MUTINY AND SHIPWRECK.
The Rangers ate supper in their bunks, which they thought great fun, and
then in their overflowing joy they skylarked and threw pillows at one
another, until an unlucky shot brought the lantern down with a crash. As
this disaster not only came near to setting the sloop on fire, but left
them in total darkness, it also had the effect of so quieting them that
several actually dropped asleep, while the others discussed their
prospects in low tones, and wondered if they really would have to go
back without finishing the cruise as planned.
By this time young Jabe, with a sailor's happy facility for taking a nap
at any time, was sound asleep on deck forward, while the skipper sat aft
in a big chair, leaning against the tiller, thoughtfully puffing at his
pipe, and so affected by the soothing influences of the night that he
was wondering if, after all, he should have the heart to disappoint the
boys of their cruise.
[Illustration: THE GHOSTS OF THE "MILLGIRL."]
Although a capital sailor and, under most conditions, a very sensible
man, the skipper of the _Millgirl_ was inclined to be superstitious. So
when, a little later, by the swinging gleam of the sloop's riding light,
he saw a dim white figure gliding noiselessly along the deck towards
him, he gazed at it in speechless apprehension. To his dismay it was
followed by another, and still others, until the deck seemed crowded
with the phantom forms. All the stories of ghostly crews that he had
ever heard flashed into the skipper's mind, and, as the formless figures
silently approached him, his face was bathed in a cold perspiration. He
sat motionless until they were about to surround him, when, with a
mighty effort and a hoarse shout, he sprang to his feet.
At this the startled ghosts, who were only so many boys enveloped in
white blankets, fell backward so precipitately that they tumbled over
each other, and rolled on deck with stifled exclamations that at once
proclaimed their humanity and identity.
"Oh, you villains!" roared the relieved skipper. "You young pirates!
You, you--what do you mean by playing tricks like this on your
grandfather, eh? Tell me that afore I murder ye."
"Please, sir, we didn't mean to play any trick," answered one of the
blanketed figures meekly. "Only we thought, perhaps, you were asleep,
and wouldn't like to be disturbed. You see, we were afraid you might
sail back up the river to-night, and thought we'd better explain what
we'd decided to do before it was too late; for, you see, we've talked it
all over, and made up our minds not to go back until our cruise is
finished."
"Oh, ye have, have you?" remarked the skipper, in an interested tone, at
the same time throwing a protecting arm about Cal Moody, and drawing the
little chap close to him for fear lest he should get cold.
"Yes, sir," answered the voice, which was now recognizable as that of
Will Rogers; "but we don't want you to be blamed for anything that may
happen, or to have any responsibility unless you want to."
"I don't exactly see how that is to be avoided so long as I'm in charge
of the vessel," interposed the skipper.
"Oh, we've settled all that," replied Will, cheerfully. "We'll simply
seize the sloop and sail her ourselves, and so take all the risk as well
as all the responsibility."
"You'll simply seize the vessel," repeated the skipper, slowly, and in a
bewildered tone, as though failing to comprehend what he had just heard.
"In that case, what's to become of me?"
"Why, we'll put you in irons, or lock you into your state-room, or let
you walk a plank, that is, if you know how walking a plank is done, or
set you ashore on a desolate island, or perhaps let you go adrift in the
small boat without oars or sail. Of course we'd give you plenty of
provisions and water, and you'd probably be picked up, 'cause you know
they always are. Anyhow, we'd let you take your choice of all those
ways."
"Waal, I'll be blowed!" exclaimed the skipper. "If these young pirates
hain't planned out a regular high-sea mutiny, with all the fixin's and
trimmings, then I'm a farmer."
"Of course," Will hastened to add, "we would rather have you choose to
be put in irons, and so stay on board, because when we get to sea if we
should strike a typhoon or anything we might want you to help navigate
the ship."
"That's so," reflected the skipper, gravely. "And on the whole, I think
I'd better stay aboard anyway. But now I'll tell you what I'll do. If
you mutineers will turn in, and promise not to leave your bunks again
before sunrise, I'll promise not to make any move toward going back
before that time, and not even then till we've talked the whole matter
over again by daylight."
This proposition seemed to the Rangers so satisfactory, and they were
becoming so shivery in the chill night air, as well as sleepy, that it
was promptly accepted; and, without further parley, the young mutineers
left the deck and hastened below. Little Cal Moody, cuddling close to
the big skipper, was already nodding, so the latter lifted him in his
strong arms, and carrying him into the hold again, tucked him snugly
into his bunk. Then, after bidding the mutineers a polite good-night,
and promising to carefully consider their proposition, the skipper
returned to the deck. Here for an hour or more he nearly choked with
suppressed laughter, which refused to be stilled, and ever broke out
afresh as he contemplated the novel aspects of the proposed mutiny.
"Bless their honest hearts," he finally said, half aloud, "I couldn't no
more disappoint them boys by carrying of 'em back than a fish could swim
on a railroad track. So I suppose I might as well make a virtue of
necessity, and surrender at once."
Thus resolved, Captain Crotty turned in for a few hours' sleep; but he
was on deck again by daylight, when, with young Jabe's assistance, he
quietly got up the anchor, set the jib, and was merrily dropping down
stream long before a single Ranger even thought of opening his eyes.
When the sleepers were at length awakened by young Jabe's lusty shout of
"Breakfast!" they tumbled out of their bunks in a hurry, but sought in
vain for their clothing. It was not in cabin, hold, or galley; but the
mystery of its disappearance was speedily explained by Captain Crotty,
who, thrusting his head down the hatch, informed them that the cook,
learning of their mutiny, had inaugurated one of his own. "He says,"
continued the skipper, "that he's going to keep up his mutiny, which is
for the purpose of hiding your clothes, just as long as you keep up
yourn, but that as soon as you'll give in he'll give in. Now I'm going
to set down to breakfast, and only wish you were properly dressed to set
down with me, for it's an uncommon good one. I can tell you--corn
muffins and flapjacks with maple syrup an--"
Here the speaker was interrupted by a howl from the Rangers, who had
just realized how very hungry they were, and how impossible it would be
to carry on a mutiny unless properly clad for such an undertaking. Most
of them were willing to give in at once, but several held out, until,
overcome by a fragrant whiff of coffee that came floating in from the
cabin, human nature could resist no longer; so an unconditional
surrender was declared, and their clothing, all nicely dried, was
restored to them by the grinning Jabe. Five minutes later the recent
mutineers were gathered about the smoking breakfast table. As they
satisfied their ravenous appetites they also found occasion to rejoice
that their mutiny had effected its purpose, for they learned that the
skipper had surrendered even before they did, and that the sloop was
already headed toward their desired destination.
All that day they sailed down the beautiful river, and at night the
sloop was anchored at its mouth, where they were cooled by a sea-breeze
and rocked by a gentle swell rolling in from the Sound. The next day
they crossed the Sound, and finally drew near the lonely island on which
they anticipated such glorious times.
During these two days of sailing the skipper kept the boys from mischief
by interesting them in various simple problems of seamanship. He gave
them lessons in boxing the compass, splicing, tying knots, naming the
various sails, spars, and ropes, and in steering, that caused them to
realize with amazement the extent of their former ignorance concerning
such matters. Will Rogers was especially interested in all this, and
became so expert in steering that the skipper allowed him to hold the
tiller for an hour at a time.
"I tell you what, fellows," he said to a group of his comrades, after
being relieved from his trick at the helm, "we've learned such a lot on
this trip that I feel ashamed to think how little we really knew when we
started."
"Yes," replied Cracker Bob Jones, "but we know more now than we even
thought we did when we left Berks."
Early in the afternoon the sloop reached the island, on which the
excited boys had already distinguished the tops of tents and a number of
gayly fluttering flags. There was a good harbor around a point, but the
channel to it was very narrow, and so beset with reefs that the skipper
was proceeding with unusual caution. Suddenly, as they were close to the
point, a fleet of canoes, under full sail and evidently racing, swept
out from behind it. So excited were their occupants that they took no
notice of the on-coming sloop, and a collision was imminent. To avert it
the skipper jammed his helm hard down. The sloop luffed sharply into the
wind, and in another moment brought up with a crash that threw every
Ranger to the deck. She heeled so far over that they thought she was
surely going to capsize, then slowly slid off into deep water and
righted. As she did so young Jabe rushed up from below and reported that
a torrent of water was pouring into the hold.
[TO BE CONTINUED.]
OAKLEIGH.
BY ELLEN DOUGLAS DELAND.