CHAPTER II.
FAILURE AND A PROVIDENTIAL RESCUE.
"Dad," said Frank that night at the supper table, "we boys are goinginto the transportation business. Got any objection?"
"Into the what?" said Mr. Armstrong, pausing in the act of fillinghis healthy son's plate for the second time.
"Transportation, if you please, sir," said Frank, grinning andreaching for the full dish. "It's like this: Old Captain Silas saysthere are lots of people about here who want to take little cruisesaround the islands these fine days. That's condition No. 1."
"Condition No. 1," repeated his father, smiling. "Go on."
"And condition No. 2 is, three strong, husky, able-bodied seamen,Jimmy Turner, Lewis, and your dutiful son, who want to make somemoney and keep ourselves busy at the same time."
"What about Old Captain Silas himself?" inquired Mrs. Armstrong."Can't he take care of all the excursionists himself? Or does he wantto take you boys into partnership?"
"No, mother, this is going to be a rapid passenger service," and ina few words he outlined the plan put into his head that afternoon bythe old captain's remark. "The only things we need now are a ship anda manager."
"Not much, is it?" said Mr. Armstrong, laughing. "Perhaps ColonelPowers would let you have his yacht."
"Oh, dad, I'm not joking. We are in a fair way to have both. At leastwe know where there's a motor boat, and the Codfish was born to be amanager of the outfit. It is providential. We'll get him here aheadof time."
"Where's your motor boat?" inquired Mrs. Armstrong, smilingindulgently at her son's eagerness.
"It is anchored down the shore a ways, belongs to Mr. Simpkins, andwe're going to tackle him to-morrow. I think I can show him," addedFrank, cocking his head on one side, wisely, "that there would begood money in it for him to rent it. We can charge twenty-five centsa head for all passengers. Let's see," counting on his fingers,"we ought to be able to carry half a dozen besides our crew if theboat's any size,--that'd be a dollar and a half for a trip of anhour. And we can make four or five trips a day, sure. That'd be sevendollars and fifty cents a day, and, six days a week, that'd be aboutforty-five dollars," triumphantly. "Running expenses ought not tobe more than fifteen dollars, and that would leave thirty dollarsto divvy up between the four of us." Frank's ambitions were runningaway with him. "And besides that, we'd have a better time than doingnothing. Can't we do it, dad?"
"Well, I don't see any very strong objections," returned Mr.Armstrong, smiling at his wife across the table, "but if you arefiguring on that boat of Mr. Simpkins' I wouldn't build my schemetoo high, for it might tumble. Mr. Simpkins wouldn't probably beinterested in dividends, for he has a pile of money, and, besidesthat, he is a pretty crusty old gentleman."
"Crusty or no crusty, we are going down to see him in the morning,provided you and mother don't say no." It was finally agreed in thefamily that there would be no objection.
"They will soon get tired of it, mother," said Mr. Armstrong, "andit's dollars to pins that Mr. Simpkins will set the dog on theminstead of handing over his motor boat, even though he doesn't use ithimself."
"And only one thing more," cried Frank, in great glee that hisparents threw no obstacle in the way of the Queen's Ferry Company."The Codfish is coming down to make us a visit next week. Can't wehave him down right away? We need his head in this big venture."
"Glad to have him come along. We would like to see this wonderfulroommate of yours, wouldn't we, mother?" said Mr. Armstrong.
"Whoop!" shouted Frank, "then we'll telegraph. I'm off to meet theother officers of the company."
The result of the conference between the captain, the helmsman, andthe skipper was that this telegram was dispatched to the Codfish:
"Big transportation company formed. You are elected manager. No work, big profits. Come on next train.
"(Signed) FRANK, LEWIS, JIMMY."
About the middle of the next forenoon the boys met at the Armstronghousehold and girt up their loins, or, in other words, nervedthemselves for the negotiations with Mr. Simpkins.
"You do the talking, Frank," said Jimmy. "You have the gift of gab.I'll guard the way and Lewis can protect us from the dog."
"Protect nothing," said Lewis. "I'm too important a member of thiscompany to fatten any bulldogs in this neighborhood."
"If any one is to be sacrificed on this expedition, it might aswell be you," retorted Jimmy. "Skippers are always the first to besacrificed."
Bantering each other, the three boys made their way down the shorewalk, and boldly ascended the path to the big yellow house whereMr. Simpkins lived in solitary grandeur. They might have retreatedbefore this point had not they strengthened their drooping spiritswith a hurried inspection of the motor boat moored to the littlepier. A long, racy-looking boat it was, lying close on the water andwith every evidence of speed. The lines swept back from the bow in agraceful curve to a rather full beam at midships, and then swung inslightly as they approached the stern, ending abruptly in a squarehull. The motor was covered by a rubber tarpaulin, and so they werenot able to tell much about it. A generous bulk testified, however,to ample power to drive the craft at high speed. A kind of canvasawning partially protected the interior woodwork of the boat, but inspite of this the craft had a forlorn appearance.
"She's a little the worse for weather, but she's a beauty in spiteof it," exclaimed Frank, as he looked her over. "She has _The Foam_knocked galley-west," he added.
"That's a fact," was Jimmy's only comment. He thought of the poor old_Foam_ lying at the bottom out in the bay there.
"Well, here goes," said Frank, and he led the way up the wide andimposing steps of the Simpkins homestead. "Here's where the Queen'sFerry Transportation Company sees the light or is buried thirtyfathoms under. 'Screw up your courage to the sticking point,' asHamlet said, and follow me." The big door opened to their ring andthey stepped within in a huddled group.
Ten minutes later three dejected youths might have been seen makingtheir way slowly towards Seawall. Disappointment was written deeplyon each countenance. "He's what I call an old skinflint," said Jimmysavagely. "Didn't want the boat, wouldn't sell it, or lend it, orrent it," and he kicked an inoffensive shell out of the track.
"A regular dog-in-the-manger," commented Lewis.
"Well, that's settled, anyway," said Frank, taking a long breath."We've no ship, and of course we can't sail without a ship."
In their disappointment the boys hunted up Captain Silas Brown,who was hoisting his mainsail to the breeze and preparing for theprospective trippers. The old man listened to their story.
"I'll tell you what I'll do," he said. "I need some one to help meout fer a day or two with this old craft. I've got a touch of therheumatiz, and I'm not so smart as I might be."
Together they talked it all over and decided that that very afternoonthe boys were to ship as able-bodied seamen. This somewhat cheeredthe officers of the defunct Queen's Ferry Company.
Suddenly Frank sprang up. "Great Scott, fellows, we forgot totelegraph the Codfish! No use of him coming now. Let's wire him thedisaster. We don't want to get him here under false pretenses."
The three boys hurried off to the telegraph office. Arrived there,they called for a blank and Frank was just getting the sadinformation down in the form of a telegram, when the clerk behind thecounter said: "You're the fellows who sent a message to G. W. Gleasonat Yarmouth this morning?"
"Yes."
"Well, here's an answer. It has just come in, pretty quick work that."
Frank tore the end off the yellow envelope, for it was addressed tohim, and read:
"Don't care for the salary, too much money already, but the job with no work appeals to me. I'll be at Seawall to-morrow night at six o'clock if the train stays on the track.
"(Signed) THE CODFISH."
"Well, here's a pickle! But never mind, I know mother and fatherwon't mind," said Frank. "So let him come." The Codfish was a greatfavorite with the three, in spit
e of his sharp tongue and ratherunusual ways. They were not sorry that he was coming.
That afternoon our trio reported to Captain Silas Brown just as hewas making up his party of voyagers at the end of Seawall pier. Itturned out to be a gallant sailing day. A steady wind blew from thesouthwest, making the _Seagull_ dance merrily alongside the floatto which the captain had drawn her to take on his passengers, ofwhom there were an unusually large number, attracted probably bythe fair prospects for the afternoon. They were mostly women andchildren, and the three new assistants made themselves very usefulat lending a hand as the passengers stepped into the rocking sloop.Soon all were aboard and the mooring ropes were cast off. The sloopmoved swiftly away down the bay under the guidance of Captain Silason what proved to be an eventful voyage. The day was a glorious one,and the wind strong enough to heel the _Seagull_ over till her brightgreen underbody showed well above the water on the windward side.Every now and then a stronger puff of wind laid the _Seagull_ so farover that her lee side was buried under the foaming water. But thepassengers had confidence in the steady hand of Captain Silas, andchatted merrily, for the cockpit was protected from wave tops by ahigh wooden edge, and there was apparently no danger. The occasionaldash of spray which came aboard was just enough to add zest to theouting, and the passengers enjoyed the lively dance of the sloop overthe rolling water.
FRANK TURNED JUST IN TIME TO SEE A FLASH OF WHITEDISAPPEARING BENEATH THE SURFACE.--_Page 27._]
All of a sudden, when rounding the point off High Island, therecame a violent blast of wind which plucked the hat from the headof a little girl who had sat all the while very quietly with hermaid on the leeward side of the sloop. She jumped to her feet, madea desperate grab for the flying head-covering, lost her balance,and pitched head first into the water. She was lost to sight in aninstant, a big wave breaking over her head as she went down.
At the scream of the maid, Frank, who had been standing on the littledeck forward with one arm around the mast, turned just in time to seea flash of white disappearing beneath the surface.
"She is drowned! She is drowned!" screamed the maid, jumping to herfeet and wringing her hands wildly. "Oh, she's drowned!" The otherwomen in the boat began to scream and point to the place where thelittle girl had gone down.
With Frank, to think was to act. Without waiting to throw off anyclothes, he made a flying leap for the spot where he had last seenthe white dress; but so great had been the momentum of the boat,that when he struck the water he was some yards away from the spot.Hampered as he was with his clothes and hindered by the breakingwaves, he swam desperately, using his most powerful strokes. Beforehe could cover the distance he saw a white sleeve and the topof a head appear above the surface for an instant and disappearimmediately. Half a dozen strokes carried him to the place, but thedrowning girl had gone down for the second time.
For a few moments only, Frank paddled around waiting for the childto come to the surface. He had heard that a drowning person comes tothe surface three times. "I won't risk it," he said to himself. "Shemay never come up again, and the water must be deep here." He stoppedswimming, turned his back to the waves, took a deep breath, and divedstraight for the bottom.
How cold and strange it felt, and how quiet after the tumult he hadleft above him! The impulse of his dive soon ended, and yet there wasno bottom, so he began to swim straight downward. His eyes were openand he could see quite plainly within a radius of ten feet. Straininghis eyes, he looked into the gloomy depths as he swam. What was thatgleam of white far below him? It must be the girl's dress. How hishead cracked with the pressure of the water, but on he went downward,ever downward. He was below the clear light, but the thought that hewas nearing the drowning child gave him the power of a grown man. Heswam on almost blindly, and with the strength of despair, because heknew it was the only chance to save a life. In the blackness of thedepths he lost the gleam of white, then recovered it, lost it again,and after two or three strokes touched something which felt likeseaweed. His hand closed instinctively, although he could see nothingnow, and he realized with a great feeling of joy that it was thechild's hair which had floated upward. He wound his hand securely init, and struck madly for the surface with splitting head and burstinglungs.
It could only have been a few seconds, but to Frank it seemed aneternity before his head bobbed into the clear sunlight and he wasable to take a great gulping breath. He felt as weak as a baby, buthe had strength enough to pull his burden to the surface and turn onhis back.
"Good boy," said a voice behind him. "Let me take her. Look out foryourself." Frank turned his head and saw Jimmy at his elbow. Heresigned the little girl, who showed no signs of life, to his friend,and lay panting on the surface, the water breaking over him everynow and then. He had barely strength left to work his hands fin-liketo keep afloat, while Captain Silas maneuvered the sloop back tothe spot where the two boys were struggling in the water. Soon lifebuoys were thrown out to them, and a minute later the sloop, with herhead to the wind and her mainsail snapping and cracking, lay closealongside.
In a jiffy the unconscious girl, Frank, and Jimmy were pulled aboardthe boat, where Frank lay gasping like a fish out of water. Wellacquainted with and skilled in the methods of resuscitation, the oldcaptain worked over the little girl, who lay as limp as a rag on thedeck while the maid wept hysterically and several of the other womencried in sympathy.
"Ding bust it," cried the old man at last, "what ye crying about?She's not drownded, I tell ye. She's coming to." And the captain wasright. First there was a little quiver of the eyelids, then a faintsigh from her lips, and finally a soft moan.
"Thank God!" said the captain. "The pore little girl will be allright in a few minutes. But I say, it was a narrow squeak. FrankArmstrong, you deserve the Carnegie medal for that same trick."
Frank was on his feet again, and, although white and a little sick,he was able to help Jimmy with the tiller, while the captain kept uphis ministrations to the little girl, who opened her eyes at last andlooked about her.
"You'll be sound as a dollar in half an hour," said the captain, ashe finally turned her over to the maid, who had by this time quieteddown. Captain Silas went aft and took the tiller from the boys.
"That was a good turn you did for old man Simpkins," he observed."That's his little girl you saved from a watery death. Guess he'llfeel different about that motor boat now," and the old captain smiledgrimly.
Before the _Seagull_ reached the dock the participators in what hadnearly been a tragedy were rapidly recovering. Frank was still wobblyon his legs, but quickly recovered his spirits. "Thank you, old man,"he said to Jimmy as they disembarked. "If it hadn't been for you,both of us would have gone down. I didn't have the strength to keepeven myself up and I wouldn't have let her go down alone." The twofriends gave a silent pressure of the hand.
"It was nothing," said Jimmy. "I went after you as quickly as Icould. It seemed to me you were down fully five minutes, and I hadabout given you up when your head bobbed through the surface."
"Seemed to me I was down about an hour, and I guess I must have beenfifteen or twenty feet under when I got her. But it's all over now,and I'm glad."
The gallant rescue was the talk of Seawall that night. Captain Silassat at the end of the pier with a group around him, and Frank'sdaring deed lost nothing by the captain's telling. But Frank wassilent on the matter himself and denied that he had done anything totalk about. From him, his father and mother could only get the barefacts that he had jumped overboard and pulled in a little girl whohad had the bad luck to fall into the water.