The Rover Boys on Land and Sea Part 43

The sailors gave some more of the details of their doings while in Lesher's company, and then they were provided with additional clothing, and each was given a pistol and some ammunition. Nothing was said to them about the cave or the provisions stored there, Captain Blossom deeming it best to wait and make sure if they were to be thoroughly trusted.

"You see," said he, "they may be straight enough, or they may be spies sent by Lesher to find out just what we propose to do."

"They look honest," said d.i.c.k. "I should trust them."

The long pull on the bay had worn the two sailors out, and they were soon sleeping soundly. The girls followed, and then the boys started to turn in.

Sam had just gone to rest, and Tom was following, when d.i.c.k, who had stepped out on the beach, uttered a cry.

"What's up?" asked Captain Blossom.

"Look toward the wreck. What does that light mean?"

The captain looked, and then ran for his spy-gla.s.s.

"The _Golden Wave_ is afire!" he exclaimed. "That light is coming up out of the cabin!"

"The wreck is on fire!" shouted Tom, and this cry brought everybody out once more.

With remarkable rapidity the light grew brighter, until the heavens and the entire bay were lit up by the conflagration. There was a strong wind blowing, which carried the sparks to the jungle back of the ship. Listening intently, they could occasionally hear the roaring and crackling of the flames.

"The ship is doomed, that is certain," said Sam. "I wonder if all who were on board escaped?"

"The fire has caught in the brushwood on the sh.o.r.e," announced Captain Blossom, who had continued to use the spygla.s.s.

"Can you see any of the men moving around?" questioned Dora.

"I thought I saw one or two, but I am not certain. Most of the men must have escaped, but if they were drunk, as Gibson says, perhaps some have been caught like rats in a trap."

The flames continued to roar upward, and toward the island back of the ship, for over an hour. During that time they heard two dull explosions, caused by some barrels of chemicals catching fire. The second explosion sent the bits of burning wood and rigging flying in all directions.

"That will leave the mutineers without a home and without stores,"

said old Jerry. "They're in a poor fix now."

"I'd like to know how the fire started," said the captain. "Can you explain it?" he went on, to Gibson and Marny.

"I've got an idea," said Marny. "Just before we came away old man Shular went down in the hold with a light to look for some certain brand of liquor we were carrying. He was more than half drunk, and he most likely dropped his lantern and set something on fire."

At the end of an hour and a half the flames had died down to the water's edge. A few small bits of wreckage continued to burn, and also a grove of trees and brushwood on the island. But before morning every bit of the fire was out, and only a heavy smoke showed where the _Golden Wave_ had once rested.

No one had thought of retiring again, and sunrise found them all worn out, and anxious to know what was going to happen next.

"You can rest a.s.sured that some of them will be over here sooner or later," said d.i.c.k. "Now they have no place to shelter them, and no provisions, they will want us to help them out."

"What will you do, d.i.c.k?" asked Dora.

"That depends on Captain Blossom, Dora. Personally I want nothing to do with any of them."

"But some may be badly burnt, and they may need medicine and bandages,"

came from Nellie.

"We can send them whatever we can spare," said Tom. "But I object strongly to letting anybody come here."

It was decided to remain on guard during the day, and all were cautioned to keep within call of the house. The bay was scanned for the sight of a rowboat, but none put in an appearance.

"I'll wager that those who did escape are sorry they quarreled with us," said Sam.

"Especially Dan Baxter," answered Grace. "He'll find that living out in the woods isn't so pleasant as it looks."

By nightfall all grew anxious, and sat in front of the house to discuss the situation.

"It can't be possible that all on board were burnt up," said d.i.c.k.

"That would be horrible."

"Oh, some must have escaped," answered Captain Blossom. "But they may be suffering from burns, or they may have no means of getting here. With the ship burnt up, and all the tools gone, it would be no easy matter to build even the roughest kind of a raft."

"What do you think about some of us rowing over to what is left of the wreck?" asked Sam.

"I was thinking of that. But, if we do that, we had better wait until to-morrow morning. You can't see much in the dark."

"If I thought anybody was dying for the want of aid, I'd go over,"

said Tom. "We all know what brutes Lesher and Baxter are. They wouldn't hesitate to go off and leave some of the others to die where they had fallen."

"I think Tom is right, and some of us ought to go over," said d.i.c.k.

"I'm willing to go," announced old Jerry. "We can move around like cats in the dark, so they won't know we are near until we tell 'em."

"You might take some medicines along, and some bandages," said Nellie.

"Take a bottle of sweet oil and some flour," put in Grace. "They are both good for burns."

The matter was talked over until midnight, and then it was settled that d.i.c.k, Tom, and old Jerry should take the largest rowboat and some bandages and medicines and row over to the vicinity of the fire.

They were to land on the beach below what was left of the wreck and crawl through the bushes on a tour of discovery. If they found that they were not absolutely needed, they were to return without making their presence known to the mutineers and Dan Baxter.

The two boys and the old sailor were soon on the way. Care had been taken to wrap cloth around the oars where they slipped in the row-locks, so that the boat moved through the water, as noiselessly as a shadow.

Once out in the bay the boys and old Jerry, pulled with a will, and in less than half an hour the beach north of what was left of the wreck was gained. They approached with great caution.

"Do you see or hear anything?" whispered Tom.

"No," answered d.i.c.k, and then the rowboat grated on the sand, and all leaped ash.o.r.e.

With their medicines and bandages in their pockets, and pistols in hand, they commenced to crawl through the bushes. Before long they came to a point from which they could look toward the wreck. All was dark and deserted and the air was filled with the smell of burnt wood and water.

"I don't see anybody, do you?" whispered d.i.c.k.

"Nary a soul in sight," answered old Jerry.