CHAPTER II. PROMPT WORK, AND A RESCUE.
Fortunately Rob Blake had wonderful presence of mind in a suddenemergency. Some boys would have been so badly shocked by what washappening near at hand, that for the time being, they must have beenunable to make any move toward rendering first aid to the afflicted.
No sooner did the leader of the Eagle Patrol see that terrible outburstof fire than he started his little motor on at full speed, headingstraight toward the imperiled launch.
"Quick! get hold of that fire extinguisher we carry!" he called out tohis companion, who was staring, with open mouth and awe-filled eyes, atthe scene of commotion close by.
"But, Rob, will the fluid put out a gasolene fire?" exclaimed Andy,though at the same time hastening to throw back the lid of a locker andsnatch out the brass tube which had been lying there for just such a timeof sudden need.
"Yes, that's one of its best uses," Rob told him hastily. "It seems toform a coating over everything it touches that the fire can't breakthrough. It kills fire. That's where it gets its name. Be ready now tomake use of it when we come up as close as I dare go."
"Both of the men are overboard, Rob!" announced Andy excitedly, "andhanging on to the side of the boat. Wow! but isn't she blazing, though? Ican begin to feel the fierce heat even here!"
"Ready to get busy now!" cried the skipper, as he manipulated his enginein such a way as to reverse the propeller, and bring the _Tramp_ to astop close to the blazing launch.
Andy was no coward, and could keep a pretty level head when it came downto doing things; though often he had to be told what to attempt bysomeone more masterful than himself. As soon as Rob shouted to him tostart operations, he worked the fire extinguisher with might and main,and was considerably astonished to discover that just as Rob had said,wherever the magical fluid struck, it seemed to dishearten theconflagration, for the flames immediately died out.
"Whoop! it's doing the whole business, that's right, Rob!" cried thepleased amateur fire-fighter, as he continued to make judicious use ofhis apparatus. "Why, I tell you nothing can hold out, Rob, against thisdandy contraption. Look at it do the work, will you? Oh! it's sure worthits weight in gold when you need something to save your boat with."
Indeed, to judge from the magical way in which the threatening fire wasextinguished aboard the old launch, Rob Blake had certainly made nomistake when he purchased that little fire-fighting contrivance, eventhough it did cost him close on ten dollars.
Rob, seeing that all danger of the fire communicating to the _Tramp_ wasnow past, slowly started toward the other boat. His intention was torescue the two elderly men who were in the water. To tell the truth, Robwas very much afraid the passenger may have been seriously burned, andthat in his panic he might release his frenzied grip on the gunwale ofthe boat.
It turned out otherwise, however, for Scotch grit held good, and Rob soonhad the satisfaction of helping both men aboard the _Tramp_.
They had received a number of burns, and presented rather a peculiarappearance, since their eyebrows and beards had been badly singed.
"Fire's all out, Rob!" announced Andy, at this juncture.
"Then fix it so that we can tow the _Sea Gull_ behind us," the other toldhim, "and we'll change our course for the Collins Point yonder."
"It is verra kind of ye to go to all that trouble," remarked the elderlyman, looking the young skipper of the rescuing boat over from head totoe, "and I wull not be the one to forget the favor, I assure you, myfine laddie."
"I hope you are not seriously burned, sir?" remarked Rob, who saw thatthere were signs of the other's clothes having been afire before hetumbled overboard, possibly urged to this last resort through theenergetic efforts of old Captain Jerry Martin.
"I sincerely hope not myself," replied the other, as he felt of his body,and then put up a hand to his blackened face. "I believe I've been wellsinged, and that until I grow a new crop of eyebrows I will look like ascorched rat; which is verra unfortunate, since I am on a most importanterrand over in your country. But, indeed, I should be ashamed tocomplain, for it might have been a deal worse."
"And how about you, Captain Jerry?" asked Rob, turning to the subduedlooking old skipper of the disabled motorboat, who had once been anoysterman, though of late years rheumatism had compelled him to seekanother less strenuous means for making a living on the famous bay.
"Nawthin' to count much, Rob," grunted Captain Jerry, "but I'm afraidI'll jest hev to git a new engine aboard the _Sea Gull_ arter thisaccident. I knowed she leaked a mite in the connectin' feed pipe, but Inever thought anybody would throw a lighted match down _thar_! I'm gladto be alive still; and I hopes as how the duckin' ain't agoin' to fotchon my rheumatiz agin."
"As I'm altogether to blame for the accident, Captain," said thepassenger, "I shall insist on doing my part toward helping you put inthat new motor. The chances are I will be marooned at my friend's placenow for weeks, until I'm presentable; though what's to be done aboutgetting that valuable shipment out to our exhibit I am unable to say.Perhaps Judge Collins may be able to help me decide. It's a verra oddtime to introduce myself, laddies, but I want to know more of ye, and sopermit me to say I am Professor Andrew McEwen, from Edinburgh University,Scotland."
"My name is Robert Blake, and my father is connected with the bank atHampton. My chum here is of the same name as yourself, professor, Andrew;but his last name is Bowles. I think his family came originally fromScotland. We are Boy Scouts, and out for a little cruise just to pass thetime away."
"Which was a lucky thing for myself, I am sure," remarked the elderlygentleman, as he squeezed a hand of each of the young fellows. "And ifyou will land me at Judge Collins' dock, you will increase theobligations under which you have placed me."
"We are heading straight that way, sir," Rob told him.
Somehow he liked the stranger from the start. He had shrewd, gray eyesthat had been wont, no doubt, to twinkle under bushy eyebrows; but withthese now missing his thin face had an almost comical appearance. Still,there was a kindly expression to be detected there, as well as the keenlook of a savant. And from the way in which Professor McEwen from time totime watched Rob, it was evident that he had also conceived a great fancyto the fine, manly looking boy who seemed to be able to master a crisisso ably.
Presently they drew in at the dock, where Judge Collins was awaitingthem. From the fact that the gentleman gripped a pair of marine glassesin his hand, and had an anxious look on his face, Rob jumped to theconclusion that he must have been on the lookout for the coming of thecelebrated scientist from abroad, and might have witnessed the details ofthe accident and the rescue.
"I dinna doobt but that ye will have some difficulty in recognizing me,Judge Collins," called out the Professor, falling back more than everinto his Scotch dialect in his mingled amusement and chagrin. "My ainbrother wouldna know me with this blackamoor face, _sans_ eyebrows,_sans_ beard, and fortunate to have saved my eyesight. I am a fearsomesicht, and feel unco'-unpleasant in the bargain. But thanks to these brawladdies we were saved from a watery grave, for which baith feelthankful."
"You must come up to the house at once and wash up," said the judgefeelingly. "Then I shall ease any suffering with some magical painextractor that I chance to have and can recommend. No, please stay withme a little while, boys, unless you are in a great hurry. I want to hearyour side of the story as well. And Captain Jerry, what can I do to makeyou comfortable? An old sailing mate of yours is in the boathouse atwork, and if you will join him shortly I will send something comfortingout to you."
Rob looked at Andy, who nodded his approval of this idea. Andy had neverbefore met with a chance to see the inside of the judge's house on thePoint, which, being built of stone, and boasting a few turrets, had cometo be called the "Castle" by most of the baymen. Such a goldenopportunity might not come along again; and, besides, they certainly werein no hurry, so they could oblige the judge without putting themselvesout at
all.
Shortly afterward they found themselves in the library. Rob had been herebefore and even spent some hours examining the myriads of curious thingsamong the collections which Judge Collins kept at his country house,where he spent more than half the year entertaining visitors.
Here the judge made an examination of the burns of the little Scotchscientist. It was found that beyond a few painful red marks, and the lossof the hair that had once been on his face, Professor McEwen was allright.
He seemed to take his mutilation greatly to heart.
"It would ha'e been peetifu' eno' at any time to be transformed into sucha scarecrow as this; but think of me on the way out to join some of myfellow workers in the avenues of science, and taking with me the balanceof our delayed valuable exhibit. Aweel, aweel, the best laid plans o'mice an' men gang aft aglee. I shall ha'e to hide my diminished headuntil Nature restores my looks. Ya maun rest assured I shall not let myfriends see me in this way; they wouldna doobt but that it was theMissing Link come to light."
"I shall be delighted," said the judge impulsively, "to have you staywith me as long as you can spare the time, Professor. It will gladden myheart more than I can tell you, for the profit is bound to be all on myside."
"But whatever am I to do aboot getting that exhibit out to our concessionat the Exposition, now that I shall be utterly unable to attend to itmyself? I wish I could solve that problem; my own discomfort I wouldnaconsider so much. In fact, I have undertaken this trip under protest. Icare not a rap or a bawbee as to whether I see the Exhibition or not, ifonly I could make positive that my errand had been successfully carriedout."
"Surely you can send what you are taking there by express, and it willarrive safely?" suggested the judge.
"But I gave my solemn word," expostulated the Scotch professor, whoseemed to possess all of the stubborn qualities with which those of hisland are said to be afflicted, "not to let the valuable packet go out ofmy possession for a minute, unless I gave it in charge of an equallyresponsible messenger. Money would be no object, judge, I assure you, ifonly you could find me a gude mon; nane ither would I trust."
The judge seemed to be pondering. When Andy caught him looking in aserious fashion in the direction of himself and comrade, somehow he felta queer thrill pass through his system, though he did not exactly knowwhy it should be so.
Then he saw a smile begin to creep over the face of Judge Collins, as henodded his head slowly. Whatever had flashed into his mind, it seemed toafford him considerable satisfaction.
"Professor McEwen," he said slowly, but earnestly, "if you are lookingfor some trustworthy persons to whom you can delegate your mission, anddo not mind what expense there may be attached to carrying it out, Ibelieve I can suggest a couple of dependable young chaps who might fillthe bill; they are the wide-awake Boy Scouts who were concerned in yourrescue this very morning. How would you like to talk over that businesswith Rob Blake and Andy Bowles, here, Professor?"
The Boy Scouts at the Panama-Pacific Exposition Page 2