CHAPTER x.x.xI.

SUSPENSE.

On this day the siesta was not prolonged. Every member of the party was eager to be at work again, and much sooner than Bob had intended they were pushing the raft out to the wreck while Walter was making his way around the beach, to resume the apparently useless task of watching.

Again was Harry forced to perform that which seemed to be the least important portion of the work. Bob believed, and with good reason, that the boy could not endure as much as the others, who were more accustomed to fatigue; therefore he positively forbade his diving save at rare intervals.

The work during the afternoon was conducted as in the earlier portion of the day; but it progressed much more rapidly, because the ballast had been removed. To avoid a repet.i.tion of detail, it is sufficient to say that the sun was yet two hours high in the heavens when Harry pulled up the nineteenth bag, and that which had seemed a well-nigh hopeless task was accomplished.

It was well that the last portion of the treasure had been taken out quickly, for the alternate diving and standing in the hot air affected all hands so severely that it is doubtful if either could have continued the work an hour longer.

As a matter of course Harry was comparatively fresh, he having been under the water only five or six times, and when the clumsy craft was pulled ash.o.r.e he insisted on carrying the entire treasure to the tent.

The weary divers lay on the warm sand in wet clothing, which was being speedily dried by the sun, until the last heavy bag had been taken to the tent and covered by the mattresses. Even then they would have continued to enjoy their well-earned rest if a most welcome announcement had not been made by the sentinel.

It was just as Harry returned from the final trip to the tent that he electrified his companions by shouting:

"There comes Walt at full speed! Perhaps a vessel is in sight!"

Every member of the party was on his feet in an instant watching the sentinel, who ran along the beach waving his hat in the most frantic manner, and on getting within hailing distance cried, using both hands as a speaking-trumpet:

"I can see something to the northward! It's pretty far away, but I'm sure it's a vessel!"

Harry and Jim were literally wild with excitement, because of this joyful news; but Bob remained sufficiently calm to be able to calculate as to the length of time before the stranger could approach within hailing distance.

"There isn't wind enough to bring her this way very fast," he said after what seemed to be a long pause. "We've got time to start all the signals in good shape. Pick up the axes an' we'll see what kind of flares fifteen or twenty gallons of alcohol will make."

Jim and Harry obeyed this command without loss of time, and then started around the beach at full speed; but Bob and Joe followed more leisurely.

The boys might as well have husbanded their strength, as was learned on arriving at the point; for, to the great disappointment of both, the sail was so far away that it became necessary to search the horizon-line several moments before discovering the tiny white speck.

"That isn't much to feel glad about," Harry said, as if believing the sentinel had caused needless excitement.

"It's a good deal more than we've seen before, except when the schooner from Na.s.sau put in here," Walter replied. "It didn't look half as big when I first saw it, and I watched a long time before telling you."

While Harry and Jim were gazing at that which looked more like the wing of a bird than a canvas large enough to propel a ship, Bob and Joe arrived. They did not appear to be at all disappointed; and, in fact, the old sailor stared at the tiny object as if it was even nearer than he expected, while he said to the engineer:

"I reckon we'll be able to make out what kind of a craft she is before dark. There is yet considerable of a job necessary to get the signals in workin' order, an' we'd better begin."

The entire party would be needed, and all hands started up the beach, halting at the first cask. The head of this was knocked in, a little more than half its contents poured out, and one of the signals was in readiness for the spark of light which would send the flames mounting skyward.

"Ain't you goin' to touch her off?" Jim asked, as the old sailor went toward the next beacon.

"There'll be time enough when we've attended to the whole lot. That craft is on her reg'lar course, bound for Na.s.sau most likely, an' will keep on within two or three miles of the key."

It was an hour before the last cask had been prepared, and in that time the stranger had lessened the distance so much that Bob unhesitatingly p.r.o.nounced her a top-sail schooner.

"Her spars look a leetle too trim for a trader, an' she carries so much sail that I reckon she's a pleasure craft with a lot of fresh-water sailors aboard. Howsomever, they'll know enough to stand in when they see this 'ere illumination, an' that oughter satisfy us."

Bob waited half an hour longer before firing the alcohol, and then the evening shadows were beginning to lengthen into the gloom of night. All the stranger's spars could be seen quite distinctly, and there was but little question that she was a yacht.

When the bluish flames leaped up, casting a ghastly glare upon the surrounding objects, it was no longer possible for the party on the key to see any distance over the ocean because of the blinding light; but they had the intense satisfaction of knowing that the sudden illumination must of a necessity be observed by those on the schooner, and also that its purpose could not be mistaken.

"Set 'em all ablaze, boys!" Bob shouted; and one by one the long pillars of flame shot up from the beach until that portion of the key was fringed with fiery monuments.

After this had been done the little party stood at the water's edge trying in vain to peer through the gloom, which was growing more dense each moment; and in a short while it was ascertained that, brilliant though the beacons were, they would not continue so any very great length of time. The alcohol burned furiously, sending forth an intense heat which caused the casks to burst asunder, thereby allowing large quant.i.ties of the spirits to sink in the sand, and half an hour after the first had been ignited the volume of flame decreased very materially.

"This won't do!" Joe cried in dismay. "By the time that schooner gets near the island our signals will have died out entirely, and they may keep on their course without thinking it worth while to stop."

"We could cut some wood," Harry suggested; but realized, even as he spoke, how insignificant would be such a fire after these mighty shafts of flame.

"It'll be better to roll more casks down," Bob said quickly. "Never mind the work, so long as we can hail that craft."

No one cared how much labor might be involved providing the desired result was gained, and all hands ran swiftly up the beach to where the Bonita's cargo lay half buried in the sand. It was as much as the three boys could do to roll a heavy cask over the shingle; but they worked manfully while Bob and Joe struggled with another, and in a few moments after the first two signals had died out they were replaced by fresh supplies of this costly fuel.

During the next three hours every member of the party tugged and pulled and lifted with a feverish energy born of the knowledge that their chances of being rescued depended upon the exertions made, and then it was not possible to longer continue the task. All were so exhausted that further efforts were absolutely out of the question, and Bob said, as he wiped away the perspiration which ran down his face in tiny streams:

"It's no use, lads. What with the divin' an' this last job, I'm tuckered out. If she don't pay any attention to us after all this glare we couldn't make 'em stop by telling the whole story."

"Perhaps she has already pa.s.sed," Harry suggested, as he choked back a sob. "The rate at which that schooner was sailing when we last saw her would have brought her here long before this."

"For all we can tell she may be hove-to half a mile off the sh.o.r.e," Bob said consolingly. "A captain would need know this shoal mighty well to run in here on a night so black as this one."

"They've got the lights to guide them;" and from the tone of Walter's voice it could be understood he was giving way to despair.

"That wouldn't do them any good, for these flames only illumine this portion of the coast, and throw the entrance of the harbor into deeper shadow," Joe said, speaking for the first time since the labors were brought to a close. "Besides, there are such things as false lights kindled for the purpose of wrecking vessels, and any careful captain would most likely want to wait for daylight; but he might at least send a boat ash.o.r.e."

This last portion of the engineer's remarks took from the boys any consolation they might have found in his speculations, and they seated themselves on the sand very wretched both in body and mind.

The beacons expired one by one, and the last was but a feeble, flickering flame when the report of fire-arms rang out sharp and distinct on the still air, causing every member of that mournful party to spring to his feet in alarm.

The detonations had not been heard at regular intervals, as one might naturally suppose would be the case if they served as signals to let the castaways know that succor was at hand, but came together in a rapid volley, as if several weapons were discharged at the same time, and those on the beach looked at each other in dismay.

"What's the meaning of that?" Harry asked nervously, and the old sailor replied, gravely:

"I don't know, lad. It may be they want us to understand that the schooner will stand by till mornin'; an' then, ag'in, there may be some trouble aboard."

"Are they near enough for us to hail them?"

"No; not accordin' to them sounds. I should say the schooner was a good half mile away. Anyhow, we know she's near, an' the rest can be found out at sunrise."

To wait until morning before there could be an end to the painful suspense appeared almost as bad as to know the vessel had continued on without paying any attention to their signals; and Jim said petulantly:

"It seems as if they might let us know what was goin' to be done."