Part 43 (1/2)

The sailors gave some more of the details of their doings while in Lesher's company, and then they were provided with additional clothing, and each was given a pistol and some ammunition. Nothing was said to them about the cave or the provisions stored there, Captain Blossom deeming it best to wait and make sure if they were to be thoroughly trusted.

”You see,” said he, ”they may be straight enough, or they may be spies sent by Lesher to find out just what we propose to do.”

”They look honest,” said d.i.c.k. ”I should trust them.”

The long pull on the bay had worn the two sailors out, and they were soon sleeping soundly. The girls followed, and then the boys started to turn in.

Sam had just gone to rest, and Tom was following, when d.i.c.k, who had stepped out on the beach, uttered a cry.

”What's up?” asked Captain Blossom.

”Look toward the wreck. What does that light mean?”

The captain looked, and then ran for his spy-gla.s.s.

”The _Golden Wave_ is afire!” he exclaimed. ”That light is coming up out of the cabin!”

”The wreck is on fire!” shouted Tom, and this cry brought everybody out once more.

With remarkable rapidity the light grew brighter, until the heavens and the entire bay were lit up by the conflagration. There was a strong wind blowing, which carried the sparks to the jungle back of the s.h.i.+p. Listening intently, they could occasionally hear the roaring and crackling of the flames.

”The s.h.i.+p is doomed, that is certain,” said Sam. ”I wonder if all who were on board escaped?”

”The fire has caught in the brushwood on the sh.o.r.e,” announced Captain Blossom, who had continued to use the spygla.s.s.

”Can you see any of the men moving around?” questioned Dora.

”I thought I saw one or two, but I am not certain. Most of the men must have escaped, but if they were drunk, as Gibson says, perhaps some have been caught like rats in a trap.”

The flames continued to roar upward, and toward the island back of the s.h.i.+p, for over an hour. During that time they heard two dull explosions, caused by some barrels of chemicals catching fire. The second explosion sent the bits of burning wood and rigging flying in all directions.

”That will leave the mutineers without a home and without stores,”

said old Jerry. ”They're in a poor fix now.”

”I'd like to know how the fire started,” said the captain. ”Can you explain it?” he went on, to Gibson and Marny.

”I've got an idea,” said Marny. ”Just before we came away old man Shular went down in the hold with a light to look for some certain brand of liquor we were carrying. He was more than half drunk, and he most likely dropped his lantern and set something on fire.”

At the end of an hour and a half the flames had died down to the water's edge. A few small bits of wreckage continued to burn, and also a grove of trees and brushwood on the island. But before morning every bit of the fire was out, and only a heavy smoke showed where the _Golden Wave_ had once rested.

No one had thought of retiring again, and sunrise found them all worn out, and anxious to know what was going to happen next.

”You can rest a.s.sured that some of them will be over here sooner or later,” said d.i.c.k. ”Now they have no place to shelter them, and no provisions, they will want us to help them out.”

”What will you do, d.i.c.k?” asked Dora.

”That depends on Captain Blossom, Dora. Personally I want nothing to do with any of them.”

”But some may be badly burnt, and they may need medicine and bandages,”

came from Nellie.