The Iron Boys on the Ore Boats Part 36

CHAPTER XXII

LEADING A LIVELY CHASE

"THE bear has escaped!" shouted a voice down on the main deck.

"What bear?"

"The one that was in the lazaret."

"Didn't know there was any bear there. You're kidding," answered the doubting sailor.

"Go up and take a peep into the wheel-house, if you don't believe it.

You'll get a bang on the side of the head that will make your ears ring eight bells for the rest of the night."

"I--I guess I'll take your word for it." The sailor turned and ran for the deck-house.

Steve Rush, aroused by the shouting, got up and poked his head from the cabin window.

"Hey, what's happening?" he called.

Jarvis was on his way back to tell his chum the news.

"Old Bruin has escaped."

"Who's he?"

"An old party we had cooped in a crate in the lazar----"

"A bear?"

"You bet he's a bear. He waved a paw at me that knocked me clean out of the pilot-house."

"Wait, I'll be out in a minute."

Steve hurried into his clothes, and a few minutes later was out on the rolling deck. He could barely make out the lights of the forward deck-house through the mist of spray that hung over the s.h.i.+p like a cloud.

"Where is he?" cried the Iron Boy.

"Up there in the house."

"But who is steering the s.h.i.+p?"

"I guess the bear is. n.o.body else up there except the captain, jumping around the bridge-deck in his pajamas, mad as a hatter."

Steve, deciding that he would like a closer look, hurried to the bridge.

There he found Captain Simms in a plight if anything more ludicrous than had been painted by Bob Jarvis. Rush saw that the s.h.i.+p was reeling about like a crazy sailor.

"Do something, somebody!" roared the skipper.

"What would you suggest?" questioned Steve, taking a peep through an open window and narrowly missing getting his eyes scratched out as a hairy paw reached through the window with a downward, raking sweep.

Captain Simms forgot his anger long enough to laugh at the agility with which Rush leaped backward, falling over a steel cleat, coming up grinning but very red of face.

"That's what the beast did to me, only he got too much of my clothes for comfort," remarked the skipper.

It was Steve's turn to laugh, which he did uproariously.

"Maybe you think it's funny, but you wouldn't if you were in my place.

The next question is how are we going to get that beast from the iron range out of the pilot-house?"

"I'll tell you," said Bob, who had followed his companion up to the bridge. "We'll coax him out with a chunk of fresh meat."

"Will you hold the meat?" answered the master sharply.

"No, thank you," laughed Jarvis.

"Your idea isn't half bad. I believe I will get a piece of meat and try it," replied Rush reflectively.

"See here, young man. Not quite so fast. What do you propose to do with the beast when you get him out?"

"I--I--hadn't thought of that," stammered Rush.

"I suppose you'd let him dance about the decks and run us all overboard, eh? No, sir. He stays where he is. You keep watch of him while I go down stairs and get some clothing on. This summer costume is a little too airy for this kind of a night."

The two boys watched the pilot-house from a safe distance while the captain went below. Day was beginning to dawn, and by the faint light they could see Mr. Bruin spinning the pilot-wheel this way and that. He seemed as pleased as a child with a new toy. The compa.s.s card, with its dim white spot showing the position of the s.h.i.+p, attracted his attention. Brain scratched on the gla.s.s over the compa.s.s card and getting no satisfaction from so doing, returned to the wheel.

Such steering probably never had been seen on the Great Lakes before.

All at once five shrill blasts sounded dead ahead.

"There comes a steamer!" yelled Bob.

"We'll run it down!" shouted Steve. "Hey, Captain!"

The up-coming steamer knew that something was wrong and her deck officer was sounding a danger signal. It looked as if a collision could not be avoided. Steve ran around to the front of the pilot-house, and rang in the signal "full speed astern" on the bridge telegraph. Then the "Richmond" did cut up. Bruin was still steering as fancy dictated, the bow of the s.h.i.+p wobbling this way and that.

Ill.u.s.tration: A Huge Form Stood at the Wheel.

In the meantime the captain of the other steamer was trying his best to get his craft out of the way of the wobbling "Richmond."

"Sheer off! Sheer off!" bellowed the skipper of the up-boat. "You'll cut us in two."

The boys thought so as well, but there was nothing they could do save wait for results and trust to luck.

Bang!

The nose of the "Richmond" caught the other boat a glancing blow and bounced off. The sides of the two s.h.i.+ps b.u.mped together, then the stern of the "Richmond" side-swiped the stranger with a smash that sent everything jingling on the two s.h.i.+ps, while the skipper of the up-craft was dancing up and down the deck of his vessel, heaping abuse upon Captain Simms and his "fool crew."

"We must get that beast out, at all costs," raged the master of the "Richmond."