“Hurrah for a life on the ocean wave!” shouted Andy.
“A home on the rolling deep!” came from Randy.
“If you fellows don’t all get seasick before you get back,” interposed Gif, closing one eye suggestively.
“Seasick? Perish the thought!” cried Andy, tragically. “This crowd never gets seasick.”
“I’ll say it’s some dandy day for starting a trip,” put in Jack. “It’s as fine as if we’d had it made to order.”
“What a beautiful harbor,” was Spouter’s comment. “Isn’t it queer there aren’t more boats around?”
“You must remember the season is a little late,” answered Ralph. “During the summer you’ll find boats galore around here.”
“What about a harbor at Marthas Vineyard?” questioned Fred.
“Very fine. And another fine one at Nantucket,” was the answer.
The boys had left Woods Hole half an hour before and were now headed southeast for their first stopping-point, which was to be at Oak Bluffs on the island of Marthas Vineyard. The Fancy rode well, riding the swells of the Sound like a thing of life. The sun shone brightly, there was scarcely any wind, and it was indeed a perfect day for the start of the boys’ motor-boat cruise.
The Fancy was a new purchase by Mr. Mason, and a better equipped motor boat could scarcely be imagined. The craft was about thirty-five feet in length and just broad enough to be safe and comfortable without sacrificing too much speed. The cockpit boasted of an engine of the latest design capable of a high degree of speed, weather permitting. The boat boasted of a fairly good-sized cabin, all of the windows of which could be raised or lowered as desired. The craft was finished in oak and all of the fittings were of brass, now polished to the highest degree. Ralph had always been a neat boy, a stickler for order, and this had obtained for him the position of major of the school battalion, and his neatness and orderliness were now reflected in the appearance of the craft he commanded.
“Don’t you want me to take the wheel for a while?” questioned Jack, who had been itching to run the motor boat.
“Sure, you can take the wheel,” responded Ralph, readily. “I’ll take a squint at the engine. A new engine like that always needs looking over, you know, until it works down to a bearing.”
As space on the Fancy was somewhat limited, due to the fact that the boys had rigged up berths in the cabin in case they wished to sleep on the craft, they had brought along only such luggage as seemed absolutely necessary. Their things were soon stowed away, and then they gave themselves up to the enjoyment of the occasion.
“Beats being in school all hollow,” declared Andy, as they sped along on their course, the engine humming merrily.
“Don’t mention school,” returned his twin. “We’ll get enough of that when we get back.”
“What boat is that?” questioned Spouter, as he pointed to a large craft not far distant.
“That’s one of the lightships around here,” replied Ralph. “There are a number of them strung along between here and Nantucket.”
“Rather a lonely life, staying on a ship like that,” remarked Spouter. “I wonder how often they get ashore.”
“Oh, it isn’t as lonely as it might be farther away,” answered Ralph. “I wish I had thought of it before—I’d have brought them some newspapers. Very often those going by throw newspapers aboard a lightship, for which the light men are very thankful.”
They had made out the island of Marthas Vineyard ahead of them, and it was not long before they approached one of the headlands known as West Chop.
“The other headland over to our left is East Chop,” explained Ralph. “And just beyond that is the town of Oak Bluffs. Between the two Chops is Vineyard Haven harbor.”
“I don’t see any oak bluffs,” commented Spouter, who had a keen eye for scenery and was watching the shoreline closely.
“I believe somebody said the oak bluffs were swept into the water long ago by a storm,” answered Ralph. “However, the town of Oak Bluffs is quite a nice one, and the place has a number of good summer hotels.”
The run into Vineyard Haven harbor did not take long, and soon the boys made a landing and went ashore. It was now close to noon.
“It’s too bad it’s so late in the season,” remarked Ralph, as they were riding along in a jitney they hired. “Nearly all of the summer hotels at Oak Bluffs are closed. But I think we’ll find fair accommodations somewhere in the town.”
They interviewed the jitney driver, who seemed to be a native of the island, and were directed by him to the only large hotel that was open. There the lads decided to remain for the night, taking the afternoon off to explore the place.
“Certainly a pretty resort,” announced Spouter, after dinner and while they were riding around the town.
They found a splendid road along the shore leading to Edgartown and were told there was another fine highway to the westward which ran through Vineyard Haven to Indian Hill and Gay Head.
“You certainly ought to visit Gay Head,” said the jitney driver. “It’s only about twenty miles from here and a splendid drive, and Gay Head is well worth looking at. You’ll find some of the old Marthas Vineyard Indians down there, too, selling trinkets.”
The boys talked it over, and decided that they would have the driver take them to Gay Head and were soon on the way. After passing through Vineyard Haven they struck out through the country in the direction of Indian Hill, and then passed on through the woods and beyond numerous farms until they came out on a high headland close to which was located a government lighthouse.
Gay Head proved to be a series of headlands consisting for the most part of clay of various colors. As the setting sun played upon this kaleidoscope of color, Spouter went into ecstasies.
“Isn’t it magnificent!” he cried. “Just look at the wonderful combinations of coloring—red, blue, green, brown, and a hundred and one shades! I never dreamed they had anything like this!”
Nearly all the boys took the path leading down from the top of Gay Head to the beach far below. But Andy and Randy, more venturesome, decided to find a way of their own.
“Be careful, there!” sang out Fred. “That stuff is awfully slippery.”
“Oh, we’re all right,” responded Randy. “Don’t you worry.”
He and his twin brother were walking along one of the larger of the headlands. There was a shelf a few feet below, and both attempted to scramble to this. But as Fred had said, the vari-colored clay was exceedingly slippery, and almost before they knew it the twins had gone flat on their backs. Randy clutched at Andy, and both did their best to keep from slipping farther.
“Dig in! Dig in!” gasped Andy, clutching vainly at the slippery clay beneath him.
“Dig in, yourself,” spluttered his twin.
He clutched at a slight projection, but the clay came away in his hand, and down he rolled over and over with his brother close behind him. They reached another ledge of clay, which broke beneath their sudden weight, and then on and on they went, bringing up at last in a mass of soft clay but a few yards from the sand that lined the water’s edge.
“Well, if that isn’t the dog’s false teeth!” gasped Andy, when he could speak. “We came down in a hurry, didn’t we?”
“And we saved a lot of time, I’ll say,” murmured Randy. Then he held up his hands. “Just look at these paws, will you?”
“Never mind the paws,” retorted his brother, and then began to grin. “Look at your clothing, will you? It’s all the colors of the rainbow.”
“Humph! Look at yourself. You look as if you’d been sleeping on a painter’s palette.”
The two boys arose and brushed themselves off as well as they were able. Then they limped down to the water’s edge, where they washed their faces and hands. By this time the others had come down by way of the regular trail and joined them.
“Anybody hurt?” questioned Jack, eagerly.
“Nothing hurt but our feelings,” grumbled Randy.
“You’ll have to have those suits cleaned and pressed, I’m thinking,” remarked Gif. “If you don’t do it, folks will take you for a couple of tramps.” And then he had to laugh, and everybody joined in, even the twins taking the mishap in good part.
After inspecting Gay Head, the lads visited the lighthouse, bought a few trinkets from some Indian children who had the things on sale, and then returned to Oak Bluffs. Here a tailor was found who promised to clean and press the damaged suits before morning.
The following day found the Rover boys and their chums once more aboard the motor boat. The gasoline tank had been filled, and soon they were on their way past Oak Bluffs to the harbor at Edgartown.
“It would be fine to spend a vacation here in the summer time,” remarked Jack, as they sped along.
“Look at that big hotel just facing us,” put in Fred. “I wouldn’t mind stopping there. A fellow wouldn’t have to go very far to go in bathing,” he continued, pointing to a long row of bathhouses almost in front of the hotel.
“Why don’t you jump in now and have a bath, Fred?” said Andy, grinning.
“Thank you, Andy. I’m afraid the water would be a trifle warm,” responded the youngest Rover boy.
At Edgartown, much to their surprise, the boys ran into several of their school chums, including Dan Soppinger, Ned Lowe and Will Hendry, always called Fatty, because of his unusual stoutness.
“Well, look who’s here!” cried Dan Soppinger.
“What brought you?” came from Fatty Hendry. “Did you run over here to take us back home?”
“No. We came over to hear Ned sing and play,” answered Randy, and this brought on a general smile, for Ned Lowe was well known for his manipulation of a mandolin and his propensity for singing funny songs.
“I don’t know about your running out to Nantucket,” remarked Dan Soppinger, after he had heard the plans of the others. “They’ve been having a lot of fog around here lately. You don’t want to get lost in a fog.”
“Now, Dan, don’t be a wet blanket!” cried Fred. “Who ever heard of fog in weather like this! Why, it’s just perfect!”
“At the same time, you can’t tell about the weather around here,” broke in Fatty Hendry. “I’ve known it to change completely in a few hours. You had better be careful, and if you see any signs of bad weather you had better put into the nearest harbor.”
All of the boys remained at Edgartown over night and then the trip on the Fancy was continued, the motor boat now heading for the town of Nantucket, located on the island of the same name.
“Now we’ll be getting out on the Atlantic Ocean,” remarked Randy, as mile after mile was covered on the course eastward and when they had passed another lightship.
“They call this Nantucket Sound,” answered Ralph. “But it’s all so open that you can hardly tell where the Sound ends and the ocean begins.”
As Ralph was not acquainted with the course, they did not arrive at Nantucket harbor until well toward evening. The day, however, had proved ideal, and every one enjoyed the trip to the utmost. In the harbor of the quaint old town, which in years gone by was devoted almost exclusively to the whaling industry, they found a great number of craft of all kinds.
“There are some storm warnings up,” announced Ralph presently. “But I must confess that I don’t see anything of a storm.”
“Nor do I,” answered Jack.
They spent the evening in roaming around the quaint old town with its wide cobblestone main street and its narrow alleyways with their weather-beaten homes. They even took an automobile ride extending across the island to ’Sconset, a small colony located directly facing the broad Atlantic.
“Gosh! here’s where a fellow can stand and look right over to Europe,” announced Fred.
“You can if you have good eyesight,” chuckled Randy.
In the morning the storm signals were still displayed, but the Rovers and their chums could see no evidences of anything unusual brewing. There was little or no breeze, and the sun shone brightly.
“Well, what do you fellows want to do?” questioned Ralph, after they had breakfasted and were walking toward where the motor boat was tied up.
“I’d just as lief go on,” answered Fred.
“So would I,” put in Gif. “We’ve seen about all there is to see around here.”
“Yes, and remember this vacation isn’t going to last forever,” came from Randy. “Before we know it, we’ll have to be back at Colby Hall again.”
All the boys were eager to continue the trip, and after seeing to the supply of gasoline and oil they had the hotel keeper pack up a generous lunch for them and then set off.
“Hi, you fellows! Better beware!” called out one old man, who looked as if he might have been a sea captain. “We’re going to have some bad weather before night.”
“We’ll watch out,” answered Ralph. “If we see anything that looks mussy, we’ll head for a harbor in a hurry.”
By studying the map, the boys had found that Chatham on Cape Cod lay due north of the eastern shore of Nantucket. It was not a great many miles to this well known summer resort, and all felt sure that they could make it without much trouble.
“Seems to be hardly any swell on the water,” declared Gif. “I thought it would be a good deal rougher away out here.”
“I guess it gets rough enough in bad weather,” answered Jack.
The engine of the Fancy was running smoothly, and soon they slipped out of Nantucket harbor and the island gradually faded from sight.
“A pippin of a boat, and no mistake,” remarked Spouter. “She rides the ocean like a thing of life. Ralph, it was certainly fine of you to offer this outing.”
“Better not say too much until we get back,” answered Ralph. “The best of motor boats kick up sometimes, you know.”
Ralph had scarcely spoken when the kick-up he had mentioned happened. The engine seemed to slow down, the cylinders missed fire one after another, and then, of a sudden, the motor stopped.
“Now what’s the matter?” questioned Randy, in dismay.
“That’s to be found out,” answered Ralph, and his usually confident face showed his concern.
“Gee, I hope we haven’t broken down!” whispered Fred to Randy. “We’re a good many miles from shore.”
Eagerly Ralph looked over the engine, and so did Jack and Gif.
“I think it’s the supply pipe,” announced Ralph presently. “It acts to me as if it was clogged up.”
“Dirty gasoline would do that,” answered Jack. “I wouldn’t put it past some of these strange fellows to sell you any old thing. They don’t care as long as they get your money.”
He and Ralph worked over the supply pipe, which was so tightly fastened on that it took their combined strength to loosen it. The gasoline did not run, and finally with the aid of a fine wire they managed to bring out of the pipe a small quantity of waste filled with black dirt.
“Say, fellows, you want to hurry up with those repairs!” cried Andy, suddenly. “Just look at those clouds coming up!”
All looked in the direction pointed out, and it must be confessed that the hearts of the lads sank when they saw what was overtaking them. The clouds were obscuring the sun, and, almost before they could realize it, a heavy bank of fog rolled down, enveloping them completely.