Part 23 (2/2)
”This is a deserted steam yacht,” said d.i.c.k, at last. ”I do not think there is a soul on board. We are in absolute possession.”
CHAPTER XVII
IN UNDISPUTED POSSESSION
It was a remarkable state of affairs and it took the Rover boys and the German youth a full hour to comprehend it. During that time they explored the steam yacht from end to end and then sat down to eat such a meal as they could fix up hastily. They had canned meat and vegetables, coffee and biscuits, and some canned fruit.
”d.i.c.k, how do you solve this mystery?” asked Tom, while they were eating.
”I can't solve it at all,” answered his brother. ”It is beyond me.”
”By the papers we found downstairs I should say the yacht might belong to a man named Roger Leland,” put in Sam. ”But that doesn't help us out any, for none of us ever heard of that individual.”
”If there had been a storm we might think the persons on board had been swept away,” went on d.i.c.k. ”But we haven't had a heavy storm for some time.”
”And the yacht hasn't run into anything, for she isn't damaged in the least.”
”If we take her into port we can claim salvage,” said Sam.
”Certainly, Sam, and heavy salvage too,” came from Tom. ”But I must say I'd let a dollar or two of that salvage slip right now just to know the explanation of this mystery. Why, it's like a romance!”
”It's a grand good thing for us,” said d.i.c.k. ”If we hadn't found this steam yacht we might have died of hunger and thirst.”
”Yah, dot's so,” answered Hans. ”Of you blease, Dom, I takes me anudder cub of coffee, hey?”
”Hans, that makes four you've had already!”
”Vell, I vos alful try,” answered the German youth, complacently.
”The best of it is, the yacht seems to be fairly well stocked with food and water,” was d.i.c.k's comment, after a pause. ”We'll not starve to death, even if it takes a week to reach port.”
”Why, we ought to reach port in a couple of days!” cried Sam. ”Some of these steam yachts can run very fast.”
”So they can--with a competent engineer. But who is going to be the engineer? and who the pilot?”
”Oh, we can pilot her,” declared Tom, loftily. ”It's as easy as licking cream, as the cat said.”
”Maype you vos run us on der rocks,” put in Hans.
”I don't think there are many rocks out here--but we'll have to consult the chart,” said d.i.c.k. ”Oh, I think we can pilot her to some port. But I must confess I don't know much about running an engine.”
”We'll make her go somehow,” answered Tom. ”Even if I have to shove the piston rod myself,” and at this remark both of his brothers had to laugh.
The more they thought of it the more wonderful did the situation appear to be. It was so wonderful that for the balance of that day they allowed the craft to drift as before. Tom and Sam started up a fair-sized fire under the boiler, after making certain that the latter was more than half-full of water. They knew enough about an engine to locate the safety valve and saw that this was in working order.
”Now, if we get up steam we won't be blown sky-high anyway,” said Sam.
While Sam and Tom were experimenting in the engine room, d.i.c.k and Hans tried to make themselves familiar with the wheel and the things on deck, and the oldest Rover studied the chart found in the cabin, and the compa.s.s.
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