Part 13 (1/2)
”Oh! we can afford to take the chances of that!” laughed Allan.
As the wind had gone down, and the waves with it to a considerable extent, it was decided that they might make a start after an early lunch. Thad consulted his Government Survey charts, and marked a place that he believed would make them a good harbor, and which they ought to reach with any reasonable luck.
This being settled they got underway about half-past eleven; and when the little cruiser left the shelter of the cove, and once more breasted the rising and falling waves, b.u.mpus shook his head dismally, and loudly hoped he would not once more have to spend all his time feeding the fishes. But his fears proved groundless, for they had apparently become used to the motion of the waves, and not one of them became seasick again that day.
CHAPTER XIII
UP AGAINST IT AGAIN
”Everything is lovely, and the goose hangs high! This makes the fifth day since we started out; and things seem to be going along right smoothly at the old stand, don't they, fellows?”
Giraffe asked this question. He was lying on his back on top of the hunting-cabin of the little cruiser, taking what he termed a ”sun bath;”
but which some of his chums always called ”being too lazy too move.”
”And so far none of us have felt the least bit seasick again,” remarked Step Hen, with what sounded like a fervent note of thanksgiving in his voice, as though of all the mean things he could imagine, that of feeling a sinking sensation at the pit of the stomach excelled.
”And I'm still leading Giraffe by three fish,” declared b.u.mpus; ”besides having caught the biggest fish and the longest one in the bargain.
Better wake up, and get a move on you, Giraffe, or be counting on doing all the drudgery when we have that blow-out supper on our return home.”
”I ain't worrying any, b.u.mpus,” lazily returned the other; ”fact is, it tickles me just to see you hustle around in your great fis.h.i.+ng stunt.
Sure you're getting peaked, and as thin as anything, after such unusual exertions. I wouldn't be surprised if some show offered you a job as the Living Skeleton, if this thing keeps up much longer, because you're fading away right along.”
b.u.mpus looked himself all over, and if there was a shade of anxiety on his rosy face it did not stay there long.
”I only wished what you said was half-way true, Giraffe,” he sighed; ”but seems like nothing is ever agoing to take off two pounds from my weight. I can't honestly see where there's a mite of a change; and I know you can't neither. Stop your kidding, and get your lines out again. I had a sure-enough nibble right then, and if you don't look out, I'll be pulling in a dandy fish.”
”Wake me up when you do, and I'll start in. You get 'em worked-up like, and then I'll show you how to do the trick. Up to now I've just been playing possum, you know, but look out whenever I do get going.”
”Bah! who's afraid?” scoffed the fat scout, finding a use for his favorite expression, to show his contempt for the threat of Giraffe.
”But we've gone over a heap of ground during the five days we've been afloat on this inland sea, haven't we, boys?” remarked Step Hen.
”I'd like to, know why you call it ground, when, we've been moving over water all the time?” observed Davy, who was not as happy as most of his chums, because this way of living offered him no chance to climb trees, and hang from limbs, as was his favorite habit; and therefore time hung heavy on his hands, so that he grew restless.
”Oh! well, it doesn't make any difference that I can see,” replied Step Hen; ”a rose by any other name would smell as sweet, they say. But we have covered a heap of distance, you'll admit, Davy.”
”Yes, and had lots of fun in the bargain,” Allan put in.
”Thanks to the weather man for keeping things nice for us, and not allowing any storm along,” suggested b.u.mpus.
”Well, you may have reason to change your tune soon, old fellow,” warned Giraffe with an ominous shake of his head.
”Now, what makes you go and say that, Giraffe? Do you know anything, or are you just trying to bother me on general principles?” demanded the stout boy, aggressively.
”Well, perhaps you didn't know it,” remarked the other, carelessly, ”but latterly I've taken a notion to study to become a weather prophet. On the sly I've been getting all the information about goose bones, and all sorts of signs, wherever I could strike the same. Then I've studied up how the fellows down at Was.h.i.+ngton make their guesses, and I'm getting there right smart. Why, every morning now, for the last three days I've told myself it was agoing to be fair, and she was, sure pop. Understand that, b.u.mpus?”
”I thought something was bothering you, and keeping you from getting as many fish as I did; but what about this morning, Giraffe, did it look any different to you; and is the good weather acoming to an end?” asked b.u.mpus.
”The signs all pointed to a change this morning,” replied the other.