The Search for the Silver City Part 3

Jake was nowhere to be seen. It was as if after his invitation to go on sh.o.r.e had been declined he betook himself to some other portion of the yacht, where he could perspire without allowing the others to see his suffering, and the boys swung to and fro until the hour came when the singing of steam told that preparations for departure were being made.

There could be no doubt but that Na.s.sau would be a pleasant place in which to spend the winter months; but it was by no means desirable during the summer, and when the Sea Dream left the little harbor where the water was hardly more than sufficient to float her, both Neal and Teddy gave vent to a sigh of relief.

"We are to run south until it is possible to give the banks a clear berth, and then stand straight up the coast for home," the former said as the yacht glided almost noiselessly over the phosph.o.r.escent lighted waters down the eastern side of the shoals. "If a good head of steam is kept on we should be in a colder lat.i.tude very soon."

"We can't get there any too soon to please me," Teddy replied, as he waved the palm-leaf fan languidly. "I believe it would be a positive comfort to have my nose frost-bitten."

"It isn't possible you will have such comfort as that for some time to come; but we may be able to make your teeth chatter in a few days," Neal replied laughingly, and then as the breeze caused by the movement of the yacht over the water fanned his face, he added sleepily, "Good night; I don't believe I shall open my eyes until after sunrise to-morrow."

As a matter of fact this prediction was not verified; before evening a wind had come out of the sea which caused the yacht to bow before it like a reed in a storm, and the hammocks that, a few hours previous, had seemed so rest-inviting, were swinging at a rate that threatened to throw their occupants to the deck.

"I fancy it is time we went below," Neal said, as he awakened his friend by a series of vigorous shakes. "If we stay here half an hour longer it will be doubtful whether we're on board or in the water."

The Sea Dream's lee rail was already so near the surface that the green waves curled over it now and then, and before the boys could reach the cabin they were thoroughly drenched.

It was the greatest possible relief to crawl into the bunk and pull up the bed-clothes to defend themselves against the cold wind which came through the port-hole, and so delicious was this sense of being chilly that they failed to realize the cause of the sudden change in the weather, until they heard the sailing master in the cabin reply to Mr.

Emery's question:

"You are getting your first taste of what is known as a norther; but there isn't the slightest danger if we can crawl away from the land, and we shall have no trouble in doing that so long as there is a full head of steam on."

"What does he mean by a norther?" Teddy asked of Neal, who had shown, by rising on his elbow, that he was awake.

"A wind coming from the north, more frequently met in the Gulf of Mexico, when the temperature falls very suddenly, as was the case this evening, and a furious gale is often the result."

"So long as it holds cold I don't see that we have any cause to complain," was the sleepy rejoinder; but before the night came to a close he had good reason for changing his mind on the subject.

It was about midnight, as near as the boys could judge without looking at a watch, when the yacht was flung on her beam ends with a sudden force which threw both out of the berth, and before the port-hole could be fastened, flooded the state-room with water.

Teddy might well be excused for the shrill cry of alarm which escaped from his lips, for at that moment even an experienced sailor would have fancied the little craft had struck upon a reef, more particularly since it was known they were in a dangerous locality.

"We are sinking!" he cried frantically as he tried in vain to open the door, and Neal was of the same opinion.

After what seemed to be a very long while although in reality it could have been but a few seconds, the Sea Dream slowly righted, and then it was possible for the boys to gain the cabin.

Here they were met by Mr. Emery, who had just succeeded in leaving his own room, and before any conversation could be indulged in the steamer began pitching and rolling about in a manner that showed she was not on the reef even if the first shock had been the result of striking one.

It was only by holding with all their strength to the immovable articles of furniture that they avoided being flung from one end of the cabin to the other, as the yacht plunged and tossed, throwing violently to and fro everything which had not been securely fastened.

The cabin lamp was burning dimly, and the faint light only served to reveal more clearly the general confusion.

Once amid the tumult the boys heard Mr. Emery shout:

"Don't be frightened; if there was any immediate danger Mr. Walters would warn us."

"He may not be able to come where we are," Teddy thought; but he refrained from giving words to such a dismal foreboding, and in silent fear waited for--he knew not what.

CHAPTER IV.

A NEW DANGER.

To the frightened boys in the cabin it was as if the night would never come to an end, and during every one of those fearful moments they believed the yacht was on the point of taking the final plunge.

At four o'clock in the morning the steamer's movements became more regular; but not less in violence, and, shortly after, the sailing master came below.

"We are laying-to," he said to Mr. Emery. "There is a nasty sea on, and I didn't care to take the chances of fighting against it."

"How does she stand it?"

"Like a darling. I was afraid of straining her at first; but when she took the b.u.t.t end of the storm in such a pleasant fashion there was no longer any reason to fret about her."

"It didn't seem like such a very pleasant fashion to us," Teddy said to Neal, who had succeeded in gaining a chair near his friend.

"It appeared to me as if she kicked pretty hard about it," Neal replied, and then Mr. Emery asked:

"What are the weather indications?"

"There is no reason to hope for anything better until the wind blows itself out, and according to my way of thinking that won't be within the next twenty-four hours. Why don't you people lie down?"

"Because it has been a matter of impossibility to remain in the berths."

"You can do so now without much difficulty. Come, boys, let me help you to turn in."

The calm, matter-of-fact way in which Mr. Walters acted caused the boys to feel more comfortable in mind, and they made no protest when he a.s.sisted them to the state-room where there was yet water enough to show what had happened.

"Why didn't you call one of the stewards to mop this up?" the sailing master asked as he lighted the swinging lamp.

"We haven't seen one since the gale begun," Neal replied with a laugh.

"I fancy they were as much frightened as Teddy and I."

"It won't take long to turn them out," and Mr. Walters started forward in a manner which boded no good for the skulkers.

Neal and Teddy found little difficulty in retaining a rec.u.mbent position, although the yacht was tossing up and down like a mad thing.

She no longer gave those sudden lurches which threatened to carry away even the short spars, and for the first time since the deluge from the port-hole, they began to feel really comfortable in mind.

The steward came in very shortly after Mr. Walters left, and from the expression on his face it was evident he had been rated severely for neglect of duty.

"It didn't make any difference to us whether the water was washed up or not," Neal said in a friendly tone. "The sailing master saw it and asked why we hadn't called you."

"He don't allow that a man has any right to sleep," the steward replied sulkily. "If he'd been up since five o'clock, he'd want to turn in before midnight instead of foolin' around the cabin till it was time to begin another day's work."

"Is it possible that you have been sleeping?" Neal asked in surprise.

"Why not?"

"I don't see how you could even lie down while the yacht was tumbling about in such a furious manner."