Toward midnight, the four lads stole cautiously down to the shore, and climbed noiselessly aboard the Surprise . As Little Tim had described it, there, tucked away in the cabin, was a box of carpenters tools.
Heres what we want first, said Little Tim, softly, producing a big auger from the box. Well use this for awhile, because it doesnt make any noise.
Great! exclaimed Joe Hinman, whose imagination was now fired with the idea of mischief. Let me have the first turn at it.
Little Tim yielded him the precedence.
Climbing out of the yacht again, Joe Hinman proceeded to bore into the planking of the Surprise ,
on the opposite side from the shore. This served to hide their operations and also to deaden what little sound it made. He went laboriously along the length of one plank, and then turned the auger over to Little Tim, who went to work with a subdued squeal of delight.
Keep to the same plank, said Joe. We dont want to ruin the whole bottom of the boat.
They bored the holes in turn, close together, all around one plank, and then began on another. It was tiresome work, but they served three long pieces of planking the same way.
Then they brought out a great chisel and pried off the planking, fearful of the noise it made. But they had done their work well, and the sound of the tearing wood was not sharp. No one stirred out aboard the yacht.
Thats enough, said Joe, as the third plank came away. Theyll have hard work to match that up in two days. Theyre short of wood now, by the way they patched the other place.
Well take away the pieces of planking weve cut out, to make sure, and bury them in the sand up alongshore, suggested George Baker.
Why not take the box of tools, too? said Little Tim, whose blood was fired, and who would have stopped at nothing.
Not much! exclaimed Joe. Were in for it enough as it is. Tim, I didnt know you had so much pluck.
I wish it was over with, said Tim, looking apprehensively toward the Seagull .
They stole softly away again, back to the shanty. But it was long before they dropped off to sleep.
When Tim Reardon awoke, the next morning, he was dreaming that he had jumped up suddenly in the cabin of the Surprise and had bumped his head against the roof of the cabin. It was a hard bump, too. Then it seemed as if the boat was turning upside down, and jumping out of water, and the floor rising up and hitting him. The next moment, however, he realized that he was in the shanty, where he had gone to sleep, but that a strong hand held him fast, and was shaking him roughly, while another hand was cuffing him over the head and ears.
He let out a lusty yell for mercy, and the others jumped up, fearful of what was coming.
Little Tim, in the grasp of John Hart, was receiving the soundest cuffing and mauling that had ever fallen to his lot in a somewhat varied experience with the world. It had been his misfortune, lying nearest the entrance, to be the one on whom John Harts heavy hand had fallen, as he entered, followed by the other three, Harry Brackett bringing up the rear.
Oh, Ill larn ye to scuttle other peoples boats! cried John Hart, wrathfully. And he cuffed young Tim again, whereat that youngster howled for mercy.
Youre a coward! cried Joe Hinman, hotly. Licking a boy half your size.
Well, youre nearer my size, exclaimed John Hart, dropping Little Tim and making a rush for Joe. They clinched, but the younger boy was no match for Hart, who was, too, reinforced by his three companions. Though it was noticeable that Harry Brackett discreetly held aloof until one of his companions had overpowered an adversary, when he essayed to put in a blow or two.
There was no help for them. The boys got what they had expected and worse. They were soundly thrashed when John Hart and his companions had satisfied their vengeance.
Now, see here, said John Hart, wrathfully, shaking a rough fist at the boys. What you have just got is like a fly lighting on you compared to what youll get the next time, if you lay another hand on that boat.
We wont, blubbered Little Tim.
And he meant it.
Ouch! groaned Allan Harding, as he tried to rub a dozen places at once with only one pair of hands. You got us into a nice mess; thats what you did, Tim.
Yes, wailed Little Tim. But, o-o-h, its over now. And, he added, sniffling and chuckling at the same time, the boat stays, doesnt it? You knew wed catch it, so whats the use blaming me?
I didnt think it would be such a dose, said Joe Hinman. But Ill stand it all right, if Jack only gets here in time. Lets have something to eat. Well feel better.
The yacht Surprise did, sure enough, stay. They had done their part well. Try as best they could, the workers could not fasten her up again before sundown. They finished the job, however, by the aid of a lantern-light, and, taking no more chances, got some pieces of old spars for rollers and dragged the yacht down into the water, where they moored her close to land, a few rods away from the Seagull .
There was no sleep for the boys that night. They were stiff and sore, for one thing. But it was the last chance for rescue. It was the seventh day since the Viking had sailed away. They took turns watching, away down on the point of the little island,