CHAPTER XXVII.
THE CULMINATION OF DISASTERS.
The first thing necessary was to ascertain exactly what portion of thesteamer's hull was imbedded in the sand, and this Bob proceeded to dowith the lead-line.
It was found that only about twenty feet of the keel rested on theshoal, the remainder overhanging four or five fathoms of water. The tidewas at its highest point, which accounted for the movement of thesteamer as the hawser shrank, and Bob cried in a cheery tone:
"I reckon it won't be impossible to launch the little craft, after all.By bringing the hawser on to the winch, shiftin' the ballast aft, an'heavin' down with every ounce of muscle we've got, somethin' oughter bedone at the next tide."
Every one was ready to exert himself to the utmost, and in a very shortspace of time the heavy rope was brought to the winch, after which allhands tugged and strained at the bars until the cable had been hove tautagain.
That done, there was an opportunity for rest. It would be useless toattempt anything more until the now receding waters should rise again,which would be the case twelve hours later, and the little crew gatheredunder the awning aft to discuss the new phase of affairs, while Joecontinued his work on the metal; for this task, apparently so useless afew hours previous, had suddenly become very important.
"The question is, How long may we have to stop here after the tug'safloat?" Bob remarked as he lighted his pipe, and began once more toselect from the timbers taken out of the cabin such as could be used onthe shattered hull.
"By hard work it may be done in a week's time," Joe replied after somethought.
"Then you'll keep steady at it while me an' the boys 'tend to the othermatters. You sha'n't be called to turn your hand on anything else tillthas is done. Have we got coal enough for a three-hundred-mile run?"
Joe shook his head.
"I'm afraid not; but by taking on some wood we ought to be able to makeit, for I suppose you're counting on going to Nassau?"
"That's the nearest port; an' we'll see to choppin' fuel when she'safloat, an' I've patched the bow a leetle more ship-shape."
During the remainder of the day, when they were not engaged in thegalley, Joe had some trifling work which could be performed by the boys,and his every command was obeyed with alacrity, for all hands were eagerto utilize each moment in preparing for departure.
That night a watch was kept, although there was nothing to be fearedfrom their late enemies. Bob proposed to have some more exercise at thewinch when the tide was at its full height again, and to that end it wasnecessary one of the party should remain awake to arouse the others atthe proper time.
This work, however, had no other result than that of awakening the wearysleepers unnecessarily. Labor as they did to the utmost of theirstrength, the steamer was not moved so much as a single inch, and theold sailor said, after realizing the uselessness of the task:
"We'll have to shift everything aft, I reckon, before it's possible topull her off this blessed sand. After sunset to-morrow we'll tackle thejob, an' by the second tide have another turn at the winch."
Had the weary ones known just how fortunate they were in thus failing topull the Sea Bird into deep water there would have been far lessrepining as they laid down once more on the mattresses under the awning.
The gray light of approaching dawn had but just begun to steal acrossthe sky when Bob called all hands for another day's labor, and when thesun showed himself above the horizon each member of the crew was busilyengaged.
Jim had positive orders to finish his task in the galley in the leastpossible time, because Joe wished to use the stove as a forge; and thebreakfast was by no means elaborate, coffee being the only thing servedhot.
"There isn't anything you boys can do on board this mornin', an' Ireckon you'd better begin the job of cuttin' fuel to help out on thecoal," Bob said when the rather unsatisfactory repast was brought to aclose.
"How are we to get ashore?" Harry asked. "The raft went adrift when theheaving-line parted."
"She didn't go very far. Look off the port bow an' you'll see her on thebeach. It won't be much of a job for Jim to run another rope out, an'he'll be all the better for a bath."
The young fisherman was not averse to what was little less than sport,and if he did spend considerably more time in the water than wasabsolutely necessary, no one could say any had really been wasted.
When the raft was in working order once more Harry and Walter clamberedon board, and soon the shores of the harbor resounded with the blows oftheir axes. Owing to the scarcity of tools it was only possible for twoto work at a time, consequently each had a certain number of minutes inwhich to rest.
It was after they had been on shore about two hours that Walter, duringhis idle moments, wandered out from the thicket to see if there had bychance been any change in the steamer's position, and he had not lefthis companions more than five minutes when they heard him shout:
"Come here, fellows, and see if you can tell what Joe is doing. Itlooks to me as if there was a big lot of smoke from the galley."
Not thinking it possible there could be anything wrong on the steamer,neither Jim nor Harry obeyed the summons very quickly, and when fiveminutes more had elapsed they were yet in the thicket.
"Harry! I'm sure there's some trouble aboard!" he shouted, and this timeit was the tone rather than the words which caused them to move quickly.
On arriving where a view of the steamer could be had, Joe and Bob wereseen working industriously under the awning; but a thick, black smokewas flowing out of the companion-way. The light breeze carried itshoreward; consequently the laborers, from whom it was hidden by thedeck-house, were wholly ignorant of what seemed to Walter very alarming.
It did not require many seconds for Jim to make up his mind as to thecause of this unusual vapor, and his face grew pale as he cried sharply:
"The steamer is on fire! Hurry up an' get aboard!" Then as he ran atfull speed along the shore he shouted loudly, "Bob! Bob! Fire! Fire!"
These cries were heard by the workmen before the boys gained the raft,and on glancing shoreward the tell-tale smoke was seen.
In an instant both men were forward, and, after stopping only the merestfraction of time to investigate matters, Bob began to draw up water withthe deck-bucket, thus giving full confirmation to the fears of those onthe raft, who were pulling desperately toward the steamer.
Both men were working with the utmost speed, dashing water into thecompanion-way, and causing the smoke to rise in yet denser volumes. Onlyonce did either speak, and then when Bob shouted in a hoarse voice:
"Hurry on, lads; we'll need all hands at this job if the steamer is tobe saved!"
This injunction was unnecessary, for the boys were making every effortto propel the raft at the swiftest possible rate of speed. The waterboiled around the forward timbers as if a strong current was settingdown toward them, and there was every danger that in their haste thefrail craft would be forced asunder.
Long though the time occupied in the passage appeared to be when so muchmight depend upon an early arrival, it was really not more than fiveminutes from the time the boys left the shore until they were on decksearching for some article in which water could be carried.
With the exception of the two buckets used by Bob and Joe, everything ofthe kind was in the galley, and after a hurried, frantic search of thecabin and engine-room, the boys went forward empty-handed.
"There isn't so much as a dipper here!" Jim screamed.
"An' it's jes' as well," Bob replied hoarsely, as a volume of flameburst from the companion-way. "Nothin' less than a fire-engine would doany good now. It's time we saved what'll be needed ashore. Knock off,Joe, an' we'll load the raft."
The engineer was not willing to give up the struggle so easily. Heworked like a fury, dashing water on the roaring, leaping flames, whichwere already sending out long streams on the tar-covered seams; and notuntil the fire had full possession of the forward portion did he ceasehis more than useless l
abors to assist the others.
Meanwhile Bob and the boys had been throwing bedding, tools, and everyarticle within reach, on the raft. It was not until after they had beenthus engaged several moments that any one thought of the treasure in thehold, and then Jim cried more frantically than before:
"The gold! The gold! We _must_ get that out!"
"It'll have to take its chances with the rest!" Bob replied sharply."Even if we could get below, the fire would be upon us before the bagswere uncovered. Life is worth more than money jes' now."
Not until everything from the engine-room and cabin which could be ofany service ashore had been piled up on the raft did Bob pause, and thenthe flames covered more than two-thirds of the deck. As a matter ofcourse the heaving-line was long since burned from the winch, andnothing held the rude craft which now bore all their worldly possessionsbut the painter Harry had made fast to the stern-bitt.
"We shall have to swim for it, lads," Bob said as he shielded his facefrom the intense heat with his hat. "The raft is loaded so deep that theweight of one of us would swamp her."
As he spoke he seized Walter by the waist and leaped overboard, Jimwaiting only long enough to ask Harry if he needed any assistance beforefollowing the example.
"Don't bother about me!" Harry replied; and then as the flames camenearer he plunged into the sea, Joe lingering a few seconds longer, asif to take one last look at the little craft he had tried so hard tosave.
The wind carried the raft shoreward as soon as the painter was let go,therefore those in the water had nothing to care for save their ownsafety.
In less than ten minutes all hands were standing on the beach watching,with deepest sorrow written on every feature of their countenances, thedestruction of the tug in which they had so fondly hoped soon to besteaming toward home.
The engineer seized Walter by the waist and leapedoverboard.]