AT OLD NANTUCKET
“Hurrah for a life on the ocean wave!” shouted Andy.
“A home on the rolling deep!” came from Randy.
“If you fellows don’t all get seasick before you get back,” interposed
Gif, closing one eye suggestively.
“Seasick? Perish the thought!” cried Andy, tragically. “This crowd
never gets seasick.”
“I’ll say it’s some dandy day for starting a trip,” put in Jack. “It’s
as fine as if we’d had it made to order.”
“What a beautiful harbor,” was Spouter’s comment. “Isn’t it queer there
aren’t more boats around?”
“You must remember the season is a little late,” answered Ralph.
“During the summer you’ll find boats galore around here.”
“What about a harbor at Marthas Vineyard?” questioned Fred.
“Very fine. And another fine one at Nantucket,” was the answer.
The boys had left Woods Hole half an hour before and were now headed
southeast for their first stopping-point, which was to be at Oak Bluffs
on the island of Marthas Vineyard. The _Fancy_ rode well, riding the
swells of the Sound like a thing of life. The sun shone brightly, there
was scarcely any wind, and it was indeed a perfect day for the start of
the boys’ motor-boat cruise.
The _Fancy_ was a new purchase by Mr. Mason, and a better equipped
motor boat could scarcely be imagined. The craft was about thirty-five
feet in length and just broad enough to be safe and comfortable without
sacrificing too much speed. The cockpit boasted of an engine of the
latest design capable of a high degree of speed, weather permitting.
The boat boasted of a fairly good-sized cabin, all of the windows of
which could be raised or lowered as desired. The craft was finished
in oak and all of the fittings were of brass, now polished to the
highest degree. Ralph had always been a neat boy, a stickler for order,
and this had obtained for him the position of major of the school
battalion, and his neatness and orderliness were now reflected in the
appearance of the craft he commanded.
“Don’t you want me to take the wheel for a while?” questioned Jack, who
had been itching to run the motor boat.
“Sure, you can take the wheel,” responded Ralph, readily. “I’ll take a
squint at the engine. A new engine like that always needs looking over,
you know, until it works down to a bearing.”
As space on the _Fancy_ was somewhat limited, due to the fact that
the boys had rigged up berths in the cabin in case they wished to
sleep on the craft, they had brought along only such luggage as seemed
absolutely necessary. Their things were soon stowed away, and then they
gave themselves up to the enjoyment of the occasion.
“Beats being in school all hollow,” declared Andy, as they sped along
on their course, the engine humming merrily.
“Don’t mention school,” returned his twin. “We’ll get enough of that
when we get back.”
“What boat is that?” questioned Spouter, as he pointed to a large craft
not far distant.
“That’s one of the lightships around here,” replied Ralph. “There are a
number of them strung along between here and Nantucket.”
“Rather a lonely life, staying on a ship like that,” remarked Spouter.
“I wonder how often they get ashore.”
“Oh, it isn’t as lonely as it might be farther away,” answered Ralph.
“I wish I had thought of it before――I’d have brought them some
newspapers. Very often those going by throw newspapers aboard a
lightship, for which the light men are very thankful.”
They had made out the island of Marthas Vineyard ahead of them, and it
was not long before they approached one of the headlands known as West
Chop.
“The other headland over to our left is East Chop,” explained Ralph.
“And just beyond that is the town of Oak Bluffs. Between the two Chops
is Vineyard Haven harbor.”
“I don’t see any oak bluffs,” commented Spouter, who had a keen eye for
scenery and was watching the shoreline closely.
“I believe somebody said the oak bluffs were swept into the water long
ago by a storm,” answered Ralph. “However, the town of Oak Bluffs is
quite a nice one, and the place has a number of good summer hotels.”
The run into Vineyard Haven harbor did not take long, and soon the boys
made a landing and went ashore. It was now close to noon.
“It’s too bad it’s so late in the season,” remarked Ralph, as they were
riding along in a jitney they hired. “Nearly all of the summer hotels
at Oak Bluffs are closed. But I think we’ll find fair accommodations
somewhere in the town.”
They interviewed the jitney driver, who seemed to be a native of the
island, and were directed by him to the only large hotel that was open.
There the lads decided to remain for the night, taking the afternoon
off to explore the place.
“Certainly a pretty resort,” announced Spouter, after dinner and while
they were riding around the town.
They found a splendid road along the shore leading to Edgartown and
were told there was another fine highway to the westward which ran
through Vineyard Haven to Indian Hill and Gay Head.
“You certainly ought to visit Gay Head,” said the jitney driver. “It’s
only about twenty miles from here and a splendid drive, and Gay Head
is well worth looking at. You’ll find some of the old Marthas Vineyard
Indians down there, too, selling trinkets.”
The boys talked it over, and decided that they would have the driver
take them to Gay Head and were soon on the way. After passing through
Vineyard Haven they struck out through the country in the direction of
Indian Hill, and then passed on through the woods and beyond numerous
farms until they came out on a high headland close to which was
located a government lighthouse.
Gay Head proved to be a series of headlands consisting for the most
part of clay of various colors. As the setting sun played upon this
kaleidoscope of color, Spouter went into ecstasies.
“Isn’t it magnificent!” he cried. “Just look at the wonderful
combinations of coloring――red, blue, green, brown, and a hundred and
one shades! I never dreamed they had anything like this!”
Nearly all the boys took the path leading down from the top of Gay Head
to the beach far below. But Andy and Randy, more venturesome, decided
to find a way of their own.
“Be careful, there!” sang out Fred. “That stuff is awfully slippery.”
“Oh, we’re all right,” responded Randy. “Don’t you worry.”
He and his twin brother were walking along one of the larger of the
headlands. There was a shelf a few feet below, and both attempted to
scramble to this. But as Fred had said, the vari-colored clay was
exceedingly slippery, and almost before they knew it the twins had gone
flat on their backs. Randy clutched at Andy, and both did their best to
keep from slipping farther.
“Dig in! Dig in!” gasped Andy, clutching vainly at the slippery clay
beneath him.
“Dig in, yourself,” spluttered his twin.
He clutched at a slight projection, but the clay came away in his hand,
and down he rolled over and over with his brother close behind him.
They reached another ledge of clay, which broke beneath their sudden
weight, and then on and on they went, bringing up at last in a mass of
soft clay but a few yards from the sand that lined the water’s edge.
“Well, if that isn’t the dog’s false teeth!” gasped Andy, when he could
speak. “We came down in a hurry, didn’t we?”
“And we saved a lot of time, I’ll say,” murmured Randy. Then he held up
his hands. “Just look at these paws, will you?”
“Never mind the paws,” retorted his brother, and then began to grin.
“Look at your clothing, will you? It’s all the colors of the rainbow.”
“Humph! Look at yourself. You look as if you’d been sleeping on a
painter’s palette.”
The two boys arose and brushed themselves off as well as they were
able. Then they limped down to the water’s edge, where they washed
their faces and hands. By this time the others had come down by way of
the regular trail and joined them.
“Anybody hurt?” questioned Jack, eagerly.
“Nothing hurt but our feelings,” grumbled Randy.
“You’ll have to have those suits cleaned and pressed, I’m thinking,”
remarked Gif. “If you don’t do it, folks will take you for a couple of
tramps.” And then he had to laugh, and everybody joined in, even the
twins taking the mishap in good part.
After inspecting Gay Head, the lads visited the lighthouse, bought a
few trinkets from some Indian children who had the things on sale, and
then returned to Oak Bluffs. Here a tailor was found who promised to
clean and press the damaged suits before morning.
The following day found the Rover boys and their chums once more aboard
the motor boat. The gasoline tank had been filled, and soon they were
on their way past Oak Bluffs to the harbor at Edgartown.
“It would be fine to spend a vacation here in the summer time,”
remarked Jack, as they sped along.
“Look at that big hotel just facing us,” put in Fred. “I wouldn’t
mind stopping there. A fellow wouldn’t have to go very far to go in
bathing,” he continued, pointing to a long row of bathhouses almost in
front of the hotel.
“Why don’t you jump in now and have a bath, Fred?” said Andy, grinning.
“Thank you, Andy. I’m afraid the water would be a trifle warm,”
responded the youngest Rover boy.
At Edgartown, much to their surprise, the boys ran into several of
their school chums, including Dan Soppinger, Ned Lowe and Will Hendry,
always called Fatty, because of his unusual stoutness.
“Well, look who’s here!” cried Dan Soppinger.
“What brought you?” came from Fatty Hendry. “Did you run over here to
take us back home?”
“No. We came over to hear Ned sing and play,” answered Randy, and
this brought on a general smile, for Ned Lowe was well known for his
manipulation of a mandolin and his propensity for singing funny songs.
“I don’t know about your running out to Nantucket,” remarked Dan
Soppinger, after he had heard the plans of the others. “They’ve been
having a lot of fog around here lately. You don’t want to get lost in a
fog.”
“Now, Dan, don’t be a wet blanket!” cried Fred. “Who ever heard of fog
in weather like this! Why, it’s just perfect!”
“At the same time, you can’t tell about the weather around here,”
broke in Fatty Hendry. “I’ve known it to change completely in a few
hours. You had better be careful, and if you see any signs of bad
weather you had better put into the nearest harbor.”
All of the boys remained at Edgartown over night and then the trip on
the _Fancy_ was continued, the motor boat now heading for the town of
Nantucket, located on the island of the same name.
“Now we’ll be getting out on the Atlantic Ocean,” remarked Randy, as
mile after mile was covered on the course eastward and when they had
passed another lightship.
“They call this Nantucket Sound,” answered Ralph. “But it’s all so open
that you can hardly tell where the Sound ends and the ocean begins.”
As Ralph was not acquainted with the course, they did not arrive at
Nantucket harbor until well toward evening. The day, however, had
proved ideal, and every one enjoyed the trip to the utmost. In the
harbor of the quaint old town, which in years gone by was devoted
almost exclusively to the whaling industry, they found a great number
of craft of all kinds.
“There are some storm warnings up,” announced Ralph presently. “But I
must confess that I don’t see anything of a storm.”
“Nor do I,” answered Jack.
They spent the evening in roaming around the quaint old town with
its wide cobblestone main street and its narrow alleyways with their
weather-beaten homes. They even took an automobile ride extending
across the island to ’Sconset, a small colony located directly facing
the broad Atlantic.
“Gosh! here’s where a fellow can stand and look right over to Europe,”
announced Fred.
“You can if you have good eyesight,” chuckled Randy.
In the morning the storm signals were still displayed, but the Rovers
and their chums could see no evidences of anything unusual brewing.
There was little or no breeze, and the sun shone brightly.
“Well, what do you fellows want to do?” questioned Ralph, after they
had breakfasted and were walking toward where the motor boat was tied
up.
“I’d just as lief go on,” answered Fred.
“So would I,” put in Gif. “We’ve seen about all there is to see around
here.”
“Yes, and remember this vacation isn’t going to last forever,” came
from Randy. “Before we know it, we’ll have to be back at Colby Hall
again.”
All the boys were eager to continue the trip, and after seeing to the
supply of gasoline and oil they had the hotel keeper pack up a generous
lunch for them and then set off.
“Hi, you fellows! Better beware!” called out one old man, who looked
as if he might have been a sea captain. “We’re going to have some bad
weather before night.”
“We’ll watch out,” answered Ralph. “If we see anything that looks
mussy, we’ll head for a harbor in a hurry.”
By studying the map, the boys had found that Chatham on Cape Cod lay
due north of the eastern shore of Nantucket. It was not a great many
miles to this well known summer resort, and all felt sure that they
could make it without much trouble.
“Seems to be hardly any swell on the water,” declared Gif. “I thought
it would be a good deal rougher away out here.”
“I guess it gets rough enough in bad weather,” answered Jack.
The engine of the _Fancy_ was running smoothly, and soon they slipped
out of Nantucket harbor and the island gradually faded from sight.
“A pippin of a boat, and no mistake,” remarked Spouter. “She rides the
ocean like a thing of life. Ralph, it was certainly fine of you to
offer this outing.”
“Better not say too much until we get back,” answered Ralph. “The best
of motor boats kick up sometimes, you know.”
Ralph had scarcely spoken when the kick-up he had mentioned happened.
The engine seemed to slow down, the cylinders missed fire one after
another, and then, of a sudden, the motor stopped.
“Now what’s the matter?” questioned Randy, in dismay.
“That’s to be found out,” answered Ralph, and his usually confident
face showed his concern.
“Gee, I hope we haven’t broken down!” whispered Fred to Randy. “We’re a
good many miles from shore.”
Eagerly Ralph looked over the engine, and so did Jack and Gif.
“I think it’s the supply pipe,” announced Ralph presently. “It acts to
me as if it was clogged up.”
“Dirty gasoline would do that,” answered Jack. “I wouldn’t put it past
some of these strange fellows to sell you any old thing. They don’t
care as long as they get your money.”
He and Ralph worked over the supply pipe, which was so tightly fastened
on that it took their combined strength to loosen it. The gasoline did
not run, and finally with the aid of a fine wire they managed to bring
out of the pipe a small quantity of waste filled with black dirt.
“Say, fellows, you want to hurry up with those repairs!” cried Andy,
suddenly. “Just look at those clouds coming up!”
All looked in the direction pointed out, and it must be confessed that
the hearts of the lads sank when they saw what was overtaking them. The
clouds were obscuring the sun, and, almost before they could realize
it, a heavy bank of fog rolled down, enveloping them completely.