Part 44 (1/2)

”Come along and show me the place where you can see the schooner,” he commanded, and started to run, followed by the whole party.

They had not far to go. At a place where the earthquake had rooted out a monster tree, a clear view could be had of the entire lagoon.

There lay the _Bertha Hamilton_, straining at her cable in the commotion of the waters that had been stirred up by the earthquake.

And there was the small boat tossing about like a chip. But the captain wasted not a second glance at these. He had seized his binoculars and his gaze was fixed upon the reef. As he looked, his visage became ashen.

The pa.s.sage through which the s.h.i.+p had come into the lagoon was entirely closed!

A barrier had been thrown up from the ocean floor, and this completely landlocked the lagoon in which the schooner rode at anchor. The lagoon had welcomed the s.h.i.+p as though with extended arms. Now those arms were closed and the hands were interlocked.

The captain groaned at the magnitude of the disaster.

”Oh, Daddy, dear!” cried Ruth, darting to his side. ”Don't take it so hard! There'll be some way out!”

”Never!” cried the captain. ”The _Bertha Hamilton_ is done for.

There's no way to get her out. She'll lie there now until she rots.”

”And we're prisoners on this island,” gasped Drew.

They looked at each other, appalled. This last statement seemed to be irrefutable. They were captives on the island, which seemed itself to be in the throes of dissolution.

CHAPTER XXIX

MUTINY

Drew was the first to rally from the shock of this discovery.

”It is a terrible situation, G.o.d knows,” he said. ”And I know, too, Captain, how you must feel the loss of the schooner--if it is lost.

But there may be a chance left of releasing her. The reef looks solid from here, but when you get close to it there may be a crevice through which she can be warped.

”She don't draw much water in ballast,” comforted Tyke, although in his heart he had little hope. ”An' you've got some giant powder on board.

Perhaps we can blast a pa.s.sage.”

The captain straightened up and took a grip on himself.

”We won't give up without a fight, anyway,” he said; and Ruth rejoiced to hear the old militant ring in his voice. ”The first thing to do is to get on board the s.h.i.+p. Come along down to the beach.”

The others hurried after him as fast as they could, but, owing to the number of trees that had been thrown down, their progress was exasperatingly slow. But even in the turmoil of his emotion, Drew blessed the chance that made it possible for him to hold Ruth's arm, and in some especially difficult places to lift her over obstacles.

They reached the beach and the captain hailed the s.h.i.+p. Again and again he sent his voice booming over the water, and the others supplemented his efforts by waving their arms. It was impossible that they should not have been heard or seen; but the _Bertha Hamilton_ might have been a phantom vessel for all the response that was evoked.

The captain fumed and stormed with impatience.

”What's the matter with those swabs?” he growled.

”Ah! now they're lowering a boat,” cried Drew.