CAPTAIN SIMMS OF THE "THESPIS."
Silence, except for the inrush of water into the damaged side of the
_Curlew_, followed the collision. The three lads on the sinking craft
gazed helplessly at each other for a few seconds.
"Get away as quick as you can," whispered Donald's father to the boy who
had wrought the damage, and now looked rather scared. The _Speedaway_
swung out and her big mainsail began to fill.
"We are going to the bottom," choked out Billy, the first of the party
to recover the use of his vocal organs.
"I'm afraid there's no doubt of that," said Jack. "Donald Judson," he
shouted, raising his voice and throwing it across the appreciable
distance that now separated the two craft, "you'll pay for this."
"It was an accident, I tell you," yelled back the other lad, but in a
rather shaky voice.
"You'll do no good by abusing us," chimed in his father.
"What'll we do, Jack?" demanded Noddy, tugging at Jack's sleeve.
"Steer for the shore. There's just a chance we can make it, or at least
shallow water," was the reply.
"Doesn't look much as if we could make it," said Billy dubiously,
shaking his head and regarding the big leak ruefully, "but I suppose we
can try."
The wounded _Curlew_ began to struggle along with a motion very unlike
her usual swift, smooth glide. She staggered and reeled heavily.
"Put her on the other tack," said Jack. Noddy followed his orders with
the result that the _Curlew_ heeled over on the side opposite to that
which had been injured, and thus raised her wound above the water line.
Billy began bailing, frantically, with a bucket, at the water that had
already come in.
"Shall we help you?" cried Donald.
"No, we don't want your help," answered Jack shortly. "We'll thresh all
this out in court later on," he added.
"I'm a witness that it was an accident," shouted the elder Judson.
"You'll have a swell time proving I ran you down on purpose," added his
son.
Seeing that it was useless to prolong such a fruitless argument at long
distance, Jack refrained from making a reply. Besides, the _Curlew_
required his entire attention now. He took the tiller himself and kept
the injured craft inclined at such an angle that but little water
entered the hole the _Speedaway's_ sharp bow had punched in her.
The shore, on which were a few small houses and a wharf hidden among
trees and rocks, appeared to be a long distance off. But the _Curlew_
staggered gamely onward with Jack anticipating every puff of wind
skillfully.
"I believe that we'll make it, after all," said Billy hopefully, as the
water-logged craft was urged forward.
"I wish that Donald, with his sissy-boy clothes, was ashore when we
land," grumbled Noddy. "I'd give him what-for. I have not forgotten how
to handle my dukes, and as for his old octo-octo----"
"Octogenarian," chuckled Raynor.
"Octogenarian of a father,--I knew I'd get a chance to use that
word----" said Noddy triumphantly; "he's worse than his son. They're a
fine pair,--I don't think."
"Well, abusing them will do no good," said Jack. "We'll have to see what
other steps can be taken. I'm afraid, though, that they were right;
we'll have a hard time proving that it was not an accident, especially
as Noddy had dropped our tiller."
"Well, I just couldn't----" began Noddy, rather shamefacedly, when there
came a mighty bump and the _Curlew_ came to a standstill.
"Now what?" cried Raynor.
"We've run on a shoal, fellows," declared Jack. "This cruise is over for
a time."
"Well, anyhow, we can't sink now," said Noddy philosophically, "but
although the _Curlew's_ stuck on the shoal I'm not stuck on the
situation."
"Better quit that stuff," ordered Jack, "and help Billy lower the
mainsail and jib. They are no good to us now. In fact a puff of wind
might send us bowling over."
His advice was soon carried out and the _Curlew_ lay under a bare pole
on the muddy shoal. The boys began to express their disgust at their
predicament. They had no tender, and would have to stay there till help
came because of their lack of a small boat.
"Better set up some sort of a signal to attract the attention of those
folks on shore," suggested Billy.
"That's a good idea," agreed Jack, "but hullo! Look yonder, there's a
motor boat coming out from the shore. Let's hail that."
"Hullo, there! Motor boat ahoy!" they all began to yell at the top of
their lungs.
But they might have saved their voices, for the motor boat swung about
in a channel that existed among the shoals and began making straight for
them. Its single occupant waved an encouraging hand as he drew closer.
"In trouble, eh?" he hailed; "well, maybe I can get you off. I saw that
other boat run you down. It was a rascally bit of business."
"Gracious!" cried Jack suddenly, as the motor boat drew closer and they
saw its occupant was a bronzed, middle-aged man with a pleasant face;
"it's Captain Simms of the revenue cutter _Thespis_! What in the world
is he doing up here?"
"If it isn't Jack Ready!" came in hearty tones from the other, almost
simultaneously.