"I wonder if they"ve seen us, and are waiting for us?" ventured Walter.
"They may have seen us, but they wouldn"t stop--not in this sea," was the reply of the revenue officer. "They"re up to some trick, and I can"t just fathom what it is."
With keen eyes he watched the steamer as it tore on through the mist.
It was much nearer now.
"I have an idea!" suddenly exclaimed the British officer. "I"ll be back in a moment."
He hurried down to the cabin again, and through a port Jack and Walter saw him bending over some charts. In a few minutes the lieutenant was up on deck again.
"I understand!" he cried. "I know what they"re up to now."
"What?" asked Jack. He did not have to shout so loudly now, as the storm seemed to be lessening in its fury.
"They"re going to run in under the lea of Palm Island," said Lieutenant Walling. "I guess they"ve had enough of it. This is the beginning of the end. They must be in bad shape."
"Sinking--do you mean?" asked Walter.
"No, not exactly. But they may have run out of coal, and can"t keep the engines going any longer. Yes, that"s what they"re doing--making for Palm Island."
"What sort of a place is that?" Jack wanted to know.
"A mighty ticklish sort of place to run for during a storm," was the answer. "There"s a bad coral reef at the entrance to the harbor, but once you pa.s.s that you"re all right. I wonder if they can navigate it?"
"And if they don"t?" asked Jack.
"Well, they"ll pile her up on the reef, and she"ll pound to pieces in no time in this sea."
Walter and Jack followed the lieutenant to the after deck, where the wheel was. There the revenue officer relieved Joe, the latter going to his motor, which needed attention. The storm was constantly growing less in violence.
As yet there was no sign of an island, but presently, through the gathering darkness, there loomed up a black ma.s.s in the swirl of white waters.
Now came the hard and risky work of getting in through the opening of a dangerous coral reef to the sheltered harbor. The big steamer went first, and, for a time, it seemed she was doomed, for the current played with her like a toy ship. But whoever was in charge of the wheel had a master"s hand, and soon the craft had shot into the calm waters, followed by the Tartar.
It was a great relief from the pitching and tossing of the last two days.
"Oh, to be quiet again!"
"Isn"t it delightful!" agreed Bess. "And now if we can only find our folks!"
Lieutenant Walling lost no time. As the Ramona dropped her anchor, he sent the Tartar alongside, and on his official hail a ladder was lowered. Walter and Jack mounted with him.
"Every mutinous member of this crew is under arrest!" was the grim announcement of the revenue officer. "Who"s in charge? Are there any pa.s.sengers aboard?"
Anxiously Jack looked for a sign of his mother, or for Mr. and Mrs.
Robinson. He saw nothing of them.
"The pa.s.sengers were all put ash.o.r.e, sir," said sailor, with a salute.
"Where?" demanded the lieutenant.
Before he could answer there came on deck a fat man, at the sight of whom Jack uttered an exclamation.
"Senor Ramo!" cried Cora"s brother.
CHAPTER XXVIII
FOUND
Unaware of what was taking place on the deck of the Ramona, for they were far below its level in the Tartar, Cora, Belle, Bess and Inez looked anxiously aloft. They could hear a murmur of voices, but little else. It was nearly dark now, but Joe switched on the electrics in the motor boat, and aboard the steamer lights began to gleam.
"Well!" exclaimed Cora, with her usual spirit. "I"m not going to stay here and miss everything. I want to see mother just as much as Jack does."
She was as yet unaware, you see, of what the sailor had said to her brother.
"Where are you going?" asked Bess, as Cora started for the dangling accommodation ladder.
"Up there!" was the quick answer.
"Oh, Cora! Don"t leave us!" begged Bess.
"Come along then," suggested Jack"s practical sister.
"But it is so steep!" complained Bess, who was more "plump" than ever, due to the inactivity of the sea trip.
"It wont be any the less steep from waiting," spoke Cora, grimly, "and it"ll soon be so dark that you"ll likely fall off, if you try to go up. I"m going--mother must be up there, and so must your folks."
"Of course!" cried Belle. "Don"t be a coward, Bess."
"I"m not, but--"
"I will help," said Inez, gently, as she glided up from the cabin.
"Perhaps zere may be news of my father!"
She had been very patient all this while regarding news of her parent--very unselfish, for though the trip was partly undertaken to aid Senor Ralcanto, if possible, nothing as yet had been done toward this. All efforts had been bent toward getting news of Mrs. Kimball, and Mr. and Mrs. Robinson, and Inez had said nothing. Even now, she was willing to help others first.
"You"re a dear," murmured Cora, her foot on the first step of the mounting ladder. "Oh, to think that all our worry is over now!" She had yet to learn what was in store for her and the others.
"Oh, I know I"ll fall in!" cried Bess, as she essayed to go up.
"Don"t be silly!" cautioned Cora. "Belle, you pull her from in front, and, Inez, you push. We"ve just got to get her up."
The Tartar was made fast by a rope tossed from the deck of the Ramona, and Joe and Slim Jim stood on deck, ready to execute any commands that might come from the young navigators. Cora and the other girls safely reached the deck of the steamer.
A carious sight confronted them.