CHAPTER XIII.
"NUMBER EIGHT."
Although he had remained on duty since the previous afternoon, and,counting the time spent in the city with Sam Hardy, had been withoutrest full forty-four hours, Benny insisted on doing his equal shareof work in the kitchen when the crew and passengers of the strandedsteamer arrived at the station.
It was so late in the day, and the crew yet had so much labor toperform, that there would not be time in which to make the necessaryarrangements for sending into town until the following day those whohad been rescued from the steamer, therefore the station was a scene ofbustling activity.
The officers and crew of the steamer were to be given a hearty mealbefore they joined the life-saving crew in patrolling the shore on thelookout for such wreckage as might be driven in from their craft, andafter that had been done the passengers must be cared for.
"With the addition to our family of thirty-eight, work here in thestation will be right lively," the cook said to Benny when the latter,after providing with dry clothing such of the rescued as were in need,presented himself in the kitchen; "but for all that I can run theconcern without calling on a boy who hasn't been in bed since nightbefore last."
"I'm no more tired than any other member of the crew, and want to do myshare," Benny insisted. "I'd be a pretty poor No. 8 if I couldn't holdmy own with those who have done twice as much work."
"You've kept even pace with all hands, accordin' to what I've heard,an' it'll please me better to see you in the other room taking care ofFluff C. Foster."
"He don't need me while all those ladies are petting him. Of course hewas glad to see me after being alone in the station so long; but whileI was getting out the dry clothing he made friends with some of thepassengers, and now hasn't time to more than look at me."
"Has he got his medal on?"
"Do you think I'd let him wear that all the time?" and Benny set aboutparing potatoes as if he had but just come on duty. "I took it off thevery minute we got back from the city."
"You ought to let him have it, for surely the people will beinterested in knowing he has won such an honor. There ain't many dogswho can show as much, an' it isn't fair to keep it from him just now.You must go back and tell the whole story."
Benny hesitated. He was eager that Fluff should have all the creditdue him, but feared lest by displaying the medal his motives might bemisunderstood.
"Do you suppose they'd think I was trying to make out he was somethingwonderful?"
"Now don't be too modest, Benjamin. Fluff really was the means ofsaving Mr. Bradford's life, and it's only fair to let people know aboutit."
Thus urged, Benny did as the cook desired, and nearly half an hourelapsed before he returned to the kitchen.
"It seemed as if I'd never get away," he said apologetically, taking upthe first work which presented itself, and quickening his movements toatone for lost time. "They made me tell the story over and over again,and now Fluff's having a terrible good time."
"That's as it should be, and I only wish they'd kept you longer, for Idon't like to see a tired lad hustling around here."
"I sha'n't hurt myself," Benny replied with a laugh, determined notto be prevented from attending to his regular duties, except by apositive command from Keeper Downey.
The members of the crew were too busy to give much heed to No. 8. Thetugs, which had finally come in response to the messages sent, werelying-to outside, communicating with the keeper by signals; all thegear used was to be put away in proper order that it might be got atwithout loss of time should occasion arise, and three of the men hadbeen sent back on the bluff to watch for wreckage from the steamer.In fact, all was bustle and seeming confusion until after the keeperissued imperative orders that Benny make up a bed for himself in thekitchen, and go to sleep.
The number of the rescued was so large that all the apartments in thestation, save the kitchen itself, were given up to them, the crew lyingdown when their turns to rest came, wherever sufficient space could befound.
Regardless of the noise consequent upon so many people being crowdedinto such small quarters, Benny slept as only a tired boy can, untilthe cook aroused him by building the fire next morning in order to cookbreakfast.
"Of course I'm all right," he said in reply to the question as to hiscondition; "but I must have been terrible sleepy last night, for I'velet Fluff wear his collar and medal all night."
"That won't do any harm, and, besides, he's bound to keep his ornamentson till our visitors leave. I reckon we'll soon have the station toourselves, an' I for one won't be sorry. This sleepin' on the kitchenfloor with not so much as a blanket to ease up on the boards, ain'tparticularly pleasant, accordin' to the way I look at it."
"I could have slept on a rock last night, I was so tired," Bennyreplied, with a cheerful laugh as he began his toilet, promising Fluffthat he should have his hair combed before the ladies appeared. "Howare they going away?"
"It was settled last night, over the telephone, that if the wind dieddown, a tug would be out here about eight o'clock, and it's so calm nowthat there won't be any trouble in putting them aboard."
"I wonder if the steamer was stove to pieces?"
"Joe Cushing was the last man in, and he reported that she was thenin fair condition for hauling off. The wrecking crews will soon be atwork, and if the weather holds good it may be possible to save her."
"Will our crew be called upon?"
"Not a bit of it. All that is done by contract, and those who take thejob have no right to ask for the services of the life-saving men. Whydon't you take a spin out there, an' see how she looks?"
"I guess it'll be more to my credit if I stay here pretty close whilethere's so much work to be done," Benny replied with a laugh, andthen, his own toilet having been made, he set about combing Fluff, anoperation which was never greatly enjoyed by the dog.
While No. 8 was busily engaged in helping the cook, several of thelady passengers from the steamer held a private interview with KeeperDowney, and it seemed as if they had no slight amount of business tosettle, for not until breakfast had been served did the conference cometo an end.
Before the meal was finished a tug hove to off the cove, and Sam Hardyannounced that the passengers from the stranded steamer could be put onboard whenever they were ready to leave.
Before taking their departure every woman and man shook hands mostcordially with Benny, and one of the ladies whispered in his ear:
"You must not refuse to accept what has been left for you and Fluff.Each of us considered it a favor to be allowed to add something, andwhen your school days begin it will be needed."
Benny was wholly at a loss to understand the meaning of these words,and when he asked Sam Hardy if he knew to what the lady referred, thatjolly surfman said with a laugh:
"You'll find out in time, No. 8, and it may be worth your while tolook at Article 151 of the _Revised Regulations_."
Benny waited until all those who were to be taken to the city had beenput on board the tug, for none but the passengers were to leave thevicinity, the crew and officers of the steamer remaining to assist inthe labor of floating the steamer, and then he set about finding thearticle to which Sam Hardy referred.
Twice over he read the following lines, and even then he was puzzledto understand what bearing they could have upon the remark made by thelady.
"The regular crews of stations are not entitled to salvage, it beingpart of their duty, as Government employees, to assist, without charge,in saving property from wrecked vessels, so far as it can be donewithout interfering with the duty of saving life, which must alwaysbe the paramount consideration, or injuring the effectiveness of theappliances for prompt service at any moment. They are not, however,prohibited from claiming reasonable compensation for the use of boats,wagons, or other appliances, personally belonging to them, which may beemployed upon such occasions, nor from receiving such rewards for laborperformed, or risk incurred at wrecks, as owners or masters of vesselsor other pe
rsons may see fit to _voluntarily_ bestow upon them, butthey are strictly forbidden to solicit such rewards."
The crew of the station had not been served with breakfast beforethe departure of the tug, owing to lack of space for so many in themess-room, therefore they were alone once more when the cook summonedthem to the long-delayed meal.
As he took his seat at the table, Benny fancied his comrades lookedunusually sharp at him; but no one made any comment, until the hungerof all had been satisfied, when Keeper Downey asked:
"Didn't I see one of the ladies whispering to you just before thepassengers went on board the tug?"
"Yes, sir," Benny replied, and then he repeated what she had said,together with the conversation between himself and Sam Hardy.
"Well, did you look up Article 151?"
"Yes, sir; but I couldn't find out anything by that."
"I'll explain it, No. 8, and while I'm doing so remember that I'm thecaptain of this crew, and my orders are to be obeyed without question."
"Yes, sir," Benny said hesitatingly, almost alarmed by this sternreminder of authority.
"After the passengers heard what Fluff had done, they were naturallycurious to know why a lad like you was living in such a place, and itbecame necessary to tell the story. You can hardly wonder that everyone of them was eager to show due appreciation of our services, and itwas decided among them that it could best be done by making some littleprovision for the future of you and Fluff C. Foster, although all knewyou belong to us, if it so chances that no relatives come forward toclaim you."
"I haven't got any relatives, except it might be second-hand ones whonever so much as heard of me," Benny interrupted.
"We can almost hope you haven't, No. 8, for we couldn't afford to spareyou from this 'ere crew," Joe Cushing said emphatically, and Tom Downeymotioned that all remain silent.
"The passengers made up a purse for the lad who, unaided, saved thelives of two men, and in Article 151 you'll find that you're allowed toreceive whatever may be given you voluntarily."
"Do you mean that they've paid me money?" Benny asked sharply.
"Yes, and it was with the full approval of every member of this crew,except yourself. By making up a purse for you and Fluff, a greatcompliment was paid to us, and as such you must receive it without anyback talk. I've got here one hundred and thirty dollars, which is to beput into the bank for your benefit, and as the lady said, it will comein handy when you begin to go to school."
Mr. Downey displayed the money, but Benny made no attempt to touch it,and Sam Hardy took it upon himself to banish the lad's scruples inregard to receiving it.
"There ain't a man among us who would refuse a gift made in the samespirit that was, No. 8, an' we take it as a compliment to ourselves. Itwould have pleased us better if the passengers themselves could haveput the money in your hands; but we felt afraid you'd be so backwardabout acceptin' it as to give them the idea such a token wasn't to yourlikin', so the keeper took the matter in charge. We want you to beglad, for the rest of us are feelin' mighty fine because it has beendone."
Benny could make no reply just then, and his comrades understood thereason; but later he came to look at the matter in a different light,and asked Tom Downey to write a letter thanking the passengers fortheir kindness.
The crew had but little time to spend on private affairs just at thismoment. The wrecking crew went to work on the stranded steamer thatsame day, and all hands were interested in watching the operations,which were not brought to an end for many days, when the vessel washauled off the shoal with no more damage than might have been expected.
Some time before the work came to an end the life-saving crew settleddown once more to the regular routine of duty, and Sam Hardy suggestedthat No. 8 spend all his spare time studying the printed rules for themanagement of open row-boats in a surf.
"It's what every lad should know, Benjamin, whether he counts onbecoming a surfman or not, and you must have it all well in mind beforespring, when I'm goin' to give you plenty of practice in such work."
Under this inducement it is not to be wondered at that Benny at oncebecame unusually studious, and on the day before his uniform arrived,it was possible for him to repeat all which is here set down for thebenefit of those lads who may not have such an able teacher as SamHardy.
"As a general rule, speed must be given to a boat rowing against aheavy surf. Indeed, under some circumstances, her safety will dependon the utmost possible speed being attained on meeting a sea. For ifthe sea be really heavy, and the wind blowing a hard on-shore gale, itcan only be by the utmost exertions of the crew that any headway can bemade. The great danger then is, that an approaching heavy sea may carrythe boat away on its front, and turn it broadside on, or up-end it,either effect being immediately fatal. A boat's only chance in such acase is to obtain such way as shall enable her to pass, end on, throughthe crest of the sea, and leave it as soon as possible behind her. Ofcourse, if there be a rather heavy surf, but no wind, or the wind offshore, and opposed to the surf, as is often the case, a boat might bepropelled so rapidly through it that her bow would fall more suddenlyand heavily after topping the sea than if her way had been checked;and it may, therefore, only be when the sea is of such magnitude, andthe boat of such a character, that there may be a chance of the formercarrying her back before it, that full speed should be given her.
"It may also happen that, by careful management under suchcircumstances, a boat may be made to avoid the sea, so that each wavemay break ahead of her, which may be the only chance of safety in asmall boat; but if the shore be flat, and the broken water extends to agreat distance from it, this will often be impossible.
"If sufficient command can be kept over a boat by the skill of those onboard her, avoid or 'dodge' the sea, if possible, so as not to meet itat the moment of its breaking or curling over.
"Against a head gale and heavy surf, get all possible speed on a boaton the approach of every sea which cannot be avoided.
"If more speed can be given to a boat than is sufficient to prevent herbeing carried back by the surf, her way may be checked on its approach,which will give her an easier passage over it.
"The one great danger, when running before a broken sea, is thatof broaching-to. To that peculiar effect of the sea, so frequentlydestructive of human life, the utmost attention must be directed.
"The cause of a boat's broaching-to when running before a broken seaor surf is, that her own motion being in the same direction as thatof the sea, whether it be given by the force of oars or sails, or bythe force of the sea itself, she opposes no resistance to it, but iscarried before it. Thus, if a boat be running with her bow to the shoreand her stern to the sea, the first effect of the surf or roller, onits overtaking her, is to throw up the stern, and as a consequenceto depress the bow; if she then has sufficient inertia (which willbe proportional to weight) to allow the sea to pass her, she willin succession pass through the descending, the horizontal, and theascending positions, as the crest of the wave passes successively herstern, her midships, and her bow, in the reverse order in which thesame positions occur to a boat propelled to seaward against a surf.This may be defined as the safe mode of running before a broken sea.
"But if a boat, on being overtaken by a heavy surf, has not sufficientinertia to allow it to pass her, the first of the three positionsabove enumerated alone occurs; her stern is raised high in the air,and the wave carries the boat before it, on its front or unsafeside, sometimes with frightful velocity, the bow all the time deeplyimmersed in the hollow of the sea, where the water, stationary orcomparatively so, offers a resistance, whilst the crest of the sea,having the actual motion which causes it to break, forces onward thestern or rear end of the boat. A boat will, in this position sometimes,aided by careful oar-steerage, run a considerable distance until thewave has broken and expended itself. But it will often happen that ifthe bow be low it will be driven under water, when, the buoyancy beinglost forward, whilst the sea presses on the stern, the boat will
bethrown (as it is termed) end over end; or, if the bow be high, or it beprotected, as in most lifeboats, by a bow air-chamber, so that it doesnot become submerged, that the resistance forward, acting on one bow,will slightly turn the boat's head, and the force of the surf beingtransferred to the opposite quarter, she will in a moment be turnedround broadside by the sea, and be thrown by it on her beam ends oraltogether capsized.
"Hence, it follows, that the management of a boat, when landing througha heavy surf, must, as far as possible, be assimilated to that whenproceeding to seaward against one, at least so far as to stop herprogress shoreward at the moment of being overtaken by a heavy sea, andthus enabling it to pass her. There are different ways of effectingthis object:
"1. By turning a boat's head to the sea before entering the brokenwater, and then backing in stern foremost, pulling a few strokes aheadto meet each heavy sea, and then again backing astern. If the sea bereally heavy and a boat small, this plan will generally be the safest,as a boat cannot be kept more under command when the full force of theoars can be used against a heavy surf than by backing them only.
"2. If rowing to shore with the stern to seaward, by backing all theoars on the approach of a heavy sea, and rowing ahead again as soon asit has passed to the bow of the boat, thus rowing it on the back of thewave; or, as is practiced in some life-boats, placing the after-oarsmenwith their faces forward and making them row back at each sea on itsapproach.
"3. If rowed in bow foremost, by towing astern a pig of ballast orlarge stone, or a large basket, or canvas bag, termed a 'drogue' ordrag, made for the purpose, the object of each being to hold the boat'sstern back, and prevent her being turned broadside to the sea orbroaching-to.
"Heavy weights should be kept out of the extreme ends of a boat; butwhen rowing before a heavy sea the best trim is deepest by the stern,which prevents the stern being readily thrown on one side by the sea.
"The following general rules may therefore be depended on when runningbefore, or attempting to land, through a heavy surf or broken water.
"1. As far as possible, avoid each sea by placing the boat where thesea will break ahead or astern of her.
"2. If the sea be very heavy, or if the boat be very small, andespecially if she have a square stern, bring her bow round to seawardand back her in, rowing ahead against each heavy surf that cannot beavoided sufficiently to allow it to pass the boat.
"3. If it be considered safe to proceed to the shore bow foremost, backthe oars against each sea on its approach, so as to stop the boat's waythrough the water as far as possible, and if there is a drogue, or anyother instrument in the boat which may be used as one, tow it astern toaid in keeping the boat end on to the sea, which is the chief object inview.
"4. Bring the principal weights in the boat towards the end that is toseaward, but not to the extreme end."
All of these rules Benny was called upon to repeat aloud before theentire crew, and in the discussion which followed he learned verymuch which would be valuable when the time came that he could put theteaching into practice; but all his comrades assured him that if hewould keep this one lesson well in mind, he might be depended upon tomanage a boat in broken water without first having had any experience.
"I'll be glad when I can handle the surf-boat," he said as he tookFluff in his arms preparatory to going to bed.
"That will come in good time, lad, never fear," Keeper Downey saidcheerily; "but you'll be called upon to wait patiently until warmerweather is here. In the meantime we've something important on handto-morrow."
Benny looked at him questioningly, and the keeper asked:
"Have you forgotten that the uniform should be done by this time, andto-morrow's my day for going into the city?"
"I didn't forget it, sir."
"Then why hadn't you spoken about it?" Joe Cushing asked impatiently.
"I was afraid perhaps Mr. Downey had changed his mind about going tothe city, and besides I didn't want you to think I couldn't wait."
"There's little fear of your being too forward, my lad," Sam Hardy saidwith a hearty laugh. "We must see to it that you're called regularly tomeals, or you'll get the idea that perhaps we'd like it better if youmissed one or two. The uniform is to be here to-morrow, an' if anythinghad prevented the keeper from going to town, I'd pulled in and backmyself, for I'm mighty anxious to see you togged out in proper fashion,even if you do feel so moderate about it."
"Of course I want the uniform," Benny added quickly; "but I'd ratherwait a week than have any of the crew put themselves out to get it."
Then the lad, holding the dog affectionately in his arms, ascended thestairs to the sleeping quarters, and when he had disappeared from view,Sam Hardy said emphatically:
"Accordin' to my way of thinkin', it's seldom you run across so good alad as No. 8."
"You're right there," Mr. Downey added. "All that troubles me in thematter is the fear that we may not be doing quite our duty by the boyin keeping him here with us, when he should be at school."
"Don't let that fret you; he'll learn enough wherever he is, an' it'sa heap of satisfaction to the little shaver when he believes he'spaying his own way," Joe Cushing said quickly, and Dick Sawyer criedemphatically:
"If he don't do all of that, then I'd like to see the boy, or maneither for that matter, who does!"