CHAPTER IV.
ON BOARD THE WRECK.
"Jack, what shall we do now?" asked Marion, as with a blanched face shegazed into the empty boat.
"Wait--the oars may be close at hand," he replied. "I will make asearch."
"And so will I. Oh, we must find them!"
They ran up and down the rocky shore, looking far and near for the oars,but without success. Presently they came to a halt, out of breath withrunning.
"Gone, sure enough!" groaned the boy. "What a pickle we are in now!"
"We can't stay here, Jack."
"We'll have to stay here, Marion, unless I can find the oars or makesubstitutes."
"How are you going to make substitutes?"
"I might take some planks from the wreck."
"But you have no tools."
"I have a stout jack-knife."
"It will take a long time, and see, it is already beginning to rain."
Marion was right, the rain had started, and as it grew heavier theywithdrew to the shelter of the wreck.
"I wouldn't mind staying here until the shower was over, only I wouldn'twant mother to worry about us," went on Marion, when they were safeunder cover.
"That's just it. But we do not know if she is home yet."
The rain soon increased, while the thunder rolled in the distance. Butthey felt fairly safe in the cabin of the wreck, and sat down on a benchrunning along one of the walls.
"This looks as if it was going to keep up all night," observed Jack, anhour later, after another look at the sky from the top of the companionway.
"Oh, you don't mean we'll have to remain here all night!" exclaimedMarion.
"Perhaps, Marion."
"But I do not wish to remain in such a place all night."
"Are you afraid of ghosts?" and Jack gave a short laugh.
"No, Jack; but you'll admit it isn't a very nice place."
"I know that. But that isn't the worst of it."
"Not the worst of it?"
"No. You must remember that we have nothing to eat or to drink here."
"That is true, but I do not feel much like eating or drinking just now."
"Yes, but you'll be hungry and thirsty before morning, Marion."
"Perhaps. We can drink rain water, if we wish."
Another hour passed and the storm grew more violent. The lightningflashed across the sky and lit up the wreck from end to end. Then ablackness as of night followed.
"We could not row ashore now, even if we had oars," observed Marion, asshe listened to the howling of the wind.
"You are right, Marion. My, how it does blow!"
Suddenly, the sounds of footsteps on the deck of the wreck reached theirears.
"Somebody is coming!" said Jack, and looked up the companion way. "Why,it's Old Ben!"
He was right; it was Ben the fisherman who had put in an appearance,market basket in hand.
"Marion! Jack! Am dat yo'?" came in an anxious voice.
"Yes, Ben!" cried both.
"What brought you?" continued the boy.
"I dun thought yo' was a-wantin' ob Ole Ben," grinned the colored man."I seed yo' rowin' off an' I didn't see yo' cum back, so I says tomyself, 'Da is stuck fast on de wreck.' An' den I says, 'Da aint gotnuffin to eat.' So ober I comes, an' wid a basketful of good t'ings fromde plantation." And he held up the market basket. He was soaked from therain, and the water ran from his clothing in a stream.
"Ben, you are a jewel!" burst out Marion and patted his wet coat-sleeveaffectionately.
At this the old negro grinned broadly. He had always been a privilegedcharacter on the Ruthven plantation, and being set free had not endedhis affection for his former mistress and her children.
"It was very kind to come over," said Jack. "Does mother know we arehere?"
"I dun left word dat I was comin' ober an' dat I thought yo' was yeah,sah," answered Ben.
He had brought all the good things necessary, along with plates, cups,knives and forks, and soon had the spread ready for them. Then he wentoff to another part of the wreck to wring out his wet garments.
"It was very nice of Old Ben to come to us," said Marion, while eating."It must have been no easy matter to row from the shore to the rocks."
"Ben is as good a boatman as there is in these parts, Marion. It waskind, and he ought to be rewarded for it."
"Mamma will reward him, beyond a doubt."
The storm kept increasing in violence, and before the strange meal wasdisposed of the thunder and lightning were almost incessant. Ben hadbrought a candle along--knowing the darkness inside of the wreck--andthis was all the light they possessed, outside of what Nature afforded.
Ben was just putting the dishes back into the basket when there came anextra heavy flash of lightning, followed immediately by a rending clapof thunder which almost paralyzed Marion and Jack. There was a strangesmell in the air, and both found their blood tingling in a manner thatwas new to them.
"The wreck--it's been struck by lightning!" gasped Jack, when he couldspeak.
"Dat's a fac'!" came from Old Ben. "It was jess like de crack ob doom,wasn't it?"
He ran on deck, and Jack followed him, with Marion on the bottom of thecompanion way, not knowing whether to go up or remain below.
The bolt had struck the wreck near the stern, ripping off a large partof the woodwork, and had passed along to one side. Just below the deckline a lively fire was starting up.
"De wrack am gwine to be burnt up at las'!" ejaculated Old Ben. "We hasgot to git out, Massah Jack!"
"Come, Marion!" called back the boy. "It's too bad we've got to go outin the rain, but I reckon we can be thankful that our lives have beenspared."
"Yes, we can be thankful," answered the girl. "Oh, what a dreadful crackthat was! I do not believe I shall ever forget it."
She came on deck all in a tremble, and with the others hurried to thebow of the wreck. It was much easier to climb down than to climb up, andsoon all three stood upon the rocks below, where the driving rain peltedthem mercilessly.
"I t'ink I can find yo' a bettah place dan dis to stay," said Old Ben."Come down to de shoah," and he led the way to where he had left hisboat. With Jack's assistance the craft was hauled out of the water andturned upside down between two large rocks, and then the three crawledunder the temporary shelter.
Thus the night passed, and by morning the storm cleared away. Lookingtoward the wreck they saw that only a small portion of the upper deckhad been burned away, the rain having put the fire out before it gainedgreat headway.
It did not take Old Ben and Jack long to launch the former's craftagain, and this done, they all entered and the fisherman started to rowthem to the mainland. Jack's boat was taken in tow.
"That was certainly quite an adventure," observed Jack, as they landed."Marion, I reckon you don't want another such."
"No, indeed!" replied the girl, with a shiver. "I don't believe I'llever go over to the old wreck again."
"It's a wondah dat wreck aint busted up long ago," put in Old Ben.
"It's a wonder the poor people around here haven't carried off thewreckage for firewood, Ben," said Jack.
"Da is afraid to do dat, Massah Jack--afraid some ob de sailors wot wasdrowned might haunt 'em."
"I see. Well, I don't think the wreck will last much longer," and withthese words Jack turned away to follow Marion to the plantation mansion,to interview his foster mother concerning the particulars of the past.Little did the lad dream of what an important part that old wreck was toplay in his future life.