Syd Belton Part 71

"O' course, Master Syd, sir. Never struck me till this instant. Well, I'm proud o' you, sir, I am indeed, and it's a comfort to me now as I did have something to do with teaching of you."

"What's that mean? What does Rogers want?"

"Dunno, sir. Caught a big 'un, I s'pose, or lost his line. You give him leave to fish, didn't you?"

"Yes.--Well, Rogers, what is it? Got any fish?"

"Lots, sir. But here's a big boat, sir, close in; floating upside down."

"Boat?" cried Strake. "Ay, ay, my lad; that means firewood for the hauling up; soon dry on the rocks."

The news brought Roylance from Mr Dallas's quarters, and Terry hurried down, the little party finding that the current had brought a water-logged boat as big as a small schooner close in to the rock, by which it was slowly floating some forty yards away.

"If we could only get a rope made fast on board," cried Syd, excitedly, as he gazed at the swept decks, and masts broken off quite short.

"I'll swim off with a line, sir," said Rogers.

"Ugh! sharks!" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Roylance.

"I could swim off with a line and make it fast," began Syd.

"Do, then, Belton," said Terry, eagerly; "the boat would keep us in firewood for long enough."

"But I should be afraid of the sharks, and should not like to let a man do what I would not do myself."

"P'r'aps there are no sharks here now," said Terry, with an aggravating smile, which seemed to say, "you're afraid."

"I'm not going to risk it," said Syd, quietly, "badly as we want the wood."

"But that little vessel may be valuable," said Terry, "and mean prize-money for the men."

"I don't think the men would care for prize-money bought with the life of their captain's son," said Syd, coldly.

"I wouldn't for one," muttered Rogers, as a murmur ran round the group of watching men.

"Pish!" said Terry, with a merry laugh.

"Why don't you try it, Mr Terry?" said Roylance.

"Because I should order him not to go, and would not allow it, Mr Roylance," said Syd, firmly.

"Brayvo, young game-c.o.c.k!" muttered Strake, who was busy with a line.

"My, what a orficer I shall make o' him."

"It would be too dangerous a job for any man to attempt. The sea swarms round the rock with hungry fish, and I don't mind saying I should be just as much afraid to go as I should be to let one of my men go."

"There, sir, I think this here 'll do it," said Strake, coming forward with a ring of line and a marlin-spike tied across at the end. "If you'll give leave for me to go with half a dozen o' the men along yonder, we may be able to hook her as she comes along."

"Come along, then," said Syd. "But will not that marlin-spike slip out?"

"That's just what I'm afraid on, sir. Ought to be a little tiny grapnel as would hold on, but this is the best I can think on."

The party climbed along the rocks, which formed a perpendicular wall from thirty to forty feet high, till they were some twenty yards beyond the derelict. Place was given to the boatswain, who had the line laid out in coils, and while he waited he carefully added to the stability of the marlin-spike with some spun-yarn.

And all this time, rising and falling, the water-logged boat came on, the current drawing it in till it was only some thirty yards away from the cliff where they stood, and the men whispered together as to the possibility of the boatswain throwing so far. At last she was nearly opposite.

"Stand by," growled the boatswain, gruffly. "Hold on to the end o' that line, Rogers, my lad, and stick to it if there comes a tug; then tighten easily, for we've got to check her way if my grappling-iron does take hold."

"Stand clear all," said Syd, as the old man made the marlin-spike spin round like a Catherine wheel at the end of three feet of the line. The speed increased till it produced a whizzing sound; then, letting it go, away it flew seaward right over the derelict, and the men gave a cheer.

"Well done, Strake," cried Syd, making a s.n.a.t.c.h at the line.

"Nay, nay, sir," whispered the old man; "you're skipper here; let me do this."

"Yes; go on," said Syd, colouring at his boyish impetuosity, as he resigned the line to the boatswain's hands. "Haul steadily! that's the way. Now, then, will it hold?"

There was another cheer, for, as the rope was drawn upon, the marlin-spike caught somewhere on the far side among the broken stays of the foremast.

But the wreck was not secured yet. It was gliding along slowly with the tide, but with great force, while it required a great deal of humouring and easing off to succeed for fear that the hold should break away. The consequence was that the men who held on by the rope had to follow the little vessel for some distance before it began to yield, and then they towed it slowly and steadily along. No easy task, for the towing-path was one continuous climb, and the men had to pa.s.s the line on from one party to the other.

But they towed away till the spot was reached whence the line had been thrown, and now that the boat was well in motion, the task grew more and more easy.

"Steady, there, steady!" growled the boatswain. "You arn't got hold of a nine-inch cable, and it arn't hard and fast to the capstan. Steady, lads."

For the men were getting excited, and were stamping away. They calmed down though, and towed on and on till Syd began to give his orders, looking hard at Strake the while, as if to ask if he was doing right.

"You, Rogers, have a line ready and jump aboard as she comes close in by the pier. Make it fast round the stump of the bowsprit."

"Nay, nay, sir," growled Strake; "take a turn or two round the foremas', my lad, run the rope out through the hawse-hole, and then chuck it ash.o.r.e here."

"Ay, ay, sir," shouted Rogers, picking up one of the rings of rope they had ready, and throwing it over his shoulder, as he stood barefooted on the rock.

"Don't jump till you are quite sure, Rogers," cried Syd, "and 'ware sharks."

The men laughed, the little vessel came nearer and nearer, and the excitement increased; when all at once, just as she was within a dozen feet of the rocks where the officers stood and the men were hauling steadily away, there was a yell of disappointment; the marlin-spike came away, bringing with it some tow and tarry rope, and the prize stopped, yielded to the pressure of the current, and began to glide away again.

"Never mind, sir, I'll make another cast," cried Strake, gathering in the line; but before he had got in many feet there was a splash, a quick scattering of the water, and after rapidly making a few strokes, Roylance was seen to climb over the side of the little vessel, which was nearly flush with the water.

As he did so there was a shriek of horror, for a couple of sharks, excited by the sight of prey standing so near the edge of the waves that ran over the natural pier, made a swoop down upon the young officer, who in his hurry and excitement let loose the ring of rope he had s.n.a.t.c.hed from Rogers, and it was seen to descend through the clear water.

"Why, he has no rope! He'll be carried away with the boat. Jump back now; never mind the sharks."

"Stay where you are," cried Syd, as loudly as he could call out above the hurry and excitement. "Now, Strake, quick!"

The boatswain was being quick, but it was hard work to get the line free from the tangle that it had dragged ash.o.r.e. There was no other line handy, and it began to seem as if the brave young fellow, who was a favourite with all but Terry, would be carried off to sea to a horrible lingering death, for all knew that it was impossible for him to swim ash.o.r.e.

"Who told him to go on board?" said Terry, coolly.