A SHOUT AT MIDNIGHT.
In the morning, after they had eaten an early breakfast, the boys
called on the keeper of the light, and were allowed to climb to the top
of the tower. Here a glorious panorama was spread before them, with
many miles of the sea to the east, the sandy shore line stretching far
to the dim north, and one of the most beautiful pictures opening out to
the southwest, where lay Norfolk and those other places of interest,
across twenty miles of green waters that glistened in the early October
sunlight.
Jack asked many questions concerning tides and prevailing winds. He
also noted the lay of the course they must follow in making their
passage across to the other side.
The genial keeper gave him numerous points that might be of value. He
also declared it as his opinion that they could not have a better day
for the trip, as the sea was comparatively smooth, and the wind light,
as well as from a favorable quarter.
And so the boys returned to their boats, determined to make the effort
to cross while the chances were so much in their favor.
Nick was only waiting to be invited aboard the good old _Comfort_; and
Jack, who believed that it would be better to have only one to occupy
their attention in case anything went wrong with the untamed speed
boat, asked George if he had any objections to letting his crew change
ships, to which the other immediately replied that such a thing would
please him immensely.
"I can manage her much better without a cargo, fellows," he declared,
earnestly. "Now, listen to him, would you, calling me a cargo?"
whimpered Nick; but while he thus pretended to be offended, it was
laughable to see how quickly he made the transfer, as though afraid
Jack might change his mind, or George want him to stay.
About nine o'clock the start was made, as the tide would be most
favorable around that time, the lighthouse keeper had told them.
Since the _Comfort_ had been overhauled she was capable of making
better time than previously, when she was known as the "Tub" by the
rest of the boys. Herb declared he could take her across in two hours,
though Jack privately believed it would be nearer three before they
reached Norfolk.
It turned out to be a hedge, just two and a half hours elapsing from
the time they made the start until they drew up near the big wharves at
Norfolk.
However, time was not giving these happy-go-lucky lads the least
uneasiness just at present, so long as they did reach port in safety.
"And it's just as well we started so early," Jack remarked, "because
the wind is freshening all the while, and it will be blowing great guns
out there before long.
"Hey, Josh! why not make a change again, and you get aboard the
_Comfort_?" proposed Nick, who hated to give up a good thing.
"No you don't," retorted Josh, "not any for me. You just go and stew
in your own gravy, will you? Took me a whole month to get the creak
out of my bones after the last time you coaxed me to change places.
Over you get, now, or else it's a ducking for yours, my boy," and Josh
advanced in a warlike manner on the fat youth.
So, sighing like a martyr, Nick felt compelled to clamber into the
speed boat.
"You ought to have one for your own sweet self," declared George, as he
grasped the gunnel to keep from being tossed overboard, for Nick
careened the boat dreadfully upon climbing in. "Why, you just don't
know how fine the old _Wireless_ acted on the way over, with only me
aboard."
"I wish I did have a boat, as big as a house," declared Nick. "I'm
wasting away to a mere shadow trying to keep my balance in this wedge.
If I forget to breathe with both lungs at the same time he tells me I'm
upsetting the equilibrium of the blessed thing. I feel most all the
time like I'm the acrobat in the circus trying to stand on one toe on
top of a flagpole."
After they had tied up, Herb was dispatched for the mail, while Jack
went to buy a few provisions. Nick bombarded him with such a fearful
list of things he wanted him to purchase that Jack had to thrust his
fingers in his ears.
"What do you take me for, Nick, a dray horse?" he laughed. "I'd have
to be, to carry the load you'd want. I've got a list of things we must
have, and that's all I'll promise to lug down here. If you want
anything else, you'll have to go after it yourself."
"All right, I'll do that," said Nick, promptly.
"Sure; and please tell me where you expect to stow all that truck?"
demanded George, immediately, with a frown. "Not aboard the
_Wireless_, I promise you, my boy. She's got all she can carry in
hauling you around, without a sack of potatoes, a ham, and all that
truck you mentioned. Hire a float, and perhaps we'll tow it behind us."
Nick said not another word, being completely squelched, as Josh put it.
Leaving Norfolk, they started up the broad Elizabeth River, meaning to
take the Albemarle and Chesapeake Canal, which had long ago been cut
through the Great Dismal Swamp and connected with Currituck Sound, that
noted ducking place where so many large gun clubs have their
headquarters.
Entering this canal, they moved along steadily through the balance of
the afternoon. On all sides lay the most interesting sights; for the
moss hung heavily on the dismal-looking trees, and the boys thought
they had never seen a more depressing picture than was now presented to
their gaze.
"Say, Jack, do we get out of this place tonight?" asked Herb, who was
not particularly fond of swamps and such ghostly places.
"No, we made out to start a little too late to get to the little river
beyond before night sets in," Jack replied.
"But there's a pretty good sized moon now, you remember, and we might
keep on. I'm afraid it'll give me the jim-jams to sleep in this
horrible old swamp," Herb went on to say.
"Like to oblige you," laughed Jack; "but the fact is we're going to tie
up mighty soon now. Only looking for a half way decent place."
"What's all the hurry?" grumbled the pilot of the _Comfort_.
"Look aloft and you'll soon see," came the reply, which caused Herb to
cast his eyes upward.
"Holy smoke! we're going to get some storm, I take it!" he immediately
exclaimed, as he saw heavy clouds mounting upward. "And to think that
nobody discovered the fact but you, Jack. Yes, I reckon, then, we'll
have to tie up, and get George's boat tent up before she comes. I'll
just have to grin and bear it."
"That's the way to talk, Herb," said Josh. "What difference does it
make to us, tight in our snug little hunting cabin? If anybody made a
kick it ought to be the poor _Wireless_ crew."
"Here, don't you waste your breath pitying us, now," flashed the
jealous George, who could never bear to have any one but himself run
his boat down.
There seemed but little choice of a camping place, since the shores of
the canal proved to be pretty much alike; so presently Jack threw up
his hand as a signal that he meant to stop, and the three boats were
soon being tied to trees.
"You'd think Herb expected a tornado, and wanted to make sure his old
houseboat didn't get carried away," laughed George, as he watched the
other secure both ends of the _Comfort_ with cables, that he tested
again and again.
"Oh, well, you never can tell," replied the other, without showing the
least ill will; "and 'a stitch in time saves nine,' they taught me at
home. 'What's worth doing at all is worth doing well', and sometimes
it pays."
"It always pays in a contented mind," remarked Jack, who admired this
positive trait in Herbert's nature, so different from George's flighty
ways.
It was the case of the hare and the tortoise over again with these two;
and while the speedy hare lay down to take a nap, confident of winning,
the slow going tortoise was apt to come along and get to the goal
first, after all.
The rain held off for a while, and they were able to cook supper
ashore, though Josh kept as anxious eye on those dark clouds overhead
while he worked.
"It's going to prove a big fizzle after all," remarked Nick, after a
little water had come down, and the moon peeped out of a break in the
clouds.
"Perhaps so; you never can tell what the weather will do," Jack
laughed. "But all the same we'll be apt to sleep aboard again, for
fear it does rain before morning."
"You bet we will," remarked Herb; "at least this chicken does. Ugh!
I'd wake up, and think a raft of snakes was creeping out of that old
swamp there. Are you all of the same mind about bunking aboard?"
"If anybody will go me, I'll stay ashore," announced Nick, to the
surprise of his chums; but then they knew the narrow confines of the
speed boat cramped his ample form, and that explained his boldness.
"That is, if George will only let me have his gun too."
"Sure I will, and only too glad," declared that worthy, eagerly. "I'd
like to stretch all over the bally old boat myself, for once."
Jimmy took up Nick's offer, and so Jack set to work making them a rude
sort of canopy that was calculated to shed water fairly well. It was
composed of branches from nearby trees, and might be called a hunter's
lean-to.
When the time came for retiring, the two boys lay down under this,
drawing their blankets around them, for the night air was chilly.
"If it rains too hard, crawl in where you belong," was the last
instruction Jack gave them before seeking the bed he had made in the
_Tramp's_ interior.
Later on all was silent about the camp on the canal. From the swamp
near by various queer sounds might have been heard, had any one
remained awake to listen; but as the boys were all pretty tired, no
doubt they slept well.
It might have been in the middle of the night that Jack was aroused by
a loud shout, which he recognized as coming from Nick. Wondering what
it meant, he immediately started to climb out of the boat, gun in hand,
when there came a tremendous report. Evidently Nick, whether he had
seen something suspicious or was dreaming he did, had fired George's
borrowed gun!