"That was none of my business. I didn't ship before the mast, consequently it ain't any duty of mine to go prowlin' 'round if the wind happened to blow a little."

"If you call this a 'little' I wouldn't like to be on board when you thought it was a regular gale," Teddy said with a laugh.

"I've seen the wind blow so hard that a fellow had to lash his hair down to keep it from bein' carried away when he went on deck; but that didn't stop my wantin' to get a watch below."

With this remark the steward, having finished his work, left the room, and the boys were alone once more.

Although they had believed it would be impossible to sleep during a gale such as the yacht was now laboring under, the eyes of both were soon closed in slumber, not to be opened until late in the morning.

So far as could be told by the motion, there was no diminution in the strength of the wind, and they experienced great difficulty in making their toilets.

When this task had finally been accomplished, however, Neal said as he opened the door after some trouble, owing to the erratic movements of the yacht:

"I'm going on deck. It can't be much worse there, and it wouldn't be a bad idea to see what the ocean looks like in a gale."

"I'll go too: but don't let's venture out of the companion-way, for the waves must be making a clean sweep over the decks."

When the boys entered the cabin no one was to be seen save the surly steward who visited them the night previous, and in reply to Neal's question he said:

"Your father left word that he wasn't to be called. It wouldn't be much use for him to turn out, because we can't set the table in such a rumpus."

"What are we to do for breakfast?"

"The same as Mr. Walters did, get a cup of coffee and a hard-tack; that'll go way ahead of nothin' if you're very hungry."

"We can go into the galley when we want a bite," Neal replied, and then he led the way up the narrow stairs where, through the half-opened hatch, it was possible to get a view of the raging waters.

Perhaps it would have been better, so far as their peace of mind was concerned, not to have ventured out, for the scene was anything rather than rea.s.suring.

Standing there and looking forward the boys could see a huge wall of water dead ahead bearing down upon the yacht as if to swamp her, and at the moment when it appeared as if the final stroke had come she would lurch to leeward, presenting her side to the wave, rising on the succeeding one and shivering on its crest as if shaking the spray from her shrouds, after which came the downward plunge that caused the boys to hold their breath in fear.

The sky, the swiftly flying clouds, and the waves were of a grayish hue looking ominous and threatening and the little craft appeared to be but a plaything for the angry elements. That she could out-ride the gale seemed almost impossible, and Teddy said with a shudder as he descended the stairs:

"Don't let's stay where we can see it. I wish I hadn't looked, for, bad as matters seem to be down here, it is as nothing compared to being on deck."

Neal was of the same opinion, and the two pa.s.sed through the cabin to the engine-room where Jake was keeping vigilant watch over the machinery.

"Why, I thought we were hove to," Neal exclaimed in surprise as the engineer a.s.sisted him and Teddy to a seat by his side.

"So we are; but it is necessary to keep the screw turning, otherwise it might not be possible to hold her in the proper position."

"How long have you been on duty?"

"Since I saw you last."

"Haven't you had any sleep?"

"I can bottle up enough when the gale abates; but just now it stands a man in hand to have his weather eye open pretty wide, for a bit of carelessness would work considerable mischief. I'm going to have breakfast, an' if you boys care to join me we'll make it three-handed.

You're not likely to fare any better in the cabin than here to-day."

The boys accepted the invitation, and with some cold meat and hard-tack placed on the locker where it could not slide off, and mugs of steaming coffee in their hands, all made a remarkably jolly meal under the unfavorable circ.u.mstances.

During the remainder of the day Neal and Teddy stayed below, not caring for another view of the angry sea, and when night came the gale had so far abated that the yacht was sent ahead once more; but owing to the force and direction of the wind it was deemed best to continue on a southerly course even at the expense of reaching the Caribbean Sea, rather than take the chances of putting about.

All this Jake explained when the boys visited him just previous to retiring, and he added in conclusion:

"It seems pretty tough to go yet further south; but Mr. Walters is a cautious sailin' master, an' when he makes up his mind to a thing you can count on its bein' mighty nigh right."

"Will it be possible to get home as soon as father intended if we go so far out of the way?" Neal asked.

"If he don't do any cruisin' after he gets up north I reckon it could be done; but there's no sense in figgerin' on that till we're off Hatteras."

Now that the yacht had proved her seaworthiness by riding safely through the storm the boys would have been willing to go almost anywhere in her, and the idea that they might have no cruising in a more agreeable climate caused a decided feeling of disappointment; but, as Jake had said, there was no reason to worry about that while they were so far from home, and as if by common consent the subject was not broached again.

On the following morning when they went on deck the sun was shining down upon the yet angry looking waves; but one of the sailors a.s.sured them that "the gale had blowed itself out."

"It stands to reason there'd be a heavy sea runnin'; but its settlin'

down fast, an' by to-morrow there won't be swell enough for comfort."

In this he was correct. Twenty-four hours later the awnings were up, and all hands were panting under the blazing heat of a tropical sun.

This sudden change prostrated the boys, and during the next two days they fanned themselves, drank iced drinks, and sought in vain for some spot where a breath of cool air could be found.

It was the fourth day after the norther. While waiting for dinner to be brought on deck (the meals had been served under the awnings since the storm, for the cabin was too hot to permit even of their eating there), Teddy lay near the after starboard boat lazily wondering why that thin curl of blue smoke should come from the planking directly over the kitchen, instead of through the pipe as it always had before.

Owing to the fact that there was no unusual disturbance he never fancied for a moment anything could be wrong, and remained gazing at it in silence so long that Neal asked curiously:

"What do you see that is so very interesting?"

"I was wondering what had happened to the galley pipe."

"How do you know that it isn't all right?"

"I suppose it is; but it looks queer to see that smoke coming up as if from the deck."

Neal looked in the direction indicated by Teddy's outstretched finger, and seeing the blue curl, which had now grown considerably thicker, sprang to his feet very quickly.

Without speaking to his friend he ran forward, Teddy still ignorant there was any danger, and in the shortest possible s.p.a.ce of time Mr.

Walters came from the wheel-house in response to Neal's emphatic request.

To Teddy it seemed as if but an instant elapsed before the deck was a scene of confusion, and as all hands were called for duty he heard one of the sailors cry in a tone of alarm:

"Tumble up, boys, the yacht is on fire!"

CHAPTER V.