Part 26 (2/2)
By the course they had laid, it was rather more than a hundred miles from San Juan harbor to St. Croix, the Danish island, and as they were going to make a careful search, and husband their supply of gasoline as much as possible, they had set their average speed at ten miles an hour.
”That will bring us to St. Croix early this evening,” said Jack, for they had started in the morning. ”We'll stay there all night, for I don't much fancy motoring after dark in unknown waters.”
”Neither do I,” said Cora.
”And then there are the sharks!” murmured Belle.
”I won't let them get you!” said Walter, it such soothing tones as one might use to a child. ”The bad sharks sha'n't get little Belle,”
and he pretended to slip an arm about her.
”Stop it!” commanded the blonde twin, with a deep blush as she fairly squirmed out of reach.
CHAPTER XX
ANXIOUS NIGHTS
Dusk had begun to settle over the harbor of Christianstad, or Ba.s.sin, as the capital of St. Croix is locally known, when the anchor of the Tartar was dropped into the mud. The boat had threaded its way through a rather treacherous channel, caused by the then shallow parts of the basin, and had come to rest not far from sh.o.r.e.
”What's the program?” asked Walter, as the motor ceased its throbbing.
”We'll go ash.o.r.e,” said Jack, ”and see what news we can learn. I'm not very hopeful, but we may pick up something.”
”Back here to sleep?” Walter went on, questioningly.
”Oh, sure. We want to start early in the morning. And from now on, we'll have plenty of stopping places, for there are many small islands where survivors from the wreck might have landed.”
”Is there anything to see here ash.o.r.e?” asked Bess. ”If there is, you might take us girls. We don't want to be left alone.”
”Well, I suppose it could be done,” Jack a.s.sented. ”Only we'll have to do it in two trips, for the small boat won't hold us all. Too risky, and there might be sharks here, Bess,” and he made a motion toward the waters of the harbor.
”Oh, how horrible!” she screamed.
A small rowboat was carried as part of the equipment of the Tartar, but, at best, it could hold only four. However, the boys and girls were saved the necessity of making two trips from the motor boat to sh.o.r.e, for a large launch, the pilot of which scented business, put out to them from the landing wharf, and soon bargained to land them, and bring them off again when they desired to come. Joe would stay aboard the Tartar.
The travelers found Christianstad to be a picturesque town, and in certain parts of it there were many old buildings. The Danish governor was ”in residence” then, and affairs were rather more lively than usual.
”What's that queer smell?” asked Cora, as they were on their way to the best hotel in the place, for there they intended making their inquiries.
”Sugar factory,” answered Jack. ”It's about all the business done here--making sugar.”
”How'd you know?” asked Belle.
”Oh, ask Little Willie whenever you want to know anything,” laughed Jack. ”Listen, my children!
”St. Croix is twenty-two miles long, and from one to six miles in width. It is inhabited by whites and blacks, the former sugar planters, and the latter un-planters--that is, they gather the sugar cane.
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