HARD AT WORK
When Lawry and Ethan returned to the Goblins in the afternoon, they
were delighted to find that the casks, all of which had been placed
under the guards abaft the wheel, had actually produced an effect
upon the steamer. The smokestack stood up more perpendicularly,
indicating that the stern had been lifted from the bottom. Ethan was
sure that the casks would bring the _Woodville_ to the surface;
but a very serious difficulty now presented itself.
About two-thirds of the length of the steamer's keel rested on a
flat rock, whose surface was inclined downward toward the body of the
lake, leaving the third next to the stern unsupported, under which
the ropes had been easily drawn to retain the casks in their places.
Of course it was impossible to draw any lines under the forward part
of the keel, which rested on the flat rock, and it was necessary to
devise some means for securing the casks to this portion of the hull.
"I have it," said Lawry.
"What is it?"
"We must sink more casks under the stern."
"But that will bring one end up, and leave the other on the rock."
"That isn't what I mean. If we put, say, two more hogsheads under
the stern, they will raise it so we can get the ropes under the
forward part of the hull."
"I understand; you are right, Lawry," replied Ethan.
When they returned to the ferry-house, they found Mr. Sherwood and
the ladies there, who had come down to ascertain what progress had
been made in the work. Ben Wilford had freely expressed his opinion
that the enterprise would end in failure.
"Those boys know too much; that's all the trouble," said Ben.
"I was in hopes they would succeed in their undertaking," added Mr.
Sherwood.
"So was I, sir; but there's no chance of their doing anything. I
know something about steamboats, for I've been at work on them for
three years."
"And you are quite sure they will fail?" asked Mr. Sherwood.
"Just as sure as I am of anything in this world. I told them what
the trouble would be; but they know so much they won't hear me. I
told them how it ought to be done."
"Here they come; they can speak for themselves," said Mr. Sherwood.
"How do you get along, Lawry?"
"First-rate, sir."
"Indeed! Your brother thinks you are going to make a failure of the
job."
"Perhaps we are, sir; but we don't believe it yet--do we, Ethan?"
"We don't."
"Lawry, wouldn't you be willing to sell out your interest in the
_Woodville_ at a small figure?" laughed Mr. Sherwood.
"No, sir!"
"Your brother, who seems to be a person of some experience in such
matters, thinks you will not be able to raise the steamer. If that is
likely to be the case, I don't want you to waste your time and
strength for nothing. I should be glad to employ some men to raise
the _Woodville_ for you."
"Thank you, sir. You are very kind," replied Lawry.
"If you like, we will ride down to Port Henry to-night, and employ a
man to do the job."
"I think we shall succeed, sir."
"What's the use of talking, Lawry?" interposed Ben. "You'll not get
her up in seven years."
"Don't you think you had better give it up, Lawry?" asked Mr.
Sherwood.
"Not yet, sir."
"What do you think, Lawry? Hadn't you better let me employ a man to
do the work?"
"Ethan and I can do it very well, sir."
"Perhaps you can; but we wish to have the steamer in working order
as soon as possible, and we may hasten the joy by employing men of
experience to do it."
"Haste and waste," said Lawry, laughing. "Mr. Sherwood, I am
satisfied we can raise the _Woodville_. We don't want any help.
If we don't get her up by to-morrow night, I will let some one else
take hold; but it will cost a heap of money."
"It shall not cost you anything, Lawry. I haven't half paid the debt
of gratitude I owe you."
"Oh, never mind that, sir! I only want one more day."
"You are very confident, my boy, and I hope you will succeed," added
Mr. Sherwood, as he turned to depart.
"Take him up, Lawry," said Ben. "Let him raise her. He will do it at
his own expense, and perhaps he will give me the job."
"Not to-night."
"You are a fool, Lawry!" exclaimed Ben.
"Perhaps I am. Time will tell."
"He offered to pay for raising her, and you wouldn't let him do it!"
"He has made me a present of the steamer as she lies; and I don't
ask anything more of him."
"Take all you can get, Lawry. That's the only way to get along in
this world."
Ethan slept with his fellow workman at the cottage that night, and
at daylight in the morning they were on their way to the Goblins. At
breakfast-time two casks had been sunk under the bow of the steamer,
for they had become so familiar with the work that it was carried on
with greater rapidity than at the first.
At breakfast they were laughed at again by Ben Wilford; but they
chose to keep still, made no replies, and gave no information in
regard to the progress of the work. At the earnest request of Lawry,
seconded by Mrs. Wilford, Ben consented to run the ferry that day,
and the young engineers took their dinners with them when they went
down to the Goblins. They were full of hope, and confidently expected
to return to the landing at night with the _Woodville_.
At eleven o'clock four more hogsheads had been placed under the
guards. The steamer swayed a little in the water; the stern had risen
about two feet; and it was evident that she was on the point of
floating. The boys were intensely excited at the bright prospect
before them.
"Lawry, the work is nearly done," said Ethan.
"That's so; I think a couple of those barrels will finish it,"
answered the young pilot. "I see two anchors at her bow."
"Yes, there are two anchors and about forty fathoms of small
chain-cable on board of her."
"I see them; and I think we had better fish them up."
"That's a good idea."
With the long boat-hook which Ethan had made, the cables were hauled
up and coiled away on the raft, which had been placed over the bow of
the sunken vessel. When the chains, which were bent onto the anchors,
were hauled taut, the sinker rope, still in the block, and wound on
the windlass of the derrick, was made fast to one of them, and the
anchor drawn up. The operation was then repeated on the other anchor.
"Hurrah! hurrah!" shouted Lawry, as they began to turn the windlass.
"She's coming up."
"Hurrah!" repeated Ethan, and the faces of both boys glowed with
excited joy, as the sunken vessel followed the anchor up to the
surface of the water.
It was necessary to move the raft, and the anchor was hauled out
over the top of the bulwarks. The _Woodville_ rose till her
plank-sheer was even with the surface of the water. The boys shouted
for joy; they were almost beside themselves with the excitement of
that happy moment. They had conquered; success had crowned their
labors.
"The job is done!" cried Lawry.
"That's so! Where is your brother now?" exclaimed Ethan.
"We have got her up sooner than I expected. I move you we have our
dinner now."
"I don't feel much like dinner."
"I do."
"What is to be done next?"
"We must get her up a little farther out of the water. We can easily
get some more casks under her now; but let us have some dinner first."
They sat down on a timber on the raft, and ate the dinner they had
brought with them. They could not keep their eyes off the steamer
during the meal, and they continued to discuss the means of
completing the work they had begun.
After dinner the labor was renewed with redoubled energy. Four more
casks were attached to the bow, and four removed from the stern; the
effect of which was to lift the bow out of the water, while the deck
at the after part was again submerged. This was Lawry's plan for
ascertaining the extent of the injury which the hull had received. It
now appeared that, when the _Woodville_ struck the Goblins, she
had slid upon a flat rock, while a sharp projection from the reef had
stove a hole, not quite three feet in diameter, just above her keel.
"Now we must stop this hole," said Lawry; "and we may as well do it
here as anywhere."
"That's just my idea," responded Ethan. "There's a painted floor-cloth
in the kitchen, which will just cover it. I will get it."
"Have you any small nails on board?"
"Plenty of them."
The kitchen and the engineer's storeroom were now out of water, so
that Ethan had no difficulty in procuring the articles needed in
stopping up the hole. A couple of slats were placed over the aperture
to prevent the floor-cloth from being forced in by the pressure of
the water. Both of the boys then went to work nailing on the carpet,
which was new and very heavy. The nails were put very close together,
and most of them being carpet-tacks, with broad heads, they pressed
the oilcloth closely down to the wood-work. It was not expected
entirely to exclude the water; but the leakage could be easily
controlled by the pumps.
Several of the casks were now removed from the bow to the stern,
until the hull sat even on the water. All the heavy articles on deck,
including the contents of the "chain-box," were transferred to the
raft, and the laborers were ready to commence the long and trying
operation of pumping her out. It was now six o'clock, and it was
plain that this job could not be finished that night. The wind was
beginning to freshen, and there were indications of bad Weather.
Lawry had at first intended to move the _Woodville_ up to the
ferry-landing as soon as she floated; but Ethan, for certain reasons,
which were satisfactory to his fellow laborer, wished to pump her out
where she was; and it was found to be a very difficult thing to tow
her up to the ferry in her water-logged condition.
It was not safe to leave her, with the prospect of a heavy blow, so
near the Goblins, and they carried out the anchors in the wherry, and
with the assistance of the capstan on the forward deck heaved her out
into a secure position. The _Woodville_ was safe for the night,
and the supper-horn was sounding at the ferry-house. Nearly exhausted
by their severe exertions, the boys returned to the cottage.
"I'm so glad that you have done it!" exclaimed Mrs. Wilford, when
they went in to supper.
She had been a deeply interested observer of the operations of the
young engineers, and her heart had bounded with emotions of joy, in
unison with theirs, when she saw the steamer rise to the surface of
the lake.
"I knew we should do it, mother," replied Lawry. "Where is Ben?"
"I don't know where he is. He went away just after dinner, and I
haven't seen him since," added the mother.
"But I saw the ferry-boat go over in the middle of the afternoon."
"I know you did."
"But who went over with her?"
"I did," answered Mrs. Wilford quietly.
"You, mother?"
"Yes, Lawry; there was no one else to go, unless I called you, and I
couldn't bear to take you away from your work. I've been over in the
ferry times enough to know how to manage the boat."
"Ben said he would take care of the ferry."
"He doesn't always do as he promises," said Mrs. Wilford sadly.
Lawry thought it was very kind of his mother to run the ferry-boat,
rather than disturb him at his work; but he did not like to have her
do such labor. When he went out after supper, he found the wind was
still quite fresh, and he was afraid that some accident might happen
to the steamer in the night. If the casks got loose, she would sink
again. While he and Ethan were talking about it, Ben Wilford returned
home; and it was evident from his looks and actions that he had been
drinking too much.