CHAPTER IV
OFF TO THE COAST
"Perhaps a search light on some vessel," put in Ned. "He looks like aseafaring man."
"I think you boys had better go, now," said Dr. Bounce. "We will haveto operate on the patient, but I am afraid it will be a long timebefore he recovers his senses. If he does and wants to see you, I willlet you know. I would like to get at the bottom of this. Strange, heshould think you boys could rescue Jess. Stranger still, who is Jess?"
But, for a while at least, there was no prospect of solving the strangemeaning of the old man. His condition grew worse, and there was littlehope for him.
That night the boys heard that though the operation was performed itwas not entirely successful. A piece of bone was pressing on the man'sbrain, and it was found impossible to remove it until his conditionimproved. Consequently he remained in a stupor, and could not talk. Hemurmured, in his delirium, Dr. Bounce said, something about Jess andthe light, and there he stopped.
Three days after the wreck Mrs. Hopkins got a letter from the realestate agent informing her he had been able to secure a large cottage,close to the beach. It was on a small cove, and there was a boathousenear by.
"Fine!" cried Jerry when he heard of it. "Now to get the _Dartaway_ready. Whoop! But life is worth living, I tell you!" and he began todance a jig with such vigor that the dishes on the sideboard rattled.
"Jerry, you'll smash some of my fine cut glass!" exclaimed Mrs. Hopkinsin alarm, yet she could not help being glad that she was able toprovide a summer's outing for her son and his chums.
"I'm going over to tell Ned and Bob," Jerry said, rushing from thehouse. As he hurried down the steps he collided with a youth who wasjust then passing the house.
"Oh, I beg your pardon," said Jerry, his breath almost taken away bythe sudden impact.
"You did that on purpose! You saw me coming and tried to knock medown!" exclaimed the youth, and Jerry saw it was Noddy Nixon, the oldenemy of himself and his chums.
"Why, Noddy," remarked Jerry, much surprised at the sudden encounterand the identity of the youth. "Where did you come from? Haven't seenyou since--"
Jerry was about to say he had not met Noddy since the time of the chaseafter the thieves in the motor boat, and the escape of Bill Berry andNoddy, as told in the fifth volume of this series, "The Motor BoysAfloat." But he thought better of it, and stopped in time.
"Don't you make any references to me," said Noddy, as he rubbed hisshin, which Jerry had accidentally kicked. "If you spread any scandalsabout me I'll have you sued. I've a good notion to have you arrestedfor assault and battery!"
"Look here, Noddy Nixon!" exclaimed Jerry. "I apologized for collidingwith you. That's all I'm going to do. You can put that in your pipe andsmoke it," and without a look at the bully Jerry turned and walked off.
"You'll pay for this, Jerry Hopkins," called Noddy. "I'll get even withyou."
Jerry had heard Noddy threaten like that before, and, generally thebully had found means to make it very uncomfortable for the chums. ButJerry did not fear him, and he felt he could hold up his own end fairlywell. As for his friends, he did not worry on their account.
"I wonder where he's been all this while," Jerry mused, as he continuedon toward Bob's house. "He has a queer way of disappearing and comingback at the most unexpected times."
"What's the matter, going into your second childhood, Jerry?" some oneasked, and Jerry looked up suddenly, to see Bob standing in front ofhim.
"Hello, Chunky," he called. "What's that?"
"You were talking to yourself like an old man," explained Bob. "I wasgetting worried about you."
"Oh, I just had a little run-in with Noddy Nixon," Jerry explained,smiling as he recalled how well his words described what had takenplace.
"So he's back, eh? Well, look out for trouble."
"Guess it can't amount to much. We will be away from here in anotherweek."
"Did your mother get the cottage?"
"Sure. Come on, let's tell Ned."
The three boys were soon at Bob's house discussing their plans indetail. Their interest in them made them forget Noddy and the troublehe threatened. But, had they seen a letter which the bully posted ashort time after, addressed to Bill Berry, and accepting a certaininvitation, they might have felt a little worried.
"We've got to hustle to get things in shape," said Bob, when the dateof departure had been settled. "The first thing is to arrange to havethe boat shipped. Let's go over to the freight office and see theagent. I--"
Bob was interrupted at that instant by the entrance of the cook, with atray of sandwiches and a pitcher of milk.
"Oh," she said. "I didn't know there were three of you here," and shelooked at Bob, who grinned sheepishly.
"Chunky!" exclaimed Ned. "Did you order all this for yourself," and hegazed reproachfully at his chum.
"Well you see I told her to get it ready a while ago," explained Bob."I didn't know then you two were coming over. I went out to post aletter and I met Jerry and we saw you. Then I forgot all about thisuntil--but she'll get some more, won't you Mary?"
"Sure, Master Bob, if you want it."
"I move that Bob be compelled to sit there and see Jerry and I eat allthis up," spoke Ned, beginning with a sandwich in each hand.
Poor Chunky looked so woe-begone at this inroad on his rations that histwo chums laughed.
"Oh, pitch in!" said Jerry. "I know how you feel, Bob. It must be allof two hours since you had anything to eat."
Over their lunch the boys laid out their work, dividing it amongthemselves so as to get it all done in time. Bob was to attend to theshipping arrangements, Ned to refitting the boat, and Jerry said hewould sort over the portable camping outfit the boys always took withthem.
The _Dartaway_ was a fine, stanch craft, of four cylinders, as speedyas one could wish. It had many new appliances, such as three speedsforward and one reverse, and was well fitted up. There was a smallgalley where a meal could be cooked, and a folding table to serve iton. The stove burned gasolene.
There was a portable awning which had side curtains, so the whole boatcould be enclosed in stormy weather. There were also collapsible bunks,so, if necessary they could remain on board several days without goingashore. There were food lockers and a good sized storage tank forgasolene.
In anticipation that they might make rather lengthy trips the boys gota larger searchlight for their craft than the one they had first used,and also a larger saluting cannon. A more reliable compass was addedto the equipment, and the size of the whistle was increased, to givebetter precaution in case of fogs.
An anchor, as large as could be carried, was installed, and, withseveral other minor, but necessary improvements, the boys felt they hada motor craft second to none for its size.
It was no easy task to box the boat and ship it to Harmon Beach.But the boys worked like Trojans, and accomplished much that lessenthusiastic persons would have shrunk from undertaking. Finally theysaw the _Dartaway_ loaded on a flat car at the freight office.
"Now to get ourselves off," said Jerry.
But this was an easier task. Three days later found Mrs. Hopkins at hersummer cottage. It would not be quite correct to say that the boys werethere also, for they had no sooner alighted from the train than theyhurried to the freight office to see if their boat had arrived.
"There she is!" cried Jerry, pointing to a bulky object on the stationplatform. "Now for a spin on salt water."
But there was a wait of several hours before the boys' desires wererealized. Only their boundless enthusiasm and their tireless energymade it possible, but, by evening the boat had been hauled to the smalldock near Mrs. Hopkins's cottage, and launched.
The boys did not stop to fully equip her. They saw that the engine wasworking well, and, just at dusk, three happy, if very tired lads, satin the _Dartaway_ and sent the craft in a wide circle around the littlecove on which the colony of Harmon Beach was situated.
"Put out toward Old Briny!
" called Ned to Jerry, who was steering, andJerry, nothing loath, did so.
As the speedy craft surged ahead, throwing up a salty spray, the boysheard a hail behind them.
"Here! Come back!" some one called.