Part 9

"Cap'n, the whole pack's comin'," shouted Marcus in a tone of dismay, looking down into the crowded cabin. "If they board us, we'll be swamped."

They all laughed, and Mr. Bernard protested that they would spare the _Una_ from such a fate.

"Now, captain, if you will put us ashore, you will make us still more your debtors."

"I'll do that, Mr. Bernard, although I would like to keep you aboard till I sail."

"Don't talk of sailing yet. You must come ashore, and see our quarters, and at least take breakfast with us,--you and Marcus too."

"Oh yes, captain," cried Ralph and Ben, eagerly seconding the invitation. "We want all the fellows to know you."

The captain laughed, and allowed himself to be pushed up the cabin steps, where loud cheers from the crowd on shore greeted the party.

The news had spread from tent to tent that the _Una_ had arrived, and the runaways returned to them; and with whoops and hurrahs the half-dressed crowd rushed to the beach.

Some unfastened the boats moored there and pushed off in them, and others stood on the rocks and shouted, as Mr. Bernard, followed by the captain, Ralph, Ben, Joe, and Dave, came on deck.

There was no mistaking the warmth of the greeting from their school-mates. Hats were waved and cheer after cheer given as the boat reached the shore, and the boys climbed up the rocks, followed by Mr. Bernard and Captain Dare. It was so different from the reception they had imagined when they thought of a return to school.

If they had been received coldly or with sneers and taunts, they would not have wondered; but this welcome seemed wholly unaccountable, and Ralph and Ben received it very modestly, feeling that it was entirely undeserved.

Captain Dare and Marcus were introduced to the crowd of boys, and were escorted to the tents, while the _Una_ was left to swing to and fro on the rising tide.

The half-dressed boys hastened to finish their toilets, and had barely time for this before the bell for prayers rang, and they all gathered in the large tent, where Mr. Bernard gave hearty thanks for their new happiness. The prayer was suited to the occasion, and it touched every heart.

When it ended, Ralph, who stood by Mr. Bernard, said in a manly way, though his lips trembled as he spoke, and his face was pale, "I want you all to know, boys, that I don't deserve this welcome from you and the teacher. I was a mean fellow, and a wicked fellow, and a sneak to boot; but I've made up my mind that I'll lead a different life, with God's help."

There was perfect silence after Ralph ceased speaking and stepped back a little.

Ben did not know that Ralph intended to say anything of the kind, and indeed the boy himself had not thought of it until, touched by the prayer offered in his behalf, he was moved to speak.

"I suppose I ought to say something too," he thought; "but I declare I'd rather be back in the _Una_ with a gale blowing." Red and awkward, he got up and said, "I'm sure I don't deserve it either. You are all awful kind about it, and I hope you'll never have to be ashamed of us again. I mean to be honest and true after this."

As soon as he had spoken he got behind Mr. Bernard, and fanned himself with his cap to get the flame from his face.

Ralph whispered to the master, and to the delight of the captain the whole school began the chant he liked so much--"The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want."

With his hands behind him, and his huge frame swaying to and fro, he joined with unbounded comfort, as well as with spirit and understanding, in the music.

Knowing his fondness for singing, Ralph asked Mr. Bernard to have more; and the boyish voices sang hymn after hymn, and some of the school glees, that they had practised many times, and had even given in concert in the town of Massillon, where the Academy Glee Club was looked upon as something to be proud of.

When they ceased, Captain Dare said, "It's good to be here. I wouldn't have missed it for all the world. I shall hear that singing above the roar of the wind and the sea,--I know I shall."

Jonas had prepared quite a sumptuous repast in honour of the event--that is, considering the fact that there was no market within four or five miles. There was fish broiled and fish fried, mackerel, cod, and hake, hot biscuits, and bread; best of all, coffee that scented the air with odours from "Araby the blest."

Captain Dare was given the place of honour at Mr. Bernard's right hand, and Marcus sat among the boys, listening to the stories of their accidents and adventures, as they were detailed to Ralph and Ben, who were not anxious to talk of their own experience, acknowledging that the days that had been spent on the _Una_ were wretched days to them.

"The fact is," said Ralph, with sudden frankness when urged to give an account of himself, "we were scared and sea-sick the worst way. At least I was. Ben was braver than I: he did his best to keep jolly, until the storm came,--then he gave in; didn't you, Benjamin?"

Ben nodded laughingly. "I'll never deny that. You were the braver of the two then; but I believe any 'land-lubber,' as Captain Dare calls us, would be scared with such a commotion of wind, sea, and thunder and lightning, to say nothing of rain that came down by the tubful."

Ben shrugged his shoulders as he ended his account of affairs, and sought consolation in another of Jonas's biscuits. After breakfast Captain Dare said: "My man Marcus is looking at me, as much as to say, 'Come, you are wasting time;' but, Marcus boy, we ain't. I believe I've got pleasure enough out of this time to last till I'm an old man. I suppose you think I'm that now; but, bless your hearts, my lads, when you get as old as I am you'll think old age a long way off. But we must be going now. My little vessel there is as restless as a colt. She can never bear to be tied up. See her dancing and tossing around! She wants to be off. I must be getting her in port for repairs."

"Oh, don't go yet, captain!"

"Stay all day," cried the boys.

"No, don't tempt me. I must get my load of fish, and go home to see my grand-baby. When you go back to Massillon, be sure to visit my folks and see that baby; he's a fine fellow, if I do say it. I set a heap by him, and he does by me too, strange to say. But good-bye, all of you."

"Ralph," said Ben, pulling his friend's sleeve, "we haven't paid him for our passage yet."

"Sure enough; and there are our valises aboard the vessel--we must get them."

The entire company of teachers and scholars went down to the beach to see the visitors off; and Ralph and Ben went over to the vessel in one of the boats to have a few last words with Captain Dare, and to bring away their goods and chattels.

When they had brought the valises from the cabin, and had come to give a final shake of the hand, Ben took his purse from his pocket and said, "Now, captain, how much shall we pay you?"

"Off with you, boy! Not a penny. You are welcome to that trip, I am sure. It turned out better than any of us expected, didn't it? I shall always like to think it over."

"But, captain--" began Ralph.

"No 'but' about it. The vessel is mine, every timber of it, and if I've a mind to take passengers, it's nobody's business. So off with you. Keep your promises. Be good boys, and that's all I'll ask. God bless you. Good-bye."

Ralph and Ben returned to the shore, and stood with the crowd waving and cheering as the _Una_, with all sails set, glided away.

As long as they could see the two men, they stood on the rocks and waved hats and handkerchiefs; and Marcus gave a return salute by flourishing his dish-towel and blowing his fog-horn--the same horn that had sounded so dismally in the fog when Ralph and Ben were at sea.

"There goes a man worth knowing!" exclaimed Ralph. "He is rough enough outside, but he is pure gold through and through. Where would we have been if we hadn't fallen into his hands?"

Ben shrugged his shoulders as he said, "Not here, surely."

"Indeed we wouldn't; and when school begins in September we wouldn't have been there either."

"We didn't cheer him half loud enough," cried Joe Chester in a fresh spasm of gratitude. "I wonder if they could hear if we all gave one tremendous yell. Let's try it. All together now. One, two, three." Then followed a shout that succeeded in bringing the two men to the vessel's side for one more salute.

"There, that will do for this time, boys; I think they know that you appreciate their kindness," said Mr. Bernard, laughingly uncovering his ears, after protecting them from the roar of the crowd. Leaving them on the beach planning the day's pleasure, he returned to the tent to read and rest.

*CHAPTER XIX.*

*IMPROVING THE TIME.*

"Only two more days, boys, and the boat will be here for us, and the tents will have to come down," exclaimed Joe, as he stood on the beach with a handful of pebbles, skipping one after another out over the swimming-pool.

"That's so," said Ben, sighing over lost opportunities.

"The question is what to do first now. Shall we show Ralph and you the sights?"

"Oh, it's jolly just to be here, Joe, without hunting up any fun!" said Ralph, leaning back in his rocky seat. "I could lie on the rocks here, and be comfortable, and call it a good time, too, after our dismal experience."

"Having had that, it's all the more reason you should have all the pleasure we can crowd into these two days," said Joe, putting his hand on Ralph's shoulder.

"Yes," said Dave; "we must stretch these next two days over all the fun we can."

"The archery and rifle matches come off this afternoon; but I shan't fire another arrow till then. It is too bad your bow and rifle were left behind, boys: but you can use my bow, Ralph; and there are plenty of fellows in the rifle club to lend you a rifle, Ben," said Joe.

The offers followed at once, but the two boys declined, and Ben, who was a member of the rifle club, and one of the best marksmen, said, "No, indeed; I haven't practised for a fortnight, and I should disgrace my record if I should join in the match to-day. No; I'll look on and applaud."

"Let's go and swim a while, and after that take a run over to the lighthouse," suggested Joe.

"And show the boys the place where Walt and Ned acted Robinson Crusoe," added Don.

"Which was Robinson, and which Friday?"

"I don't think that question was ever decided," answered Ned good-naturedly.

"Ho, for a swim! Who will go in?" cried Fred.

"I," and "I," answered the boys, as they ran for their bathing-suits.

They soon appeared dressed in all imaginable costumes, and a band of fantastics could hardly have been funnier. Into the water they walked or leaped or dived, with much shouting and shrieking over the cold. Ralph was a timid swimmer, and did not like the water well enough to attempt any fancy motions, contenting himself with paddling about where he could reach the shore very quickly, if he chose. Ben, however, was strong and bold, and followed Joe and the others in diving from the rocks and swimming under water. Nearly the whole school were in the water together this morning, to celebrate Ralph and Ben's arrival. The two boys from the lighthouse were there also, and under Joe's instruction were learning to "strike out" quite boldly. Little Max was also learning, and he shouted to his father, who sat on the rocks, laughing at the antics of his boys, "See, father, how many strokes I can take. Now you count. I can go 'dog paw,' too."

The time passed so quickly that the boys could hardly believe that Mr. Bernard's watch was reliable when he gave the signal for an exodus from the water. As usual, there was pleading for a few minutes more,--one more dive, or one more race across the pool,--then a great splashing and dashing and general commotion, as the multitude obeyed the order, followed by a scamper of the dripping mermen to the tents. After dressing, they met for further discussion as to the next thing in order, and, after much debate, most of those who were not intending to practise for the matches decided to go over to the lighthouse.

"Is the wreck there now?" asked Ralph.

"Yes, it's there, what there is of it, but it is 'most all to pieces," answered John Kramer.

"And where are the men?"

"Oh, father took them across in his boat after they had done all they could to save things. I tell you, they were awful plucky about getting things out. Father says he wouldn't have risked his bones on the old hull for nobody."

"No, I don't believe he would, boy," said Walter dryly, recalling the slowness with which he responded to their petitions for help when he and Ned were in trouble. "Your father will never come to his death through want of care for himself, rest sure of that, Johnny; so don't you lie awake at night worrying about him."

The path to the lighthouse lay through that part of the pasture where the blueberries were most plentiful and tempting, so it was long before the boys reached their destination; and their blue mouths told the secret of their delay.

After the lighthouse had been visited and examined, the boys led the way to the fishing-ground, where the tide had come up over their fish and lunches and rods. Here all began to talk together, relating the experience of that eventful day, and though they all spoke one language, it seemed like a second Babel, but little inferior in point of sound to the first. Each boy having had an experience that differed a little from his neighbour's, felt it necessary to make a statement of facts. After a while Joe shouted above the din,--

"See here, boys, it is low tide; let's go around and see the 'Exiles' Rock!'" and he led the way down to the spur around which Walter and Ned had run to hide.

"Look out there! you fellows will be caught just as we were," shouted Walter.

"No, we won't. We know too much for that," answered Dave.

"Come on and visit the scene of your fame and glory, Walt!" exclaimed Ned.

"No, sir; the fame and glory were too slim to tempt me again," was the laughing reply, as Walter threw himself down on the rocks to wait for the others.

"I am going. I feel curious to know how it seems to be there again," and Ned ran after the other boys, who had disappeared around the spur. "Imagine these waves ten times rougher and fiercer, leaping and roaring away up by your very feet, with the spray flying in your faces, and you can have some idea how Walt and I felt here," he said, after he reached his companions; then he added, "And yet you can't; for the worst of it all was that we didn't know where the tide would stop, or whether it would stop at all until it had washed us off our perch."

"There couldn't be a much worse place to get caught!" exclaimed Ben, shrugging his shoulders, as he always did, to express the feeling that matters and things were in a bad condition.

"Let's get away from here," said Ralph. "I have had all the experience with the raging seas that I want."

Then, with many similar comments, the crowd of boys surged back to the place where they had left Walter.

"Now for Spouting Horn!" cried Joe. "Here, not that way. The low-tide spouter is on this side," he added, as the boys were starting off.

"It is just about time to see the pool, too," said Fred.

"Yes, we will do both. There'll be time enough to see that after we have watched the spout a while."

"There she blows!" exclaimed Don, as they came near the place in time to hear the report, as the column of water shot up into the air and fell in delicate spray.

A prolonged "Oh--h!" ending in a whistle from Ralph, expressed his admiration of the wonderful sight; and he and Ben hastened forward to be as near as possible before it spouted again.

"I don't want to hurry you, boys," said Joe, "but we have another sight to show, and the tide has turned. In a little while it will be too late to see the pool."

There was another race of the multitude, and in spite of their haste the tide had crept nearly up to the place they had come to see. The waves were beginning to flow up over the barrier separating the pool from the ocean, and there was only time to secure a few specimens of star-fish and sea-urchins, and to admire the natural aquarium; then they were obliged to retreat before the rushing water.

Ben, who was lying flat on the rocks, trying to get possession of a beautiful lilac-coloured sea-anemone, would not heed the shouts and shrieks of warning from his comrades, and as a result, before he could scramble to his feet, a succession of waves rolled over him, hiding him from view. When the waves rolled back he was blowing the water from mouth and nose, and laughing as heartily as those who had been spectators of the ludicrous sight.

"The great Atlantic merman!" shouted Dave, as he rolled on the rocks in a fit of laughter.

"I got the creature though!" Ben cried triumphantly. Then seeing the mass of jelly in his hand, with no trace of the beauty he had sought to seize upon, he threw it down with an expression of disgust. "Pooh! Is that the thing? I don't want that!" he exclaimed. "Alas! I got ducked for nothing, except to make sport for the rest of you. Well, look at me and laugh all you want to," he added good-naturedly, as he tried to wring himself out. There was no need to tell the boys that, and the shrieks of laughter continued long after they started campward.

"See! see!" shouted the archers, as the boys tramped past the targets. "A wreck! a wreck! Ben Carver rescued from the briny deep."

"Why this wetness, Benjamin?" cried Henry Burnham, as he paused, with his arrow on the string.

"Oh, that was acquired in my thirst for science."

"Couldn't be satisfied without going into it head over heels, eh?"

"Here, come to our tent. I carried your valise there, Ben," said Joe. "Your teeth are chattering now; I am going to get Jonas to make you some ginger-tea. That'll warm you up, I tell you."

Away ran Joe, and by the time Ben had changed his garments, he returned with a mug.

"Here it is, piping hot. Drink that, Ben, and I'll warrant you'll be able to melt out the inside of an iceberg by just breathing on it."

Ben took the mug, and, after eying the contents with a comical look of distrust, took one sip, then with a wry face he said, "Here, boys, pass this beverage around. There's nothing mean about me. I always share my treats. This will warm you so much, you will love even the misguided wretch who invented logarithms."

The offer was laughingly declined, and Ben, pouring the contents on the ledge, returned the mug to Jonas with many thanks for his liberality.

*CHAPTER XX.*

*THE TWO MATCHES.*

"Ho, for the match! Come, Dave, bring out your weapons; the boys are gathering."

Dave quickly obeyed Joe's summons, and the two friends, with bows and quivers, followed by Ralph and Ben, joined the archers. Fourteen boys composed the club, and at the time appointed they, as well as the spectators, were ready for the signal. Mr. Andrews kept the score, and there was great excitement as the shots were registered; but in spite of much loud talk the match ended satisfactorily to all outsiders, and to most of the participants, for Joe Chester won. A prolonged shout announced Joe's victory, not only to all on the island, but to vessels far out on the water.

Before the excitement had fairly abated, the signal for the rifle match was given, and away started the crowd to that part of the island where the targets were set for the marksmen. Ben being one of the best of the club, was particularly interested in this match, and he watched eagerly the movement of every rifle, longing for his own, and the chance to use it. Many rifles were offered to him, and every one urged him to join in the trial of skill; but his answer was, "No, indeed; I shan't risk my reputation now without any practice." Mr. Andrews kept the score here also, and although there were some hot disputes over the shots, Donald Parker was pronounced the winner of the prize.

"Now I'll try a rifle," exclaimed Ben.--"Here, Don, lend me yours."

Most of the boys were gathered in knots, eagerly discussing the match, but at the sound of Ben's firing they gathered around him.

"Hurrah for Ben!"

"That's a good one!"

"There's another!"

He fired the same number of shots as that allowed to the club, and the score was better than any made by the others, beating even that of the prize-winner.

"I thought I could do it," he said, with sparkling eyes, "but I didn't want to risk it in the match. Perhaps I couldn't have done it, either. I shouldn't have been so cool."

The boys were too excited over the long-talked-of matches to enter upon any other sport, and they gathered in knots on the ledges and in front of the tents, talking about this and that rifle or bow, or the scores of the different marksmen, comparing them with those of former matches.

"Come--to-morrow is packing-up day, and we've got to be up early.--and have all the fun we can before the steamboat swoops down on us."

"Like a wolf on the fold," added Fred.

"Oh, that dreadful monster!" cried Max. "If it would only forget to come."

"Or break its paddle-wheel," added Ned.

"Humph!" exclaimed Jonas, who was already beginning to pack baking-tins and things he did not intend to use. "If she doesn't come in time, you'll find yourself on short rations, I can tell you. We are on our last barrel of biscuits. Haven't flour enough for more than one batch of bread; and not a drop of treacle, even if we had the flour, for gingerbread."

"Nor any ginger, even if we had the treacle and flour," added Ben, with a mischievous twinkle of the eye. "Of course there is no ginger, Jonas was so generous with that in my tea."

The boys laughed, but Jonas, indifferent to that, continued his deficit list. "The coffee's gone, and the butter-tub is scraped clean."

"Mercy!" cried Dave. "This is getting melancholy. It's worse than Mother Hubbard's bare cupboard."

"Yes," added Joe with a sigh. "It's nothing but a howling wilderness here, and the sooner we get out of it the better. No, I'll take that back. I'm willing to live on blueberries if everything else gives out. The blueberries are plentiful still."

"Yes, and the clam-beds are not quite cleaned out," said Ben cheerily.

"A fellow that would starve on the edge of the clam-beds deserves to die."

"I suppose there are some fish left in the sea too," suggested Max.

"Yes, a few. Very likely those the tide carried off with our baskets, the day we had our freedom, came to life again, and are out of hospital by this time," said Joe.--"You can't scare us, Jonas. We don't feel a bit afraid of starving."

"No, maybe not, but you'd grumbled well if you didn't get nothin' but fish and berries for fare. You would," answered Jonas, as he nailed down the top of the box.

"I suppose we would," said Joe, "but I'd like to wait over and try it.--Come on, Ralph; you and Ben can have a shake-down in our tent.--No, you other fellows can't have them; they've taken apartments with us. Good-night to the rest of you."

"Oh, don't leave us so soon. This is the last night. Only think--to-morrow we shall scatter on the four winds," said Walter.

"Not to meet again till the roll is called in September," added Ned with a doleful whistle.

"That sounds pretty bad, but I think we'll be able to bear it, considering that we are going to our own homes," answered Joe.--"But this has been a good time, Ralph--so much better than you or I dreamed possible the day school closed," he added as they walked off arm in arm.

"Yes, indeed, it looked gloomy enough then; I couldn't see the way ahead at all, and I felt that there never would be any more good times for me in the world. I tell you, Joe, I didn't deserve to have it turn out so. Two or three times to-day I have wondered if I am not dreaming, and if I shall not wake up in the cabin of the _Una_ with that awful sea-sick feeling."