CHAPTER XXXIII.
NASSAU.
The three boys and Joe were given quarters in the yacht's cabin, butnothing Mr. Vandyne could say would induce Bob to remain aft.
"For an old shell-back like me the only place is the fo'castle," he saidin reply to all their arguments. "It don't stand to reason that a sailorwould be comfortable anywhere else, an' I'd be like a fish out of waterif I couldn't go on watch with the others of my kind."
"But what's the use of working when father expects you to be his guest?"Harry asked; and Bob replied, with a hearty laugh:
"Workin'? Why it's nothin' more'n the rarest kind of a lark to helphandle a craft like this! She's fitter for a gold frame an' hung up asa' ornament than to carry sich old barnacles as me! Bless you, lad, Iwouldn't miss my trick at the wheel on a beauty like this any sooner'nI'd lose the gold we've had so much trouble in the savin'!"
Mr. Vandyne recognized the fact that the voyage would indeed be adisagreeable one to the old sailor if he was forced to play the part ofpassenger, and nothing more was said on the subject, although bothHarry and Walter tried in vain many times afterward to coax him into thecabin at meal time.
It may be supposed that the boys had experienced so many trials on thesea that they simply looked forward to being on land once more,surrounded by the comforts of home; but this was not so. The Lorlie wasin every respect a beautiful craft, and sailing in her was so differentfrom what it had been on the brig that it seemed almost like anotherkind of traveling. This, in connection with the fact that all mentaltroubles were banished, served to make the short trip to Nassau mostenjoyable.
It would be necessary for Mr. Vandyne to remain at this port two orthree days in order to complete the preparations for saving the Bonita'scargo; but no one thought of taking up quarters on shore when it waspossible to live so comfortably aboard the yacht.
And now a word is necessary to explain why Harry's father interestedhimself in this work, which at first thought would seem too trifling tocause an extension of the cruise when Mrs. Vandyne and Mrs. Morse wereanxiously waiting to greet once more the sons whom they had mourned asdead. This explanation seems to be the final link in the chain ofmysterious or unaccountable occurrences which went to make up the careerof the runaway brig.
Mr. Vandyne owned one-third of the Bonita, and the first intimation hehad of her abandonment was through the newspaper article which apprisedhim of his son's safety; therefore his business in Nassau wasconcerning the saving of his own property. It did seem remarkable,however, that Harry had been carried off by one of his father's vesselswhich at the time was supposed to be half-way across the Atlantic.
"I am confident that Bob's theory as to the reason for her abandonmentis the correct one," Mr. Vandyne said shortly after leaving the key,when they were discussing the matter, "and my reason for the belief isfounded on a similar accident which happened to one of the first vesselsI ever owned. She was bound to Genoa from New Orleans, also with a cargoof alcohol. One day during moderately fine weather there was a suddenexplosion in the hold, which burst the tarpaulin and shattered thehatch. The captain saw dense volumes of what he thought smoke, andordered all hands to abandon ship. They did get into the boats, butbefore casting off had the same experience you had, and the ship wassaved. In the Bonita's case I have no doubt but that the boats founderedshortly after the crew left, although possibly they were picked up bysome outward-bound craft, and we shall hear from them later."
It was necessary for those who had been taken from the key to spend nosmall amount of time on shore giving evidence concerning the loss of thebrig, that there might be no delay regarding payment of the insurance;and while attending to these matters they met an old acquaintance towhom they were deeply indebted.
This was none other than the captain of the schooner which had visitedthe island in search of the murderers, and who gave the informationleading to their rescue.
"I was jes' thinkin' I'd run across the shoals an' see how you wasgettin' on," he said, after a hearty greeting; "but I reckoned you hadthe steamer patched up before I got back from the States."
Joe related briefly their misadventures on the key, and also theparticulars of the rescue, concluding by asking if the red-nosed man andhis companions had been captured.
"I'm mighty glad that what we did in Savannah brought your friends on.I'd been blamin' myself for not stoppin' here when we come back; but asthings turned out, a delay of two hours would 'a' given them villainsthe chance of showin' us their heels."
"Then you caught 'em?" Bob asked eagerly.
"That's jes' what we did, an' no mistake, though it was a close shave.We was comin' down past Egg Key, with a full breeze, when I saw a yawledgin' inshore, like as if her crew wanted to get out of sight. None ofus expected that gang was aboard, knowin' as how they'd stole your brig;but I thought it wouldn't do any harm to cut in between them and theland. Two hours later an' they'd 'a' been on the shoals, where wecouldn't follow."
"Did they show fight?" Bob asked.
"They attempted to, but we was fixed for jes' sich a crowd. When wehove-to not fifty yards off, an' showed the muzzles of half a dozenrifles, every one of 'em quieted down like lambs. We clapped irons onthe gang, an' next day they were here in jail. It was hard work to provethe murder on 'em, although everybody knew they did it. They weresentenced yesterday to twenty years' imprisonment, an' us who livearound here feel a good deal more easy in mind, because it wasn't safefor a man to travel very far alone while they were free."
Then the captain insisted on the boys going with him to the coral-reefs,where the spongers were at work, and a very pleasant afternoon did theyspend.
There were to be seen, by aid of a glass, sponges of all varieties, fromthe "sheep's wool" and "velvet" to the bright scarlet "gloves," whichgrow in the shape of huge hands, and owe their peculiar color to theinsects which build them. Reef-sponges, yet covered with theirmanufacturers and black as a coal; wire sponges, and gray ones,fashioned in the form of a cup; sponges of all shapes and hues, untilthe shoal looked like a garden of brilliantly-colored flowers which hadbeen suddenly inundated.
The boys collected a huge store of curious things, among which was nosmall amount of purple and yellow fans, stars and trees of coral, whichis so much more beautiful when living, and in the sea, than the driedspecimens we see on land.
The day's pleasuring was brought to a close by a visit to thesponge-yard, where the Captain's guests learned very much about thisbranch of industry, which in the Bahamas alone gives employment toseveral thousand persons and five or six hundred vessels.
It was very like a revelation to them when the hospitable Captainexplained that there were several grades of each variety of sheep-wool,white-reef, dark-reef, abaco, velvet, grass, boat, hard-head, yellow andglove sponges, all worth from five to ten cents per pound by thequantity; and, also, that when first taken from the water a sponge isuseless for mechanical or domestic purposes.
Probably every boy knows that a sponge, as we see it, is only theskeleton of an organism. When first gathered it is covered with a thick,black, gelatinous substance which must be removed. Then it is sorted,clipped, soaked in lime-water, and dried in the sun before beingcompressed into hundred-pound packages.
It would be impossible to learn all that is really interestingconcerning the sponge in one short article, or during a single visit tothe yards; and Jim was so impressed with this fact that he said toHarry, when the latter hurried him away because the yacht's boat waswaiting for them:
"The first thing I buy out of my share of the money will be a book aboutthese things, an' then I'll know a good deal more than I do now."
On the third day after their arrival the boys saw a freighting-schooner,with a large crew of men, set sail for the key on which they had livedso long, to save what was left of the Bonita and her cargo.
This completed the business for which they had visited Nassau--thewreckers being instructed to carry their find to New York--and word wasgiven that every one shou
ld be ready for an early start homeward nextmorning.
"You've had adventures enough for one year, and can well afford to studyhard until next summer," Mr. Vandyne said as he announced the earlydeparture of the Lorlie; and, hearing the words, a troubled look cameover Jim's face.
"We're ready for any amount of work at school after our accidentalcruise," Harry replied promptly; "but what is to become of Jim?"
"He will go home, of course, after receiving his share of the pirates'treasure."
"But he hasn't a relative in the world, and it seems too bad for him togo on board the Mary Walker now that he has money enough to pay for agood education."
Mr. Vandyne questioned the young fisherman at great length, and then hesaid:
"You will be able to do as you choose, because the accidental cruise hasmade all hands moderately wealthy; therefore I am not offering anythinglike charity when I say you can live with Harry until some permanentarrangement is made. We will have a legal guardian appointed, that themoney shall not be squandered, and you need not feel much anxiety as tothe future until the time comes when you decide upon an occupation."
Jim tried to thank Mr. Vandyne, but failed signally; and to hide hisconfusion he scuttled off to the forecastle, where he told Bob the goodnews, concluding by saying:
"I'm through bein' rope's-ended by a crew of fishermen whenever theyfeel a little grouty, an' you jes' bet I'll study hard, now I've got achance. But how will I ever see you ag'in?"
"Why, bless you, lad, I'm goin' to stay close 'round there--sorter inthe same family. Mr. Vandyne is a ship-owner, an' has plenty of work foran old shell-back like me. Joe an' I have both signed with him, an'whenever you want to know anything what can't be found in books, jes'shape a course for the docks an' ask Bob Brace."
CHAPTER XXXIV.
NEW YORK.
Of the voyage to New York it is hardly necessary to speak, becausenothing of an exciting or an interesting nature occurred. The windfavored the Lorlie to such an extent that not a rope was started fromthe time of leaving Nassau until she crossed the bar at Sandy Hook. Thetrip was as devoid of incident as the previous one in the Bonita hadbeen filled with dangers and sorrows; and two hours after the yachtdropped anchor off Staten Island, Harry and Walter were clasped in theirmothers' arms.
The accidental cruise in a runaway brig was ended at last; and,fortunately, no harm had come from what at one time seemed certain wouldbe attended with gravest dangers.
It only remains now to chronicle the events which immediately followedtheir arrival; not because of any relation to the story already told,but owing to the influence they may exercise upon the future movementsof the three boys.
First, and at present the most important, is, How much treasure did theybring home?
Mr. Vandyne was forced to engage the services of an expert money-changerin order to learn this fact himself; and, to the surprise of all, it wasfound that the bags averaged a trifle more than eighteen thousanddollars apiece, making a grand total of three hundred and forty-twothousand six hundred dollars. This was divided equally among the fivewho had been imprisoned on the key, and for the first time in his lifeBob Brace enjoyed the distinction of being what he called "a bloomingcapitalist."
It was no longer necessary for either the old sailor or Joe to do anyvery hard work; but as both preferred some kind of employment, and thatwhich Mr. Vandyne offered was exactly suited to their ideas of ease, ifnot luxury, they concluded to hold to the agreement already made.
While the money was being divided, Bob insisted very strongly thatHarry's father should take a certain amount to repay him for the voyageto the Bahamas; but this was refused in such a decided manner as toleave no opportunity for discussion.
"The treasure belongs to those who found it!" the merchant said; "and asI made the trip for the purpose of rescuing my son, there can be noquestion of payment. Yet I did have a reasonably profitable cruise, inaddition to finding Harry. You were able to prove the loss of theBonita, thus giving me an opportunity of claiming the insurance manymonths sooner than it could otherwise have been done; and, besides, I amexpecting to realize something from salvage on the cargo."
Bob and Joe decided to invest a portion of their share of the treasurein a vessel, and Mr. Vandyne agreed to act as their agent in thetransaction.
Three days after the arrival of the Lorlie the rescued party wereengaged in their business, or pleasure, much as if they had never seenan island on the Bahama shoal.
Jim was living at Harry's home, and Mr. Vandyne was to be his guardianas soon as the necessary formalities could he complied with. Walter wasat home, within a block of his friend, while the other two members ofthe party who had taken an accidental cruise were busily engaged in Mr.Vandyne's service.
On the fourth day after the Lorlie cast anchor off Staten Island thethree boys went to the docks for the purpose of paying Bob and Joe avisit, and then the old sailor proposed such a scheme as met with theunqualified approval of all.
"I want you lads to look at a little steam yacht that's layin' at thenext pier," Bob said; and as a matter of course the boys were more thanwilling to make such inspection, since, after their late experience,anything in the way of boats or vessels had a new interest for them.
The craft to which Bob and Joe led the party fully merited the praisewhich was bestowed so unstintedly. Her name was the Sea Foam, and shelie so jauntily on the water that one could but say it was in every wayapplicable to her.
"Fifty-five foot keel, nine foot beam, compound engines, sound as adollar, and guaranteed to make fourteen knots an hour," Joe said, as hepointed to the little steamer. "She's the most perfect thing of her kindI ever saw."
The boys were not satisfied with gazing at her from the pier, butclambered on board, and a view of her interior arrangements only servedto strengthen the good opinion formed by a single glance at the gracefullines of the hull.
The Sea Foam had a roomy after-cabin handsomely but not expensivelyfurnished, on either side of which were four bunks, separated from thesaloon by heavy draperies. Swinging lamps and trays, large mirrors, thepolished woods and the shining metal-work gave an air of beauty andhomeliness to this portion of the steamer such as the boys thought verycharming.
Then the engine-room was visited, and although the three younger membersof the party were not judges of machinery they could understand thatJoe's words of praise were merited.
The forward cabin, which also served as dining-room, contained fourbunks, and leading from it was as complete and convenient a galley andpantry as the most fastidious cook could have desired.
"Well, what do you think of her?" Bob asked, when the inspection wasconcluded.
"She's the handsomest craft I ever saw," Harry replied enthusiastically."Who owns her?"
"A gentleman whose office is near your father's, and he wants to sellher. She's cheap at the price--three thousand--and my idea is that youboys couldn't do better than buy her. Then, next summer when you want togo off on a good time, Joe'll ship as engineer, I'll be crew, an' you'llonly need a cook. She looks like a first-class sea-boat fit for anywater."
It is needless to add that the boys were highly excited by thisproposition; but as it was impossible to say that the purchase could bemade until Mr. Vandyne and Mr. Morse had been consulted, Harry andWalter started for the former's office at full speed, leaving theremainder of the party on board until their return.
"Want to buy the Sea Foam, eh?" Mr. Vandyne said, when Harry pantinglyasked him to come and look at the little steamer. "I examined heryesterday, and thought she would be a good pleasure-boat for you boys.Considering the fact that you've got more than money enough to make thepurchase, I see no good reason why it shouldn't be done. I'll send anote to the owner, and you had better run down the bay on a trial trip.Tell Bob and Joe to stop work and go with you. Remember that while onthe yacht the old sailor is to be obeyed as he was at the island."
To get an order for the dock-master to deliver the Sea Foam to theparties named in Mr. Va
ndyne's note it was only necessary to walk ashort distance, and in less than an hour after first seeing the yachtall hands were on board, steaming down the bay at a trifle more than afifteen-knot rate.
One trip was sufficient to convince the boys that the little craft wasessential to their happiness, and even Bob and Joe were so pleased withher that it is quite probable they might have been tempted to purchaseher themselves in case the young capitalists had not decided in favor ofthe scheme.
"A two-weeks'-old baby might steer her if it knew enough," Bob saidapprovingly, as he stood at the wheel in the snug little pilot-house;"an' as for speed, why there's mighty few can touch her. We're gettin' adecently heavy swell now, an' her deck is as dry as a bone."
"Would you dare to go from here to the Bahamas in her?" Walter asked.
"Dare? Why, lad, she'd live in weather that would swamp many a biggercraft. You can cruise from here to South America in her, an' be ablessed sight more comfortable than ever we were on the old Bonita."
Joe had even more to say in the Sea Foam's favor than Bob, and heinsisted stoutly that it was nothing more than play to act the part ofengineer.
All this praise was needless, however, for the intending purchasers weremore than pleased with the little craft, and their report to Mr. Vandynewas coupled with such urgent entreaties for him to close the bargainbefore any one else could take advantage of the offer that by noon ofthe next day she was transferred to Messrs. Vandyne, Morse & Libby.
These young gentlemen are already making preparations to spend nextsummer on board the Sea Foam, and when they start it is safe to say thecruise will not be accidental.
THE END.
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