The Boy Chums in the Gulf of Mexico

by Carol Norton

  CHAPTER XVIII.

  IMPRISONED.

  "WE need one of you," explained Manuel, with startling frankness."Perhaps we could get along without but it does not pay to takechances. There is a government cutter which patrols the banks to seethat the sponging vessels are complying with the laws. She may comeupon us accidentally any time and it would be awkward explaining why wecontinued to work without American officers. It would very likely getus into trouble. But if one of you takes the part of the captain andshows the papers and explains that the rest have died from fever, allwill go smoothly."

  "I suppose you have decided which one of us you want?" Charley asked,curiously.

  "Any one of you will do, but we prefer you. You have brains enough torealize where your own interests lie. It is easier to handle a smartman than a fool. Consider the chance we are giving you, on the one handslow, painful, certain death; on the other, an honored position, greatwealth and safety--we are generous indeed."

  "But how do you know that I will play fair?"

  "The moment you joined us you would be as liable to the law as the restof us," Manuel said calmly, "We would live or hang together. You wouldnot dare to trifle with us, and I should watch you closely all thetime."

  "Here is my answer," declared Charley, whose indignation had beensteadily rising at the cold-blooded proposal. "If you would all keepyour part of the agreement,--which I am convinced you would not do, I'ddie rather than join such a pack of dirty murderers."

  "You are a bigger fool than I thought," replied the Greek calmly."I will leave you to consider the matter better. Hunger is a greatpersuader, and I am in hopes that you will soon see where your bestinterests lie. Good-night, gentlemen, good-night, may your dreams be ofthe pleasantest."

  "He's evidently somewhat worried," said Charley, hopefully, when theGreek's mocking voice had ceased. "He believes, I guess, that there isa good chance of the cutter coming upon him or he would not make sucha proposal, although he would not keep his part of it any longer thanthe danger lasted. Our only hope is to keep up our strength and spiritsas long as possible. There is a chance that the cutter may come alongbefore it is too late. Better all turn in and get some rest while youare still not too hungry to sleep. I will call one of you to take myplace as soon as my four hours are up, although I do not believe thatthey will trouble us."

  The lad was right in his belief. The night passed away without anyalarm and they were able by turns to get some little sleep. With thecoming of daylight, they crowded to the windows and searched the drearywaste of waters for sign of smoke or sail, but found none. The crewwere going about their work in cheerful unconcern. Leaving a half dozenmen on the schooner, the balance got aboard the diving boat and sailedout to the sponge ground where they could be seen working steadily allday bringing up the gold from the bottom. The prisoners suffered muchduring the long day from their increasing hunger and thirst.

  At night the diving boat returned to the schooner and the dispiritedwatchers could see that the crew had not wasted their day by any means.Both sponge baskets were nearly full of the gold coins.

  "We've got to do something, I don't care how desperate it is," declaredCaptain Westfield. "Anything is better than this keeping still andsuffering. By to-morrow this time we'll be too weak to do much and tharain't no certainty that the cutter will come along this way at all. I'min for doing something, no matter what."

  Charley turned from his gazing out of the window, "Look here,Captain," he called, softly. "Speak low," he cautioned as the oldsailor crept to his side, "we don't want them to hear us on deck."

  "Geewhilikens!" whispered the old seaman in swift comprehension,"they've left the diving boat fastened right under our windows."

  "God grant that they may not think to move it," the lad replied,trembling with excitement. "We can do nothing until it gets dark andthey retire to the forecastle."

  Walter and Chris were quickly made acquainted with the suddenly-offeredchance of escape and their joy knew no bounds.

  Then followed hours which seemed like days to the breathless, anxiouswatchers. The Greeks ate their supper and lounged around the decktalking and laughing. It seemed as though they would never retire totheir bunks. But at last their voices gradually ceased and silencesettled down upon the schooner. Charley cautiously opened one of thebig windows and swung it outward, then climbing softly toward theopening, lowered himself to the diving boat's deck. The Captain,Walter, and Chris followed. Not a word was spoken for each realizedthe terrible risk they were running. As soon as all were crouchedmotionless aboard, Charley, with his knife, severed the rope whichbound them to the schooner and the boat drifted slowly away from theship's side.

  No one moved until the schooner was at last lost in the darkness.

  "Start up the engine," said Charley, as he took the helm, and Walterslipped down amongst the machinery. After a few minutes' fumbling inthe darkness, he crept back.

  "There's no gasoline in the tank," he announced.

  "Everything seems against us," Charley sighed. "Well, get sail on her.We will have to do the best we can."

  In a few minutes the great square sail was spread, and, leaning over,the little craft sent a line of foam rippling from her bow.

  "They'll have hard work finding us in this darkness," exulted thecaptain as he took the helm from Charley. "I reckon, we'd better shapea course for the nearest port,--that's Judson. As soon as we get thar,we can telegraph to all the ports along the coast to watch out forthe schooner. We've got 'em now, I reckon, lads, they'll have to putin somewhere sooner or later, an' they'll be nabbed. I feel just likeyelling for joy."

  The rising spirits of the little party were helped by Chris' discoveryof a couple of loaves of stale black bread, and part of a bottle ofripe olives in one of the lockers. They made a meagre but very welcomerepast upon the uninviting food.

  But their joy over their lucky escape was soon dampened by thethreatening appearance of the Western sky. A heavy bank of clouds wasslowly rising there from which came flashes of lightning and the rumbleof distant thunder.

  "I reckon, it ain't nothin' but a thunder squall," the captain assuredthem. "Thar ain't no call to be uneasy, this is a mighty seaworthylittle craft. I reckon, we could ride out a right smart gale in her ifwe had it to do."

  Before they ran much further the captain gave the order to lower andreef the great sail. When hoisted again, it was only a tiny patch ofcanvas, as compared with its former size.

  "Thar's only one thing for us to do when that squall strikes us an'that's to scud before it," the old captain declared. "We can't heaveher to under that sail. Luckily, the way it's coming won't blow us outof our course much."

  They had not long to wait for the storm to burst. The wind soondescended with a violence that threatened to bury the diving boat inthe seas it brought with it. But the little craft had been built tostand just such weather, and, quickly gathering headway, she dartedaway before the gale. With the wind came the rain in great driving,blinding sheets. The boys hailed its appearance with joy. They spreadout their jackets, bits of sail, and even their hats to catch theprecious drops. In a short while they had secured enough to quenchtheir intense thirst. This done, they gathered around the captain atthe helm ready to render any assistance in their power. There waslittle they could do for the old sailor would trust no one but himselfto steer in the heavy sea-way. As the hours passed by without showingany abatement of the storm, it became evident to his companions that hewas growing anxious.

  "I don't like the way it's hanging on," he declared. "We must be makingat least twelve miles an hour and, at that rate, we will have the landclose aboard before daylight. Crawl forward, Charley, an' keep a sharplook-out, the sky is clearing some an', I reckon, you can see a fewhundred feet ahead."

  The lad obediently worked his way up into the bow, and bracing himselfagainst the anchor bitts, peered ahead into the darkness. He could makeout nothing at first but the heavy foam-flecked, tossing water. He satwatching intently till, at last, Walter
crawled forward to take hisplace. He had only got part way back to the stern when there came a cryfrom his chum,

  "Hard down! hard down!"

  With true seaman's quickness, the Captain jammed the long tiller overand the little craft, escaping broaching in the trough of the seas by amiracle, shot up into the wind--a second too late.

  "Hang on for your lives!" the old sailor cried.

  Black masses loomed out of the darkness to leeward. A great wave pickedup the helpless boat and flung it with crashing, breaking timbers, uponthe rocks.