CHAPTER VIII. THE WRECK OF THE “HIGHFLYER.

When I ran the _Belle_ out of the little inlet in which I had moored her I found that the wind had been increasing, and the waves were really quite savage. My first solicitude was in regard to the ruffians in Waddie’s boat; for, whatever they deserved in the way of punishment, it was terrible to think of their being engulfed in the raging waters. I soon obtained a view of them. They had lowered the sail, and were tossing madly about on the waves. Of course, the craft was no longer under control, if it had been since the rogues embarked in her, and she appeared to be drifting rapidly toward the land.

The line of the shore in this part of the lake extended about northwest and southeast. Without knowing anything at all about a boat, the conspirators against the peace and dignity of Waddie Wimpleton had run out from the wharf, keeping the wind on the beam. Doubtless, the furious movements of the boat astonished them. It must have shaken them up to a degree they had never before experienced; but they were reckless fellows, and perhaps believed that this was the ordinary behavior of a boat when the breeze was fresh.

They were not far from right in this respect; but they ought to have known that a boat needs skilful handling at such a time. They had continued on their course about half-way across the lake. They did not seem to know enough to ease off the sheet when the heavy flaws came, or to “touch her up” with the helm. When it came so heavy that they could stand it no longer, they lowered the sail. A boat without any sail on, even in a blow, is as bad as an unruly horse without a bridle. She must have steerageway, or she cannot be controlled. She was now in the trough of the sea, rolling helplessly in the billows--now dipping in the water on one side, and now on the other.

When I ran in at the pier Waddie jumped on board of the _Belle_. He had put on his coat and vest, but still complained that he was very cold. I had some old coats in my cabin, which I offered to him, and, though they were not fashionable garments, he was glad to avail himself of my wardrobe.

“It blows heavier than ever, Waddie,” I said, while he was putting on one of the ragged and weather-stained overcoats.

“If you can’t run up to town, I can go on shore and walk up,” he replied, glancing at the angry lake.

“Oh, I can go it, well enough; but I was thinking of those fellows out there.”

“I shall not waste much fine feeling upon them, you had better believe!”

“They have lowered the sail, and are rolling about there like mud-turtles on a log. The boat must be full of water.”

“She will not sink, and as long as they hold on they will be safe enough.”

“I am not so sure of that, Waddie. They are drifting like mad toward the rocky point above Gulfport. If they run your boat on those sharp rocks, it will be all day with them.”

“I don’t care for the boat.”

“You don’t want her smashed--do you?”

“I don’t care if she is. She has been beaten, and, if she should be smashed, my father would order another.”

I did not care so much about the boat as I did about the fellows in her. I did not wish to have even one of them drowned before my eyes. I put on my coat, and then pushed off from the wharf. In a few moments we were in the thickest of it, and even the _Belle_ curtsied so low as to take in the “drink” over her lee rail. But I eased her off so that she went along very well, as any boat will when properly handled.

“They are hoisting sail,” said Waddie.

“So much the worse for them,” I replied.

“Have they reefed her?”

“I don’t think they know enough to do that.”

“They have! What are you going to do?”

“I am going to keep near enough to them to pull them out of the water if they get overboard.”

“They are running right before the wind, toward the Gulfport point. I think they have had sailing enough for one day. Let her out a little, Wolf; perhaps we can ascertain who they are.”

“I think not. They will keep their faces covered up while you are around; for being found out would be almost as bad as being drowned to them.”

The ruffians, probably seeing the sail on the _Belle_ reefed, found that they could do a similar thing with their own canvas. They had fastened the reef-points in some manner, and were running before the gale toward the rocky point. I did not understand what they intended to do; but it did not occur to me that they would be stupid enough to attempt a landing on a lee shore in such a sea as raged at the time. If they had any common sense, it ought to have taught them better.

I let out the sheet, and gave chase. The _Belle_ leaped like a race-horse over the waves, tossing the spray in bucketfuls over Waddie and myself. I hoped to overhaul the _Highflyer_ in season to warn the ruffians of their danger. But they were half a mile to leeward of me when the chase commenced, for I did not think of pursuing them till they began to hoist the sail. I thought it would be time enough to help them when they called for assistance, as I was not quite sure they would not still subject my companion to further indignities if they could catch him on shore.

I was gaining rapidly on the _Highflyer_, under her clumsy management, and if there had been half a mile farther to run I should have come up with her. The rascals in charge of her appeared to be profiting by their experience. They were daring fellows, as their intentions toward Waddie at the grove fully demonstrated, and they did not exhibit any signs of fear, though I could well believe they were not a little anxious about the future. Probably they had discovered that the _Highflyer_ was a life-boat, for her copper air-tanks were in plain sight in her forward cuddy. To my mind it was a pity that such bold fellows should be such consummate rascals, for so I must call any persons who would tar and feather a boy, under any circumstances.

“What do you suppose they mean to do, Wolf?” asked Waddie, beginning to be much excited by the situation.

“I think they intended to go up to Centreport in your boat, but found they could not go against the wind. They didn’t know how to beat her up. I believe they intend to get ashore now as quick as they can.”

“Do they mean to land on those rocks ahead of them?”

“I should judge that they did. They are not far from them, either,” I replied.

“I may as well say good-by to the _Highflyer_, then.”

“I shouldn’t wonder if you might say good-by to some of those fellows, also,” I added, very anxious for the result.

Waddie said no more, and I did not then. Both of us were bracing our nerves for the catastrophe, which could not be postponed many minutes longer.

“Boat, ahoy!” I shouted, with all the voice I could command.

“What do you want?” replied the gruff-toned fellow, who, in the boat as on the shore, was the leading spirit.

“Keep off the shore, or you will all be drowned!” I shouted.

“No, you don’t!” answered back the chief conspirator.

This reply, being interpreted, evidently signified that the speaker did not mean to be caught or run down, or in any other way vanquished by his pursuer.

“By the great horn spoon!” exclaimed Waddie, clinging to the side of the boat, “she is in for it!”

“Keep off!” I shouted furiously; and by this time the _Belle_ was within five rods of the _Highflyer_.

“Keep off yourself!” responded the gruff-toned fellow; and I noticed they had all covered their faces again.

“You will lose your lives if you don’t keep off!” I added, with all the energy I could throw into the words.

I found it necessary, at this exciting point of the chase, to sheer off myself, lest a treacherous rock should knock a hole in the _Belle_. At the same instant the _Highflyer_ rose on a wave, and then went down on the sharp rocks, with so much force that her bottom must have been completely stove in. I heard the crash, and held my breath with anxiety for the fate of the boys on board. They dropped down into the water, which I could now see rose within her nearly to the gunwales, and held on for life.

The receding wave carried the wreck back, and another lifted it up and jammed it down upon the jagged rocks with tremendous force. It was built of light material, and could not resist such a pounding for a single instant. Her mast went by the board, and she actually broke into pieces. The next wave that swept over her forced two of the four boys out of her, and pitched them into the water while the other two held on to the fragments.

“That’s rough!” gasped Waddie.

“I hope they will get out of it; but we can’t do anything for them,” I replied, with my heart in my throat.

I saw the two fellows who had been pitched out of the boat making their way over the rocks to the dry land. One of them limped, as though he had been severely injured. By this time all of them had lost their masks, or uncovered their faces; but they were too far from me to be identified. The _Belle_ was now standing away from the scene of the thrilling event close-hauled; but we watched the two boys on the wreck, still fearful that the fierce waves might swallow them up. The billows continued to drive the fragments nearer to the shore, till we saw the boys rush through the water and make their escape.

“That is the end of the _Highflyer_,” said Waddie. I was thankful that it was not also the end of her late crew.