by Roy J. Snell
CHAPTER V.
A CLOSE SHAVE.
Although Sidney had been on the ledge but little more than twenty-fourhours, and a goodly portion of this time had been spent in sleeping, hewas already beginning to feel that sense of imprisonment which comes tothose who, for the first time, are confined to any limited space, andthe idea of being afloat once more was very pleasing.
"Are you going out fishing with us, Mr. Peters?" he asked when the mealwas nearly at an end, and the first assistant replied promptly:
"Not a bit of it, lad. I reckon if one of this 'ere crew fools away aforenoon, it's about as much nonsense as is allowed by the rules an'regerlations. I'll keep to work on your boat, an' do my best to get herinter shape before an easterly gale puts an end to the job."
"It doesn't seem like nonsense, sir, to go after fish when you need themfor food," Sidney suggested timidly, and Mr. Peters replied, with anaccusing glance at Captain Eph:
"If that was all you counted on, it might look different to ahard-workin' man like me; but the keeper of this 'ere light never goesfishin' till he's hankerin' for what he calls sport, an' the food partof it is only an excuse for idlin'."
"Watch close when we get back with a good fare of cod, Sonny, an' you'llsee Sammy put himself outside of four or five pounds jest as quick as ifthey'd been caught by right hard work that had no sport in it."
"Of course I'll eat the fish when they are caught," Mr. Peters exclaimedindignantly. "Do you suppose I'm that wasteful to let fresh cod spoil? Ihaven't got anything agin folks goin' fishin', only when you come tothinkin' that as soon as a storm springs up we'll be shut off fromworkin' on the motor boat, it seems a good deal like wastin' time, sincewe ain't really dyin' for need of that kind of food."
"Well, well, Sammy," Captain Eph said soothingly, "I allow that as muchwork will be done by you alone, as if all hands of us turned to and lenta hand, for you'd be desperately sorry if Uncle Zenas or I insisted ondrivin' a single nail."
Then the keeper descended the ladder leading from the kitchen to therocks, and Sidney would have followed immediately, but that Uncle Zenasinsisted on dressing him in a suit of oil-skins before he went outside.
A comical appearance did the lad present when he was clad in oiledgarments which had been made for the cook. It was necessary to turn backthe sleeves of the coat until he had around his wrists huge rolls of thestiff fabric, causing Mr. Peters to remark that in case they "neededfenders for the boat it would only be necessary for Sonny to let hisarms hang over the rail." The legs of the trousers were treated in thesame manner as the sleeves, and when he was fully clad, the skirt of thecoat dragged on the ground, while the waistband of the trousers wasfastened under his arms.
"I don't know whether I could catch fish, even if I was properly dressedfor it," Sidney said with a laugh as Uncle Zenas folded the coat aroundhim, using a piece of rope as a belt; "but no matter how sharply theybite, it wouldn't be possible for me to pull one in while I am rigged upin this fashion."
"Better never catch a fish, than catch a cold," Uncle Zenas saidsoothingly. "This 'ere fog will wet a man through almost as soon asrain, an' you're likely to be out in the boat three or four hours, forCaptain Eph always counts on goin' to the shoal near the whistlin' buoy,and that means a long pull from here."
By the time Sidney was ready for the voyage Captain Eph had launched thelight-house boat until she rested on the foot of the ways, with herstern just touching the water, and when the lad came up the keepertossed him gently into the boat, jumping in after him as he shoved heroff into the little cove.
"Sit right here in the stern-sheets, for I allow you wouldn't cut anyvery great figure at handlin' such oars as we use, seein's how they aremuch too heavy an' too long for your short arms."
"Can't I steer, Captain Eph?"
"I don't reckon you'd do yourself very proud by tryin' anything of thekind, Sonny. In this 'ere smother it's a case of goin' by ear, an' I'llpull up to the sound of the whistle, so make yourself comfortable in thestern-sheets. The line you see there I laid out for you, an' it wouldn'tbe a bad idee, if you want to be at work on somethin', to overhaul it.The bait is in this 'ere can amidships."
Then Captain Eph settled down to the oars, pulling with a long, steadystroke that sent the light dory ahead at a smart rate of speed, andSidney, who had never been in such a craft before, was surprised to findhow buoyantly she rode the waves.
"Yes, a dory knocks a keel-boat all to pieces in a sea-way," Captain Ephreplied when the lad spoke of their craft. "Providin' you can keep herhead to the wind, she'll live through a gale that would swamp anordinary schooner."
Then the keeper began questioning the lad regarding his past, and beforethey were come to the fishing grounds, Sidney had told all the story ofhis short life.
"I reckon we'll anchor, for we're in the shoalest part of the water,"Captain Eph said, as if it had been possible for him to see distinctly,instead of being enveloped in dense fog as they were, and a momentlater, when the dory had come up on the cable, he announced that theywere directly over the shoal.
"I don't understand how you could find just this spot when it'simpossible to see anything," Sidney said wonderingly, and Captain Ephreplied in a tone of satisfaction:
"I reckon comin' out from the ledge has become what you might callsecond nature with me, seein's how I've been knockin' about here solong; but there ain't anything very astonishin' in findin' a shoal thatstands close by a buoy, for a man's ears ought to be as good as hiseyes. Howsomever, we're here, an' now it's our business to catch as manyfish as we can. I'll bait your hook, Sonny, an' you're to let it downuntil you feel that the lead strikes bottom, then pull her up four orfive feet an' wait till you get a good, strong jerk. After that it's acase of landin' your fish, or losin' it, cordin' to the amount of commonsense you bring into play."
In less than five minutes Sidney had caught his first fish, and as hehauled it over the rail after considerable labor, during which CaptainEph watched him keenly, but without giving any advice, he decided thatdeep-sea fishing went ahead of any sport in which he had ever indulged.
"You're a born fisherman, an' no mistake, Sonny," Captain Eph said as hetook the fish from the hook, and put on fresh bait. "Uncle Zenascouldn't have done any better, an' he kind'er prides himself on bein' amaster hand at handlin' a hook. You've taken the first fish, an' I'mlookin' to see you come out high-line on this 'ere voyage."
After this, but little conversation was indulged in during the half hourwhich followed. The fish bit well, and it seemed to Sidney that they hadtaken all the light-house crew could eat in a month, when he saw CaptainEph raise his head suddenly as he peered into the fog.
"What is it?" he asked.
"Don't you hear anythin,' Sonny?"
"If you mean that pounding, I've been hearing it quite a while, and itsounds louder every minute."
"It's the paddle-wheel of a steamer, lad, an' what a craft of that kindis doin' 'round here beats me. She's comin' straight for us, countin' toleave the buoy to starboard, I reckon, an' if we only had my reporthere, what a great chance this would be to send it ashore!"
Now that he knew the cause of the thud-thud-thud which came across thewaters, Sidney wondered why he had been so dull in recognizing it. Hehad often heard similar sounds when on the deck of his father's vessel,but then they were not so distinct or threatening as now, when he wasnearer the surface of the sea.
He had been hoping it might be possible for him to catch more fish thandid his companion, and he gave all his attention to the line once more,until he noted the fact that an expression of anxiety had come over thekeeper's face.
"Is anything gone wrong, sir?" he asked with mild curiosity.
"I wish I knew, Sonny, an' that's a fact. I can't make out why aside-wheel steamer should be comin' so near the ledge, an' then agin,why don't she shift her course? It ain't as if they couldn't hear thewhistle."
Even then Sidney failed to understand that they might be in any danger,until Captain Eph bega
n shouting at the full strength of his lungs as hehauled up the anchor hurriedly, and again the lad asked:
"Is there any danger, sir?"
"I can't make out why the idjuts don't shift their course! Unless theytake a turn at the wheel mighty soon, they'll not only run us down, butstand a precious good show of pilin' up high an' dry on Carys' Ledge!Sing out, Sonny, an' make all the noise you can!"
Sidney obeyed instantly, for now the churning noise sounded so near athand that he almost began to believe he could distinguish the bow of thesteamer amid the thick gray mist, and both he and Captain Eph screamedat the full force of their lungs, the keeper shouting now and then:
"Port! Port your hel'um, or you'll be on the ledge!"
Nearer and nearer the noise came until it seemed as if the stranger wasdirectly upon them, and Captain Eph had thrown off his coat and bootsready for the worst, when there was an answering toot from the steamwhistle.
"Port! Port, you lubbers! You're close afoul of Carys' Ledge!"
Another answer from the whistle, and the bow of the recklessly-steeredcraft came from out the fog not thirty feet away, while Captain Ephsprang to the oars, pulling the little dory for dear life out of thetrack of the steamer.
He worked with a will, and as the huge hull passed, disappearing almostimmediately in the vapor, the dory was hardly more than ten yards fromthe mighty paddles, which would, despite the fact that the course hadbeen shifted, have crushed the little boat into splinters, but for theold keeper's exertions.
"YOU LUBBERS!" CAPTAIN EPH SCREAMED.]
"You lubbers!" Captain Eph screamed as he leaped to his feet and shookhis fist in the direction where the steamer had disappeared. "Get a scowthe next time you go out sailin', for you ain't fit to run anything thatgoes by steam!"
It is not probable the words were heard by those on the wildly steeredcraft; but the speaking of them seemed to do the old keeper a world ofgood, although he was very nearly thrown over-board by the violenttossing of the dory on the swell raised by the wheels.
"I've been knockin' about at sea, man an' boy, pretty much all my life,except for the spell I was in the army, an' that's the closest shave Iever had!" Captain Eph cried as he pulled in the oars to wipe theperspiration from his face. "We jest squeaked out of it, an' that'sabout all you can say, holdin' to the truth!"
"Did you make out what steamer it was?" Sidney asked, raising thequestion not so much because he was eager for information, as to hidethe terror which he feared might be read on his face.
"If I had, I'd pull this 'ere dory all the way to the mainland for thesake of reportin' 'em as a crew of lunatics what ought'er be lockedup before they drown themselves! It was some pleasure craft, manned by alot of idjuts who most likely think they are sailormen because of oncehavin' sailed a toy boat in a wash-tub," and Captain Eph took up theoars again. "I reckon we'll let that put an end to our fishin' for thisday."
Sidney was by no means sorry to go back to the ledge; he had begun torealize what deadly dangers might lurk behind that dense, gray vapor,and was eager to be in the comparative security of the light-house oncemore.
Captain Eph did not cease scolding at the "imitation sailors," as hecalled them, until the bow of the dory was run into the narrow channelbetween the rocks, where Mr. Peters could be dimly seen at work on themotor boat.
"Did you find out what steamer that was which went past here a littlewhile ago?" Mr. Peters asked without raising his head, and the oldkeeper remained silent, as if he had cause for complaint against thefirst assistant.
Then Captain Eph proceeded to haul the dory up into the cementboat-house, by the aid of the windlass, Sidney assisting to the best ofhis ability, and Mr. Peters repeated the question.
Not until the fish had been laid out on the rocks ready for cleaning,and the boat properly cared for, did the keeper speak, and then he toldthe whole story to his assistant, concluding by saying:
"The master of that 'ere craft ought'er lose his certificate, an' spendthe rest of his nat'ral life in jail, to prevent him from doin'mischief. The idee of cruisin' 'round here without knowin' where thislight was!"
"Most like he got mixed up by the fog, an' was goin' it blind," Mr.Peters suggested so calmly that Captain Eph really lost his temper, andcried angrily:
"If you don't hold your tongue, Sammy, I shall begin to think you'realmost as big a fool as the cap'n of that 'ere steamer!" and having thusapparently relieved his mind, the keeper marched stiffly toward thetower.
"Chafin' under the collar, eh, lad?" Mr. Peters said with a smile, toSidney. "I allow he's had reason to get riled, an' it did him a wholelot of good to blow off on me. Wa'al, I'm glad I gave him the chance,for it didn't hurt a little bit, an' he'll feel a heap better."
Then Mr. Peters turned his attention once more to the work in hand, andSidney was doubtful as to whether he should follow the keeper, or remainwhere he was, until Uncle Zenas came out of the tower, saying as heapproached the lad:
"That 'ere fool steamer has riled Cap'n Eph so bad that I don't reckonthere's any chance he'll raise his hand towards cleanin' these fish, an'the whole brunt of the work falls on me, as it allers does. Come withme, Sonny, if you've got nothin' better to do, an' I don't reckon youhave, 'cause there's precious little goin' on 'round here, 'cept whenthe inspector comes."
"How often does he visit you?" Sidney asked, thinking it necessary to dosomething toward starting a conversation.
"He makes a reg'lar inspection of every blessed thing four times a year,an' sometimes the tender comes oftener to pay us off; but we can'treally count on that last."
"Don't you ever go to the mainland on a vacation?"
"Oh, bless you, yes, every once in a while. I was off three years agolast July, an' the year before that Cap'n Eph went; but Sammy stickshere pretty close. He allows that it makes a man flighty to gogallivantin' 'round as much as I do, but I tell him he's so flightyalready that he couldn't well be any worse."
"Could you go oftener if you wanted to?"
"Bless you, lad, yes, so long as two were left behind to look after thelight; but 'cordin' to my idee we're away as much as is good for us."
"Don't you ever get lonesome, especially in the winter, when no one canland on the ledge?" Sidney asked, and Uncle Zenas replied as if insurprise.
"Why should we? Ain't three of us enough for company? When all hands getto loafin' 'round the kitchen I think it's reg'larly crowded. The factof the matter is, Sonny, we don't really have time for anything of thatkind. What with keepin' the place cleaned 'cordin' to the rules an'regerlations, an' doin' the odd chores, about all the time is so took upwe couldn't be lonesome if we wanted to; but we don't."
Uncle Zenas had been industriously cleaning the fish while talking, andthe task was nearly finished when, after a long time of silence, Sidneyasked timidly:
"Had you just as soon tell me why all the crew call me 'Sonny,' when myright name is Sidney?"
"Wa'al, I can't say, 'cept that Cap'n Eph is allers talkin' 'bout hislittle Sonny, what died ever so many years ago, an' when he gave thename to you, it come kind'er nat'ral for Sammy an' me to use it."
Sidney dimly understood that Captain Eph had done him a great favor bycalling him Sonny, and from that moment, while he remained on Carys'Ledge, he felt in a certain degree slighted when any other name wasbestowed upon him.
Uncle Zenas explained that only a few of the fish would be cooked atonce, while the remainder were to be put into pickle until the sunshone, when, spread out on the rocks, they could be cured.
"Then they'll be somethin' worth talkin' about," the cook said as Sidneyhelped him carry into the tower such of the morning's catch as were tobe served for dinner. "Folks ashore will eat most anything that lookslike a salt fish, an' think it's jest what it ought'er be, the poor,ignorant things! I'll show you some with pork scraps that'll make youreyes water, if you stay here long enough."
At this point Captain Eph came down from the upper portion of the towerlooking as calm and contented as befor
e the experience on the shoal,and, noting the change, Uncle Zenas asked as he set about frying thefish:
"Feel better now?"
"Indeed I do," the keeper replied emphatically. "I've writ down in thelog all I know about the lubbers what came so near stavin' in our dory,an' if the Board don't do somethin' toward stoppin' sich recklessness,it'll be because they don't care anything 'bout Government property an'them as are hired to look out for it."
"But how can anything be done when you don't know the name of thesteamer?" Uncle Zenas asked in perplexity, and Captain Eph repliedsharply:
"It ain't for me to show the Government how things should be done. I'velet the Board know how they came near to losin' a light keeper, an' it'stheir business to put a stop to sich fool work as runnin' full speedbetween the buoy an' the ledge. Wa'al, Sonny," and the keeper turnedtoward Sidney, "what's your idee of deep-sea fishin'?"
"There's lots of fun in it; but I believe that I'd rather not go outagain while the fog is so thick."
"The fog ain't half so bad as imitation sailormen; but it isn't likelywe'll need to go again very soon, because Uncle Zenas has got all thefish he can take care of for quite a spell. We'll have fresh cod fordinner, corned cod for breakfast, an' so on till there's a chance forboiled salt cod with plenty of pork."
When a lad is eager to be of assistance to those around him, there isalways ample opportunity, and during the remainder of this day Sidneyfound something with which to occupy his time. More than once was heable to render valuable service in the work of repairing the boat; UncleZenas declared that the lad had "helped him out wonderfully," andCaptain Eph discovered that the visitor's penmanship was very much morelegible than his own, therefore the "report" to the Board relative tothe coming of a boat belonging to the schooner _West Wind_ was copiedneatly, with much advantage, so far as the general appearance of thedocument was concerned.
At the supper table Mr. Peters announced that his task would becompleted by noon of the next day, and proposed that Sidney try themotor to make certain it was in running order.
"Don't undertake to leave the cove, Sonny," Captain Eph said quickly,"unless it so be that this 'ere fog mull lifts, in which case I'll gowith you."
"I'll undertake to run that boat to the mainland, fog or no fog!" Mr.Peters cried. "Do you mean to say, Cap'n Eph, that you allow to wait forclear weather before we take your report ashore?"
"If you can run the motor, Sammy, you're at liberty to make the trip anytime you please; but I won't allow Sonny to take chances," the keepersaid very decidedly.
"Perhaps you think I can't be trusted to steer for him even in fairweather?" Mr. Peters cried impatiently.
"So far as runnin' a boat from here to the mainland, I'd trust you,Sammy, in any weather, day or night, for there's nobody who could do itbetter; but for all that, when Sonny runs the motor, I shall be at thehelm every time, for I ain't takin' any chances."
"Do you mean to say I can't go ashore with him?"
"Not a bit of it, Sammy. In fair weather there's no reason why both ofus shouldn't leave the light, so long as Uncle Zenas stays on duty; butSonny don't go away from this ledge without me, until his own fathercomes after him, an' then all hands of us'll be sorry to part with thelittle shaver."
Captain Eph spoke in a tone which told his comrades that he would notlisten to any argument, and Mr. Peters looked as if he was on the vergeof a fit of the sulks, when Uncle Zenas said placidly, probably with theidea of restoring good humor:
"I think it would be a proper plan for both of you to go; by startin' inthe mornin' after the lantern is cleaned, you should be back by noon,an' if two are ashore, we can get a lot of shoppin' done. There are agood many things I'm needin' that the Board don't furnish."
Captain Eph suggested that a list be made of the articles needed, andSidney wrote as the others directed, until Mr. Peters forgot that he hadbeen displeased at the idea of Captain Eph's making one of the party,and laid so many plans for the "outing" that a full week would not havesufficed to carry them all into execution.
That night Sidney tried to persuade the keeper to sleep in his own room,and let him use one of the beds on the upper floor; but Captain Eph wasso emphatic in his refusal that the lad could do no less than hold hispeace.
He did not sleep very soundly on this night, however, because of beingeager to go on watch with the keeper. It seemed as if he awakened everyten minutes, and strained his ears to detect any sound which betokenedthe changing of the watches, while twice he crept softly to the head ofthe stairs to make certain Captain Eph was yet in bed.
It seemed to the lad like a piece of rare good luck that he chanced tobe awake when it was time for the keeper to go on duty, and then,dressing hurriedly, he crept up to the watch-room, enjoying it hugelywhen the old man started in surprise as his footstep sounded on thefloor.
"Didn't think I could waken, did you?" he cried gleefully, and CaptainEph took him in his arms as he replied:
"I didn't allow you should, if I could help it, because there's noreason for you to turn out so early."
"But I had rather; it makes it seem as if I was of some use here,instead of being a loafer."
"Bless your soul, Sonny, you'd be of use if you didn't do more than letus old shell-backs look at you," and Captain Eph seated himself in thechair, rocking the lad as if he had been a baby. "You never can know howmuch good it has done us to have you here. If it wasn't for the soreheart I know your father has this minute, I'd thank God you got lost inthe fog, an' pray that you might never find your way off this 'ere ledgeso long as I lived."
"You're mighty good to me," Sidney said, at a loss for words.
"It's me who's gettin' all the good out of it," Captain Eph replied witha vain attempt to speak in a careless tone. "Say, you don't mind if Irock you here on my knee while there's nobody by to see us, do you,Sonny? You put me in mind of a little shaver who spent a good many hoursin my lap an' it kind'er makes me feel better to put my arms aroundyou."
"Mind it, of course I don't, except that I'm glad to have you hold me,"Sidney cried, guessing something of that which was in the old man'sheart, and laying his head on the keeper's shoulder.
The clock which regulated the flashing of the light ticked loudly; theboom of the surf against the black reef sounded like distant thunder;but Captain Eph heard nothing save the soft breathing of the lad afterhe fell asleep, and saw nothing save the face of the "little shaver"against which he pressed his lips from time to time, while his eyelidsglistened in the lamp-light as if they had been wet with dew.