CHAPTER XXVI.
A DISASTROUS COLLISION.
The running off with that boat from the waterfront of a city in broaddaylight was a bold thing to do. But these men were accustomed totaking desperate risks, and had done many more reckless things thanthis in the course of their lawless careers; besides, they expected toovertake the raft within an hour or so, when they would send the boatback to its owner, or leave it where he could find it. They did notyet understand the connection between Cap'n Cod, whom they knew as theproprietor of the _Whatnot_, and those who were interested in therecovery of the raft. That made no difference, however. It was enoughthat this boat had been used in their pursuit, and that by taking itthey might delay this pursuit until they should recover the raft andmake good their escape. Besides, it happened to be the only availableboat lying at the levee just then, and they would have taken it eventhough they had been obliged to use force to gain its possession, soeager were they to recapture the _Venture_.
This was the reasoning of two of the "river-traders;" while the thirdsprang aboard because the others did, and without stopping to reason.Grimshaw made his way at once to the pilothouse, where Mr. Gilderfollowed him, in order to learn his plans. Plater walked aft, andthrough the engine-room window saw that the mule was already in histreadmill, where Solon had just completed his harnessing. Withoutalarming the negro by making his presence known, the big man stoleaway, and gaining the pilot-house, rang the engine-room bell that meant"Go ahead." To the great satisfaction of at least two of the"river-traders" this order was promptly obeyed. Within a couple ofminutes the city had disappeared, and the _Whatnot_ was slipping downthe fog-enshrouded river.
"What is the meaning of this?" demanded Mr. Gilder, as he followedGrimshaw into the pilot-house. "Are you crazy that you are going offwith this boat and leaving the raft behind? Or do you mean to run into where it is, take our stuff aboard, and continue the cruise in thiscraft? Because if you do, you can count me out. This is tooconspicuous a boat for my use. Why, man, she'll be spotted by thepolice inside of twenty-four hours!"
"I expect it's about time we counted you out, anyway," answered theother, gruffly. "Plater and I have about made up our minds that youare playing a double game, and had some hand in the disappearance ofthe raft."
"The disappearance of the raft?" exclaimed the other, blankly. "Whatdo you mean? How did the raft disappear? And when did it disappear?And where were you, whom we left to look after it? If you have lostthat raft you'll answer to me for my share in it, and I'll see that youmake it good too, you sneaking--"
"Come, come, Gilder! Simmer down!" interrupted Plater, who had enteredthe pilot-house in time to hear these angry words. "This isn't thetime nor place for us to quarrel. We've too much at stake. The rafthas gone, and we are after it. That's all Grim and I know. Whateverinformation you can give concerning its disappearance will begratefully received."
"'The raft has gone, and we are after it.'"]
The interchange of high words that followed had almost led to blows,when Mr. Gilder suddenly became silent, and stepped quickly to thepilot-house door. He had just caught sight of Sabella holding DonBlossom in her arms, and staring through the open doorway with anexpression of frightened bewilderment. She had expected to find heruncle and Billy Brackett and Winn, and had hastened to announce thejoyful news of Don Blossom's safety.
Now as Mr. Gilder led her aft and down into the living-room, he stroveto banish that frightened look by gentle words and reassuring promises.
"But where is my Uncle Aleck? And where are Mr. Brackett and Winn? Ican't find them anywhere. Solon said they were in the pilot-house."
"They are on the raft, and we are going to find them," was the answer.
"Oh, I'm so glad they've got the raft again! And I'm glad you gave itback to them, too. Now, Winn can't say you are a bad man any longer.But you've only borrowed the _Whatnot_ for a little while, haven't you?"
"Yes, only for a little while."
"I don't think those others are very nice-looking men, and I wasawfully afraid until I saw you. Then I knew it must be all right."
"It is all right, little one, and there is nothing for you to be afraidof. No harm shall come to you so long as I am here, and I promise tosee you safe with your friends again before leaving you. You see, I ammaking believe that you are my own little girl, and I want you to feeljust as safe and happy as she would if she were here in your place."
"Of course I feel safe now," answered Sabella, promptly. "I have, eversince I found out it was you who had borrowed the _Whatnot_. For aminute, though, I was afraid those disagreeable--" Here the childhesitated. She did not want to hurt her new friend's feelings. "Imean," she added, hastily, "that those other gentlemen had stolen it.And I will make believe I am your own little girl, for I haven't anypapa, and only one uncle in the world. I wish you would tell me yourname, though. I don't think I ever knew any one so well before withoutknowing his name."
The man hesitated, and looked curiously at the sweet face upturned tohis. Then, as though arrived at a sudden conclusion, he said,
"My name is Gresham, William Gresham, but my little girl calls me 'PapaBilly.'"
"Then we'll make a bargain!" exclaimed Sabella, joyfully. "That's thevery name of Winn's uncle; and if I make believe you are my uncle, Ishall have an Uncle Billy as well as he. I think that's better, too,because you know a girl couldn't have but one own papa, but she mighthave a hundred uncles if she wanted. So we'll make that a bargain, andI'll give you a kiss if you like, because Uncle Aleck says that'salways the other part of a bargain."
With the kiss of the innocent child warm on his lips, William Greshamreturned to the upper deck. His heart was very tender at that moment,and though he did not express any resolve in words, he knew that ablack page of his life had just been closed, never to be reopened. Hemet Plater coming to find him, for he was wanted to aid in keeping thesharp lookout that the fog rendered necessary.
With all their senses alert and strained, the "river-traders" kept onfor two hours without discovering a trace of the raft. Then they knewthey must have passed it, and so headed the _Whatnot_ up-stream again,hoping to meet it. Now they barely held their own, without making anyprogress, for they knew the raft would drift in the channel with thestrongest current, and therefore that where the water ran swiftest theymust await its coming.
Solon, fully occupied with his duties as engineer and with preparationsfor dinner, paid little heed to Sabella when she looked in at thegalley door to inform him that her Uncle Billy said everything was allright.
"I specs so, honey, I specs so, an' of co'se hit's all right ef yo'Unc' Billy say so. Him a mighty knowin' young gen'l'man, dat ar Unc'Billy am, fo' shuah."
As the day advanced, there were occasional rifts in the fog, and in oneof these Mr. Gilder, as we will still call him, caught a momentaryglimpse of the raft. It was drifting at some distance to the right ofthem, and in a few moments would be again out of sight. His firstimpulse was to announce this discovery to his companions, and hissecond was to remain silent. He acted upon the second, and was almostdoubtful if he had really seen the raft at all, so quickly did it againdisappear. Suddenly there came a sound of blows, as though some onewere chopping wood on board the raft.
There was an exulting shout from the pilot-house, the steering-wheelwas put hard over, and the boat began to swing slowly at right anglesto the current. She was headed in the direction of the raft, and Mr.Gilder knew that, owing to those ill-timed blows, it had beendiscovered. Yes. Now he could see it again. There it was, not ahundred yards away, and the _Whatnot_ was headed so as to intercept itas it came down. What should he do? It would be foolish to strugglefor possession of the wheel against the two desperate men in thepilot-house. He could stop the machinery though, or, better still,reverse it, and so give the raft a chance to drift past and againdisappear in the mist. For Sabella's sake he would make the attempt.
He had already started for t
he lower deck, when his steps were arrestedby a second shout from the pilot-house, and another sound that smote onhis ear like a death-knell. It was the hoarse note of a deep-tonedwhistle apparently at his side. There was a jangling of bells, a wildyelling, the roar of escaping steam, and then the dim form of a greatup-river packet loomed above the little craft on which he stood likesome awful fog monster intent upon its destruction.
The man stood at the head of the steps leading down into theliving-room, where Sabella, unconscious of the impending peril, wassinging a quaint old hymn as she set the table for dinner. He hadheard his mother sing that hymn when he was a boy at home. So longago, and so far away. A second more and this sweet young life would beblotted out, and the little body, crushed beyond recognition, would beburied deep beneath the waters of the great river, while he would besafe on the lower deck of that steamboat. He could easily spring to itfrom the upper deck of the _Whatnot_, as he saw Plater and Grimshawwere about to do.
"I promise to see you safe with your friends again." That was what hehad said, and it was to that child he had said it. In another instantthe man had entered the living-room, seized Sabella in his powerfularms, and had gained the outer door on the side farthest from thesteamboat.
Then came the shock. There was a moment of horrible grinding,crashing, and splintering, a mad surging of brown waters, and then thelittle showboat passed beneath the monster that had crushed out itslife. It was gone as utterly as the flame of a candle is extinguishedby a puff of wind, and the great river was its grave, as it has been ofthousands of other craft, and will be of thousands yet unbuilt.