_ CHAPTER V. LAND
Under the united propulsion of three men and a large Newfoundland dog, the small raft moved shoreward with no insignificant speed. It was found amply sufficient to preserve them all from drowning had none known how to swim, provided they managed the matter prudently. There is so little difference in the quantity of water and the human body, that a slight effort, if properly made, will keep it afloat. The trouble with new beginners is that when they first go beyond their depth their blind struggles tend to carry them downward more than upward.
"This is rather pleasant," remarked Mr. Yard. "There is little doubt, I think, of reaching land. There is only one thing that makes the shivers run over me."
"What is that?"
"The thought of _sharks_!"
"Ugh! Why did you spake of them?" asked Tim, with a strong expression of disgust. "I've been thinking of 'em ever since I've been in the water, but I didn't want to skeer the boys."
"They never once entered my head," said Howard.
"Nor mine either," added Elwood. "Are they in this part of the ocean?"
"You will find them in almost every part of the sea, I was going to say. They abound off the coast of California."
"But it is night, and they will not be apt to see!"
"This fire and the numbers of drowning people will draw hundreds of the finny inhabitants toward us. You know a fire at night is sure to attract fish."
"You seem determined to frighten us," said Howard, "but I shall continue to think that God who has so mercifully saved us intends to save us to the end."
"Perhaps so, too, but it does no harm to understand all the dangers to which we are subject."
"I believe with Howard," said Elwood. "I ain't afraid of sharks, but for all that, they are ugly creatures. They swim under you and the first thing you know clip goes one of your legs off, just the same as a pair of snuffers would clip off a piece of wick."
"They are the hyenas of the sea," said Howard, "although I believe some kinds are stupid and harmless. I think I have heard them called that by somebody, I don't remember who. They will snap up anything that is thrown to them."
"Wouldn't it make their eyes water to come this way then? Jis' to think of their saaing four pair of legs dancing over their hids, not to spake of the dog that could come in by way of dessart."
"O Tim! keep still, it is too dreadful!"
"Worrah! it wasn't meself that introduced the subject, but as yez have got started, I've no objection to continue the same."
"Let us try and talk about something more pleasant----"
"A shark! a shark!" suddenly screamed Elwood, springing half his length out of the water in his excitement.
"Where?" demanded Mr. Yard, while the others were speechless with terror.
"He has hold of my leg! O, save me, for he is pulling me under!"
There was danger for a moment that all would go to the bottom, but Mr. Yard displayed a remarkable coolness that saved them all.
"It is not a shark," said he, "or he would have had your leg off before this."
"What is it then? What can it be?"
"It is a drowning man that has caught your foot as he was going down. You must kick him off or he will drown you. Has he one foot or both?"
"My left ankle is grasped by something."
"That is good; if he had hold of both feet it would be bad for you. Use your free foot and force his grasp loose."
Elwood did so with such vigor that he soon had the inexpressible relief of announcing that the drag weight was loosed and his limbs were free again.
"That is terrible," said he, as they resumed their progress. "Just to think of being seized in that way by some poor fellow who, I don't suppose, really knew what he was doing."
"How came he there?" asked Howard.
"You see, we ain't far from where the steamer sunk, and there may be more near us. This man has gone down just as we were passing by him, and in his blind struggles has caught your ankle."
"If a drowning man will catch at a straw, wouldn't he be after catching at a leg?" inquired Tim.
"It seems natural that he should do so; but we are in the most dangerous place we could be. Let's keep a sharp lookout."
Our friends peered in every direction, as they rose and sunk on the long, heaving swell of the sea. They saw pieces of charred wood and fragments of the wreck, but caught sight of no human being until Mr. Yard pointed, to a dark mass some distance away.
"That is a raft covered with people," said he.
"They seem to be standing still."
"Yes, they merely want to keep afloat until morning, when no doubt they will be picked up and cared for. Keep quiet, for if we talk too loud some one may start for us."
"And work hard," whispered Tim, struggling harder than ever. "Aich of yees shove like a locomotive."
"Good advice," added Mr. Yard, in the same cautions undertone. "Let's get away as fast as possible."
Hour after hour the men toiled, following the moon, that appeared to recede from them as they advanced. They had passed safely the debris of the wrecked steamer, and were again talking loudly and rather cheerfully, when Tim O'Rooney interrupted them:
"Yonder is something flowting in the darkness."
"It is a boat full of people," said Mr. Yard. "I have noticed it for the last few minutes."
All turned their eyes toward the spot indicated, and agreed that Mr. Yard was correct in his supposition.
"I will hail it," he quietly added, and then called out: "Boat ahoy!"
"What do you want?" came back in a gruff voice.
"Can you take four drowning passengers on board?"
"Not much," was the unfeeling answer, "Paddle away and you'll reach California one of these days."
"How far are we from it?"
"Double the distance, divide by two, and you'll have it."
Nothing further was extracted from the men, but they could be heard laughing and talking boisterously with each other, and the odor of their pipes was plainly detected, so close were the parties.
"Thank heaven, we are not dependent upon them!" said Mr. Yard. "If we were, we should fare cruelly indeed."
"Who are they?"
"A part of the crew of the steamer, who seized the boat at the first appearance of danger, and left the helpless to perish."
An hour later, long after the boat had disappeared, and when our friends were toiling bravely forward, a low, dark object directly in front attracted their notice.
"What is it?" whispered Elwood.
"_It is land!_" was the joyful reply. "I am walking upon the sand this minute, and you can do the same!" _