THE CULMINATION OF DISASTERS.
The first thing necessary was to ascertain exactly what portion of the
steamer's hull was imbedded in the sand, and this Bob proceeded to do
with the lead-line.
It was found that only about twenty feet of the keel rested on the
shoal, the remainder overhanging four or five fathoms of water. The tide
was at its highest point, which accounted for the movement of the
steamer as the hawser shrank, and Bob cried in a cheery tone:
"I reckon it won't be impossible to launch the little craft, after all.
By bringing the hawser on to the winch, shiftin' the ballast aft, an'
heavin' down with every ounce of muscle we've got, somethin' oughter be
done at the next tide."
Every one was ready to exert himself to the utmost, and in a very short
space of time the heavy rope was brought to the winch, after which all
hands tugged and strained at the bars until the cable had been hove taut
again.
That done, there was an opportunity for rest. It would be useless to
attempt anything more until the now receding waters should rise again,
which would be the case twelve hours later, and the little crew gathered
under the awning aft to discuss the new phase of affairs, while Joe
continued his work on the metal; for this task, apparently so useless a
few hours previous, had suddenly become very important.
"The question is, How long may we have to stop here after the tug's
afloat?" Bob remarked as he lighted his pipe, and began once more to
select from the timbers taken out of the cabin such as could be used on
the shattered hull.
"By hard work it may be done in a week's time," Joe replied after some
thought.
"Then you'll keep steady at it while me an' the boys 'tend to the other
matters. You sha'n't be called to turn your hand on anything else till
thas is done. Have we got coal enough for a three-hundred-mile run?"
Joe shook his head.
"I'm afraid not; but by taking on some wood we ought to be able to make
it, for I suppose you're counting on going to Nassau?"
"That's the nearest port; an' we'll see to choppin' fuel when she's
afloat, an' I've patched the bow a leetle more ship-shape."
During the remainder of the day, when they were not engaged in the
galley, Joe had some trifling work which could be performed by the boys,
and his every command was obeyed with alacrity, for all hands were eager
to utilize each moment in preparing for departure.
That night a watch was kept, although there was nothing to be feared
from their late enemies. Bob proposed to have some more exercise at the
winch when the tide was at its full height again, and to that end it was
necessary one of the party should remain awake to arouse the others at
the proper time.
This work, however, had no other result than that of awakening the weary
sleepers unnecessarily. Labor as they did to the utmost of their
strength, the steamer was not moved so much as a single inch, and the
old sailor said, after realizing the uselessness of the task:
"We'll have to shift everything aft, I reckon, before it's possible to
pull her off this blessed sand. After sunset to-morrow we'll tackle the
job, an' by the second tide have another turn at the winch."
Had the weary ones known just how fortunate they were in thus failing to
pull the Sea Bird into deep water there would have been far less
repining as they laid down once more on the mattresses under the awning.
The gray light of approaching dawn had but just begun to steal across
the sky when Bob called all hands for another day's labor, and when the
sun showed himself above the horizon each member of the crew was busily
engaged.
Jim had positive orders to finish his task in the galley in the least
possible time, because Joe wished to use the stove as a forge; and the
breakfast was by no means elaborate, coffee being the only thing served
hot.
"There isn't anything you boys can do on board this mornin', an' I
reckon you'd better begin the job of cuttin' fuel to help out on the
coal," Bob said when the rather unsatisfactory repast was brought to a
close.
"How are we to get ashore?" Harry asked. "The raft went adrift when the
heaving-line parted."
"She didn't go very far. Look off the port bow an' you'll see her on the
beach. It won't be much of a job for Jim to run another rope out, an'
he'll be all the better for a bath."
The young fisherman was not averse to what was little less than sport,
and if he did spend considerably more time in the water than was
absolutely necessary, no one could say any had really been wasted.
When the raft was in working order once more Harry and Walter clambered
on board, and soon the shores of the harbor resounded with the blows of
their axes. Owing to the scarcity of tools it was only possible for two
to work at a time, consequently each had a certain number of minutes in
which to rest.
It was after they had been on shore about two hours that Walter, during
his idle moments, wandered out from the thicket to see if there had by
chance been any change in the steamer's position, and he had not left
his companions more than five minutes when they heard him shout:
"Come here, fellows, and see if you can tell what Joe is doing. It
looks to me as if there was a big lot of smoke from the galley."
Not thinking it possible there could be anything wrong on the steamer,
neither Jim nor Harry obeyed the summons very quickly, and when five
minutes more had elapsed they were yet in the thicket.
"Harry! I'm sure there's some trouble aboard!" he shouted, and this time
it was the tone rather than the words which caused them to move quickly.
On arriving where a view of the steamer could be had, Joe and Bob were
seen working industriously under the awning; but a thick, black smoke
was flowing out of the companion-way. The light breeze carried it
shoreward; consequently the laborers, from whom it was hidden by the
deck-house, were wholly ignorant of what seemed to Walter very alarming.
It did not require many seconds for Jim to make up his mind as to the
cause of this unusual vapor, and his face grew pale as he cried sharply:
"The steamer is on fire! Hurry up an' get aboard!" Then as he ran at
full speed along the shore he shouted loudly, "Bob! Bob! Fire! Fire!"
These cries were heard by the workmen before the boys gained the raft,
and on glancing shoreward the tell-tale smoke was seen.
In an instant both men were forward, and, after stopping only the merest
fraction of time to investigate matters, Bob began to draw up water with
the deck-bucket, thus giving full confirmation to the fears of those on
the raft, who were pulling desperately toward the steamer.
Both men were working with the utmost speed, dashing water into the
companion-way, and causing the smoke to rise in yet denser volumes. Only
once did either speak, and then when Bob shouted in a hoarse voice:
"Hurry on, lads; we'll need all hands at this job if the steamer is to
be saved!"
This injunction was unnecessary, for the boys were making every effort
to propel the raft at the swiftest possible rate of speed. The water
boiled around the forward timbers as if a strong current was setting
down toward them, and there was every danger that in their haste the
frail craft would be forced asunder.
Long though the time occupied in the passage appeared to be when so much
might depend upon an early arrival, it was really not more than five
minutes from the time the boys left the shore until they were on deck
searching for some article in which water could be carried.
With the exception of the two buckets used by Bob and Joe, everything of
the kind was in the galley, and after a hurried, frantic search of the
cabin and engine-room, the boys went forward empty-handed.
"There isn't so much as a dipper here!" Jim screamed.
"An' it's jes' as well," Bob replied hoarsely, as a volume of flame
burst from the companion-way. "Nothin' less than a fire-engine would do
any good now. It's time we saved what'll be needed ashore. Knock off,
Joe, an' we'll load the raft."
The engineer was not willing to give up the struggle so easily. He
worked like a fury, dashing water on the roaring, leaping flames, which
were already sending out long streams on the tar-covered seams; and not
until the fire had full possession of the forward portion did he cease
his more than useless labors to assist the others.
Meanwhile Bob and the boys had been throwing bedding, tools, and every
article within reach, on the raft. It was not until after they had been
thus engaged several moments that any one thought of the treasure in the
hold, and then Jim cried more frantically than before:
"The gold! The gold! We _must_ get that out!"
"It'll have to take its chances with the rest!" Bob replied sharply.
"Even if we could get below, the fire would be upon us before the bags
were uncovered. Life is worth more than money jes' now."
Not until everything from the engine-room and cabin which could be of
any service ashore had been piled up on the raft did Bob pause, and then
the flames covered more than two-thirds of the deck. As a matter of
course the heaving-line was long since burned from the winch, and
nothing held the rude craft which now bore all their worldly possessions
but the painter Harry had made fast to the stern-bitt.
"We shall have to swim for it, lads," Bob said as he shielded his face
from the intense heat with his hat. "The raft is loaded so deep that the
weight of one of us would swamp her."
As he spoke he seized Walter by the waist and leaped overboard, Jim
waiting only long enough to ask Harry if he needed any assistance before
following the example.
"Don't bother about me!" Harry replied; and then as the flames came
nearer he plunged into the sea, Joe lingering a few seconds longer, as
if to take one last look at the little craft he had tried so hard to
save.
The wind carried the raft shoreward as soon as the painter was let go,
therefore those in the water had nothing to care for save their own
safety.
In less than ten minutes all hands were standing on the beach watching,
with deepest sorrow written on every feature of their countenances, the
destruction of the tug in which they had so fondly hoped soon to be
steaming toward home.
[Illustration: The engineer seized Walter by the waist and leaped
overboard.]