The Search for the Silver City Part 9

During the next half minute the three struggled to the utmost of their power, and then the fragments of the boat and the goods which had been brought from the Sea Dream were high upon the beach beyond reach of the next wave, which swept in with a yet louder roar as if enraged at having been deprived of its prey.

Not until this had been done was it possible to look around for the sailors, and Teddy cried as he gazed seaward without seeing any living creature:

"Where are they?"

Jake watched the boiling waters several seconds before he replied mournfully:

"It was as I feared. They either struck some of these jagged rocks as they leaped from the boat or the under-tow was so strong that it dragged them down."

"Do you mean that all three have been drowned?" Neal cried.

"If they were alive we should see them by this time," and Jake ran along the sh.o.r.e hoping they might have succeeded in scrambling out at some other point.

Teddy and Neal followed him, and when five minutes pa.s.sed there could be no further doubt.

"If they had waited until the boat struck, as we did, there would have been little trouble to get ash.o.r.e; but now we shall never see them again."

The boys could hardly realize that three strong men had been taken from this world so quickly, and when finally the fact stood out boldly without the slightest possibility of mistake, a feeling of deepest depression took possession of all.

Teddy threw himself face downward on the sand and gave way to grief, while Neal and Jake stood by his side in silence, for this dreadful catastrophe seemed to be a warning of their own fate.

CHAPTER VIII.

SUSPENSE.

How long they remained on the sh.o.r.e in an apathy of despair not one of that party ever knew.

Jake was the first to arouse himself, and, understanding that work is the best remedy for mental troubles, he said, with a great effort to speak cheerily:

"See here, lads, this will never do if we want to get out of the sc.r.a.pe.

We've got to stay here till the other boats come along, and it is necessary to make some preparations for living. The goods must be stowed where they won't be destroyed, an' there's plenty to keep us busy for the rest of this day."

"When do you think the other boats should arrive?" Neal asked.

Jake realized fully how slight were the chances that either of the crafts would come to that exact spot, even if they were all afloat; but he had no idea of adding to his companions' grief, therefore he replied:

"It may be forty-eight hours. You see some or all of them might have put out a sea anchor when it blew so hard, for they carried heavier loads than we did, and while layin' still we hummed right along, consequently its difficult tellin' when to expect 'em."

"Of course they are bound to land here?"

Jake hesitated only for an instant before he decided that under the circ.u.mstances a lie was absolutely necessary, and then replied positively:

"Of course. Where else would they come?"

"I was afraid there might have been some little difference in the steering."

"We all were obliged to keep dead before the wind, therefore ought to come out pretty nigh alike."

This reply appeared to satisfy Neal, and he set about cheering Teddy, who finally arose to his feet and signified his willingness to do whatever Jake should propose as necessary.

The engineer made many suggestions which he would not have thought of had he been alone, or in the company of those who did not need such a tonic.

All the goods were first carried from the beach to the edge of the thick forest a hundred yards away, and over the collection was constructed a shelter to protect it from the dew. The fragments of the boat were carefully gathered up and deposited in the same place.

Then a quant.i.ty of such pieces of dead branches and decaying wood as could be found near at hand was stacked close by the beach, to serve as a signal in case a vessel or the boats should heave in sight.

When this had been done it was noon, and Jake set about preparing as elaborate a meal as their store of provisions would permit, saying as he summoned them to the repast:

"Now boys, I want you to fill yourselves up so's to be ready for hard work in case anything is to be done when the others get here. Afterwards we'll take a snooze, which is the proper thing to do at the middle of the day in a hot climate, and then there must be some exploring, for we want to find out if we are really on the island of Cuba."

The boys' hunger was very much greater than their grief, and without further urging they did full justice to the meal, Teddy saying as he helped himself to the third slice of preserved meat:

"It wouldn't be a bad idea for us to hunt a little while for something in the shape of a vegetable, or we shall soon run short of provisions."

"It's the very plan I was thinking of. In these woods we should be able to find many things that would help out on the bill of fare; but in case that can't be done, you boys must turn hunters. It's mighty lucky you have your guns and plenty of ammunition."

This last suggestion pleased the boys wonderfully and if Jake had not insisted very strongly that they sleep during the hottest portion of the day, both would have started into the forest without delay.

After lying down in the shade slumber came to their eyelids quickly, and when he was convinced they were across the border of dreamland, Jake arose softly, saying to himself as he stole up the sh.o.r.e:

"This goes ahead of any sc.r.a.pe I ever had the bad luck to fall into, an'

I'd give all I've got to know exactly where we are, for I'm certain it ain't Cuba. If two days pa.s.s without our sightin' a sail I must fix up some story to make the boys eager to tramp across the country. That'll be better than stayin' here where, 'cordin' to my idea, there's mighty small chance of our finding anybody who can help us."

He walked along the sh.o.r.e fully two miles; but there was no diversity of scene. The coast strewn thickly with coral rocks, and backed by a dense forest, was all that could be seen either above or below the place where they landed.

Then Jake forced his way through the tangled undergrowth, experiencing no slight difficulty in so doing, and the vegetation confirmed his belief that the little craft had been carried by the wind to some land further south than was at first supposed.

On the water not a sail was in sight, and when Jake returned to the place where the rude shelter had been put up he was in even a more despondent mood than Teddy and Neal had been.

"I s'pose we must wait here a couple of days to satisfy the boys the other boats won't come, an' then it's a case of strikin' across the country with good chance of wanderin' around until fever or wild animals puts an end to it."

His companions were yet asleep, and he lay down beside them in order to prevent any suspicion that he had been spying out the land.

Under other circ.u.mstances the monotonous roar of the surf would have lulled him to rest; but now his anxiety was so great that, despite all efforts, his eyes would persist in staying open very wide, and he spent the remainder of the siesta trying in vain to decide what was best to do.

Not until late in the afternoon did the boys awaken, and then Neal said as he sprang to his feet:

"It won't do for us all to sleep again at the same time. If the boats came in sight since we've been lying here it is very probable father has missed us, for more than likely they would try for a better place to land further up or down the coast."

"You needn't worry about that, lad. I've kept honest watch, and not so much as the wing of a sea gull has appeared above the horizon."

Teddy, remembering what Jake had said about hunting, began to clean the guns, for both had been thoroughly wetted during the landing, and Neal walked slowly along as he looked out over the water intently.

Before going very far he saw the engineer's footprints on the sand, and shouted excitedly: