WHAT THE STORM BROUGHT
As quickly as he could Dave picked himself up once more and hurried
into the camp.
Here he ran into Captain Broadbeam.
"Hullo, did you call?" asked the captain.
"No, it was Doctor Barrell," answered the young diver. "Where is he?"
For reply came another call from the scientific man, and now they
located him down near the shore of the ocean. He was lying on his
back, with a small tree pressing him down into the sand. The waves
were sending their spray flying over him.
It was but the work of a moment to lift the tree. While Captain
Broadbeam did this, Dave helped the doctor to crawl to a point of
safety.
"Ugh! what an experience!" muttered Doctor Barrell, as he gave a
shudder. "Thank you for rescuing me."
"How did it happen, doctor?" questioned Dave.
"I came out to look for you. Just as I reached the spot the wind
sent the tree down and over me. I am thankful that I was not killed."
All hurried into camp, and here Dave told his story. Then they had
to watch out, fearful that the storm would do them further injury.
But the wind went down as rapidly as it had come up. The rain,
however, continued, and did not cease until noon of the next day.
"I don't want to encounter many such storms," said Dave, when the sun
shone once more.
"You'll have to put up with them, if you remain in the tropics,"
answered Captain Broadbeam.
When Dave and the others went forth after the storm they picked up a
great number of dead birds. The ocean shore was strewn with stranded
fish.
"Here is eating enough for a month, if only it would keep," said
Captain Broadbeam.
"I hope we don't have to stay here a month," answered Dave.
"Right you are, lad. But we must take what comes."
"Don't you think we'll have a spell of good weather after such a
storm as this?"
"Certainly."
"Then I move we take to the boat and try to find our ship. We can
take the dead birds, fish, and some oysters, clams, berries, and
cocoanuts along for provisions. And also some bamboo sticks full of
fresh water."
The idea appealed strongly to Captain Broadbeam and also to Doctor
Barrell. Bob and the Irishman were willing to do anything that the
others wished.
"Let us start out to-morrow," said the captain, and after that no
time was lost in preparing for the expedition.
The rowboat was carefully overhauled, and then loaded with the things
that seemed necessary to take along. Water was to be had in plenty,
and they filled many big, hollow bamboo stems with it, corking up the
stems until the water should be wanted.
"We must remember to keep the island in view," said the captain. "We
may be glad enough to return, in case we cannot locate the _Swallow_."
At last came the time set for starting out, and Bob and Pat Stoodles
were helped into the rowboat. The others followed, and the captain
and Dave pushed away and took to the oars of the craft.
"I trust we find the ship," sighed Bob. In his weakened condition he
longed for the comforts which had been denied to him while on the
island.
"So do I hope we find the _Swallow_," answered Dave.
"We must keep a close watch for those savages," came from Captain
Broadbeam. "I shouldn't wish to fall into their hands again."
"Bad cess to thim!" cried Pat Stoodles. "Niver do I want to set me
eyes on thim ag'in!"
The rowboat passed around one corner of the island and all looked
eagerly for some sign of a sail.
"Nothing in sight," said Dave.
"I see something drifting upon the waves," announced the doctor.
All looked in the direction which he pointed out and saw a large mass
of driftwood floating toward them.
"That means a wreck of some sort," cried the captain. "Let us make
an investigation."
The others were willing, and not long after this they came up beside
the wreckage, which proved to be a spar with cordage and part of a
forecastle and rail.
"Can that wreckage be from the _Swallow_?" asked Dave, anxiously.
"It may be," answered the captain. "Still, I am not sure."
"Perhaps it is from the _Raven_," came from Doctor Barrell.
"I'd rather it was from that vessel than from our own," said the
young diver, quickly. "But it may be from the _Swallow_, and I'll
tell you why," he added, suddenly.
"Well?"
"Don't you remember about Pete Rackley? He may have disabled our
ship."
"If he has done so he should be swung from a yardarm," came from
Captain Broadbeam, hotly.
As they could make nothing of the wreckage they allowed it to drift
by and continued their journey around another point of the island.
Not to tire themselves, they took turns at rowing.
Bob and Stoodles were made as comfortable as possible on the seats,
with palm branches laid over them, to protect them from the fierce
rays of the sun.
Thus an hour passed and still nothing of importance came to view.
They saw some more wreckage at a distance, and rowing up to it,
discovered several empty chicken crates and an empty water cask.
"These prove nothing," said the captain. "The crates may have been
thrown overboard on purpose."
"It's queer, with so much wreckage around, we don't sight some ship,"
said Dave.
"You are right, lad, for that wreckage is not water-soaked and old."
Before long they began to grow hungry, and stopped their search long
enough to get a lunch of berries and cold fish, washed down with
water from one of the bamboo stems.
"This is a great way to carry water," was Dave's comment. "It keeps
it very sweet."
"So it does, Dave," said the doctor. "But the water is bound to
evaporate very rapidly."
The lunch over, they resumed their journey. They had put far out to
sea on one side of the island. Now they returned, to put out on the
opposite side.
They were within three hundred feet of the island when Doctor Barrell
set up a cry of warning.
"Stop! Do not land!"
"What's the matter, doctor?" came from the captain. "We were not
going to land. We are bound for the other side of the island."
"I saw some persons moving behind yonder bushes and rocks," went on
the man of science.
"Saw somebody?" ejaculated Dave.
"Yes."
"White men?"
"No, savages!"
"Are you sure of this?" demanded Captain Broadbeam.
"I--I think I am," stammered the doctor.
"Where are they?"
"Gone now."
"Perhaps you were mistaken, doctor," said Dave.
"It is possible--but I do not think so."
The rowboat was allowed to drift, and all gazed earnestly toward the
island. But not a person of any sort appeared.
"This is mighty queer," was the captain's comment. "The savages
couldn't have been there when we left."
"Maybe they just arrived," said Dave.
"That is possible. Still----"
"I--I may have been mistaken," said Doctor Barrell. "Remember, my
eyesight is not of the best."
"I wish we were sure of this," went on the captain. "If the savages
are on the island in force I don't know as we shall care to go back,
even if we don't locate the ship."
"Perhaps they are hiding, thinking that we will return," said Dave.
"One thing is sure, we have got to be careful of what we do after
this."
They talked the matter over for a few minutes more and then resumed
their journey to the other side of the island. They kept their eyes
toward the shore, but neither man nor beast came to view.
"Maybe he saw some gorillas," said Bob, who had listened to the talk.
"They look like savages from a distance."
"Well, a lot of gorillas would be as bad as a band of savages,"
answered Dave.
Slowly the rowboat proceeded on its journey until they rounded
another point of the island. Then Dave set up a shout of dismay.
"What is it?" questioned the captain and the doctor quickly.
"Savages! They are after us in their canoes!"
The young diver spoke the truth. There, at no great distance from
the island shore, were two long war canoes, each filled with the
enemy.
As soon as the savages discovered the whites they set up a mad yell
of delight, and then hurried in pursuit of our friends.