[Transcriber's note: Unusual spellings are as printed. A Contents has been added for reader convenience.]
"White boy be heap careful," was Lucky's parting
word as Bob started off. ([Page 117])
("The Lakewood Boys in the Frozen North")
THE LAKEWOOD BOYS
IN THE FROZEN NORTH
By L. P. WYMAN, Ph.D.
Dean of the Pennsylvania Military College
AUTHOR OF
"The Lakewood Boys on the Lazy S," "The Lakewood
Boys and the Lost Mine," "The Lakewood Boys
and the Polo Ponies," "The Lakewood
Boys in the South Sea Islands,"
"The Golden Boys Series," etc.
A. L. BURT COMPANY
Publishers New York
Printed in U. S. A.
The Lakewood Boys Series
A SERIES OF STORIES FOR BOYS 12 TO 16
YEARS OF AGE
BY L. P. WYMAN, Ph.D.
Dean of the Pennsylvania Military College
The Lakewood Boys on the Frozen North
The Lakewood Boys on the Lazy S
The Lakewood Boys and the Lost Mine
The Lakewood Boys and the Polo Ponies
The Lakewood Boys in the South Sea Islands
Copyright, 1925
By A. L. BURT COMPANY
THE LAKEWOOD BOYS IN THE FROZEN NORTH
Made in "U. S. A."
Contents
Chapter
I. [Shipwrecked]
II. [The Struggle]
III. [The Cabin by the Shore]
IV. [The Boys Start Again for Alaska]
V. [Off for the North]
VI. [A Northern Blizzard]
VII. [A New Kind of Bed-room]
VIII. [Timber Wolves]
IX. [The Rescue]
X. [The Eskimo]
XI. [Lucky Brings Back the "Bacon"]
XII. [Visitors]
XIII. [Lucky Acquires an Arsenal]
XIV. [Homeward Bound]
THE LAKEWOOD BOYS IN
THE FROZEN NORTH
CHAPTER I.
SHIPWRECKED.
G-R-R-R—R! Thump!
"What was that?"
Jack Lakewood stuck his head out from the lower bunk as he almost yelled the question.
"What's the matter now?" came in sleepy tones from the upper bunk.
"Sounded as though we'd struck something."
"Oh, go back to sleep, you've been having a nightmare."
"Night-mare nothing. Listen."
A faint sound of voices reached their ears and, a moment later, the sound of hurrying footsteps past the door of their state-room brought Jack out into the middle of the room.
"I tell you we hit something," he cried. "Don't you notice that the engines have stopped?"
"You're right about that anyhow," Bob Lakewood replied as he slid from the upper bunk to the floor. "We'd better get dressed so as to be on the safe side."
"I'll say we had," Jack agreed pulling off his pajamas. "I don't suppose it's anything—"
"All hands on deck, quick!"
The order was shouted outside their door to be repeated an instant later further down the corridor.
"That sounds ominous," Bob declared pulling on his trowsers.
"I'll say it does. We'd better make it snappy."
"Don't forget your money."
"And we'd better slip on a life preserver," Jack added as he pulled two of them out from beneath the bunk.
"Wonder what we hit?" Bob asked as he strapped the life preserver over his coat.
"Iceberg likely, or maybe a derelict."
"More likely the latter," Bob said.
"You ready?"
"Come on."
Bob pulled the door open and they stepped out into the corridor. The sound of voices some shrill and others low and gruff seemed to fill the ship. As they started toward the stairway, a little way back, a half dressed woman, her arms filled with clothes, rushed up to them.
"Oh, what has happened?" she gasped.
"I'm afraid we hit something," Bob told her.
"Is the ship going to sink?" she cried.
"I hope not," Bob tried to reassure her. "But you had better get back to your state-room and finish dressing and put on a preserver."
"Are you sure there'll be time?"
"I think so. Where is your room?"
"Just around the corner."
"Are you alone?"
"Yes, all alone. Oh, this is awful. I know the ship is going to sink and we'll all be drowned."
"Come quick," Bob ordered taking hold of her arm and drawing her along. "Is this your room?" he asked as he turned a corner and saw a door half open.
"This is it, yes."
"Then lose no time. Put on the warmest thing you have and, as soon as you're ready, I'll strap on your life preserver."
The woman slipped into the room and closed the door while he was speaking.
"All hands on deck, and make it quick."
Doors were opening all along the corridor now and people, some fully dressed and others only half clothed, were rushing toward the stairway.
"Better put on life preservers," Bob yelled.
Some turned back at the suggestion while others in a state of frenzy rushed along the corridor intent only on getting to the upper deck.
"Why doesn't she hurry?" Jack asked impatiently as he glanced both ways.
"I'm ready."
The door was pushed open and the boys stepped in. The woman, or rather girl, for she could not have been more than twenty, was now fully dressed and, reaching beneath the bunk, Bob dragged out a life preserver and, an instant later, had it strapped securely about her.
"It's so brave and kind of you to wait for me," she whispered.
"Got a bag?" Bob asked.
"All my valuables are in this little bag," she replied picking up a small leather bag from the bunk. "I suppose I'll have to leave my trunk here," she sighed.
"I'm afraid so," Bob said. "And you'd better take the bag as we may be separated," he added.
"All hands out on deck. No time to lose."
"I'm ready," she cried, and the next moment they were hurrying along the corridor evidently the last of those who had rooms in that part of the ship.
"Do you think we're too late?" she gasped as they reached the foot of the stairway.
"No, they'll have boats enough to hold everybody. Have to since the Titanic went down, you know," Bob told her as they started to mount the stairs.
On deck the scene was one of indescribable confusion. Officers were rushing about shouting out orders and trying to calm the excited passengers, while the creak of ropes as the life boats were lowered added a sinister note to the occasion. Cries of men trying to locate their wives or children and of women separated from their loved ones, added also to the confusion.
"Women and children first. Stand back there or I'll fire."
The deck was lighted by many lights and the boys could see the captain of the ship, close by the rail, as he endeavored to hold back the swarm of fear crazed men from the steerage as they fought for a place in each boat before it was lowered to the water.
But he might as well have tried to hold back the tide itself. The crowd, many of them foreigners, fought like wild beasts and there was immediate danger that the brave captain would be overpowered.
"Come on, Jack boy, we've got to take a hand in this," Bob said in a low voice as he grabbed the girl by the arm and urged her forward.
Holding her close as possible he pushed into the fighting mob closely followed by Jack.
"Way for the lady," he shouted pushing a big Swede aside.
With a snort of anger the man aimed a blow for Bob's head but he saw it coming in time to duck and the next instant he had planted a beautiful right, with all his strength behind it, on the point of the Swede's chin. The man went down as though a sledge hammer had struck him and, for an instant, the crowd gave way enabling them to reach the captain's side. A boat was just being lowered and, as Bob spied an empty seat close up by the bow, he shouted:
"There's room for one more there, Captain."
"All right, but hurry," the captain cried.
Both boys helped the girl over the side into the boat and, a moment later she vanished as it quickly slid down to the water.
There had been a moment's pause in the mad struggle for a place in the boats but now, as another was swung over the side, the rush began again.
"Back, you men. Women and children first," the captain again shouted waving his revolver.
"I've as mooch right ter save my life as a woman," shouted a big German as he reached for the side of the swinging boat.
"Not on this boat, you haven't," Bob yelled as he seized the man by the coat collar and yanked him back.
The man fell sprawling on the deck and, before he could scramble to his feet, Bob had leaped onto the rail where he stood holding onto a rope. Lifting his free hand high in the air he shouted at the top of his voice.
"Are you all cowards? There are still women and children to go in the boats. Let's be men."
"Hurrah for the kid," shouted a voice some feet away.
The effect, whether of Bob's short speech or of the man's cheer, was magical and Jack, who was directly in front of his brother, was quick to take advantage of the lull in the mad struggle.
"Make way, now, for those women behind there," he shouted as he urged aside those in front of him.
Like children the foreigners obeyed and in an instant he had opened up a lane and was beckoning to a dozen women and as many children who had been standing back despairing of being able to get to the boat.
"Quick, now," he ordered, motioning them to come.
They rushed after him and, a moment later another boat load was lowered to the water.
Much the same scene had been taking place in other parts of the ship where the boats were being filled under the supervision of the officers, but nowhere had the confusion been so great as here. And now, it being pretty certain that all the women and children had been placed in the boats, the men were allowed to take their places and boat after boat was quickly filled and lowered. In this work Bob and Jack assisted the captain in keeping some semblance of order and that officer was loud in his praise of their action.
"I don't know what I would have done had it not been for you," he panted as, all the passengers in sight having found a place in the life boats they had a moment's breathing spell.
"You think she'll go down?" Bob asked.
"No doubt of it. See how she's settling in the bow."
A single glance was enough to convince even a land lubber that the big ship was doomed. Already the deck sloped sharply toward the bow and in addition there was a decided list to port.
"You boys get into this boat," the captain ordered as two sailors swung the last boat in sight over the side. "I must make sure that no one is left behind." And, before they could say a word he was off down the stairway.
There seemed nothing to do but obey his order and they lost no time in climbing into the boat.
"Is this the last one?" Jack asked one of the sailors who was holding on to the rope.
"No, there's three or four more on the upper deck but I reckon we won't need 'em. Most of the crew has gone already."
"Will he have time to make the round of the ship?" Bob asked anxiously.
"Reckon so. The mates are helpin' him. She ought ter hold up another fifteen minutes or so."
"What did we hit?" Jack asked.
"Nobody knows fer sure, but it must have been a derelict an' a sunken one at that 'cause the lookout swears as how he was on his job an' that there wasn't a thing in sight an' Toby's a good man all right."
"Probably you're right," Bob agreed.
At that moment two men came running from the stern of the ship and Bob noticed that they wore the uniforms of first and second mates.
"Hasn't the captain come back yet?" the first mate asked anxiously.
"Not yet," one of the sailors replied.
"It's strange. We left him below and he didn't have as much of the ship to look through as we did, and he ought to be here."
"He'll have to hustle or he'll be too late," the second mate declared. "She's going to take her last dive before many minutes."
As he finished speaking all the lights suddenly went out. Fortunately it was moonlight and they could see for some distance.
"Water's got up to the dynamos," the first mate announced.
"And what's more the wind's getting up too," the other mate said.
When the boys had first reached the deck there was only a light breeze blowing, but it had been steadily increasing and now had grown to a strong wind.
"We can't wait much longer," the second mate declared. "What in the world do you suppose is keeping him?"
"But you wouldn't go without him?" Bob suggested.
"I'd hate to, but there's no use in all of us going down."
"Which we're going to do if we're not off in less than ten minutes," the other added. "I tell you she's going down mighty soon."
"Then let's go."
"But we can't leave him," Bob insisted.
"You jest watch us, matey," one of the sailors broke in as he sprang over the rail into the boat still holding the lowering rope.
"Give me five minutes and I'll go see if I can find him," Bob proposed.
"All right, but yer've got to hustle," the sailors agreed grudgingly.
Bob waited no longer, but dashed for the stairway.
"You go back, Jack," he shouted as he turned at the head of the stairs and saw his brother close at his heels.
"Back nothing," the boy yelled. "Now, don't stop to argue because it won't do any good."
Bob knew his brother well enough to know that it would be useless to say anything more so he leaped down the stairs and Jack followed.
"Oh, Captain!" he shouted as soon as he had reached the foot.
There was no answer.
"He must be up forward somewhere," Jack shouted as he started toward the bow.
Fortunately the boys had had the foresight to slip into their pockets their flashlights and, with their aid, they quickly located a door on the far side of the large hall, which opened into a corridor leading to the bow. On both sides of this corridor were staterooms and into these they peeped, Bob taking those on the right side while Jack followed suit on the left. But the captain was in none of them and they reached the open deck in the bow without having discovered him. From time to time they had called at the top of their voice without result.
"If he's in this part of the boat he must be dead or unconscious," Bob declared as he threw the light from his flash over the deck.
"Well, there's no use standing here," Jack returned. "There's a passage on each side close to the rail. You take one and I'll take the other."
As Bob reached the right hand rail he noticed with a shudder of alarm that the water was nearly on a level with the deck. "She can't stay afloat much longer," he thought as he pushed open the door of the first room.
He had covered about half the rooms in the row when he heard a faint cry from the other side of the ship.
"Bob—Bob. This way, quick!"
Like a flash he sped down the corridor and, as he reached the other side of the ship, he saw Jack standing about half way down the passageway.
"Found him?" he yelled.
"Yes, he in this room, but I'm afraid he's dead."
By this time Bob was at the door of the stateroom and, a moment later, was bending over the body of the captain who was stretched on the floor face up.
"He isn't dead," he announced after he had laid his head on his chest.
"Then we've got to get him up. You take his head and I'll take his feet. Quick now."
Fortunately the captain was not a large man and could not have weighed over one hundred and forty pounds so they had little trouble in carrying him.
"Wonder if they've waited," Jack panted as they came to the foot of the stairs.
"We've been gone mor'n five minutes," Bob told him.
A moment later they had reached the middle deck and their first glance was toward the rail where they had left the two mates and the two sailors.
"They've gone!" Bob gasped.
"What do you know about that? The cowards!" Jack added.
CHAPTER II.
THE STRUGGLE.
Ten days previous to the events related in the preceding chapter Bob and Jack Lakewood were preparing to return East for the fall term at College. They had spent the summer on the Lazy S ranch a few miles from the little town of Cold Springs in the State of Texas, except for a few weeks during which they had been in Mexico, hunting for a lost mine. It was late in October and ordinarily college would have opened several weeks before but, owing to a serious outbreak of influenza, the opening had been delayed, giving them several weeks more of vacation.
The day before they were to start a telegram had come from their father, bidding them to delay their departure until a letter, which he had already sent, should reach them.
"That's funny," Bob said as he handed the telegram to Jack.
"What do you suppose is up?" Jack asked as soon as he had read it.
"Curiosity killed a cat, you know."
The last remark came from a girl with bobbed hair and a slightly turned up nose, who had read the message over Jack's shoulder. Her name was Sue Stebbins and her father, Jeb Stebbins, was manager of the large ranch which was owned by a Mr. Leeds who lived in the East. Sue, who was something of a tomboy when it came to out-of-doors sports, ruled all hands, including her father, with, as the latter often declared, a rod of iron. But her rule was a generous one and she was a general favorite with all the hands from the manager down to the Chinese cook.
"If that was so you'd have been dead long ago," Jack retorted. "You've only got one life, you know, and a cat has nine."
"But I'm not curious," Sue pouted.
"Oh, no, not a bit," Jack jeered.
"Well, anyhow, it gives you a few days more before you have to go back to that horrid old college," she smiled.
"Who said it was horrid?" Jack demanded.
"I did. Anything that takes you two away from the ranch is horrid, so there."
"I reckon that settles it," Bob broke in laughingly. "But, honestly, Sue, we hate to go worse than you can possibly hate to have us."
"Well, we won't argue the point. Come on, there's just time for a gallop before supper."
It was three days before the letter came and Bob read it with Jack and Sue looking over his shoulder. It was as follows:
My dear boys:
My wire undoubtedly was a great surprise to you and, of course, you have been wondering what it was all about.
You will, no doubt, recall hearing me speak many times of my brother, Silas, who lives in the State of Washington. You have never seen him as he is a bit queer and has not been East for nearly thirty years, although he has always been a great rover. About six months ago he wrote me that he was going to take a trip to Alaska and try his hand at mining. Three months later I received a second letter from Nome stating that he was about to start for the upper waters of the Yukon with another man by the name of Long and that they would be gone a month. He promised that he would write as soon as they returned, but I have no word from him and, frankly, I am worried. He should have been back two months ago and I should have heard from him a few days later.
I have wired several times to Nome to find out if he had returned, but each time have received a reply stating nothing had been heard from them.
How would you like to take a trip up there and see if you can find out what has become of him? I know you ought to be in college, but you are well up in your studies and the trip will be a new one for you. I would go myself, but business will not let me get away just now. If your friend, Slats Magee, can go with you so much the better. I am so sure that you will want to go that I am inclosing check for expenses. Wire what you will do. Mother sends lots of love as do I.
Your loving father.
"Do we go?" Bob asked as he finished reading.
"Does a duck swim?" Jack laughed.
"But Slats is laid up with a broken leg," Bob said mournfully.
"And, of course, that's too bad, but I reckon it needn't stop us from going. Father didn't say for us not to go without him, you know."
"I know, but—"
"But nothing. Father wants us to go whether Slats can go or not and that settles it."
"How about taking me along to take care of you?" Sue asked.
"Huh," Jack snorted. "Anyone'd think we were a couple of babies."
"And I reckon we'd have to have a chaperon along if we took you," Bob laughed.
"Well, of course, I didn't mean it, but just the same, I wish I was a boy and then I could go," Sue pouted.
Mr. Stebbins, or Jeb as everyone called him, shook his head when they showed him the letter.
"Your father has a lot of confidence in you for a fact and I'm not saying that it's misplaced, but I can't help thinking that it's risky for you two boys to go away off up there. If Slats could go along I'd feel better about it but, of course, that's out of the question. Yes, I know your father wants you to go," he added as Bob was about to speak, "and of course, the thing for you to do is to go only—"
Within an hour a wire was on its way to Mr. Lakewood, saying that they were starting as soon as they could get ready. Then followed a busy time looking up routes and making reservations, to say nothing of outfitting themselves with clothing suitable for wear in the far North.
Slats Magee, just beginning to hobble around, on crutches, was loud in his bewailment of the fate which kept him at home.
"If it was only an arm, now," he groaned. "I'd put it in a sling an' go anyhow."
They found that they could get a boat from Seattle on a Monday and as that was only three days off, they were kept busy the most of the time. Finally the moment came to say good-bye and, as the train pulled out from Cold Springs, Sue waved her hand from the platform and shouted:
"Look out you don't fall in love with an Esquimo girl."
* * * * * * * * *
Hoping that the lifeboat might not have left the side of the ship the boys laid the form of the captain on the deck and rushed to the rail.
"Too late," Jack cried as he pointed to a spot of light dancing up and down some distance from the ship.
"Yes, they've gone all right," Bob agreed.
"What'll we do?"
"There must be another boat. Didn't one of the mates say there were others on the upper deck?"
"Yes, he said so, but do you suppose we can get it over in time?"
"We can try."
Rushing back to the head of the stairway they again picked the captain up and a moment later were on the upper deck. There they were encouraged to find three lifeboats hanging from their davits and, placing their burden gently down, they set about getting it ready to lower.
"Hurry," Jack gasped as the boat gave a sickening lurch. "She's going in a minute or two."
Jack had quickly succeeded in getting his rope clear, but Bob was not so fortunate. His had gotten caught and it took him some time to get it free.
"I'm doing the best I can," he panted pulling frantically at the stiff rope. "There, she's free. Now you hold them while I drag him over."
He handed his rope to Jack and rushed back a few feet for the captain. It was hard work getting him into the boat, but it was finally accomplished and, springing in after him, they quickly began to lower away. As the boat touched the water a heavy wave dashed it against the side of the ship and all but upset it, but Bob grabbed an oar and succeeded in fending it off before the next wave hit them and, a moment later, he was pulling on both oars with all his strength.
They were not twenty feet away from the ship when a loud explosion told them that the water had reached the boilers.
"Guess that'll finish her," Bob gasped.
Hardly had he spoken when the stern of the ship rose in the air and a moment later the ill-fated ship slid beneath the waves.
"Good-bye, Majestic," Jack groaned.
Now that the danger from the suction, caused by the big ship, was over, Bob rested on his oars and looked about him. The sea was rough and the lifeboat danced up and down, but he knew there was no danger unless the wind increased in strength. Far away he could see several points of light which he knew marked the location of the other lifeboats, but the boats themselves he could not see as heavy clouds had obscured the moon.
"Guess we'd better pull toward them," he said as he again bent to the oars.
"Let me take them," Jack suggested.
"You see if you can bring the captain around first. I'm not tired yet."
The form of the captain lay on the bottom of the boat at Jack's feet and the boy slid from his seat and took his head in his lap.
"He's still breathing," he announced.
"Good. Get some water on his head."
Under his ministrations the man soon sighed and, a moment later opened his eyes.
"Where am I?" he whispered.
"You're safe," Jack replied. "How do you feel?"
"I'll be all right in a minute. The ship? Did it—"
"Yes, she went down," Jack told him.
The captain closed his eyes and for a moment did not move. Then he again opened them and, in a much stronger voice, asked:
"How did I get in this boat?"
"Why, we put you in."
"But the others?"
"They're in another boat."
"They didn't wait?"
"No."
"Then how—"
"Better wait till you're a bit stronger, sir," Jack suggested as the captain hesitated.
"I'm all right now," he insisted as he raised his head from the boy's lap.
Seeing that he was determined to sit up Jack helped him to the seat on which he had been sitting.
"Now suppose you tell me about it," he said.
"Well, there isn't much to tell," Jack began. "When you didn't come back we went to find you and—and found you."
"But where were the two mates? Did they get back before you left?"
"Yes, sir."
"Well, why didn't they go?"
"I don't know, sir."
"Well, I guess I can see about the way it was and I guess I owe my life to you two boys. But, tell me, didn't they agree to wait till you came back?"
"Well, they said they'd wait five minutes, but I guess we were considerable longer than that," Jack told him.
"And they went off without you, eh?"
"I'm afraid they did, sir."
"I know it, but perhaps it's best not to judge them too harshly. I suppose a man has a right to save his own life."
"But what happened to you, sir?" Bob asked as he rested on his oars for a moment.
"I must have fainted," the captain told them. "You see I was subject to fainting spells some years ago and had to give up the sea for several years but, after I had gone five years without a single one, I thought I was over them and persuaded the owners to let me have a command again. This was my first voyage," he groaned. "But I suppose the excitement and severe strain was responsible for the relapse. I shall never try it again."
"Do we seem to be getting any nearer the other boats?" Bob asked a little later.
"It's hard to say," the captain replied. "But I don't think we're gaining much if any."
"Let me spell you now," Jack said as he rose from his seat.
While they had been talking the wind had been steadily rising and now it was blowing almost a gale making it difficult to keep the boat's head into the wind.
"Just a minute," Bob cried pulling strongly on his right oar. "It won't do to let her get broadside," he added as he moved over on his seat to give Jack room.
It was a fortunate thing that they were used to boats else it is doubtful if they would have been able to change places without allowing the craft to wallow in the trough, but they finally accomplished it and Bob was glad to rest his aching arms.
"Have you any idea how far we are from shore, sir?" he asked as soon as he had settled himself in the seat beside the captain.
"A matter of twenty-five or thirty miles. As you know we were about twelve hours out, but we've been running not far from land."
In spite of his warm clothing Bob's teeth soon began to chatter as the night was cold and he had been sweating from the violent exercise of rowing. Fortunately the captain had on his heavy coat and, although he acknowledged that he was none too warm, he was not shivering.
"What do you think of the weather, sir?" Bob asked a few minutes later.
"I don't like it. I'm afraid we'll have snow before morning."
As if to confirm his words Bob felt a snow flake strike his face.
"I'm afraid you're right, sir," he said.
The first flake was quickly followed by others and in less than ten minutes they were flying thick and fast driven by the strong wind, and so great was their velocity that they stung like needles as they struck the skin.
"Getting tired, Jack?" Bob shouted.
"No, not yet," Jack called stoutly back.
"Well, I'm coming anyhow so move over. There's no use in taking too long shifts and, besides, I want to get warmed up a bit," he added as he reached the seat by his brother's side. "We've simply got to take it as easy as we can for goodness knows how long we'll have to keep this up."
The lights from the other boats had disappeared soon after it had begun to snow and now there was nothing to be seen about them save the swirling snow and the white foam of the water as the wind blew off the tops of the waves.
"Wonder if there's anything to eat or drink in this boat," Jack said as soon as he had reached his former seat beside the captain.
"There should be both food and water," the latter replied. "All the lifeboats are kept stocked in case of an emergency such as this."
"Where would it be?"
"Right back of you in the locker."
Jack turned half around and, reaching beneath the seat in the stern lifted the cover of a small box fitted in the narrow space. But it was empty and, with a sinking heart, he turned back.
"Guess they forgot to stock this boat," he announced.
"You mean there's nothing there?"
"Not a thing."
"It's criminal negligence," the captain declared. "It's the purser's business to see that the lifeboats are kept stocked, but the fellow we have is always neglecting his work, but, as he's some relative of the owners it's been overlooked and now we've got to suffer for it."
The storm seemed to increase and Bob was having all he could do to keep the boat head on. He had lost all sense of direction and had no idea whether he was rowing toward the shore or out to sea. They were running with the wind and he judged that they must be making several miles an hour.
"It's my turn now," the captain shouted a few minutes after Jack had discovered the lack of food and water.
Both boys protested against the move, but the man declared that he was all right and well able to do his share of the work.
"Besides I need to get warmed up a bit," he added as he shifted his position to the rower's seat.
"Looks like we might not get out of this scrape," Jack said in a low tone as soon as Bob was seated beside him.
"Never say die," Bob replied hopefully. "I've seen sicker cats than this get well, and don't forget, Jack boy, that God can take care of us just as well out here as He can on the land."
"I know it and, believe me, I've been asking Him to do that very thing."
"So have I, and I believe He will."
The dismal night wore on. At times the snow slackened until it had almost ceased only to swirl down harder than ever a few minutes later. The wind kept about the same. Every half hour they changed shifts, as Jack called it, an arrangement which gave each an hour's rest after a half hour of strenuous labor. And each welcomed the chance to row in spite of the hard work as he suffered with the cold while resting.
"It'll be daylight in another hour," Bob announced as he moved to Jack's side to take his shift.
"But I don't believe we'll be able to see much better than we can now unless this snow lets up," Jack declared as he gave up the oars.
"Well, it can't keep on snowing forever," Bob added hopefully.
Just at that instant, as they were changing places, an extra strong gust struck the boat and Bob, feeling the bow swing off, put all his strength into his left oar in a desperate effort to straighten his course. Snap! The oar broke like a pipe stem and the boat was wallowing in the trough in an instant. Almost instantly a huge wave broke over it filling it half full of water and nearly throwing it over.
"She'll go over in a minute," Bob shouted.
An instant later and his words proved true for the very next wave caught the boat just right and over she went.
CHAPTER III.
THE CABIN BY THE SHORE.
The water was icy cold and as Bob went beneath the surface it seemed to him that his blood froze in his veins. Thanks to the cork jacket which he had kept on his head bobbed out of the water almost immediately and, as he rose on the top of a wave, he looked about for Jack, and saw him only a few feet away.
"Where's the captain?" he shouted.
"Don't know," Jack shouted back shaking the water from his eyes.
Both boys were expert swimmers and, with the help of the life preservers, they had no difficulty in keeping afloat although the big waves dashed over their heads filling their eyes with salt water.
"I'm afraid he's a goner," Bob gasped as he fought his way to his brother's side. "He didn't have on a preserver, you know."
"And I reckon we're goners too in spite of them," Jack chattered back.
Bob felt in his heart that Jack was right unless a miracle happened as he well knew that no one could live long in that cold water which seemed to penetrate to the very marrow of the bones.
"Swim hard so as to keep up the circulation," he began and then paused as his eyes caught sight of something floating in the water only a few feet to his right. A few powerful strokes brought him to the spot, but the object had disappeared. With a prayer on his lips he dove and swam downward with all his strength. Down, down, he struggled until he knew that he had reached his limit. Then, just as he was about to turn, his outstretched hand came in contact with something and he knew he had found what he was after. The memory of that awful struggle to the surface haunted his dreams for months afterward. But, although it seemed as though his lungs would burst with pressure and he more than once nearly lost his hold, he finally succeeded and, to his great relief, he came up close beside Jack.