Chapter VII: In the Grip of the Squall

“We’re in for it, I’m afraid, Asa!” said Dick, as he saw what the other had reference to, for the wind was coming in their track, and promised to drive the boat toward the island rather than from it.

“Tell me what to do, Dick, and I’ll try to follow it out!” Asa exclaimed.

His face was deathly white, and his lips quivered as he spoke. Still Dick could see that the boy had a pretty good mastery over his fears. Indeed, with such a dismal prospect staring them in the face, even a more seasoned camper than Asa Gardner might have displayed nervousness.

“He’s got considerable nerve, anyway,” Dick said to himself, when he saw his companion gritting his teeth, and clenching his hands. Raising his voice he went on to say: “I guess two pairs of arms would be better than one just now, Asa; so drop down on that other thwart and take this oar.”

The boy did as he was bidden.

“Now, what’s the game, Dick?” he asked, as soon as he had clutched the oar after it had been hastily placed in the rowlock by his comrade.

“We must turn around in a hurry, because that big wave might swamp us if it came up over our stern,” he was told.

The boys hurriedly got the boat around so that the bow pointed toward the shore from which they had so recently come, though toward a point farther along the coast line. None too soon was the manoeuver accomplished. The squall rushed across the half mile of water with wonderful rapidity. It carried a “white bone in its teeth,” as a mariner would say, for a line of foam showed directly in the wake of the first rush of wind.

“Steady now! Keep her head straight into the wind, and don’t worry any; we can hold our own as well as we want. Now, row hard, Asa!”

With those words they commenced to work their arms. The boat started directly at the foamy track of the storm, met the wave, and plunged into it.

Both boys were immediately drenched with the spray, but much to Dick’s satisfaction Asa held firm, continuing to labor fiercely. The boat reared up and pitched like a bucking bronco, but as its nose was headed directly into the waves it could not capsize, as would have been the case had they been caught beam on.

Perhaps Asa Gardner had never been in a position of real peril before. He certainly showed considerable grit, Dick thought, for with set teeth he was straining himself to the utmost while tugging at his oar; nor did he once “catch a crab” by missing his stroke and falling backward.

“Take it easier, Asa!” shouted Dick, for the storm was making such a din around them by this time that ordinary talk was next to useless.

“But it’ll drive us along if we don’t look out!” cried the other in return.

“Just what I want it to do!” returned Dick reassuringly.

Asa complied with the orders he had received. Nevertheless he was undoubtedly puzzled to understand what Dick was planning to do.

“But won’t we be washed out there into the middle of the lake, Dick?” he asked, unable to grasp the other’s plan. The very thought of being sent scudding before that howling summer storm into the waste of waters terrified Asa.

“Not necessarily,” Dick snapped out. “From the way we’re going I’m in hopes of striking Bass Island. There’s a long cape or spur that juts out on this side, you may have noticed. When we get to that we’ll try to draw in behind it!”

“Oh!” exclaimed Asa, and it was evident that he grasped the scheme his companion had arranged on the spur of the moment.

The crisis could not be very far away, that was sure, because since they had relaxed their efforts they were being carried swiftly along, always with the bow of their boat pointed directly into the wind and waves.

Many times the billows, growing higher the further they were driven from the shore, would smash against the prow of the boat and scatter spray over the occupants. But Dick cared nothing for that. Getting wet was a small matter beside being swamped, with their lives placed in danger.

“We’re close to the island!” cried Asa, presently, bracing himself for the expected command to row furiously again.

“Yes, and that’s the spur I spoke of,” added Dick. “When we are a bit nearer we must start to work. I’ll turn the boat in a little right now, so as to be ready.”

“I can hear the fellows yelling like mad,” continued the other boy.

Dick heard the shouts too, but paid little attention to them. He realized that Mr. Rowland and the boys who were racing like mad to get out on that jutting cape could not do the least thing toward assisting those who were in peril. If he and Asa managed to reach shore it would have to be through good luck, seconded by their own desperate efforts.

The cape was close by. Indeed, it would have been an easy thing for a boy to have thrown a stone from its extremity to the boat. Dick was carefully keeping track of things, and he knew just when it was time for them to begin pulling with might and main.

“Now, go for it, Asa!” he suddenly called out.

Both strained every muscle. And there was need of their greatest exertions, for the wind and waves combined made a foe worthy of their respect. The old boat seemed like a cork on the surface of the agitated lake.

Just as Dick had calculated, they were now fairly well able to hold their own when taking the waves on their starboard quarter. All the while, however, progress was being made toward the island. If only they could manage to get far enough along they would soon begin to feel the advantage of that projecting arm, or cape, for behind it the waves were far less boisterous.

It was a lively affair while it lasted, and Asa for one would never forget his experience as long as he lived. Though the rain had stopped the thunder still rolled heavily, while the beating of the waves against the land added to the clamor. The waves rushed past the heaving boat with a sharp hissing sound that Asa compared to that made by angry serpents in fear of being cheated out of their intended prey.

The terminus of the little spur of land could be seen now, for they had actually been carried past it. Much progress had also been made in pushing toward the land, and Dick for the first time began to feel satisfied that they would accomplish the object of their hard labors.

The other boys, together with the physical instructor, reached the outer shore by now. They were still shouting, and were wildly agitated, the boys, at least, under the false impression that those in the boat had missed their aim, and were now in deadly danger of being carried away toward the center of the big lake.

Indeed, Dan Fenwick was hurriedly disrobing as though to leap into the water in an attempt to assist his chums, though, in fact, this would have been a most foolish venture, nor would Mr. Rowland have allowed him to attempt it.

Dick already felt the terrible strain lessening. He knew they must be getting the benefit of the shelter offered by that projecting cape, against which the waves were dashing angrily.

“It’s all right, Asa; take it a little easier now. We can make the land without much trouble. Just keep pulling steadily, that’s all.”

Being short of breath Dick jerked out these sentences, but his reassuring words were like balm to the disturbed mind of the boy at his side.

Presently they began to draw nearer the land, a fact that gave the observers the first hint as to what Dick’s plan had been. Cries of alarm changed to ringing huzzas, and several boys could be seen waving their soaked hats in triumph as they pushed through the wet undergrowth to be in a position to meet the others when they landed.

Asa began to recover in a measure from his state of fear. Dick understanding just how he must be feeling, talked confidently to him.

“I must say you did your part well, Asa,” was the way he spoke. “You’re bound to make your mark if you keep on trying. It’s in you I can see well enough. I wouldn’t want a better and pluckier comrade in a boat than you proved to be.”

When the two lads finally drew in to land the thunder was muttering in the distance, the wind had begun to die down, and there was a rift in the clouds overhead. Like many summer squalls, the storm had been of brief duration, and was already of the past.

Still Asa shuddered as he cast a look out toward the main lake, and thought of what might have happened to them except for Dick’s clever handling of the situation.