. The savages will think they are in the midst of a lot of falling stars, and if they don't take to their boats and leave us the ship I'll miss my guess, that's all."
"Good!" exclaimed the inventor. "We'll try it."
The rockets were taken out and examined.They were big affairs of several pound weight and were intended for far-off signalling at sea.
Andy, with the aid of the boys, Tom and Bill, soon constructed a rough sort of support from which to set off the fire-works. As soon as it grew dark, which it did about seven o'clock, preparations were made to try the experiment.
With a whizz and roar the first rocket went sailing skyward. Up through the black night it went, trailing behind it a shower of fire and sparks. Then, with a loud report like that of a gun it burst directly over the ship and a rain of brilliantly colored globes of flame descended.
"Shot number one!" cried Andy, who was setting off the rockets.
For a few seconds after the first flight there came no sound from the natives at the ship. Then, just as the second rocket was set off there issued a long-drawn howl, which was succeeded by cries of fear.
"We've waked 'em up!" shouted Jack.
In rapid succession several more rockets were sent over thePorpoise. By the light of them could be seen a mass of natives crowded out on the small deck, while others were in their canoes.
"I think I'll try it a little lower this time," remarked Andy. "Maybe I can hit some of 'em!"
He slanted the support closer to the ground andset off two rockets at once. Straight across the sandy beach they flew, directly toward the crowd of natives on the ship. Right into the midst of the savages the trailing comet of fire shot, with a hiss, roar and sputter that was enough to strike terror into the bravest heart.
There was a long piercing howl of fear. Then, as the natives felt the hot sparks scatter over their half-naked bodies, they broke into a wild stampede. Over the side of the ship they plunged, into the sea, and swam off. Those in boats paddled quickly away.
For good measure Andy sent another rocket into the midst of the fleeing ones, and this served to quicken their departure. By the light of the last one it could be seen that the ship was deserted, though the water all about her was black with the swimming savages, and the canoes.
"I guess they won't come back in a hurry!" cried Andy. "Come on! We'll board the ship now, and get the electric guns to ward off any further attacks!"
"That's the talk!" cried Mark.
Toward thePorpoiseall started on a run. As they neared her they found that the rising tide had floated her.
"We must see if the natives damaged her," spoke Mr. Henderson as soon as he set foot ondeck. "If they have it will be a hard matter to make repairs so far from civilization."
A hasty examination, however, showed that the savages had disturbed little. The engine was soon set in motion, and, in ten minutes the ship was steaming away from the coast, headed toward the south, the goal they were so eagerly seeking.
As soon as they were well out to sea, and all sight of the canoes of the savages had been lost, supper was served, and all brought good appetites to the table. For, though the improvised meals on shore had tasted good, there had not been much to them.
For several days thePorpoisewas kept on her course, sailing along under the water by day, and upon the surface at night. It was one pleasant afternoon, while Nellie, Jack and Mark were sitting out on the deck, during one of the times when the boat had risen to the surface to renew the air supply, that a strange commotion was observed off their lee. The ocean seemed to be boiling.
"What is that?" asked the little girl.
The two boys looked to where she pointed. Indeed the ocean seemed to be bubbling up and down in a strange manner.
"It's a school of porpoises," said Jack.
Just then the water became alive with big fish. They leaped over each other, springing high intothe air and falling back into the sea with resounding splashes.
"They're not porpoises! They're whales! Baby whales!" yelled Mark. "Look out or some of the big ones may ram the boat!"
As he spoke the water all about the submarine was seen to be fairly swarming with the small whales. There were scores of them, and, at times, they were so thick that it appeared possible to walk out upon them without getting very deep into the water.
Suddenly the ship careened to one side and the sea rushed over the deck. It was evident that one of the big whales, which were deeper down in the water, had struck the vessel.
Nellie screamed and tried to grab the hand rail that was about the platform. She missed her grip. The next instant she was floundering in the ocean, in the midst of the school of whales.
"Man overboard!" yelled Jack, remembering vaguely that he had read this was the proper call to make in case of accident.
His cry brought Washington and the professor up the companionway on the jump.
"Launch the boat!" cried the inventor as he saw what had happened.
Mark was already in action. At the first sight of Nellie slipping over the side he had thrown offhis coat, broken the laces of his shoes in order the more quickly to remove the foot coverings, and had dived into the swirling water which surrounded the submarine.
He struck out in the direction where the little girl had disappeared, and as her golden head appeared above the mass of foam he yelled in encouragement.
By this time the small boat was launched and the colored man and Jack were pulling toward him. Mark succeeded in reaching Nellie as she was going down the second time. He grabbed her long locks and managed to keep her up until the little craft was alongside of him.
"Git in quick, 'fore dem whales eat yo' up!" cried Washington.
He hauled the unconscious child in first, and then Jack gave Mark a hand. As if by magic all the whales had disappeared and the sea was quiet again. In a few minutes the rescuers and the rescued one went back again on thePorpoise, where Professor Henderson soon brought Nellie around again. Beyond the shock and wetting neither she nor Mark was harmed.
It was Jack's watch on deck that night. He had the tour from eight until twelve o'clock and when, about ten, every one but himself had retired, he took his position in the door of the conningtower and prepared to pass the time as best he could.
The ship was moving along at half speed, and, as the automatic steering attachment was working Jack had little to do. He sat looking at the stars that twinkled in the sky, the blazing Southern Cross showing among the constellations, when he heard a slight noise near the companionway.
He looked in that direction and, to his horror, he saw the ghostly white shape that had, on previous occasions, caused him and the others fright.
At first the boy resolved to shut himself up in the tower and wait until the uncanny thing had disappeared. Then his courage came back and he thought he would try to solve the mystery.
He argued that if theweirdwhite object was human and could witness his movements the best thing to do would be to try and creep upon it unobserved. On the contrary, if the ghost was some natural phenomenon, or a supernatural agent, all he could do would be of no avail.
So he decided the best thing to do would be to crawl upon the thing, keeping as near to the deck as possible and trying to hide himself. With this in view he put on a long rain coat that hung in the conning tower, and then, like a snake, commenced to wiggle his way toward the middle of the platform where the white object still stood.
Nearer and nearer to it Jack came. His heart was beating fast and he was much frightened, but he nerved himself to continue. As he came closer he could see that the object looked more and more like a man, completely robed in white garments.
Jack was now within ten feet of the strange object. It was a man, he was sure of it, but whether a present or former inhabitant of the earth he could not decide. Jack's hair was beginning to raise. A cold shiver ran down his spine as the white thing lifted an arm and seemed to point directly at him. At the same time it groaned in a deep tone.
Jack let out a yell that could be heard all over the ship. He made a spring for the object, determined to discover what it was or die.
At that instant the whole ship seemed to rise in the air. It left the water and began moving skyward. Right out of the waves thePorpoisewas lifted until the big screw was clear of the water and it was churning around in the tunnel without any resistance, racing at top speed now that it had no water to thrust against.
Then the ghost seemed to vanish into thin air, and Jack felt himself falling down the hatchway.
In an instant the ship was in confusion. The professor, followed by old Andy, Washington, Mark, Bill and Tom, came rushing from their berths, all in their night clothing, to see what the trouble was. They met in a tangled mass, stumbling over Jack at the foot of the steps.
"Is the ship on fire?" called Mrs. Johnson from her cabin.
"I hope not!" called the professor. "But something has happened. Don't be frightened!"
By this time Jack, who had been somewhat stunned, recovered his senses and worked his way out of the mass of bodies.
"The ghost! The ghost!" he cried. "I saw him again!"
"Land a' massy!" yelled Washington.
"What has happened to the ship?" cried the professor. "Is it a tidal wave?"
"I was on deck," panted Jack. "I saw the white thing! I crept up on it! All at once the ship rose in the air!"
"And it's still rising!" shouted the inventor. "I must see what this means!"
He made his way to the deck, and his loud shout soon brought the others up to him.
"Shut off the engine!" Mr. Henderson called down to Washington, who hurried to obey.
"What has happened?" asked Andy, rushing towards him.
"We have run upon an island," answered the professor. "This is the worst thing that has yet happened to us."
"What sort of an island is it that shoots you up in the air?" asked the old hunter.
"It's hard to say," replied Mr. Henderson. "We will have to wait until morning to find out."
The boys and men went up on deck and there beheld a curious sight. ThePorpoisehad been lifted bodily from the surface of the ocean where she had been sailing and was now raised about ten feet above the crest of the billows. It was too dark to see the extent of the island she rested on, but, from the circle of foam around the outer edge it did not appear to be very big.
The excitement occasioned by the appearance of the ghost, Jack's yells and fall, and the rising of the ship, had subsided somewhat. Mrs. Johnson and her daughter, who were much frightened, were assured there was no immediate danger, and themen and boys put on more substantial clothing than that of their night robes.
It seemed as if morning would never come, but at length there was a pale light in the east and soon it changed to a rosy glow, showing that the sun was coming.
The professor was early on deck, and Mark and Jack were not far behind. As soon as it was light enough they could see that the ship was held fast on top of a small rocky isle, about one hundred feet in diameter, which rose abruptly from the water.
"It's a volcanic island," decided the professor. "We are in the midst ofsubterraneandisturbances and this is probably one of the effects of some under-sea eruption. The pinnacle of rock rose from the ocean, forced up by some power underneath, just as our ship came over it. That accounts for the sudden rising into the air of thePorpoise. No wonder we were all scared."
"The next question," began old Andy, "is how are we to get off?"
"That's the point," agreed Mr. Henderson. "Here we are, high and dry, and we might as well be a broken flying machine as a submarine for all the power we have."
"Will we have to stay here forever?" asked Nellie, who had come up on deck.
"I hope not," answered the professor, smiling for the first time since the accident. "We will find a way to get down, never fear, little girl."
"I suppose we might dig some sort of a canal down to the water," remarked Jack. "If we could we might float the ship."
"I'm afraid you'd find it slow digging through this volcanic rock," answered Andy. "It's like flint."
"Well, there's no use worrying over it," went on the professor in as calm a tone as he could muster. "It's time for breakfast, and we have to eat whether we're on the top of an island that shoots out of the water when you least expect it, or sailing along as we ought to."
Accordingly Washington prepared the morning meal, and they all found they had appetites for it, in spite of their fright. Afterward they all came on deck again and looked about them.
They were in the midst of a wild waste of water. Not a sign of land could be seen in any direction, and there was no evidence of a sail or steamship as far as the horizon showed.
The little island which held thePorpoiseso close a prisoner was a mere speck in the vast ocean, but it was large enough to put an end, temporarily at least, to the progress of the powerful submarine.
The professor and the boys went over the sideand climbed down to the rock. Then the inventor verified his surmise that the rocky point was of volcanic origin. It was also seen that there was little chance to get the craft back into the ocean.
"I guess we're doomed to stick here for some time," remarked Mr. Henderson, with a grim smile. "The rock has caught us squarely and nothing short of dynamite will free us. To use the explosive might mean the destruction of the ship, and I dare not risk it."
Gloom settled over the party in spite of the efforts the professor made to be cheerful. Washington, after the first few minutes of fright, regained his usual good spirits, but, no matter how he laughed and joked, there was a feeling of terror in every heart.
They realized their helplessness, and knew that unless another upheaval of nature occurred there was small likelihood of their release.
On the third day of their strange adventure Professor Henderson resolved on a bold step.
"We must use dynamite," he declared. "If we stay here on this desolate rock we are bound to perish sooner or later, for our food cannot last many months, though we have a large supply. We are out of the path of steamers and only by chance would one pass here. With care we may be able to blast the rock so that the ship will not bepermanently damaged. What do you all say? I would like your advice, for this concerns all of us."
One after the other all said they were willing to abide by whatever the inventor did. Accordingly he made his preparations. Washington, with a hammer and chisel, was set to cutting a fair sized hole in the big rock, as far away from the ship as possible.
He was two days at the job, and, during this time those on the strandedPorpoisewatched in vain for the sight of a vessel.
"I am going to put the dynamite in," announced Mr. Henderson one morning. "We must all get into the small boat and row some distance away, as there is no telling what the result of the explosion may be."
"Suppose the submarine is destroyed?" asked Mrs. Johnson.
"Then we will have to sail for the nearest land in the small boat," replied the captain. "I will provision it and we will take all the precautions we can."
It was with anxious hearts that the little party embarked in the little craft that was carried on thePorpoise. It was barely large enough to hold them. The professor was the last in, and he lighted a long fuse that led to the dynamite beforetaking his seat. Then with Tom and Bill at the oars the little craft moved away.
"How long before the explosion will take place?" asked Jack.
"I timed the fuse for ten minutes," answered Mr. Henderson. "That will enable us to get far enough away so we will not be swamped by a wave."
Five minutes later Mark, who was intently watching the volcanic rock, gave a loud cry.
"There she goes!" he shouted.
They all looked to behold a wonderful thing. As easily as though it was some conjuring trick the rock began to settle down in the water. Lower and lower it went until only the tallest jagged points showed above the waves, whose crested tops the keel of the ship now almost touched.
"That isn't the explosion!" exclaimed the professor. "The fuse has not had time to get to the powder yet."
"But the rock is disappearing!" yelled Andy.
As he spoke the big pile of volcanic stone vanished completely and thePorpoisefloated easily on the surface of the sea.
"Hurrah!" cried Mark.
"It am de most kloslostrous occurranceness dat eber transpositioned itself!" exploded Washington.
"Let's row back to the ship now!" cried Mark.
"Not yet!" said the professor quickly. "The dynamite has not gone off yet."
"There it goes now," remarked Jack.
At that instant a big column of water shot upward and a dull rumbling could be heard. A few seconds later the little boat rocked violently from the effects of the waves. Then the sea became calm, and thePorpoisecould be seen dancing up and down on the heaving billows.
"Now we can go back in safety," spoke Mr. Henderson, and Tom and Bill bent to the oars.
"What happened?" asked Mrs. Johnson. "The rock seemed to disappear before the explosion occurred."
"That's exactly what it was," explained the inventor. "By some strange freak of nature the volcanic mass dropped back into the ocean a little before I was ready to blow it to pieces. In settling down it lowered the ship. Then the explosion occurred beneath the waves. If I had waited a little while I need not have risked the dynamite."
"Well, there was no guarantee that the rock would go back where it came from," remarked Jack.
"No, we had to act," agreed the professor. "But now let us go aboard."
They rowed back to thePorpoise, which theyfound had sustained no damage from the queer experience it had been through.
The motors were set in motion and in a little while the craft was again moving through the water out of the dangerous vicinity of the volcanic area.
"Who has the two watches to-night?" asked Mr. Henderson after supper had been served.
"Washington and Andy," answered Jack, who kept track of the matter.
"I guess we'll change it, and have you and Mark take them," went on the captain. He gave Jack a peculiar look, and made a sign to him not to say anything. Wondering what was to come Jack went up on deck to watch the sunset.
The boy was joined a little later by the captain, who, coming close to him whispered:
"I am going to try to discover the ghost to-night. That is why I wanted you boys on hand to help me. This thing must be stopped if it is a joke, and, if it isn't—"
"Do you think it is some one playing tricks?" asked Jack.
"I don't know what to think," answered Mr. Henderson. "We will see what happens to-night."
Mark came on deck a little while, and the three talked of the strange appearances of the mysterious white object. The boys told of their experiences, and Jack related more fully his on the night the ship went up on the big rock upheaval.
"I don't believe in ghosts," said Mr. Henderson, "I'm going to lay this one," and he smiled grimly.
Night settled down. Jack, who had the first tour under the new arrangement, had made himselfcomfortable in the conning tower, and Mr. Henderson had hidden himself in the companionway. His idea was to thus guard both openings into the ship and ascertain whether the ghost came from within or without the craft.
Up to a short time before twelve o'clock nothing out of the ordinary happened. The only sound was the lapping of the waves on the steel sides of thePorpoise, and now and then a splash as a big fish leaped out of the water. There was only the slightest breeze.
Jack who, somehow or other, felt much sleepier than usual, caught himself nodding several times. Once he awoke with a start and realized that he had been dozing.
"Come, come," he remarked to himself, "this will not do at all. This is a fine way to watch for a ghost."
He remained wide awake for perhaps five minutes. Then he was off to the land of nod again. He was just dreaming that he was skating on a pond and was playing snap the whip with a lot of boys, when he awoke with a start.
He felt something pressing on his chest and to his horror, as he looked up, he saw a big towering white object standing over him. A second glance showed him it was a man, or the semblance of one, and the thing's foot was on his chest.
With a terrified scream Jack sprang up, upsetting the ghost, which, the boy thought at the time, seemed rather heavy for an unearthly spirit.
"Did you catch it?" cried the professor.
"No! Yes! I don't know!" yelled Jack, struggling to his feet in time to see the white object glide down the stairs that led from the conning tower into the forward cabin.
"Run after it! We must solve the mystery!" cried Mr. Henderson springing from the companionway up on deck.
But at that moment the ship began to whirl about in a circle slowly at first, but with increasing speed until Jack and the professor felt sick and dizzy. All about the water seemed to be bubbling and boiling, while, at the same time, there arose on the air a mournful howl.
The professor jumped to the rail and looked over the side. What he saw made him recoil with horror.
"Quick! Close the man-hole hatch!" he cried. "Shut the door of the conning tower!"
"What is it?" Jack managed to ask.
"We are caught in a whirlpool!" Mr. Henderson yelled as he leaped down the companionway and pulled the heavy steel cover after him.
Stricken with a nameless dread, Jack closed the water-tight door of the conning tower and madehis way to the cabin. He could hardly get down the stairs, so swiftly was the ship whirling about.
He found the captain busy in the engine room and, in response to calls, Washington and Mark came hurrying in. They had been awakened by the commotion and the strange movements of thePorpoise.
"Turn on all the lights," ordered the inventor. "We must prepare for the worst."
The incandescents were soon glowing and in the glare the frightened adventurers gathered about Mr. Henderson, wondering what new terror had befallen them.
"See!" exclaimed the inventor. "We are going comparatively slow now, but we are on the outer edge. Wait until we reach the centre."
He pointed to a compass and, as the needle pointed steadily to the north the card seemed to be going around like the hands of a clock that has lost the balance and escapement wheels. The ship made three complete circles a minute.
Pale and frightened, Mrs. Johnson came from her cabin, whence the terrified cries of Nellie could be heard.
"Are we sinking?" she asked.
"Sinking will never harm thePorpoise," replied Mr. Henderson. "This is something decidedly worse."
"I know! It is a whirlpool!" exclaimed the lady.
"I'm dizzy; I'm so dizzy!" wailed Nellie. "Please stop the ship from going round, Mr. Henderson."
She came from her bed crying, and all her mother could do did not quiet her.
Meanwhile the submarine continued to whirl about faster and faster in the swirling waters. Five times each minute now it made the circuit, and, like the coils of a boa constrictor that is enfolding its victim, the circles continually grew smaller.
"We are being sucked down," said Jack in a low tone as he glanced at the depth gage, and noted that it showed them to be thirty feet under water.
"That is so," remarked Mr. Henderson quietly.
"What will be the result?" asked Mrs. Johnson.
"I do not know," was the answer, and the captain turned aside. He seemed to have lost all courage in the face of the new disaster.
"Can't we empty the tanks and rise to the surface?" asked Andy.
"The tanks are not filled," replied Mr. Henderson. "What is taking us down is the force of the whirlpool and not the weight of water."
"Then you fear for the worst?" asked Andy.
"I do," said the captain simply.
"Don't give up the ship!" exclaimed the old hunter suddenly. "Never say die! It's a long lane that has no turns! Hip! Hip! Hurrah!"
They all turned to stare at the old man.
"Never mind," said Mr. Henderson in a soothing tone, that one would use toward a baby, or a person not right in their head. "Never mind. We may be saved."
"Oh I'm not crazy!" exclaimed Andy. He tried to caper about but the motion of the ship made him dizzy and he had to sit down. "I'm all right! I just happened to think of something!"
"What is it?" asked the captain eagerly.
"Send the ship ahead!" exclaimed Andy. "Speed her as fast as she will go. Try her strength against the force of the whirlpool! We may win!"
"Good!" exclaimed Mr. Henderson. "I was too much depressed to think of that! The ship has powerful engines. Queer you should remember that instead of me. Come, Washington, start the screw going! We will try to beat the whirlpool!"
The submarine was now whirling around so rapidly that it was difficult for any one to stand without leaning against the sides or holding on tosomething. It was going lower and lower down, as the gage showed.
Soon a throb that was felt through the length of the craft told that the engine had started. The vibration increased until it seemed that the ship would be torn apart. Never had the big screw revolved at greater speed.
For a while the struggle between the force of man represented by the engine, and the power of nature, embodied in the whirlpool, seemed equal. Neither could gain the mastery. The ship continued to slide around in ever narrowing circles while the big cable of water, forced through the tunnel by the screw, was like a cataract.
"Which will win?" asked the professor softly to himself.
He crawled to the gages and watched them. Only by their needles could it be told when the battle had turned in favor of the adventurers.
The circular motion, that was now terrible in its speed and power, seemed to culminate in a rush that almost overturned the ship. In the engine room Washington was laboring to keep the machine at top speed. He put on the last ounce of power.
"Hurrah!" yelled the professor suddenly. "I think we shall win!"
He pointed to the depth gage. The needle,which had showed a constantly increasing record, until it was now at two hundred feet, had stopped. It showed they were going no lower.
Then Mr. Henderson looked at the indicator which showed the progress straight ahead. The needle was beginning to tremble. As he watched he saw it move, slowly at first, until, as the powerful screw won a victory over the terrible whirlpool. The gage marked one, two and then three miles an hour.
"We are leaving the swirling waters!" cried Mr. Henderson.
Then, all at once, as though it was an arrow shot from a gigantic bow, thePorpoisecleft the under-billows and shot ahead, free at last from the grip of the whirlpool.
Man had triumphed over nature!
On rushed the ship like a race horse, for the engine was working as it never had before, and it did not have the pool to contend against.
"Slow down," said Mr. Henderson, "and we will go to the surface."
Two minutes later, under the buoyancy of her empty tanks, thePorpoiselay floating on the top of the waves, under the shining stars.