THE MOTOR BOAT
The boys found Mr. Jaeger so busy hauling all sorts of freight and
merchandise from the depot and other parts of Cresville that he could
not promise to go after the boat that day.
“Look here, Mr. Jaeger,” said Bob. “We’ve got to have that boat on the
river to-night or we’ll lose all our sleep, and it will be your fault.
We’ll come and stand under your window after dark and sing.”
“Oh my! Oh my!” exclaimed the truckman, throwing up his hands.
“Yes, we will!” insisted Bob. “We’ll sing ‘The Solder’s Farewell’ and
‘My Bonnie Lies over the Ocean’ if you don’t get that boat for us.”
“Don’t threaten any more!” cried Mr. Jaeger. “I’ll haul the boat for
you if I have to disappoint every customer I’ve got. Only don’t sing.
I can’t stand it. Never could,” and he laughed. Then he called his
assistant and gave orders to have the boat taken from the freight
station.
It was quite a job, for the boat was encased in a heavy box to prevent
breakage, but eventually it was loaded upon the wagon. The boys climbed
upon the truck and rode along, fearful to let the precious boat get out
of their sight.
It was about a mile to the river and all along the way many persons
stared at the big load, wondering what the motor boys were up to now,
since their adventures were known all over Cresville. As the truck was
passing Mr. Nixon’s house Jerry nudged Bob.
“What is it?” asked Chunky.
“There’s Noddy.”
“Where?”
“In the barn. He was just looking out. There he is now.”
Bob caught sight of Noddy’s head as he quickly dodged out of sight.
“Never mind,” said Bob, “we’ll be on the lookout for him after this.”
Noddy Nixon did not seem to care to be seen by the motor boys. As it
developed, after the part he had played in the capture of Bob and in
inducing the gang of Mexicans, Bill Berry and others to follow on the
trail of the searchers after the lost city, the young rascal had kept
pretty well under cover. But, being tired of a roving life and keeping
so far away from home Noddy had written to his father.
Mr. Nixon had called on Mr. Baker, and had humbly apologized for
Noddy’s actions, promising to see that his son did no more mischief.
On these conditions, of which Mr. Baker said nothing to his son or the
other boys, Noddy was allowed to come home, it being agreed that he
would not be prosecuted for his crimes. He had reached his house that
very day, though the rumor of his coming had preceded him.
In anticipation of the arrival of the motor boat the boys had built a
float and dock on the edge of the river fronting on a piece of land
belonging to Mr. Baker. This plot adjoined one owned by Mr. Nixon, who
had a small boathouse where were kept a rowboat and a small sailing
craft.
The boys had hired a carpenter to erect for them a good sized shelter
where their motor boat might be kept, but it was not quite finished.
The big box was soon unloaded and opened.
“Ain’t she just a dandy!” cried Ned.
“A regular beauty!” exploded Jerry.
“Finest thing in the country!” came from Bob, his desire to eat now
forgotten. “It’s worth every cent we paid for it. I only hope it will
go all right.”
“Of course it will go,” answered Ned. “I wonder if we have any
gasolene?”
“I sent some down last night on the chance that she would come to-day,”
said Jerry. “Now to launch the _Dartaway_!”
“The _Dartaway_? Is that her name?” asked Ned.
“Sure,” replied Jerry. “I forgot to tell you when I wrote out the order
that I told the manufacturers to give her that name. If you don’t like
it, we can change it.”
“That’s a fine name,” came from Ned, and Bob said it suited him.
The boat was twenty-five feet long and about six feet beam. The engine
was a four cylinder one, with all the latest improvements, arranged
with three speeds forward and a reverse just as an automobile is,
and the craft also steered with a bright colored wheel in the front,
similar to a touring car.
There was a little cockpit forward where there was room for six to
sit comfortably and leave a place for the steersman. The engineer had
a little place partitioned off for himself, and amidships were roomy
lockers and an arrangement where a table could be set.
There was even a small galley with a stove which burned gasolene, and
food could be cooked on board. There was a camping outfit of dishes and
kitchen utensils, and the lockers could be made into fairly comfortable
bunks in case one wanted to sleep on board.
There was a portable awning that could be put up to cover the whole of
the craft and side curtains that could be fastened shut. The one in
front was fitted with a celluloid window so that in stormy weather the
boat could be worked and steered under shelter. Also, if the occupants
desired they could pass a night on board and keep dry in the hardest
rain.
A whistle worked by the exhaust of the gasolene explosions, a search
lamp, similar to those on automobiles, a small anchor, a regular ship’s
compass, flags and a kit of repair tools, with some extra parts of the
engine, completed the boat’s equipment.
The truckmen, no less interested than the boys, surveyed the _Dartaway_.
It was indeed a fine boat and the motor boys might well be proud of her.
There was nothing like her on the river. She looked speedy, as if the
name fitted her.
“Now to get her into the water,” said Ned. “How are we going to do it?
I never launched a boat before.”
“I’ll show ye,” spoke the truck driver. “Come on men,” and he motioned
to his helpers.
They passed a heavy rope about the cradle, and ran one end of it to a
windlass under the front seat of the big wagon. The vehicle had been
backed down on the dock. The driver next placed some rollers under the
bottom of the cradle, and the craft was soon in the water.
By bow and stern lines the craft was made fast to the float. Then the
boys jumped in. The boat rocked gently to and fro. It bobbed up and
down slightly and swung with the current of the river.
“Oh! This is something like!” cried Bob as he grasped the steering
wheel, and gave it a few turns.
“That’s like you, taking the easy part the first thing!” exclaimed Ned.
“Why don’t you crank up the engine?”
“What’s the use, there’s no gasolene,” came from Bob.
“We’ll soon remedy that,” replied Jerry, as he hurried into the
boathouse.