"Those—those men," breathed Amy, who also seemed to be looking about for some sort of physical support. "See, Betty!"
They both seemed to depend on the "Little Captain" in this emergency. As for Mollie, her dark eyes flashed, and she looked at Betty with a nod of encouragement. Whatever happened, these two would stand together, at any rate.
"Don't be silly!" exclaimed Betty, stilling the wild beating of her own heart by the reflection that she must be brave for the sake of others.
"But they are coming right toward us!" gasped2 Grace, making a move as though to hide in the cabin.
"Of course they are!" exclaimed Mollie, quickly. "They are going to help us; aren't they, Betty?"
"I'm sure I hope so," was the low-voiced answer. "One thing, girls, speak very carefully.[94] Sound carries very distinctly over water, you know."
"They are coming toward us," added Amy, shrinking closer to Betty. There was no doubt of that. The eyes of all in the approaching motor boat, which was a powerful craft, were fixed3 on the girls in the Gem1, and it was a strange sight to see the eyes of the colored men, with so much of the white showing in contrast to their dark faces, staring fixedly4 at our friends. Grace caught herself in a half-hysterical laugh.
"They looked just like those queer china dolls," she explained afterward5.
The white man steering6 the boat was almost as dark in complexion7 as were his companions, but at least he was white—the girls were sure of that.
"I guess they know we have run on a sand bar," Betty explained, in as calm a voice as she could bring to her need. "They are avoiding it themselves."
As she spoke8 the other boat made a wide sweep and then, having gone down past the Gem, it again swept in on a curve, now being headed up stream.
"Stuck?" called the white steersman, and his voice was not unpleasant, though a bit domineering, Betty thought.[95]
"But perhaps this is because he is used to giving orders," she reflected.
"Yes; we are on a sand bar, I'm afraid," she answered, and smiled.
"Look natural!" she commanded to the others a moment later, her voice not reaching the men in the other craft, she felt sure, for the clutch of the relief boat had been thrown out and the engine was racing9, making considerable noise. "Look as though we expected this," Betty commanded. "There's nothing to fear. We are not far from home."
"Lots of folks get stuck on that bar," went on the man, who was bringing his boat into a position favorable for giving aid to the Gem. "It ought to be buoyed10, or marked in some way. You're strangers around here, I take it," he went on.
"Yes, from Mr. Stonington's orange grove11," said Betty, simply. "If you will kindly12 pull us off this bar we will gladly pay you for your trouble."
Was it fancy, or did Betty detect fierce and eager gleams in the eyes of the colored men?
"Oh, shucks!" exclaimed the steersman, quickly. "I've pulled lots of bigger boats than yours off that bar. And not for pay, neither. Can you catch a rope?"[96]
"Oh, yes," said Mollie, quickly, determined13 to second Betty's efforts to appear at ease. "We've done considerable cruising."
"That's good. Well, you want to know this river before you do much more. It's treacherous14. Sam, throw that rope while I put us up a little closer," he commanded.
"Yes, boss," was the reply of a big colored man in the bow.
Both Mollie and Betty grasped for the rope as it came uncoiling toward them.
"That's good," complimented the man. "Now can you make it fast? Have you a ring-bolt there?"
"No, but there's a deck-cleat," spoke Betty.
"Just the same. Now, then, I'm going to turn about and try to haul you off, pointing my bow down stream. This boat works better on the direct clutch than in reverse. And when I start to pull, you'd better reverse your motor. Can you do it?"
"Oh, yes," answered Betty.
"Good. You do know something about boats. So you're from the orange grove; eh? I heard the new owner had come on. Need any men down there?" and he seemed quite business-like.
"I—I don't know," faltered15 Betty, looking at Amy. "Mr. Stonington hasn't told us anything[97] about that. This is his niece," and she nodded at Amy.
"Oh, is that so! Well, if he should happen to need any pickers, I can supply him. Hank Belton is my name. I supply laborers17 for lots of orange growers and others. I'm the biggest dealer18 in labor16 around here; ain't I, boys?" and he appealed to the colored men.
"Dat's what you am, boss!" exclaimed one, with a chuckle19.
"And I always treats my help right, no matter what happens after they hire out; don't I, boys?"
"Suah!" came in a chorus.
"So just remind Mr. Stonington about me," the man went on with what he evidently meant for a friendly smile, but which made the girls shudder20. "My place is at Penbrook—about ten miles up the river. Now, then, have you that rope fast?"
"Yes," answered Betty.
"Get ready then—I'm going to pull you. And start your motor as soon as the tow rope gets taut21!"
"All right," answered Betty in business-like tones.
The tow rope straightened out as the other motor boat started down stream. Betty watched,[98] and, when she thought the proper time had come, she started her motor on the reverse.
For a moment it seemed that, even with this, the Gem would not come off the bar, and the girls looked anxiously over the side to detect the first motion.
Then there came a quiver to the stranded22 boat, and a shout from the colored men:
"She's movin', boss!"
"Turn on a little more gas!" cried the steersman to Betty. "I think we have her now!"
She speeded up her motor, and in another instant the Gem came free so suddenly that there was danger of a collision.
"Shut down!" called Hank Belton quickly. "You're all right now."
Betty turned off the power, and Mollie cast loose the tow rope.
"Thank you very much," she called to the man.
"I wish you would let us pay you," added Betty.
"Nary a pay, Miss," was his answer. "I'm glad I could help you. Just give my message to Mr. Stonington, and I'll be obliged to you. Better back down a bit before you turn. That bar sticks out a ways. It's a wonder you didn't hit it before. You can't draw much."[99]
"We don't!" answered Betty.
The other boat was proceeding23 down stream now, the colored men looking back with their rolling eyes. Betty started her engine on the reverse again, and then, feeling sure that they were beyond the bar, she turned and steered24 her craft back toward the orange grove. The picnic plan was given up now as it was getting late and the girls were tired.
"Thank goodness that's over!" exclaimed Grace, with a sigh of relief. "Oh, I was so frightened!"
"At what?" asked Mollie.
"I—I don't know."
"Well, it was very kind of them," said Betty. "We might have had to stay there a long time."
"And I'm going to tell Uncle Stonington," spoke Amy. "He may want to hire men, for there are many more oranges to pick."
Grace sat thoughtfully on the cushions, neglecting even to eat her chocolates.
"'A penny for your thoughts,'" offered Betty.
"I was just wondering," said Grace slowly, "that perhaps that man might know something of the labor contractor25 who has Will in the toils26. I wish I had thought to ask."
"That's so!" cried Mollie. "But we can find[100] him again. It will give us something to do, Betty. We can come up the river again."
"And I'll be sure to keep away from that sand bar," declared the Little Captain.
Mr. and Mrs. Stonington were quite alarmed when the girls told of their adventure.
"They weren't in any real danger," declared Mr. Hammond, the overseer. "The river isn't deep nor swift, and there are boats going up and down quite often."
"But what about those rough men?" asked Mrs. Stonington.
"Oh, rough is the worst thing you can say against them. They aren't really bad. Belton has the best supply of laborers around here. Probably he was taking those men down to Hanson's grove. We will need pickers ourselves next week, Mr. Stonington, and I don't believe we can do any better than to get them from Belton."
"Very well, Mr. Hammond; whatever you say."
"And that will be a chance to repay him for his kindness to us," added Betty.
"And perhaps we can get some news of my brother," spoke Grace, wistfully, for there had come no word from those who were searching for the missing youth.[101]
"I'd like to go and ask myself," went on Grace.
"Well, there's no reason why you shouldn't," said Mr. Hammond. "I'll be going up the river in a day or so, and if you think we'll hire of Belton I'll tell him so," he said to Mr. Stonington.
"Yes, if you like, Mr. Hammond."
"All right, then I'll pilot the girls to his camp if their boat will hold me."
"Indeed it will!" exclaimed Betty, "and you can tell me how to avoid sand bars."
"Belton's place is a little way into the interior from the river," went on Mr. Hammond, "but it's a safe road."
"Then we'll go," decided27 Betty.
The next few days were filled with small incidents of little interest. The girls motored about, and did some fishing in the river, catching28 a variety of specimens29, few of which were pronounced fit for the table. But they enjoyed themselves very much.
They wandered about in the orange grove, eating as much of the delicious fruit as they chose. Sometimes they took walks with Mrs. Stonington, who was slowly regaining30 her health. Mr. Stonington was kept busy seeing to the details of the business, that was new to him.
One night Mr. Hammond said:[102]
"I think we'll need those pickers to-morrow, or next day, Mr. Stonington."
"Very well, then get them. The girls can take you up to Belton's camp."
"And perhaps I can get some word of Will," observed Grace hopefully.
The trip up the river was devoid31 of incident, except that Betty nearly ran on another sand bar, being warned just in time by Mr. Hammond. Then they reached the landing where Belton's boat was moored32.
"That shows he's in camp," said the foreman, as he helped the girls tie the Gem. Then they struck off into the interior, not a few doubts tugging33 at the girls' hearts. It was very wild and desolate34, the Everglades being not far distant.
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1
gem
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| n.宝石，珠宝；受爱戴的人 [同]jewel | |
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gasped
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| v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
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fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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fixedly
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| adv.固定地；不屈地，坚定不移地 | |
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afterward
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| adv.后来；以后 | |
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steering
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| n.操舵装置 | |
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complexion
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| n.肤色；情况，局面；气质，性格 | |
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8
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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racing
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| n.竞赛，赛马；adj.竞赛用的，赛马用的 | |
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buoyed
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| v.使浮起( buoy的过去式和过去分词 )；支持；为…设浮标；振奋…的精神 | |
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11
grove
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| n.林子，小树林，园林 | |
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kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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treacherous
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| adj.不可靠的，有暗藏的危险的；adj.背叛的，背信弃义的 | |
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faltered
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| （嗓音）颤抖( falter的过去式和过去分词 )； 支吾其词； 蹒跚； 摇晃 | |
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16
labor
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| n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦 | |
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laborers
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| n.体力劳动者，工人( laborer的名词复数 )；（熟练工人的）辅助工 | |
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dealer
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| n.商人，贩子 | |
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chuckle
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| vi.／n.轻声笑，咯咯笑 | |
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shudder
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| v.战粟，震动，剧烈地摇晃；n.战粟，抖动 | |
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taut
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| adj.拉紧的，绷紧的，紧张的 | |
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stranded
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| a.搁浅的，进退两难的 | |
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proceeding
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| n.行动，进行，(pl.)会议录，学报 | |
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steered
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| v.驾驶( steer的过去式和过去分词 )；操纵；控制；引导 | |
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contractor
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| n.订约人，承包人，收缩肌 | |
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toils
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| 网 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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catching
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| adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住 | |
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29
specimens
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| n.样品( specimen的名词复数 )；范例；（化验的）抽样；某种类型的人 | |
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regaining
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| 复得( regain的现在分词 )； 赢回； 重回； 复至某地 | |
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devoid
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| adj.全无的，缺乏的 | |
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moored
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| adj. 系泊的 动词moor的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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33
tugging
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| n.牵引感v.用力拉，使劲拉，猛扯( tug的现在分词 ) | |
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34
desolate
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| adj.荒凉的，荒芜的；孤独的，凄凉的；v.使荒芜，使孤寂 | |
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