REPAIRING THE SEA BIRD.
It was extremely difficult for anyone on the tug to set about work while
the sense of injury and grief was so fresh in his mind, and had it not
been for Joe all hands would have given way to sorrow and anger, a
course which could certainly bring no relief. He bustled around as if
there was not a thought in his mind beyond repairing the engine, calling
for assistance first upon one of the boys and then Bob, until they were
absolutely forced to take an interest in the work.
He insisted that the yawl must be gotten into the water without delay,
because his duties might necessitate his going ashore at a moment's
notice; and it was nearly time for the sun to set before the little boat
was in sailing trim. While the boys were engaged in this work Joe called
upon Bob so often that the old sailor grew quite eager to see the job
progress, and, like the others, almost ceased to dwell upon the bitter
disappointment.
When the boat was launched, Joe advised the boys to go into the tiny
galley of the tug for the purpose of getting supper, concluding by
saying:
"It ain't as big as the one on the Bonita; but you'll find better tools
to work with, because everything is new. There must be grub enough to
last ten days or more; but if not, we'll do a little hunting and
fishing. This is the season for turtles, so we can have plenty of meat
and eggs; and there's no show of being put on short allowance, even if
we should stay here a month."
This remark about food aroused Bob from the mournful reverie into which
he had fallen for the moment, and he said with something like his old
cheerfulness, as he started forward:
"I'll overhaul the stores, so we'll know jes' what there is on board;
but it won't do any harm for you boys to go fishin' now an' then, seein'
that you can't do very much work in the engine-room."
Then he went into the fore-peak. Jim and Walter built a fire in the
stove, which occupied fully half the space in the tiny galley, and Harry
set about laying the forward-cabin table with the limited collection of
crockery.
Joe came from the hot engine-room when the others were fully occupied.
He had not really begun, his task, nor did he intend to do so until the
next morning when some kind of a bench could be set up in the open air,
although he had moved about very lively to keep the minds of his
companions on something besides their own misfortunes.
It was not long before Bob finished taking account of the eatables, and
on coming from the hold he reported:
"We've got fully half a barrel of flour, about twenty pounds of salt
pork, twice as much beef, and two hams. There's coffee enough to last
this crew four or five weeks, with canned milk to help it out. Two dozen
tins of assorted vegetables, three bushels of potatoes, plenty of salt,
pepper, molasses and vinegar. Pretty nigh a whole tub of butter, another
of lard, and a barrel two-thirds full of ship's-biscuit. We sha'n't
starve yet awhile; but it stands us in hand to do some fishin' an'
huntin' before we leave this place--if we ever do."
"Now, don't talk that way, Bob," Joe said with a laugh. "I give you my
word that the engine can be repaired, so of course we shall leave here."
"How much coal have you got?"
Joe's face darkened. The fuel supply was the only thing of which he had
not thought, and he knew there was only such an amount on board as would
serve to keep up steam about forty-eight hours.
"I don't suppose we've got enough for the run across," he said after a
short pause; "but we can take on plenty of wood, or make our way into
Nassau, where, by giving a distress note on the steamer, it will be
possible to get all that may be needed. If we could only manage to patch
the bow a little better I wouldn't feel worried about anything."
"That's jes' what I've made up my mind to do," Bob replied. "If you
don't call on me too often, I reckon I can show a pretty decent job of
carpentering by the time you're ready to make steam."
"After to-morrow night I shan't need much help, so you'll have plenty of
time," Joe said with a laugh; and then the conversation was interrupted
by Walter's announcement that supper was ready.
Jim had taken especial pains with this meal, probably acting on the
belief that grief is lessened when the stomach is satisfied, and all
hands seated themselves at the table, which occupied nearly the entire
floor-space of the little cabin, looking far more cheerful than one
would have supposed under the circumstances.
"There's a big advantage about living here," Joe said, as he lighted the
swinging lamp that the interior might seem more cheerful. "Everything is
snugger than on the brig. We've got one bunk apiece, and none to spare;
the bedding is clean because it's new, while Jim's work is easier owin'
to the fact of the galley bein' alongside the dining-room."
"Yes," Bob said, as he choked down a sigh with a big piece of ham,
"we're pretty well fixed considerin'; an' if the Bonita had gone to the
bottom, or been burned up, I wouldn't feel sore a bit. It's the idea
that the same villains we brought off the key to save 'em from
starvation have run away with the brig which riles me. Howsomever," he
added, as he helped himself to another potato, "it don't do any good to
talk of sich rascality, an' we may as well chuck ourselves under the
chin 'cause things are no worse."
Then Joe made sure the conversation would not again drift into such a
dangerous channel by talking of the needed repairs until the meal was
finished and the dishes washed, after which all hands went on deck to
enjoy the cooling breeze.
"If we could sleep here it would be possible to take some comfort,"
Harry suggested, as the old sailor made preparations for his
after-supper smoke. "It'll be terribly hot in the cabin."
"Suppose we do that same thing?" Joe said, quickly. "I'm going to spread
the foresail as an awning in the morning to make a work-room, and if we
should put it up now there'd be nothing else necessary but bring the
bedding on deck."
Bob showed that he thought the plan a good one by laying down his pipe
and going forward. The others followed, and in a short time the little
foresail was unbent, the canvas stretched from the roof of the house aft
to a couple of oars lashed to the rail, and the boys made up the beds.
It was fully half an hour before sunrise next morning when Bob called
all hands, and the task of repairing the Sea Bird was begun without
delay. Joe had his tools and spare fittings on deck by the time
breakfast was ready, and Bob mapped out his work during the same
interval.
"You boys are to go ashore," the old sailor said when the little party
had gathered around the table. "We haven't got much water, an' if you
can find a spring it'll save wastin' coal to condense what'll be
needed."
An excursion on the island was by no means a hardship, and but little
time was spent setting the galley and cabin to rights after the meal had
been brought to an end.
"The key ain't so small but that you can get lost on it an' not half
try," Bob shouted, as Jim and Harry took up the oars, leaving Walter to
play the part of coxswain. "Keep your bearings well in mind, an' don't
go far from the shore."
Jim waved his hand to show that the commands were understood, and then
the little boat was propelled swiftly toward the key.
Bob watched the boys until they landed, fastened the yawl by tying the
painter around a projecting piece of coral, and disappeared in the
underbrush, after which he went aft, where Joe had set up a very shaky
work-bench and was busily engaged measuring a plate of metal.
"Them two city-bred youngsters are having the worst end of this queer
cruise," the sailor said thoughtfully. "To an old moss-back like me, it
don't make much difference whether he's on the Bahamas or the Sandwich
Islands, providin' there's plenty of grub; but the lads must come pretty
nigh eatin' their hearts out sometimes when they think of home an' the
sadness that's in it through their disappearin' so mysterious-like."
"It's tough on them, and that's a fact," Joe replied; "but they keep the
trouble to themselves in a way that ought to teach us a lesson. A man,
or a boy either, for that matter, should put his best foot forward, no
matter how hard a place he gets in, an' then half the battle's won
before a blow can be struck."
Joe had no opportunity to continue the subject because Bob walked into
the cabin. The conversation was growing altogether too personal to
please the old sailor, for he knew perfectly well that he had been more
than foolish in giving such free rein to his temper and grief when the
perfidy of the strangers was first made apparent, and, like many others,
he did not care to be told of his faults.
He proposed to further repair the damage done the Sea Bird by planking
outside the canvas, and to procure the necessary lumber he must take it
from the bulk-head between the after-cabin and the engine-room.
This he now proceeded to do, and while the pounding and hammering went
on below, as if the little steamer was being torn to pieces, Joe
continued what was both a difficult and laborious task. A piece of metal
such as could have been cut and planed down into the required shape in
half a day with the proper tools, he was forced to fashion from thick
plates with nothing more effective than a file. Although accustomed to
"look upon the bright side of trouble," it was impossible to conceal
from himself the unpleasant fact that two or three weeks might elapse
before the job could be finished satisfactorily, and during such time a
gale from the east might make the Sea Bird a total wreck.
These disagreeable thoughts did not prevent him from working
industriously on what seemed an almost endless task, and he had not
ceased his labors for a single moment, even though fully two hours were
passed, when a loud noise from the shore attracted his attention.
"Something has gone wrong with the boys!" he shouted; and Bob rushed on
deck in the greatest excitement as he asked, impatiently:
"What's the matter? Have you seen anything?"
"No; but listen to that yelling. It isn't possible they have found human
beings on the key, and unless they're in trouble I don't see why there
should be such an uproar."
There was but little time for speculation. Almost before Joe ceased
speaking the boys came from the underbrush at full speed and leaped into
the boat after launching her, Jim and Walter pulling energetically at
the oars while Harry waved some small object above his head.