Part 15 (1/2)

CHAPTER XI

A CALL FROM THE STERN

For the instant after Tom slipped over the side of the _Golden Wave_, Dan Baxter was too dazed to do more than stare at the spot where he had last seen the boy with whom he had been struggling.

”Gone!” he muttered presently. ”Gone!” he repeated and crouched back in the darkness.

The great beads of perspiration came to his brow as he heard rapid footsteps approaching. Would he be accused of sending Tom Rover to his death?

”What's the trouble?” came in the voice of Captain Blossom.

Instead of answering, Dan Baxter crept still further back. Then, watching his chance, he darted into the forecastle.

”Hullo, the rail is broken!” he heard the captain exclaim. ”Bring a lantern here, quick!”

A sailor came running with a lantern, which lit up the narrow circle of the deck near the rail and part of the sea beyond.

”Somebody gave a cry,” said the captain, to those who began to gather.

”Looks to me as if the rail gave way and let somebody overboard.”

”Tom Rover was on deck,” came from old Jerry. ”Do you reckon as how it was him?”

”I don't know. It was somebody, that's certain. Call all hands at once.”

This was done, and Dan Baxter had to come out with the rest. He was pale and trembled so he could scarcely stand.

”All here,” said Captain Blossom. ”Must have been one of the Rover boys or one of the young ladies.”

Word was pa.s.sed along and soon Sam and d.i.c.k came rus.h.i.+ng on deck.

”Tom is missing!” cried Sam.

”If that is so, I'm afraid, boys, you have seen the last of your brother,” said Captain Blossom. He turned to his crew. ”Do any of you know anything of this affair?”

There was a dead silence. Then he questioned the man at the wheel.

”Don't know a thing, cap'n,” was the answer.

”It's queer. He must have pressed on the rail very hard.. Here are half a dozen nails torn from the wood.”

While this talk was going on d.i.c.k and Sam had pa.s.sed along the rail from the place of the accident to the stern.

”Perhaps he caught hold somewhere,” said Sam, who was unwilling to believe that his brother had really perished.

They had just gained the stern and were looking over when a call came from out of the darkness.

”He--help! Help!”