CHAPTER VII
AN ELEVATOR BLAZE
From somewhere Captain Wiggs reached the deck on the jump. He tore pastthe boys on the run, and fairly burst into the door of the pilot house,where the first mate was in charge.
"We'd better get ready to jump!" cried Frank. "It looks as if we weregoing to be cut in two."
"Grab life preservers!" shouted Ned. "Here are some back here!"
He turned to lead the way to where, under an awning, some of the corkjackets were hung in racks. Before he could reach them a peculiar shiverseemed to run over the _Modoc_.
"She's hit us!" yelled Bart. "Everybody jump!"
The boys made a rush for the rail, intending to trust to their swimmingabilities rather than to chance remaining on the steamer after the grainbarge had hit her.
But their plans were suddenly frustrated for, as they reached the rail,something that towered away above their heads loomed up, and the grainvessel came sliding along side of the _Modoc_, just as if the two craftwere about to tie up together for loading purposes.
The grain barge only bumped gently against the side of the steamer. Theshrill whistles ceased. The jangling bells were silent. By the narrowestof margins a bad collision had been avoided.
Out of the pilot house came Captain Wiggs, running along the rail untilhe came opposite the pilot house of the grain barge. Then, standing on asignal flag locker the commander addressing the man in charge of thevessel which had given them all such a scare, exclaimed:
"Say, what in the name of the Sacred Cow are you trying to do, anyhow?Don't you know how to steer, you inconsiderate slab-sided specimen of anisosceles triangle!"
"Sure I know how to steer," replied the man, who was as cool as thecaptain was excited. "I was steering boats when you was a baby. But I'dlike to know how in the name of Billy Hochswatter's mud-turtle any onecan manage a boat when the steam steering gear breaks just as anothervessel gets in front of me."
"Oh, then that's different," replied Captain Wiggs, with anunderstanding of the difficulties of the situation.
"Yes, I guess it is," retorted the other.
"Why didn't you use the hand gear?" asked the commander of the _Modoc_.
"That got jammed just as they were swinging my boat around, and all Icould do was to signal for a clear course."
"Well, I gave it to you, but I almost had to rip my engines off the bedplates to do it," retorted Captain Wiggs. "I reversed at full speed, andswung that wheel around until it looked like a spinning top. Only forthat we'd be on the bottom of the lake by now."
"That's right," agreed the other pilot. "You had your nerve with you.Well, as long as there's no damage done I s'pose you can go ahead. I'llhave to lay-to for repairs."
"Um," was all Captain Wiggs replied, for he had not quite gotten overhis scare, used as he was to narrow escapes from danger. Slowly the_Modoc_ was backed away from the side of the grain barge, and, when atthe proper distance, she was sent ahead again, the other craft coming toanchor.
"I hope I don't meet him again this voyage," murmured Captain Wiggs, ashe walked up to where the four chums stood. "He's the most unluckyfellow I know. Something is always happening to his boats."
"Who is he?" asked Ned.
"Captain Streitwetter. He's a German from Germanville. Did you hear himmention Billy Hochswatter's mud-turtle?"
"Yes," said Bart. "What did he mean?"
"That is a story," replied Captain Wiggs gravely, "which can only betold after the dinner dishes are washed. You'd better look after them,"and with that he walked away.
"There he goes again!" exclaimed Frank. "You never know what he is goingto say. I believe he's stringing us."
"I almost know it," retorted Fenn. "It's only a way he has, but thetrouble is we don't know whether or not he wants us to do the things hesays. I wonder if we had better do anything about the dishes?"
"Of course not," said Frank. "The cook sees to that."
"But maybe the cook is sick," insisted Fenn. "Captain Wiggs might wantus to help."
"If I thought so I'd offer at once," put in Ned. "I used to do it athome, once in a while, to help out."
"I'll go ask him," volunteered Fenn, and he started to find CaptainWiggs, when he was halted by seeing the commander step from behind apile of boxes. The captain was laughing heartily.
"That's the time I had you guessing; didn't I?" he demanded. "Wash thedishes. Ha! Ha! Ho! Ho! That's pretty good!"
The boys, looking a bit sheepish, soon joined in the merriment at theirexpense, and the little pleasantry served to banish the nervous feelingthat remained after the narrow escape from the collision.
"Billy Hochswatter's mud-turtle!" repeated the captain. "That's whatCaptain Streitwetter always says when he's excited. I don't believethere ever was such a person as Billy Hochswatter."
"I either," added Fenn.
"I must go down to the engine room to see if we suffered any damage,"the commander of the _Modoc_ went on. "You boys amuse yourselves as wellas you can until dinner time. You don't have to peel the potatoes," headded with a wink.
"We'll have to get even with him, somehow," suggested Ned, when thecaptain was out of hearing.
"How?" asked Bart.
"I haven't thought it out yet, but we must play some kind of a trick onhim. He'll think the Darewell chums are slow if we believe all he tellsus, and don't come back at him. Try and think up something."
"Good idea," commented Fenn. "We'll have the laugh on him, next time."
The day passed quickly, for there were many novel sights for the boys tosee. Captain Wiggs was kept so busy, for there were some repairs neededto one of the engines, because of the sudden reversing, that the boysdid not see him again that day. He did not appear at dinner or supper,and the steward said the commander was taking his meals in the engineroom.
The _Modoc_ was going along at less than her usual speed, but was makingfairly good time.
"Well, I s'pose we might as well turn in, boys," suggested Fenn, aboutnine o'clock. "I believe that is the proper term aboard a ship."
"Yes, messmates," spoke Ned, assuming a theatrical attitude, "we willnow seek our downy hammocks, and court 'tired nature's sweet restorer,balmy sleep,' to arise in the gladsome morning, and 'you must wake andcall me early; call me early, mother dear, for I'm to be Queen of theMay, mother; I'm to be Queen of the May!'"
"We'll call you 'loony,' instead of 'early,' if you get off any more ofthat nonsense," murmured Frank.
"That's what," agreed Fenn. "You're not studying English Lit. and Frenchhistory now, Ned."
"Very well, most noble gentlemen," went on Ned. "I shall obey you, rightgladly, I ween!" and he made a dive for his stateroom before Bart, whomade a sudden grab could lay hands on him.
The others soon turned in, and, in spite of their new and strangesurroundings and beds, were soon sound asleep.
It must have been about midnight that Fenn was awakened by hearing agreat tramping on deck. It was followed by confused shouts, and thencame the jangling of the engine room bells. The _Modoc_ seemed toincrease her speed.
"I wonder if there's another collision coming?" he said as he sat up.He heard Bart moving in the next room, and presently Frank's voice washeard calling:
"Say, fellows, something's wrong."
The noise on deck increased, and it sounded as though several men wererunning to and fro, dragging ropes about.
"I'm going up!" decided Fenn, jumping out of his berth and hastilypulling on his clothes. From the open doors of his chums' rooms he couldsee that they, too, were attiring themselves with little regard for howthey looked.
Up on deck they hurried. As they emerged from the companionway theireyes were met with a bright glare.
"A fire!" exclaimed Ned. "The boat's afire!"
"Don't say that! Don't say that, young man, I beg of you!" besought aman, attired in his trousers and night shirt, as he approached Ned, whorecognized him as Mr. Ackerman, the sick passenger.
"What is it?" inquired Fen
n, who was right behind Ned.
"He said the ship was on fire," repeated Mr. Ackerman. "I can't standit. I have heart disease. Excitement is bad for me. Do, please, one ofyou, go and find out how fast it is burning, and come back and tell me."
He sat down at the head of the companionway, as coolly as though he hadasked to be informed which way the wind was blowing. Evidently he knewhow to take care of himself, so as not to aggravate his malady.
"The ship isn't on fire!" exclaimed Bart, crowding past Ned and Fenn.
"But something evidently is burning," insisted Mr. Ackerman. "I cansmell smoke, and see the reflection of the blaze."
This was not strange, considering that the _Modoc_ was in the midst of acloud of vapor, and that bright tongues of fire could be seen close toher bow.
"It's a big grain elevator on shore that's burning!" exclaimed Frank."See! There it is!"
As he spoke the smoke which enveloped the steamer was blown aside. Theboys could then note that, during the night the vessel had approachedclose to shore. They were near a good-sized city, and, among the wharfswas a big building, built to hold grain in readiness to load on the lakesteamers.
From the top of this flames were shooting high into the air, and the_Modoc_ was approaching it at full speed.
Fenn Masterson's Discovery; or, The Darewell Chums on a Cruise Page 7
