CHAPTER X.--"C. Q. D.!"
But they were compelled to curb their impatience till that evening aftersupper, for the doctor set every one busily to work "stabling" the _SeaEagle_ and attending to the engines after the hard test they hadundergone. Every part was carefully gone over, and it was found thatdespite the strain of the novel craft's first try-out, nothing save afew minor adjustments were required.
"Now, dad," said Pudge, after the dishes had been washed and Ben had hispipe going, and the others were perched on the edge of the lower bunks,like so many birds on a rail, "now, then, dad, we are ready to hear yourplans for that cruise."
Dr. Perkins smiled.
"I'm afraid, my boy," he said, "that you are in for a disappointment.While I thoroughly believe the _Sea Eagle_ is capable of conveying ourwhole party through almost anything, I am unwilling to place too great aburden on her at her first long-distance trial."
Pudge's face lengthened.
"Oceans and octopuses!" he groaned, "I s'pose I'm to be left behind, asusual."
"I'm afraid it will be necessary," was the reply; "you see, there willonly be room under my present plan for experienced navigators. But notto keep you in suspense any longer, my present plan is to cruise downthe coast to Florida, round that peninsula, and then fly up to NewOrleans, and then possibly I might test out the _Sea Eagle_ stillfurther on a flight up the Mississippi."
"Wow! And we're to miss all that?"
"Not _all_ of it, Pudge," smiled the doctor. "I was planning to send youand Billy on ahead to meet us at New Orleans and make arrangements forour arrival there."
"Cookies and catamounts! That's not so bad. I've always longed to seeNew Orleans. But, then, would you take us with you up the Mississippi?"
"If we go--yes."
"Look a-here," struck in Ben's bass voice at this point, "I don't wantto butt in, or nothing like that, doctor; but this here is a cruise thatjust suits me. Would you have any objection if I went along with therboys ter New Orleans?"
"Why, I hadn't thought of it," confessed Dr. Perkins.
"You see, I've got some partic'lar business down that way," said Ben,with a portentous wink at Harry; "ain't I, Harry?"
The boy addressed instantly guessed that Ben referred to the supposedtreasure trove lying at the bottom of the Black Bayou. Now, in the rushof events following Harry's return from his strange cruise on the _BetsyJane_, he had quite forgotten about Raoul Duval's map. But now itflashed back on him, and the recollection caused him to flush withexcitement.
Dr. Perkins looked puzzled, while a glance of intelligence shot betweenthe grizzled old adventurer and the boy.
"Have I got your leave to tell about the sunken steamer?" inquiredHarry.
"Sure. Heave ahead, my boy," was the hearty answer; "I was never much ofa hand at spinning a yarn."
"Pirates and petticoats! What's all this about a yarn and a sunkenship?" demanded Pudge.
"Sounds like some fresh adventure. Anything like the Buena Venturacruise?" asked Billy Barnes, referring, of course, to their experiencesin the Sargasso Sea.
"I hope not," laughed Harry. "No, this is a much tamer affair," hecontinued. "Ben, here, thinks that he knows of a craft sunk in a bayouoff the Mississippi, on board of which is a small fortune in gold dustand black pearls."
"Gold dust and black pearls!" cried Billy Barnes. "Wow! that sounds likea regular story."
"Suppose we let Harry heave ahead, as Ben calls it, and tell us what allthis is about," suggested Frank quietly. But his eyes were shining. Heknew that what Harry was about to communicate must be of deep interestfrom the manner in which the boy had spoken.
"Yes, let us hear the story," said Dr. Perkins; "since we plan to bedown in that region, anything of interest to be investigated will add tothe pleasure of the trip."
Thereupon Harry, without further delay, plunged into the narrative asBen had related it to him. He was interrupted from time to time byexcited exclamations, but at last he finished his narration and then,turning to Dr. Perkins, he said:
"What do you think of it, sir?"
"Aye, aye," growled out Ben, "supposin' the yarn is true, have I got alegal right to the stuff?"
"Undoubtedly, if you have papers assigning the claim to you," said Mr.Perkins, after a moment's thought.
"Oh, I've got them fast enough. I was goin' to chuck 'em away, but Ithought better of it. Glad I did now, but you see I never thought I'dhave a chance to go down there."
Ben reached into his pocket and drew out a battered, brown leatherwallet. From it he produced Raoul Duval's promise to deed him his(Duval's) interest in the supposed treasure chest, providing the loanBen had made the mining man's son was not repaid. He handed the documentto Dr. Perkins, who perused it with knitted brows.
"This certainly appears to give you a legal claim to whatever may be ofvalue in the late Duval's effects," he said.
"Then you think it is worth looking into?"
"By all means. While the story sounds fanciful to a degree, it is notmuch more so than plenty of recorded cases. At all events, no harm canbe done by trying to locate the wreck, and it may be the means ofrehabilitating your fortunes."
"I dunno what that means," grinned Ben, "but if it signifies that I'm toget some money out of the cruise, I'm willing right now to split it upany way it suits you."
"We can talk about that later," said Dr. Perkins, with a smile at theold man's enthusiasm; "now would you mind letting me have a look at thatmap to which Harry has referred?"
"Here it be," grunted Ben, once more diving into the wallet andproducing the map that Harry had looked over on Barren Island.
"At any rate, this looks definite enough," declared Dr. Perkins after acareful examination of it. "Of course, as this Duval appears to be athorough rascal, he may have 'cooked this up,' as the saying goes, inorder to induce you to make him a loan. But certain things about it makeme believe that it may be genuine. I recall reading some time ago anewspaper account of mysteries of the Mississippi, and among them was anaccount of the serious disaster to the _Belle of New Orleans_, so, atany rate, that part of the story is authentic enough."
"Meanin' it's true," murmured Ben. "Waal, if you'll help me we'll soonfind out the truth of it, or otherwise."
"As I said," rejoined Dr. Perkins, "I had intended to cruise up theMississippi from New Orleans. What you have told us furnishes us with adistinct object in making the trip, and," he added with a smile, "Isuppose the spice of adventure about it does not displease the ladshere."
Frank was about to reply when, from the wireless table, there came aqueer buzzing sound from an instrument which the boy had connected withhis detector.
"Hullo! some one is sending out a message," he exclaimed, "and our wireshave caught it. Wonder what it can be."
The boy rose and went over to the wireless table. Seating himself on thestool in front of the instruments he adjusted the "phones" and beganputting his variable condenser in tune to catch whatever message waspulsing through the air.
"What's coming?" demanded Harry, as the instruments began to crackle andsnap.
"Don't know yet," spoke Frank, again changing the capacity of thecondenser; "looks as if----"
He ceased speaking suddenly. Sliding his hand across the table he madean adjustment to catch longer sound waves. Instantly a hail of aerialdots and dashes came pattering against his ear drums, like rain on awindow pane.
With startling suddenness Frank sensed the meaning of the storm ofdesperate flashes.
"C-Q-D! C-Q-D! C-Q-D!"
"Some one out at sea is calling us in distress!" he cried loudly. Theothers, brim full of excitement, rose and crowded about him. But Frankwaved them back.
"No questions yet, please!" he said sharply, and then bent all hisfaculties to catching the voice out of the black night.