Haste and Waste; Or, the Young Pilot of Lake Champlain Part 7

Again the whistle sounded, and the ladies waved their handkerchiefs more vigorously than before. The young pilot was in despair. The _Woodville_ was going at full speed directly upon the rocks, whose sharp points would grind her to powder if she struck upon them.

"Hard aport!" repeated Lawry desperately.

Once more the supposed cheer was answered by the whistle and the waving of the ladies' handkerchiefs, and still the fairy craft dashed on toward the rocks.

"By gracious! she's on them, as sure as the world!" exclaimed Lawry to himself, hardly able to breathe.

He had hardly uttered the words before he heard the crash which announced the doom of the _Woodville_. Her sharp bow slid upon the ledge, and she suddenly stopped in her mad flight.

Lawry bent on his oars again, horrified by the accident. He pulled as he had never pulled before. A moment or two after the steamer struck, he was startled by a succession of shrill shrieks from the ladies, and he turned to see what had happened. The _Woodville_ had filled, rolled off the rock, and sank in deep water, leaving her pa.s.sengers floating helplessly on the lake. The upper half of her smokestack was all that remained in sight of the beautiful craft which three minutes before had been a thing of beauty.

The young pilot did not pause an instant to contemplate the scene of destruction. He saw only the helpless persons struggling for life in the water, and he renewed his labors with a vigor and skill which soon brought him to the sufferers. Mr. Sherwood was supporting his wife; but both of them were nearly exhausted. Lawry helped Bertha into the boat, and told her husband to hold on at the rail.

Ethan French, with his arm around the waist of f.a.n.n.y Jane, was holding on at the smokestack, where also the fireman of the boat was supporting himself.

"Where is f.a.n.n.y?" gasped Mr. Sherwood.

"I'm afraid she has gone down," replied Ethan French. "I saw her just there a moment since."

"I see her!" said Lawry, as he dived into the lake.

f.a.n.n.y, exhausted by her struggles, had sunk, and Lawry, with a strong arm, bore her to the surface again; but she was too large and heavy for him, and he could not support her.

Before the arrival of the boat, Ethan was in the act of transferring his helpless burden to the arms of the fireman, that he might go to the a.s.sistance of Miss f.a.n.n.y; and, as soon as Lawry appeared, he swam out to help him. With the aid of the young engineer, the exhausted lady was lifted into the boat. f.a.n.n.y Jane was next taken in, but there was no room for any more.

Though Miss f.a.n.n.y was in a worse condition than the other ladies, she still had her senses; and none of the party was in danger. Mr.

Sherwood, Ethan, and the fireman were still in the water, holding on at the rail of the boat. Lawry took the oars and pulled toward the ferry-landing.

"Thank G.o.d, we are all safe!" said Mr. Sherwood.

"Some of us must have been drowned if Lawry had not come to our a.s.sistance," added Miss f.a.n.n.y. "I had given up, and was sinking to the bottom. My senses were leaving me, when I felt his grasp on my arm."

"You have done bravely, Lawry," added Bertha.

But the party did not feel much like talking. They were all grateful to G.o.d, who had, through the agency of the young pilot, saved them from their perilous situation. When the boat reached the landing-place, the ladies were conducted to the cottage of John Wilford, where everything was done by Mrs. Wilford to promote their comfort.

Lawry hastened up to Mr. Sherwood's house to procure the carriage, which had fortunately just returned from Port Henry, and the party were soon conveyed to their home.

Dry clothing and a little rest soon restored Mr. Sherwood and the ladies to their wonted spirits, and all of them wished to see their brave deliverer. He was sent for, and presented himself to the ladies in the drawing-room. Lawry, anxious to learn the condition of the ladies after their cold bath, and their terrible fright, had followed the carriage up to the house, and was telling the coachman the particulars of the catastrophe when he was summoned to the presence of the family.

Never was a young man more earnestly and sincerely thanked for a brave and n.o.ble deed; and Mr. Sherwood hinted that something more substantial than thanks would be bestowed upon him.

"Thank you, sir; I don't need anything more," replied Lawry, blushing. "What will be done with the steamer, now?" he asked.

"I have got enough of her," said Mr. Sherwood. "She has given me a shock I shall never forget."

"I don't think it was the fault of the boat, sir," suggested Lawry.

"I did all I could to have you keep off the rocks."

"We all thought you were crazy, you shook so in your boat."

"I was trying to warn you of your danger."

"Was that what you meant? We thought you were cheering the _Woodville_."

"I saw you were going on the rocks, and I shouted and made signs for you to keep off."

"You certainly did all you could for us, both before and after the accident," added Mr. Sherwood. "When did you get home, Lawry?"

"To-day noon, just after you went to the house for me. I came right up to see you; but I found you had gone."

"Yes; I was so impatient to get that little steamer up here, that I couldn't wait any longer."

"And what a waste your haste has made!" laughed Mrs. Sherwood.

"There is our fine little steamer at the bottom of the lake."

"She may lie there, for all me," added Mr. Sherwood.

"I should not dare to put my foot on board of her again," said Miss f.a.n.n.y.

"Nor I," chimed in f.a.n.n.y Jane.

"She isn't to blame, Mr. Sherwood," interposed Ethan French. "She worked as though she had been alive."

"No steamer could stand such a thump on the Goblins," added Lawry.

"I don't blame the boat, of course," replied Mr. Sherwood; "but this adventure has cured me of my love for steamboating. I don't want to see another one."

"Shall you let the _Woodville_ lie there?" asked Lawry.

"She's a wreck now, stove in and ruined."

"But she can be raised and repaired, and be as good as ever, or nearly so," continued Lawry.

"She is good for nothing to me now. I will give her to any one who wants her."

"There are plenty who will want her," said Lawry.

"It will cost them a fortune to raise and repair her--almost as much as she is worth, if she is to be used as a plaything. But I have come to the conclusion that she is a dangerous machine for me, and I don't want anything more to do with her. I came very near drowning my wife and my friends with her; and this fills me with disgust for the boat and for myself."

"Just now you spoke of a reward for what I had the good luck to do for you, Mr. Sherwood," continued Lawry.

"I did; and you may be a.s.sured I shall never forget your n.o.ble conduct," replied Mr. Sherwood warmly.

"If you are going to give the _Woodville_ away, sir--"

"Well, what?" asked Mr. Sherwood, as the young pilot paused.

"I don't know as I ought to say what I was going to say."