Fenn Masterson's Discovery Part 8

the commander of the _Modoc_ went on. "You boys amuse yourselves as well as you can until dinner time. You don't have to peel the potatoes," he added with a wink.

"We'll have to get even with him, somehow," suggested Ned, when the captain was out of hearing.

"How?" asked Bart.

"I haven't thought it out yet, but we must play some kind of a trick on him. He'll think the Darewell chums are slow if we believe all he tells us, and don't come back at him. Try and think up something."

"Good idea," commented Fenn. "We'll have the laugh on him, next time."

The day pa.s.sed quickly, for there were many novel sights for the boys to see. Captain Wiggs was kept so busy, for there were some repairs needed to one of the engines, because of the sudden reversing, that the boys did not see him again that day. He did not appear at dinner or supper, and the steward said the commander was taking his meals in the engine room.

The _Modoc_ was going along at less than her usual speed, but was making fairly good time.

"Well, I s'pose we might as well turn in, boys," suggested Fenn, about nine o'clock. "I believe that is the proper term aboard a ship."

"Yes, messmates," spoke Ned, a.s.suming a theatrical att.i.tude, "we will now seek our downy hammocks, and court 'tired nature's sweet restorer, balmy sleep,' to arise in the gladsome morning, and 'you must wake and call me early; call me early, mother dear, for I'm to be Queen of the May, mother; I'm to be Queen of the May!'"

"We'll call you 'loony,' instead of 'early,' if you get off any more of that nonsense," murmured Frank.

"That's what," agreed Fenn. "You're not studying English Lit. and French history now, Ned."

"Very well, most n.o.ble gentlemen," went on Ned. "I shall obey you, right gladly, I ween!" and he made a dive for his stateroom before Bart, who made a sudden grab could lay hands on him.

The others soon turned in, and, in spite of their new and strange surroundings and beds, were soon sound asleep.

It must have been about midnight that Fenn was awakened by hearing a great tramping on deck. It was followed by confused shouts, and then came the jangling of the engine room bells. The _Modoc_ seemed to increase her speed.

"I wonder if there's another collision coming?" he said as he sat up.

He heard Bart moving in the next room, and presently Frank's voice was heard calling:

"Say, fellows, something's wrong."

The noise on deck increased, and it sounded as though several men were running to and fro, dragging ropes about.

"I'm going up!" decided Fenn, jumping out of his berth and hastily pulling on his clothes. From the open doors of his chums' rooms he could see that they, too, were attiring themselves with little regard for how they looked.

Up on deck they hurried. As they emerged from the companionway their eyes were met with a bright glare.

"A fire!" exclaimed Ned. "The boat's afire!"

"Don't say that! Don't say that, young man, I beg of you!" besought a man, attired in his trousers and night shirt, as he approached Ned, who recognized him as Mr. Ackerman, the sick pa.s.senger.

"What is it?" inquired Fenn, who was right behind Ned.

"He said the ship was on fire," repeated Mr. Ackerman. "I can't stand it. I have heart disease. Excitement is bad for me. Do, please, one of you, go and find out how fast it is burning, and come back and tell me."

He sat down at the head of the companionway, as coolly as though he had asked to be informed which way the wind was blowing. Evidently he knew how to take care of himself, so as not to aggravate his malady.

"The ship isn't on fire!" exclaimed Bart, crowding past Ned and Fenn.

"But something evidently is burning," insisted Mr. Ackerman. "I can smell smoke, and see the reflection of the blaze."

This was not strange, considering that the _Modoc_ was in the midst of a cloud of vapor, and that bright tongues of fire could be seen close to her bow.

"It's a big grain elevator on sh.o.r.e that's burning!" exclaimed Frank.

"See! There it is!"

As he spoke the smoke which enveloped the steamer was blown aside. The boys could then note that, during the night the vessel had approached close to sh.o.r.e. They were near a good-sized city, and, among the wharfs was a big building, built to hold grain in readiness to load on the lake steamers.

From the top of this flames were shooting high into the air, and the _Modoc_ was approaching it at full speed.

CHAPTER VIII

FENN HEARS SOMETHING

"What's the matter? Can't Captain Wiggs stop the ship?" cried Fenn, for it certainly looked as if the _Modoc_ was going to run, full tilt, into the flames, which were right at the water's edge, as the elevator was on the end of the wharf.

"Clang!"

The half speed bell sounded from the engine room. The steamer began to slacken speed.

"Clang! Clang!"

Two gongs. Stop the engines. The _Modoc_ was going ahead under her own momentum only. Then another signal.

Under the stern of the steamer the water boiled and bubbled as the great screw was reversed, to check the vessel's way. The jingling bell, following the signal to reverse, indicated to the engineer to back his machinery at full speed, and the big craft fairly quivered, so great was the strain of stopping her up short.

But they were master-hands aboard the _Modoc_ and she swung broadside to a wharf as gently as a boy brings his toy boat to a stop. From the deck men leaped to the string piece, with great ropes in their hands, which they made fast to b.u.t.ts and piling. The steamer was tied up, so close to the burning elevator that the boys could feel the heat of it.

"What are you going to do, captain?" asked Mr. Ackerman, who seemed to have recovered from his nervousness, when he found the _Modoc_ was in no danger.

"I'm going to help douse that fire!" cried the commander. "Lively with that hose, men! Lively now! s.n.a.t.c.h her quick and I'll give you all the water you can handle!"

Several brawny deck-hands began pulling a line of hose over the side.

Other men were lowering a big boat, into which the men with the hose jumped. The hose was unreeled after them as they pulled out on the lake, in front of the burning elevator.

"I'm afraid it's a goner," remarked Captain Wiggs, as a gust of wind sent the leaping flames licking along the surface of the water.

"How did it happen?"

"Whose place is it?"

"What are you going to do?"

Those were some of the questions which the boys asked Captain Wiggs. He answered them all, comprehensively.