Part 42 (1/2)
In the meantime Martin Harris procured several pails of water and a long-handled swab and with these did what he could to extinguish the fire on the sails. Several of the others joined in, and inside of ten minutes all danger of a conflagration was past.
”That's the worst yet!” growled the old sailor, as he surveyed the mainsail, which had two holes in it each is large as a barrel. ”I'd like to wring the neck of the fellow as did it, yes I would,” and he shook his head determinedly.
”That's the end of that light,” said Sergeant Brown. ”What are you going to do next?”
”I think I can get that searchlight to work,” put in d.i.c.k. ”But will it be of any use? They may start to shooting again.”
”We've got to have some kind of a light, even if it's only a tallow candle,” grumbled Harris.
”If we haven't got a light some coastwise steamer may run us down.”
He set to work to rig up a temporary light, and in the meantime d.i.c.k returned to the cabin to experiment with the electric light.
He found Sam on the couch, bathing his leg with oil to take away the sting of the b.u.m.
”How is it, Sam--hurt much?”
”I suppose it might be worse,” was the younger brother's reply.
”I wonder who fired that shot?”
”One of the Baxters, more than likely. They are a cold-blooded pair.”
”One or more of us might have been killed if we had been directly behind the lights.”
”That is true. I don't suppose Arnold Baxter would care much if we were. He was father's enemy, you must remember, and he said he hated all of us.”
Sam resumed his bathing and d.i.c.k turned to the cabin table, upon which the battery and other portions of the searchlight rested.
d.i.c.k had always been greatly interested in electricity and therefore the parts of the battery before him were not hard for him to understand.
But there was one trouble with the battery which did not reach his eye as he turned it around and started it up. That was that a portion of the insulation of a main wire was worn off.
As he turned on the current there was a flash and the light blazed up almost as bright as day.
”That's fine!” cried Sam. ”We'll be able to see the _Flyaway_ a long distance off now.”
”Well, I only hope when we put this up it won't be knocked out like the other lights were.”
”Of course we'll have to run that risk.”
In a minute more d.i.c.k started to carry the searchlight to the deck.
He had turned off the light proper, consequently the way to the companionway was rather dark.
He had almost reached the top of the steps when Sam heard a scream, saw a flash of fire, and then d.i.c.k came tumbling to the cabin floor in a heap, with the battery and light beside him.
”My gracious, he's been shocked!” burst out the youngest Rover; and, forgetting all about his burn, ran to his brother's a.s.sistance.
”What's that noise?” came from the deck.