Four Young Explorers Part 18

AN EXCITING RACE IN THE CHINA SEA

Everything worked as smoothly on board of the Blanchita as though she had been in commission for years, for there was not a green hand in the cabin or forecastle. The experience obtained by the "Four" in the Maud had made them proficients in the duties of their present positions.

Louis and Felix were not trained engineers or machinists; though they were familiar with the machine, which was of very simple construction.

Both of them were competent to run the engine, and had served their watches in the Maud. If there was any trouble, the chief engineer was close at hand.

From eight to twelve it was the captain's watch. Achang, who had been the master of a vessel, had been regularly installed as second mate, and was in charge of this watch; though Scott remained on deck all the time, for he was anxious to observe the movements of the Delhi. Clingman and Lane had their two-hour tricks at the wheel, and there was no hard work for anybody.

The breeze was good, though not heavy from the south-west; but the Delhi had not yet set a sail. The Blanchita pa.s.sed Cape Datu at ten in the evening, and the second mate made a note of it on the log-slate. Both craft were still making their eight knots, and remained abreast of each other. The wind increased slightly in force, but the conditions were about the same all night. At twelve the watch was changed, and Morris came on duty, with Louis in the engine-room. The captain turned in at this time.

At three in the morning the yacht was off the island of Sirha.s.sen, of which a note was made on the log-slate. Morris had studied the chart enough to enable him to recognize the island, distant as it was, at six bells, or three o'clock in the morning. Of course he could not identify it by its looks, never having seen it before; but the captain had given him the distances between the islands on the course. Sirha.s.sen was forty sea miles from Cape Datu, or five hours as the yacht was running; and when land was reported on the beam, bearing about west, he knew what it was. The chart gave the island as one of considerable size compared with the mult.i.tude of small ones in that locality; and this indication afforded him a further clew to the identification.

At eight bells, or four o'clock, the morning watch came on duty, with Achang as its officer. Captain Scott did not turn out when the second mate was called, with Felix to take his place at the engine, and it was six o'clock when he made his appearance. Except when there is only one mate, as in small vessels, the captain keeps no watch; but he is liable to be called at any hour of the night in case of a squall or other peril. His responsibility may induce him to spend the entire night on deck.

When he came out of the cabin, his first care was to observe the signs which indicate the coming weather. Then he went to the wheel, and read the entries made on the log-slate. The sea was about the same as it had been when he left the deck. He had looked at the barometer before he left the cabin. There were no signs of bad weather in any direction.

"What do you think of the weather, Mr. Achang?" he asked of the officer of the deck.

"It will be fine, Captain," replied the second mate. "I have come all the way from Banjerma.s.sin to Calcutta with the weather just like this always; but I think we have more wind when the sun come up."

"We can stand more than we have now," added Scott.

"Some of the young gentlemen fear to go to sea in open boat like this yacht; but the dhows and the proas have not much decks," said the Bornean.

"Then you think we shall have weather like this all the way to Point Cambodia?"

"May blow a little more hard some time."

The sun was coming up in the east, and in the course of half an hour Achang's prophecy of more wind was realized. It freshened rapidly for a short time; but it did not come in flaws or squalls, and was a steady breeze. A table had been set up in the fore cabin; and at half-past seven, or seven bells, which is the usual hour for breakfast at sea, the meal was served to the watch below.

"Land on the port bow, sir!" reported Clingman, who was the lookout man, just before eight bells.

"That is Subi," said Achang, looking at the paper Morris had given him when the watch was changed.

"That's right, Mr. Achang," added the captain. "I see the Delhi is setting her foresail, and that means wind enough to add something to her eight knots an hour."

Lane at the wheel struck eight bells a few minutes later; and the officer and engineer of the port watch came promptly on deck from the cabin, as did the seamen from the fore cabin. Breakfast had been served at both ends of the yacht to the watch below, so that they were in readiness to come on duty at the striking of the bell. Breakfast was ready for those who came off watch as soon as they were relieved.

Pitts had his hands more than full in supplying the two tables, but he was a.s.sisted by the idlers about the boat. The seamen were served as on board of the Guardian-Mother, where they had a table and a regular meal.

On ordinary sea-going vessels the men get their "grub" at the galley in tins, or kids, and eat it seated on the deck, or where they choose.

Captain Scott had graciously ordained, as there was nothing to be done outside of the working of the yacht, that "watch and watch" should be the rule on board; which means that the hands shall have all their time to themselves when not on watch, though they were to respond when all hands were called.

"The Delhi means to run away from us, I suppose, for she has put on all sail," said Louis as he came on deck when he had finished his breakfast.

"But I don't believe she will do it," replied the captain. "We have a sail; but I am waiting to see what she can do under her present conditions, and I have told Felipe to hurry her up a little, just enough to keep up with our consort."

"She is gaining on us a little," added Louis.

"I see she is; but the engineer has thrown another shovelful of coal into the furnace, and I wish to see the effect it will produce. He has opened his valve a little, but he has not steam enough yet."

But it was soon evident to all who understood the matter that the Blanchita was gaining on her consort. It was plain, too, that Captain Rayburn had noticed the fact, for his crew were setting the gaff-topsails on the fore and main masts. Something of the enthusiasm of a race was aroused on board. Felipe had worked up his machine to the nine-knot gauge; and in spite of the added sail on the Delhi, the boat was overhauling her.

"I think that Captain Rayburn must be recalling his talk to us at Sarawak about running away from us," said Louis. "What is he doing now, Captain Scott?"

"He appears to be hoisting a yard on his foremast," replied Scott.

"What is that for?"

"If you watch the steamer for a little while longer, you will see him shake out a fore squaresail, and that will be the sharpest move he has made yet. Morris, have the mast stepped, and set the sail," continued the captain.

Clinch was at the wheel; and Clingman was called upon to do the work, with the a.s.sistance of the other two hands. The great squaresail of the Delhi had been shaken out, and it was drawing for all it was worth. The effect was simply to prevent the Blanchita from pa.s.sing her, as she would have done in a few minutes more. The enthusiasm of a race was fully developed on board the yacht, among the seamen as well as the cabin party. Clingman and the others had worked very lively, and in a few minutes the sail was set. The captain gave the orders for tr.i.m.m.i.n.g it; and as soon as the sheet was made fast the yacht heeled over till her rail was nearly down to the water.

"Our sail is a big one," said Scott, who saw it spread out for the first time; "and if we desire to run away from the Delhi, I am satisfied that we could do it."

The boat dashed the spray at her bow, and proved to be very wet in the fore cabin. The captain ordered the curtains to be hauled down to keep the water out, and the forward part of the craft was then as dry as it had been on the river.

Scott was not quite satisfied with the steering under the altered conditions, and he went to the wheel himself. He was a very skilful boatman in a sailing-craft, as had been fully proved by his bringing his yacht, the Seahound, from New York through the Bahama Islands. The seaman was inclined to follow the compa.s.s too closely, while Scott regarded the effect of the sail.

"We are gaining on the Delhi," said Louis, as he seated himself near the captain.

"Of course we are; I knew she would do it with the sail in this wind,"

replied Scott. "The Blanchita is a light craft, and skims over the water like a racer."

"But it is a little too much sail for her," suggested Louis. "She is taking in a bucket of water over her lee rail once in a while."

"Try the pump, Lane," added the captain. "I don't believe she has shipped more than a teaspoonful or two."

"We are pretty well down in the water," added Louis.

"Clingman, let off about six inches of the sheet," continued Scott; and the order was promptly obeyed. "I think you are getting a little nervous, my dear fellow," he added to Louis.

"Perhaps I am; I should not like to see the yacht heel over and take in a couple of hogsheads of water, for she is loaded so heavily with coal that she would go to the bottom."

"But I should not let her ship such a sea as that. The wind is quite steady, with no heavy flaws, and the boat is under perfect control. I should like it better to sail the Blanchita with less cargo in her, but she is doing splendidly."

"But a flaw might come, even if we have had none to-day; what could you do in that case?" asked Louis.

"Clingman, stand by the sheet!" called the captain.

The seaman was seated on a box not more than three feet from the cleat at which the sheet was made fast. He took his place within reach of it.

"Now she heels over again!" exclaimed Louis, as the water came quite up to the rail, though she took none in.

"Cast off the sheet, Clingman!" called the captain; and the order was obeyed in an instant.

The boat flew up to an even keel almost as though she had been hoisted up by some giant power.

"That is how I should keep her from shipping a big sea," said Scott, as he looked at his companion with a smile on his brown face.