Part 16 (2/2)

A rude place to sleep in, but what did the Frontier Boys care for that?

They could scarcely count the nights that they had slept out on the ground, and in bad weather too. They had a blanket apiece, and a tarpaulin to pull over them.

The blankets they had spread out on the floor of the cubby hole and they found that the tarpaulin made a mighty warm protective covering, keeping out the damp sea air in fine style.

”Where do you suppose we are heading for, Juarez?” inquired Tom.

”Maybe a port in Mexico or South America and then again we may head for Hawaii before we intend to.”

”We are going South now, though,” said Tom.

”If we run in close to the coast, we'll jump overboard, and swim for it,” said Juarez.

”We could do it if we get within a mile,” said Tom, ”if it is not too rough.”

Just then Juarez put his hand over Tom's mouth, he felt sure that someone was listening or was preparing to. Juarez ran his fingers carefully over the boards until he found where a hole had been bored through the planking a little back of their heads. It was just as he had suspected, someone was listening to hear what plans they would make.

With the noiselessness characteristic of him when scouting, Juarez crept out partially and cautiously raised his head until he caught sight of the sole of a man's boot. Then he crept back to his place and gave Tom a nudge. Forthwith they began talking in rather loud tones.

”Say Tom, do you know I rather like this s.h.i.+p. These fellows are rough in their way but that is to be expected.”

”Of course,” said Tom, in an equally loud voice, ”but we might as well make the best of it. There is no chance for the boys to find us.”

”You're right there, Tom.”

Then in a short time they appeared to fall into a deep and sonorous sleep. This was no fake on the part of Tom who was actually and thoroughly tired. But Juarez was more of a veteran and he kept his eyes open and he was rewarded in a few minutes by seeing a man's feet hanging over the edge of their bunk house and then he saw the figure of the mate slouch aft.

”You sly old rascal, you,” remarked Juarez. ”We will 'larn' you to try and be too smart with the Frontier Boys. We may be young but we are not fools.”

Nothing happened for a while and the gentle plunge of the Sea Eagle into the long rolling swell soon lulled the tired Juarez into a sound sleep, so that neither he nor Tom were aware that the s.h.i.+p had suddenly changed her course.

By and by however, Juarez waked with a start. Something had happened, he knew not what. He sat up and struck his head upon the planking overhead.

Fortunately however he did not hit the place where the Mexican had struck him but at the best his head was a tender place with him and the blow stunned him, but as he was now more his rugged self, he soon recovered.

He found what had wakened him was the stopping of the s.h.i.+p. He saw several dark forms moving aft and he crept out to see what was afoot. He had to move very carefully but managed to reach the hood of the forecastle, where he crouched looking and listening.

He saw that they were lying to, close in to sh.o.r.e and could see the white splash of the breakers as they rolled towards the sh.o.r.e and could hear their monotonous thunder upon the beach. Here perhaps was their chance. Just then he heard the heavy voice of the Captain from the bridge.

”Lower away there.” Then the starboard boat slid noiselessly down from the davits into the water.

Juarez got up and glided back into the cubby hole to tell Tom the good news. It was their opportunity to escape and seemingly a good one. The sea was smooth and the night was dark. They could slip over the side of the vessel and pull for the sh.o.r.e, and not a soul on the Sea Eagle would be the wiser until they looked into their nest in the morning to find it empty.

Once they got to the sh.o.r.e it would be an easy matter to make their way North until they met Jim and Jo.

The antic.i.p.ation of the escape had already thrilled through every nerve in Juarez's body. But he had just started to wake Tom, when something made him look down the deck. There was the tall figure of one of the sailors coming directly towards the bow.

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