by James Otis
CHAPTER II.
THE BONITA.
Harry and Walter remained motionless and speechless on the rail staringat Jim for several moments after this startling announcement had beenmade, and there was a decided look of fear on the faces of all three.The mere suggestion of pirates was enough to send the cold chills downtheir spinal columns, while the mystery connected with the abandonmentof an apparently sound craft caused them to feel very uncomfortable inmind.
Walter glanced apprehensively over his shoulder as if expecting to seesome terrible sight seaward, and the slightest ominous sound would havesent the visitors into the Sally as the only place of refuge.
It was fully five minutes before Harry succeeded in gaining the masteryover his fears, and then he said, with an evident attempt to make hisvoice sound firm as he leaped from the rail:
"Say, boys, we're making fools of ourselves by getting frightened at anempty ship! Suppose the pirates _have_ been on board; there are nonehere now, and I don't see any reason why we shouldn't go below."
"I'm with you," Jim replied; but by taking up his position at Harry'sside he showed very plainly that it was not his intention to lead theexploring party.
"I'll go, too, rather than stay on deck alone; but, according to my wayof thinking, we'd better start for the Isle of Shoals instead of stayingon a vessel like this." And once more Walter looked over the rail at theSally, which was taking in water quite rapidly now that the bailing-dishwas idle.
Harry and Jim had started toward the cabin before Walter ceasedspeaking, therefore he had no choice save to follow them, and with anundefined feeling of awe the three went down the stairs into acomfortably but not expensively furnished saloon, from each side ofwhich led the eight state-rooms.
To judge by the general appearance of affairs one would have said thatthe officers had but just gone on deck. On the long, stationary tablewere sewing materials and a woman's work-basket; in one of the chairs anopen book, and on a locker was the log-slate with the reckoningpartially worked out.
The only suspicious object to be seen was a sword, which had beenwithdrawn from its scabbard and thrown on the cabin floor. The blade wascovered with spots which might have been blood-stains or nothing butrust, and the visitors gathered around the sinister-looking weaponwithout offering to touch it.
"The sword doesn't prove that pirates have been here," Harry said, aftera long silence. "There couldn't have been much of a fight or we shouldsee more signs of it. Perhaps somebody is in one of the state-rooms."
"It won't take long to find out." And Jim boldly opened the nearestdoor, a goodly portion of his courage having returned since the searchthus far had failed to reveal any very horrible sight.
In rapid succession the searchers went from one room to another,stopping at each only long enough to make sure no person was concealedtherein, and to take a general but hasty survey of its contents.
Every tiny apartment showed signs of recent occupancy. A sea-chest,clothes hanging on the walls, and such belongings as a sailor would deemnecessary for a long voyage, could be seen. In one state-room was a setof gold studs and sleeve-buttons and a new quadrant. In another, whichJim confidently asserted was the captain's, a watch hung at the head ofthe berth, while a small writing-desk was littered with papers.
"All hands have gone somewhere, that's certain," Jim said when thesearch was concluded; "an' before we go ashore it won't do any harm tohave dinner. If the pantry has been left like the cabin, we stand a goodchance of finding plenty of grub."
"I'm hungry enough to eat almost anything," Harry replied with a laugh."So if you know where the food is kept we'll have lunch before beginningthe long pull home."
Jim was thoroughly well acquainted with the general arrangement ofvessels of this size, and without hesitation he led the way to thepantry, where was found a large assortment of delicacies for the cabintable.
In this room were many boxes and packages which had not been broken, andas each bore the mark "Brig Bonita," the name of the craft was known aswell as if the boys had seen the gilt letters under the stern.
Just at this time, however, the visitors gave but little heed toanything connected with the abandoned craft save the provisions, andthese they sampled generously, beginning with nuts and ending with jam;each one eating until it was an absolute impossibility to swallowanother mouthful.
During the varied but hearty meal they failed to notice that the brighad heeled over slightly, or that there was considerable more motionthan when they first came aboard. The feast drove all thoughts of thegeneral condition of affairs from their minds until it was finished, andthen Jim said:
"Now, what's to be done? It seems a pity to leave this craft and allthese things; but I don't s'pose we could tow her in to the Shoals."
Even though Harry and Walter knew nothing about seamanship, theyunderstood how ridiculous it would be to make any attempt at towing athree-hundred-ton brig with a crazy little boat like the Sally, andtheir merriment was so great when Jim made this remark that he thoughtit necessary to defend himself by saying:
"I've seen folks tow bigger vessels than this; an' I was only thinkin'how fine it would be to take her in, for since there's nobody aboardwe'd own everything."
"Well, so long as it can't be done we'd better go back," Walter said ashe suddenly remembered his neglect of duty and the very grave reason whyhe should be at the hotel before his mother returned.
Neither Harry nor Jim believed there was any necessity for making ahurried departure, and fully half an hour more elapsed before they wereready to go on deck. Even then they would have delayed still further hadnot a violent motion of the vessel caused Jim to cry, as he sprangtoward the companion-way:
"The wind has freshened, and if we want to get back to-night it's timewe were off!"
Then, as he gained the deck, fear and surprise took the place of hissuddenly aroused anxiety. The wind had sprung up and must have done so along while before, for now there was no sign of land in eitherdirection, unless, indeed, a dark smudge far down to windward might bethe island which had been so close aboard a few hours previous, and theBonita was working on a zigzag course seaward. Owing to the fact thatthe head-sheets were flowing, each time she fell off sufficiently to getthe wind abaft the beam she would fill her topsails and gather way, thencome to, stop, and again fall off; making, as a sailor would say,"boards and half-boards."
Harry and Walter were so thoroughly amazed and alarmed by this suddendisappearance of the land, as it were, that they gave no heed toanything around them, but stood by the port rail amidships, searching invain with their eyes for the island.
Jim's knowledge of seamanship was decidedly limited; but he understoodfully why the Isle of Shoals was no longer in sight, and his one thoughtwas how they could leave the vessel, which was literally running awaywith them. Springing to the main chains where the Sally had been madefast, a single glance was sufficient to show of what little service shewould be to them just then. Leaking as she did, and towed now and thenat a rapid rate, the little craft was filled with water, nothing save avery small portion of the bow upheld by the painter being visible.
Hardly knowing what he did, the young fisherman ran fore and aft in adistracted way until Harry, aroused from his stupefaction by Jim'sapparently aimless movements, asked in a sharp tone of nervousirritation:
"What are you doing? Are we to stay here without trying to get back?"
"I wish you would tell me what we can do;" and Jim stopped short as heplunged his hands deeply in his pockets, looking Harry squarely in theface. "The Isle of Shoals must be a dozen miles away by this time; theSally is swamped, an' there's nothin' in the shape of a boat on board."
"But we _can't_ stay here and be carried out to sea!" Walter cried in ashrill tone of fear.
"If you think it's possible to swim back we won't stay; but I don't knowof any other way to get there!"
For an instant Walter acted as if he intended to make the attempt; andthen, as Harry seized his arm to prevent him
from leaping overboard, thepoor boy gave way to the most passionate grief, he began to realize thefull consequences of his disobedience, and could he have beentransported to the land just at that moment, Bessie would have openedher eyes wide in surprise at the great display of brotherly affection.
It seemed as if Walter's tears served to restore to Jim at least aportion of his senses, for he immediately assumed a business-like toneas he said:
"Now see here, fellers, we're in a scrape of course; but it won't do anygood to give up like this, 'cause if we try to help ourselves things mayturn out all right."
"If we can't get back in the Sally I don't see how we're going to helpourselves very much," and Harry made every effort to appear brave thatWalter might be cheered.
"Some vessel will surely heave in sight before long, an' we can signalto her. The first thing is to find a flag an' set it half-mast,union-down. Any craft would try to find out what the matter was afterseein' a thing like that, an' jes' as likely as not we'll be picked upbefore dark. Then we must get some of this canvas off of her so shecan't sail so fast, an' when that's done matters won't be so very bad,for we can keep goin' straight ahead till we come out somewhere."
Jim spoke in such a matter-of-fact tone that the courage of hiscompanions was revived at once. They had not thought of the possibilitythat a vessel might be sighted; but now it seemed very probable, and thetwo boys set about the proposed task with hopeful hearts.
The wind continued to freshen, and in her limping way the Bonita workedslowly but surely seaward with a wide expanse of ocean before her, whilethe force on board was hardly sufficient to keep the helm steady inheavy weather.