CHAPTER IX.
THE HELMSMAN'S MISTAKE.
Although the three boys had agreed with Bob that an attempt be made toso far repair the tug that she might be gotten into port, all of thembelieved she should have been left to sink. By making Joe Taylor amember of the crew the brig could be worked under lower sails, and therewas little doubt but that she would soon reach the coast; whereas, bytrying to save the steamer both crafts might be lost.
The old sailor had already decided what should be done, and when thequestion was settled he went at once to the lazaret for such materialsas would be needed. Joe Taylor disappeared in the Sea Bird'sengine-room, and the boys were left standing by the rail, where theycould discuss the matter privately.
"If we didn't have hands enough to work the brig I'd like to know howmuch better we're off by taking charge of another craft?" Walter askeddisconsolately; and Jim replied, in what he intended should be a cheerytone:
"Bob knows what he's about. If the tug is kept afloat she can tow usin."
"Unless her coal gives out," Harry added; "and then we'll be worse offthan before."
"We shall only have lost jes' so many days, for she can be abandoned atany time," Jim replied.
"And it is the possible loss of those days which makes me feel that weought not to make any attempt at saving her. Walter's father and minewould be willing to pay what she cost if they could find us, and everyhour makes their sorrow greater."
"Well," Jim said slowly, "it can't be helped, so we might as well lookcheerful. Neither Bob nor the engineer would listen to us if we said thetug ought to be abandoned, and our only chance is to hurry up with thework."
"I don't see why Bob even thinks of such a thing." And Walter spoke in atone of discontent. "Here we are so far from the coast that the tug wasfive days out at the time of the collision, which means ten for asailing vessel, and with half enough coal to get her back. What goodwill it do to patch her up if we can't keep on steam?"
"That's somethin' I ain't able to answer," Jim replied gravely. "Theseold sailors are queer fish, an' nobody can ever tell what kind of ascheme they're likely to strike. This much is certain, though. Bobwouldn't listen to us, 'cause he thinks we don't know the meanin' ofsich work."
"It seems to me that it would be better to abandon the brig, which wecan't navigate, and go on the tug as far us her coal will carry us,"Harry suggested; but to such an idea the young fisherman made the mostdecided objections.
"To leave a sound craft for one that's pretty nigh knocked to pieceswould be foolish. I'd rather take my chances ten days' sail from thecoast on the brig than go aboard a steamer like her for a trip half thedistance. We're pretty sure of keepin' afloat here, but on the tug, DavyJones' Locker seems mighty near!"
By this time Bob had come on deck with a spare studding-sail, and theboys were prevented from holding any further discussion by the necessityof immediate action.
There was not so much as a breath of air stirring. The sea was likeglass, save for the lazy swell which caused both crafts to rise and fallin regular measure, and everything seemed favorable for the proposedtask.
"It ain't sich a big job, lads," the old sailor said, as, dropping thecanvas on deck, he made his way toward the carpenter's-room. "I've seencrafts bunged up worse'n she is, an' yet finish the biggest end of avoyage."
When Bob had collected such tools as might be needed he summoned allhands, and the work was begun by spreading a double thickness of canvasover the shattered portion of the hull outside, fastening it down firmlywith copper nails. This temporary stoppage of the leak was carried asfar below the surface as was possible without diving, and when theaperture had been thus closed a heavy coat of tar was put on over theentire canvas. Outside of this, again, were nailed light boards whichcould easily be bent to conform with the curve of the hull, and thenanother coat of tar.
This portion of the work was hardly completed when night came, and thelaborers rested only long enough to partake of a hearty meal, preparedby Jim, after which the old sailor said:
"We are pretty nigh through, lads, an' it stands us in hand to finishthe job while this calm lasts. We've got to brace our canvas on theinside so it'll stand a heavy sea without givin' way, an' we can workbelow in the night as well as after sunrise."
The air was so still that the flame of a candle would hardly haveflickered, and the motion of the sea had subsided until the two craftsrose and fell without so much chafing as would even rub the paint. Therewas no reason why all hands, save one to stand watch, should not work inthe hold, for they could be of no assistance on deck; and leaving Harryas lookout in case a steamer should pass within hailing distance, theremainder of the party followed the old sailor.
By tearing out the bulk-head of the Bonita's forecastle Bob secured suchtimbers as were needed, and with every one working industriously thetask was completed before midnight.
A sort of frame-work had been erected on the side where the timbers werestove, and directly against the canvas. As a matter of course it wasimpossible to fasten this except at the ends, and a heavy sea would soonwrench it off; therefore, braces running up from the keelson and downfrom the deck were put in to hold the whole in place.
This was by no means a substantial job, as even the most inexperiencedknew. In anything approaching stormy weather the tug would soon founder;but during such a "Dutchman's hurricane" as was now raging she would beas buoyant as when first launched.
That the water no longer made its way through the hull of the Sea Birdcould be told from the fact that the siphon, which had been in constantuse to keep the furnace from being flooded, now pumped her almost dry,and the old sailor announced as his belief that she was in fit conditionto weather any thing save a full gale.
"We won't lose much time gettin' under way," he added, after aninspection had been made. "How soon can you raise steam?"
"There's half a head now," the engineer replied, "and in ten minutes wecan start."
"Very well. While you are lookin' after the engine we'll get the hawsersout. The tug must tow alongside, unless the sea gets too high; forseein's how Jim an' me have got to do all the steerin', we're obliged towork it so's to catch a cat-nap now and then."
Joe Taylor went into the engine-room, and before he had raised thenecessary pressure two stout hawsers were made fast fore and aft, whilemore fenders were lowered to prevent chafing.
"Are you goin' south any further?" Jim asked when the work wascompleted.
"No; we'll haul around an' steer due west, now that it don't matterwhich direction the wind comes from. Harry an' I'll take the firstwatch, so you an' Walt'd better turn in, for it's little sleep we'll getthe balance of this cruise, even if we scoop in every spare minute."
Those comprising the watch below did not wait for this suggestion to bemade a second time. The labor of the past fifteen hours had very nearlyexhausted them, and their heads hardly touched the pillows before bothwere sleeping soundly.
By the arrangement Bob had made, Joe Taylor was the only one who couldnot be relieved from duty, and when the old sailor went to consult himas to how it would be possible to keep the tug running, he replied:
"We can fix that easily enough. I'll let you know when I can't keep myeyes open any longer, and then take cat-naps on one of the bunkers. Ifyou ring the gong once every fifteen or twenty minutes I shall beawakened to see that everything is working properly. It's risky, I know;but under the circumstances there's nothing else that can be done."
Then he announced that there was a full head of steam, and Bob went intothe pilot-house. The Bonita's helm had been lashed amidships, and, savein the event of very heavy weather, both crafts could readily be steeredfrom the tug.
After explaining the bell signals to the old sailor Joe started themachinery, and for the time being all desire for slumber was driven fromHarry's eyes by the pleasure of knowing that at last the brig washeading directly toward home.
Very likely Joe Taylor was affected in a similar manner, because,although having had n
o rest for many hours, he stood at his post duringBob's watch without intimating the need of sleep.
The weather could not have been more propitious than when what was hopedwould prove to be the homeward cruise began. It is true the night wasdark, even the stars being obscured by fleecy clouds; but not a breathof wind ruffled the waters, and the waves had sunk to rest.
The Sea Bird towed the heavily laden brig at the rate of six or sevenknots an hour, and it seemed to Harry that nothing could prevent theirsighting the mainland before the tug's coal was exhausted. He walkedfore and aft on the brig's deck in order to keep awake; but during theentire watch his services were not required, and at three o'clock in themorning Bob shouted:
"Call Jim and Walt. We won't take too long stretches on this voyage, an'my eyes feel as if they were glued together."
The sleepers were awakened after some difficulty, and, when Jim wentinto the Sea Bird's pilot-house Bob gave him his orders as follows:
"Keep her as she heads, due west, an' have your eyes open for signs ofland. I don't reckon there is any very near; but for all that we may beto the east'ard of the Bahamas, an' it would be pretty tough to bring upon them just now. The brig drags a bit an' that must be allowed for; butyou'll soon get the hang of it."
Then the old sailor went into the Bonita's cabin, and Jim was left aloneat the wheel, trying to drive away the slumber which still hung heavilyon his eyelids.
Walter adopted Harry's plan for keeping awake; but the exertion wasgreat and his body weary; therefore, in five minutes after the otherwatch had gone below he went into the pilot-house, stretching himselfout on the cushioned locker as he said:
"I'm only going to rest myself a little, and won't go to sleep. It don'tseem as if we were below ten--min--minutes--before----"
The sentence was finished with what sounded suspiciously like a snore,and Jim made no effort to arouse him. He knew by his own condition howdifficult it was to remain awake, and griping the spokes of the wheelmore tightly to quicken the circulation of blood, he muttered:
"Let him take comfort if he can; there's really no need of both standingwatch."
During the next ten minutes he alternately tried to peer through thedense gloom, and looked at the compass-card, which was faintly illuminedby a tiny lamp. The throbbing of the engine, the long, waving lineswhich marked the faint swell, and the whispering of the night air lulledthe senses, despite every effort to perform his duties faithfully,until, without being conscious of the fact, his eyes closed in slumbereven while standing at the wheel.
In the engine-room Joe Taylor was battling against the same desire towhich Jim had yielded. He shoveled coal, raked the fires, polishedportions of the machinery which already shone like silver, and performedother needless tasks in order to prevent sleep from overcoming him, butignorant of the fact that both brig and tug were running wild.
The first hour of the watch passed, and yet the occupants of thepilot-house remained unconscious. Leaning over the wheel, with his headresting between the spokes, Jim heeded not the gray light in the skywhich heralded the approach of day.
Had his eyes been open he would have seen through the rapidly-vanishinggloom a long, low, black line which half encircled the two crafts andtold that they were running into a harbor or bay.
But he slept on, and each turn of the screw carried them nearer andnearer the dark mass until suddenly the brig staggered, rolled tostarboard for an instant, when the tug came to a full stop with a crashand a quiver which sent the helmsman reeling backward against hiscompanion as a rush and roar of steam from the engine-room told of asecond disaster.