Chapter XVII: The Hurricane

"I see a cascade or waterfall on the hillside yonder," cried Juarez.

"Then we will make a landing somewhere along the beach in that direction," ordered the professor.

Slowly they approached the shore, and landing carefully reconnoitered, but nothing was observed to warrant their caution.

A spring, pouring forth a constant stream of limpid, cool water, was readily located, and here each found satisfying refreshment. About them everywhere were luxuriant growths, and tropical fruits of many varieties were within reach of the extended hand.

Water was conveyed to the boat, and the cask filled to transport a supply to the ship. A quantity of yams were gathered for the party on board while they themselves ate of the fruit to their heart's content. As they walked inland they came upon charming glens and defiles well up the mountain side, and still above them rose great castleated turrets, all draped in mosses and flowering shrubs forming the abode of many a bird of prey that on their approach rose screaming to the sky.

"But this is a vast space that we have got to examine," said Jim, speaking in a low voice to the professor. "I wonder where," quoting from the chart, "we are to find the cave opening--the opening high up and hard to reach, with a blue rock somewhere about?"

"We shall go about it systematically, as soon as we find travel safe. If there are inhabitants we must conduct our exploitations in groups. If otherwise we can spread out and cover the ground much more rapidly."

On the return trip toward the boat, a strong odor of sulphur attracted their attention, and a mineral spring was located. Here for the first time they found indications that others had visited the spot, but how recently could not be determined.

"Seemingly," suggested the professor, "this is a remedial water, the virtues of which may be known to the occupants of the other islands hereabouts."

Farther on, near the shore, Jim came upon a rude shack, or shelter, built of boughs, and the roof thatched with leaves resembling palms, and further on at the shore Juarez dropped upon his knees examining a mark upon the sand.

"A foot print," he said, "but not very recently made."

The return to the ship was without incident, and by the following day all except the captain and Tom, the latter was not feeling well, made trips to the shore. Jo and Juarez made a long detour inland and on their return reported many interesting sights, but no sign did they find of inhabitants. They had climbed to a high altitude, reaching the uppermost point by a circuitous route, but descending again by a rugged route much shorter but very difficult to negotiate.

"Phew!" exclaimed Tom, on coming on deck the following morning as the sun like a ball of fire was showing in the eastern horizon. "It is going to be a corker to-day, all right. Why, even the ocean is sizzling."

"Feel all right to-day?" asked Jo.

"Yes, or I would if it was only cool."

The yacht was still lying to, about a half mile off shore. The sails hung loosely with not enough air to stir them.

"It's a nice morning for a row," suggested Jo. "The water is as smooth as oil. You are the only one who has not been ashore. Want to go?"

"No rowing for me," groaned Tom. "I'm not a phoenix. I'm going to sit in the shade and fish."

"Fish!" cried Jo. "What do you expect to catch here?"

"I don't know," replied Tom. "Maybe I might catch a boiled cod or something like that."

"Don't you want to go on shore, then?" asked Jo.

"Not bad enough to row there," answered Tom. "Glad to go if you will do the rowing."

"We will have to take the long boat. The steward went ashore in the yawl early this morning."

"Early!" cried Tom. "What do you call this? I guess it was late last night."

"Well, he's gone, anyhow. We want to get off pretty soon if we are going before the sun gets hot."

"Before!" cried Tom. "Say, if you wanted to do that you ought to have gotten away last week."

"Say, fellows," cried Juarez at this moment, "what do you think that means?"

The party were soon gathered on the after deck and were looking with interest at the land.

"What is that?" asked Tom in turn.

"That smoke over there."

"Smoke! Where?"

"See the top of that hill," Juarez indicated with his outstretched arm. There was an elevation which must have been miles inland, and from which a thin column of smoke was rising into the still air.

"It is a signal of some kind," said Jim. "I didn't notice it before."

"It has just started," replied Juarez. "It wasn't there a moment ago. I wonder what it means, and who is making it?"

"It is a common signal among uncivilized people," replied Jim. "Savages the world over use smoke for signaling. They use it especially as a warning against the approach of an enemy or of strangers."

"Well, what do you find of interest?" asked Berwick, joining them, the captain following a moment later.

"We were just looking at that column of smoke over there," replied Tom. "Do you think it is a signal of some kind?"

"What is that?" asked the captain.

"That column of smoke on the hill over there," repeated Tom.

"Eh, what! Start my plates!" exclaimed the captain. "We will have to look into that a little later."

"See how straight it goes up," commented Jim. "There doesn't seem to be a bit of air stirring."

"Not a bit, anywhere," assented Berwick. "Not enough for steerage way."

"I'm thinking we'll have all the wind we want and some to spare afore ye know it," said the captain. "There's a hurricane abrewing or I miss my guess."

"What? On this clear day?" asked the professor. "I don't see how you can tell unless you feel it in your bones."

"No, but the barometer indicates something unusual. It is falling very rapidly." Then scanning the horizon in all directions, he added, "I wonder which way it is coming. That barometer is going down too fast for comfort." Saying this, he called all hands and set about preparations for a storm, concerning the coming of which there was not the slightest apparent and visible indication.

"There it comes, now," cried the captain as a puff of wind from out of the east filled the double reefed sails, and a little later a mist blotted out the sun. "It is coming out of the east."

"Is there any danger?" asked the professor?

"Well," replied the captain, slowly, "lying off the lea shore, in a hurricane isn't exactly the place I should pick out for safety."

"Can't you beat to windward?" suggested the professor.

"That's what we can try," returned the captain. "Hard down with the helm! Pull in the sheets!" A heavier blast struck the sails now, and heeled the yacht well over. "Steady as you are!"

Under the impulse of the wind, the yacht sprang forward with sails close hauled, beating up into it.

"It's no use," admitted the captain, as the strength of the wind increased. "We haven't gained an inch. Something must be done quickly."

"What?" asked the professor.

"How is that channel into the harbor which you told me about?" asked the captain, turning to Jim. "Do you think we can get through it?"

"If the day were fair, and the engine was working it might be done," replied Jim. "But under sail in this wind it will be a hazard, sir."

"You are not thinking of attempting that passage in a storm, are you?" asked the professor, in evident alarm.

"I don't think there is much choice in the matter," confessed the captain. "We may go to pieces if we try it, and we are pretty certain to go to pieces if we don't."

The yacht was now rolling and pitching on the heavy seas, and the blasts of wind were becoming stronger and more angry, whistling through the rigging with the shrill sound of a gigantic fife.

"Shall we take in another reef?" shouted the mate.

"No. Put two men at the wheel and tell them to work lively! Jim, a few words with you."

A brief conference followed, then taking his station amidship, with Jim well forward, the captain shouted his orders to the sailors and helmsmen. Jim signaled by means of a pocket handkerchief in his hand, facing first the course of the channel, and at intervals looking toward the captain. Every motion was correctly interpreted by the commander.

"The helm to the port side! Port your helm! Jam it down hard! Haul in the main sheet; haul close! Quick now! In with the lugger and jib!" The captain was hurling his orders so quickly that his words tripped over one another.

The men sprang to obey the commands. The yacht meanwhile entered the channel between the cliffs and was driving headlong for the rocks ahead which presaged a certain end to its career. But just as the fatal crash seemed imminent and unavoidable, the bow swung around, and with the end of the boom buried in the foam of the breaking waves the Storm King glided into the deeper waters that opened to the right.

"My goodness!" cried Tom, drawing a long breath, "but that was a close shave. I thought we were gone for sure. I don't mind things that happen on land, but that's the worst experience I've been through yet."

"Oh, cheer up," cried Jo. "There is plenty more to come."

"It's a good thing we had a good captain," said Jim. "That was a nice bit of work."

"Worthy of one of the oldtime pirates," added the reassured professor. "I'll have to bring that in."

The captain awarded full credit to Jim's skill as a pilot. It was another instance where close observation had brought worth while results.

While they were talking, the yacht had run into the inner harbor, and here even with the fierce wind playing havoc in the tree tops and out at sea, the high hills afforded good and safe shelter.