CHAPTER XXI
CAVASA ISLAND AT LAST
Phil and Roger heard the conversation between Dave and the old sailor,and it worried them so much that they hurried below, to learn what mightbe going on.
"We must shift that part of the cargo first," came from the ship'scarpenter. "Then, I think, I can do something, but I am not sure."
Captain Marshall at once ordered the cargo shifted as desired. This didnot please the supercargo, but the master of the vessel paid noattention to Van Blott's objections.
"It is a question of keeping the ship afloat, Mr. Van Blott," said he,coldly. "If necessary, I'll have the whole cargo heaved overboard."
"But, sir----" commenced the supercargo.
"I can't talk about it now. My duty is to save the ship. Do you want togo to the bottom of the ocean?" And Captain Marshall spoke in such adecided way that Jasper Van Blott sneaked off and said no more for thetime being.
A portion of the crew came below, and not without difficulty a number ofheavy boxes and casks were shifted. Then the ship's carpenter and anassistant went to work to tighten up the seams, through which the waterof the ocean was spurting furiously. It was a difficult and dangeroustask, and it lasted the best part of three hours. But, at last, theworkers got the better of the elements, and then the water went downsteadily in the ship's well, as the men at the pumps continued theirlabors.
"Will the ship pull through?" asked Phil, of the captain.
"Yes, my lad, I think we are safe now--unless the blow makes us opensome more seams."
After the repairs below had been made and the alarm had passed, CaptainMarshall called the first mate to his side.
"I thought you said those seams were all right when we were at the dockat San Francisco," he began.
"They looked all right," mumbled Paul Shepley.
"You couldn't have examined them very closely."
"I did."
"Humph! After this I had better look to things myself," was thecaptain's comment, and he moved away.
A little later the supercargo and the first mate met in the waist. Thestorm was now dying down rapidly, and it looked as if the sun would soonbreak through the clouds.
"Well, I see you had another run-in with the old man," remarked VanBlott.
"So did you."
"You mean about the cargo?"
"Of course."
"Well, I didn't want him to nose around too much," and the supercargogrinned.
"Afraid he might run across some of that private stuff?"
"Hush! Somebody might hear you, Shepley. What was your row about?"
"He laid the opening of the seams on my shoulders--said I didn't inspectthings properly at San Francisco."
"He seems to be getting harder than ever on us."
"That's it, and I am done, after this trip," growled the first mate.
"So am I--if I can make my little pile."
"That's what I mean. Van Blott, we must do it, too."
"I expect to, but it isn't going to be so easy as we thought. The ownerof the ship has sent his son to watch me, and he and those other ladsare rather clever."
"Pooh! you are not afraid of those boys, are you?"
"It isn't that. I'm afraid they'll discover something and take the newsto the old man."
Here the talk had to come to an end, and the two men separated,promising to meet in the evening. That they had some scheme they wishedto work, there could not be the slightest doubt.
By nightfall the storm was at an end, and the sun set in a perfect blazeof glory. Of the gale only a stiff breeze remained, and Captain Marshalllost no time in setting his sails as before. All the loose seams hadbeen mended and the _Stormy Petrel_ now took in no more water than wasusual with her, and is usual with ordinary sea-going craft.
"I am glad that is over," remarked Phil, the next day, after a fairnight's sleep.
"So am I, and I never want to experience another such storm," came fromRoger.
"How do you both feel?" asked Dave.
"My seasickness is gone, thank goodness," answered Phil.
"Ditto here," said the senator's son. "Dave, you are a lucky dog, tokeep so well," he added, a bit enviously.
"Perhaps it will be my turn next time, Roger."
After that the _Stormy Petrel_ continued on her course for many dayswith but little out of the ordinary happening. Once or twice the boyshad some sharp words with the first mate, and Phil had a "tiff" with thesupercargo, but nothing like an open quarrel ensued. Yet the flames weresmoldering, ready to break out at the first opportunity.
"Those two men hate us worse than poison," said Dave, one day. "I cansee it plainly."
"That supercargo has it in for me," replied Phil. "I wish I could let myfather know just how he is acting. He'd soon lose his situation."
They were now near the equator, and the weather was very warm, and wouldhave been unendurably hot, had it not been for the constant breeze thatwas blowing. Nobody cared to do much in such an atmosphere, and thethree boys were content to sit around or loll in hammocks suspended inshady portions of the deck. The broiling sun started the tar from theseams, and the odor therefrom was almost overpowering.
"I wish we had an ice-making machine on board," said Roger, as he fannedhimself. They had taken ice along, but the supply was running low, andhe could not get quite as much as he desired.
"Never mind, we'll have a run ashore soon," said Dave. "That will besomething of a change."
He had in mind the stop at Christmas Island, a small body of landbelonging to England and lying in the Pacific, close to the equator. Theisland was sighted the next day, and they made a landing and roamedaround for three hours, while some fresh water and other things weretaken on board. Then, by nightfall, the bow of the _Stormy Petrel_ wasonce more headed for the southwestward.
"Now we are in southern seas," cried Dave, one day, after the equatorhad been left behind. "I suppose we'll begin to sight some of thenumerous islands before long."
"I shan't mind sighting the islands, but I don't want to run on somehidden reef," returned Roger. "The charts show a great number of reefsin this portion of the ocean."
Once more the days slipped by. It was fearfully hot, and the boys didnot move, excepting when it was absolutely necessary. Occasionally theywould sit at the bow and Billy Dill would tell them stories of the seaand of sights in foreign lands. He now said that he felt as of old.
"I was born for the sea," he observed. "It was a mistake for me totravel all the way across land to Oakdale, an' I reckon I got punishedfer it."
"I am sorry you suffered, but I am glad I had the chance to meet you,"answered Dave. "It may mean a great deal to me, you know."
"Thet's true, Dave. But take my advice an' don't depend upon it toomuch. I'd hate awfully to see ye disapp'inted."
"Yes--but I wish we were at Cavasa Island," said the country boy,wistfully.
The nearer the ship drew to the island mentioned, the more anxious didhe become, although he did his best to conceal his feelings. But Philand Roger understood.
"I sincerely hope Dave isn't disappointed," said the senator's son, whenhe and Phil chanced to be alone. "Think of coming such a distance asthis on a wild-goose chase!"
"Well, it was the only thing to do," answered the son of the bark owner."You and I would have done the same."
"I don't doubt it. But, look at it from every point of view, it is anodd situation. I only hope this Dunston Porter is still at CavasaIsland, or in that vicinity."
At last came the day when Captain Marshall called the boys to him andsaid they might sight Cavasa Island inside of the next twenty-fourhours.
"You'll know the island at a glance," said he. "Approaching it from thisside, it looks exactly like a long loaf of bread with a hump in themiddle. The hump is the old volcano. The town at which we are to stop islocated at the western extremity of the island. There is where the realshipping is done. There is a town at the eastern end, but the harbor ispoor, and most of the inhabitants ar
e natives."
"And what of the people where we are to stop?" asked Dave.
"About one-half are natives and the others a mixture of Americans andEuropeans. The harbor there is a very good one indeed, and that is whyit is so popular."
As they neared Cavasa Island, both the supercargo and the first mateappeared to grow more than ordinarily anxious, and talked together bythe half-hour. Dave noticed this and so did the others.
"They have something in mind," said the country boy to Phil. "You'llsurely have to be on guard when the cargo for Tolao is taken ashore."
The next day the boys kept on the lookout, having borrowed CaptainMarshall's best glass. About noon Roger uttered a loud cry:
"I see something! It must be the island!"
"Let me look!" exclaimed Dave, and took the glass. "Yes, it is CavasaIsland!" he went on, "for it looks exactly as the captain said."
Inside of an hour they could see Cavasa Island quite plainly, and bynightfall they were ready to enter the harbor. But this was not to beaccomplished in the dark, and so they had to remain outside untildaybreak, impatient as Dave was to get ashore.
"What an odd collection of ships!" said Phil, as the _Stormy Petrel_made her way into the harbor. "They must have come from all parts of theworld!" And this remark was largely true.
It had been arranged that Dave and Billy Dill should go ashore at thefirst opportunity, and Roger was to go with them.
"I am sorry I can't go," said Phil, to Dave. "But, you understand how itis," and he jerked his thumb in the direction of the supercargo, whowas writing in one of his books.
"Yes, I understand, Phil," answered Dave. "I hope you don't have anytrouble."
The shipping of Tolao was very much huddled together, and the boys hadto depend upon Billy Dill to pilot them to the main thoroughfare of thetown. The old sailor declared that the place had changed but littlesince his last visit, and said he would take them directly to the hotelat which Dunston Porter had been in the habit of stopping.
"All right," said Dave. "You can't get there any too quick for me," andthey walked on, with the heart of the country boy beating as it hadseldom beat before. To him, his whole future seemed to rest upon what hemight learn in the next few hours.