THE HELMSMAN'S MISTAKE.
Although the three boys had agreed with Bob that an attempt be made to
so far repair the tug that she might be gotten into port, all of them
believed she should have been left to sink. By making Joe Taylor a
member of the crew the brig could be worked under lower sails, and there
was little doubt but that she would soon reach the coast; whereas, by
trying to save the steamer both crafts might be lost.
The old sailor had already decided what should be done, and when the
question was settled he went at once to the lazaret for such materials
as would be needed. Joe Taylor disappeared in the Sea Bird's
engine-room, and the boys were left standing by the rail, where they
could discuss the matter privately.
"If we didn't have hands enough to work the brig I'd like to know how
much better we're off by taking charge of another craft?" Walter asked
disconsolately; and Jim replied, in what he intended should be a cheery
tone:
"Bob knows what he's about. If the tug is kept afloat she can tow us
in."
"Unless her coal gives out," Harry added; "and then we'll be worse off
than before."
"We shall only have lost jes' so many days, for she can be abandoned at
any time," Jim replied.
"And it is the possible loss of those days which makes me feel that we
ought not to make any attempt at saving her. Walter's father and mine
would be willing to pay what she cost if they could find us, and every
hour makes their sorrow greater."
"Well," Jim said slowly, "it can't be helped, so we might as well look
cheerful. Neither Bob nor the engineer would listen to us if we said the
tug ought to be abandoned, and our only chance is to hurry up with the
work."
"I don't see why Bob even thinks of such a thing." And Walter spoke in a
tone of discontent. "Here we are so far from the coast that the tug was
five days out at the time of the collision, which means ten for a
sailing vessel, and with half enough coal to get her back. What good
will it do to patch her up if we can't keep on steam?"
"That's somethin' I ain't able to answer," Jim replied gravely. "These
old sailors are queer fish, an' nobody can ever tell what kind of a
scheme they're likely to strike. This much is certain, though. Bob
wouldn't listen to us, 'cause he thinks we don't know the meanin' of
sich work."
"It seems to me that it would be better to abandon the brig, which we
can't navigate, and go on the tug as far us her coal will carry us,"
Harry suggested; but to such an idea the young fisherman made the most
decided objections.
"To leave a sound craft for one that's pretty nigh knocked to pieces
would be foolish. I'd rather take my chances ten days' sail from the
coast on the brig than go aboard a steamer like her for a trip half the
distance. We're pretty sure of keepin' afloat here, but on the tug, Davy
Jones' Locker seems mighty near!"
By this time Bob had come on deck with a spare studding-sail, and the
boys were prevented from holding any further discussion by the necessity
of immediate action.
There was not so much as a breath of air stirring. The sea was like
glass, save for the lazy swell which caused both crafts to rise and fall
in regular measure, and everything seemed favorable for the proposed
task.
"It ain't sich a big job, lads," the old sailor said, as, dropping the
canvas on deck, he made his way toward the carpenter's-room. "I've seen
crafts bunged up worse'n she is, an' yet finish the biggest end of a
voyage."
When Bob had collected such tools as might be needed he summoned all
hands, and the work was begun by spreading a double thickness of canvas
over the shattered portion of the hull outside, fastening it down firmly
with copper nails. This temporary stoppage of the leak was carried as
far below the surface as was possible without diving, and when the
aperture had been thus closed a heavy coat of tar was put on over the
entire canvas. Outside of this, again, were nailed light boards which
could easily be bent to conform with the curve of the hull, and then
another coat of tar.
This portion of the work was hardly completed when night came, and the
laborers rested only long enough to partake of a hearty meal, prepared
by Jim, after which the old sailor said:
"We are pretty nigh through, lads, an' it stands us in hand to finish
the job while this calm lasts. We've got to brace our canvas on the
inside so it'll stand a heavy sea without givin' way, an' we can work
below in the night as well as after sunrise."
The air was so still that the flame of a candle would hardly have
flickered, and the motion of the sea had subsided until the two crafts
rose and fell without so much chafing as would even rub the paint. There
was no reason why all hands, save one to stand watch, should not work in
the hold, for they could be of no assistance on deck; and leaving Harry
as lookout in case a steamer should pass within hailing distance, the
remainder of the party followed the old sailor.
By tearing out the bulk-head of the Bonita's forecastle Bob secured such
timbers as were needed, and with every one working industriously the
task was completed before midnight.
A sort of frame-work had been erected on the side where the timbers were
stove, and directly against the canvas. As a matter of course it was
impossible to fasten this except at the ends, and a heavy sea would soon
wrench it off; therefore, braces running up from the keelson and down
from the deck were put in to hold the whole in place.
This was by no means a substantial job, as even the most inexperienced
knew. In anything approaching stormy weather the tug would soon founder;
but during such a "Dutchman's hurricane" as was now raging she would be
as buoyant as when first launched.
That the water no longer made its way through the hull of the Sea Bird
could be told from the fact that the siphon, which had been in constant
use to keep the furnace from being flooded, now pumped her almost dry,
and the old sailor announced as his belief that she was in fit condition
to weather any thing save a full gale.
"We won't lose much time gettin' under way," he added, after an
inspection had been made. "How soon can you raise steam?"
"There's half a head now," the engineer replied, "and in ten minutes we
can start."
"Very well. While you are lookin' after the engine we'll get the hawsers
out. The tug must tow alongside, unless the sea gets too high; for
seein's how Jim an' me have got to do all the steerin', we're obliged to
work it so's to catch a cat-nap now and then."
Joe Taylor went into the engine-room, and before he had raised the
necessary pressure two stout hawsers were made fast fore and aft, while
more fenders were lowered to prevent chafing.
"Are you goin' south any further?" Jim asked when the work was
completed.
"No; we'll haul around an' steer due west, now that it don't matter
which direction the wind comes from. Harry an' I'll take the first
watch, so you an' Walt'd better turn in, for it's little sleep we'll get
the balance of this cruise, even if we scoop in every spare minute."
Those comprising the watch below did not wait for this suggestion to be
made a second time. The labor of the past fifteen hours had very nearly
exhausted them, and their heads hardly touched the pillows before both
were sleeping soundly.
By the arrangement Bob had made, Joe Taylor was the only one who could
not be relieved from duty, and when the old sailor went to consult him
as to how it would be possible to keep the tug running, he replied:
"We can fix that easily enough. I'll let you know when I can't keep my
eyes open any longer, and then take cat-naps on one of the bunkers. If
you ring the gong once every fifteen or twenty minutes I shall be
awakened to see that everything is working properly. It's risky, I know;
but under the circumstances there's nothing else that can be done."
Then he announced that there was a full head of steam, and Bob went into
the pilot-house. The Bonita's helm had been lashed amidships, and, save
in the event of very heavy weather, both crafts could readily be steered
from the tug.
After explaining the bell signals to the old sailor Joe started the
machinery, and for the time being all desire for slumber was driven from
Harry's eyes by the pleasure of knowing that at last the brig was
heading directly toward home.
Very likely Joe Taylor was affected in a similar manner, because,
although having had no rest for many hours, he stood at his post during
Bob's watch without intimating the need of sleep.
The weather could not have been more propitious than when what was hoped
would prove to be the homeward cruise began. It is true the night was
dark, even the stars being obscured by fleecy clouds; but not a breath
of wind ruffled the waters, and the waves had sunk to rest.
The Sea Bird towed the heavily laden brig at the rate of six or seven
knots an hour, and it seemed to Harry that nothing could prevent their
sighting the mainland before the tug's coal was exhausted. He walked
fore and aft on the brig's deck in order to keep awake; but during the
entire watch his services were not required, and at three o'clock in the
morning Bob shouted:
"Call Jim and Walt. We won't take too long stretches on this voyage, an'
my eyes feel as if they were glued together."
The sleepers were awakened after some difficulty, and, when Jim went
into the Sea Bird's pilot-house Bob gave him his orders as follows:
"Keep her as she heads, due west, an' have your eyes open for signs of
land. I don't reckon there is any very near; but for all that we may be
to the east'ard of the Bahamas, an' it would be pretty tough to bring up
on them just now. The brig drags a bit an' that must be allowed for; but
you'll soon get the hang of it."
Then the old sailor went into the Bonita's cabin, and Jim was left alone
at the wheel, trying to drive away the slumber which still hung heavily
on his eyelids.
Walter adopted Harry's plan for keeping awake; but the exertion was
great and his body weary; therefore, in five minutes after the other
watch had gone below he went into the pilot-house, stretching himself
out on the cushioned locker as he said:
"I'm only going to rest myself a little, and won't go to sleep. It don't
seem as if we were below ten--min--minutes--before----"
The sentence was finished with what sounded suspiciously like a snore,
and Jim made no effort to arouse him. He knew by his own condition how
difficult it was to remain awake, and griping the spokes of the wheel
more tightly to quicken the circulation of blood, he muttered:
"Let him take comfort if he can; there's really no need of both standing
watch."
During the next ten minutes he alternately tried to peer through the
dense gloom, and looked at the compass-card, which was faintly illumined
by a tiny lamp. The throbbing of the engine, the long, waving lines
which marked the faint swell, and the whispering of the night air lulled
the senses, despite every effort to perform his duties faithfully,
until, without being conscious of the fact, his eyes closed in slumber
even while standing at the wheel.
In the engine-room Joe Taylor was battling against the same desire to
which Jim had yielded. He shoveled coal, raked the fires, polished
portions of the machinery which already shone like silver, and performed
other needless tasks in order to prevent sleep from overcoming him, but
ignorant of the fact that both brig and tug were running wild.
The first hour of the watch passed, and yet the occupants of the
pilot-house remained unconscious. Leaning over the wheel, with his head
resting between the spokes, Jim heeded not the gray light in the sky
which heralded the approach of day.
Had his eyes been open he would have seen through the rapidly-vanishing
gloom a long, low, black line which half encircled the two crafts and
told that they were running into a harbor or bay.
But he slept on, and each turn of the screw carried them nearer and
nearer the dark mass until suddenly the brig staggered, rolled to
starboard for an instant, when the tug came to a full stop with a crash
and a quiver which sent the helmsman reeling backward against his
companion as a rush and roar of steam from the engine-room told of a
second disaster.