Part 40 (1/2)

”Come on, don't be all day about it,” urged a companion from below. At the same instant some one grabbed Dan's feet, giving him a violent tug, which brought him down in a hurry. Dan landed across one of the seats in the whaleboat with his injured hand doubled under him.

He felt sure he heard the wrist snap. The pain was almost unbearable.

”That's the way to get down when you are in a hurry, and especially when some one else is in more of a hurry than you are.”

The boy's face was pale, but despite the pain in his wrist he smiled bravely as he climbed into the wherry moored alongside.

”What's the matter with the hand?”

”I broke my wrist this morning,” answered Dan coolly. ”That's all.

Nothing very much.”

”Did you hurt it again just now?” demanded the jackie who had pulled him down.

”I may have broken a few bones more or less, but don't let a little thing like that worry you. 'Pills' can patch it up when we get back. Not a word,” warned Dan, with sudden interest as he saw the jackie preparing to speak to the ensign in charge of the boat. Dan did not relish the thought of being ordered back to the s.h.i.+p.

”Just as you say, matey. You've got the grit. I ought not to have yanked you down that way, but I didn't know.”

”That's all right,” smiled Dan.

”Take up mines,” blew the bugle.

”Cast off,” commanded the c.o.xswains of the various boats, whereupon all the small boats seemed to leap clear of the s.h.i.+p.

Dan, in his small wherry, was lagging behind as usual. In his case the boat had only one oarsman, while the other boats had several, but the single oarsman did very well. The tide was running in, which helped them all more or less.

The boy was holding his wrist, the pain growing more and more severe as the moments pa.s.sed. By this time the wrist had begun to swell until the bandage about it fairly cut into the flesh.

”I hope I shall be able to stand it until I get back,” he muttered. ”I guess I'll have to, unless I jump overboard.”

Leaning over the side he trailed the hand in the cool water, which seemed to relieve the pain a little.

Reaching the mine field, the boats quickly took their various stations, and the men, resting on their oars, awaited the command, ”Take up mines.”

The command came a few minutes later.

How the jackies did work! The great spheres came up dripping from the salt sea, and in much quicker time than they had been planted.

”We have broken all records now for sure. Three minutes flat! Signal the s.h.i.+p,” ordered the officer in command.

Dan wig-wagged the time, and the boats started away with the mines hanging over the sides, the jackies singing as they pulled l.u.s.tily for home.

All at once there was a loud splash from whaleboat number two, the boat lurched heavily, the weight of the mine on the opposite side pulling it over.

Hickey, who was standing up watching the s.h.i.+p for signals, went overboard head first. The mine on the opposite side, slipping its fastenings, had gone to the bottom in three fathoms of water.

But the red head of Sam Hickey appeared above the surface of the water almost at once. He struck out for the boat, blowing the water from mouth and nose, while his companions shouted encouraging words to him.

Several made ready to go overboard to the lad's rescue, but as soon as he was able to free his mouth and nose of water he called to them not to do so. Despite the severe effort of swimming against a strong tide, Hickey finally made the boat, though well-nigh exhausted when at last he stretched up his hands, grasping the gunwale of the whaleboat. The jackies hauled him in, joking over his misfortune.