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Releasing the firemen and deck-hands confined there, he directed them to follow him to the wheel-house, where he explained to them what had happened. "What are you stopping for?" demanded Ben Wilford, before he discovered that Baker was not present. "I think it is about time to go back, now," replied Ethan, holding one of the pistols in his hand.
Bale after bale of the pungent bulbs were borne ashore in the careful arms of the deck-hands, and counted by the owners; at last order was given to draw in the plank, when a passionate cry burst from one of the old women, who extended both hands with an imploring gesture towards the boat.
If they were going down stream, they turned the boat and headed up the river, and then with a great deal of scurrying about among the deck-hands, and swearing among the mates, they sent the yawl ashore, and bustled the passenger on board.
"There is not enough refrigerator space," said Charley. One of the deck-hands whirled round instantly; but stolidity sat like adamant upon the faces of the others as Charley turned in their direction, and we continued our tour of the Hermana.
For some time they saw nothing, and, leaning their rifles against the cabin walls, were talking about something else, when all at once they heard the whistle of the steamer boom out above them. At about the same time, one of the deck-hands at the bow deck below picked up a piece of plank and began to beat loudly with it upon the side structure of the boat. "What's the matter?" asked Rob.
John," he called to the Englishman of the crew, "how many men do you' country tramp steamers carry?" John computed mentally, then muttered: "Two mates, six ash-cats, two flunkies, two quartermasters, watchman, deck-hands oh, 'bout sixteen or seventeen, Martin." Ash-cats: engineers and firemen. "Boys, le' 's man de win'lass.
Torches of light-wood burning in iron frames at the end of a staff stuck into the ground or lashed to the steamer rail shed a wild, weird glare on the hurrying scene as the roustabouts, or deck-hands, nimbly lugged the wood on board, or carried the cargo ashore, singing plaintive melodies as they worked.
All this time the boys were excitedly waiting for the end of their strange hunt, and to them this sort of bear hunting seemed about the most curious they had ever known. The deck-hands now, in obedience to a word in their own language from the captain, rapidly began to skin and quarter the dead bear.
The great flues of the Peace River devoured enormous quantities of the soft pine fuel, so that soon after noon of the second day they found it well to haul alongshore at a wood-yard, where some of the employés of the company had stacked up great heaps of cord-wood. It was the duty of the deck-hands to get this aboard the boat, an operation which would require perhaps several hours.
In the middle of the forenoon he gave the wheel to one of the deck-hands, and went down into the kitchen to satisfy himself that this important matter was receiving due attention. The cook was so confident and enthusiastic that he was quite sure she would realize the expectations of the passengers. In the cabin he found the girls busy at the tables.
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