University of Virginia Library

CHAPTER XV
CAUGHT IN THE FOG

"WELL," replied Charlie as he sent the Ripper around in a big circle, "you see it's this way. I came down here expecting to stay with my uncle until Spring. I was going to learn how to raise oranges. I received word this morning that I would have to go back to my home in San Francisco. My father needs me there, because of a change in his business, and I've got to go."

"That's too bad!" exclaimed Rose.

"I guess you are thinking more of his motor boat than you are of Charlie," said Nellie, with a laugh at her sister.

"I was not!" declared Rose, indignantly.

"Well, I've got to leave my boat here," went on Charlie.

"Leave it here!" repeated Olivia.

"Yes, and I'm looking for some one to take charge of it while I'm gone."

"Take charge of it!" exclaimed Ned and Bob

at once, while a joyous look came into Jerry's eyes.

"What I mean," said Charlie, "is that I would hire it out. I think that would be a better plan than merely to loan it to some one, for there is a chance that it might be damaged, and would have to be repaired, and, if I got a reasonable rent for it that would cover such a mishap."

"Would you hire it to us?" asked Jerry anxiously.

"I was thinking of that," answered the owner of the Ripper. "I heard from my friend, Rose," and he looked at the girl, "that you boys had had some experience with motor boats. I had rather hire mine out to some one who knew about machinery, than to persons who would have to learn. So, if we can make some deal, you may have a chance to run this boat. I've got to go to San Francisco in about a week."

"We'll take the boat," said Jerry quickly, "that is--"

"Oh, you needn't be afraid I'll ask too much money for her," interposed Charlie. "All I want is enough to pay for any possible damages, and for reasonable wear and tear. We'll talk it over later."

"Say, isn't that glorious!" whispered Ned to

Bob. "Think of having a motor boat, and cruising on the Pacific! We're getting to be like Sinbad the sailor, making voyages all over."

"Yes, but maybe he'll want a small fortune for the hire of the Ripper," objected Bob. "We haven't any too much money, for this trip was rather costly."

"If we could get damages for the Dartaway, we--"

"Yes, but 'if' is a big word, even though it only has two letters," replied Bob quickly. "However, we'll do our best to get the Ripper during our stay here, and we'll take the girls out for some nice rides."

"That's what we will."

Charlie speeded his boat about the bay for some time longer, and then; as the girls said they thought they had better go home, he put back, picked up the anchored boats, and the motor boys and their hosts were soon rowing to shore.

"Come over any evening, Charlie," called Rose.

"Yes, come to-night," urged Jerry. "We can talk over the boat proposition then."

"I'll be there," replied the Ripper's skipper, as he put about and went whizzing over the blue waters of the bay.

When the young people entered the gateway

they saw Ponto stretched out on the bench in the shade, fast asleep.

"Wait a minute," said Rose. "I'll play a trick on him."

She stole softly up, and, with a long piece of grass tickled the old colored servant on the ear. He put up his hand and sat up with a start.

"I 'clar' t' goodness!" he said, "I were jest waitin' fo' yo', an' I close mah eyes, jest fo' one little second, but dis atmosphere am so slumberous dat, 'fore I knows it, I'm sort of noddin'."

"I guess you were more than nodding," said Olivia. "But why were you waiting for us, Ponto?"

"'Deed an' I didn't no mo' dan nod, Miss Olivia, dat's what I didn't. But I'se been waitin' heah a pow'ful long time, an' I jest natcherly done gone an' fell t' noddin'."

"But what were you waiting for?" persisted Olivia.

"Dis letter," replied the colored man. "Massa Seabury done tole me t' give it t' one ob de young gentlemen what had de motor boat. He say it come from Cresville, an' it might be important, so I done set heah waitin', but I done forgot which young gentlemen he tole me t' gib it to."

"Let me see it," said Rose, and she looked at the envelope.

"It's for you, Jerry," she declared, "and it's from some railroad company. It's been sent on here from Cresville."

"Maybe it's about damages to our boat," said Bob.

And so it proved. The letter announced that an investigation had been made of the wreck in which the Dartaway was smashed, that the claim department of the Florida Coast Railway Company admitted their liability, and were prepared to pay damages. They enclosed in the letter a check for the value of the boat, as declared by Jerry at the time of the shipment.

"Hurrah!" cried Ned. "That's the stuff!"

"Well, it's the end of the Dartaway," observed Jerry. "Poor old boat! I suppose we had better accept this sum, and not sue, eh?" and he looked at his chums.

"Sure," replied Bob. "If we sued it would take a good while to collect, and if we got a larger sum we'd have to pay the lawyers. Let's take this money and hire the Ripper."

"I don't believe you'll need all that," interposed Rose. "That's quite a sum, and Charlie

will surely not ask as much as that for the hire of his boat."

"Well, if he does we'll pay it," decided Jerry. "I want to cruise on the Pacific, and this seems to be the only way we can do it. We'll have a motor boat trip, even of the Dartaway is out of commission."

Charlie came over to "The Next Day" bungalow that night and in a short time he and the motor boys had arrived at a business arrangement regarding the hiring of the Ripper. Charlie only asked a small sum as rental, much less than the amount of damages received, so that the travelers had plenty left for other purposes.

"And now the boat is yours, as long as you stay here," said Charlie, when the final details had been arranged. "I know you will take good care of her."

"Of course we will," answered Jerry, "and, if you find, after you get to San Francisco, that you have a chance to come back, we'll give her up to you."

"There's no such good luck as my coming back this season," said Charlie.

Early the next morning he brought the craft to the Seabury dock, where it was run in the small

boathouse. Then, having explained to the boys some minor details of the engine, which was different and more powerful than the one they were used to, Charlie took his departure, having had another letter from his father asking him to hurry to San Francisco.

"I hope you will have a good time," said the Ripper's owner, as he bade the boys and girls good-bye. "Don't get into any dangerous adventures, especially with the girls on board."

"We'll not," promised Jerry, but he did not know how soon Charlie's warning was to be fulfilled.

"Well, what do you girls say to a ride?" asked Jerry when Charlie had gone, and they stood looking at the powerful boat.

"Do you think you boys can run her?" asked Nellie.

"Run her? Well, I guess we can," declared Ned.

"Didn't we tackle the Atlantic in the Dartaway, a smaller boat than this?" asked Bob, "and isn't the Atlantic worse than the Pacific?"

"I don't believe it is, a bit," said Olivia. "Everyone thinks the Pacific ocean is very peaceful, because the name indicates that. But old

fishermen here have told me there are terrible storms, which come up quite unexpectedly, and that at times there are dreadful fogs."

"Well, we're not afraid," boasted Bob. "Are we fellows?"

"Oh, I guess we can manage to run the boat," replied Jerry, who was critically examining the machinery. "If you girls want to go for a spin, I think I can guarantee to get you safely back."

"Oh, we're not afraid on a day like this," replied Nellie. "There's no sign of a storm. Come on girls."

She and her sisters got in, followed by Ned and Bob. Jerry was already in the small cabin, set aside for the engineer. He was testing various wheels and levers, seeing that the oil feed cups worked well, and looking to the sparking system.

"All ready?" he asked.

"Let her go, Captain Jerry," called Bob, as he cast off the lines, and the Ripper, with her new commander and crew, started off.

Jerry found he could manage the engine about as well as the one that had been in the Dartaway. He soon had the motor going almost at full speed, and the way the boat cut through the water was a revelation to the boys. They had never ridden so fast in a motor boat before. Straight out to

sea Jerry headed the craft, and the weather was so pleasant, the water so calm, and the sense of swift motion so enthralling, that, before they knew it, they had gone several miles.

"Oh!" suddenly exclaimed Rose, as she came from the small cabin, and glanced back toward the shore, "I can't see anything."

"It is a bit hazy," admitted Ned.

"Must have blown up a little fog," spoke Jerry. "I guess we'll put back. It didn't look as it was going to be thick weather when we started."

He swung the boat around and headed for what he supposed was the shore. As the boat speeded on the mist became thicker, until they could scarcely see two hundred feet ahead of them.

"Better slow down; hadn't you?" suggested Bob. "We might hit something."

"Yes, for goodness, sake, don't have a collision," begged Nellie.

"We ought to be pretty near shore," remarked Jerry. "I'll keep on a little longer, and we'll come pretty near the dock, I think."

He tried to peer ahead into the fog, but it slowly settled down in lazy, curling wreaths, that made it as hard to see through as though a white blanket had been hung in front of him.

"Hark! What's that'?" asked Olivia, holding up her hand.

Out of the mist there came the dismal clang of a bell.

"Dong! Ding! Dong!"

"A vessel!" cried Bob. "Look out, Jerry, or we'll be run down."

"That isn't a vessel," said Rose, with a worried look on her face. "That's the bell of the shoal buoy. We are quite a way out to sea!"

"And lost in the fog," added Nellie.