The Iron Boys on the Ore Boats; or, Roughing It on the Great Lakes

by Percy F. Westerman

  CHAPTER XXI

  A NEW HAND AT THE WHEEL

  MARIE had entirely recovered consciousness when the lads entered thesteward's cabin. But the child's face was chalky white, her lipscolorless and her eyes dull.

  Captain Simms had sent for his wife, who, ill in her stateroom, had notknown of the exciting events that were taking place at the other end ofthe ship. Mrs. Simms forgot all about her seasickness when summoned andtold what had happened.

  Marie's eyes lighted up when they rested on the dripping forms of theIron Boys.

  "Hello, kiddie," greeted Jarvis. "How'd you like your swim?"

  "Come and kiss me," answered the child simply.

  Jarvis blushed, but braced himself. Then, stooping over, he gentlykissed the little one on the cheek.

  "You, too, Steve," she nodded with compelling eyes.

  Then Steve Rush kissed her, patted her cheek and straightened up to meetthe arms of the captain's wife.

  "You saved her life," she murmured.

  "I beg your pardon, Mrs. Simms; it's Bob Jarvis whom you should thank.He's the real hero this time. I'm only a sort of assistant hero," saidSteve with a laugh.

  The captain tried to speak, but something seemed to stick in his throat.He gulped, swallowed, then grasping both boys by the shoulders thrustthem from the cabin.

  "Get out! Get out you young rascals before I give you a sound thumping!"he exploded, as the Iron Boys, laughing heartily, were ejected to thedeck.

  "That's a fine way to show a fellow's appreciation," snorted Bob. "Doyou know where that kiddie was going when she was swept overboard? Imean, before she was swept over?"

  "Coming aft?"

  "Yes; she was coming aft. She was coming aft to make a cake for you andme, that's what she was doing. She told me she was going to bake one forus to-day and she had the stuff in her hands that she was going to putinto the cake. It's a shame," added Jarvis, his voice pitched a littlehigher than usual.

  "Yes, but not half so bad as if we hadn't saved her, old man. I'm proudof you, Bob Jarvis."

  "You needn't be. I was the easiest kind of a mark. I would have drownedif it hadn't been for you."

  "And both of us would undoubtedly have gone down had it not been for thestoker, Smith. What do you make of that, Bob?"

  Jarvis halted reflectively.

  "I think," announced the lad wisely, "that he was--was--what do you saya fellow is suffering from when he goes dippy up here?" tapping the topof his head.

  "Temporary aberration?"

  "That's it. I wish I could think of things ready-made, the way you do.Well, I believe he must have been suffering from that. He'll be wantingto lick us again the minute he sets eyes on us."

  "Here he comes now. He's just come up from his watch. Oh, Smith!"

  The stoker halted, then started on again. Steve grasped his arm. Thefellow shook the lad loose.

  "See here, we want to talk to you."

  Smith halted reluctantly.

  "I want to take back every unpleasant thing I have ever said to you. Atthe same time I want to apologize for what I have done. I've been in thewrong all the time, I guess. Will you shake hands?"

  The stoker hesitated, shifted uneasily, all the time avoiding lookinginto the eyes of the Iron Boys. Finally he thrust out a reluctant hand.

  Steve grabbed it and Bob caught up the other. The stoker, muttering halfsullenly, broke away and ran into the deck-house, leaving the boysstanding outside looking at each other.

  "Well, that beats anything I ever saw," growled Bob.

  "Do you know," said Steve reflectively, "I believe that fellow has beena criminal of some sort. The way his eyes avoid yours, his shifty,hang-dog manner, reminds me of certain other gentlemen whom I have seen.However, after what he has done for us, it is not for you and me to tryto get him into any further trouble. He saved our lives and that's allthere is about it so far as we are concerned. I don't believe he willtry any more tricks on us. He is the man who hit me on deck here theother night. I'm just as sure of it as I am that we are standing herenow. Captain Simms gave him an awful walloping. Maybe that's what beatsome sense into the fellow's head."

  All the rest of the day Marie remained in bed. The captain, who had goneback to the pilot-house after carrying the child to his own quarters,made frequent trips below to see how she was getting on. She was doingso well that she wanted to get up and play.

  The rest of the day passed without incident, though the gale, ifanything, grew worse. The air was filled with flying spray that reachedhigh up on the masts. The wireless operator picked up messages fromother ships that had sought safe harbor on the lee side of the islandsalong the lake, but thus far there had been no reports of disasters. Thecaptain had warned the operator to be on the sharp lookout for appealsfor help. To the satisfaction of all no cries for help came.

  The boys went about their duties, Rush taking another trick at the wheellate in the afternoon, leaving it along toward eight bells, midnight.Bob, in this instance, relieved him.

  The night was starless and intensely dark and the hurling spray madenecessary a sharp lookout ahead. Two men were stationed on the bridgeand another in the forepeak to watch for lights, though the captain didnot look for many that night. He knew that at least all the timidskippers, had scudded for calm water at the first signs of a big blow.Believing that all was safe he went to bed, and the ship went rollingand plunging, lurching and tumbling on her way, creaking and groaning asthough the effort caused her great pain.

  Shortly before daylight, Bob fancying that he heard some one enteringthe pilot-house, glanced at the open door on the lee side. At first hesaw nothing. Then all of a sudden a huge, shadowy form seemed to risefrom the floor at that point.

  Bob gazed in amazement.

  "What's that, Mr. Major?" he asked sharply.

  "Where?" demanded the mate, leaning out and looking forward.

  "There, there, at the door?"

  "I don't see anything."

  "Neither do I, now, but I did a moment ago. I----"

  Bob received a blow from a huge paw that tipped him over sideways,tumbling him over.

  "Help!" yelled the boy, bolting for the door.

  About this time the first mate, who had run around to the rear of thesteering wheel, got a blow on the side of the head that laid him low.He, too, scrambled to his feet and dashed for the door, slamming it shutafter him.

  "What's the trouble in there?" shouted one of the bridge watch, pokinghis head in at the window. He had heard some sort of disturbance in thepilot-house, he thought, but the wind being so strong he was unable todecide what the disturbance was about.

  There was no answer to his question.

  "I say----" he shouted; then something happened to him.

  A huge paw was stretched out through the forward pilot-house window. Itcame down on the head of the watch with a whack, laying him flat on thedeck.

  The second watch ran to where his companion had fallen.

  "Here, here, what's the mat----"

  The watch did not finish the sentence. A cuff on the ear, and a mightycuff at that, sent him clear to the end of the bridge, and had theweather cloths not been in place he would undoubtedly have been knockedthrough between the rails and into the sea.

  Both men set up a wild yell of fear.

  "It's some kind of animal!" shouted Bob. "Send for the captain. I'mgoing back to the wheel."

  Summoning all his courage the lad opened the pilot-house door, peeringcautiously in.

  He got a blow that knocked him over backwards and Bob Jarvis tumbled allthe way down the stairs to the main deck.

  Captain Simms came rushing out of his cabin in his pajamas.

  He had heard the running on the deck above him and surmising thatsomething had gone wrong, rushed out to the deck.

  "What's wrong? What's wrong?" he bellowed, casting a quick glance ahead,almost expecting to see another ship bearing down upon them. "I say,what's happened?"

  "Help!" howled the distant voice of Bob
Jarvis from the lower deck.

  "Help, help!" yelled the two men on the bridge watch in chorus.

  "Captain!" roared First Mate Major, bounding down the stairs to wherethe captain was standing.

  The skipper grabbed the mate by the arm and shook him violently.

  "Here, here! What's wrong? Have all of you lubbers gone mad?"

  "It--it's in the pilot-house!" gasped the now thoroughly frightenedmate.

  "What's in the pilot-house?" demanded Captain Simms angrily.

  "Nobody--I mean I don't know. It's a----"

  But the skipper waited to hear no more. He rushed up the stairs, twosteps at a jump. Reaching the bridge deck he sprang for the door of thepilot-house and jerked it open. As he did so his keen eyes caught sightof a huge, shadowy figure at the wheel. The strange, uncouth shape wastwirling the wheel merrily, while the ship was diving this way and thatin a most unusual and erratic manner.

  The figure at the wheel suddenly bolted forward, making a grab forCaptain Simms. Quite a portion of the skipper's pajamas were left inthe grip of the strange object, causing the captain to retire hastily,slamming the door as he did so.

  "It's the bear! The bear has escaped!" he shouted.

  "The bear?" yelled several voices.

  "Yes, the bear in that crate in the lazaret. We were taking it down forMr. Carrhart, to be shipped to a friend of his in Pittsburgh."

  "Wow!" cried Jarvis, who had been creeping up the stairs. He turned andbolted down again with all speed.