The Search for the Silver City: A Tale of Adventure in Yucatan

by James Otis

  CHAPTER IV.

  A NEW DANGER.

  To the frightened boys in the cabin it was as if the night would nevercome to an end, and during every one of those fearful moments theybelieved the yacht was on the point of taking the final plunge.

  At four o'clock in the morning the steamer's movements became moreregular; but not less in violence, and, shortly after, the sailingmaster came below.

  "We are laying-to," he said to Mr. Emery. "There is a nasty sea on, andI didn't care to take the chances of fighting against it."

  "How does she stand it?"

  "Like a darling. I was afraid of straining her at first; but when shetook the butt end of the storm in such a pleasant fashion there was nolonger any reason to fret about her."

  "It didn't seem like such a very pleasant fashion to us," Teddy said toNeal, who had succeeded in gaining a chair near his friend.

  "It appeared to me as if she kicked pretty hard about it," Nealreplied, and then Mr. Emery asked:

  "What are the weather indications?"

  "There is no reason to hope for anything better until the wind blowsitself out, and according to my way of thinking that won't be within thenext twenty-four hours. Why don't you people lie down?"

  "Because it has been a matter of impossibility to remain in the berths."

  "You can do so now without much difficulty. Come, boys, let me help youto turn in."

  The calm, matter-of-fact way in which Mr. Walters acted caused the boysto feel more comfortable in mind, and they made no protest when heassisted them to the state-room where there was yet water enough to showwhat had happened.

  "Why didn't you call one of the stewards to mop this up?" the sailingmaster asked as he lighted the swinging lamp.

  "We haven't seen one since the gale begun," Neal replied with a laugh."I fancy they were as much frightened as Teddy and I."

  "It won't take long to turn them out," and Mr. Walters started forwardin a manner which boded no good for the skulkers.

  Neal and Teddy found little difficulty in retaining a recumbentposition, although the yacht was tossing up and down like a mad thing.She no longer gave those sudden lurches which threatened to carry awayeven the short spars, and for the first time since the deluge from theport-hole, they began to feel really comfortable in mind.

  The steward came in very shortly after Mr. Walters left, and from theexpression on his face it was evident he had been rated severely forneglect of duty.

  "It didn't make any difference to us whether the water was washed up ornot," Neal said in a friendly tone. "The sailing master saw it and askedwhy we hadn't called you."

  "He don't allow that a man has any right to sleep," the steward repliedsulkily. "If he'd been up since five o'clock, he'd want to turn inbefore midnight instead of foolin' around the cabin till it was time tobegin another day's work."

  "Is it possible that you have been sleeping?" Neal asked in surprise.

  "Why not?"

  "I don't see how you could even lie down while the yacht was tumblingabout in such a furious manner."

  "That was none of my business. I didn't ship before the mast,consequently it ain't any duty of mine to go prowlin' 'round if thewind happened to blow a little."

  "If you call this a 'little' I wouldn't like to be on board when youthought it was a regular gale," Teddy said with a laugh.

  "I've seen the wind blow so hard that a fellow had to lash his hair downto keep it from bein' carried away when he went on deck; but that didn'tstop my wantin' to get a watch below."

  With this remark the steward, having finished his work, left the room,and the boys were alone once more.

  Although they had believed it would be impossible to sleep during a galesuch as the yacht was now laboring under, the eyes of both were soonclosed in slumber, not to be opened until late in the morning.

  So far as could be told by the motion, there was no diminution in thestrength of the wind, and they experienced great difficulty in makingtheir toilets.

  When this task had finally been accomplished, however, Neal said as heopened the door after some trouble, owing to the erratic movements ofthe yacht:

  "I'm going on deck. It can't be much worse there, and it wouldn't be abad idea to see what the ocean looks like in a gale."

  "I'll go too: but don't let's venture out of the companion-way, for thewaves must be making a clean sweep over the decks."

  When the boys entered the cabin no one was to be seen save the surlysteward who visited them the night previous, and in reply to Neal'squestion he said:

  "Your father left word that he wasn't to be called. It wouldn't be muchuse for him to turn out, because we can't set the table in such arumpus."

  "What are we to do for breakfast?"

  "The same as Mr. Walters did, get a cup of coffee and a hard-tack;that'll go way ahead of nothin' if you're very hungry."

  "We can go into the galley when we want a bite," Neal replied, and thenhe led the way up the narrow stairs where, through the half-openedhatch, it was possible to get a view of the raging waters.

  Perhaps it would have been better, so far as their peace of mind wasconcerned, not to have ventured out, for the scene was anything ratherthan reassuring.

  Standing there and looking forward the boys could see a huge wall ofwater dead ahead bearing down upon the yacht as if to swamp her, and atthe moment when it appeared as if the final stroke had come she wouldlurch to leeward, presenting her side to the wave, rising on thesucceeding one and shivering on its crest as if shaking the spray fromher shrouds, after which came the downward plunge that caused the boysto hold their breath in fear.

  The sky, the swiftly flying clouds, and the waves were of a grayish huelooking ominous and threatening and the little craft appeared to be buta plaything for the angry elements. That she could out-ride the galeseemed almost impossible, and Teddy said with a shudder as he descendedthe stairs:

  "Don't let's stay where we can see it. I wish I hadn't looked, for, badas matters seem to be down here, it is as nothing compared to being ondeck."

  Neal was of the same opinion, and the two passed through the cabin tothe engine-room where Jake was keeping vigilant watch over themachinery.

  "Why, I thought we were hove to," Neal exclaimed in surprise as theengineer assisted him and Teddy to a seat by his side.

  "So we are; but it is necessary to keep the screw turning, otherwise itmight not be possible to hold her in the proper position."

  "How long have you been on duty?"

  "Since I saw you last."

  "Haven't you had any sleep?"

  "I can bottle up enough when the gale abates; but just now it stands aman in hand to have his weather eye open pretty wide, for a bit ofcarelessness would work considerable mischief. I'm going to havebreakfast, an' if you boys care to join me we'll make it three-handed.You're not likely to fare any better in the cabin than here to-day."

  The boys accepted the invitation, and with some cold meat and hard-tackplaced on the locker where it could not slide off, and mugs of steamingcoffee in their hands, all made a remarkably jolly meal under theunfavorable circumstances.

  During the remainder of the day Neal and Teddy stayed below, not caringfor another view of the angry sea, and when night came the gale had sofar abated that the yacht was sent ahead once more; but owing to theforce and direction of the wind it was deemed best to continue on asoutherly course even at the expense of reaching the Caribbean Sea,rather than take the chances of putting about.

  All this Jake explained when the boys visited him just previous toretiring, and he added in conclusion:

  "It seems pretty tough to go yet further south; but Mr. Walters is acautious sailin' master, an' when he makes up his mind to a thing youcan count on its bein' mighty nigh right."

  "Will it be possible to get home as soon as father intended if we go sofar out of the way?" Neal asked.

  "If he don't do any cruisin' after he gets up north I reckon it could bedone; but there's no sense in figgerin' on tha
t till we're offHatteras."

  Now that the yacht had proved her seaworthiness by riding safely throughthe storm the boys would have been willing to go almost anywhere in her,and the idea that they might have no cruising in a more agreeableclimate caused a decided feeling of disappointment; but, as Jake hadsaid, there was no reason to worry about that while they were so farfrom home, and as if by common consent the subject was not broachedagain.

  On the following morning when they went on deck the sun was shining downupon the yet angry looking waves; but one of the sailors assured themthat "the gale had blowed itself out."

  "It stands to reason there'd be a heavy sea runnin'; but its settlin'down fast, an' by to-morrow there won't be swell enough for comfort."

  In this he was correct. Twenty-four hours later the awnings were up, andall hands were panting under the blazing heat of a tropical sun.

  This sudden change prostrated the boys, and during the next two daysthey fanned themselves, drank iced drinks, and sought in vain for somespot where a breath of cool air could be found.

  It was the fourth day after the norther. While waiting for dinner to bebrought on deck (the meals had been served under the awnings since thestorm, for the cabin was too hot to permit even of their eating there),Teddy lay near the after starboard boat lazily wondering why that thincurl of blue smoke should come from the planking directly over thekitchen, instead of through the pipe as it always had before.

  Owing to the fact that there was no unusual disturbance he never fanciedfor a moment anything could be wrong, and remained gazing at it insilence so long that Neal asked curiously:

  "What do you see that is so very interesting?"

  "I was wondering what had happened to the galley pipe."

  "How do you know that it isn't all right?"

  "I suppose it is; but it looks queer to see that smoke coming up as iffrom the deck."

  Neal looked in the direction indicated by Teddy's outstretched finger,and seeing the blue curl, which had now grown considerably thicker,sprang to his feet very quickly.

  Without speaking to his friend he ran forward, Teddy still ignorantthere was any danger, and in the shortest possible space of time Mr.Walters came from the wheel-house in response to Neal's emphaticrequest.

  To Teddy it seemed as if but an instant elapsed before the deck was ascene of confusion, and as all hands were called for duty he heard oneof the sailors cry in a tone of alarm:

  "Tumble up, boys, the yacht is on fire!"