Under the Ocean to the South Pole Part 24

REGAINING THE s.h.i.+P

At first the others did not know what he meant. Andy seemed much excited, and for a time the professor thought the heat and worry might have affected the hunter's mind.

"We'll show 'em a thing or two!" cried Andy. "I once scared a lot of Indians this way so they didn't know whether they were on their head or their feet. Hurrah!"

"What are you talking about?" asked Mr. Henderson. "Hadn't you better sit down and rest a bit?"

"I'm all right," replied Andy. "I'm talking about those sky rockets.

They'll be better than bullets. You see," he went on, "after it gets dark we'll shoot the rockets over the s.h.i.+p. The savages will think they are in the midst of a lot of falling stars, and if they don't take to their boats and leave us the s.h.i.+p I'll miss my guess, that's all."

"Good!" exclaimed the inventor. "We'll try it."

The rockets were taken out and examined. They were big affairs of several pound weight and were intended for far-off signalling at sea.

Andy, with the aid of the boys, Tom and Bill, soon constructed a rough sort of support from which to set off the fire-works. As soon as it grew dark, which it did about seven o'clock, preparations were made to try the experiment.

With a whizz and roar the first rocket went sailing skyward. Up through the black night it went, trailing behind it a shower of fire and sparks.

Then, with a loud report like that of a gun it burst directly over the s.h.i.+p and a rain of brilliantly colored globes of flame descended.

"Shot number one!" cried Andy, who was setting off the rockets.

For a few seconds after the first flight there came no sound from the natives at the s.h.i.+p. Then, just as the second rocket was set off there issued a long-drawn howl, which was succeeded by cries of fear.

"We've waked 'em up!" shouted Jack.

In rapid succession several more rockets were sent over the _Porpoise_.

By the light of them could be seen a ma.s.s of natives crowded out on the small deck, while others were in their canoes.

"I think I'll try it a little lower this time," remarked Andy. "Maybe I can hit some of 'em!"

He slanted the support closer to the ground and set off two rockets at once. Straight across the sandy beach they flew, directly toward the crowd of natives on the s.h.i.+p. Right into the midst of the savages the trailing comet of fire shot, with a hiss, roar and sputter that was enough to strike terror into the bravest heart.

There was a long piercing howl of fear. Then, as the natives felt the hot sparks scatter over their half-naked bodies, they broke into a wild stampede. Over the side of the s.h.i.+p they plunged, into the sea, and swam off. Those in boats paddled quickly away.

For good measure Andy sent another rocket into the midst of the fleeing ones, and this served to quicken their departure. By the light of the last one it could be seen that the s.h.i.+p was deserted, though the water all about her was black with the swimming savages, and the canoes.

"I guess they won't come back in a hurry!" cried Andy. "Come on! We'll board the s.h.i.+p now, and get the electric guns to ward off any further attacks!"

"That's the talk!" cried Mark.

Toward the _Porpoise_ all started on a run. As they neared her they found that the rising tide had floated her.

"We must see if the natives damaged her," spoke Mr. Henderson as soon as he set foot on deck. "If they have it will be a hard matter to make repairs so far from civilization."

A hasty examination, however, showed that the savages had disturbed little. The engine was soon set in motion, and, in ten minutes the s.h.i.+p was steaming away from the coast, headed toward the south, the goal they were so eagerly seeking.

As soon as they were well out to sea, and all sight of the canoes of the savages had been lost, supper was served, and all brought good appet.i.tes to the table. For, though the improvised meals on sh.o.r.e had tasted good, there had not been much to them.

For several days the _Porpoise_ was kept on her course, sailing along under the water by day, and upon the surface at night. It was one pleasant afternoon, while Nellie, Jack and Mark were sitting out on the deck, during one of the times when the boat had risen to the surface to renew the air supply, that a strange commotion was observed off their lee. The ocean seemed to be boiling.

"What is that?" asked the little girl.

The two boys looked to where she pointed. Indeed the ocean seemed to be bubbling up and down in a strange manner.

"It's a school of porpoises," said Jack.

Just then the water became alive with big fish. They leaped over each other, springing high into the air and falling back into the sea with resounding splashes.

"They're not porpoises! They're whales! Baby whales!" yelled Mark. "Look out or some of the big ones may ram the boat!"

As he spoke the water all about the submarine was seen to be fairly swarming with the small whales. There were scores of them, and, at times, they were so thick that it appeared possible to walk out upon them without getting very deep into the water.

Suddenly the s.h.i.+p careened to one side and the sea rushed over the deck.

It was evident that one of the big whales, which were deeper down in the water, had struck the vessel.

Nellie screamed and tried to grab the hand rail that was about the platform. She missed her grip. The next instant she was floundering in the ocean, in the midst of the school of whales.

"Man overboard!" yelled Jack, remembering vaguely that he had read this was the proper call to make in case of accident.

His cry brought Was.h.i.+ngton and the professor up the companionway on the jump.

"Launch the boat!" cried the inventor as he saw what had happened.

Mark was already in action. At the first sight of Nellie slipping over the side he had thrown off his coat, broken the laces of his shoes in order the more quickly to remove the foot coverings, and had dived into the swirling water which surrounded the submarine.

He struck out in the direction where the little girl had disappeared, and as her golden head appeared above the ma.s.s of foam he yelled in encouragement.

By this time the small boat was launched and the colored man and Jack were pulling toward him. Mark succeeded in reaching Nellie as she was going down the second time. He grabbed her long locks and managed to keep her up until the little craft was alongside of him.

"Git in quick, 'fore dem whales eat yo' up!" cried Was.h.i.+ngton.

He hauled the unconscious child in first, and then Jack gave Mark a hand. As if by magic all the whales had disappeared and the sea was quiet again. In a few minutes the rescuers and the rescued one went back again on the _Porpoise_, where Professor Henderson soon brought Nellie around again. Beyond the shock and wetting neither she nor Mark was harmed.

It was Jack's watch on deck that night. He had the tour from eight until twelve o'clock and when, about ten, every one but himself had retired, he took his position in the door of the conning tower and prepared to pa.s.s the time as best he could.

The s.h.i.+p was moving along at half speed, and, as the automatic steering attachment was working Jack had little to do. He sat looking at the stars that twinkled in the sky, the blazing Southern Cross showing among the constellations, when he heard a slight noise near the companionway.

He looked in that direction and, to his horror, he saw the ghostly white shape that had, on previous occasions, caused him and the others fright.

At first the boy resolved to shut himself up in the tower and wait until the uncanny thing had disappeared. Then his courage came back and he thought he would try to solve the mystery.

He argued that if the weird white object was human and could witness his movements the best thing to do would be to try and creep upon it un.o.bserved. On the contrary, if the ghost was some natural phenomenon, or a supernatural agent, all he could do would be of no avail.

So he decided the best thing to do would be to crawl upon the thing, keeping as near to the deck as possible and trying to hide himself. With this in view he put on a long rain coat that hung in the conning tower, and then, like a snake, commenced to wiggle his way toward the middle of the platform where the white object still stood.

Nearer and nearer to it Jack came. His heart was beating fast and he was much frightened, but he nerved himself to continue. As he came closer he could see that the object looked more and more like a man, completely robed in white garments.

Jack was now within ten feet of the strange object. It was a man, he was sure of it, but whether a present or former inhabitant of the earth he could not decide. Jack's hair was beginning to raise. A cold s.h.i.+ver ran down his spine as the white thing lifted an arm and seemed to point directly at him. At the same time it groaned in a deep tone.