THE END OF JACK'S HOLIDAY.
Fortunately, otherwise this story might have had a different ending, the
barn was lifted almost entirely from its foundations and hurled over on
its side. The roof was ripped off like an old hat and hurtled through
the tempest to the water's edge.
None of the wreckage and débris struck the crouching boys. But the mere
sound was terrifying enough. Even Jack was cowed by the tremendous force
of the elements. Each lad felt as if the next moment would be his last.
But at last Jack mustered up courage and looked up. The beating rain,
which had already soaked them all through, stung his face like
hailstones.
"Hullo, fellows," he exclaimed, "is--is anybody hurt?"
"All right here," rejoined Billy. "But say, wasn't that the limit?"
"It sure was," agreed Jack. "At one time I thought we were goners,
and----"
"Goo-oof-g-r-r-r-r-r!" An extraordinary sound, which can only be
typographically rendered in this manner, suddenly interrupted him.
"Heavens, what's that?" gasped Billy, looking about him in a rather
alarmed manner.
"Ugh-ugh-groof-f-f-f-f-f-f!"
"It's Noddy!" cried Jack.
"Gracious, he must be dying," gasped Billy.
In his eagerness to escape the full fury of the storm and the flying
wreckage of the barn, Noddy had plunged into the hay with his mouth
open, and now his throat was full of the dry stuff. He was almost
choked.
"Pull him out," directed Jack, and he and Billy laid hold of Noddy's
heels and dragged him out of the hay-pile. The lad was almost black in
the face.
"Ug-gug-groo-o-o-o-o-o!" he mumbled, making frantic gestures with his
arms.
"Goodness, this is as bad as the time he was almost drowned," cried
Jack. "Clap him on the back good and hard. That's it."
There were several gulps and struggles, and then Noddy began to cough.
But all danger from strangulation had passed, thanks to the heroic
efforts of Jack and Billy.
"Phew! I thought I was choked," sputtered Noddy, as soon as he found his
voice. "I'd hate to be a horse and have to eat that stuff."
"You are a kind of a horse," said Billy slyly.
"How do you make that out?" demanded Noddy, falling into the trap.
"A donkey," laughed Billy teasingly, but poor Noddy felt too badly after
his experience in the hay to retaliate in kind.
After the restoration of Noddy, they began to survey the situation. All
were soaked through, and the rain beat about them unmercifully. But they
were thankful to have escaped with their lives. Through the white
curtain of rain they could make out the outlines of the _Curlew_, riding
at the dock.
"I'm glad to see that," observed Jack. "I was half afraid that she might
have broken away."
"Then we _would_ have been in a fine fix," said Billy.
"What will we do next?" asked Noddy, removing some fragments of hay from
his ears.
"Wait till the clouds roll by," laughed Billy. "I guess that's about the
program, isn't it, Jack?"
"Seems to be about all that there is to do," replied Jack; "but it seems
to me that the storm is beginning to let up even now. Look in the
northwest--it's beginning to get lighter."
"So it is," agreed Billy. "Let's get under that clump of trees yonder
till it blows over altogether."
"Say, fellows, if we had a fire now, it would feel pretty good,"
observed Noddy.
"Well, what's the matter with having one?" asked Jack. "We can get some
of those old shingles and tarred posts. They're pretty wet, but we can
start the blaze going with dried hay from the bottom of the pile."
"Good for you. Volunteer firemen, get to work," cried Billy.
Soon the boys were carrying the dry hay and such wood as seemed suitable
for their purpose to the clump of trees. Jack took some matches from his
safe and struck a lucifer after the wood had been properly piled.
It blazed up cheerily. Each lad stripped to his underclothes and their
drenched garments were hung in front of the hot fire. The dripping
clothes sent up clouds of steam, but it was not long before they were
dry enough to put on. By the time this was done the storm had abated.
Presently the rain, which did not bother the boys under the thick clump
of trees, ceased altogether. Only in the distance a dull muttering of
thunder still went on. A rainbow appeared, delighting them with its
brilliant colors.
"Well, that's over," observed Jack, as he dressed. "Now we'll go down
and pump out the _Curlew_. I'll bet she's half full of water."
His conjecture proved correct. On their return to their trim little
craft they found a foot or more of water in her hull. But this was soon
disposed of and, with a brisk breeze favoring them, they set out once
more for Pine Island. On their return they found Captain Toby, who had
spied them from a distance, awaiting them on the dock.
In his hand he held a yellow envelope. It was a telegram for Jack. The
boy eagerly tore it open, and for a moment, as he scanned its contents,
his face fell. But almost instantly he brightened.
"Well, what's the news?" demanded his uncle.
"Good and bad," rejoined Jack. "I guess our holiday is over. Billy and I
are ordered to join the _Columbia_ as soon as we can."
"Hurrah! I was beginning to long for the sea again," declared Billy
Raynor.
"I must confess I was, too," said Jack.
"It's a great life for lads--makes men out of them," said Captain Toby.
"I must see if I've got two bottles of the Universal Remedy for you boys
to take to sea with you," and he hurried off.
Noddy looked rather blue.
"You are lucky fellows--off for more adventures and fun," he said,
"while I just stick around."
"Nonsense, you've got your business in New York to attend to, and, as
for adventures, I've had plenty of them for a time, haven't you, Billy?"
"A jugful," declared Raynor. "Enough to last me for the rest of my
life-time, and, anyhow, life at sea is mostly hard work."
"That's what makes it worth living," said Jack. "I'll be glad to get
down to work again after our long holiday."
"And I really believe I will, too," said Billy; "and on a crack liner
like the _Columbia_ we may be able to make our marks."
"I hope we will. I mean to work mighty hard, anyhow," said the young
wireless man, "but hark, there goes the bell for supper. Hurry up,
fellows, I'll race you to the house."
The next day was devoted to saying good-by to the scenes and the people
who had helped make up a happy vacation for the lads. Noddy, it was
decided, would stay on with Captain Toby for the present, as his
presence was not required in New York.
Of course the lads visited Captain Simms. He told them that his holiday
also was almost over. The naval code was nearly completed, and he must
get back to Washington within a week or so.
"Well, here's to our next meeting," he said, as he heartily clasped the
hands of both lads in farewell.
Under what circumstances that meeting was to occur none of them just
then guessed.