Assuredly it was a surprising sight that greeted the eyes of Harry and
Ben Stubbs as the latter pulled the skiff around the point. Not half a
mile away lay a dull, gray-colored craft like a gunboat, with the Stars
and Stripes floating from her stern. From her bow a puff of smoke was
drifting away, showing that she had been the craft that had fired the
shot which had aroused them.
But what could she be doing? Above all, why had the shot been fired?
Harry's eyes furnished the answer as he saw that part of the rail of the
schooner was missing, a jagged break showing where it had been torn
away.
"Great guns!" shouted Ben, "they've bin firin' at your old hulk."
As he spoke there was a flash from the side of the lead-colored craft,
and a projectile shrieked by above the pair in the boat, causing them to
duck involuntarily.
"Cracky!" shouted Harry, "I've got it. That craft is a derelict
destroyer. One of Uncle Sam's craft whose duty it is to put obstructions
to navigation out of the way."
"You're right, boy, and they are bent on sending that there _Betsy Jane_
to the bottom."
"We must stop them," ejaculated Harry excitedly; "that schooner is
wanted by Mr. Perkins to use in his experiments. That's why he had the
runway built. We must signal them somehow."
"No need to, lad. See, here comes a boat."
Sure enough, as he spoke a cutter was lowered from the warlike-looking
vessel's side, and before long, impelled by muscular arms, it was flying
over the water toward the hulk.
"Pull round and meet them," suggested Harry.
But Ben was already doing that very thing. So fast did the government
cutter approach that just as the skiff was rounding the stern of the
ill-used _Betsy Jane_, the former craft, with a dapper young officer in
the stern, was drawing alongside the hulk.
The astonishment of the officer was great when Harry explained matters.
"It's lucky that I decided to make an examination into the effect of the
shots already fired before I finished her up," he laughed. "I am in
command of the United States derelict destroyer _Seneca_, yonder. We've
just despatched an old hulk some miles out at sea, and when, on our
return down the coast, we saw your old hull, we thought it was a good
chance to try out a new kind of gun we have to despatch these menaces to
navigation."
"I'm glad we heard your first shot in time to explain matters," said
Harry; "this craft belongs to Dr. Perkins, the aeronautical inventor,
who wishes to use it in some experiments. As I told you, I unfortunately
drifted to sea in it when some rascals cut the rope."
The officer sympathized to the full with Harry and offered to give him a
spark plug for his motor boat from a supply carried for a similar craft
on board the _Seneca_.
"But," he continued, "I've got a better plan than that. I'm bound down
the coast. I know Dr. Perkins slightly and should be glad to do him a
service. Why not accept a tow from me? I'll get you to Brig Island by
nightfall anyway, and that's much quicker than you could tow this hulk
with the motor boat, even if you _could_ get her off the sand."
Harry gladly agreed to this arrangement. A line was made fast to the
_Betsy Jane_ and affixed to the towing bitts of the derelict destroyer.
The tide by this time had turned, and after a short struggle the _Betsy
Jane_ once more floated in deep water.
"I don't know if this is exactly regular," remarked the young officer in
command, when the hulk lay bobbing astern of the trim and trig
government craft, "but I guess it's all in the line of duty. So come on
board."
Harry and Ben were in the skiff alongside the _Betsy Jane_ when this
offer was made.
Without hesitation Harry stepped upon the companionway. He turned to
Ben, and was about to bid that veteran adventurer good-by, with a
promise to visit Barren Island in the near future, when, to his
astonishment, Ben calmly hitched his skiff alongside the motor boat and
stepped up after him.
"I reckon I've had about enough of that island," he said; "I'm a-goin'
to ship with you on this cruise if it's agreeable."
"Agreeable?" laughed Harry. "Why, Ben, you are as welcome as the flowers
in May. But haven't you left a lot of stuff behind on the island?"
"Nothing that 'ull hurt. The only other suit I own you've got on, and
funny enough you look in it, too," and Ben chuckled; "as for the hut and
what grub's left, and so forth, any one's welcome to 'em that takes a
fancy to 'em. I've got a bit left in the bank yet, and I guess I can
afford a new outfit anyway, so heave ahead, Mister Skipper, as soon as
you're ready."
The officer, who had watched this scene in some astonishment, broke into
a laugh.
"I see you are an individual of impulse," he said, "but if you want to
go along it will spare my sending a man on board the schooner to help
our young friend."
"Waal, then, it's an arrangement that's agreeable to all parties,"
rejoined Ben, lighting his pipe; "so that's all settled."
A short time later the _Seneca_ moved ahead, at first slowly, and then
faster, while the wandering _Betsy Jane_ followed docilely after her
through the now calm sea. True to Lieut. MacAllister's promise, they
were off Brig Island by sunset. As deep water extended close inshore,
the derelict destroyer was enabled to tow the hulk almost up to the
boys' "front door," so to speak, and from the beach a little group set
up a loud cheer as the _Betsy Jane's_ spare anchor rattled down and she
swung at rest.
The presence of the little party to witness the arrival is due to the
fact that Lieut. MacAllister, who knew from Harry that there was a
wireless on the island, had kept his operator busy sending "bulletins"
to Dr. Perkins all the way down the coast; and so, when first the
_Seneca's_ smoke streaked the horizon, all was ready to give the
returned wanderer a big reception.
The _Betsy Jane_, having been safely anchored, the _Seneca_, with three
toots of her siren, departed on her way, while Harry and Ben lost no
time in tumbling into the skiff and rowing ashore. To describe what took
place then would take up a lot of space without giving any clearer
picture of the reunion that each of you can imagine for himself.
Readers of the former volumes of this series know how highly the Boy
Aviators regarded Ben Stubbs, and after a short conversation with him
Dr. Perkins came to share their good opinion of the rugged old
adventurer. It would be impossible to tell with accuracy how many times
that night Harry's story was told, and how many times Frank and the
others repeated the tale of their anxious hours while he was missing.
The first wireless flash from the _Seneca_, Frank described as "the best
thing that ever happened." This opinion the others heartily echoed.
"Well," said Dr. Perkins, as at last they made ready to "turn in," "all
is well that ends well, and to-morrow I have an announcement of some
interest to make to you lads. From my inspection of the work done so far
on the '_Sea Eagle_,' as I have decided to christen her, I think that
within a few days we can take her on her trial trip."
"Anchors and aeroplanes!" shouted Pudge, in high glee, "I book passage
right now!"
"And I--and I--and I," came from the others, while Ben Stubbs inquired
plaintively if there would be room for him.