Part 14 (1/2)
”It is very wet; and that is the worst you can say of it,” replied Dory.
”We are going over all right, but we must keep more of this water on the outside of the boat. Thad, you may man the pump; for it is getting rather damp in the standing-room.”
The members of the Goldwing Club looked decidedly shaky, with the exception of the skipper. No one responded to the timid sentiment of Thad; but probably all of them felt it, and wished they were on sh.o.r.e, though that sh.o.r.e were the one they had just left.
”The Missisquoi has stopped!” cried Corny, when the Goldwing was about half way over to Providence Island. ”She has chosen a quiet place under the lee of that little island.”
”She has stopped, that's a fact,” added Thad.
”I thought she would,” replied Dory, as he let off the sheet when a heavy gust struck the sails. ”The Missisquoi is aground.”
CHAPTER XIII.
SAFE UNDER A LEE.
”How do you know she is aground, Dory?” asked Corny, after a careful examination of the position of the Missisquoi.
”She wouldn't have stopped there if she hadn't got aground. She has done the very thing I wanted her to do, and the very thing I did my best to have her do,” replied Dory triumphantly.
”Do you mean to say that you did it, Dory?” asked Thad, still pumping away with all his might.
”I don't mean to say that I got the steamer aground. I saw that neither Captain Vesey nor the other fellow knew much about the lake; for the Missisquoi followed the Goldwing wherever she went,” Dory explained. ”I ran close to the island, hoping the steamer would follow me, as she has been doing, because there is not more than four feet of water close up to the land where I went. She had either to follow us in a straight line, or to go to the southward of the shoal. I was sure to make something in getting away from her.”
”What will she do now?” inquired d.i.c.k Short.
”She must either work off the shoal, or stay there; and I am sure I don't care what she does,” added Dory, as he looked ahead at the savage waves that were piling up in the path of the schooner.
The Goldwing was more than half way across the lake: and, the farther she went, the rougher the lake was; for the longer was the sweep of the wind. But Dory was not in a hurry when he found the steamer could no longer follow him. He had been very careful not to lose any thing by letting off the main-sheet, except when it was absolutely necessary to do so in order to keep the boat right side up.
Going nearly before the wind, it took a long sweep to reduce the pressure on the mainsail; and the water flowed in over the lee side about as fast as Thad could pump it out. The boys looked at each other, and there is no doubt that they all wished they were on sh.o.r.e. They kept an eye on the skipper's face, to note any anxiety or alarm on his part.
Dory was confident the boat would not take in water enough to swamp her while he could control her with the helm; but he felt that he had his hands full, and that he should be very fortunate if nothing happened to cripple the boat.
”I have got about enough of this thing,” said Thad.
”Nat, you take Thad's place at the pump,” interposed Dory. ”One hand needn't do all the hard work.”
”All right! I am ready to do my share of the work,” replied Nat, as he took Thad's place at the pump.
”I didn't mean that. I am not tired,” added Thad. ”The farther we go the worse it is, Dory; and I have had about enough of this sort of sailing.”
”Well, what are you going to do about it?” asked Dory pleasantly. ”Are you going to get out, and walk the rest of the way? Or will you swim ash.o.r.e? I don't think you will find it is any easier walking or swimming, or any safer.”
”Can't we turn about and go back?” inquired Thad, looking with dismay at the waves ahead, and at the water that poured in over both rails.
”We are more than half way over, and it is hardly worth while to go about,” replied Dory. ”If we return, we shall have to beat back; but we are in no hurry now, and perhaps we can ease off a little more.”
”I don't see how you are going to ease off, Dory,” said Thad. ”Here we are right in the thick of it; and we must take it as it comes, unless you go back.”