Part 3 (2/2)
Into this they dropped, and Darry immediately seized upon the oars, to the secret amus.e.m.e.nt and satisfaction of the life saver, who was quite willing to let him display his ability in this important line.
”Yuh sure pull a good, strong stroke, lad,” he declared, after they had been upon the bay for some time, Darry taking his bearings from a bright star that had appeared in the east.
”He taught me,” replied the boy, and, perhaps unconsciously, his voice quavered as he spoke, for he could not even think of the captain without emotion.
”All the better. A feller ain't no use 'round this section less he kin row a boat with the best. And if so be yuh 'spect to jine with us some day, the more yuh larn about this same thing the better for yuh. Joe, he was a reg'lar water duck--but he was too darin' and he tried the game onct too often. Beware o' that inlet, lad. The tide sweeps outen it like a mill race sometimes, an' the best man couldn't hold his own agin it.
It's ben a mystery to me always how it happened. n.o.body ever knowed, only that we found the boat two days arter on the beach, three miles up.
When yuh git tired say so, an' I'll spell yuh.”
After a long time they drew near the other sh.o.r.e. Here lights had been seen, and Darry discovered quite a collection of houses, for the most part cabins such as are so common in the south, especially along the coast of North Carolina.
Abner insisted upon taking the oars now; and as he knew just where it was most desirable to land the boy no longer objected.
Sitting there in the stern he watched the scene unfold as they approached the mainland, though the new moon gave very little light.
Sounds as of boys at play, together with the barking of dogs, and even the gabble of a goose, awoke in his breast new emotions such as he had never experienced before; for he was about to be introduced to a home, no matter of what character, where he would after that belong.
The boat was brought up against a landing, and both went ash.o.r.e.
”In the mornin' I'll get yuh to help carry the groceries to the boat, so I kin ferry 'em acrost. Jest now I'm pinin' to get to the shack, 'cause I ain't ben home these two weeks, yuh see. This way, Darry, lad. My cabin ain't jest in the village; but when I come home I ginerally stop in at the butcher's an' take some meat along. Git out, yuh yaller critter!” this to a dog that had come barking toward them as though recognizing the fact that a stranger had come to town.
”Hyar, Peake, don't yer hit my dorg!” shouted a half-grown boy, slouching around a corner as though he had just come out of a drinking resort there.
”Keep him home, then, Jim Dilks, er else teach the critter to behave. He tackled me onct and I had to kick him over a fence to save my s.h.i.+ns from his teeth. Some day that hound'll get a call all right, yuh hear me, Jim?” declared Abner.
Jim leered at him, and then looked at the boy.
”Reckon it'll be a bad day for the feller that hurts me dorg, see? Who yer got trailin' 'long with yer, Peake? Say, be he the critter as kim ash.o.r.e? Sooner he skips outen this the better. We ain't got jobs enough now fur them as growed up round hyar.”
”No danger of you worrin' 'bout jobs, Jim Dilks. Work an' you never got on well. Mind your own business, now. This lad can look out for hisself.
He's goin' to live with me. Come on, Darry, don't notice the loafer,”
concluded the life saver; and he and the boy pa.s.sed on. Darry was destined to see a great deal more of Jim Dilks, as we shall presently learn.
CHAPTER IV
THE CABIN BY THE MARSH
As is customary in many of these little villages along the coast, the butcher shop was also the country store where groceries, dry goods, notions, and possibly boots and hats in addition, were sold.
Mr. Keeler eyed the boy in Abner's company, while he was cutting off the meat.
”Likely lad, that, Mr. Peake,” he said. ”I reckon he must be the one that come ash.o.r.e from the wreck t'other night. I heard all about it, 'cause some of our men were over to help out,” he added, in a low tone, taking advantage of Darry straying off a bit to examine a colored print that hung on the wall, and offered all manner of inducements to young fellows wis.h.i.+ng to enlist in the navy.
”The boy's all right. He's gwine to live with my missus--if they kin git on together. But about them as were over, Gus, I've got a notion some on 'em thought it might be a good chanct to wreck a craft. I seen Dilks there, with his crowd, an' yuh know he's under suspicion o' havin' lured that schooner ash.o.r.e with a false light last year. Time's comin' when them rascals air goin' to git caught. Hangin' 'd be too easy for such snakes. An' that boy o' his'n promises to be a chip o' the ole block.
He's as bad as they make 'em,” returned the surfman, shaking his head.
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