The Search for the Silver City | Page 8

the phosphorescent lighted waters
down the eastern side of the shoals. "If a good head of steam is kept on
we should be in a colder latitude very soon."
"We can't get there any too soon to please me," Teddy replied, as he
waved the palm-leaf fan languidly. "I believe it would be a positive
comfort to have my nose frost-bitten."
"It isn't possible you will have such comfort as that for some time to
come; but we may be able to make your teeth chatter in a few days,"
Neal replied laughingly, and then as the breeze caused by the
movement of the yacht over the water fanned his face, he added
sleepily, "Good night; I don't believe I shall open my eyes until after
sunrise to-morrow."
As a matter of fact this prediction was not verified; before evening a
wind had come out of the sea which caused the yacht to bow before it
like a reed in a storm, and the hammocks that, a few hours previous,
had seemed so rest-inviting, were swinging at a rate that threatened to
throw their occupants to the deck.
"I fancy it is time we went below," Neal said, as he awakened his friend
by a series of vigorous shakes. "If we stay here half an hour longer it
will be doubtful whether we're on board or in the water."
The Sea Dream's lee rail was already so near the surface that the green
waves curled over it now and then, and before the boys could reach the
cabin they were thoroughly drenched.

It was the greatest possible relief to crawl into the bunk and pull up the
bed-clothes to defend themselves against the cold wind which came
through the port-hole, and so delicious was this sense of being chilly
that they failed to realize the cause of the sudden change in the weather,
until they heard the sailing master in the cabin reply to Mr. Emery's
question:
"You are getting your first taste of what is known as a norther; but there
isn't the slightest danger if we can crawl away from the land, and we
shall have no trouble in doing that so long as there is a full head of
steam on."
"What does he mean by a norther?" Teddy asked of Neal, who had
shown, by rising on his elbow, that he was awake.
"A wind coming from the north, more frequently met in the Gulf of
Mexico, when the temperature falls very suddenly, as was the case this
evening, and a furious gale is often the result."
"So long as it holds cold I don't see that we have any cause to
complain," was the sleepy rejoinder; but before the night came to a
close he had good reason for changing his mind on the subject.
It was about midnight, as near as the boys could judge without looking
at a watch, when the yacht was flung on her beam ends with a sudden
force which threw both out of the berth, and before the port-hole could
be fastened, flooded the state-room with water.
Teddy might well be excused for the shrill cry of alarm which escaped
from his lips, for at that moment even an experienced sailor would have
fancied the little craft had struck upon a reef, more particularly since it
was known they were in a dangerous locality.
"We are sinking!" he cried frantically as he tried in vain to open the
door, and Neal was of the same opinion.
After what seemed to be a very long while although in reality it could
have been but a few seconds, the Sea Dream slowly righted, and then it

was possible for the boys to gain the cabin.
Here they were met by Mr. Emery, who had just succeeded in leaving
his own room, and before any conversation could be indulged in the
steamer began pitching and rolling about in a manner that showed she
was not on the reef even if the first shock had been the result of striking
one.
It was only by holding with all their strength to the immovable articles
of furniture that they avoided being flung from one end of the cabin to
the other, as the yacht plunged and tossed, throwing violently to and fro
everything which had not been securely fastened.
The cabin lamp was burning dimly, and the faint light only served to
reveal more clearly the general confusion.
Once amid the tumult the boys heard Mr. Emery shout:
"Don't be frightened; if there was any immediate danger Mr. Walters
would warn us."
"He may not be able to come where we are," Teddy thought; but he
refrained from giving words to such a dismal foreboding, and in silent
fear waited for--he knew not what.
CHAPTER IV.