CHAPTER XVII THE ESCAPE
It seemed to Jim that he was under tons of water and that everythingaround him was a roaring whirl of confusion. His lungs were filled withwater and close to bursting when he finally gained a breath of fresh airafter expelling the water from his lungs. He was still on the deck ofthe _Galloway_, crumpled up against the deckhouse and half buried in thewash which still swept across the deck.
His first act was to stagger weakly to his feet and look for Terry. Hewas relieved to see the well known red-head emerge from behind somelashed-down canvas on the deck, and a moment later the boy wasstaggering toward him, furiously blinking his eyes. To their surprisethey found that the deck of the schooner was tilted on a decided angleand that the starboard rail was well under water.
The schooner had run hard aground and had settled on its side. One ortwo of the crew had been swept over the side and lost, the whole thinghaving happened so quickly that no aid could be given them. The rest ofthe men were picking themselves up from the deck and looking dazedlyaround, uncertain as to the next move. Captain Ryan shouted orders whichcould be heard above the din and the men worked their way over thesloping deck to the large life boat which was hanging at the port side.
Terry started to follow them but Jim grasped his arm, placing his mouthclose to his ear. "Wait a minute," he said. "Let them go!"
"Aren't you going with them?" asked Terry, astonished.
Jim shook his head. "Let's stay here. I don't think this ship is goingto sink, and we can make our escape. Let's duck behind the wheelhouse."
Terry was a bit bewildered but he followed Jim's lead in crouching outof sight. "Do you think it is safe?" he asked. "Those fellows areleaving the schooner, and they should know if it isn't going to sink."
"Those fellows are scared to death," Jim said. "They have forgottenabout us and the only thing they have in mind is to get to shore. Idon't think the ship will go under because it is too firmly grounded. Wecan give them time to get to the shore and when the storm lets up we canget ashore ourselves. Remember, if we don't want to make a long trip toMexico, we must get away from here."
"You are right there," murmured Terry. "Did you get hurt any in thecrack?"
"Got a bruise on my shoulder, that's all. Look, there goes the crew."
The crew had jumped into the life boat and had pushed it away from theschooner's side. Captain Ryan gave one sweeping look around the wreckedship as the boys hastily ducked from sight, and satisfied that they hadbeen swept overboard and drowned, he gave the order to pull for shore.The men settled to it with a will, and before many minutes had passedthe boys lost sight of them in the gloom which hung over the sea andblotted out the shore.
Terry stood up and looked around. "Alone at last, as the song says.Wonder if we are the only ones on board?"
"I think so," Jim replied, looking rapidly around. "Is there any otherboat aboard?"
A thorough search convinced them that there was no other boat on thewreck. They tried to get down into the hold to look around, but it wasfilled with water. The schooner would have sunk like a shot except thatit had folded up on a rock and was held there. Jim noted that the railwas going deeper into the water with the passage of time.
"We'll have to get off in some manner," he told his companion. "I thinkthe ship is slowly turning over, at least it is going to settlecompletely on its side. But as to how to get off is the problem."
Terry peered off toward the shore, over the heaving water. "The blow hasgone down considerably," he said. "The shore isn't far off, you can seeit. Do you think you could make it by swimming?"
"I think I could," replied Jim, after considering. "How about you?"
"I could if I had something to hang onto and get a breathing spell oncein awhile," Terry thought.
"Well, we can settle that. We can lash a couple of spars together anduse them for resting stations. Goodness knows that there are enoughspars around."
They secured two large spars and roped them together firmly. Sheddingall of their clothing except those absolutely necessary for use on shorethey were about to leave the ship when Jim was struck with an idea.
"We can take along all of our clothes by tying them on the spars," hesaid.
They tied all of their clothes to the top of the spar and threw it intothe foaming sea, which had abated in force considerably during the lasttwenty minutes. Realizing that the men would be on shore directly aheadof them and not wishing to fall into their clutches they decided to headfor a point further down the shore, and with this plan in mind they doveoff together, landing with a rush in the stinging salt water. When theybobbed up and shook the water out of their eyes they saw the spars a fewfeet before them. They struck out for the rude craft and each boy passedone arm over it, propelling with the other.
In this manner the spars kept progress with them in their attempt toescape to the shore, and when they became tired, which was often in thelong struggle, they hung onto the spars and rested. They knew betterthan to waste breath in idle talk, so no word was spoken during thefight for shore. Jim was a better swimmer than the red-headed boy, butTerry grimly stuck it out, and after a half hour battle they landed onthe shore, almost exhausted.
Terry splashed his way up to the beach, collapsing in a heap on the wetsand, but Jim, blown as he was, had presence of mind enough to take theclothing off of the raft and look around them. The storm was blowingitself out and the sky growing lighter, but as there was no sight of themen nearby Jim soon lay down beside his companion and rested gratefully.They had drifted a mile or more down the shore in their swim and feltreasonably safe from capture.
Jim was the first to sit up and he looked keenly around. They were in alonely section of coast country, uninhabited and infinitely dreary. Hewondered what the next best plan should be, and asked Terry. Both feltthat it would be foolish to go back toward the ranch directly, and bothagreed that it would be foolish to go south.
"That means we push inland," Terry nodded.
"Yes, that is all that we can do. And we are in one fine shape to dothat, I must say! No weapons, no matches, and not a thing to eat! If wedon't fall into somebody's hands we'll starve," said Jim.
"It does look tough from every angle," Terry agreed. He got up and wrungthe water out of his trousers and shirt. "I'm pretty tired, but Isuppose we ought to get moving, eh?"
"I think so. At least we should get away from the coast. Maybe when weget inland we can find some place to put up for the night, some hollowor something. After a good night's sleep we should be able to cover alot of ground."
"Little Terry hasn't been bad, but he has to go to bed without hissupper!" the red-headed boy grimaced, as they started inland.
They walked slowly, keeping a sharp lookout, but met no one in theirjourney. They meant to make a long half circle in their return, planningto avoid the party from the schooner and Sackett's henchmen. There wasalso the possibility that they might run across their own party, whothey felt was surely looking for them. But the present object was tofind some protected shelter and hide away for the night.
Evening was close upon them when Jim suddenly pulled Terry down behind abush. He pointed to the right and whispered to his chum.
"A man, over there!"
Terry looked, to see a lone traveler encamped in a small hollow somelittle distance from them. The man was seated beside a small fire,busily engaged in frying something in a small pan. His horse, abeautiful black animal, was grazing on the short grass nearby, and theman's rifle stood close at hand. Terry turned to Jim with a satisfiedair.
"There's my supper!" he announced, pointing to the pan in the man'shand.
"Don't be too sure of that," Jim warned. "We want to be mighty carefulwho we walk up to."
"Say, you don't think every human being in this country belongs toSackett's gang, do you?" asked Terry.
"I suppose not," Jim gave in. "Shall we walk up and announce ourselves?"
"We'll walk up and
reserve a table!" grinned Terry. "That pan excitesme; let's go!"
They advanced toward the man, who did not see them coming until theywere barely twenty yards from him. Then he looked up and they saw thathe was a Mexican. He gave a slight start and reached for his gun, butallowed his fingers to slide from the stock as he continued to look atthem. At the same time the boys recognized him.
"It is Alaroze, the overseer of Senorita Mercedes ranch!" cried Jim, andTerry nodded.
Seeing that he was recognized the Mexican broke into a smile andwelcomed them in Spanish. He was frankly puzzled at their strange anduncouth appearance, but he did not ask any questions. Jim, who couldspeak fair Spanish, told him that they had taken a trip down the coastin a ship and had been cast ashore, feeling that it would not be wise totell too much. When the Mexican had heard their story he expressedhimself as being deeply grieved and hastened to offer them food. He hadsome beans and bread and seemed to have a plentiful supply with him, sothe boys were not averse to taking what he offered.
They sat down and gratefully ate what he set before them. The overseertalked rapidly, smiling, rebuilding the fire and insisted upon cookingthem more of his provisions. Once when he was out of earshot Terry spokeout of the corner of his mouth.
"He isn't a half-bad fellow, this Alaroze. I didn't think I liked him atthe ranch, but he surely is treating us royally now."
"He certainly is," agreed Jim, heartily. "We'll see to it that he neverregrets it."
Finally the Mexican sat down and ate with them and afterward smokedcigaret after cigaret as he talked with them. He did not seem to beinquisitive as to the whereabouts of the others, in fact, Jim was morecurious than the foreman, for presently he asked him what he was doingso far away from the Mercedes ranch.
"I am looking for stray cattle," the overseer said. "Many of them havewandered away of late and I am looking for them."
It was growing dark now and they made a large fire, before which theboys dried their dripping clothes. The three companions agreed to headback for the ranch of the senorita on the following day and to go fromthere to the Scott ranch. Jim and Terry warmly thanked the overseer forhis supper and hospitality, but the Mexican was effusively modest aboutit.
Quite early the three of them turned in, the Mexican lingering for somelittle time after the boys. He sat beside the fire, still smoking hisinexhaustible cigarets, looking out into the blackness of the night. Heseemed to have no fear of anyone. The boys lay under the shelter of somesandy banks, for the Mexican had but one blanket, and just before theyfell asleep they looked at the lone figure near the fire.
"Lucky thing for us that we fell in with him," Jim commented.
"Right you are," Terry returned. "He certainly has been fine to us. I'mjust about sorry I ever distrusted him."
"You can't go by looks," said Jim. "But I don't think he is pushing hissearch for those stray cattle very vigorously."
"Well, you know how lazy most of these Mexicans are," Terry yawned."Probably just taking his own sweet time."
"Funny he should be out looking for them, instead of the other cowboys,"Jim went on. "I should think that he would be needed at the ranch."
"Maybe it is his personality that counts," grinned Terry. "He mayattract the cows and bring 'em home that way. I don't care how he doesit. I'm going to sleep."
Both boys fell into a deep sleep. The Mexican sat motionless beside thefire for some time longer. Once he turned and looked toward the boys, atthe same time smiling at some thought which was passing through hishead. His teeth gleamed for a second and then his face once more becameimpassive. Shortly after that he rolled himself up in his blanket andfell asleep.