MEETING TROUBLE HALF WAY.
Jack had been studying his coast survey charts seriously of late.
He knew that there were a few hardships before them ere they could
anchor in front of Florida's metropolis on the St. John's River, fair
Jacksonville.
And as it was only right that every member of the club should share in
the discussion as to their course, he gave them to understand that
there would be held a caucus on the very next night.
At the lower end of Bogue Sound amid the sedge grass they hoped to make
their next camp, when this question would be debated from every side,
and the plan of campaign adopted as majority decided.
When they were getting ready to leave the Spence family, Jack felt some
one pulling at his sleeve, and looking around discovered that it was
old Pete.
"How 'bout that ere dollar, boss?" asked the cracker.
"That's a fact, I came near forgetting you, Pete," laughed Jack. "And
to prove that it wasn't intentional, here's double pay for you. I
guess we've had enough pleasure out of this to count for two dollars."
"That's mighty nice of you-all," declared the fellow, actually showing
something like gratitude in his manner, as he held out a hand for Jack
to shake. "An' mout I be so bold as tuh 'mind yuh thet I don't hanker
'bout stayin' down heah any longer than I has tuh. Yuh promised tuh
see I gut back tuh Beaufort, suh," he said.
"He's got you there, Jack, for that's just what you did," laughed Herb.
"I reckon that money'll burn a hole in Pete's pocket, unless he manages
to get to town right smart," declared the marshal; "but Mr. Spence heah
has got an old sail boat in which the hull lot of us is goin' to head
foh Beaufort soon. Pete is welcome to go along, if he cares."
"That pleases us a whole lot," remarked George, "because, you see, we
had a nasty little experience with some toughs along the water front,
and they bombarded us with a shower of stones as we pulled out, though
fortunately none of them struck either the boats or ourselves."
"Yes, and as we've got a long trip ahead of us before we reach the
place we marked for the end of the motor boat cruise, the sooner we
make a start the better. So we'll say good-bye to you all; and Mr.
Spence, best wishes for your future happiness. Perhaps some day we may
run across that famous son of yours again, because he took our home
address and said he meant to get in touch with us. We'd all like to
meet him again, eh, boys?" and Jack turned to his chums as he asked
this.
"That's what!" declared Nick, who had been especially interested in the
wonderful hydro-aeroplane, and even hinted that some day he also hoped
to fly through the upper currents in one, much to the amusement of his
comrades, who roared every time any one tried to picture the fat boy
trying such stunts.
So they shook hands all around, not forgetting the three charming
girls, who seemed very friendly disposed toward the Yankee boys, after
discovering what fine news the voyagers had brought their father.
"All aboard!" cried the commodore.
As the three motor boats put out upon the sun-kissed water the girls
waved dainty handkerchiefs as long as they could see the fleet. Then a
change of course shut out the fishing shack, where love had made a home
for the planter in his hour of adversity.
"After all, that was a most satisfying adventure, fellows," Jack
remarked, for the other boats were close by at the time.
"I should say, yes," admitted Josh.
"Only thing I didn't like," declared Nick, who was looking quite
unhappy, they began to notice, as though a spell of sea sickness had
gripped him, "was that we had to break away just when we were getting
to know 'em."
At that frank admission the rest broke into roars of laughter.
"So that's the way the tide sets, is it?" remarked Jack.
"Why, sure," cried Josh, "didn't you see how smitten Nick was with that
little brunette with the snapping big black eyes? She was pretty, all
right, and ten to one he's got her address, because I saw him writing
something down in his note book, sure as you live."
But Nick faced them, rosy red but defiant.
"Don't care if I did," he said, with a decided shake of his head.
"It's just rank jealousy on Josh's part that makes him say that;
because Betty wouldn't notice him even a little bit. Now, let's talk
of something else. I don't care to bring the lady's name into the
discussion."
"Good for you, Nick!" said Herb.
"And he's quite right, too, boys," asserted Jack, positively, and
immediately switched the talk to another subject.
They made decent progress during the hours that they kept on. In
Beaufort they had managed to renew their supply of gasolene, so that
they now had sufficient of the fuel to see them through for some time.
Once they reached Charleston it would be necessary to lay in another
lot.
But there was a hard proposition before them ere they could hope to
gain the beautiful city by the sea. Boats drawing the water theirs did
could not hope to get through some of the small creeks uniting the
broad stretches of water lying parallel with the coast. Hence it would
be necessary for them to make another outside passage, possibly several.
But Jack had it all planned, and wished to get the opinions of his
chums before the course was definitely decided on.
Camp was made in the sedge grass on Bogue Sound, just as they had
figured on, and after supper had been disposed of, a council of war
called. At this the charts were closely scanned, especially the pencil
marks which Jack had made. He also explained minutely just what he
conceived to be the best method of procedure.
"Now, if we were making this cruise in canoes instead of heavy power
boats," he remarked, laying his pencil on a particular section of the
chart, "our best plan would be to have the craft carried by ox wagon
across a little stretch of low rice country here, to the Waccamaw
River, which has a very swift current; and down that we could run some
seventy miles, bringing us far on our way. But as we'd never be able
to find a way to take our boats across country, we must go outside
again."
There being no other way, the boys presently unanimously agreed to face
the music. Besides, their previous success at riding the heaving
billows of the ocean began to give them confidence.
"If we go around Florida, and bring up in the Gulf, we're likely to do
a lot of this outside business," remarked George, as bravely as though
he never knew what fear meant.
"Yes," put in Nick, also valiant when settled on solid ground, "and I
suppose we've just got to get used to the thing. Who's afraid, anyhow?
Settle it just as you think best, Jack. We rely on your judgment every
time. That's why we elected you to be commodore of the fleet."
"Hear! hear!" murmured Josh, pretending to applaud the noble sentiment
feebly with his finger-tips.
Once the plan of campaign was settled, they all felt better. For some
time they had known that this problem must come up for solution sooner
or later, and truth to tell, it had been rather a load on their minds.
There is a positive relief in knowing the worst. Means for meeting the
difficulty can then be discussed; and as a rule most obstacles lose
much of their terror when held up to the light.
The little insect pests came around in such numbers that it was quickly
decided a night ashore would not be comfortable. Nick was the only one
who rebelled.
"Why, I'd put up with ten million skeeters before I'd voluntarily
choose to try and compose myself to sleep in that narrow rocking
coffin," he declared.
"Now, I like that," complained George, always up in arms when his
beloved craft was spoken of in an uncomplimentary manner. "Look a gift
horse in the mouth, if you like; but the sleeping accommodations aboard
are good enough for _me_. And to show you that I don't bear any
malice, Nick, I'm going to help you fix up a berth on shore here."
Nick might have backed out, only he dared not after that, and sly
George, who really delighted in the prospect of having plenty of room
to turn over in, knew it, which was the main reason for his offer of
assistance.
So when the time came for retiring Nick was left ashore with a little
tent constructed of cheese cloth, which was believed to be so closely
woven that even the smallest insect pest could not pass through.
Nick had tried his best to coax Josh to share his accommodations; but
the lanky one was content with his comfortable quarters aboard. Even
Jimmy shook his head when the fat boy showed him how splendid it would
be to lie there, and get all the night air that was stirring.
"Excuse me, Nick," Jimmy had said, "sure, I'd like to accommodate ye,
but it seems to me there's a quare smell in the air that makes me think
of bears. P'raps they do come down here out of the canebrake beyant.
And I'd feel safer aboard the boat."
"Now, you think you're going to scare me, don't you?" demanded the
stout boy, pugnaciously, his stubborn nature having been aroused, "but
all the same you ain't. I c'n see through a knothole in a fence. The
rest of you are afraid, that's what! All right, it's good there's one
brave feller in the bunch. But, George, you've just got to loan me
your gun again."
"More razorback pork for dinner tomorrow, fellows," laughed George.
"Oh! well, if you try to throw every obstacle in my way, why of
course----" began Nick, eagerly seizing upon the slightest excuse to
hedge; when George, fearful that he might have to share the cramped
quarters aboard the _Wireless_ after all with his team mate, quickly
exclaimed:
"You can have the gun, and welcome, Nick; only be careful how you
shoot. One of those charges at close range would go through the flimsy
planking of my boat like a bullet. Here, take the gun. And if there's
anything else I can do to make you comfortable, let me know. I'm the
most obliging fellow you ever met."
Nick looked at him out of the corner of his eye, as though he strongly
suspected the genuine character of this generosity. Still, he felt
that he could not in decency draw back now, so he took the shotgun and
tucked it away beside his blanket.
Considerably to the satisfaction of the entire club, the night passed
without any wild alarm. If there were bears in the neighborhood, as
Jimmy had wickedly suggested, they at least had the decency to keep
aloof from the camp. Perhaps they showed their wisdom in so doing when
Nick was on guard. That, at least, was what he boasted, when Jack and
the rest came ashore and aroused him from a sound sleep.
The fact of the matter was that Nick had never once awakened during the
entire night. A dozen bears might have prowled around the camp,
sniffing at anything left lying around loose, and in all probability he
would never have been any the wiser, provided they did not tumble his
tent down about his ears.
Once more they started on their way. Jack continually consulted his
charts. When connecting creeks had to be negotiated, in order to reach
some channel beyond, it was absolutely necessary that the tide be taken
at its flood, otherwise they were very apt to find themselves stuck in
the mud.
Three full days did they keep this up, and then, having managed to
surmount every difficulty, they reached the point where that outside
run became a necessity, ere they could enter the Peedee River at Winyah
Bay, and once more take up the inside route.
Another day was spent waiting for the conditions to become more
favorable. Time was not any great factor in their cruise, but safety
did enter very much into their calculations. They had passed through
another stormy period and were quite satisfied to snuggle down to camp,
to rest up after their arduous work of the last few days, wriggling
their way through those tortuous creeks, and working the setting pole
at times for hours, when the saving of the precious gasolene became an
object.
"How's this for the right morning?" asked George, who was anxious to
have the long and hazardous outside run over with.
"Looks good to me, so far," said Jack, "and I guess we'll get off right
after we've had breakfast. We might wait longer and fare worse, you
know, George."
"Oh! I'm ready for the run. It can't come any too soon to suit me,"
declared the skipper of the _Wireless_, "and I honestly believe I've
got my engine in better shape than ever before."
"Thank goodness for that!" said Nick, who did not look any too happy.
And at seven o'clock, while the sun was hanging low in the east, they
started off, with the longest outside run of the cruise confronting
them; and all sorts of possibilities for trouble looming up on the
horizon.