[Illustration: Harry pointed seaward, toward the brigantine, moving through the water slowly.--(See page 9.)]
A RUNAWAY BRIG;
OR,
An Accidental Cruise.
BY JAMES OTIS,
_Author of_
"The Castaways," "Toby Tyler," "Mr. Stubbs' Brother," "Left Behind," "Raising the Pearl," "Silent Pete," etc., etc.
ILLUSTRATED.
[Illustration]
NEW YORK: A. L. BURT, PUBLISHER.
COPYRIGHT 1888, BY A. L. BURT.
A RUNAWAY BRIG.
CHAPTER I.
THE SALLY WALKER.
"I'm going down to the beach to find Jim Libby. If you'll come along we'll have a prime sail; and most likely this is the last chance we shall have to go out with him, for his vessel leaves in the morning."
"How can I go when I've got to mind this young one all the forenoon just 'cause the nurse must go an' have a sick headache? I don't believe she feels half as bad as I do!" And Walter Morse looked mournfully out over the blue waters with but little care for his baby sister, who was already toddling dangerously near the long flight of steps leading from the veranda of the large summer hotel.
"Can't you coax off for a couple of hours?" the first speaker, Harry Vandyne, asked.
"It's no use. Mother has gone to ride, and said I was to stay here until she came back."
Harry started toward the beach, determined not to lose a single hour of pleasure because of his friend's engagements; but before he had taken half a dozen steps a sudden, and what seemed like a very happy thought, occurred to him.
"I'll tell you how it can be fixed. Hire one of the other nurses to take care of your sister till we get back. Any of them will do it for a quarter, an' we'll be home before your mother comes."
The boys were spending the summer at the Isle of Shoals, off the New England coast. Harry's father was Robert Vandyne, the well-known ship-owner of New York, and Walter's was equally prominent in the wholesale dry-goods business on Broadway. During their stay at this summer resort they had made the acquaintance of Jim Libby, "cook's assistant and everybody's mate" on the fishing-schooner Mary Walker, a craft which visited the Shoals once each week to supply the hotels with fresh fish.
Jim was at liberty to follow the dictates of his own fancy several hours each day while in port, and the boys found him ever ready to take them out sailing in the square-bowed, leaky tender belonging to the schooner. As Harry had said, this was Jim's last day on the island until the end of another cruise, and Walter was so eager to blister his hands and wet his feet once more by rowing the Sally Walker--the tender was dignified with a name--around the shore that he really did not stop to consider all Harry's advice implied.
Table of contents (by pages)
- 1: A Runaway Brig; by James Otis
- 2: I'd rather row the Sally one mile than two
- 3: And Jim unshipped the stumpy mast
- 4: And Jim spoke very confidently
- 5: If the pantry has been left like the cabin
- 6: Jim's knowledge of seamanship was decidedly limited
- 7: The flag locker was found after a short search
- 8: By carrying the halyards to one of the winches
- 9: They walked swiftly through into the pantry
- 10: Harry and Walter were both asleep
- 11: This brig has got ghosts aboard
- 12: And in a few seconds passed a pitcher of water into the boat
- 13: He said as he served the food aft
- 14: We in the yawl had six gallons of water
- 15: And this Bob Brace could not understand
- 16: Harry and Walter did as was suggested
- 17: Allers fussed when birds flew 'round the schooner
- 18: The Bonita no longer sailed freely
- 19: As if bent on running down the brig
- 20: An' the brig standin' up for the coast
- 21: Bob and Jim alternately stood watch and slept until
- 22: Then Bob took his trick at the wheel
- 23: Reaching the fore hatchway just as Bob began to ascend
- 24: An' it happens that what he's huntin' for most allers comes
- 25: I don't reckon it'll hold calm a great while
- 26: She's flying a signal of distress
- 27: Can't you manage to come alongside
- 28: An' now another feller with a sinkin' tug
- 29: With the tug the brig could be towed in a calm
- 30: And directly against the canvas
- 31: Joe Taylor went into the engine room
- 32: And Jim was left alone at the wheel
- 33: And before the first bewilderment
- 34: He whispered disconsolately to Walter
- 35: This must be some part of the Bahamas
- 36: After which the yawl was pulled toward the brig
- 37: Came ashore to search for turtles
- 38: So long as you ain't the skipper
- 39: Where did the old sailor come aboard
- 40: We haven't made any talk about sich a plan
- 41: The brig must be afloat before anything is done
- 42: Bob was silent several moments
- 43: One end of which was made fast to the winch
- 44: Much to the discomfort of Walter
- 45: Jim and I came when Walter screamed
- 46: The cubs were carried off in her
- 47: As he literally pushed Bob aft
- 48: Joe spoke in a matter of fact tone
- 49: While the brig is aground you'd best stay on board the tug
- 50: You an' Bob have got an idee that we ain't on the square
- 51: The Bonita can lay alongside as well as if she was moored
- 52: I wish Bob never'd allowed them aboard
- 53: Joe looked toward the steamer wistfully
- 54: Pedro darted from one room to another
- 55: Where Joe at once began his work of investigation
- 56: Evidently for the benefit of those aboard the brig
- 57: Joe continued to work at the bars
- 58: The Bonita was already out of the little harbor
- 59: Which occupied fully half the space in the tiny galley
- 60: And in a short time the little foresail was unbent
- 61: Joe continued what was both a difficult and laborious task
- 62: Harry and Walter assumed a business like air
- 63: There's something hidden in the timber
- 64: There must be something inside
- 65: Let Harry tell the story while Walt an' me bail the yawl
- 66: Joe quickly brought the compass from the yawl
- 67: It's a good thing we didn't sail on the Bonita
- 68: An' we'll have to run into Nassau for that
- 69: Unless palmettoes are different from other trees
- 70: Drive a stake where Harry stands
- 71: The coral head lay nearer the water's edge than did the hut
- 72: A mass of what appeared to be canvas
- 73: The bag Harry opened contained
- 74: By this time the yawl was close alongside the steamer
- 75: There were apparently coins of every nation
- 76: To avoid being overheard by Joe or Bob
- 77: And was heading directly toward the steamer
- 78: We'll pull the brig off the shoals
- 79: Immediately after breakfast Bob
- 80: And Bob and Joe hurried on deck
- 81: After which the yawl was hooked on the falls and hoisted up
- 82: And then when the hawser chucked her and the fall began
- 83: Do you think the tug will be wrecked
- 84: An' though that cable is strainin' hard astern
- 85: Will you send us some grub ashore
- 86: The sooner we start the better
- 87: Bob said as Joe called his attention to the smoke
- 88: So there's no chance she went adrift by accident
- 89: The loss of the yawl troubled him more than he cared to say
- 90: But my advice is that you give Nassau a pretty wide berth
- 91: Selecting such mangroves and palms as grew nearest the shore
- 92: By bringing the hawser on to the winch
- 93: An' by the second tide have another turn at the winch
- 94: The light breeze carried it shoreward
- 95: Frantic search of the cabin and engine room
- 96: Save the roaring of the flames
- 97: The awning was among the articles saved from the steamer
- 98: I'll make something that'll serve as a hook
- 99: Those casks are full of alcohol
- 100: To roll the heavy casks over the loose sand was fatiguing
- 101: And since Bob had no objections to the plan
- 102: And when Bob shouted All hands on deck
- 103: And then waded into the water to launch the raft
- 104: The ballast is as free as when we left it
- 105: In this supposition Bob was correct
- 106: And on getting within hailing distance cried
- 107: Except when the schooner from Nassau put in here
- 108: It'll be better to roll more casks down
- 109: I should say the schooner was a good half mile away
- 110: Vandyne and speaking in a low tone
- 111: But Bob was bent on spinning a yarn
- 112: Swiftly the gallant yacht sped on
- 113: Vandyne owned one third of the Bonita
- 114: Two hours later an' they'd 'a' been on the shoals
- 115: Sponges of all shapes and hues
- 116: Vandyne questioned the young fisherman at great length
- 117: Vandyne agreed to act as their agent in the transaction
- 118: She's the handsomest craft I ever saw