Read Boys of the Wireless; Or, A Stirring Rescue from the Deep Page 20

  CHAPTER XX--THE LAUNCH

  Tom held his nerves steady, although he was somewhat shaken. His firstbusiness was to send a response to the ship in distress. He did not knowwhat the facilities might be for receiving on board the steamer, but hefollowed usage. He had no means of knowing what other stations hadcaught the flying cry for help. The lifesaving station was twenty milesto the north. Station Z was the nearest wireless to Garvey Rocks by somethirty miles, and everything depended on him in the present crisis.

  Tom ran to the window and looked out at the storm. It was truly afearful night. The strong blast was bending the trees almost to theground and sending the gravel scudding along the beach like hailstones.

  Aloft the heavens were one constant glow of liquid fire, and the thundercrashes reverberated as in a hollow vault. The sea was lashed into atremendous fury, the waves sweeping mountain high and breaking with adetonating roar that added to the babel of the night.

  "I wish Ben was here," murmured Tom in deep concern. He could picturethe disabled steamer vividly in his mind's eye, the more readily becausehis fond girl friend was in peril.

  "Y-3"--again the call came, less distinct this time, but more franticand urgent--"ship aleak and sinking."

  "Will get help to you somehow," flashed back Tom.

  He was in a tremor. Amid the strain of undue excitement Tom's thoughtsran rapidly. Only for a moment, however, did he remain inert andundecided.

  "Something must be done!" he cried, in an excess of frantic anxiety andapparent helplessness. "But what? There is not a boat on the beach thatcould live in those waters--except the _Beulah_!"

  The addendum was a shout. Tom sprang to his feet, electrically infusedwith a sudden suggestion.

  _Beulah_ was the name of the big pretentious gasoline launch in whichBert Aldrich had arrived in state at Rockley Cove. He had braggedmightily concerning its possibilities. Tom had seen him do things withit, too. The _Beulah_ was a wonder as to speed and staunchness. Athrilling resolution fixed our hero's mind. He would arouse the people,reach Aldrich and influence him to loan the boat for an attempted rescueat sea.

  Tom was down the trap ladder in one reckless slide. He ran down theshore buffeted, yet helped along by the powerful hurricane blast. BertAldrich was a guest at the home of Mart Walters and that was theprospective destination of the resolute young wireless operator.

  Tom came in sight of the pier where the _Beulah_ was moored. He couldmake out her outlines dimly. She was hugging the pier fitfully, tossingto and fro.

  "Why," exclaimed Tom with a gasp of glad discovery, "some one is onboard!"

  Only for a moment to his vision, apparently inside the cabin of therestless tugging craft, a flicker of radiance showed. It suggested thelighting of a match and then its extinguishment. The indication ofoccupancy of the launch was enough for Tom. He diverged from the road,lined the beach, ran down the pier, and jumped aboard the _Beulah_.

  Rounding the cabin Tom recoiled with a shock. Some one had leaped fromthe covert of a deep shadow and pinned his arms behind him.

  "Got you at last, have I?" shouted a determined voice in his ears.

  "Hold on," demurred Tom struggling violently.

  "No, you don't! I've got you, Bert Aldrich, and we're going to have asettlement of that eleven dollars and seventy-five cents right here andnow."

  "I'm not Bert Aldrich! Don't you know me, Bill?"

  "Tom Barnes!"

  "Yes."

  The Barber boy let Tom go as if he were a hot coal.

  "Say, excuse me, will you?" he stammered.

  "That's all right, Bill. What are you doing here in this storm?"

  "Waiting. Can't you guess--waiting to nail Bert Aldrich."

  "It isn't likely he will show up such a night as this."

  "He's a coward, but he'd risk a good deal to get away without meetingme. And what are you doing here, Tom Barnes?"

  Instantly Tom was recalled to the urgency of the moment. The discoveryof Bill Barber aboard the launch suggested a change in his plans.

  "Bill," he asked quickly, "do you understand running this craft?"

  "Do I understand?" stormed Bill; "say, if anybody but you asked me thatI'd knock him down."

  "Something of an expert, are you?"

  "Do you want to try me?"

  "Just that, Bill," rejoined Tom seriously. "Listen."

  Briefly but graphically Tom recited the cause of his visit to thelaunch. He had Bill literally on fire with excitement and energy by thetime he had concluded.

  "See here, Tom Barnes," cried Bill, "there's no time to lose!"

  "That is certain, Bill."

  "The steamer is in danger."

  "Just as I told you."

  "Off Garvey Rocks?"

  "Yes."

  "When we get afloat we can probably make out her lights?"

  "Probably."

  "You want me to help you get to the _Olivia_?"

  "We've got to."

  "I'm your man."

  "I suppose Aldrich will resent our appropriation of his launch."

  "Let him," said Bill with a laugh. "I'll take out that eleven dollarsand seventy-five cents in the use of the _Beulah_. See? All aboard!Follow me!"

  The Barber boy made a dash for the engine room of the launch followed bythe young wireless operator.