CHAPTER IV.
REPAIRING THE MOTOR BOAT.
If Uncle Zenas had really lost his temper because the keeper and firstassistant had not answered the summons to dinner as quickly as hethought they should have done, there was no trace of anger on his fat,placid face when Captain Eph and Sidney entered the kitchen.
Mr. Peters had moved so rapidly after the cook called, that he wasalready at the table, apparently ready to make a vigorous attack on thefood before him; but waiting for Captain Eph to ask a blessing upon thefood, as was the regular custom.
As a rule the old keeper's words were few at such a time, but on thisday he prayed at considerable length that the lad who had so suddenlycome among them be kept from sin and bodily harm, and that the father'smind be relieved speedily from the burden of grief which weighted it.
During the unusually long prayer Mr. Peters had been moving uneasily inhis chair, and no sooner was the last word spoken than he askedabruptly:
"Have we got any gasolene among the stores, Captain Eph?"
"If Uncle Zenas hasn't wasted it there should be a couple of gallonsleft over from the last lot I bought with our own money. It does seemstrange that the Board can't be brought around to the belief that it'scheaper to use an oil stove in the summer, than be messin' with coal,which is unhandy to get into the tower, an' bad stowin' in sich smallquarters as ours. Why did you ask, Sammy?"
"I was thinkin' that if we didn't speak some kind of a craft prettysoon, an' I got the lad's boat into trim, he an' I might run over totown. The way I look at it, we're bound to get that report into theinspector's hands right away, else the _West Wind_ may have gone toPorto Rico an' back before word can be sent to her captain."
"I ain't so certain but that might be a bit risky," Captain Eph saidthoughtfully. "If we could leave Sonny behind, where there's no chanceof his comin' to harm, it would be all right; but neither of us know howto run the motor."
"If we picked a fine day, it ought'er be done without risk to anybody,for I'm allowin' the craft could make the round trip in four hours, an'give us time to run up to the post-office," Mr. Peters replied eagerly,and it could readily be understood that he had already arranged thedetails in his own mind.
"How long will it take you to put the boat in shape, Sammy?" Uncle Zenasasked, after waiting in vain for some word from the keeper.
"If the weather holds as it is now, I can have her in prime conditionday after to-morrow. Think you could run her a dozen miles or more,lad?" he asked of Sidney, and the latter replied without hesitation:
"Surely I could! The motor hasn't been hurt any, and it was working allright when I came in here."
"Then this is the way I look at the sitewation, Captain Eph," the firstassistant began, waving his knife in the air as if to attract attention."This 'ere fog mull may hang on for a week or ten days, an' since I'vebeen on the ledge I've known the smother to last a full two weekswithout liftin' enough to show a man the end of his own nose. It standsto reason we can't hail any craft that we ain't able to see."
"Are you crazy enough to drag that 'ere little shaver off in a boatwhile the weather is like this?" Captain Eph asked sternly. "If we had afog-horn or even a bell, it would be a bit different; but as it is Iwouldn't care to make a try at it."
"Of course I'm not quite so wild as that. Allowin' that we don't hailanything before the fog lifts, an' there ain't much chance we will.Then say there's nothin' in sight when the smother blows off? Wouldn'tit be better to strike out for the post-office, instead of waitin' onthe chance of sightin' a fisherman?"
"I'm bound, as a truthful man, to say you've got the right of it,Sammy," Captain Eph replied; "but I'm wonderin' whether we're warrantedin sendin' the lad on sich a voyage."
"If Mr. Peters went with me, sir, it doesn't seem as if there would beany great danger," Sidney suggested, and after a long pause the keeperannounced his decision.
"Keep right at work on the boat, Sammy, an' if she's in good conditionwhen the fog lifts, we'll argue the matter a little; but I ain't willin'to agree off hand that it shall be done."
The first assistant appeared to be satisfied with this questionablepromise. He at once began to explain in detail how he proposed toperform the necessary labor on the motor boat, and where it would bepossible to get the needed materials.
Sidney listened intently until Mr. Peters had exhausted the subject, andthen he asked timidly of the keeper:
"Did you say, sir, that you hadn't any fog signal?"
"Ay, lad, them was my very words. You've been over pretty much the wholeof this 'ere ledge, an' I reckon you didn't see anything that lookedlike one, eh?"
"No, sir; but when I came in here, before seeing the tower, I heard whatI thought was a fog signal, and it has been going ever since."
"True for you, my lad, but what you heard, an' are hearin' now, is thewhistlin' buoy, anchored off here a couple of miles to the east'ard, an'I reckon you're enough of a sailor to know what sich things are."
"I've heard them often; but never knew how the noise could be got out ofa buoy which had no person to attend it."
"When you have the time there's nothin' to hinder your readin' what theBoard says about whistlin' buoys; but I won't promise that you'll be anythe wiser after doin' it, for in all these years I haven't been able toget it through my head, though I've figgered out a gen'ral idee of howshe works. The top of the buoy is shaped a good deal like a pear, an'measures about twelve feet across the widest part. Inside the upperpart, an' runnin' down into the sea to a depth of thirty-two feet, is aniron pipe thirty-three inches across it. Right at the very top of thepipe, an' showin' above the whole thing, is a 10-inch locomotivewhistle, connected with some little tubes, which the inspector says makea piston-and cylinder movement, whatever that may be.
"Of course these 'ere buoys are anchored in deep water, an' it stands toreason that they rise an' fall on the waves, consequently the waterinside the big pipe pumps up an' down, compressin' the air till it jestnat'rally has to escape through the whistle, makin' the noise. The wholething was invented by a man named Courtenay, an' I'm bound to say hemust have had a big head on his shoulders to think out sich acontrivance. It may be, lad, that you'll understand it better by readin'from the report; but I can't tackle the big words, an' don't know apiston or an apex from the Queen of Sheba, consequently it don't do meany great amount of good to puzzle over 'em.
"The Government has got eighty-eight whistling buoys in position, an'every blessed one of 'em cost nigh to eleven hundred dollars. Then thereare one hundred an' thirty-nine bell-buoys which cost three hundreddollars apiece, an' five thousand one hundred an' eighty-three otherbuoys costin' different prices, so you see, lad, that outside thelight-house part of the service, it takes a big pile of money to buybuoys an' keep 'em in position."
"An' that's only one little end of the expense," Uncle Zenas added in atone of solemnity. "When you come to figger up the whole business it'llbe easy to see how much responsibility we of Carys' Ledge carry on ourshoulders, which reminds me that it's time you folks got up from thetable an' let me have a chance to put the kitchen to rights."
"And I'll help you to do it!" Sidney cried gleefully, for it pleased himto have an opportunity of assisting those who had been so kind to him.
"You needn't raise a finger, lad," the cook replied quickly, and headded with a glance at his comrades, "I must say, though, that this isthe first time in all the years I've served as second assistant of this'ere light, that anybody has offered to lend a hand, no matter how muchwork there was to be done."
Captain Eph peered through the window much as though it was in thehighest degree necessary he should gaze out upon the fog just at thatmoment, and Mr. Peters scuttled down the ladder to his work ofboat-repairing, as if the moments had suddenly become very precious.
Despite Uncle Zenas' protests, Sidney did his full share toward puttingthe kitchen to rights, and when that had been done he began to realizethat he needed yet more sleep.
"Gettin' sand i
n your eyes, eh?" Captain Eph asked with a laugh, as henoted the expression on the boy's face. "Wa'al, I kind'er allowed you'dfind out before a great while that you hadn't staid in bed long enough,an' now, seein's you'vre put in a tolerable hearty dinner, I'd recommendthat you turn in for the night."
"But it is only noon," Sidney protested feebly.
"It wouldn't make any difference if it was only sunrise, for you need aheap more sleep than you've had, an' it'll do you a world of good tosnooze from now till mornin'. Stay in bed even if your eyes are wideopen, an' you'll feel the better for it to-morrow."
"Ain't it about time that you made up your mind where the lad is tosleep?" Uncle Zenas asked, and Captain Eph replied as if astonishedbecause such a question had been asked:
"He's to have my bed, of course; where else should he sleep?"
"But what are you to do?"
"There are two beds for three of us, an' one is on watch all the time,so there's no call for much figgerin'."
"A blanket on the floor will be enough for me," Sidney cried, distressedat the idea of depriving the keeper of his bed; but Captain Eph said ina tone of authority:
"You must leave me to run this 'ere light, lad, 'cordin' to my ownidees, seein's how the Government put me in charge, an' I say thatyou're to use my room so long as you stay with us."
Then the keeper led the way up-stairs, and Sidney could do no less thanfollow him. Ten minutes later the visitor was sleeping soundly, andUncle Eph was creeping softly down the iron ladder to insist that thefirst assistant cease work on the boat temporarily, lest he disturb thetired lad.
"I'll have to stop if you say so, Cap'n, for you're the boss here; butit does seem as if I might keep putterin' 'round so long as I don't usehammer or axe," Mr. Peters said pleadingly. "This 'ere work is mightyimportant if we count on gettin' word to the lad's father."
"You mustn't take any chances of wakenin' him, Sammy," the keeper saidimpressively. "I'm allowin' that the chief thing is to get him intershape, an' sleep is what he needs, so put up your tools an' come interthe kitchen, where we'll have a friendly smoke."
Mr. Peters obeyed, because he did not really dare to do otherwise,knowing from past experience that the keeper was jealous of hisauthority, and soon the three were sitting in Uncle Zenas' quarters,conversing in whispers lest Sidney's slumbers be disturbed, as theysmoked their pipes in peaceful content.
It was Uncle Zenas who first broke the silence by saying:
"I allow it'll be a couple of weeks at the best, before the lad can hearfrom his father, even if you should send that 'ere report to theinspector this very day."
"Yes, it'll be all of that," Captain Eph replied thoughtfully.
"An' at this season of the year we're likely to have a cold spell anytime," the cook continued, and Mr. Peters cried impatiently:
"We all know that, Uncle Zenas. If there's anything you want'er say, whynot come right out with it, instead of beatin' clean around the bush?"
"I was thinkin' of that little shaver up-stairs. He ain't rigged to standvery much cold weather, an' he's so terribly small that he'd get lost inone of our coats, yet he's got to have somethin' of the kind."
"I declare I'd never thought of that, Uncle Zenas, an' yet you're in theright," Captain Eph exclaimed. "But what's to be done about it?"
"I was thinkin' if you'd let me have that uniform coat of your'n whichyou've outgrowed, I'd cut it down to fit him," the cook repliedmodestly, for it was well known that, as Mr. Peters often expressed it,"he was a master hand with a needle."
"You can have anything I've got, Uncle Zenas, if it's to be used forthat lad. I don't understand why it is; but the little shaver has gotinter my heart mighty deep, even though he's only been here sincedaylight," and the keeper gazed out into the fog as if he saw there apicture of a "little shaver" who called him "father" many, many yearsago, but who now, with his mother, awaited the old man on the shores ofthat golden river which neither pain, nor sorrow, nor sin can cross.
"S'posen you go after it. I can be rippin' the seams apart while we'resmokin'."
Captain Eph went softly up the ladder, tip-toeing his way across thefloor of the chamber so softly that those in the kitchen below failed todetect the slightest sound, and when he returned he held in his hand avery respectable looking uniform coat.
"But that's your second-best!" Uncle Zenas exclaimed.
"Yes, yes, don't you allow I've got sense enough to know it? The otheris worn so bad it wouldn't pay to make over, an', besides, I've beenthinkin' of gettin' a new one, so you'd better take this."
A certain moisture in the old keeper's eyes prevented the cook frommaking any comment on what seemed like the sacrifice of a good garment,as he set about ripping it apart, and once more Mr. Peters detailed hisplans for repairing the motor boat, insisting every now and then thatthere was no reason why he should not be at work upon it, instead ofidling the time away.
When it was time for him to make ready the evening meal, Uncle Zenaswent to and fro softly, taking especial care that there should be noclattering of dishes, and a quarter of an hour before sunset Captain Ephand Mr. Peters crept like mice up the stairs to the lantern, withoutdisturbing Sidney's slumbers.
It was a rule which the keeper and his assistants had themselves made,that Uncle Zenas should go on watch immediately after supper, to berelieved by Mr. Peters at eleven o'clock, with Captain Eph to do dutyfrom three in the morning until sunrise; therefore as soon as theevening meal had been eaten and the kitchen put to rights, the cookascended to the watch-room.
Mr. Peters went to bed immediately that he might be ready and fit forduty at the regular time; but Captain Eph remained a full half hour inhis own room watching the sleeping lad, before he lay down on the cook'sbed.
It was yet an hour before sunrise next morning, and Captain Eph wasporing over the "rules and regulations" as he had done every night formany years, when he heard a slight rustling of garments at the head ofthe ladder, and, looking around in surprise, saw Sidney, who stood asif asking permission to remain.
"What are you doin' out of bed at this time in the mornin', Sonny?"Captain Eph asked in what he intended should be a sharp tone, and Sidneyreplied:
"I have been wide awake for an hour, sir, and thought perhaps you wouldbe willing for me to sit here with you. I've slept since noon, and afellow can't stay in bed all the time, no matter how tired he may havebeen."
"So you concluded to come on watch, eh?"
"Why couldn't I?" the lad cried excitedly. "Even though I don't knowanything about the light, I've surely got sense enough to call one ofthe crew if anything went wrong."
"There's no question in my mind but that you could take the trick allright; but I've got so in the habit of gettin' up at three o'clock inthe mornin' that I couldn't sleep after that time, no matter how hard Imight try. Sit ye down, lad, an' tell me what you think of Carys' Ledgelight."
"Of course I don't know anything about other light-houses, sir; but I'mcertain there isn't a nicer crew anywhere on the coast, than can befound right here," and Sidney laid his hand on the old man's shoulderwith something very like a caress.
Captain Eph looked toward the trap-door as if to make certain neither ofhis mates were astir, and then, lifting the little lad on his knee, herocked him to and fro as one would a baby, crooning a bit of an old seasong, until Sidney almost believed the old sailor was crying.
Until day broke, dark and forbidding because of the fog which envelopedthe tower until it was impossible to get even a glimpse of the ocean,Captain Eph held the lad on his knee while he spun the wildest andweirdest of sea yarns, and when the time came to extinguish the lights,Sidney detained the old keeper long enough to ask if he might be allowedto stand watch with him while he remained on Carys' Ledge.
"Indeed you may, Sonny, if so be you don't come to believe that it'smore comfortable in bed, an' I'll show you how to care for the lens.Sammy shall snooze as long as he likes this mornin', an' we two will putthe lantern in proper shape."
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p; Nothing, except an opportunity to see his father, could have givenSidney more pleasure than this permission, and eagerly did he followCaptain Eph up the narrow ladder, wondering not a little why the old mantook with him the book of instructions to light-keepers.
"It lacks nigh to ten minutes of sunrise," Captain Eph said as heconsulted his watch after they were in the lantern, "an' if it so beyou're goin' to stand watch with me, it's time you knew somethin' aboutthe rules. Here's number 123: 'Lights must be lighted punctually atsunset, and must be kept burning at full intensity until sunrise.' Doyou get it, Sonny?"
"I should be able to remember that much," Sidney replied with a laugh.
"Then here's rule 124: 'All preparations must be made early, that theremay be no delay in lighting.'"
"I can keep that in mind and not half try, Captain Eph."
"Number 125 is longer; but it ain't hard to catch the general idee ofit. 'When the light is extinguished in the morning the keeper must hangthe lantern curtains and immediately begin to put the apparatus in orderfor relighting. While doing this the linen aprons provided for thekeeper's use must be worn, that the lens may not suffer from contactwith the wearing apparel. The illuminating apparatus must be carefullycovered before the cleaning is begun.' Now here's Sammy's apron for you,an' this one is mine," Captain Eph said, as he took the articles inquestion from a locker, and showed Sidney how to put one on. "These 'ereare the lantern curtains which we'll hang up at sunrise."
It was quite like a game, Sidney thought, and he was in high glee bythe time Captain Eph was ready to read his rule 126.
"Here she is, an' there's a good bit of meanin' to it, lad. 'The lensand the glass of the lantern must be cleaned daily and always kept inthe best possible condition. Before beginning to clean the lens it mustbe brushed with the feather brush to remove all dust. It must then bewiped with a soft linen cloth, and finally polished with buff-skin. Ifthere is oil or grease on any part, it must be taken off with a linencloth, moistened with spirits of wine, and then polished with abuff-skin. Under no circumstances must a skin which has been wet or dampbe used, as this will scratch the lens.'"
"The Board seems to be mighty particular about how the work shall bedone," Sidney said with a laugh, and Captain Eph replied:
"If they wasn't we shouldn't have sich lights in this country as we havegot. I ain't claimin' that we're the only nation on the face of theearth who knows how to light a coast; but I will say, an' I've heard thesame from masters of foreign vessels, that we do the thing up brownregardless of expense. Listen to rule 127, an' than I reckon it'll betime to turn off the light: 'To clean reflectors, first dust them andthen rub with a buff-skin, lightly dusted with rouge powder, kept in asmall double bag of muslin; then rub lightly with another skin, andfinally with a third, which should be passed over the reflector in alight, quick manner with a circular motion. Leakage of gas from the pipeof the stove used in the watch-room should be carefully guarded against,as this gas will badly tarnish a reflector.' Now we'll turn off thelight, stop the clock, an' get to work," and Captain Eph suited themotions to the words.
Sidney stood ready with the lantern curtains until the keeper shouldshow him how they ought to be hung, for he had come to believe there wasa rule for the most trifling labor, when an exclamation of surprisecaused him to turn toward the door in the floor, and he saw the head andshoulders of Mr. Peters, who was surveying the scene with a comicalexpression on his face.
"Have I lost my job?" he cried with a laugh, and Captain Eph repliedgrimly:
"You've always been complainin' that you couldn't get sleep enough inthis 'ere light-house, Sammy, an' I thought now was a good time to giveyou your fill."
"I only wish I'd knowed it, 'cause the bed was good enough for me tillbreakfast time," Mr. Peters said ruefully, and Sidney asked:
"Must I give up your apron, sir?"
"Bless you, no, lad, we've got spare ones in the locker, an' I'll takeone of them, for I reckon Cap'n Eph will want me to do my share of thework so long as I stay on the ledge."
Then the keepers set about cleaning the apparatus in good earnest, andSidney was able to lend a hand now and then with such effect that themorning's task was completed before Uncle Zenas' voice could be heardfrom below as he cried:
"Are you men never comin' down to breakfast? What's the use of slavin'my head off, if you're goin' to hang 'round up there till everythinggets cold? It would try the temper of a saint to cook for a crew likeyou!"
"Now, now, Uncle Zenas, there's no need of wastin' so much breath, forwe were all ready to come down before you spoke the first word, an' I'mafraid you'll never know what the temper of a saint may be," Captain Ephreplied mildly as he led the way down the ladder, and when the threewere in the kitchen the cook asked:
"How many of you are goin' to work on the boat to-day?"
"That's Sammy's job, an' I reckon we'd better not interfere with him,for he always works harder when he's alone."
"Then what's to hinder your gettin' a mess of fish for dinner? We'veeaten salt meat so long that I'm afraid of drownin' myself throughdrinkin' so much water."
"You shall have all the fish you can cook, Uncle Zenas," Captain Ephreplied, and, turning to Sidney, he asked, "Would you like to go out fora spell, Sonny? There ain't much sport to deep-sea fishin'; but it's achange after a man has hung 'round this 'ere ledge in a fog-storm."
It is hardly necessary to state that the lad accepted the invitationeagerly, and before he took his place at the table Uncle Zenas broughtout his own oil-skins for the lad to wear, saying as he did so:
"This 'ere fog is about the same as rain, an' if the fish bite wellCap'n Eph is likely to stay a long spell, for it seems to me hereg'larly loses his head as soon as he gets a cod-line in his hand."