it was late afternoon when the blueflower came abreast of the southern end of the long heavily wooded island which was to be jack’s home for several months and on which the lighthouse crew was to remain until its work was done. jack scanned the place intently through his glasses as the tender plowed its way northward. the island was exactly like a hundred others on the maine coast, with ugly granite boulders strewing its shores, against which the breakers dashed madly, sending plumes of spray high into the air. jack judged that it was at least three miles long.
ahead, and about a quarter of a mile offshore, he could see where the combers piled upon a jagged line of rocks. this line traveled due north, parallel with the island for about two miles, until it ended in a peculiarly shaped mass of rocks that reared above the[33] waves, and looked exactly like the hood and head of the famous india snake. this was cobra reef.
midway in the line of rocks was an opening about one hundred yards across. when the blueflower reached this point she slowed down until she hardly more than drifted along. then began some strange maneuvering, for captain wilmoth intended to run through this channel and get the tender inside so that she could land her cargo on the only strip of flat beach in sight.
first the craft would go ahead a little, then a jangle of bells in the engine room would call for a quick reversal of the screw and she would back away from a hidden rock. for five minutes this kept up. then suddenly the signal bells called for full speed ahead and the vessel shot through into the comparatively calm water beyond the line of rocks, and plunged away northward again until it was opposite the little beach. then with a rattle of chains the anchors let go and the trip to hood island was ended.
the high promontory with its black and white lighthouse tower was less than a mile[34] away. in the cleared space around the tower jack could see several new sheds under construction and a huge pile of granite blocks stacked in an orderly array not far distant. this, mr. warner informed him, was the construction camp which the lighthouse crew was to occupy. all during the past two weeks vessels had been stopping at hood island, depositing tools and machinery and huge blocks of granite which were to be used to build the new tower. the last of the crew of builders had arrived the day before and were already hard at work constructing their quarters.
these signs of activity stirred in jack a desire to be ashore and up there on the heights where he could see all that was going on, but unfortunately there was work to be done aboard the vessel which mr. warner had to oversee, and since jack was in a way his assistant, he had to remain with the engineer and do a share of the work.
the blueflower’s cargo consisted of surveying instruments and numerous small barrels and boxes of provisions, kegs of bolts, and various other necessities which had been left[35] behind by the other vessels that had visited hood island during the week. these supplies captain wilmoth was eager to have landed while the daylight hours lasted, for he did not care to keep the tender inside the reef overnight.
“there would be trouble if a storm came up while we were inside here. it would be too dark to see our way out and with a high tide the breakers would come clean over the reef, and before we knew it we would be fast on those granite boulders over there,” explained the captain to jack as they stood on the forward deck and watched the men load the supplies into the blueflower’s launch.
again and again this little vessel made trips between the beach and the tender while jack checked off the contents of each load on a long list that mr. warner had given him. the marine engineer went ashore on the first trip and talked with the foreman in charge of the camp, who had been summoned to the beach by the blueflower’s whistle, and after he had given instructions as to the care of the goods brought ashore he returned and superintended the unloading.
[36]
the cargo that the tender carried was far larger than jack had thought it to be, and the launch was kept busy for nearly two hours plying between the beach and the mother vessel. the men in charge of the unloading worked very hard to get everything ashore before darkness set in, but in spite of their efforts the sun had gone down and twilight was fast coming on when the launch was finally hoisted upon its davits and the blueflower was ready to maneuver toward the open sea again.
in the half light of evening this was no easy task, and jack and mr. warner watched with interest the careful methods adopted by captain wilmoth. but even with all his caution the blueflower’s steel sides scraped against the hidden granite of cobra reef on two occasions and it was only by the quickest kind of action that the vessel was saved from having her hull ripped open.
“say, but that was as tough a job as i ever want to undertake,” said the captain as he came down from the pilot house after the blueflower had come to anchor outside the reef. “did you hear her scrape? that granite would have ripped off a couple of our plates[37] if we had gone ahead six inches further. i surely feel as if i had earned my supper to-night. and i’m going to get it right now. i trust you gentlemen are ready to eat.”
“we are,” was the unanimous reply, and jack and mr. warner accompanied the chief officer down to the saloon, for, you see, it had been decided that they stay aboard the tender overnight and run ashore in the launch next morning.
day had disappeared entirely and night had settled down by the time they finished supper and came on deck again. stars were winking overhead and a great round yellow moon was just appearing above the eastern horizon. over the island the white light from the tower on the promontory flashed periodically, and just below and to the left burned a great bonfire, marking the location of the construction camp. the blueflower swayed softly at its anchorage, and from the direction of the shore came the deep-toned lullaby of the breakers, softened by distance to a soothing night song. it was a wonderfully calm and clear evening, and it made a lasting impression on jack. it seemed to him as if the[38] world had not a trouble or a care on all its broad breast, and he too felt singularly contented.
at half-past ten the watch fire on shore had gone out completely, telling plainly that the construction camp was asleep. this suggested retiring to the three individuals on the deck of the tender, which suggestion they were not long in following, for they were all tired, and besides they intended to be astir early the following morning.
by three bells of the first dog watch all on board the blueflower were awake, and by six o’clock jack and mr. warner had breakfasted and were on deck. then since all their effects had been moved ashore the night before, there remained nothing for jack and the engineer to do but shake hands with captain wilmoth and their friends among the blueflower’s crew and start in the launch for hood island.
though the little boat was a sturdy craft, the tide racing through the opening in the reef threw her off her course several times during the trip, and jack gained a good idea of how treacherous the water of hood island was and he could also see, by glancing along the jagged[39] edge of rocks, how the eddies formed and swirled about the cobra head. indeed, though there was practically no sea running, the currents and cross-currents of the tide created waves about the base of the big rock that assumed the proportions of breakers, and dashed spray high in the air as they crashed against the immovable granite.
mr. warner saw what jack was looking at and remarked, “cobra head looks like a mighty ugly place, eh, lad? we are not going to have the easiest time in the world building a lighthouse out there. just think of surveying the site for the tower! why, in a storm a man wouldn’t stand any more chance on the top of that rock than a straw. the currents are so nasty out there that the seals don’t even attempt to land. they come inside the reef and climb on shore to sun themselves.”
“seals? do they have ’em here?” queried jack, forgetting for a moment about the dangers of cobra head.
“yes, they have seals here. not fur seals, however. they are hair seals and quite useless. you’ll see any number of them later in the day. just keep your eye out for a shiny[40] black head in the water or listen for them to bark.”
a few moments later the launch grated on the coarse sand of the tiny beach and the voyage from portland was finally ended. as the engineer and jack stepped out of the boat a gang of men headed by a burly, good-natured irishman, whom jack learned later was shamas, otherwise known as big o’brien, the foreman of the camp, came down toward the beach.
“mornin’, chief,” he said to mr. warner. “t’ camp’ll be ready for ye be t’ end o’ t’ forenoon. in t’ meantime, these fellers are goin’ t’ move the rest o’ t’ dunnage up, which wuz left here last night count o’ darkness. git busy, byes.”
“fine work, o’brien. now come on back with us and introduce us to our new home,” said the engineer.
“home, is it?” said o’brien with a grin. “sure an’ i’m a-thinkin’ it’s another name we’ll all be callin’ of it be t’ time our wor-r-k is finished here.”
“tut—tut—don’t be such a pessimist,” said jack’s companion good-naturedly.
[41]
the rap-rap-rap of many hammers and the noise of falling lumber was jack’s first impression of the hood island camp. this was gained even while he was at the foot of the promontory.
when he finally arrived at the top he found the camp a veritable beehive for busyness. but before he could take in the details of the very interesting place, mr. warner called his attention to a prolonged whistle blast from the tender. the blueflower was saying good-by; and of course both of its recent passengers must needs signal back a farewell.
jack watched the vessel until it grew quite indistinct in the distance. then he turned his attention to the construction camp again. one small building and one long one had been completed, and the men were working on two other structures of the larger type. mr. warner explained that the tiny building was to be the general office in which he would have his desk, drawing-tables and the like. the completed long building was to be the bunk-house for the workmen, while the other two were mess-hall and work-shed in the making.
“we will stay with eli whittaker, the lighthouse[42] keeper, for the present at least,” said the engineer. “the government allows the light keepers to take men employed in the service as boarders. how will you like sleeping in a lighthouse?”
“great!” exclaimed jack, but he reserved the details of that pleasure for future consideration while he made himself acquainted with the camp.
over near the edge of the promontory was a great pile of trimmed granite blocks, a huge stack of cement bags covered over with tarpaulins, two donkey engines, a cement mixer, a steel tower, and myriads of tools, tool chests, etc. jack contemplated all this with sparkling eyes.
“jiminy, but this is going to be an interesting place in a day or two,” exclaimed jack. then—“say, mr. warner, why are those granite blocks all cut so peculiarly? they look like sections of a great big jig-saw puzzle.”
“why, that is a detail of lighthouse building that is very interesting,” said mr. warner, “and i will tell you about it just as soon as i can. in the meantime you—say, jack,[43] there’s our swordfisherman again. it’s the same yawl. see the patch in her sail and there’s her name—fish hawk.”
sure enough, there was the yawl jack had watched so intently from the deck of the blueflower. the little vessel was running across the wind and had evidently just come out from behind the southern end of hood island. she was plowing along at fine speed about one hundred yards off the reef.
jack paused to admire her trim lines and he felt that with a coat of white paint and a new set of sails she would be a creditable yacht. the way she covered the mile and a quarter from the southern end of the jagged rocks to the opening through which the tender had sailed, was nothing less than remarkable.
“jiminy, but she’s a swift sailing vessel,” exclaimed mr. warner. “i wonder who—look! jack! quick! some one has jumped overboard! look, he’s swimming ashore! look at him plow through the water! by george, what strokes! he’s heading for the inlet! he’ll be drowned! the currents there will suck him under! he’ll get caught in the undertow! the idiot!”
[44]
jack had seen it all. when the swordfisherman reached the inlet, there was a scramble on deck and an instant later the figure of a boy appeared on the gunwale. a moment he paused there, balanced for a dive. then with a pretty spring he shot out and down and entered the water without a splash. the next instant his head appeared in view, and he struck out with a powerful overhand stroke straight for the inlet, while the yawl went racing on ahead.
a great shout went up from the crew of the fisherman when they saw the boy in the water, and several men bawled orders and shifted sails. then, with loud creaking and squeaking of blocks and tackle, the vessel started to come about. but her headway was enough to carry her several hundred feet past the inlet and by the time she had turned completely and headed back toward the swimmer, the lad in the water was almost in the opening between the rocks.
the fishermen saw in a moment that they were baffled and being unfamiliar with the channel through the opening they dared not try to run through it with the yawl. once again[45] the sailing vessel turned; this time to stand away from the reef and out of the suction of the dangerous eddies.
but the swimmer was undaunted. indeed, he seemed to welcome the current as an assistant, for he redoubled his efforts, and with his strong strokes and the speed of the water he fairly shot along.
could he stay afloat in that terrible mill-race? was it possible to battle the undertow? how soon would he be sucked under or caught in a cross-current and hurled violently against the jagged rocks of the reef? jack and mr. warner stood there thoroughly awed at the swimmer’s daring, while o’brien and several other men in the camp watched in open-mouthed amazement.
in the meantime, the yawl had come up into the wind and at a dead stop. then an attempt was made to launch the big dory from the stern davits. it dropped to the water like a plummet and almost before it touched the surface three men leapt into it. but no sooner were they in than they started to scramble out again, for the little craft was sinking fast. evidently the swimmer had removed the plug before he[46] attempted his escape, thus cutting off one possibility of being overtaken.
but in spite of the dangers of the current, the lad in the water progressed famously. in no time he had battled his way safely through the opening. then swimming madly he sped on toward the rock lined shore! on he came! the water fairly boiled about him and each powerful stroke brought him nearer to the island.
“bully!” shouted mr. warner excitedly, as he watched the boy’s progress.
“great! oh, if he’ll only keep it up a little longer. they are scurrying around looking for a dory plug on board the yawl. i hope he wins, though i don’t know what he’s running away from,” cried jack eagerly.
but the tremendous pace soon began to tell on the swimmer. his strokes grew less powerful and it was evident that he was getting arm weary. once he stopped and looked back toward the yawl, and seeing no one in pursuit he turned on his side and swam with a still slower stroke.
the last few yards of the race were made with evident effort, for the swimmer was completely[47] fagged. indeed, when he finally pulled himself out of the water, he sank down behind a rock and rested for several minutes before attempting to climb between the boulders toward the beach.
on reaching the sand he paused as if undecided where to go. then after a moment he selected the path that led up to the promontory, and slowly made his way toward the construction camp.
“jiminy, but that was thrilling. prettiest bit of swimming i ever saw!” exclaimed mr. warner when the suspense was over.
“pretty!” cried jack. “by jiminy, it was wonderful, and—say, but that fellow is no little boy either. look at the size of him! oh, but what a full-back he would make! why, he’s bigger than jim hanson ever thought of being. guess i’ll go and meet him,” and jack started down the path to greet the dripping figure, who came stumbling toward him.
