CHAPTER VIII.WRECKING.
As nearly as could be ascertained after the boys were on board the wreck once more, she had not sustained any very serious damage so far as the hull was concerned.
Ned lowered himself down over the port side by means of a rope, and reported that the timbers appeared to be intact.
“I can’t see that a single plank has been started, an’ it wouldn’t be such a terrible job to get her afloat once more.”
“I guess we won’t try anything of that kind yet awhile,” Roy replied with a laugh. “It’s positive that some accident happened to the machinery, and neither Vance nor I could repair it.”
“I thought you said you had been learnin’ how to run her.”
“So we did; but we weren’t so far advanced in the study as to be able to repair a broken engine.”
“Perhaps there isn’t so very much the trouble. I’ve seen boilers in Treat’s sawmill blow out a tubeor two, an’ it didn’t require any skill to repair that kind of damage.”
“There must have been something more serious than that happen, otherwise she wouldn’t have stopped so suddenly,” Vance replied. “At all events, we needn’t talk yet awhile of trying to float her. We’ll get the movable property ashore, and tackle your old hulk before doing anything more in the way of wrecking.”
The boys had not anticipated having such a task as was really before them, until after working at it an hour.
Very many of the fittings they were most eager to save belonged, or had fallen, on the starboard side, and in order to reach these it was necessary to dive, for the hull was filled with water to about half its breadth.
When noon came they were glad of a breathing-spell.
The tent had not yet been put up, and that labor was to be performed immediately after dinner.
They had on the shore a large collection of goods, however, and Ned said as he surveyed the pile:
“It won’t take us much more than a week to finish the job in great shape.”
“Have we got to wait all that time before finding the dollars?” Vance grumbled.
“It isn’t certain we shall ever see any more, so there’s no use in worryin’ about what may not exist.”
“That’s where you’re right, Ned,” Roy cried. “It may be Vance will have a chance of learning that there are other things in this world more valuable than money, although I hope he won’t get the lesson in quite so rough a manner as is possible.”
“It isn’t so much the money as it is the pleasure of finding it that I’m after,” Vance replied laughingly. “To hear you fellows talk any one would think I had suddenly turned miser.”
“Then don’t be so impatient to dig,” Roy replied, and just then it was necessary for him to cease his part in the conversation because the soup he was making needed his immediate attention.
Despite the fact that he appeared so eager to hunt for treasure, Vance was not willing to cut the “nooning” short by so much as a single minute, for the unusual exertion had tired him thoroughly, and he insisted that the party should rest not less than two hours.
“If, as you say, we are likely to be here a long while, there isn’t any very great need of hurrying, and I feel as if I’d been shoveling coal for a week.”
The others were quite as willing as he to delay the labor during the heat of the day, and the resultwas that the task of wrecking was not resumed until nearly three o’clock, when the greater portion of the remaining time was spent in putting up the tent.
It was necessary this work be done in a thorough manner, lest the next gale should level it to the ground, and each fastening was looked to carefully.
When the task was finished the young wreckers had good reason to feel proud of their arrangements for “housekeeping.”
The cook-tent was placed at right angles with the other, so that one end of the sleeping apartment would be partially screened from the wind, and both were lashed together in such a manner as to add to the solidity of each.
“It will be a case of losing both or holding all,” Roy said in a tone of satisfaction as he surveyed the result of their labors. “Now when such provisions as have not been spoiled by the salt water are under cover, I shall feel as if we were in fair condition for a long stay here.”
“Don’t you suppose your fathers will search for you when the yacht fails to show up at Savannah?” Ned asked.
“Of course; but the chances they will ever find this little island seem to me mighty slim,” Roy replied. “It won’t pay to discuss the matter justnow, though, for all that stuff on the shore should be under cover by sunset. Come on; we shall have to work mighty hard to finish before dark.”
And the young wreckers soon learned that Roy was correct.
The sun had been behind the sea fully an hour before the last package was sheltered from the weather and the labor of getting supper could be begun.
It had been unnecessary to light the lanterns in order to finish the job. There was not a cloud in the sky, and the stars gave sufficient light to enable them to see their way to and fro from the beach to the tent.
Both Ned and Vance assisted the cook in preparing the evening meal, and what a delicious sense of comfort was theirs when, supper having been eaten, all three lay on the soft beds where they could look out over the ocean!
“For shipwrecked mariners I think we’re fixed mighty well,” Vance said dreamily. “We’ve got as good a shelter as could be asked for in this climate, plenty of water, provisions enough to last several months with economy, a supply of fish whenever we feel disposed for such food, and a bank on which to draw for what gold and silver we need to pay with.”
“Don’t count too much on that, for your checks might not be honored,” Roy replied with a laugh. “Say, are we going to leave Ned’s treasure out of doors all the time?”
“Certainly not. It must be hidden in the store-tent to-morrow.
“Why do you call it mine?” Ned asked. “I’m livin’ on the stuff brought by you fellows, an’ it’s only right we should divide the dollars as well.”
“I don’t think that would be fair,” Roy replied. “If we find any more it’ll be the square thing to whack up even, but the pile near the fire belongs to you entirely.”
“That’s so,” Vance added, and although Ned insisted he should divide it, his companions stated positively that they would not take a single dollar.
This decision afforded Ned no slight amount of satisfaction, for, even though he would not have envied them the possession of a full two-thirds, he felt very much relieved in mind when they refused to allow him to share the treasure with them.
But little time was spent over the matter, however. All hands were so sleepy that even in the midst of quite a heated argument one after another fell asleep until the camp was in a state of complete repose.
The sea, which had been so cruel to two of thema few hours previous, now sang the softest lullaby, and the stars twinkled above them as if their faces had never been hidden by the angry storm clouds which sent the wind and rain to overwhelm travelers upon the ocean.