Part 22 (1/2)

was the broken answer. ”But he's only a bit of a boy, my own little laddie,--only a wee bit of a boy, that never saw trouble or danger in his life. To be facing this beside a dying man,--ah, G.o.d have mercy on him, poor laddie!”

So, amid fears and doubts and prayers, the wild hours of the storm and darkness pa.s.sed; the fierce hurricane, somewhat shorn of its first tropic strength, swept on its northward way; the shriek of the wind sank into moan and murmur; the sea fell back, like a pa.s.sion-weary giant; the clouds broke and scattered, and a glorious rainbow arched the clearing sky.

The bolts and bars that had done such good duty were lifted, and the crew of the ”Lady Jane” went out to reconnoitre a very damaged domain.

Cow-house and chicken-house were roofless. Brown Betty lay crouching fearful in the ruins while her feathered neighbors fluttered homeless in the hollows of the rocks. The beans and peas and corn,--all things that had lifted their green growth too proudly, were crushed to the earth. But far worse than this was the havoc wrought on the beach. One half of the wharf was down. The small boats, torn from their moorings, had disappeared entirely. The motor boat Jim and Dud had hired for the season was stove in upon the rocks. The ”Sary Ann,” stranded upon the shoals of Numskull n.o.b, to which she had been swept by the gale, lay without mast or rudder, leaking at every joint.

The two old salts surveyed the scene for a moment in stoic silence, realizing all it meant to them. But Brother Bart, with the sunlight dancing on the waves, the rainbow arching the sky, broke into eager, hopeful speech.

”G.o.d be thanked it's over and we're all alive to tell it; for Noah's deluge itself couldn't have been worse. And now, Jeroboam, we'll be going over after laddie; and the Lord grant that we may find him safe as the rest!”

”We'll be going after him!” repeated Captain Jeb, grimly. ”How and whar!”

”Sure--can't we right one of the boats?” asked the old man, anxiously.

”Which boat,” was the gruff question. ”That thar play toy” (surveying the motor boat) ”is smashed in like an eggsh.e.l.l. Whar the other has been swept to n.o.body knows. And the 'Sary Ann' has done her best, as we all can see; but no boat could hold her own agin that storm. Do you think she will stand till morning, Neb?”

Neb rolled his dull eyes over reef and shoal.

”She moight,” he replied briefly. ”Struck pretty bad thar in the bow; but the wind is down now and the tide is low.”

”And she is oak-keeled and copper-braced from stem to stern,” continued Captain Jeb. ”She may stick it out until we can get thar and tow her in.

As for the boy, Padre, we can't reach him no more'n we can reach the 'Sary Ann' without a boat; and thar's nothing left that will float around this Killykinick.”

”Ah, the Lord have mercy! And are we to leave laddie in that wild place beyond all night?” cried Brother Bart. ”Scatter, boys,--scatter all over the place, and maybe you can find a boat caught in the rocks and sands; for we must get to the laddie afore the night comes on, cost what it may.

Scatter and strive to find a boat!”

While the boys scattered eagerly enough Captain Jeb, making a spygla.s.s of his hands, was scanning the horizon with a sailor's practised eye.

”What is it you see?” asked Brother Bart, anxiously. ”Don't tell me it's another storm!”

”No,” answered Captain Jeb, slowly, ”it ain't another storm. Neb” (his tone grew suddenly sharper and quicker), ”step up to the s.h.i.+p and get the old man's gla.s.s,--the gla.s.s we keep shut up in the case.”

Neb, who never s.h.i.+rked an order, obeyed. In a moment he returned with one of the greatest treasures of the ”Lady Jane”--Great-uncle Joe's s.h.i.+p-gla.s.s that was always kept safe from profaning touch; its clear lenses, that had looked out on sea and sky through many a long voyage, polished to a s.h.i.+ne.

Captain Jeb adjusted them to his own failing eyes, and gazed seaward for a few moments in silence. Then he said:

”'Pears as if I couldn't see clarly after that tarnation blow. You look out, Neb. And, Padre, you'd better step back thar and keep a weather eye on them younkers. It doesn't do to turn them out too free, with things all broke up.”

”You're right, man,--you're right, Jeroboam,” said the good Brother tremulously. ”I'll keep an eye on them, as you say.”

”Thar,--I've got him out of the way!” said Captain Neb, as Brother Bart hurried back to watch over his scattered flock. ”Now look, Neb,--look steady and straight! Three points to the south of Numskull n.o.b,--what d'ye see?”

”Nothing at all,” answered Neb.

”Look again!” His brother adjusted the old s.h.i.+pmaster's gla.s.s with a hand that trembled strangely. ”Another point to the south. Look steady as ye can, Neb. Yer weather eye was always clarer than mine. What d'ye see now?”

”Nothing,” came the answer again; and then the dull tone quickened: ”Aye I do,--I do! Thar's suthing sticking out of the waves like a broken mast.”