CHAPTER VI
IN PERIL
"Here's the stuff from the store, mom!" exclaimed Fenn, as he rushedinto the house.
"What's the matter?" asked his mother anxiously. "Has there been anaccident, Fenn?"
"Got to find the boys! Captain Wiggs! _Modoc!_ Going on a cruise! Tellyou later!" was what Fenn exclaimed in jerky sentences as he hurrieddown the side steps and out of the yard.
"Oh, those boys! They get so excited you can't do anything with them!"exclaimed Mrs. Masterson. "I wonder what they're up to now?"
If she could have seen her son and his chums, whom he met on the street,soon after his hurried exit, she would have been more puzzled than ever.
"Great news! Great!" yelled Fenn, as he caught sight of Frank, Ned andBart approaching him. "We're going with Captain Wiggs to make a tour ofthe Great Lakes! Whoop! Hold me down, somebody!"
He grabbed Ned and Bart, each by an arm, and began whirling them aroundin a good imitation of an Indian war dance.
"Here! Let up!" cried Frank. "What's it all about? Who's killed?"
"Nobody, you ninny!" shouted Fenn. "We're going on the _Modoc_!"
"Who says so?"
"When?"
"How many of us?"
"Where?"
"Are we all going?"
All Fenn could do was to nod his head vigorously. He was all out ofbreath. As soon as he could get enough wind to talk, he rapidlyexplained what Captain Wiggs had said.
"Does he mean we're to work our passage?" asked Frank. "I don't know asI care to shovel coal, if that's what he means."
"I guess he was only joking about that part of it," answered Fenn. "I'mgoing, if I have to scrub the decks. It will be sport."
"That's right," chimed in Bart. "I don't mind working my way for thesake of the trip. When can we go?"
"Let's go down to the wharf and have a talk with him," suggested Ned,and they all agreed this was a wise idea.
A little later they were in the large cabin of the _Modoc_, which, for afreight boat, was well fitted up.
Captain Wiggs repeated the invitation he had given to Fenn. The boyswould be welcome to make the trip with him, he said, as long as theirparents consented. They would need an outfit of clothing, with roughgarments for stormy weather, which might be encountered.
"And we'll do anything we can to help you run the boat," added Bart, whofelt that some return ought to be given for the captain's generosity.
"Well," replied the commander, in drawling tones, "I don't expect toomuch. But if you could manage to keep the door mats clean it would be agreat help."
"Door mats--on a ship?" questioned Ned.
"Yes; of course," replied the captain, with an assumption of dignity."You see the salt spray gets all over the deck, and if it's tramped intothe cabins it makes the floors dirty. My steward is very particularabout clean floors, and I thought that if you could help keep the matsclean, why it would make his work easier, and he wouldn't grumble somuch. However, if it's too much trouble, why of course--"
"Oh, we'll do it," hastily agreed Fenn, fearing that the trip might becalled off. He did not quite know how to take the captain's remarks, forthe commander had not the least suspicion of a smile on his face. Afterall, thought Fenn, it might be necessary to clean the door mats, and heresolved to do his share of it.
"Well, now that that's settled," went on the commander, as if a load hadbeen taken from his mind, "we'll go into further details."
He then explained to the boys what they would need in the way of clothingand baggage, and he briefly described the trip. The duration of it was alittle uncertain as he could not tell how long he would have to wait atDuluth, after unloading, before he could get a cargo to bring back.
"I guess I'll get you home safe in time to begin the fall term ofschool," he said, "and that ought to answer."
"It will," declared Ned. "It's mighty fine of you to ask us."
"Oh, I guess you'll be worth your salt," commented Captain Wiggs."Besides attending to the door mats, I may expect you to look after thescuttle-butt, now and again."
Fenn wanted to ask what the scuttle-butt was, but as the steward came injust then, to get some orders, the boys decided it was time to leave.
They promised to be on hand the day set for sailing, and then, withtheir minds full of the happy prospect ahead of them, they went ashore.
The parents of the lads offered no objection to their making the cruisein company with Captain Wiggs, who was well known in Darewell. In duetime valises and trunks were packed and the four chums, the envy oftheir less-fortunate school companions, strolled down to the wharf andboarded the _Modoc_.
The steamer was a large one, and had good accommodations for passengers,though she seldom carried any. This time, besides the boys, there wasonly one man, who was making the trip for his health. He was BurtonAckerman, who lived in a small town not far from Darewell.
They found that their staterooms, which were of good size, adjoined oneanother. They put away their belongings, and then went up on deck. The_Modoc_ had cast off, and was slowly gathering speed as it dropped downthe river toward Lake Erie.
"Don't forget the scenery, boys!" called the captain, as he passed.
"We won't," answered Ned, with a laugh.
The boys had often made the trip to Lake Erie, and there was little ofnovelty for them in this. But, when the steamer had gotten well out onthe big body of water, they crowded to the rails, for they had neverbeen out so far as this before.
"It's almost as good as an ocean voyage," exclaimed Bart.
"What are you thinking of, Stumpy?" asked Frank, noticing that his shortchum was rather quiet.
"I know," declared Ned. "He's wondering if he'll see Ruth."
"Oh, you--" began the badgered one, when the attention of the boys wastaken from tormenting their chum by several sharp blasts of the_Modoc's_ whistle. There was an answering screech and Frank suddenlyexclaimed:
"Look there, boys!"
They all looked. On the port side, bearing right down on them, andcoming at full speed, was an immense grain barge. It appeared to beunmanageable, for the whistle was frantically blowing, and a man in thepilot house was waving his hand.
"Toot! Toot! Toot! Toot!" screamed the whistle of the _Modoc_.
"She's going to ram us!" cried Fenn. "We can't get out of the way intime!"
There was a confused jangling of bells from the _Modoc's_ engine room,followed by more whistles, and then the steamer began to swing around.But still the grain barge came straight on. A collision seemedinevitable.