A Runaway Brig Or An Accidental Cruise Part 13

"There's no way it can be done except by setting the sheet anchor thirty or forty fathoms toward the mouth of the harbor and working down to it by sheer expenditure of muscle."

"Never mind that just now," Bob replied gloomily, "for there's another question to be settled. What do you s'pose that crowd in the cabin want?"

"I reckon they're counting on our taking them away," Joe replied laughingly. "Most any fellow who had been marooned on this key would like to leave."

"But I don't believe their yarn about bein' left behind, unless they were up to some mischief an' the captain didn't know what else to do with 'em."

"They ain't very pleasant-looking customers, for a fact; but yet they may be honest sailors."

"I don't take any stock in it, or they'd never carry sail as they do.

The red-nosed fellow was heavin' plates at Harry when I went below, an'

they tried to make me believe the boy had been givin' 'em impudence. Now they promise to do full work if we'll take them with us."

"And I reckon that's just about what you'll have to do, Bob. It would be cruel to leave them here; and, besides, we shall need the whole crowd before the Bonita can be floated. If I could repair the tug in any reasonable length of time, it would be another matter; but since that can't be done, on account of the damage to the steam-chest, there's a good deal of heavy work ahead."

"Then your advice is to tell 'em they can stay aboard," Bob said moodily.

"I don't see what else you can do, more especially since it might be awkward if they should conclude to remain whether we wanted them or not."

Bob was silent several moments, and then he said impatiently:

"I reckon you're right; but it goes mightily agin the grain to take sich cattle as them along. Howsomever, 'what can't be cured must be endured;' but I'll have my weather-eye liftin' all the time, so they'd better keep out of mischief. The sooner we get an anchor over the better, an' I'll call 'em, so's they can give us a sample of their work."

He was spared the labor of going below again, for just at that moment the three men came on deck, and at once made their way forward.

"I hope you ain't goin' to refuse us a chance to give you a lift," the red-nosed man said in a whining tone; and Bob replied, without so much as looking at his guests:

"Joe thinks we haven't got the right to say no; an', besides, we shall need a pretty big force to work the brig off the sand. S'posin' you take hold an' help us lay out an anchor astern?"

"All right! You boss the job an' we'll stand by for every pound of strength we've got."

Since there was no possibility of using the tug, it would be necessary to set about the task as Joe had said, and Bob explained to the apparently willing workers exactly how it was to be performed.

"We've got to lay out the sheet-anchor, backin' it if the holdin'-ground ain't good," he said, addressing his conversation to the strangers, but looking directly at Joe. "She plumped on here pretty strong, I'll allow; but it wasn't more'n half-tide when we struck, an' she oughter be worked off in two or three floods. One of you get the boat around, an' I reckon it won't take very long to make ready for the job."

The yawl was staunch enough to stand up under the weight of the stream-anchor, and while the Mexican was pulling her to the port bow, Bob rove a tackle on the yard-arm by which to raise the heavy ma.s.s of metal.

Seeing that some important work was in progress the three boys came to a.s.sist; but the old sailor quickly dispensed with their services.

"Stay aft, lads. There's force enough here for this job, an' by 'tendin'

to the grub I reckon you'll be doin' your full share."

Neither of the boys objected to this plan. They had good reason to dislike the strangers, and were not desirous of coming in any closer contact with them than was absolutely necessary.

By the aid of the tackle the five men soon had the anchor in the boat with a manilla hawser, one end of which was made fast to the winch, coiled on top.

Then the red-nosed man and Bob pulled the yawl straight away from the brig's stern, while the Mexican hove the fakes overboard as the distance was widened. This portion of the task was slow and wearisome, for the weight of the hawser caused the boat to hang despite the vigorous efforts at the oars; but the desired position was finally gained, and after a great deal of tugging and straining the anchor was dropped.

Joe had two or three turns of the cable around the winch, and all hands began heaving on the bars until the stout rope was fairly taut, after which a sloper was put to it, and the laborers sat down in the shade for a breathing spell.

The work was now completed until the tide should rise; and then, if the brig could not be pulled off, it would be necessary to break out some of the cargo in order to lighten her.

The most captious could have found no fault with the new members of the crew while this portion of the task was being performed. They pulled and hauled with a will, making no effort to shirk any particularly severe duty, and striving earnestly to finish the job in the least possible s.p.a.ce of time.

When the heavy anchor was laid-out astern Joe congratulated himself on this addition to their number, and said to Bob, as they were stretched out on the deck while the strangers had gone toward the scuttle-b.u.t.t:

"It seems as if our taking them aboard was a big piece of luck. I'll admit that they are not over and above pleasant-looking; but think of the difference in the work. With no one but the boys to help us, you and I would have been all day setting the anchor. Now we've got a good crew of five, and there's no question about our being able to sail the brig."

"You're right, Joe," Bob said thoughtfully; "an' I s'pose I'm a reg'lar old woman. The way they acted at first riled me so much that I couldn't see any good in 'em; but we'd be in a mighty tight place, now the tug is disabled, if they wasn't here."

Then the two discussed matters relative to hauling the brig from her bed of sand, and gave no heed to the strangers, who were amidships conversing in low tones, as if fearful of being overheard.

Their consultation was evidently satisfactory to all concerned, for the red-nosed man said, as the question under discussion was brought to a close:

"She'll come away in a couple of tides at the longest. As near as I can make out she only hangs from the waist up, and if the anchor holds, five of us ought to yank her off without much trouble. We must be ready to carry out our plans at a moment's notice."

Then the men separated to walk about the after part of the brig in an apparently aimless manner; but all three met in the cabin a few moments later, much to the discomfort of Walter, who was clearing off the table and putting things to rights generally.

It seemed as if the strangers had not counted on finding any one below, for they looked at each other questioningly a moment, and then the thin man asked:

"Why don't you go into the galley, where you belong?"

"Because it's my turn to clear up the cabin," Walter replied as he continued his work. "Harry is washing the dishes and Jim's cooking dinner."

The boy had no fear of violence since Bob interrupted the scene at the breakfast-table; and, besides, he was engaged in necessary work; therefore after answering the question he paid no further attention to the men, save that he noticed the Mexican walking to and fro, peeping into such of the state-rooms as were open.

"Well, you needn't stay any longer," the thin man said gruffly. "If you're goin' to live aboard ship the first thing to learn is that you've got no business aft, when any one else is here, except while waiting on the table."

"I can't go till the work is done," Walter replied innocently, as he continued the task with no change of manner save to move more quickly.

"What do you mean by answering in that manner?" the red-nosed man asked angrily as he seized the boy by the collar and dragged him toward the companion-way. "If you don't know your place it's time somebody gave you a few lessons."

Walter was both surprised and alarmed by this sudden attack. It had not occurred to him that he was doing anything wrong by remaining; but the grip on his neck was so strong, and seemingly vicious, that it was certain some terrible punishment would follow, and he screamed loudly for Harry.

Up to this moment it is hardly probable that the man had any idea of doing more than eject him from the cabin, because he did not wish to arouse Bob's anger again; but Walter's screams made him furious, and he boxed the boy's ears half a dozen times with no gentle force.

Matters were in this condition when the other boys came running aft, and one glance was sufficient to call forth all their anger.

"Hi! Bob!" Jim yelled, and Harry rushed boldly into the cabin as he cried:

"If you touch him again I'll knock you down!"

Having been summoned from his labors so suddenly, he had not stopped even to lay aside the coffee-pot he was cleaning, and this now served as a weapon. Raising it above his head he ran forward to strike Walter's a.s.sailant; but he had hardly taken half a dozen steps when a blow from the red-nosed man felled him senseless to the floor.

Quickly as all this happened, Bob answered Jim's shrill appeal before another move could be made, and Harry had but just fallen when the old sailor leaped below.

"What mischief are you scoundrels up to now?" he cried angrily as he a.s.sumed a position of defense after pulling Walter from the man's grasp.

"It seems to me you're playin' a pretty high hand for sailors who have been saved from starvin'!"