Chapter VII: The Storm King

It was still lacking a few minutes of the hour named when Jim, Juarez, and Berwick, who did not intend to be left out of the venture, arrived with their handbags at the wharf at the foot of Market street. The professor had not yet arrived. The sun had risen above the hills, and the place was in heavy shadow. Putting down their bags upon the wharf, the boys walked to the water edge and began a discussion of the merits of the boats at anchor in the harbor. They were soon joined by Jo and Tom.

Unobserved, a dwarfish figure stole noiselessly from the shadow, and seizing upon the nearest bag--it was Jim's--he ran swiftly down the wharf. Not quickly, however, as to escape the watchfulness of Juarez, who, to make up for the dereliction of the previous evening, was especially alert. With a shout of alarm to the others, Juarez set off at once in pursuit of the flying figure, which had already disappeared around a corner. Jim and Tom followed more leisurely, depending upon Juarez to run down the culprit. Berwick and Jo remained as a guard over the rest of their baggage.

"What happened?" cried Jo.

"That villain, Manuel," replied Berwick. "He has made off with Jim's handbag. He seems to be everywhere at once."

"Juarez will catch him," said Jo, confidently.

"I hope so," returned Berwick, "but an eel has nothing on him for slipperyness."

And so it proved, for the others came straggling back, one by one, without having found any trace of the Mexican or the bag.

"That's rather an unauspicious beginning to our trip," commented Berwick. "Did you have anything of importance in your bag, Jim?"

"Nothing but my clothes," replied Jim, ruefully. "But it's bad enough having him carry them off right in front of us. That's another score I have to settle with him."

"He will be carrying some of us away, if we aren't careful," put in Jo.

"Hallo, look there! What in the name of goodness is that coming?" cried Juarez, indicating a strange object which was advancing down the wharf.

Seen in the half-light of the morning, it seemed to consist principally of arms and legs which were wildly waving in the air.

"Looks like a big devil fish," cried Tom. "Better look out, boys."

But as it came nearer it resolved itself into two figures, one of which, the larger, was carrying the smaller, which latter was squirming and struggling in an effort to escape.

"It's the Professor!" cried Juarez, "but what the mischief has he got there?"

"That's it!" cried Jim, joyfully. "He's got the 'mischief' himself. It's Manuel."

"Hurrah!" exclaimed Jo and Tom, running forward to meet him. "Where did you get him?"

"You will find your bag back upon the wharf," explained the professor, when he came near, holding the snapping, snarling object up in the air with a vicelike grip on the waistband of its trousers. "And mine, too," he added, as the boys started off on a run in the direction indicated.

"I caught this viper sneaking along with a bag that I knew did not belong to him, and that I took to belong to some of you. What do you think we had better do with this thing?" indicating Manuel.

"I think," observed Berwick, "we had better take it on board with us and put it in a cage like any other wild beast."

"Not a bad suggestion, that," agreed the professor. "That's about the best thing we could do with him."

But with a sudden twist the wily Mexican slipped from his loose trousers, leaving the garment in the professor's grasp.

"Hi--stop him!" shouted Jo, making a futile attempt to seize him.

But with an inarticulate snarl of rage, the Mexican made a headlong plunge from the wharf into the water, disappearing from sight.

"Ugh!" exclaimed the professor, holding up the empty trousers. "He's shed his skin like the snake he is. He had better take them along," tossing them into the water.

"We will get him when he comes up," cried Tom.

But, although the boys ran along the string piece of the wharf looking for him to reappear, they saw nothing more of him. An officer in uniform was called and told of the circumstances. After watching for some time they were obliged to conclude that the villainous Mexican had at last met his just desert.

"Well," remarked Jo, at length, "I guess we have seen the last of him."

"I sincerely hope so," returned Berwick, "but that fellow has more lives than a cat."

"There doesn't seem to be any use of waiting any longer," said the professor. "He doesn't seem to be coming back. There is nothing we can do and we may as well go on."

By this time the sun was up, and the wharf was beginning to be astir with people. The boatmen were coming and going over the bay, intent on business. Hailing one of the larger boats, which was rowed by two Hawaiians, the professor asked them if they could carry the party out to the yacht.

"Si, senor," replied one of the rowers. "Take you all; no sink the boat."

Although the boat sank nearly to the gunwales when they were all on board, and they were uncomfortably crowded, still the water was calm and the trip to the yacht, which was anchored about a quarter of a mile out, was made without any mishap.

"Well, what do you think of my ship?" asked the professor, when they drew up alongside the Storm King.

"She's as pretty as--as--" began Jo.

"As a picture," added Tom.

"As a pink," supplemented Juarez.

"As she can be," finished Tom.

"Wait until you get on board," interposed the professor.

"We have been on board," put in Jim.

"Indeed!" exclaimed the professor. "When?"

"Yesterday," replied Jim. "Berwick and I called on the captain. We thought perhaps we could secure her for our trip."

"That expresses your opinion," said the professor with a laugh. "You wouldn't have wanted her unless you thought she was pretty good."

"That's right," agreed Jim. "She looked good to me."

"Good morning, captain," called the professor to Captain Wilkins, who was standing by the gangway waiting to receive them. "I have brought out some young men who are going to show us how to sail the yacht."

"Good morning, professor," replied the captain. "Same to you, gentlemen. They say you can't teach an old dog new tricks, but I think it is never too late to learn. If you have any new tricks of seamanship I shall be glad to learn them."

"That's only a joke of the professor's captain," replied Jim. "All we know is enough to stand watch, and do our trick at the wheel if need be."

"Well said, lad," responded the captain, heartily. "Are you going to make a voyage with us?"

"Yes," replied the professor, "they are booked for the trip. Now, how soon do you think we can get away?"

"Well, now that depends," replied the captain, rubbing his chin, thoughtfully. "Did you bring the new engineer along with you?"

"The new engineer?" asked the professor. "What do you mean?"

"Don't you know, sir," replied the captain, "Mr. Ward has gone? 'Twas day before yesterday he went ashore, and when he came back he had another man with him. Said he had a better job, and was going to leave. Said this other man was going to take his place. Thought he had it all arranged with you."

"The first I have heard of it," said the professor.

"I told him I had nothing to do with it," went on the captain. "If you said it was all right, it was all right."

"So, we haven't any engineer," said the professor. "That's awkward. I suppose we shall have to lose a lot of time while we hunt up another."

"Why not Mr. Berwick?" suggested Jim. "He's a first class engineer, and he wants to go with us anyway."

"Why, of course," replied the professor. "Never thought of that. How stupid of me. How is it, Mr. Berwick, will you take the place?"

"Suits me to the dot," replied the engineer. "Wanted to go along, and glad to be of use."

"All right, Mr. Berwick. Suppose you take hold at once and look things over."

"Very well, sir," replied Berwick. "Lucky I brought my traps along." Picking up his bag he descended into the engine room followed by Juarez.

"Well, how is it?" inquired the professor, when Berwick came on deck again a little later. "Everything all right?"

"Indeed no," replied Berwick. "Looks as if somebody had been tampering with the engine. Lot of loose bolts and nuts. If she had been started up there would have been a pretty smash-up. However, I think two or three hours' work will put it all right."

"That must be some of Broome's work, I suppose," commented the professor. "Bribed the engineer. You see what we have ahead of us, boys. Go ahead and do the best you can, Mr. Berwick. But I suppose we had better have breakfast first. Got anything to eat on board, captain?"

"Fully provisioned, sir," replied the captain. "I told your steward that you would want breakfast and I think he has it ready."

"Very well, then," said the professor. "That seems to be the next thing in order."

A handsome, and what was more important, a very competent man, the steward proved to be. The professor explained that ever since his early youth Pedro had been in his employ, and his father before him for many years.