when lawry and ethan returned to the goblins in the afternoon, they were delighted to find that the casks, all of which had been placed under the guards abaft the wheel, had actually produced an effect upon the steamer. the smokestack stood up more perpendicularly, indicating that the stern had been lifted from the bottom. ethan was sure that the casks would bring the woodville to the surface; but a very serious difficulty now presented itself.
about two-thirds of the length of the steamer's keel rested on a flat rock, whose surface was inclined downward toward the body of the lake, leaving the third next to the stern unsupported, under which the ropes had been easily drawn to retain the casks in their places. of course it was impossible to draw any lines under the forward part of the keel, which rested on the flat rock, and it was necessary to devise some means for securing the casks to this portion of the hull.
"i have it," said lawry.
"what is it?"
"we must sink more casks under the stern."
"but that will bring one end up, and leave the other on the rock."
"that isn't what i mean. if we put, say, two more hogsheads under the stern, they will raise it so we can get the ropes under the forward part of the hull."
"i understand; you are right, lawry," replied ethan.
when they returned to the ferry-house, they found mr. sherwood and the ladies there, who had come down to ascertain what progress had been made in the work. ben wilford had freely expressed his opinion that the enterprise would end in failure.
"those boys know too much; that's all the trouble," said ben.
"i was in hopes they would succeed in their undertaking," added mr.
sherwood.
"so was i, sir; but there's no chance of their doing anything. i know something about steamboats, for i've been at work on them for three years."
"and you are quite sure they will fail?" asked mr. sherwood.
"just as sure as i am of anything in this world. i told them what the trouble would be; but they know so much they won't hear me. i told them how it ought to be done."
"here they come; they can speak for themselves," said mr. sherwood.
"how do you get along, lawry?"
"first-rate, sir."
"indeed! your brother thinks you are going to make a failure of the job."
"perhaps we are, sir; but we don't believe it yet—do we, ethan?"
"we don't."
"lawry, wouldn't you be willing to sell out your interest in the woodville at a small figure?" laughed mr. sherwood.
"no, sir!"
"your brother, who seems to be a person of some experience in such matters, thinks you will not be able to raise the steamer. if that is likely to be the case, i don't want you to waste your time and strength for nothing. i should be glad to employ some men to raise the woodville for you."
"thank you, sir. you are very kind," replied lawry.
"if you like, we will ride down to port henry to-night, and employ a man to do the job."
"i think we shall succeed, sir."
"what's the use of talking, lawry?" interposed ben. "you'll not get her up in seven years."
"don't you think you had better give it up, lawry?" asked mr.
sherwood.
"not yet, sir."
"what do you think, lawry? hadn't you better let me employ a man to do the work?"
"ethan and i can do it very well, sir."
"perhaps you can; but we wish to have the steamer in working order as soon as possible, and we may hasten the joy by employing men of experience to do it."
"haste and waste," said lawry, laughing. "mr. sherwood, i am satisfied we can raise the woodville. we don't want any help. if we don't get her up by to-morrow night, i will let some one else take hold; but it will cost a heap of money."
"it shall not cost you anything, lawry. i haven't half paid the debt of gratitude i owe you."
"oh, never mind that, sir! i only want one more day."
"you are very confident, my boy, and i hope you will succeed," added
mr. sherwood, as he turned to depart.
"take him up, lawry," said ben. "let him raise her. he will do it at his own expense, and perhaps he will give me the job."
"not to-night."
"you are a fool, lawry!" exclaimed ben.
"perhaps i am. time will tell."
"he offered to pay for raising her, and you wouldn't let him do it!"
"he has made me a present of the steamer as she lies; and i don't ask anything more of him."
"take all you can get, lawry. that's the only way to get along in this world."
ethan slept with his fellow workman at the cottage that night, and at daylight in the morning they were on their way to the goblins. at breakfast-time two casks had been sunk under the bow of the steamer, for they had become so familiar with the work that it was carried on with greater rapidity than at the first.
at breakfast they were laughed at again by ben wilford; but they chose to keep still, made no replies, and gave no information in regard to the progress of the work. at the earnest request of lawry, seconded by mrs. wilford, ben consented to run the ferry that day, and the young engineers took their dinners with them when they went down to the goblins. they were full of hope, and confidently expected to return to the landing at night with the woodville.
at eleven o'clock four more hogsheads had been placed under the guards. the steamer swayed a little in the water; the stern had risen about two feet; and it was evident that she was on the point of floating. the boys were intensely excited at the bright prospect before them.
"lawry, the work is nearly done," said ethan.
"that's so; i think a couple of those barrels will finish it," answered the young pilot. "i see two anchors at her bow."
"yes, there are two anchors and about forty fathoms of small chain-cable on board of her."
"i see them; and i think we had better fish them up."
"that's a good idea."
with the long boat-hook which ethan had made, the cables were hauled up and coiled away on the raft, which had been placed over the bow of the sunken vessel. when the chains, which were bent onto the anchors, were hauled taut, the sinker rope, still in the block, and wound on the windlass of the derrick, was made fast to one of them, and the anchor drawn up. the operation was then repeated on the other anchor.
"hurrah! hurrah!" shouted lawry, as they began to turn the windlass.
"she's coming up."
"hurrah!" repeated ethan, and the faces of both boys glowed with excited joy, as the sunken vessel followed the anchor up to the surface of the water.
it was necessary to move the raft, and the anchor was hauled out over the top of the bulwarks. the woodville rose till her plank-sheer was even with the surface of the water. the boys shouted for joy; they were almost beside themselves with the excitement of that happy moment. they had conquered; success had crowned their labors.
"the job is done!" cried lawry.
"that's so! where is your brother now?" exclaimed ethan.
"we have got her up sooner than i expected. i move you we have our dinner now."
"i don't feel much like dinner."
"i do."
"what is to be done next?"
"we must get her up a little farther out of the water. we can easily get some more casks under her now; but let us have some dinner first."
they sat down on a timber on the raft, and ate the dinner they had brought with them. they could not keep their eyes off the steamer during the meal, and they continued to discuss the means of completing the work they had begun.
after dinner the labor was renewed with redoubled energy. four more casks were attached to the bow, and four removed from the stern; the effect of which was to lift the bow out of the water, while the deck at the after part was again submerged. this was lawry's plan for ascertaining the extent of the injury which the hull had received. it now appeared that, when the woodville struck the goblins, she had slid upon a flat rock, while a sharp projection from the reef had stove a hole, not quite three feet in diameter, just above her keel.
"now we must stop this hole," said lawry; "and we may as well do it here as anywhere."
"that's just my idea," responded ethan. "there's a painted floor-cloth in the kitchen, which will just cover it. i will get it."
"have you any small nails on board?"
"plenty of them."
the kitchen and the engineer's storeroom were now out of water, so that ethan had no difficulty in procuring the articles needed in stopping up the hole. a couple of slats were placed over the aperture to prevent the floor-cloth from being forced in by the pressure of the water. both of the boys then went to work nailing on the carpet, which was new and very heavy. the nails were put very close together, and most of them being carpet-tacks, with broad heads, they pressed the oilcloth closely down to the wood-work. it was not expected entirely to exclude the water; but the leakage could be easily controlled by the pumps.
several of the casks were now removed from the bow to the stern, until the hull sat even on the water. all the heavy articles on deck, including the contents of the "chain-box," were transferred to the raft, and the laborers were ready to commence the long and trying operation of pumping her out. it was now six o'clock, and it was plain that this job could not be finished that night. the wind was beginning to freshen, and there were indications of bad weather. lawry had at first intended to move the woodville up to the ferry-landing as soon as she floated; but ethan, for certain reasons, which were satisfactory to his fellow laborer, wished to pump her out where she was; and it was found to be a very difficult thing to tow her up to the ferry in her water-logged condition.
it was not safe to leave her, with the prospect of a heavy blow, so near the goblins, and they carried out the anchors in the wherry, and with the assistance of the capstan on the forward deck heaved her out into a secure position. the woodville was safe for the night, and the supper-horn was sounding at the ferry-house. nearly exhausted by their severe exertions, the boys returned to the cottage.
"i'm so glad that you have done it!" exclaimed mrs. wilford, when they went in to supper.
she had been a deeply interested observer of the operations of the young engineers, and her heart had bounded with emotions of joy, in unison with theirs, when she saw the steamer rise to the surface of the lake.
"i knew we should do it, mother," replied lawry. "where is ben?"
"i don't know where he is. he went away just after dinner, and i haven't seen him since," added the mother.
"but i saw the ferry-boat go over in the middle of the afternoon."
"i know you did."
"but who went over with her?"
"i did," answered mrs. wilford quietly.
"you, mother?"
"yes, lawry; there was no one else to go, unless i called you, and i couldn't bear to take you away from your work. i've been over in the ferry times enough to know how to manage the boat."
"ben said he would take care of the ferry."
"he doesn't always do as he promises," said mrs. wilford sadly.
lawry thought it was very kind of his mother to run the ferry-boat, rather than disturb him at his work; but he did not like to have her do such labor. when he went out after supper, he found the wind was still quite fresh, and he was afraid that some accident might happen to the steamer in the night. if the casks got loose, she would sink again. while he and ethan were talking about it, ben wilford returned home; and it was evident from his looks and actions that he had been drinking too much.
