CHAPTER XIV.
THE WRECKERS.
The crew at the station were, even under ordinary circumstances, outof bed early in the morning; but since the wreckers had been at workon the stranded steamer there was little possibility any one, except avery deaf person, could sleep after the first signs of day appeared inthe sky.
The wrecking tugs, when they did not return to the city at nightfall,anchored off the cove near the station, and their whistles were soundedvigorously fully half an hour before daybreak, in order that the menmight be ready for work as soon as there was sufficient light.
As Sam Hardy said, "it came pretty rough on a fellow who'd beenpatrolling the coast till midnight, to be wakened at four o'clock,"but grumbling on the part of the life savers effected no change in thesituation, and as a rule breakfast had been eaten before the man whosetour of duty ended only at daylight, had returned to the station.
On this morning when Tom Downey was to visit the city, all hands hadbeen awakened even earlier than usual, and the keeper set off a fullhour before Joe Cushing, who had the last trick at patrolling, cameinto the building.
"It's like to be a long day for us, lad," Sam Hardy said as he enteredthe kitchen where Benny was washing the breakfast dishes. "I'm thinkin'you can't be so very busy 'twixt now an' eleven o'clock."
"There's nothing to be done around the house, so I counted on studyingthe _Regulations_ for a while."
"It won't do you any harm to drop that kind of work for a spell; youalready know more of that precious book than any of us, except it maybe Tom Downey, an' there's danger you'll grow too wise in the work oflife-saving. What do you say to havin' a look at the wreckers? They aregettin' well along with their job, an' I allow the tugs will make a tryat pullin' the steamer off when this tide rises."
"I'd like to go if it would be all right to leave," Benny saidthoughtfully, as he looked inquiringly at the cook, and the latterreplied to the unspoken question:
"There's no reason why you shouldn't have an outin', lad. It'll do yousolid good, for you've been shut up here too long. What about Fluff C.Foster?"
"I wouldn't like to take him with me, for it's too cold on the rocks,and where there are so many men at work he might get hurt."
"Very well, leave him behind, an' I'll answer for it that he comes tono harm. Maje has given over all ideas of botherin' him, and, besides,if you say the word, he sha'n't be allowed to poke his pink nose out ofdoors."
Benny put on the pea-jacket which was large enough to serve him as anovercoat, pulled the flaps of the sou'-wester over his ears, and, justas the sun was coming up from behind the restless expanse of water, thetwo set out, walking at full speed, for the cold was too intense toadmit of any pleasant lingering by the way.
When they arrived at the scene of the wrecking operations it appearedvery much to No. 8 as if Joe Cushing had made a mistake when hedeclared that the steamer might be saved. To the lad she looked like ahopeless wreck.
The sea had thrown her on her beam ends, and then forced her so highup on the shoal that nearly half the bottom was exposed to view. Thebridge, a greater portion of both rails, and nearly everything ondeck was missing, while the wreckage along shore explained where thetop-hammer had gone.
"Been used rather rough, eh?" Hardy said as he and Benny stood on thecliff where a full view of the wreck could be had.
"It doesn't seem possible that they can get her off, or, even if thatmight be done, that she would be fit for sea again."
"In a mishap like this the worst of the mischief is all on the outside,lad. Most likely her hull is as sound as ever, and it only remains toget her afloat, when a little carpenter-work will finish the job. It'sa pity the steamers couldn't go alongside, for then she might be raisedin short order."
The wrecking tugs were lying some distance off shore, and lightershad been drifted down over the shoal to the steamer's side. A largenumber of men were at work making ready to break the cargo; others wererunning out anchors to prevent her being driven any further ashore,and yet another crew was gathering up the odds and ends which had beendriven ashore.
Half a dozen small boats were moving back and forth from the steamerto the shore, and after surveying the scene from the cliff until thechilling wind suggested a retreat, Sam Hardy said:
"It wouldn't be a bad idea to go on board, lad. What do you say tolooking the old hooker over?"
"Do you think they'll allow us on her, sir?"
"I reckon there won't be any great row about it, lad. After what ourcrew, an' especially you, have done, it would be odd if we should bewarned to keep off."
Benny was eager for a nearer view of the steamer, and Sam led the waydown to the narrow beach where so much of heroism had been displayed.
"Hello, mates, will you take us off to the wreck?" Sam cried to fourmen who were launching a surf-boat bearing the name of a well-knownwrecking tug.
"That we will, although I should think you might have seen enoughalready of yonder steamer," one of the party replied cheerily.
"We had too big a job on our hands to spend very much time in lookingher over; but it's possible to take things easier this morning, an' I'dlike to see how badly she's been punished," Sam replied as he and Bennystood by to take their places in the boat.
"She isn't in bad shape, an' if the weather holds good we'll soon haveher afloat," he who was in charge of the boat said in a matter-of-facttone, and after they had put off he asked, nodding toward Benny:
"Is that lad a member of the crew?"
"Ay, that he is, an' one who don't spend much idle time when we'repushed, as was the case when this steamer came ashore."
"Where's the boy who hauled the two sailors out of the water? Thesteamer's captain was tellin' about it."
"This is the same identical lad," Sam replied with a laugh.
"That little shaver couldn't haul his own weight through such a surfas was runnin' when yonder craft struck the shoal," the man replieddecidedly, giving no more than a passing glance at Benny, who lookedeven smaller than ever beneath the huge pea-jacket.
"But he did, matey, an,' what's more, set about it in sailor-likefashion, finishin' the job as quickly as you or I could have done it."
Then Sam went into the details of the rescue effected by Benny, whilethe lad kept his face turned seaward lest the men should see and laughat his blushes.
"Well, that beats me!" the sailor at the helm cried when Sam's storywas come to an end. "A lad who can do such a trick as that whileeverything is in confusion, as it must have been then, has good stuffin him."
"That's what he has," Sam replied proudly, "an' we put on a good manyairs because he belongs to our crew."
From this moment Benny received far more attention than was altogetheragreeable to him. The crew of the surf-boat told those on board thesteamer that he was the lad who had displayed so much bravery andsound common-sense when human lives were in danger, and every manseemed eager to give him some word of praise, until the boy was souncomfortable in mind that he wished heartily he had never been temptedto visit the wreck.
The workmen had more important matters to occupy their attention,however, and after devoting a few moments to No. 8 they left him alonewith Sam Hardy, who said with a hearty laugh:
"You've made a big reputation for yourself, lad, and this summer, whenvisitors come out to the station, as they do nearly every pleasant day,we'll be obliged to trot you and Fluff C. Foster out on parade as ourswell life savers."
"Then I sha'n't want to stay there. I wouldn't have come over here ifI'd known the men would say so much."
"Why, surely, you're not ashamed of yesterday's work, lad?"
"Not because I helped the men ashore; but it makes me feel mean to hearpeople praising me for doing what any other fellow would have done. Itmust be a pretty poor kind of a boy who couldn't throw a rope out to adrowning man, and I'd missed both of them if the wind hadn't sent thecoils in a different direction from which I was aiming."
"Well, Benjamin, allow it all to be
as you've said, you'll have to putup with some praise for a spell, an' then folks will forget it, for inthis world a fellow can't live very long on what he's done in the past.They're takin' off the hatches now, an' I'm minded to have a look atthe hold of this 'ere craft. Come on."
Benny followed, but there was to him nothing particularly interestingin the cargo, and as it could not be seen from the deck, he left Samand went aft, where he might watch the movements of the tugs as theypulled the lighters here and there in such position that the wind andcurrent would send them down over the shoal to the wreck.
This last portion of the work soon engrossed the attention of all thewrecking crew, including those who had been making an examination ofthe steamer's hold, for considerable difficulty was experienced inmoving the heavy lighters to and fro, and after a time Benny realizedthat he and Sam were the only ones left aboard the steamer.
"We'll be obliged to stay here till one of the boats is alongside," hesaid to himself, and then came the thought that he was spending toomuch time in pleasuring when he should be attending to his regularduties in the station kitchen.
"Perhaps Mr. Hardy will be ready to go now," he said, running forwardtoward the hatch where the surfman had last been seen.
The decks were deserted, and he saw no signs of life on the ship.It was as if he had been abandoned, and but for the many craft nearat hand he might have had a very disagreeable sensation of utterloneliness. As a matter of fact, something much like a shudder of fearcame over him with the first knowledge that he was alone; but he forcedit back with a laugh as he said aloud:
"If people could know that I'm almost afraid of being here, even thoughthere are an hundred men within hail, I wouldn't need to bother my headabout being called a hero when I don't deserve the name."
As he ceased speaking an odd, indistinct murmur came from the darkhold, causing him to step back toward the rail quickly; but he advancedagain an instant later, angry with himself for being such a coward.
Once more came that strange noise; but, half-expecting it, Benny heldhis ground, determined to learn the cause, since, until Sam Hardyshould return, he had nothing better with which to occupy himself.
Leaning over the hatch he peered down into the darkness.
The space between decks was apparently empty, and he heard the watergurgling far below in the lower hold.
"That must be what I heard," he said, speaking aloud, and the words hadno more than been uttered when it seemed as if amid the gurgling noisehe could distinguish his own name.
"Ahoy!" he cried, smiling to think he should be so foolish as to answerthe water; but an instant later his face grew pale as he heard plainlythe words:
"Benny! Benny Foster!"
There was but one in the vicinity who would thus address him, andalthough it seemed impossible Sam Hardy could be in that apparentlyempty hold, he leaned far over as he shouted:
"Is that you, Mr. Hardy?"
"Ay, lad, come quick! I can't hold out much longer!"
Now Benny was alarmed, and with good cause.
Leading down to the second deck was a single stanchion; the ladder hadbeen torn or carried away. Heeled over as the steamer was, this timberstood at an inclination of forty-five degrees, and at its foot the deckhad about the same inclination in the opposite direction.
Benny waited only so long as was necessary in order to throw off hispea-jacket, and then slipped down the stanchion, holding hard onreaching the deck below lest he should slide to port.
Here all was darkness, save for the square of gray light that markedthe location of the hatch, and the lad tried in vain to pierce it withhis eyes in search for the surfman.
"Where are you, Mr. Hardy?" he cried falteringly. "I can't make outanything."
"Hanging by a rope below the second hatchway. It swings so far to portthat I can't pull myself up, and I don't dare to drop for fear thedistance may be too great. Lean over and try to get hold of me, lad; Ionly need a little aid, for it is possible to help myself a good bit."
Now it was only necessary Benny should feel along the upper side of thehatchway in order to find the rope by which the surfman was suspended,and the first thought was that he could readily pull his comrade up.
With the deck at such an inclination he could get no secure foothold,and the first attempt was sufficient to show him that the task wasbeyond his strength.
"Can you wait till I go on the upper deck?" he asked anxiously. "Thereare plenty of men close by; but all hands have left the steamer."
"Go ahead, lad, but move quickly. I've hung here until it seems as ifmy arms were pulled out of their sockets."
Benny sought the stanchion by which he had descended, and, gaining it,soon understood that he could no more work his way unaided to the topthan Hardy could swarm up the rope while it swung so far away from theside of the vessel.
It seemed to him as if he had spent many minutes in the vain task, whenin reality no more than a dozen seconds had been sufficient in whichto prove that it was useless, and then he allowed himself to fall backagain toward where the rope was made fast.
"I can't get up," he cried in a tearful voice. "Suppose I lean way overthe hatch till you can get hold of my arms? The two of us should beable to work it in that fashion."
"I'd pull you down, lad; there's no use in trying anything like that.If it's certain you can't get on deck, I'll take the chances of whatmay be below, an' drop."
"Don't do it! Don't do it! Let me try just once!" and without waitingfor a reply Benny bent far over the combing of the hatch, twining hislegs around the stanchion.
By letting himself down nearly at full length he found to his great joythat he could touch the surfman's shoulders.
"Now I'll get hold, and you shall put your arms around my neck," hecried as if asking some great favor.
"Don't try it, lad, for I'll surely drag you down. It may be that I candrop without much hurt, and even a broken bone to one, is better thanfor us to fall together."
"Try it!" Benny screamed, seizing Sam by the neck. "Get hold of me!"
The surfman had no alternative, unless the boy should loosen his hold,and, letting go of the rope with one hand, he clasped the other aroundBenny's arms.
"Now get hold with the other, and then shin up! I can hold on herequite a spell!"
Even now the heavy strain was beginning to tell upon the lad, and Samunderstood that if anything was to be accomplished it must be done inthe shortest possible space of time.
Wearied though he was by his previous vain exertions, he put forth allhis strength for the last effort, and in so doing knew full well heinflicted grievous pain upon the little fellow who was ready to takeany chances in order to aid him.
With a firm hold of Benny's body the surfman was enabled to climbupward, and in a few seconds, which must have seemed to the boy liketen times that number of minutes, he succeeded in clutching the combingof the hatch.
Dragging himself over he seized No. 8's legs, and none too soon, forthe boy's strength was exhausted, and at the very instant Sam graspedhim he was forced to let go his hold.
A moment later the two were lying along the side of the hatch pantingfor breath, but in no further danger of a fall, and some time elapsedbefore the silence was broken.
Then Sam said, groping about in the darkness for Benny's hands, andholding them firmly as he spoke:
"It may be, lad, that I made all that trouble for nothing. It ispossible the cargo was within a few inches of my feet as I hung onthe rope; but that I couldn't know, and it was the fear of shatteringa bone which caused me to hold on and yell for help. A surfman witha broken leg might lose a whole season's work, seein' 's the damagewouldn't have been done in line of duty."
"It's lucky I heard you. If all hands hadn't left the steamer, perhapsI shouldn't have tried to find out where you had gone."
"Do you know, lad, that you did a brave thing in takin' the chances ofmy pullin' you into the hold with me?"
"I do hope you won't make such talk, Mr. Hardy," Be
nny criedpleadingly. "I ain't brave, for I was terribly frightened when thatqueer noise came out of the hold."
"I noticed that you kept on trying to find out what it was."
"Yes, sir, because I'd been ashamed to have it said I was scared at anoise."
"Well, hark you, Benny, I won't say anything more about your being alittle hero, although I may think so just the same, and in return youshall keep quiet about this bit of trouble."
"Don't you want any one to know of it, sir?"
"Indeed, I don't, No. 8. It wouldn't sound very well if you should tellthat an old hand like Sam Hardy let himself into the hold of a wreck bya rope which he couldn't come back on. The boys never'd stop making funof me, an' more especially if it turns out that I was hangin' all thattime within two or three feet of the cargo. Now, is it a bargain thatboth of us are to keep this 'ere business a profound secret?"
"I'll never tell, sir, though I can't see that you have anything to beashamed of, for nobody would want to take such chances as might havecome. But how are we going to get out? While the steamer is heeled overso badly I can't climb up the stanchion."
"We'll hold on a spell, till you're rested, and then I can give you alift up on my shoulder."
"I'm ready to try now, sir. I wasn't very tired--only for a minute ortwo."
"You're a lad after my own heart, Benjamin, an' so long as I have adollar or a shelter, half of it belongs to you! Now then, get up onmy shoulder, an' once we're on deck it's the same as if this foolishthing never happened, except when we two are alone."
Benny scrambled up as Sam had directed, and then the surfman,cautioning him to keep his knees stiff, lifted the lad straight abovehis head until he could seize the hatch-combing.
Once on deck he let down a length of rope, and Sam Hardy was soonreleased from his temporary prison.
"I reckon I'd better get back to the station right away, or I'll begetting into more mischief, like some youngster," the surfman saidgrimly as he shouted to the crew of a small boat at hand to take himashore.
The captain of one of the wrecking tugs came alongside at this moment,and, seeing Sam, cried.
"Don't be in a hurry, Hardy. I'm going to have a look at the cargo, andyou'd better go with me. It'll be interesting to find out how well itwas stowed."
"Do you know what she's loaded with?"
"Pig-iron."
"It won't interest me to see it, and, besides, I've been down in thehold quite a spell already."
"How are things there?"
"To tell the truth, I didn't see very much; I had business of my ownbefore I'd been there many minutes. You'll need a lantern."
Then Sam went over the rail into the boat which had come alongside totake him off, Benny following close behind as a matter of course, andwhen the two were on shore again the surfman said:
"It would have been odd if I'd dropped onto that metal without doingmyself some serious injury. There's no longer any question, lad, butthat you pulled me out of a bad place."
"I'm glad," Benny replied emphatically.
"Accordin' to my way of thinkin' there'd be more reason for gladness ifI had never been such a bloomin' idiot as to go down there."
"Perhaps so, sir; but, so long as you did, I'm glad I was the one whopulled you out, for it's likely to be the only chance I'll ever have ofdoing you a favor."
"I'm not so certain of that, No. 8, if you stay around the station aslong as we'll be glad to have you. In this life of ours there are manytimes when a fellow's mate can do very much toward savin' his life, an'you're just the kind of a comrade who can be depended upon to do prettynear the right thing at the right time."
Never since the morning when he first found himself in the life-savingstation had Benny felt so proud and happy as at this moment, and hewalked by Sam Hardy's side unable to speak because of the great joy inhis heart.