Part 12 (2/2)
”Here it is,” added Ethan.
”We want to have the cask under the guard of the steamer when we get it down.”
”That will be easy enough.”
”Perhaps it will; but I'm afraid the rope will bind on the keel.”
”If it does, we must take the raft round to the other side of the _Woodville_, and pa.s.s it round the windla.s.s; we can haul it up in that way.”
”That will take too much time. I think you and I both will be strong enough to haul the cask into place.”
”Now, give us a turn at the windla.s.s, Ethan,” said Lawry, when he was ready.
”Aye, aye,” replied Ethan, as he turned the crank, and raised the sinker and the cask, so that the skids which supported them could be removed.
”Lower away!” added Lawry, highly excited; and the sinker began to descend into the water, carrying with it the hogshead. ”That works first-rate. Now hold on till I get hold of the other end of the guide-rope.”
Lawry jumped into the wherry, and sculled round to the other side of the sunken steamer, where he detached the end of the line pa.s.sing under the keel from the smoke-stack, where it had been secured. He hauled on the rope till he got it clear of the stone with which it had been sunk.
”Lower away!” shouted Lawry.
”Lower, it is,” answered Ethan.
”Slowly,” added the pilot, as he hauled in the rope.
”It is going to the right place. I can see it in the water.”
”Hold on!” cried Lawry; and the wherry was so unsteady beneath him that it was with great difficulty he ”kept what he had got” on the rope.
In order to overcome this disadvantage he pa.s.sed the rope around the smokestack.
”I have it now!” shouted he. ”This gives me a splendid purchase;”
and he hauled in the rope, bringing the hogshead chock up to the hull of the sunken craft.
”We are growing wiser every moment,” laughed Ethan.
”So we are. Lower away, slowly. That's it,” said Lawry. ”Lower away.”
”The sinker is on the bottom,” replied Ethan.
”All right; can you see the hogshead?”
”Yes; you have hauled it completely under the guard. The water is as clear as crystal,” answered Ethan.
”Hold on a moment till I make fast this line!”
Thus far the experiment had been entirely successful, and Lawry's bosom bounded with emotion. The plan for raising the _Woodville_ was his own, though he had been greatly a.s.sisted by Ethan, who had designed and constructed the derrick and windla.s.s, thus diminis.h.i.+ng the labor of the enterprise. The young pilot felt like a conqueror when he had placed the first cask in position.
Sculling the wherry back to the raft, he pulled the string attached to the toggle, and drew it out of the noose.
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