Part 6 (1/2)
”Boat, ahoy!” he cried. ”Help! H-e-l-p!”
Then they listened for a reply, fearing lest the other should fail to catch their faint appeal, for both were so hoa.r.s.e and exhausted that their united voices could not reach far.
”It is a sloop,” declared Jack. ”It is coming straight down upon us.
They cannot miss us--ay, they are veering away! They have not heard us--they have not seen us--they are going to pa.s.s us. Once again, lad, shout for your life. It is our only hope.”
Never did two poor mortals appeal with greater desperation for succor, and a moment later a low cry of rejoicing left their sea-wet lips as the reply rang over the water in a piercing tone:
”Ahoy--there! Where away?”
”Here--to your lee!” replied the castaways, and then, quite overcome, they suddenly lost consciousness.
CHAPTER VII.
TAKEN ASh.o.r.e.
Neither Jack or Ronie had a full realization of what followed. The sound of a voice that seemed to be m.u.f.fled rang dimly in their ears, and soon after strong arms lifted them bodily from the water, to place them in the bottom of a boat. Some one spoke in a language they could not understand, when the boat started back to the larger craft awaiting its return. By the time they had been taken upon the deck of this strange sloop both had recovered sufficiently to understand their situation.
A motley-looking crew stood around them, but they did not give these particular attention at the time, as one who was in command immediately caught their notice. He was a stout-framed, bewhiskered man of middle age, and in spite of his foreign dress, plainly an American. But he seemed to be the only American on board the sloop. Prefacing his question with an oath, he demanded:
”Who are you, and where did you come from?”
Understanding the suspicious character of the _Libertador_, Jack was wise enough not to acknowledge that they had come from that vessel until he should deem it good policy to do so. Accordingly he answered:
”We are two castaways who fell overboard from a s.h.i.+p just out from Maracaibo.”
”Pretty seamen!” declared the other, showing that he scouted the idea.
”Is it a trick of yours to fall overboard every time you step on deck?”
”We were only pa.s.sengers,” replied Jack. ”As you will see, like yourself, we are Americans, who have come to this country with peaceful intentions.”
”As if anybody was peaceful at such a time as this. What are your names?”
”Mine is Jack Greenland, and my friend's is Roland Rand,” replied Jack, respectfully.
”Names are nothing,” grunted the other. ”You look like drowned rats.
If you will go below with one of the men he will see that you have a change of clothing.”
”We do not care for that, sir, Captain----”
”Captain Hawkins, sirrah. If you prefer wet duds to dry ones it is not my fault. s.h.i.+ft for yourselves while I look after my men, who are as lazy a lot of devils as ever swore in Spanish.”
Jack and Ronie were in a dilemma. While they hesitated about arousing further the other regarding their ident.i.ty, it seemed cowardly not to say or do something for Harrie and Francisco, whom they believed afloat in the boat, though not certain of this. Exchanging a few hurried words, Jack then ventured to address the captain again, though he felt he was treading upon dangerous ground. There was that air of mystery about the sloop and those who manned her, which already created a feeling in the b.r.e.a.s.t.s of our twain of doubt as to the honesty of the craft. What was this single American doing in these waters with a Venezuelan crew, not one of whom did they believe could speak a word of English, and certainly not one of whom appeared as if he would shrink from cutting a man's throat in case that person stood between him and any purpose he may have had in view.
”Captain Hawkins,” said Jack, frankly and fearlessly, ”we wish to ask whither you are bound. We realize we are under great favor to you, but we are very anxious to learn the fate of a couple of friends whom we have reason to believe were adrift at the time we found ourselves in the sea.”
”Humph!” grunted the captain. ”I should like to know what you expect of me. You may thank your stars that I am an American, as that fact alone has spared your lives.”
”For which we are very grateful. But for the sake----”