JIM THE BULLY
Although he could not accompany the life savers in the boat Darry had
been given duties to perform, which he went about with a vim.
One of these was to keep the fire burning, so that it might serve as a
beacon to the life savers as they toiled at the oars.
What with the darkness, and the flying spray that seemed almost as dense
as fog, it was a difficult task to hold their bearings, and this glare
upon the clouds overhead was essential.
By this time several other men arrived on the scene, having taken
chances upon the bay when it was seen that the night would be stormy.
They were only too willing to assist, and as time passed many anxious
looks were cast out upon the dashing sea in expectation of seeing the
boat returning, possibly with some of the passengers or crew of the
vessel in danger.
Finally a loud shout was heard:
"There they come!"
Upon the top of an incoming billow the lifeboat was seen perched, with
the men laboring at the oars to keep it steady, and the steersman
standing at his post, every muscle strained to hold the craft from
broaching to.
It was a wild sight, and every nerve in Darry's body seemed to thrill as
he kept his eyes glued upon that careening boat.
On it came, sweeping in with the wash of the agitated sea, until finally
it was carried far up the beach, where men, rushing in waist deep,
seized hold and prevented the undertow from dragging it out again.
Then the crew jumped out to lend their aid.
Darry saw that quite a number of strangers were aboard, who had
undoubtedly been taken from the vessel.
They were passengers, the captain and crew refusing to abandon their
craft.
The steamer being head on, was not in as bad a condition as might
otherwise have been the case; and as the storm promised to be
short-lived, the commander had decided to try and await the coming of
tugs from the city to drag his vessel off.
The telephone to the mainland was immediately put to good use, and a
message sent to a salvage company that would bring a couple of strong
sea-going tugs to the scene inside of ten hours.
Abner had labored with the rest.
He was more or less tired when Darry found him, after the boat had been
drawn up on the beach, but not housed, since it might be needed again;
but this sort of thing was an old story in his life, and in comparison
with some of his labors the adventure of the night had been rather tame.
In the morning Darry started across the bay again, homeward bound.
He was sorry to leave the beach, so much was his heart wrapped up in the
work of the life savers.
The day was bright and fine after the short storm which had seemed to
clear the air wonderfully.
He could see a few boats moving about, some of them oyster sloops or
dredgers, other pleasure craft belonging to the rich sportsmen who had
already commenced to drift down in pursuit of their regular fall
shooting.
Occasionally the distant dull boom of a gun told that a few ducks were
paying toll on their passage south.
Darry looked longingly at a splendid motor-boat that went swiftly past
him.
The young fellow on board seemed to be having a most delightful time,
and it was only natural for any boy to envy him.
It was noon when our hero arrived home. Mrs. Peake was interested in
all he had to tell about the trip of the life savers.
"We get used to hearing these things," she said, "but all the same it
keeps the wives of the life savers feeling anxious. Some night it
happens one of the crew of the lifeboat goes out and does not return. At
any time it may be my turn. I know three widows now."
"I think they ought to pick out the unmarried men," remarked Darry, who
had himself been considering this very subject.
"They do, I believe, as far as they can; but we must have bread, and the
number of available surfmen is small. But those who win their living
from the sea learn to expect these things sooner or later. It is only a
question of time."
After a bit of lunch Darry was sent to the village on an errand.
This was how he happened to see Jim Dilks again.
The meeting occurred just before Darry reached the grocer's, and as Jim
was totally unaware of his coming he had no chance to assume airs.
Darry looked at him eagerly, as though expecting to make a discovery;
and this anticipation met with no disappointment.
There could be no doubt about Jim limping, and once he instinctively
put his hand back of him as if to rub a spot that pained more or less.
Darry understood what it meant, and that he had not sent that shower of
fine bird shot after the trio of desperate young scamps in vain.
If Hank Squires wanted positive evidence as to who had been connected
with the firing of Mrs. Peake's out-buildings he could find it upon an
examination of the person of Jim Dilks.
When the good-for-nothing caught sight of Darry it was surprising how he
stiffened up and walked as upright as a drum-major.
Darry had lost all respect for the prowess of the young ruffian, after
that one trial of strength, when he had found Jim so lacking in
everything that goes to make up a fighter. He had the feeling that he
could snap his fingers in the other's face.
Being a boy he could not help from addressing the ex-bully, and rubbing
it in a little, for Jim was scowling at him ferociously.
"Hello, Jim, how's the sprain--or was it rheumatism you had in your
wrist? Sorry to see it's gone down now into one of your legs, and makes
you limp. I tell you what's good for that sort of thing. First, be sure
to take out any foreign substance, such as gravel, _lead_ or anything
like that; then wash it well and rub on some sort of ointment. Follow
the directions and it will work fine," he said, as soberly as though he
meant every word.
If anything, Jim scowled worse than before, since his guilty soul knew
that this boy suspected his connection with the lawless act of the
recent night.
"Saw yer comin' acrost the bay this mornin'; say, was yer over on ther
beach with the life savers? Did a boat go ter pieces on the reefs?" he
asked.
Darry saw that the other was swallowing his resentment in order to pick
up information, and he remembered what dark stories he had heard in
connection with the men who formed the companions of Jim's father--that
they were termed wreckers, and some said they had reached a point of
desperation where they did not hesitate to lure a vessel upon the reefs
in order to profit from the goods that would float ashore after she went
to pieces.
Possibly the older Dilks and his cronies may have been abroad on the
preceding night, hovering around in hopes of a windfall; and Jim was
eager to learn whether such a chance had come.
"Not last night, I'm glad to say. There was a steamer aground, but only
the passengers would come ashore, the captain and crew remaining on
board waiting for the tugs to arrive," replied Darry.
Jim's face fell several degrees.
He would have been satisfied to hear that a dozen poor sailors had been
lost if it meant a big haul for the wreckers of the coast.
"Say, be yer goin' to stay 'round this district," asked the bully,
changing the subject suddenly.
"Well, Mrs. Peake wants me to remain with her, and so does Abner. I'm
thinking about it. When I make my mind up I'll let you know, Jim. If
it's stay, why we can have it all over again. I want to warn you, Jim.
You're going to get yourself into trouble if you keep on the way you're
bent now. There's a law that sends a man to the penitentiary for setting
fire to a neighbor's house," he said, as sternly as he could.
"Never set fire ter a house," declared Jim, quickly.
"Well, it doesn't matter whether it's a house or a barn or a hencoop. If
Hank Squires could only find some positive evidence against you he says
he'd lock you up right now; and Jim, I know how he could get all the
evidence he needs."
"'Taint so," flashed out the bully, but looking alarmed all the same;
while his hand half instinctively sought his rear.
"I think that an examination of those ragged trousers you wear would
show where a few fine bird-shot peppered you as you ran. Perhaps both
the other fellows got a touch of the same medicine, too, so you'd have
company, Jim, when you went up."
"It's a lie. I never sot that pigpen on fire!"
"Oh! you know it was a pigpen, then, do you? I spoke of a chicken coop
only."
"Heerd 'em torkin' about it. Thet ole busybody, Miss Pepper, she war in
ther store wen I was gittin' somethin' fur mam, and she sed as how she'd
run this village if she war a man, an' the feller as set fire ter a
honest woman's pigpen 'd git his'n right peart. Like fun she wud,"
returned Jim, quickly.
"She's got her eye on you, Jim. She believes you led that gang. Going,
eh, good-bye."