“we’ll save you!” shouted mr. henderson, who was on the deck, while mark was steering the craft. “hold on a few minutes longer and we’ll be alongside!”
“they’re real! they’re real!” some of those aboard the burning ship could be heard to shout. evidently more than one of them had taken the mermaid for a delusion of their fear-crazed brain.
“they are real persons!” they called again and again. “they are coming to save us!”
mr. henderson ran his ship as near the burning craft as he dared. then he called to the crew to leap into the water and swim to him. he, with washington, jack, bill and tom, stood ready to haul aboard any who were too weak to help themselves.
in a few minutes all of those left alive on the sailing vessel—fourteen in all—had come safely aboard the mermaid. the ship was now completely enveloped in flames.
“are there any more left on her?” asked mr. henderson of one who appeared to be a mate of the burning craft.
“not a soul!” was the answer. “the captain and ten men perished in the flames. the fire broke out a week ago in the lower hold. we fought it as well as we could but it got the best of us. then it suddenly broke through the decks, almost like an explosion, a little while ago, and the captain and others were lost, and so were our small boats. we managed to get aft but were about to give up when you appeared.”
“what ship is it and where are you from?”
“the good hope, laden with logwood, hides, jute and other materials from south america,” the mate answered. “we were bound for new york.”
“it is more like the last hope instead of the good hope,” observed mr. henderson in a quiet voice, as he saw the flames mount higher and higher over the ship. a few seconds later the craft seemed rent by an internal explosion. it appeared to break in two parts, and, amid a shower of sparks and a cloud of black smoke, the vessel sank under the water and was seen no more.
the rescued men turned to behold the final end of their ship. they betrayed no particular emotion, and some of them even laughed, which the professor thought, at the time, was rather strange. but there was little opportunity for speculation. the men were in a sad plight. few of them had more than the clothes they stood in, though each one wore about his waist a belt, and all of them seemed to guard the leather circlets jealously.
the professor and his crew were soon busy supplying remedies for burns, since several of the men were seared by the flames. then, as it was learned they had eaten nothing for many hours, it having been impossible to use the galley, a meal was prepared and the survivors of the wreck were well fed.
the hunger of the newcomers having been appeased, they showed much curiosity over the strange craft that had so opportunely come to their rescue. most of the sailors were ignorant men, and the professor had little fear of them learning anything concerning his secrets. he explained briefly about the mermaid, but said nothing of whither she was bound.
the addition of fourteen men to the rather small accommodations of the mermaid was a serious matter to consider. the ship was able to hold them all, and even to sail through the air with them, since mr. henderson had provided an excess of power. but it was going to be a problem to feed so many, and still save enough provisions for the long voyage which lay ahead.
however, mr. henderson felt his first duty to be toward his fellowmen, even if his voyage must be delayed, or given up for a time, while he got more provisions. there would be no sleeping quarters for the sailors, but when this was explained to them they cheerfully said they would sleep on deck if necessary. in fact some of them had to, but as the weather was warm and clear this was no hardship. a few found quarters in the engine room and other apartments of the mermaid.
finding, after an examination, that his ship was in good order save for the broken gas apparatus, mr. henderson gave orders to proceed along the surface of the ocean. the sailors wanted to see how it felt to mount into the air, but mr. henderson, refused to attempt a flight until he had made complete repairs, and this would take a day or more.
at this there appeared to be some discontent among the survivors, and they muttered to each other as they stood in a group on deck. but the professor and his assistants were too busy with their preparations for fixing the break to notice this.
while the men were gathered in a knot near the after part of the small deck, the mate separated from them, and, coming close to where mark was standing, unscrewing some of the broken parts of the pipe said, in a low voice.
“tell the captain to watch out.”
“what do you mean?” asked mark quickly.
“hush! not so loud!” the mate exclaimed. “if the men hear me talking to you, or see me, they may kill me. tell the captain to look out; that’s all. be on guard, and watch the engine room carefully.”
“but why—?” mark began, when, turning suddenly, the mate left him. it was well he did so, for, at that instant, one of the sailors, who had observed the two conversing, strolled in their direction.
much alarmed, mark sought mr. henderson and told him what he had heard.
“i suppose the fire may have turned the poor man’s head,” the scientist said. “i wonder if he thinks the men i rescued would mutiny and take possession of my ship? if they did they would not know how to work it, so what good would it do?”
“hadn’t we better look out?” asked mark.
“i’m not afraid,” replied the professor. “i will be too busy the next few days, repairing the break, to think of anything else. besides, what would they want to harm us for? didn’t we save their lives?”
seeing the scientist placed no faith in what the mate had said, mark went back to his task.
it soon became too dark to work, and it was decided, after supper, to halt the ship until morning as it would be less risky.
mark did not sleep well, his dreams being disturbed by visions of pirates and black flags. but morning came and nothing had developed. the men seemed to recover their spirits with daybreak, and most of the crew, after breakfast, greeted mr. henderson pleasantly, and asked to be allowed to help fix the ship.
it took the skilled labor of the professor, washington and the boys to mend the break, and, even at that, it was four days in the repairing. but at last the final bolt was in place, and the mermaid was able to resume her trips through the air.
“we will rise the first thing in the morning,” said the professor to mark and jack that night. “i am anxious to see how the ship behaves with a big load aboard.”
