Morning was just breaking when they were again aroused. This time a tap
at a window brought Rowdy to attention and made Jack spring to his feet
in alarm. In a boat sat Doright, the negro.
"What do you want?" demanded Jack. "Can we do anything for you?"
"No sir, Boss, youall caint do nothin' for me," answered the negro,
rolling his eyes upward. "Mebbe youall kin do something for them
pardners of yourn! They done gone away."
"Gone away!" gasped Frank, now joining Jack. "Gone away!"
"Yaas, sir, Boss, dey done goned away on a ship named the 'Walkfast.' I
done holp Mister Pete put 'em on board."
"Where is this ship now?" demanded Frank crisply.
"She done lef' a hour or two ago," answered the negro. "If youall wants
to know where she gwine, go ax de man at de custom house."
"That's a sensible thing to do," declared Jack. "Take this fellow
aboard, while I go up to the custom house and find where the ship
Walkfast was bound for and if this chap is not lying, we'll take a
little cruise for an appetizer. Don't let him get away."
In a few minutes Jack came running back breathless. He made haste to get
aboard, signaling for the boys to hoist the anchor.
Not a second was lost in getting the Fortuna under way with her nose
pointed out to sea. After the engines had been set whirling Jack
recovered his breath and explained that the vessel had been the schooner
"Quickstep," that had so nearly wrecked the Fortuna. Her clearance was
for New York and she was heavily laden with lumber.
Pages:
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161