A PLUCKY FEAT
Fred's three companions on the deck below watched their friend with
horrified eyes. They had felt envious of his good fortune until now, and
every one of them had wished that he was in Fred's place.
"It must be great up there," Grant exclaimed as he looked at Fred
standing up against the topmast, far above the decks.
"That's the place to be, all right," said String enthusiastically.
"If you were up there it would look like two masts instead of one," said
Pop Sanders.
"Say," said John in disgust. "You got off that same joke just a few
minutes ago. It was all right the first time, but it's a pretty poor one
now."
The three boys had stood below bantering one another and envying Fred
until the _Josephine_ came about and they saw that their comrade
was dizzy and in danger of falling.
He swayed dangerously for a while that seemed a century long. He waved
his arms wildly in the air and then clutched frantically for some rope
or brace to save himself. He seemed to grab hold of plenty of ropes but
to hang on to none. Moreover, a rope was the cause of his fall, for one
swung violently around and catching the unfortunate boy around the
ankles tripped him up and pulled him from the precarious spot on which
he stood.
He toppled backward and fell. His three companions with one accord
uttered a groan of horror and shut their eyes to keep out the awful
sight of what was about to happen. To think that their wonderful trip
was to be spoiled at the very start in this way! They turned their backs
to the scene, afraid to look. Every boy expected to hear a thud on the
deck and see the mangled body of their companion at their feet.
To them it seemed as if they waited hours and yet they did not hear the
expected sound. Instead of that they heard a shout.
"Hold him!" some one cried, and opening their eyes and daring to look
about them, the three boys on the deck saw something that was as
unexpected as it was welcome.
Fred hung head downward from the yard, a rope twisted tightly around his
feet. The same rope that had thrown him from his position was now
holding him suspended in the air. But how securely did it hold him?
Could it support him until help could come? That was the question.
"Go to him, somebody!" cried Grant in an agonized voice. Even as he
spoke a sailor ran swiftly along the deck to the base of the foremast
and began to climb rapidly. To those who watched him, however, it seemed
as if he progressed at a snail's pace.
"He's going to drop!" groaned String.
"Maybe not," said Pop Sanders, trying to appear cheerful.
"What can he do if he does reach him?" demanded Grant.
"Wait and see," cautioned Pop.
Higher and higher climbed the sailor. From above Petersen, the man who
had accompanied Fred to the top, leaned down and took hold of the rope
which was all that kept the unfortunate boy from falling.
"Don't pull on that," begged Grant. "It'll surely come loose."
The sailor had now approached within a few feet of Fred. A moment later
and he was by his side. He made no move to help the boy who hung so
perilously out into space. Instead he shouted something to Petersen
which could not be heard on the deck below.
"What's the matter with him?" demanded Pop angrily. "Why doesn't he do
something?"
"Let him alone," cautioned Grant. "I guess he knows his business."
"But Fred'll fall."
"I guess not. That sailor can see how firm a hold that rope has on his
ankles. He won't take any chances."
"He called for a rope," exclaimed John Clemens. "See, that sailor who
went up with Fred is letting one down."
"And he's making the other one fast to the yard," added Grant.
"They're going to haul him up, I guess," said Pop.
"That's right," exclaimed Grant. "See, he's tying the other end around
Fred's chest. They'll have him fixed all right in a minute."
"If he doesn't fall before," String reminded them.
"You're certainly a pessimist, String," exclaimed Pop. "Don't you ever
have a cheerful thought?"
"Of course I do, but I'm worried."
"So am I. I try to be cheerful now and then, though."
"He's all right now," exclaimed Grant as the sailor finished tying the
rope around Fred's body. "He couldn't fall now to save his life."
The sailor scrambled quickly up the mast until he stood alongside
Petersen. Then the two men bent low, and hauling in hand over hand, soon
pulled Fred up to the yard on which they stood. They did not untie the
rope from around his waist, however, but rather made the loose end of it
fast around the mast so that the accident could not be repeated. A great
cheer from those who had assembled below greeted the result of this
work.
"I guess Fred's awfully dizzy just now," remarked Grant. "I don't
believe it's much fun hanging by your heels way up there."
"And now how are they going to get him down?" demanded Pop. "He
certainly can't do it by himself. He'd be sure to fall."
At this moment Captain Dodge joined the three boys. "A pretty close call
for our sailor friend," he remarked grimly.
"Yes," agreed Grant, "it certainly was. I don't suppose he'll want to do
much climbing for quite a while now."
"I hope not," said the captain heartily.
"How are you going to get him down?" asked Pop.
"That's easy," said the captain, smiling. "We'll take a very long rope,
one that will reach all the way from the deck up to where he is and back
again. We'll tie one end around your friend and we'll hang on to the
other down here on the deck. The rope will go over the yard and he will
be on one end and we will be on the other. Then we'll lower away slowly
and the first thing you know he'll be right down here with us again."
"And mighty glad to get here, I guess," exclaimed Grant.
"I'll send a man up with the rope now," said the captain, and he started
to walk away.
"Wait," cried Grant suddenly. "What's Fred trying to do?"
"He's untying the ropes," exclaimed String. "Is he crazy?"
"I guess he is," said Pop. "It looks as if he was getting ready to climb
down the way he went up."
"Yell at him," exclaimed String excitedly.
"Don't you do it," cautioned Captain Dodge quickly. "Don't distract his
attention from what he is doing for a second. It's too late now,
anyway."
Fred now stood free and clear of the ropes. It was evident that the two
men with him were arguing with him not to attempt the descent, but
apparently their efforts made no impression on the daring youth, for he
could be seen to shake his head. Then he gingerly lowered himself from
the yard and began the perilous journey to the deck.
"Pretty nervy," muttered Captain Dodge under his breath, and murmurs of
admiration could be heard from all the members of the crew gathered
nearby. No one spoke, however, for all eyes and all interest were
focused on the feat Fred was performing.
Slowly and carefully he proceeded at first, but as he gained in
confidence he increased the speed of his descent. Before he had covered
half of the distance he was swinging along as freely and apparently as
carelessly as any sailor. A moment later and he reached the deck.
"Good boy," cried Captain Dodge, springing forward to shake hands with
Fred, and at the same time a hearty cheer was given by the crew.
As soon as Fred touched foot on the deck, however, a change came over
him. His face became deathly pale and he swayed dizzily. He put out his
hand to save himself, but before Captain Dodge could reach him he
collapsed and sank to the deck in a limp heap.
"Fainted," remarked Grant simply.
"Well, I don't blame him," exclaimed Pop Sanders. "It's the reaction
from the strain probably."
The three boys rushed to the side of their comrade and found that
Grant's surmise had been correct. Fred had fainted.
"Bring some water," directed Captain Dodge. "He'll be around presently."
Fred soon opened his eyes after a few treatments of cold water, splashed
directly in his face. He looked about him and smiled weakly.
"How do you feel?" asked Captain Dodge.
"Fine," said Fred, but he didn't look so.
"You better get in your bunk for a while," said the captain. "That's all
you need just now. I'll tell the cook to bring you a little hot soup."
Leaning on Grant and George Washington Sanders, Fred made his way below.
He was very weak after his ordeal and it was with a great sigh of relief
that he sank into his bunk.
"What made you climb down?" demanded Pop.
"Well," said Fred, "I just had to. I knew that if I didn't do it then I
never would have the nerve to try again. I felt so foolish to have
caused all the trouble I did and I knew they'd all think me an awful
landlubber. I felt as if I ought to square myself."
"You did that all right," said Grant heartily. "The whole crew is crazy
about you now, and String and Pop and I are certainly in the shade."
"I don't mind that part of it," said Pop. "All I say is, don't do it
again. I couldn't stand another ten minutes like those."
"And I tell you one thing," said Grant. "It's lucky for you that the
_Josephine_ had been brought up into the wind. If we had been
tacking or beating or something like that you'd never had hung so
quietly as you did."
"Are we anchored now?" asked Fred.
"Yes," said Grant. "We're going to stay here until the wind changes."
"When do you suppose that will be?"
"The captain says it'll probably swing around to the west to-night. As
soon as it does we will get under way again."
"They can't do it too soon to suit me," exclaimed String. "I want to be
out on the ocean, where you can't see a bit of land in any direction."
"That'll happen soon enough, once we get started," said Grant. "Then
we'll probably wish we were on shore again."
At this moment the cook appeared with a bowl of smoking hot soup for
Fred. The cook was named Sam and was as black as ebony.
"Wh'ars dat high diver?" he demanded as he entered the cabin.
"You mean me?" smiled Fred.
"I sho' do," said Sam. "You suttinly is some acrobat."
"Not again, I hope," said Fred fervently. "I hope my troubles are over."
As a matter of fact his troubles and his companions' had scarcely begun.