The Rover Boys in Southern Waters/Chapter 20
CHAPTER XX
A NIGHT OF ANXIETY
Had the lightning struck Dick and knocked him overboard?
Such was the terrifying question which Sam asked himself as he stared out of the pilot-house window into the darkness before him. Another flash of lightning lit up the scene and he made certain that his big brother was nowhere in sight.
"Tom! Tom!" he yelled down the tube, frantically,
"What now, Sam?"
"Dick is gone—struck by lightning, I guess. Come up!"
At this alarming information Tom left the engine room at a bound and came on deck almost as soon as it can be told. He met Sam running toward the bow.
"Where was Dick?" he screamed, to make himself heard above the roaring and shrieking of the wind.
"At the forward rail, on the lookout. He was standing there just before that awful crash came, and I haven't seen him since."
No more was said by either, but holding fast to whatever came to hand, the two Rovers worked their way forward until they reached the rail where Dick had been standing. They now saw that the foretopmast had come down, hitting the rail and breaking it loose for a distance of several feet.
"The mast must have hit Dick and knocked him overboard," said Tom, with a quiver in his voice.
"Oh, Tom!" Sam could say no more, but his heart sank.
The two boys stared around helplessly, not knowing what to do. Dick was very dear to them and they could not bear to think that he was lost, and forever.
Suddenly, as another flash of lightning lit up the scene, Sam caught sight of something dark lying just a few feet away. He rushed over, to see Dick lying in a heap, his head under his forearm.
"Dick! Dick!" he cried. "Are you killed?"
There was no answer, and now both Tom and Sam knelt beside their brother and raised him up. His face was pale and the blood was flowing from a cut over the left temple.
"The topmast hit him when it came down," said Tom. "Let us carry him to the cabin."
They raised their brother up and, not without difficulty, took him to the companionway and down to the cabin. Here they placed him on the couch and Sam got some water and bathed his wounded forehead. They saw he was not dead but unconscious from the blow received.
"I must look to the engine, I don't want the Mermaid to blow up," said Tom, and rushed off,—to get back in less than three minutes. By this time Dick was gasping and groaning, and soon he opened his eyes.
"Dick," said Sam, softly. "Don't worry, you are safe."
"Sam! Th—the mast came down on m—me!"
"We know it. We found you in a heap on the deck. I was afraid you had been knocked overboard. It was that awful flash of lightning did it, I think."
"Yes."
Dick could say little more just then and did not try. Sam and Tom made him as comfortable as possible and found he had suffered only from the fall of the topmast and not the lightning stroke itself.
"If Hans felt a little better he might look after Dick, but he is still as sick as ever," said Tom. "He declares we are all going to the bottom and he doesn't care if we do!"
"That's the way with folks who are real seasick," answered Sam. "They feel so utterly miserable they don't care what happens."
Leaving Dick on the couch in the cabin, Sam returned to the wheelhouse and Tom to the engine room. The steam yacht had been drifting and the waves were dashing over a portion of her deck. As quickly as possible Sam brought the craft around and now headed her up to the storm, which made her ride better than ever.
For some reason neither Sam nor Tom thought of the disagreeableness of the situation after that. Both were overjoyed to think that Dick had escaped serious injury. The foretopmast lay on the forward deck still, but as it was not in the way it was allowed to remain there for the time being.
Thus the whole of the night wore away, and with the coming of morning the storm gradually died down. But the waves still ran high and it was noon ere the sun came out, to cheer them up.
"I am thankful that is over," said Sam, breathing a deep sigh of relief. "I never want to go through such a night again."
"Nor I," answered Tom. "It takes all the fun out of a chap."
Dick got up, a handkerchief tied around his forehead. He still felt a trifle weak but that was all.
"I will take the wheel," he said to Sam. "If you want to do something you can get breakfast—and be sure and make plenty of hot coffee, for we need it to make us less sleepy."
As the storm went down, Hans came forth from his stateroom, pale and so woebegone that Tom had to turn away to hide a smile.
"Vos dot storm ofer alretty?" asked Hans, sinking in a chair.
"Just about," answered Dick.
"Oh, such a night, Dick! I ton't forgot him of I lif a dousand years, ain't it!"
"We shan't forget it either, Hans."
"Dick, I durn me insides owit more as fifty dimes, yes!" went on the German youth, earnestly.
"We've had our own troubles too," said the eldest Rover, and then related what had occurred. Hans was glad Dick had escaped falling overboard but was still too weak to take a great deal of interest.
The wheel was lashed fast and the engine slowed down, and all hands went to breakfast. It was by no means an elaborate meal, yet it made all but Hans feel much better. The German youth had little appetite and ate sparingly.
"Der kvicker ve git py land on der besser vill I like him," said he.
"Maybe you won't be seasick after such a dose," said Sam, hopefully.
During the night all of the Rovers had become more or less soaked and they were anxious to find a complete change of clothing, so that their own might be thoroughly dried.
"Sam, you can hunt around for some things," said Dick. "I'll go back to the wheel and you, Tom, had better go back to the engine. Hans, will you help Sam?"
"Sure I vill dot," answered the German boy.
Sam knew where there were several lockers containing both outer clothing and underwear and he proceeded to these, followed by Hans. They soon had one locker open and hauled forth what it contained.
"This underwear will about fit Dick and Tom," he said "It's rather big for me, though."
"Vell, maype der udder closets got someding schmaller in dem," suggested Hans, and opened up a second locker.
Here they found a variety of things, including socks, shoes, collars, cuffs, and even fancy neckties.
"Whoever was on board of this steam yacht left everything behind him when he went away," was the comment of the youngest Rover.
They next opened a locker filled with outer clothing, including linen coats and panama hats. As the weather was growing warmer this just suited the boys.
"Hello, here is a pretty big suit," observed Sam, hauling it forth and holding it up. "The man who wore that must have been a pretty large fellow. Even Dick would get lost in that suit."
"Dot's so!" exclaimed Hans. "Vait, I try on dot coats. Ha! Ha! Ain't he schmall alretty!" And Hans began to roar, for the coat came to his knees and the sleeves hid his hands from sight.
"You've got to grow, Hans, before you can fill that," said Sam, laughing.
"Vell, maype I grow some day."
"You will if you eat plenty of sauerkraut and Limburger cheese," and Sam grinned broadly.
"I vos eat vot I blease, Sam Rofer!"
Hans took off the coat and in doing so turned the garment over. From out of one of the pockets there fell a flat cardcase of red morocco leather.
"Hello, you've dropped something, Hans."
"So I tit," answered the German youth, and flinging aside the coat he picked up the leather cardcase.
"Has it got any cards in it?" questioned Sam with sudden interest.
"Dot vos vot I vos going to see. Now vait, I vill oben him," went on Hans, backing away as the youngest Rover reached out for the case.
"Well, do hurry, Hans! You are so slow!" cried Sam, impatiently.
"Vot's der use of hurrying ven you got lots of dime, hey?"
"I want to see what is in the case."
"Maype der tont been noddings in him."
"Hans, will you open it, please?"
"Yah."
"Well, then, do so."
With great deliberation the German youth opened the leather cardcase. Out of it fluttered a small card photograph. Sam picked it up, gave one look, and let out a cry of astonishment
"Well, I never!"