Part 20 (1/2)
”I think she will handle a load,” I replied vaguely, and added, ”for a thrown-together, patched-up affair, she performs wonderfully.”
Hiram looked at Captain Marianna, as a man born to lead. He wanted that officer's opinion.
”Well,” hesitated the captain, ”I believe she is seaworthy and if you can get a load of timber we can fill the hold and even take a deck load.
Timber loads and discharges quickly. Our course, nearly all the way is protected, and if a blow comes we can easily find shelter,” he concluded with suppressed eagerness.
”That's all right, but how about time? I don't want to lose a lot of time. We didn't start in to carry freight,” said Hiram with determination.
”Go and see how soon they can load and be careful to settle the freight rate,” suggested the captain. Hiram sprang to the deck. His mind seemed to be working like a trip hammer.
”Ben, can they do that?” he asked excitedly when he returned; but before I could reply he continued: ”do you know, they threatened to commandeer our craft if we don't take timber to New Orleans. It's for Government work--can they do that?”
”Yes, they can.”
”And they say we have nothing to say about the freight rate--that is fixed,” he said, his eyes wide and keen with wonder at the new situation into which he had so suddenly plunged.
”The freight rate will no doubt be liberal enough,” I suggested.
”Then we might just as well get the credit of doing it willingly,” he wisely concluded, and was away again.
In less than half an hour we moved up about a thousand feet, and all the men available were busy crowding timber into the _Fearsome_, continuing the work far into the night. The captain looked after the stowage and I was busy getting an emergency supply of gasoline, oil and sundry necessary supplies. Hiram provisioned and attended to other details. He was in an element natural to him and seemed to forget everything else.
By daylight the next morning we had the hold full and a deck-load six feet high. In fact, the _Fearsome_ looked like a floating, sawed timber raft, bound and tied together with log chains.
After breakfast as we were feeling our way out of the river into the sound, Hiram came down very soberly to where I was attending to the engine. He was evidently well pleased. Hands that but a short while ago were manicured twice a week were now broadened, manly, brown and grease-stained.
”Don't you think we are short-handed?” he asked. ”I tried to get some one but couldn't. I hate to have you stand by that motor long hours at a time. Perhaps I can help?”
”If the weather is good we ought to make the mouth of the river by night, anchor there, get some sleep and complete the journey to New Orleans to-morrow in daylight.”
”Ben! do you mean to say we can make New Orleans in two days?” he asked in open-eyed wonder.
”If we don't get bad weather.”
”Say, do you think I am awake--pinch me--take something and hit me on the head to be sure I am not astraddle a 'Night-Hoss,'” he suggested, pulling himself up on the head of one of the galvanized barrels of emergency gasoline near me, holding his head between his hands to keep his nerves from running away with him.
I looked at him and smiled but did not reply.
”Do you know we have two thousand dollars' worth of freight here, and you say we can get into New Orleans in two days? I must be dreaming.”
”But have you figured all the expenses--bar pilotage--river pilotage, dockage and everything?”
”No--not all--but it can't possibly be five hundred dollars; and we can make the round trip in a week. Fifteen hundred dollars a week, Ben; and they say they have enough timber to be moved to keep us going for a year! Ben, I'm dreaming--a c.o.ke-eater's dream--and if it wasn't for that infernal Becker matter, how we could clean up!” He charged about savagely as though he had drunk mixed liquor and cocaine.
”You were up all last night; better get some sleep,” I suggested.
”Yes, I haven't had a real night's sleep for a long time,” he added, with a note of sadness, ”and I don't want any yet.”
Elated with success, the Becker matter was emphasized as a knife in his heart, and it was keeping him away from Anna Bell Morgan. Success has a way of trying men's hearts in the most unexpected manner.