THE SEARCH FOR THE SILVER CITY.
CHAPTER I.
THE SEA DREAM.
Three years ago last August, it is unnecessary to specify the exactdate, Teddy Wright was not only a very lonely fellow, but consideredhimself abused by circumstances.
During the previous season he had studied very hard at the militaryschool on the Hudson which he often referred to slightingly as "thebarracks," and as a reward for the flattering reports sent home by histeachers, had been promised a long vacation in the Adirondacks with aschoolmate who lived in the northern portion of New York state.
Teddy's parents and sisters intended spending the summer at some one ofthe fashionable watering places; but with three long months of "roughingit" where game could be found in abundance, he had no desire toaccompany them.
"Life in the woods knocks staying at a big hotel on the sea-shore,where a fellow is obliged to be dressed up all the time," he said whenone of his sisters expressed surprise at his choice. "We shall regularlycamp out, and father has given me a doubled-barreled breech-loader, tosay nothing of his own rod and collection of flies. Jack and I will havethe jolliest kind of a time while you're moonin' on the hot sands tryingto think it is fun."
Teddy went to Jack's home, and, to his sorrow and dismay, found thatyoung gentleman so ill that there was no hope of his being allowed totake the long-contemplated trip.
He remained there, however, until perfectly certain of this unpleasantfact, and then returned home to the house which had been left in chargeof one servant, and, as he expressed it, "just to spite himself,"refused to join the remainder of the family.
Of course this was a most foolish proceeding; but Teddy was in thatframe of mind where a boy of seventeen is prone to foolish deeds, andthere he stayed in a frame of mind very nearly approaching the sulks,until he received a letter from Neal Emery, another schoolmate, whosefather lived in Bridgeport.
Mr. Emery owned a large factory in that city, and Neal had intended tospend his vacation at home where he could enjoy the use of a smallsloop-rigged yacht his mother had presented him with the year previous.
The letter contained a very pressing invitation for Teddy to visitBridgeport, since his trip to the Adirondacks had been postponed, andconcluded with the startling announcement:
"Father has just bought the Sea Dream, a beautiful steam yacht of anhundred feet in length, and I don't know how many tons. He proposes tocruise around three or four weeks while mother is at Bar Harbor, and isperfectly willing I should invite you to join us. We will have a jollytime, and if nothing prevents I want you to come at once. We are tostart Wednesday morning."
The letter had been received Monday afternoon, therefore Teddy had butlittle time for preparation.
He first sent a long telegram to his father, repeating the substance ofwhat Neal had written, and asked permission to enroll himself on the SeaDream's passenger list.
Not until late in the evening did he receive a favorable reply; but histraps, including the gun and fishing tackle, were packed, and on thefirst train Tuesday morning he started, all traces of ill-humor havingvanished, for a cruise on a steam yacht promised quite as great pleasureas had the stay in the woods, with not so much certainty of hard work.Neal met him at the depot, and after going to the former's home onlylong enough to leave the baggage, the two set out to view the yachtwhich, in all the bravery of glistening paint and polished metal, lay atanchor in the harbor.
Although not an expert in matters pertaining to marine architecture,Teddy could appreciate the beauty of the little craft while she swunglazily to and fro at her cable as if husbanding strength against thetime when speed and endurance would be required.
Neal signaled from the pier, two of the crew came ashore in thecaptain's boat, and the boys went on board where, during the remainderof the day, they were busy examining and admiring the jaunty littlecraft.
Leading from the main saloon were two state-rooms on either side, and inone of these Neal had already stored such of his belongings as heintended to take on the cruise.
"This is our room, and now that we are here I wonder why we were sofoolish as to carry your baggage up to the house. If it was with us wewould remain on board, for it is very much more pleasant than in the hottown."
"There is nothing to prevent our bringing it down," Teddy replied witha laugh. "I had certainly rather stay here to-night."
"Come on, and then we shall feel more at home when the cruise begins."
The boys were rowed ashore, and the sailors instructed to remain at thepier until their return.
Then a short visit was made to Mr. Emery's office, where Neal explainedwhat they proposed to do, and having received permission to occupy thequarters slightly in advance of sailing time, Teddy's baggage was soonin the small apartment which to both the boys looked so enchanting.
"I wish we were to be gone three years," Teddy said as he threw himselfon a locker and gazed around.
If he could have known just at that moment how long the cruise wouldreally last it is very certain he would not have expressed such adesire.
"Next year father says he will start early in the season, take motherwith us, and not come back until it is time for me to go to school."
"And you must get an invitation for me," Teddy replied, his eyesglistening with pleasure at simply contemplating such an excursion.
"There won't be any difficulty about it. He has already promised that ifnothing happens he will speak to your father."
"And in the meanwhile we've got before us the jolly fact that we're tostay on board a month."
"Yes; but there's no good reason why we should remain below where it isso warm. Come on deck for awhile, and then we'll have a look at theengine-room."
The engineer, Jake Foster, was under the awning aft, and Neal introducedhis friend, saying as he did so:
"Teddy has never been yachting before, not even in a sailing craft."
Jake, a stout, jolly looking fellow hardly more than twenty-five yearsof age, gazed at the visitor curiously a moment, and then said with ahearty laugh:
"He'll have a chance to find out what an acquaintance with the oceanmeans, for I understand that Mr. Emery is going to run well over to theBahamas before he comes back."
"Father has business there which it would be necessary to attend to notlater than next fall, so intends to make it a portion of the pleasuretrip."
"Are we likely to have much rough weather?" Teddy asked, realizing forthe first time that it was more than possible he might be called upon topay Neptune a tribute.
"Not at this time of the year; but its more'n probable the Sea Dreamwill kick up her heels enough to show something of what is meant by alife on the ocean wave before she pokes her nose into this port again."
Then the engineer was summoned from below, and the boys remained aftrecalling to mind all they had studied relative to the Bahama banks.
The stores were on board; everything was in readiness for the start assoon as the owner should arrive, and when the steward summoned them tosupper it seemed as if the voyage had really begun.