CHAPTER X.
LOST--THE STORM.
Jack now surveyed the field of action with some satisfaction.
"Well, I managed to lay 'em all out at last," he told himself. "Now tosee how Frank and the others are."
He hurried first to Frank's side. The latter was just returning toconsciousness and raised himself on one elbow as Jack kneeled besidehim.
"How do you feel, old man?" asked Jack gently.
"I don't feel so much," was Frank's reply. "Say, that fellow must havegiven me a pretty good crack."
"He did," said Jack dryly. "I can vouch for that. He landed on your headwith that revolver like a ton of brick. Do you think you can stand?"
"I guess so. Lend a hand, will you?"
Jack helped his chum to his feet. Frank staggered a bit at first, but ina minute or two announced that he was fit for whatever might come. Hefollowed Jack aft, where lay the bodies of Edwards and Williams.
Jack passed his hand over Edwards' face and the man stirred feebly.
"Water, Frank," said Jack.
Frank hurried forward again and returned in a moment with water. ThisJack sprinkled over Edwards' face. Five minutes later Edwards sat up.
"What's the matter?" he asked.
Jack explained.
"I remember now, sir," said Edwards, trying to smile. "And did you lick'em?"
"I did," said Jack.
"And Williams, sir? How is he? I saw him go down just before I wentunder."
"We'll see," replied Jack briefly.
He led the way to where Williams still lay prone, Frank and Edwardsfollowing.
Jack bent over the man, then placed a hand over his heart. Then he gotslowly to his feet.
"Is he----," began Edwards.
"Dead," replied Jack quietly.
For a moment there was silence; then Edwards spoke brokenly.
"The best shipmate a man ever had, sir."
He knelt beside his dead companion and tears streamed down his face.Jack and Frank did not speak as he mourned silently for some minutes. Atlast Edwards got to his feet.
"War is war, sir," he said quietly.
He moved aft.
"Well," said Frank, "I guess we may as well be getting back to _TheHawk_. Lord Hastings will be worried."
"Right," said Jack. "You take the wheel. I'll try and coax the enginealong."
They took their respective places.
"Which way, Jack?" called Frank.
"By Jove! You know as much about it as I do," was the reply. "I don'tknow where we are."
"Must be off to the left," declared Frank. "We'll steer that way,anyhow."
"All right," said Jack.
The engine began to sputter and directly the motorboat moved.
"We may as well go this way as another," Frank shouted to make himselfheard. "It'll be daylight soon, anyhow, and we can probably pick up _TheHawk_."
"We'll go slowly, at all events," said Jack.
For half an hour the little craft forged slowly ahead, all three aboardkeeping a sharp lookout for _The Hawk_.
Suddenly a breeze sprang up. It blew lightly at first and then with moreand more violence.
"Looks like Lord Hastings' gale was about to materialize," shouted Jack.
"Guess this is it all right," replied Frank.
Edwards now came aft and took his stand by Frank.
"Want me to take the wheel, sir?" he asked.
"Guess I can handle it all right," replied Frank.
"Very well, sir, only I thought you would rather be forward with Mr.Templeton."
There was an odd note in his voice and Frank glanced at him inquiringly.
"What made you think that?" he asked sharply.
"Only," replied Edwards, "only because this is liable to settle thingsfor all of us."
"You mean the storm?" asked Frank.
"Yes, sir."
"You think it will be severe?"
"Very severe, sir. I have sailed the seas longer than you have, sir, andI recognize the signs."
"And you don't think this craft can weather the storm?"
"I am afraid not, sir. Of course there is always a possibility, and byrunning with the storm we have, of course, a fighting chance; but that'sall we have, sir, a fighting chance."
"It is as much as we have had many times before," replied Frank.
"Very well, then," to Edwards, "you may take the wheel. Your advice isto run before it?"
"Yes, sir, at full speed."
"Your advice shall be taken. We'll keep the engine going and thesteering is up to you."
"Very good, sir."
Edwards took the wheel and Frank made his way forward.
"Hello," said Jack. "Thought you were going to do the steering."
"I was," replied Frank, "but Edwards seemed to think he could do betterand I guess he is right. He says we are in for a bad gale."
"He's right," replied Jack. "I've seen the signs before. You mayremember I lived on the ocean. Yes, we're in for it, I'm afraid. All wecan do is run."
"That's what Edwards said."
"It'll be daylight in less than half an hour," Jack continued. "Thatwill help some. If it will hold off that long, I'll feel better."
And the gale did hold off.
A faint gray streaked the east, making more plain the seriousness oftheir situation. The clouds hung heavy and low and it took no mariner totell that a storm was brewing.
Gradually the wind increased and the little motorboat tore along beforeit. Now the swell of the sea became heavier. Waves rolled higher andhigher and the little craft first wallowed in the trough of the sea andthen climbed the gigantic waves.
"No wonder people get seasick," Frank muttered to himself.
The wind increased in violence until it blew a hurricane, but still thelittle motorboat did not falter; it bore on as bravely as before,climbing wave after wave swiftly and unerringly. Edwards, at the wheel,was giving a splendid example of seamanship.
A mountainous wave, greater than the rest, descended upon the motorboatand broke over it, drenching all on board to the skin. The wind whistledoverhead and the air grew icy cold. Frank shivered, as he held fast.
"Br-r-r," he said. "Right now it would feel awfully nice to be ashore. Iwonder what of Lord Hastings and _The Hawk_?"
At the same moment, Lord Hastings was wondering what of them.
For hours and hours, it seemed to the two lads, the little craft battledthe storm, at each moment seeming in imminent danger of capsizing; butalways the master hand of Edwards at the wheel righted the little craftand it dashed away in the gale.
"Great Scott!" cried Frank, raising his voice to a shout to make himselfheard above the terrible roaring of the wind, "we can't stand this muchlonger."
"You are right," declared Jack. "We are liable to be swamped at anymoment."
As each wave descended upon them, breaking over the little boat, Frankwas confident that the end had come. It did not seem possible that thecraft could withstand another. But each time the little boat seemed tobrace itself for the shock and a moment later would ride high to safety.
Edwards, at the wheel, had lashed himself fast, that he might not beswept overboard; and once, soon after the storm had descended, he wasstartled.
Something soft touched his feet; and taking his eyes from ahead longenough to look down, he saw that the object was the body of Williams,which the water had washed over the deck to him.
His hands fast, as they were, he could not stoop down to touch the bodyas he gazed at it mournfully; then another wave descended, and when ithad gone, Williams' body was no longer in sight.
"Good-bye, old friend!" Edwards shouted after it. "Good-bye! I may bewith you soon. If I could have reached down I would have shaken handswith you once more before you went away."
Another gigantic wave swooped down and he gave his attention to keepingthe boat's head right.
At last, when it seemed that the storm would never end, it brokesuddenly. As if by magic there was
a calm, and bright sunlight streameddown from above. The gale was over. The motorboat and its crew of threewere safe.
Frank and Jack clasped hands.
"Safe once more," said the latter quietly.
Suddenly the little craft pitched violently. Frank turned a quick gazeaft to the wheel where he made out the reason for this sudden lurch.
Completely exhausted by his recent experience, Edwards had lapsed intounconsciousness once the strain was over. No hand grasped the wheel andthe motorboat pitched this way and that in the trough of the sea.
Frank made his way aft as rapidly as possible and took the wheel. Jackshut down the engine and followed him. He poured water over Edwards'face and directly the latter sat up.
"Funny I had to keel over like that," he said grinning feebly. "Don'tknow what's the matter with me. Must be getting old, I guess. Neverhappened before."
"Here," said Jack, "you come forward with me and rest awhile. You'reabout done up."
The sailor protested; but Jack had his way, and a few moments later, inthe little cabin, Edwards was fast asleep. Jack returned aft to discussthe situation with Frank.
"Well, what now?" asked the latter. "Where are we going to find LordHastings?"
"I imagine the best thing for us," said Jack, "is to return to BantryBay. If _The Hawk_ weathered the storm, Lord Hastings will put insometime to-day."
"I suppose that is best," agreed Frank. "Let's be on the move."
The head of the motorboat was brought about, and gaining his bearingsfrom a compass in the cabin, Jack shaped his course.
"A four or five hour run," he said to Frank, in giving him the properdirections.
He glanced at his watch. "Six o'clock. Well, we shall be there beforenoon, anyhow."
He returned to his place at the engine and the motorboat headed towardthe British coast.