Part 27 (1/2)
A MEETING OF MATES.
With starvation staring our raftmates in the face, the problem of how they were to escape from their present predicament became a most important one. The first suggestion was that they construct a small and easily managed raft from a portion of the material contained in the _Venture_. They foresaw that it would be impossible for them to propel even this against the swift current and reach the river, where they might procure relief from some pa.s.sing boat. Still, even to drift with the current, or at the best to work their way diagonally across it, with the hope of reaching some source of food supply, seemed better than to remain where they were, and accordingly they began to collect material for a raft.
They had hardly started at this when Worth called out that he saw a canoe lodged in a clump of shrubbery.
They all looked where he pointed, and all saw it. Although it was not more than a hundred yards from them, the full force of the current must be encountered for the entire distance before one could reach it.
All were agreed that they must obtain it, if possible, and that their very lives might depend upon getting that canoe. First Billy Brackett threw off his clothing, and plunging into the chill waters, attempted to swim to it. He had not covered half the distance before he was compelled to turn back utterly exhausted. Then Glen Elting and Sumner undertook the task together, but splendid swimmers as they were, they could no more stem that resistless flood than they could have flown to the canoe.
As they were dejectedly resuming their clothing in the ”shanty” they were startled by a shout from outside. Winn Caspar had solved the problem. While the others were watching the fruitless struggles of Glen and Sumner from one side of the raft he had slipped overboard from the other, and swam diagonally across the current to a hedge of oleanders, the tops of which were still above water. This hedge extended to the river, and pa.s.sed within fifty yards of the shrubbery in which the canoe was caught.
When Winn reached the oleanders he was considerably below the raft, and of course nearly twice as far from the canoe as when he started. He had antic.i.p.ated this, however, and now began to work his way back against the current by pulling himself from one bush to another. When he reached a point abreast the raft the others saw him and shouted. He only waved his hand in reply and kept on, while they watched him with eager interest. As he gained a position opposite the canoe they shouted again, but still he kept on, until he was nearly a hundred yards above it.
Then, after a long rest, he left the friendly oleanders, and struck out with brave strokes for the coveted object. He was now again swimming diagonally across the current, and knew that even should he miss the canoe, he would be borne down to the raft. But he did not miss it. He had calculated too well for that; and when he again reached the raft, he brought the _Psyche_ with him.
He was chilled to the bone, numb, and sick with exhaustion; but for such a royal cheer as greeted him, and the praises that his companions showered upon him, he would have dared and suffered twice as much. At the same moment, as if to encourage such brave deeds, the sun shone out warm and bright, transforming the whole character of the scene with its cheery warmth.
Sumner Rankin was ready, and with a light heart he stepped into his beloved craft. Then, with vigorous strokes of his double-bladed paddle, he shot away towards the river, where he was to remain until he could persuade a boat of some kind to come to the relief of his fellow-sufferers.
In spite of the sunlight and their hopes of rescue, the long hours pa.s.sed slowly aboard the _Venture_. There was little to do, and nothing to eat, though Solon did succeed in making a pot of coffee, which they drank without sugar or milk. In one respect, however, it was the most successful day of the _Venture's_ entire cruise; for during those tedious hours Billy Brackett and Winn accomplished the object for which it had been undertaken. They sold the raft. In gazing over his flooded plantation and planning for its future, Mr.
Manton realized that with the subsidence of the waters he would have immediate use for a large quant.i.ty of lumber.
”Why not buy ours?” suggested Winn.
”Why not?” answered Mr. Manton.
Five minutes later the bargain was completed that transferred the owners.h.i.+p of the _Venture_, and crowned Major Caspar's undertaking with success. It was such a satisfactory arrangement that they only wondered they had not thought of it before.
”Here the lumber is, just where I want it, and not a cent of freight to pay,” said Mr. Manton.
”Now you and I can get back to Caspar's Mill, and help your father out with that contract; and it is high time we were there too,” said Billy Brackett to Winn. ”h.e.l.lo! What's this? The _Psyche_ coming back again? If it is, young Rankin must be having a fit, for he's black in the face.”
”It's Quorum!” shouted Worth. ”In the _Cupid_, too! Of all things, that is the very last I should ever have expected to see!”
Sure enough, it was the faithful negro progressing slowly and with such awkwardness that the anxious spectators expected to see him upset at each moment. Nevertheless, he finally succeeded in reaching the raft; and as they hauled him aboard he gasped, with thankfulness,
”Dat de seckon time dish yer n.i.g.g.e.r ebber bin in one ob dem ar c.o.o.ners, an' him hope he be good an' daid befo' him ebber sperimentin' wif um agen!”
Quorum had come from the great house, where the _Cupid_ was the sole craft to be had. It was only after hours of persuasion and semi-starvation that he had been induced by the other refugees to make the trip to the raft, which they had discovered soon after daylight.
He described a pitiful state of affairs as existing among the hungry throng he had just left, and declared that another day without food would witness great suffering in the crowded house.
Even as he related his story, those gathered about him were startled by the shrill note of a steam-whistle coming from the direction of the river. Sumner had found relief, and was bringing it to them.
During the hours that pa.s.sed so slowly on the raft, the brave little _Psyche_ had cruised here and there over the broad Mississippi sea, now hailing some boat that refused to stop, and then chasing another that it failed to overtake. Finally, late in the afternoon, Sumner discovered a trail of black smoke coming up-stream and towards him. As he anxiously watched it, trying to decide which way he should go to head it off, he discovered a white banner with a scarlet cross flying out cheerily just beneath the trail of smoke. Then he knew that help was at hand, and no matter what other boats might do, that one would stop at his signal.