by Roy Rockwood
CHAPTER VIII
THE FLYING MERMAID DISABLED
"We'll save you!" shouted Mr. Henderson, who was on the deck, while Markwas steering the craft. "Hold on a few minutes longer and we'll bealongside!"
"They're real! They're real!" some of those aboard the burning shipcould be heard to shout. Evidently more than one of them had taken the_Mermaid_ for a delusion of their fear-crazed brain.
"They are real persons!" they called again and again. "They are comingto save us!"
Mr. Henderson ran his ship as near the burning craft as he dared. Thenhe called to the crew to leap into the water and swim to him. He, withWashington, Jack, Bill and Tom, stood ready to haul aboard any who weretoo weak to help themselves.
In a few minutes all of those left alive on the sailing vessel--fourteenin all--had come safely aboard the _Mermaid_. The ship was nowcompletely enveloped in flames.
"Are there any more left on her?" asked Mr. Henderson of one whoappeared to be a mate of the burning craft.
"Not a soul!" was the answer. "The captain and ten men perished in theflames. The fire broke out a week ago in the lower hold. We fought it aswell as we could but it got the best of us. Then it suddenly brokethrough the decks, almost like an explosion, a little while ago, and thecaptain and others were lost, and so were our small boats. We managed toget aft but were about to give up when you appeared."
"What ship is it and where are you from?"
"The _Good Hope_, laden with logwood, hides, jute and other materialsfrom South America," the mate answered. "We were bound for New York."
"It is more like the _Last Hope_ instead of the _Good Hope_," observedMr. Henderson in a quiet voice, as he saw the flames mount higher andhigher over the ship. A few seconds later the craft seemed rent by aninternal explosion. It appeared to break in two parts, and, amid ashower of sparks and a cloud of black smoke, the vessel sank under thewater and was seen no more.
The rescued men turned to behold the final end of their ship. Theybetrayed no particular emotion, and some of them even laughed, which theprofessor thought, at the time, was rather strange. But there was littleopportunity for speculation. The men were in a sad plight. Few of themhad more than the clothes they stood in, though each one wore about hiswaist a belt, and all of them seemed to guard the leather circletsjealously.
The professor and his crew were soon busy supplying remedies for burns,since several of the men were seared by the flames. Then, as it waslearned they had eaten nothing for many hours, it having been impossibleto use the galley, a meal was prepared and the survivors of the wreckwere well fed.
The hunger of the newcomers having been appeased, they showed muchcuriosity over the strange craft that had so opportunely come to theirrescue. Most of the sailors were ignorant men, and the professor hadlittle fear of them learning anything concerning his secrets. Heexplained briefly about the _Mermaid_, but said nothing of whither shewas bound.
The addition of fourteen men to the rather small accommodations of the_Mermaid_ was a serious matter to consider. The ship was able to holdthem all, and even to sail through the air with them, since Mr.Henderson had provided an excess of power. But it was going to be aproblem to feed so many, and still save enough provisions for the longvoyage which lay ahead.
However, Mr. Henderson felt his first duty to be toward his fellowmen,even if his voyage must be delayed, or given up for a time, while he gotmore provisions. There would be no sleeping quarters for the sailors,but when this was explained to them they cheerfully said they wouldsleep on deck if necessary. In fact some of them had to, but as theweather was warm and clear this was no hardship. A few found quarters inthe engine room and other apartments of the _Mermaid_.
Finding, after an examination, that his ship was in good order save forthe broken gas apparatus, Mr. Henderson gave orders to proceed along thesurface of the ocean. The sailors wanted to see how it felt to mountinto the air, but Mr. Henderson, refused to attempt a flight until hehad made complete repairs, and this would take a day or more.
At this there appeared to be some discontent among the survivors, andthey muttered to each other as they stood in a group on deck. But theprofessor and his assistants were too busy with their preparations forfixing the break to notice this.
While the men were gathered in a knot near the after part of the smalldeck, the mate separated from them, and, coming close to where Mark wasstanding, unscrewing some of the broken parts of the pipe said, in a lowvoice.
"Tell the captain to watch out."
"What do you mean?" asked Mark quickly.
"Hush! Not so loud!" the mate exclaimed. "If the men hear me talking toyou, or see me, they may kill me. Tell the captain to look out; that'sall. Be on guard, and watch the engine room carefully."
"But why--?" Mark began, when, turning suddenly, the mate left him. Itwas well he did so, for, at that instant, one of the sailors, who hadobserved the two conversing, strolled in their direction.
Much alarmed, Mark sought Mr. Henderson and told him what he had heard.
"I suppose the fire may have turned the poor man's head," the scientistsaid. "I wonder if he thinks the men I rescued would mutiny and takepossession of my ship? If they did they would not know how to work it,so what good would it do?"
"Hadn't we better look out?" asked Mark.
"I'm not afraid," replied the professor. "I will be too busy the nextfew days, repairing the break, to think of anything else. Besides, whatwould they want to harm us for? Didn't we save their lives?"
Seeing the scientist placed no faith in what the mate had said, Markwent back to his task.
It soon became too dark to work, and it was decided, after supper, tohalt the ship until morning as it would be less risky.
Mark did not sleep well, his dreams being disturbed by visions ofpirates and black flags. But morning came and nothing had developed. Themen seemed to recover their spirits with daybreak, and most of the crew,after breakfast, greeted Mr. Henderson pleasantly, and asked to beallowed to help fix the ship.
It took the skilled labor of the professor, Washington and the boys tomend the break, and, even at that, it was four days in the repairing.But at last the final bolt was in place, and the _Mermaid_ was able toresume her trips through the air.
"We will rise the first thing in the morning," said the professor toMark and Jack that night. "I am anxious to see how the ship behaves witha big load aboard."
