AT KEY WEST.

The hours of that night passed as if each minute was made up of ten times the usual number of seconds, and the dreary monotony of waiting was not broken by the entrance of any one into the cabin. Captain Irwin remained in the pilot-house, and the crew of the tug were in their own quarters or on deck forward, therefore the castaways, who the morning previous believed all their troubles had come to an end, were left to the agony of suspense.

The clanking of the machinery, which subsided sensibly after the hawsers were cut, told that the captain of the steamer was making no effort to do more than “hold his own” against the gale that he might be in the vicinity to search for the lighter when the wind abated.

In this manner, tossed upward, sinking into the hollows of the waves, or thrown from side to side, but riding buoyantly despite all the buffeting, the little craft labored on during the hours of darkness, and when the morning dawned gray and forbidding, the wind no longer raged with the same fury as during the past twelve hours.

“We’ve seen the worst of it I reckon, lad,” Jake said as he and Ben stood by one of the windows watching for the first signs of day. “The clouds have already begun to break away, an’ when the sun gets up there’ll be blue enough in the sky to make a Dutchman a pair of trousers.”

“Do you mean that the storm is nearly over?” Gertie asked, not understanding the ex-cook’s prediction.

“That’s the size of it,” Jake replied, “an’ if I ain’t way out of my reckonin’, we’ll be puttin’ about pretty soon to hunt for the lighter.”

“Bress de Lawd!” old Chloe exclaimed fervently as she stroked Gertie’s hair. “I don’ know nuffin’ ob de trousers Massa Jake’s tellin’ ’bout, but I’se powerful anxious to see de blue sky once mo’, an’ to git out ob dis h’yar little boat.”

“It will be a good while before you’ll have a chance to do that, aunty, if we go round for the lighter,” Ben said, feeling that it was possible to speak cheerfully once more.

The old woman made no reply, probably because she was disappointed in the hope of being able to land that very day, and Gertie joined the watchers near the window, all three looking eagerly out at the heavy clouds.

An hour later there could be no question but that Jake’s predictions would be verified. The sky was clearing rapidly, and when the sun rose it was possible to see his face, gleaming warm and friendly amid the misty vapor. The seas still ran high, as was to be expected, but the little steamer had shown her ability to ride them so well that the towering crests no longer caused the castaways any alarm.

Captain Irwin came into the cabin worn and haggard, but bringing tidings which cheered those who had previously been so despondent.

“We are all right now,” he said cheerily. “It was nothing more than a wind storm, and if the lighter can be found no one will be much the worse for a bad night.”

“Are we going to hunt for her?”

“Just as soon as it clears away so we can have some idea where the steamer is. I believe we’re still within a dozen miles of our key, and I hope the lighter may be between here and Tampa. Jake, suppose you go forward and see what’s to be had in the way of breakfast. Chloe and Gertie must eat in the cabin rather than run the risk of a wetting by going to the mess-room.”

From this time on the passengers felt no fear. The sky was clearing rapidly, and when the crew began repairing such damage as had been done by the storm, the activity and animation everywhere around caused even Chloe to look upon the situation as one wholly devoid of danger.

Jake brought aft an ample supply of food for breakfast, and before the meal was eaten the steamer’s bow was turned toward Content Key once more, the captain intending to run down to shoal water and then make his way up the gulf in the direction of Cape Sable.

During the day the tug cruised as had been arranged, without seeing the craft all were so eager to sight, and none of the castaways received more attention than the cat. From the cook to the greenest deck-hand, all united in caring for her welfare, and her time of fasting, when she was driven ashore or made her way out of some turtling schooner, must have been forgotten in this long thanksgiving day, for she received full share of every dainty served.

When night came there was no longer any chance that the lighter had gone ashore on the reefs in the vicinity of her starting point. It was possible she had drifted directly up Barnes’ Sound, but this chance seemed so remote that the captain had no intention of looking in that direction until search elsewhere failed to reveal the missing craft.

So far as saving time was concerned, it was well he carried out the original plan, for at ten o’clock next morning, when all hands were acting as lookouts, the lighter was sighted at anchor near the entrance to Hillsboro Bay, and two hours later she was made fast to the tug once more, no damage having been done save the loss of a small portion of the load, which had been thrown overboard when she was first cast adrift.

There was no time for the crew to tell any lengthy story regarding the incidents of the night, however, for as soon as the hawsers were spliced the steamer started for Key West again, and the weather gave promise that the journey would have no further interruption.

In this case the weather “signs” were read correctly. During the next seventy-two hours there was not at any time more than a summer breeze, and the last half of the trip was made over the most placid of seas. As a matter of course, the progress was slow; but that had been expected, and Captain Irwin was perfectly content when, on the morning of the fourth day, the tug passed inside Rebecca shoal to approach Key West from the south, through the main channel.

It was late in the evening when the wrecking crafts entered the harbor, and, quite naturally, the castaways had no idea of landing until next morning; but Captain Irwin held a serious consultation with them in the cabin when everything was made snug for the night.

“We should be foolish to think of leaving Key West until after the question of salvage has been settled,” he said by way of preface, and Jake nodded his head gravely to show that he agreed to the first proposition. “Now that matter may occupy two or three weeks, and the expense at a hotel of such a party as ours will be considerable.”

“We can’t stay aboard here all the time,” Jake added quickly.

“You’re right; but we can hire a furnished house, and thus save considerable money. By so doing we shall be decidedly more comfortable, and it will make no very great difference how long we are delayed.”

There was no necessity of asking whether the plan met with the approbation of the others for the answer could be read on their faces; but the ex-cook of the Sea Queen thought a reply was needed, and spoke for his companions as well as himself.

“We’ll be satisfied with whatever you say is best, captain, an’ ’cordin’ to my way of thinkin’, nothin’ could be better’n hirin’ a house, ’cause I don’t like the style of cookin’ in these parts.”

“Then you will all remain on board in the morning until I see what can be done, and as it’s pretty late now we’d better turn in.”

The task of finding a temporary home for the castaways was neither a long nor a difficult one. It was yet too early in the season for winter visitors, consequently there were plenty of furnished cottages which could be hired at a moderate price, and an hour after the cook of the tug served breakfast Captain Irwin announced that the arrangements had been made.

“I’ve found a neat little house of six rooms which overlooks the harbor, and I should not be sorry to stay in it all winter. There is a carriage on the dock, so that Chloe, Gertie and the cat may ride, and in it can also be carried Ben’s box.”

An hour later the little party were in their temporary home. Captain Irwin and Ben had gone out to purchase provisions, while Jake helped old Chloe and Gertie “set things to rights,” as the latter said, and the cat stalked gravely around inspecting the new place of abode.

“Bress de Lawd we’se in a house once mo’, an’ kin lay down widout bein’ ’fraid de seas will knock us out ob bed,” old Chloe said with a sigh of relief as she ceased work a few moments and gazed around with delight. “I ain’t hardly knowed a minit’s peace sence dat wuffless Mose argered me inter startin’ up Norf, an’ if we didn’t havter go on de water any mo’, I’d feel jest as comfortable as a coon in de gum tree.”

“Wouldn’t you like to see your Moses again?” Gertie asked.

“’Deed chile, I don’ hanker arter it so much dat I’d like fur to get in dem little boats any mo’. I’se gwine ter let you write him dat his ole mammy’s h’yar, an’ he kin come ef he wants ter see her.”

Gertie was quite as well contented as the old woman. She had implicit confidence in Captain Irwin’s promise to care for her, and it was a matter of little moment whether they remained there or continued on to New York. Jake, however, was not so happy; he hoped the question of salvage might be settled without delay, for while they were on shore old Chloe would be “captain of the kitchen,” and he was eager to be in command of a well-appointed galley once more.

“I allers did hate to putter round where wimen are bossin’ a job,” he said confidentially to the cat when the negress insisted on taking entire charge of the culinary affairs, “an’ the sooner we’re afloat agin the better I’ll be satisfied.”

He had walked into the yard toward the front gate while thus complaining, and on glancing up the street all his imaginary woes were banished for the time being by seeing Ben coming at full speed, with a look on his face which betokened some trouble or disaster.

“Ahoy there! What’s the matter now, lad?” he cried as he opened the gate and the boy entered like one who is nearly exhausted by long and rapid traveling. “Has anything happened to Captain Irwin?”

“No--he’s--well--enough,” Ben replied with difficulty, forced to pause at each word because he was literally gasping for breath. “Dr. Harlan’s alive an’ in this very town!”

“Dr. Harlan!” Jake cried, stepping forward quickly and seizing Ben by the arms as if fearing he had suddenly taken leave of his senses. “Do you mean to tell me Gertie’s step-father, what went down in the Sea Queen, is here?”

“He didn’t sink with the vessel, ’cause he’s in this town an’ as much alive as I am. He told Captain Irwin he hung onto a couple of timbers till the next day, when he was picked up by a steamer an’ brought here.”

“An’ the captain spoke to a man what’s jest as good as dead?”

“Of course he did. We went into a grocery store an’ he followed us.”

“Did you say anything to him, Ben?”

“No, ’cause while he was talkin’ with the captain I run so’s to get Gertie out of the way.”

“Look here, Ben,” Jake said impressively, and glancing quickly around like one who fancies he may see some terrible sight. “Are you sure it wasn’t his ghost? Did you touch him to find out? Tim Jinks once knew of a ghost what kept right on about his business, an’ folks didn’t know he was dead for two or three days.”

“Don’t be foolish,” Ben said, his fear of Dr. Harlan making him nervous and impatient. “He wasn’t any more of a ghost than you are, an’ it won’t be many minutes before he comes here to take Gertie away. Captain Irwin winked at me when the man begun to talk, an’ I knew he meant that I was to get home quick.”

“But see here, lad, I don’t seem to understand this thing yet. I thought the captain was the only one who got off of the Sea Queen.”

“You know now that this doctor escaped, an’ what can we do to prevent him from gettin’ hold of Gertie?”

This important question so plainly asked seemed to bring the ex-cook to his senses more quickly than any argument could have done, and he said very decidedly, as he shut the gate with a vicious slam:

“I’d like to see him get into this house, that’s all. You lock every window an’ door, while I stay here on guard. If he passes me it’ll be ’cause he’s a smarter man than I think for, an’ I reckon there’ll be a chance to pay him back for some of the airs he put on while we was aboard the old Sea Queen.”

Ben waited only long enough to assure himself that Jake fully understood the extent of the danger which menaced, and then he ran into the house, frightening old Chloe so much by his abrupt entrance that she nearly fell over the stove.

There was no incredulity on the part of these listeners as he repeated the story. Gertie’s face grew pale at hearing that the man whom she feared so much was yet alive, and Chloe could not find words strong enough to express her sympathy as she held the child closely in her arms.

“He will come here to take me away, and I was _so_ happy! Oh, how can I go with him--how can I?”

“You sha’n’t,” Ben cried in a tone of determination, suddenly remembering that he had neglected to carry into execution the orders given by Jake. “We’ll lock every door, an’ then see if he can get in.”

“I’se gwine to put some water on de stove, honey, an’ I’ll scald his fingers suah, ef he touches de shortest hair on your head,” and old Chloe arose for the purpose of carrying out the threat just as Ben returned to report that he had barricaded the house to the extent of his ability.