Part 21 (1/2)

”That's so,” Jake agreed. ”Still, it's narrow and bad to find in the dark, and I expect the skipper would sooner go outside.” Then he glanced astern and said, ”They're coming out.”

Two white lights, one close above the other, with a pale red glimmer below, moved away from the wharf. Behind them three or four more twinkling red spots appeared, and d.i.c.k told the fireman to start the engine half-speed. Steering for the beach, he followed the fringe of surf, but kept abreast of the tug, which held to a course that would take her round the end of the reef.

When the moon shone through he could see her plunge over the steep swell and the white wash at the lighters' bows as they followed in her wake; then as a cloud drove past, their dark hulls faded and left nothing but a row of tossing lights. By and by the launch reached a bend in the coastline and the breeze freshened and drew more ahead. The swell began to break and showers of spray blew on board, while the sea got white off-sh.o.r.e.

”We'll get it worse when we open up the Arenas bight,” said Jake as he glanced at the lurching tug. ”It looks as if the skipper meant to give the reef a wide berth. He's swinging off to starboard. Watch his smoke.”

”You have done some yachting, then?”

”I have,” said Jake. ”I used to sail a shoal-draught sloop on Long Island Sound. Anyway, if I'd been towing those coal-scows, I'd have edged in near the beach, for the sake of smoother water, and wouldn't have headed out until I saw the reef. It will be pretty wet on board the scows now, and they'll have had to put a man on each to steer.”

d.i.c.k nodded agreement and signed the fireman to turn on more steam as he followed the tug outsh.o.r.e. The swell got steadily higher and broke in angry surges. The launch plunged, and rattled as she swung her screw out of the sea, but d.i.c.k kept his course abreast of the tug, which he could only distinguish at intervals between the clouds of spray. Her masthead lights reeled wildly to and fro, but the low red gleam from the barges was hidden and he began to wonder why her captain was steering out so far. It was prudent not to skirt the reef, but the fellow seemed to be giving it unnecessary room. The lighters would tow badly through the white, curling sea, and there was a risk of the hawsers breaking.

Besides, the engineer had complained that his machinery was not running well.

A quarter of an hour later, a belt of foam between them and the land marked the reef, and the wind brought off the roar of breaking surf. Soon afterwards, the white surge faded, and only the tug's lights were left as a long cloud-bank drove across the moon. Jake stood up, s.h.i.+elding his eyes from the spray.

”He's broken his rope; the coal's adrift!” he cried.

d.i.c.k saw the tug's lights vanish, which meant that she had turned with her stern towards the launch; and then two or three twinkling specks some distance off.

”He'd tow the first craft with a double rope, a bridle from his quarters,” he said. ”It's strange that both parts broke, and, so far as I can make out, the tail barge has parted her hawser, too.”

A whistle rang out, and d.i.c.k called for full-speed as the tug's green light showed.

”We'll help him to pick up the barges,” he remarked.

The moon shone out as they approached the nearest, and a bright beam swept across the sea until it touched the lurching craft. Her wet side glistened about a foot above the water and then vanished as a white surge lapped over it and washed across her deck. A rope trailed from her bow and her long tiller jerked to and fro. It was obvious that she was adrift with n.o.body on board, and d.i.c.k cautiously steered the launch towards her.

”That's curious, but perhaps the rest drove foul of her and the helmsman lost his nerve and jumped,” he said. ”I'll put Maccario on board to give us the hawser.”

”Then I'll go with him,” Jake offered. ”He can't handle the big rope alone.”

d.i.c.k hesitated. It was important that they should not lose the coal, but he did not want to give the lad a dangerous task. The barge was rolling wildly and he durst not run alongside, while some risk would attend a jump across the three or four feet of water between the craft.

”I think you'd better stop here,” he objected.

”I don't,” Jake answered with a laugh. ”Guess you've got to be logical.

You want the coal, and it will take us both to save it.”

He followed the fireman, who stood, balancing himself for a spring, on the forward deck, while d.i.c.k let the launch swing in as close as he thought safe. The man leapt and d.i.c.k watched Jake with keen anxiety as the launch rose with the next comber, but the lad sprang off as the bows went up, and came down with a splash in the water that flowed across the lighter's deck. Then d.i.c.k caught the line thrown him and with some trouble dragged the end of the hawser on board. He was surprised to find that it was not broken, but he waved his hand to the others as he drove the launch ahead, steering for the beach, near which he expected to find a pa.s.sage through the reef.

Before he had gone far the tug steamed towards him with the other barges in tow, apparently bound for Adexe.

”It is not possible to go on,” the skipper hailed. ”Give me a rope; we take the lighter.”

”You shan't take her to Adexe,” d.i.c.k shouted. ”We want the coal.”

Though there was danger in getting too close, the captain let the tug drift nearer.