CHAPTER XVIII
ON THE BOSOM OF THE OCEAN
"We can't land here!" cried Dave.
"You are right," answered Captain Broadbeam. "See, more savages are coming from behind yonder trees."
"What shall we do?" questioned the doctor, his face full of concern.
"There is but one thing to do—put to sea again," came from the master of the Swallow.
The savages came on with a rush, yelling at the top of their lungs. As they approached the water's edge they let fly a shower of arrows. But fortunately for our friends, all fell short of the mark.
As quickly as it could be accomplished, the rowboat was turned around and headed once more from the island. All who had been rowing were tired, but did their best to get the craft away from the shore.
As soon as the savages saw the boat leaving they set up another yell, and several rushed away to find those who were out in the canoes.
But the latter were on the other side of the island, and before they could be notified our friends had, for the time being, made good their escape.
Dave was all but exhausted, and at last dropped his oar and sank in a heap on the seat.
"Played out, eh?" came from Captain Broadbeam. "Well, I don't wonder. I'm about played out myself."
An hour went by and the rowboat rose and fell on the broad swells of the Pacific Ocean.
In vain they looked in all directions for the Swallow. The vessel was not to be seen.
All in the rowboat were exceedingly thirsty and would have given much for a drink of water.
Crouched on the seats, with poor Bob and Pat Stoodles beside them, Dave, the captain, and the doctor talked the situation over.
"We are certainly in a pickle," said Dave. "If we can't find the ship, what then?"
"We must find the Swallow," declared Captain Broadbeam. "Unless we do, we'll starve to death."
"We might return to the island at nightfall," said the doctor. "Remember, we need water and so do these poor sufferers." And he pointed to Bob and the Irishman.
"That's a scheme," cried Dave. "We might land under cover of darkness and hide somewhere until we can locate the ship."
Slowly the day wore away. Towards nightfall the wind began to blow strongly, sending the spray flying in all directions.
"We can't stand this," was Dave's comment. "If it blows any harder, we'll be swamped."
"We must take to the oars and keep the boat up to the seas," said the captain, and this was done.
A little later it began to rain. At first it did not amount to much, but presently it began to pour. As best they could, they gathered a small quantity of the water and drank it greedily. They also gave Bob and Stoodles a drink, which did the injured much good.
At last night was upon them, black and threatening. The rowboat was drifting in the wind and the rain, but where to none could tell.
"We must take what comes," said Captain Broadbeam, gravely. "We are in the hands of Providence."
Dave was so exhausted he could not keep his eyes open and soon he went sound asleep, and not long after this the doctor followed his example. Only the captain remained awake and he was so exhausted he could do absolutely nothing.
It was about three o'clock in the morning when the wind began to blow a regular hurricane. The mad plunging and pitching of the rowboat aroused Dave.
"What's up?" he cried.
"The storm is increasing," answered the captain.
"Are we still out on the ocean?"
"Yes."
Captain Broadbeam had scarcely spoken when there came a shock that almost turned the rowboat over.
"We have struck!"
"We are going to the bottom!"
The shock aroused all but Pat Stoodles. Bob would have gone overboard had it not been for Dave, who caught the unconscious man by the shoulder and held him.
"Don't—don't hurt me!" groaned Bob. "Oh!"
A moment later came another shock. Then the rowboat appeared to slide over a sand bar, and of a sudden Captain Broadbeam felt the limb of a tree brush his side.
"Hullo! what's this?" he ejaculated. "A tree limb—and here's another! Can it be a floating tree——"
"Hurrah! Here's land!" burst out Dave, peering into the darkness. "A shore of some kind."
"Beware of the savages," cautioned Doctor Barrell. "They may be close at hand."
"I'd rather meet the savages than drown in this storm," came bluntly from Captain Broadbeam.
The rowboat had indeed drifted to some sort of a shore. Close at hand was a sandy beach, and beside this some rocks and a grove of tropical trees. The details of the scene were lost in the darkness.
As the rowboat struck on the beach the captain leaped out and hauled the craft up. But he was not quick enough to escape the breakers and one swept over the craft, nearly drowning all on board. Then Dave sprang out, and at last the pair had the boat out of the reach of the sea.
"Thank Heaven we have landed somewhere," declared the youth. "I thought sure we were bound for Davy Jones's locker."
The rowboat was dragged along the beach and the captain, the doctor, and Dave succeeded in turning it over on some rocks, thus making of it a sort of shelter from the storm. Under it they placed Bob and the Irishman, making them as comfortable as circumstances permitted. This done, the three found something of a shelter under the trees and there sank down to rest until morning.
When Dave opened his eyes the sun was shining brightly and close at hand a number of tropical birds were singing gayly. For the moment he could not remember what had occurred and he sat up, gazing around in bewilderment.
"We are shipwrecked," he murmured at length. "I wonder if those savages are anywhere near?"
He arose and stretched himself and then walked out on the shore of the island. None of the others were awake, and he determined to let them rest as long as they wished, providing no danger was at hand.
Not a soul was in sight and the place looked much different from that where the savages had been encountered.
"It looks to me as if this is another island," he reasoned, and he was right.
On the shore were a number of oysters and clams, and he lost no time in picking up as many as he thought they might use for a meal. Then he caught up several stones and sticks and went after the birds. He was good at throwing and soon brought down three birds of fair size.
"Hullo, what's doing?" was the cry, and he saw Captain Broadbeam approaching.
"I'm trying to gather something for breakfast."
"Good enough. Seen anything of the savages?"
"No."
"This doesn't look like the same island."
"Just what I think, captain."
"Well, I hope there are no savages here. Seen anything of the Swallow?"
"Nothing whatever."
Some brushwood and sticks were gathered, and after a little trouble a fire was started. The smell of the cooking clams and oysters aroused the others.
"Ha! a fire and breakfast!" cried the doctor. "That interests me!"
"How do you feel, Bob?" questioned Dave, bending over his friend.
"Tired all over, Dave. Where are we?"
"On one of these islands of the ocean."
"Have we escaped from the savages?"
"For the present, yes."
"I'm mighty hungry."
"You shall have breakfast as soon as it is cooked."
"Sure an' I'm hungry meself," came from Pat Stoodles.
"How are you feeling?" questioned the doctor.
"Loike I had been through a clothes wringer, docthor," was the answer. "Bad cess to thim savages!"
Not long after this the clams and oysters, as well as the birds, were ready for eating, and Bob and the Irishman were given what the doctor thought was best for them. The others ate their fill, and after the repast was over all felt much better.
"There are just two things for us to do," said Captain Broadbeam: "Keep out of the way of the savages and find the Swallow."
"And in the meantime we have got to feed ourselves and take care of the wounded," added Doctor Barrell.
The matter was talked over and it was decided that the doctor should remain with Bob and Stoodles, while the captain and Dave went on a short tour of exploration.
"I do not imagine that this island is very large," said the captain, as he and Dave set out. "To my mind it won't be a bad idea to skirt the shore first."
"Just as you say," answered the youth.
"We want to keep our eyes peeled for the savages, though."
It was an easy matter to follow the shore on two sides of the island, but to the north and the west were numerous rocks, and they climbed over these only with the greatest difficulty.
"Be careful, or you'll sprain an ankle," said the captain.
"There seems to be a hill near the center of the island," said the young diver. "Wouldn't it be a good idea to climb to the top of that?"
"Yes, as soon as we have finished skirting the shore."
Presently they came to a spot where some extra high rocks hid what was beyond from their view.
"Hark!" cried Dave, coming to a sudden halt. "What was that?"
"I don't know," answered the captain. "Sounded like somebody calling, didn't it?"
Both listened, and presently from the other side of the rocks came a low whine, followed by a scream.
"Somebody is there!" murmured Dave. "Perhaps a savage!"
"We'll take a peep," began Captain Broadbeam, when of a sudden a hairy form leaped on top of the rocks and confronted them.
The form was that of a gorilla. The creature was all of four feet high, with strong limbs and a face of peculiar ferocity.
"Look out!" yelled Dave. "He means mischief!"
The young diver was right. The gorilla gave a snarl, and the next instant made a leap for Captain Broadbeam's shoulder. It landed fairly and squarely on the captain and bore that individual to the ground.