CHAPTER XVI
A SURPRISE, INDEED
"I expect you'll be getting your whole head knocked off some of thesedays," growled Sam Hickey.
"It has not been knocked off yet," answered Dan with a laugh, "thoughit has had a considerable list to starboard on occasions."
"I should say it had. I'm glad those niggers are in the brig.They----"
"Don't use that word, please. I never liked it. And, besides, theyare not Africans; they are Hawaiians."
"They ought to have been shot. Anyhow, all black looks the same colorto me."
The lads were lounging on deck in the forecastle. It was Wednesdayafternoon, when all hands ordinarily take a half holiday, except thosewho are on duty. The battleship "Long Island" was plowing up thewaters off the coast--"coasting," they call it on shipboard. Theofficers on the bridge were taking sights at the ranges--lighthouses--with their sextants, while the young midshipmen, under thedirection of the ship's navigator, were mathematically working out theship's position.
"I never could understand why they have to go to all that trouble,"said Sam.
"They are figuring out our position--they are trying to find out wherewe are."
"Don't we know where we are?"
"We don't. Perhaps the officers do."
"Pooh! I know where we are, and I don't have to get a sextant and alot of other junk to tell me, either," scoffed the red-headed boy.
"Well, where are we, Mr. Smarty, if you know so much?"
"We're off Atlantic City. That's the Absecon light off the port bow.I could knock the top of it off with the seven-inch if I had half achance."
"That may be true, Sam, but suppose there were a fog, or the lights onshore went out, or one of many things were to occur--supposing we werehundreds of miles out at sea and--well, how would you find out whereyou were, if you had no instruments with which to take yourobservations, or did not know how to use those you had?"
"Hold on; that's enough. Don't put on any more trimmings. I'd dowithout 'em, even if it were as bad as you say, and I'd never miss 'em,either."
"What would you do?"
"Do? I'd just keep going by the compass."
"But supposing the compass were wrong?"
"I'd keep going, just the same, till I got somewhere--till I plumped upagainst something solid; then I'd sing out, 'full speed astern, bothengines,' just like the 'Old Man' does up there, when the man in thechains sings out 'by the mark five.' He's awful afraid the old shipwill scrape over a sand bar. Between you and me it would be good forher. Why, don't you see, it would scrape the barnacles off her so shewouldn't have to go into dry dock and cost the government all thatmoney. I know something about ships, I do."
"And what you do not know would sink all the ships in the Navy,"answered Dan, emphasizing his reply by several nods of his head.
"Don't you believe it."
"Here comes the boatswain's mate. I think he is looking for us. Yes,he's coming this way. I reckon we shall have to turn out for someduty."
"I'll run and hide, then. I am not going to work this afternoon. Hecan't get me interested in any of his patriotic games to-day. No,siree!"
But Sam was destined to become greatly interested in the work that theboatswain's mate had come to talk with them about.
"Good afternoon, boys," he greeted them. "How is your head, Davis?"
"Oh, I had almost forgotten that I had a head," laughed Dan,instinctively laying a hand on the bandage that was bound about hiswound.
"You did pretty well the other night in overhauling that boat. Haveyou done much rowing!"
"Oh, yes; considerable on the river at home. I have rowed in racesthere--small rowboat races--and so has my friend Sam."
"I thought you were pretty handy about small boats. It is a good thingfor a seaman to know boats."
"I wonder what he's getting at?" muttered Sam, eyeing the boatswain'smate suspiciously. "He isn't here for any good, I am sure of that."
The boy had noted that the boatswain's mate was eyeing them closely,tilting his head to one side and squinting out of one eye as if he weresighting a big gun.
"Don't shoot," laughed Sam.
"What's that?"
"Nothing, only I thought you were getting ready to shoot, the way youwere squinting at me."
"We are going to have some races ourselves in about three weeks."
"Is that so?" exclaimed Dan.
"Out here on the ocean?" demanded Sam.
"Not exactly out here, but in some bay along the coast. These racesare a big thing and arouse a lot of interest."
"Whom do you race with?" asked Dan.
"With crews from the other ships. We race for silver cups and therivalry is very keen. You have seen our racing gig, have you not,boys?"
"Oh, yes; that's so. I had forgotten about the gig. It's up on theupper deck, starboard side, isn't it?" queried Dan.
"Yes; that's the boat. She's one of the slickest boats in the service."
"Pretty heavy for racing, isn't she?" questioned Dan.
"They have to be for sea racing. You see, we frequently run into somefoul weather. No paper shells for that kind of racing. It's a man'sgame, every inch of it," announced the boatswain's mate, Joe Harper byname.
"I should think it must be. What grand sport," breathed Dan. "Howmany men do you have in the boat?"
"Twelve, including the coxswain. We have some likely material on boardthis season."
"Who has charge of the race? Who is the captain of the crew?"
"I am. That is, I am the coxswain, and have full charge of the boatand the picking of the crew."
Sam was eyeing the boatswain's mate with new interest now. This timeit was Sam Hickey who was squinting out of the corner of one eye. Hewas trying to figure out, in his own mind, what the boatswain's matewas getting at. As yet he had not been able to decide in his own mind.
"There's a colored gentleman in the woodpile for sure," he muttered."He'll show his woolly head in a minute or so, or my name's not SamHickey."
The colored gentleman fulfilled Sam's expectations very soon after that.
"Unfortunately, two of our men have been, taken away from us. I sayunfortunately, though I don't exactly mean it in that way. I'm mightyglad we are rid of them, only that it makes necessary a change ofplans."
"Who are they, Mr. Harper?"
"Those two islanders, Black and White. They are a fine pair of birds,but they certainly could pull an oar. Would you boys like to come upand look over the boat?"
"Indeed we should," answered Dan enthusiastically.
They made their way to the upper deck. Two sailors had stripped thecanvas from the racing gig, and were preparing to go over it withsandpaper to smooth its sides down.
"Why do you do that; to make it smoother?" asked Dan.
"That is the idea exactly," answered the boatswain's mate, patting thegig affectionately. "We shall be working over this little craft forthe next few weeks on every possible occasion."
"You do not have sliding seats?"
"Oh, no. It would not be advisable in this kind of a racing craft.You will observe, however, that the foot rests for the men's feet aremade of old shoes. They slip their feet into these, which gives them agreat purchase. They can release their feet at any instant, should weget upset in a heavy sea."
"Each man pulls one oar, of course?"
"One oar only," nodded the mate. "That is about all one healthy mancould sit up and accomplish. None but the strongest and pluckiest canstand the kind of a race we run."
"How long a course do you cover?"
"Four miles. Two miles out to the stake boat and return. As I wassaying, we have lost Black and White, and there are two vacancies onthe crew at present."
"Yes, sir," answered Dan in an unusually respectful tone.
"Yes, sir," added the red-haired boy. "What about it?"
"Well, as I said, there are two vacancies," replied the mate, with asignificant smile
.
There followed a pause, during which Sam walked over to the rail, gazedoff across the waters, apparently without being conscious of havingseen them at all, then slowly returning to the gig, leaned up againstit, gently smoothing the gunwale with his hand.
"It is considered a great honor to be a member of a racing crew,especially a winning crew, boys."
"Yes, sir; I should think it would be," agreed Dan.
"How would you lads like to try out for the crew?"
"We join the racing crew?" questioned Dan, his eyes opening wide inamazement. "W--we----"
"Yes. You and your friend may try for the places vacated by Black andWhite. They will, of course, be out before the races come off, buttheir punishment forfeits their right to row with us. I have beenlooking you two lads over, and I am sure you have good material in you.I know you have the pluck. You have shown that you have, both of you,on more than one occasion. What do you say?"
"What do I say?" answered Dan with glowing countenance. "I say that,if I could get on the racing crew, I should be the happiest boy inUncle Sam's Navy."
"That's me," nodded Sam in approval of his companion's sentiments. "Iknew you were up here for something. The colored gentleman is out ofthe woodpile."
"Say, Dan," remarked Sam as the boatswain's mate walked away, "speakingof Black and White, I've got an idea. I'll bet that fellow Black threwthat seven-inch tompion overboard. I'll bet also that he's the blackscoundrel who plugged your ear with a marline spike."
Dan made no reply, but walked thoughtfully away.