The Rover Boys on Land and Sea Part 40

The first work in the morning was to skin the wild beast. This was rather a difficult task since no one had had any experience, outside of the Rover boys, on small game. Old Jerry said he would try a steak cut from the best part of the the animal, but when he did he said it was too tough to eat. Then the carca.s.s was dragged away and flung into a hole between the rocks.

After breakfast, the men and boys began in earnest to place the stores brought to the beach in the cave. It was hard work getting the boxes and barrels up the incline to the mouth of the cave, and the work took until the middle of the afternoon. Once at the entrance, the stores were speedily shifted to the chamber previously mentioned, and covered again with the tarpaulin. With the stores were placed a cask of fresh water, some dry pine torches and a box of matches.

Captain Blossom left a gun and some ammunition in the cave, and the Rover boys added two pistols and a couple of swords taken from the ship.

"Now we will re-arrange the entrance to the cave as it was before,"

said d.i.c.k. "Then the sailors will never suspect what we have done."

By sunset the work was over and all hands were back at the house, taking it easy. Supper was ready, but they waited hard an hour, thinking that Baxter, Lesher, and their party would put in an appearance at any moment.

"I reckon they aren't coming just yet," said Captain Blossom, at length. "Let us wait no longer."

"I'm willing," said Tom. The extra work had sharpened his appet.i.te wonderfully.

The evening pa.s.sed quietly and soon one after another retired. As agreed, the camp-fire was left burning, and each took his turn at remaining on guard.

In the morning it was Dora who made an announcement that startled all of them. The girl had taken Captain Blossom's spygla.s.s and was looking across the bay in the direction of the wreck.

"There are men on board of the _Golden Wave_" she announced. "I can see them quite plainly."

"Men on board of the wreck!" cried d.i.c.k. "Are you sure, Dora?"

"Look for yourself, d.i.c.k."

The youth did so and saw that Dora was right. Half a dozen figures could be seen walking to and fro.

"Who are they?" asked Tom. "Lesher and his crowd?"

"That I can't make out," answered d.i.c.k, and handed over the gla.s.s to his brother.

All could see the men on the wreck, but at such a distance it was impossible to make out any faces.

"Maybe they are savages," came from Grace.

"No, they are dressed like white people," said Captain Blossom..

"Perhaps another ship has come in!" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Tom. "If it has, we are saved!"

"I don't see any other ship," said old Jerry.

"It may be on the other side of yonder island," came from Sam.

"The best thing we can do is to row over and investigate," said Captain Blossom. "If another ship has come in, the captain may claim that wreck and everything on board."

A hasty breakfast was prepared and eaten, and it was agreed that the captain, d.i.c.k, and old Jerry should row over to the wreck in the best of the boats. The three were soon on the way, wondering whom they were to meet and what sort of a reception would be tendered to them.

CHAPTER XXVIII

THE MATE SHOWS HIS HAND

Captain Blossom had taken the spygla.s.s along, and as they drew closer to the wreck he gazed long and earnestly at the men walking the deck of the _Golden Wave_.

"They are my crew," he announced at last. "And they are in tatters."

"They must have had a hard time of it since you were cast ash.o.r.e,"

said d.i.c.k.

"Unless I am mistaken, not a one of them is sober," went on the captain. "They are cutting up like a band of wild Indians."

Before long they were within hailing distance of those on the wreck.

Then a voice from the rail hailed them.

"Boat ahoy!"

"Ahoy!" answered the captain.

"What do you want?" demanded the sailor on the wreck. He could scarcely talk straight.

"We want to come on board."

"Sorry, cap'n, but I can't let you come aboard," answered the sailor, with something of a hiccough.

"Can't let me come aboard?" repeated the captain. "Why not?"

"Cause it's ag'in orders."

"Whose orders?"

"Captain Lesher's."

"Captain Lesher!" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Captain Blossom indignantly. "How long has he been a captain?"

"We made him cap'n yesterday."

"That's right," put in another sailor. "We 'lected him unan--nan-- nan'mously; yes, sir, unan--nan--nan'mously."

"You are drunk, Bostwick."

"No, sir, aint drunk at all.--Lesher, he's drunk--but he's cap'n all the same."

"That's right," put in a third sailor. "Hurrah for Captain Lesher and the rum he let us have!"

"Got to keep off, I tell you," went on Bostwick. "If you don't, we have--er--we have strict orders to fire on you, yes, sir."

"To fire on us!" cried d.i.c.k.--"Do you mean to say you would fire on us?"