The Flying Girl and Her Chum/Chapter 15
CHAPTER XV
BOAT AHOY!
The first indication of dawn found anxious faces peering over the side of the Salvador. Passengers and crew gathered at the lower angle and inspected the position of the boat with absolute amazement.
"Never, in all my experience," said Captain Krell, "have I heard of so remarkable a wreck. We struck the only channel that would have floated us; a few yards to either side and we would have been crushed to kindling wood. As it is, we lie high and dry on this shelf—a natural dry dock—and not a timber is cracked."
"Are you sure of that?" asked Madeline.
"Quite sure, Miss Dentry. We have made a thorough investigation. But I do not wish to create any false hopes. Our condition is nearly as desperate as if we were a total wreck."
"You mean we can't get the yacht off again?"
"I fear not. Even a duplicate of that gigantic wave which hurled us here would be unable to float us off, for our tremendous headway carried us beyond the reach of any tide. This island is of rock formation. I know at a glance that a solid bed of rock is under us. Therefore we cannot dig a channel to relaunch the Salvador."
"Couldn't we blast a channel?" asked Mr. Tupper.
The captain merely gave him a reproachful glance.
"To be sure," replied Chesty Todd, seriously. "We'll have Kane invent a sort of dynamite that will blast the rocks and won't hurt the ship. Good idea, Mr. Tupper. Clever, sir; very clever."
Mr. Tupper glared at the boy resentfully, but his wife said in a mild tone of rebuke: "Really, Martin, my dear, the suggestion was idiotic."
The steward came crawling toward them with a coffeepot, followed by a man juggling a tray of cups. It was quite an acrobatic feat to navigate the incline, but they succeeded and everyone accepted the coffee gratefully.
"This place is nothing but a rock; an extinct volcano, probably," remarked Madeline, gazing thoughtfully over the island.
Chesty, having finished his coffee, climbed to the elevated side opposite.
"Here's a far better view of the place," he called. "It's quite a" He stopped short, staring fixedly at a white speck far up on the bluff beside the low mountain.
They waited breathlessly for him to continue. Then Steve, reading the expression on Chesty's face, quickly clambered to a place beside him. As he looked he began to tremble and his face grew red and then pallid.
"Mr. Cumberford," called the press agent, "bring your glasses, please."
"What is it?" pleaded Madeline.
"Why, something—just—curious, Miss Dentry. We can't say what it is, as yet, but"
They were all scrambling up the incline by this time and soon all eyes were directed upon the white speck. Mr. Cumberford focused his glasses upon the spot.
"Ah," said he presently; "this interests me; it does, indeed!"
"Is it a—a—tent?" inquired Steve, a catch in his voice.
"Looks like it," was the reply; "but not a regulation tent. Seems more like—like Here, see for yourself, Steve."
Steve seized the binoculars.
"I think—it's—the—plane-cloth!" he gasped.
Mr. Tupper lost his balance and slid down the deck, landing with a thud against the opposite rail. That relieved the tension and a laugh—the first heard on the Salvador since she left port—greeted the gentleman's mishap.
"Why—if it's the plane-cloth, the girls are alive!" cried Madeline.
"To be sure," added Chesty, with joyful intonation, "and doubtless enjoying their outing."
The discovery changed the current of all thoughts and led them to forget their own calamity. The Salvador carried a small gasoline launch and two life-boats, all of which were in good condition.
"May we take the launch, Miss Dentry?" pleaded Steve.
"I was about to order it lowered," she said. "Can you run it, Mr. Kane?"
"Certainly," he replied.
"Then I shall go with you. It will carry six comfortably, and more uncomfortably; but as we may have passengers on our return trip only four had better go."
Steve ran to assist in lowering the launch. It had to be unlashed from its rack, first of all, and the tank filled with gasoline, the engine oiled and the boat prepared for action. The men worked with a will, however, and within half an hour the launch was lowered to the rocks and slid safely into the water. The landing-steps being impracticable, a rope ladder was lowered and by this means Madeline easily descended to the launch. Mr. Cumberford followed, as a matter of course, but Chesty Todd modestly waited to be invited to make the fourth voyager.
"Come along, sir," said Miss Dentry, and he eagerly obeyed. "How about food?" he suggested.
The chef, a fat little Frenchman who was much interested in the fate of the Flying Girl and her chum, had foreseen this demand and now lowered a hamper.
"Any water in it?" asked Chesty.
"Certainmente, monsieur."
"All right. Let 'er go."
Steve started the engine and the little craft quickly shot out of the bay into the open sea and took the long swells beautifully. Bounding the point, Kane kept as close to the shore as he dared, making for the place where the bluff began to rise.
"Boat ahoy!" cried a clear voice, so suddenly that they nearly capsized the launch in their first surprise. And there were the two lost damsels prancing and dancing up and down the beach, waving their handkerchiefs and laughing and crying with joy at beholding their friends.