CHAPTER XXIV
A FALSE AND A REAL ALARM
Before daybreak everyone was up and eager for the fray, and directlybreakfast was over they sallied down to the shore. It was still pitchdark, but the time of dead low water made it absolutely necessary thatoperations should commence ere the sun rose.
By the light of several lanterns the slack of the hawsers was taken inand the two canoes pinned down so far as the united efforts of allhands would permit. Nothing more could be done till the rising of thetide.
The cradle, its ends marked by long poles to indicate its position athigh water, was already run out so far as the lines of the slipwayextended, a rope being fastened to it from the windlass ashore.
Anxiously the little group of workers watched the tide rise slowly,inch by inch, up the temporary tide gauge. Sometimes it paused as a"false ebb" in the offing stayed its progress, till at length it creptwithin a few inches of its predicted height.
"There's enough water now, I fancy," announced Ellerton, "so heaveaway. Gently does it!"
It was an anxious time. Slowly the two canoes were warped shore wards,guided by a pair of ropes abeam so as to insure the wrecked boat beingdeposited evenly on the cradle. Already the two outer poles of thecradle were passed, when a slight shock told the salvors that theyawl's forefoot had touched the cradle.
"Avast there!" shouted Ellerton to Terence and Quexo, who were haulingon the shore.
"There's not enough water," exclaimed Andy, with dismay written on hisface.
"Ten minutes yet before high water," announced Mr. McKay. "Will she doit, I wonder?"
For answer Ellerton slipped off his clothes and plunged over the sideof the canoe. Mr. McKay and Andy could follow his movements as hedescended with slow yet powerful strokes, till he disappeared from viewbeneath the submerged craft. Half a minute later he reappeared, andswam alongside the canoe, into which he was assisted by the eagerspectators.
"She'll do it," he announced, when he had recovered his breath. "Weare a bit out in our reckoning; her keel is touching the side of thecradle."
Five minutes later the yawl was lying immediately over the slipway, theslings were cast off, and slowly she settled upon the carriage preparedfor her reception. The canoes were warped clear, and all that remainedto be done was to man the winch and heave the cradle above high-watermark.
In spite of the broiling sun, the work of winding the winch was begun,for the delighted lads would not be persuaded to delay the operationtill the cool of the day. Foot by foot the cradle came home, till thehuge barnacle-covered hull began to appear above the water.
"What a state she's in," exclaimed Andy, as the lads rested from theirlabours, for they were thoroughly played out. "There's a week'sscraping in front of us before we can do anything else."
"Hadn't we better see about baling her out?" asked Terence. "Directlyshe ceases to be water-borne the pressure of the water will burst herseams."
"No fear of that," replied Mr. McKay. "The water will find its way outof the hole that the natives made in her."
"I guess the motor is pretty rusty," continued Terence.
"It may not be," Andy replied. "You see, I kept it smothered ingrease, and unless those brutes smashed it, it ought to be capable ofbeing repaired. But I am awfully anxious to see, so what do you say toanother turn at the winch?"
Once more the lads resumed their work of hauling up the cradle, tillnearly the whole of the streaming, weed-covered hull--a forlorn waiffrom the sea--was visible.
"Another five yards, lads," exclaimed Ellerton cheerfully. "Now, putmore beef into it."
As he spoke, there was a warning shout from Mr. McKay, but the warningcame too late. Ere the lads could realise the extent of theirmisfortune the cradle collapsed and the hull of the yawl crashed overon her side.
With a horrible rending of the shattered timbers, the enormous masspitched fairly on a jagged rock; the next instant the object of so manymonths' tedious toil lay on its broadside, hopelessly damaged.
For quite a minute all hands gazed in speechless grief upon the sceneof calamity. To have the fruits of victory snatched from their lipsseemed almost more than they could realise, till by degrees the extentof their misfortune began to assert itself.
"Is she really done for?" said Andy, his voice barely raised above awhisper.
"Yes, her back's broken," replied his father. "She will never floatagain."
"Then, by George!" announced Andy, speaking in a tone that surprisedhis companions by its resolution, "I won't be done. I begin to buildanother craft to-morrow. Come on, pater, let's get something to eat,and after that we'll set out the plans for our new craft. Buck up,Hoppy, it's no use crying over spilt milk."
Inspired by their companion's cheerfulness, the lads turned their backsupon the scene of their ill-favoured labours and set off towards thehouse. They now felt specially anxious to devote their energies to thenew task that lay before them, and already their late misfortune wasbeing regarded as a thing of the past.
"Without wishing to discourage you, Andy," began Mr. McKay, after themeal was over, "I think we had better give up all idea of buildinganother craft. I've been going carefully into this matter, and I'lltell you why I form this conclusion. You see there's no timber growingon this island that can be used, and our own stock is insufficient evenif we make use of the planks of the wrecked yawl. So I think the bestthing we can do is to convert one of the canoes----"
"But I thought we had already decided that they are unsuitable andunseaworthy?"
"Quite so. As they are at present I should hesitate to make a longvoyage in one of them, although the natives frequently travel greatdistances in this type of craft. So I think if we give the smallestcanoe--for that one seems the handiest--a good keelson, bolt a falsekeel into it, and provide her with some stout timbers and stringers,she'll answer our purpose. We can use most of the deck planks of theyawl to deck-in the canoe. Her sails and most of her gear will come inhandy."
"It would certainly save a lot of work," replied Andy, for in calmermoments the size of his proposed task had begun to assert itself.
"Then let's make a start," added Ellerton. "There's no time like thepresent, so I vote we begin to dismantle the remains of the yawl,examine and overhaul her canvas, and remove the ballast."
"I haven't measured the smallest canoe," remarked Andy. "What's herlength, do you think?"
"About twenty-eight feet in length, nine in breadth, and two feetdraught, though with the addition of a false keel and ballast she willdraw at least four feet."
Accordingly all hands set to work with a will, and ere nightfall theshattered hull of the yawl was a mere shell, the gear being stowed awayin the lower storehouse.
"To-morrow we'll make a start with the canoe," said Ellerton, as theyprepared to retire for the night. "There are plenty of pieces oftimber to shore her up, and wedges can easily be made. Before the endof the week we ought to have her keel and keelson bolted on."
"Then sleep well on it," added Mr. McKay, "for there's much to be done."
The inhabitants of McKay's Island had already made their customarysignal with the searchlight, the power had been switched off, and thecanvas hood placed over the instrument for the purpose of protecting itfrom the night dews. This routine was always the last ere the day'swork ended.
Mr. McKay was about to close the door of the dwelling-house when arapid and prolonged ringing of the electric alarm bell broke upon thestillness of the night.
Instantly there was a rush for the arms-rack where the rifles were keptready for immediate use, and, securing their weapons, the whole partymade for the open, Terence, according to a prearranged plan, running tothe powerhouse to switch on the current, while the others took up theirposition at the palisade commanding the cliff-path.
The night was pitch dark; a light breeze ruffled the palm trees, butbeyond that all was still. Peering into the darkness the defenderswaited, finger on trigger, to open fire on the first ap
pearance of thefoe.
Then the alarm bell began to ring again.
"There's someone climbing the path," whispered Ellerton, when the dinhad died away.
"I wish Terence would hurry up with the searchlight; we could then seewho the intruders are. There it is again," as the clanging of the bellcommenced for the third time.
In his natural anxiety and haste, Terence fumbled over his task, but atlength the carbons fused and the giant beam of the searchlight threwits dazzling rays seaward. Then, trained by Donaghue's guiding hand,it swept the lower terraces and the beach, but neither hostile canvasnor lurking bloodthirsty warriors came within its blinding glare.
"There's someone moving down there," exclaimed Andy, pointing towardsthe foot of the steep path. "See! To the right of that great boulder."
"Hanged if I can," muttered Ellerton. Nevertheless he took aim withhis rifle at the spot indicated by his chum.
"It's only the shadows thrown by the moving beam," said Mr. McKay."Terence, keep the light steady for a moment, will you?"
The now stationary ray revealed the fact that some moving object wascreeping cautiously over the rock-strewn beach immediately at the endof the path.
"There's someone down there," whispered Ellerton, and almost as hespoke the alarm bell resumed its shrill warning.
"I'm going down to see who or what it is," announced Mr. McKay, leaninghis rifle against the stockade and drawing a revolver.
Accompanied by Andy, Ellerton and Quexo, he descended the steep andrugged path.
All at once Mr. McKay burst into a hearty laugh, his companions joiningin as soon as they perceived the cause of his mirth. A huge turtle hadcrawled across the beach and was digging a hole in the sand with itsflippers. This had set the alarm bell ringing.
A HUGE TURTLE HAD CRAWLED ACROSS THE BEACH AND HAD SETTHE ALARM BELL RINGING]
As the larder needed filling, the turtle was dispatched and dragged upto the house.
It was late in the forenoon of the next day ere the inmates turned outof their beds, for the previous night's diversion had deprived them ofa fair share of their accustomed sleep.
"Buck up and fill the kettle, Quexo," shouted Andy "I'm right hungry."
The mulatto, taking a can in his hand, set out for the stream, buthardly had he stepped outside the door when he returned withconsternation written all over his face.
"Massa! Massa!" he gasped. "Canoes! Heap, plenty, much, greatcanoes!"