Work and Win; Or, Noddy Newman on a Cruise, Oliver Optic [books to read as a couple .TXT] 📗

the Roebuck, it had been ascertained that, from some impurity in the casks, the water on board was not fit for use; and the captain decided to put into Barbadoes and procure a fresh supply. When the schooner took a pilot, on the twelfth day out, it was found that the yellow fever was making terrible ravages in the island; but the water was so bad on board that the captain decided to go into port and remain long enough to pro[159]cure new casks and a supply of water. If he had been entirely sober, he would undoubtedly have turned his bow at once from the infected island.

The Roebuck came to anchor, and the captain, regardless of his own safety, went on shore to transact the business. The casks were purchased, but it was impossible to get them on board before the next morning, and the vessel was compelled to remain at anchor over night. The weather was excessively hot in the afternoon, but towards night a cool breeze came in from the sea, which was very refreshing; and Noddy and Mollie were on deck, enjoying its invigorating breath. The boat in which the captain had just returned lay at the accommodation ladder. The confinement of twelve days on board the vessel had been rather irksome, and both of the young people would have been delighted to take a run on shore; but the terrible sickness there rendered such a luxury impossible. They observed with interest everything that could be seen from the deck, especially the verdure-crowned hills, and the valleys green with the rich vegetation of the country.

If they could not go on shore, they could at least move about a little in the boat, which would be some relief from the monotony of their confined home.[160] They got into the boat with a warning from Mr. Watts not to go far from the schooner, and not to approach any other vessel, which might have the yellow fever on board. Noddy sculled about on the smooth water for a time, till it was nearly dark, and Mollie thought it was time to return on board. As she spoke, she went forward and stood up in the bow of the boat, ready to step upon the accommodation ladder.

"Noddy, do you see these great fishes in the water?" asked she.

"Yes, I see them."

"Do you know what they are?" continued she, as she turned to receive the answer.

She was accustomed to boats, and her familiarity with them made her as fearless as her companion.

"I never saw any like them before," replied Noddy, still sculling the boat towards the Roebuck.

"What do you think they are?" added she, with one of those smiles which children wear when they are conscious of being wiser than their companions.

"I haven't any idea what they are; but they look ugly enough to be snakes."

"I've seen lots of them before, and I know what they are. I like you very well, Noddy; and I ask[161] you, as a particular favor, not to fall overboard," said she, with a smile, at what she regarded as a very pretty joke.

"What are they, Mollie?"

"They are sharks, Noddy."

"Sharks!" exclaimed the boy, who had heard Ben tell awful stories about the voracity of these terrible creatures.

"Yes, they are sharks, and big ones, too."

"Sit down, Mollie. I don't like to see you stand up there. You might fall overboard," said Noddy, who actually shuddered as he recalled the fearful stories he had heard about these savage fish.

"I'm not afraid. I'm just as safe here as I should be on board the Roebuck. I've seen sharks before, and got used to them. I like to watch them."

At that moment the boat struck upon something in the water, which might have been a log, or one of the ravenous monsters, whose back fins could be seen above the water, as they lay in wait for their prey. It was some heavy body, and it instantly checked the progress of the boat, and the sudden stoppage precipitated the poor girl over the bow into the sea. Noddy's blood seemed to freeze in his veins as he realized the horrible situation of Mollie in the water,[162] surrounded by sharks. He expected to see her fair form severed in twain by the fierce creatures. He could swim like a duck, and his first impulse was to leap overboard, and save the poor girl or perish with her in the attempt.

A shout from the schooner laden with the agony of mortal anguish saluted his ears as Mollie struck the water. It was the voice of Captain McClintock, who had come on deck, and had witnessed the fearful catastrophe. The voice went to Noddy's soul. He saw the slight form of Mollie as she rose to the surface, and began to struggle towards the boat. The cabin-boy sculled with all his might for an instant, which brought the boat up to the spot; but he was horrified to see that she was followed by a monstrous shark. Noddy seized the boat-hook, and sprang forward just as the greedy fish was turning over upon his side, with open mouth, to snap up his prey.

Noddy, aware that the decisive moment for action had come, and feeling, as by instinct, that a miscalculation on his part would be fatal to poor Mollie, poised his weapon, and made a vigorous lunge at the savage fish. By accident, rather than by design, the boat-hook struck the shark in the eye; and with a fearful struggle he disappeared beneath the surface.[163] Grasping the extended arm of Mollie, he dragged her into the boat before another of the monsters could attack her.

"O, Noddy!" gasped she, as she sank down upon the bottom of the boat, overcome by terror, rather than by her exertions,—for she had been scarcely a moment in the water.

"You are safe now, Mollie. Don't be afraid," said Noddy, in soothing tones, though his own utterance was choked by the fearful emotions he had endured.

"Our Father, who art in heaven, I thank thee that thou hast preserved my life, and saved me from the terrible shark," said Mollie, as she clasped her hands and looked up to the sky.

It was a prayer from the heart, and the good Father seemed to be nearer to Noddy than ever before. He felt that some other hand than his own had directed the weapon which had vanquished the shark.

"O, Noddy, you have saved me," cried Mollie, as she rose from her knees, upon which she had thrown herself before she uttered her simple but devout prayer.

"I am so glad you are safe, Mollie! But was it me that saved you?" asked Noddy, as he pointed up[164] to the sky, with a sincere feeling that he had had very little to do with her preservation, though he was so deeply impressed by the event that he could not utter the sacred name of the Power which in that awful moment seemed to surround him, and to be in his very heart.

"It was God who preserved me," said she, looking reverently upward again; "but he did it through you; and I may thank you, too, for what you have done. O, Noddy, you have been my best earthly friend; for what would my poor father have done if the shark had killed me?"

Noddy sculled towards the Roebuck, for he knew that Captain McClintock was anxiously awaiting their return. When the boat touched the accommodation ladder, the anxious father sprang on board, not knowing even then that his daughter was entirely safe. He had seen Noddy draw her into the boat, but he feared she had lost a leg or an arm, for he was aware that the harbor swarmed with the largest and fiercest of the merciless "sea-pirates."

"My poor child!" exclaimed he, as he clasped her in his arms, dreading even then to know the worst.

"Dear father!" replied she.[165]

"Are you hurt?"

"Not at all."

"Were there any sharks out there?"

"I guess there were!" replied she, significantly.

"One of them had just heeled over to snap at her," added Noddy. "I never was so frightened in my life."

"Good Heaven!" gasped the captain.

"I gave myself up for lost," said Mollie, shuddering, as she recalled that fearful moment.

"Well, what prevented him from taking hold of you?" asked Captain McClintock, who had not been near enough to discern precisely what had taken place in the boat.

"Noddy saved me, father. He jammed the boat-hook right into the shark's head. In another instant the creature would have had me in his mouth. O, father, it was such an awful death to think of—to be bitten by a shark!"

"Horrible!" groaned the father. "Noddy, your hand! You and I shall be friends to the last day of my life."

"Thank you, sir," replied the heroic boy, as he took the proffered hand. "I did the best I could;[166] but I was so scared! I was afraid the shark would catch her in spite of me."

"God bless you, Noddy! But come on board, and we will talk it over."

Captain McClintock handed Mollie, still dripping with water, to Mr. Watts, who had been an interested spectator of the touching scene in the boat; and she was borne to the cabin amid the congratulations of the crew, with whom she was a great favorite.[167]

CHAPTER XIV. THE YELLOW FEVER.

Mollie went to her state-room, and changed her clothes; and she did not come out till she had kneeled down and poured forth another prayer of thanksgiving for her safety from the horrible monster that would have devoured her. Her father kissed her again, as she returned to the cabin. He was as grateful as she was, and he took no pains to conceal the emotions which agitated him.

"Now tell me all about it, Mollie," said he. "How happened you to fall overboard?"

"I was careless, father. Noddy was persuading me to sit down at the moment when I went overboard," replied she.

"I was afraid of the sharks as soon as I knew what they were; and I was thinking what an awful thing it would be if she should fall overboard," added Noddy.[168]

"If I had minded you, Noddy, I shouldn't have been in danger."

The story was told by the two little adventurers, each correcting or helping out the other, till the whole truth was obtained. It was evident to the captain and the mate, that Noddy had behaved with vigor and decision, and that, if he had been less prompt and energetic, poor Mollie must have become the victim of the ravenous shark.

"You have saved her life, Noddy; that's plain enough," said Captain McClintock, as he rose and went to his state-room.

"You were smart, my boy, and you deserve a great deal of credit," added Mr. Watts.

"I don't mind that; I was too glad to get her out of the water to think of anything else."

"Well, Noddy, you did good work that time, and you have won a great deal of honor by it."

"You shall win something better than that, Noddy," said the captain, as he returned to the cabin with a little bag in his hand. "Here are ten gold pieces, my boy—one hundred dollars."

He handed Noddy the bright coins; but the little hero's face flushed, and he looked as discontented as[169] though he had been robbed of the honor of his exploit.

"You shall win a hundred dollars by the operation," continued the captain.

"Thank you, sir, but I don't want any money for that," replied Noddy, whose pride revolted at the idea, however tempting the money looked to him.

"Take it, Noddy. You have done a good piece of work, and you ought to win something for it," added the captain.

"I don't want to win any money for a job like that, Captain McClintock. I am already well paid for what I have done. I can't take any money for it. I feel too good already; and I am afraid if I take your gold I should spoil it all."

"You are as proud as a lord, Noddy."

"I'm sure, if we had lost Miss Mollie, I should have missed her as much as anybody, except her father. I shouldn't feel right to be paid for doing such a thing as knocking a shark in the head. I hated the monster bad enough to kill him, if he hadn't been going to do any mischief."

"Then you won't take this money, Noddy?" continued the captain.[170]

"I'd rather not, sir. I shouldn't feel right if I did."

"And I shouldn't feel right if you didn't. You don't quite understand the case, Noddy."

"I think I do, sir."

"No, you don't. Let me tell you about it. You have done something which fills me with gratitude to you. I want to do something to express that gratitude. I don't know that I can do it in any other way just now than by making you a little present. I don't mean to pay you."

"It looks like that."

"No it don't look a bit like it. Do you think I value my daughter's life at