CHAPTER XI
QUICK THINKING
“It must have taken some nerve to do it at all,” declared Leeadmiringly.
“Well, we knew they’d have done the same thing for us, if conditions hadbeen the other way round,” said Quinn. “If seamen didn’t help each otherout that way, the life would be even harder than it is.”
The boys were eager to hear more of the wireless man’s adventures, andhe, nothing loth, spun them more than one yarn of exciting episodes infar corners of the earth, for he had been almost everywhere that shipsgo. He was often interrupted by messages coming or going, but the boyswere fascinated by his stories, and could hardly tear themselves awaywhen dinner time came.
“That man has surely seen a lot,” remarked Bobby, while they were eatingan excellent meal, “and he knows how to tell about what he has seen,too. I’m sorry we didn’t get acquainted with him earlier on the trip.”
“So am I,” agreed Lee, “but he’ll be on duty again this evening, and ifwe get a chance we can look him up then.”
After lunch the three friends went on deck again. The sea by this timewas quite calm, and the boys strolled over to the port side and, leaningon the rail, gazed idly out over the broad expanse of waters.
Suddenly the lads heard a shrill yell and a heavy splash alongside theship. One of the mess boys, a young negro, had been sitting carelesslyon the rail not far from where the boys were standing, when a suddenlurch of the vessel had thrown him off his balance and he had made aclean dive overboard.
For a second the boys were stunned by the unexpectedness of theaccident. Then Bobby whipped out his jacknife, cut loose a lifepreserver that Fred was trying to loosen, and tossed it to thestruggling negro in the water. He judged his distance so accurately thatthe buoy landed within a foot or two of the unfortunate darkey, who witha desperate struggle caught hold of it.
Meanwhile, Fred and Lee were shouting “man overboard,” and the cry,passed from mouth to mouth, reached the bridge. The engine roomtelegraph rang “stop” and then “full speed astern.” Almost before thebig ship had come to a shuddering standstill, a boat had been lowered,and in short time they had the gasping darkey boy aboard.
“Mah Lan’ Sakes!” he sputtered, “Ah don’t known who-all threw me datlife p’server, but whoevah did saved mah life, Ah reckon, an I’se shuahenough grateful.”
“Well, who was it threw you the preserver, and how in time did you cometo fall overboard and make us all this trouble?” inquired the mate, whoin his official capacity thought more of the time lost than of thenarrow escape from death the little darkey had had.
“Ah cain’t say, suh, jes huccome I to fall ovahboahd,” said the littledarkey. “Seems like Ah don’t nevah go to git me a little rest on disyeah ship but whut somethin’ happens. Ole ship jes gives a roll an’heaves me clean ovah de side. Ah ain’t sure who give me dat lifep’server, but seems like they was three fellers standin’ by the rail,and one of ’em done heave it out at me so it pretty near lands plumbaroun’ mah neck.”
“Yes, but don’t you know who it was?” persisted the mate.
“Well, suh, seems to me it was one of them,” pointing to where Bobby,Fred and Lee were standing, “but Ah couldn’t rightly say which one.”
“Was it one of you?” inquired the mate, turning to them.
“Well,” said Bobby, “I guess I’ll have to plead guilty. We heard himsplash overboard, and luckily there was a life preserver right near us,so I threw it over to him.”
“It was rather lucky for young ’Rastus here,” commented the officer.“Your name _is_ ’Rastus, isn’t it?” addressing the little darkey.
“Yessuh, dat’s part of it,” returned ’Rastus, with a grin that seemed toshow every tooth he possessed.
“What’s the rest of it?” inquired Bobby.
“Mah full name am ’Rastus Abimilech Belshazzar Johnson,” said the littlenegro, evidently taking no small pride in this pretentious title.
“It’s a wonder we’re still afloat with a name like that aboard,”exclaimed Mr. Parr, the mate. “But you’d better get down below, ’Rastus,and get some dry clothes on.”
“Ah sho’ craves to git me some dry duds,” said ’Rastus. “An’ furdermo’,’fore Ah goes Ah wants t’ thank, yuh, white boy, for heavin’ me dat corkdoughnut de way yuh did. Ah’d be confabulatin’ wid de little fishes downat de bottom of de ocean if yuh hadn’t.”
“Oh, that’s all right,” said Bobby. “Next time you’d better be sureyou’ve got a good toe-hold before you decorate the rail.”
“Yessuh,” said ’Rastus, meekly, and departed for the lower regions ofthe ship, leaving a wet trail on the white deck to mark his going.
The crowd of passengers that had assembled all wanted to shake handswith Bobby at once, and were inclined to make a hero of him, but nothingwas further from that young gentleman’s mind, and as soon as possiblethe three friends made their escape.
“Whew!” exclaimed Bobby, mopping his face, “you’d have thought I hadreally done something, to listen to that crowd.”
“Well, I should say you have done something,” chuckled Lee. “You’vesaved the longest name I ever heard in my life from getting drowned,haven’t you?”
“Well, I guess that’s right enough,” laughed Bobby. “If I had known’Rastus’ full name, I’d have slung him two life preservers, for fear onewouldn’t be able to float it.”
“It is a mighty big name for such a little rascal,” said Fred, “but heseemed grateful enough, Bobby. Maybe he’ll do you a good turn some day.You never can tell.”