"Well," said Dick, scratching his head, "I don't think we need worry.
We--we--"
"Can drift," said Dab scornfully.
"It is of no use to cry over spilled milk," said Dave, in a tone meant
to assure others. "Let's make the best of it, now it's done, and get
some fun out of it if we can. All aboard for--Patagonia!"
"Good for you," whispered Dick. "The others are chicken-hearted. We
shall come out of it all right; though I wish the schooner's rudder
worked, and we might steer her."
The rudder was damaged and would not work.
"Say, boys, we might tow her into shallow water!" suggested Dave. "Come
on, come on! Let's have some fun. And see--there's the moon!"
Yes, there was a moon rising above the eastern waters, shooting a long,
tremulous arrow of light across the sea. The boys' spirits rose with
the moon, and as the light strengthened, their surroundings--the
harbour, the lighthouse near the bar, the shores on either hand--were
not so indistinct.
"Not so bad," said Dick in a low tone to Dab. "There's our boat, you
know. We can get into that and let this old wreck go. We can get
ashore. We will have a lot of fun out of this."
The situation was delightful, as Dick continued to paint its
attractions. They could have a "lot of fun" out of the schooner, and at
the same time abandon the source of it when that failed them. Dave
talked differently.
"Come, boys, we must try to get the old hulk ashore," he said. "I
believe in staying by this piece of property long as we got permission
to use it; but we will make the best of our situation. All hands into
the boat to tow the schooner into shallow water!"
The boys responded with a happy shout, and climbed over the vessel's
side, descending by the ladder that still clung to the rail.
"What have we got to tow with?" asked Jimmy Davis.
"That is a conundrum!" replied Dave. "Didn't think of that!"
"May find something on the deck," suggested Dick.
A hunt was made, but no rope could be found.
"Boys, we have got to tow with the boat's painter; it's all we have
got," said Dave, in a disgusted tone. This rope was about ten feet long.
It was attached to the schooner's bow, and how those small arms did
strain on the oars and strive to coax the _Relentless_ into shoal water!
"Give us a sailor's song, Dick," said Jimmy Davis.
"I will, boys, when I get my breath," replied Dick, puffing after his
late efforts and wiping the sweat from his brow. "I'll start 'Reuben
Ranzo.'"
The boys sang with a will, and their voices made a fine chorus.
"Reuben" had been able to coax the schooner away from her moorings, but
he could not win her back.
True to her name, she obstinately drifted on.
"Don't you know anything else?" inquired Dave.
"I know 'Haul the Bow-line.'"
"Give us that, Dick."
"I'll start you on the words, boys,--
'Haul the bow-line, Kitty is my darling;
Haul the bow-line, the bow-line haul.'