Part 42 (1/2)
It was one o'clock, and Hans was preparing dinner for all on deck when Tom gave a cry.
”A small steamer is approaching!” he said. ”Hadn't we better signal her?”
”By all means,” answered d.i.c.k. ”Let us steer directly for her, too.”
And this was done.
The vessel approaching proved to be nothing more than a regular gulf tug, carrying eight people. As it came closer Sam, who had a spy-gla.s.s, gave a shout:
”What do you think! There are Fred and Songbird, and yes, there is Harold Bird, too! Oh, how glad I am that they are safe!”
CHAPTER x.x.x
HOMEWARD BOUND--CONCLUSION
The report was true, the tug contained Fred, Songbird, and Harold Bird, and as soon as these three made out who were on board of the _Mermaid_ they set up a cheer. Then the sails on the steam yacht were lowered and the tug came alongside. In a minute more Fred was scrambling on deck, followed by the others.
”Alive! All of you!” cried Fred. ”Oh, this is the best news yet!”
”And we are glad to see you alive too,” cried Tom. ”We were afraid the _Mascotte_ had been lost.”
”Well, we came close to it,” said Songbird. ”And when we got in to port some of the pa.s.sengers had the captain arrested for ill treatment.
But we didn't wait for that. We were wild to know what had become of you, and so we chartered this tug and began a hunt. You were lucky to be picked up by such a nice craft as this.”
”We weren't picked up,--we picked ourselves up,” answered d.i.c.k.
”Why, what do you mean?” asked Harold Bird, in puzzled tones.
”We found this steam yacht on the water deserted--not a soul on board.”
”You don't mean it!” e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Fred. ”What's her name?”
”The _Mermaid_.”
”Creation!” shouted Harold Bird. ”Why, that's the steam yacht was advertised in all the newspapers some weeks ago. She was missing, and the club that owns her offered a reward of five thousand dollars for information leading to her return.”
”Well, we picked her up as a derelict,” said Tom. ”And we'll claim salvage accordingly. But how did she disappear?”
”It's a long story. She was left in charge of an old man, and he went off and got intoxicated. Then a storm came up and they found the old man in a rowboat and the steam yacht missing. She must have blown and drifted far away on the gulf. But it's queer she wasn't sighted before.”
”Maybe she was, but n.o.body thought she was deserted,” said Sam, and his idea was probably true.
Thus far Dan Baxter had kept in the background. When he came forward there was more astonishment, and our friends had to tell about the arrival of Sack Todd and the others, and of what had been done since.
”I want you to understand that Dan helped us a great deal,” said d.i.c.k, to Fred and Songbird. ”He isn't the fellow he was. He has changed so you would hardly know he was the same person. I think he is really on the right track at last.”
”It seems too wonderful to be true,” was Fred's comment.
Dan Baxter was much interested in meeting Harold Bird, and while the others were talking in one part of the deck he called the young Southerner to one side.
”Mr. Bird, you know who I am, and I suppose you have no use for me,”
began the former bully. ”I am sorry I went in with those men who stole your gasoline launch. If I had my choice again I shouldn't do such a thing. I am very sorry, and I am glad you got your boat back.