Read "American Boys Afloat" by Oliver Optic online for free on Textopian. Full text with search, annotations, highlights, and AI-powered reading aids.
Among other nautical furniture, Captain Ringgold had put an old-fashioned log-line, chip, reel, and second glass on board of the Maud. Captain Scott had been unable to use it during the mid watch for the want of some one to assist him. After he had changed the course he gave the wheel to Felix, and with the assistance of Morris, Louis, and Don, had heaved the log. It gave him very nearly ten knots an hour; but he was not confident that his work had been accurate.
Felipe kept account of the number of revolutions a minute; and he insisted that the Maud was making her ten knots an hour, and the current might make it a trifle more than that. The captain had timed the steamer by distances on the chart, and he was satisfied that the log was substantially correct.
"It is now half-past nine, and we have made ninety-five miles from Gib," said he, after he had taken the wheel again. "It would have been thirty-five miles to Alboran if we had kept on our former course; it is less than that now, say about thirty-two. At about eleven o'clock it will be time to be on the lookout for the lighthouse."
At ten Felix took his trick at the wheel, and the captain was the lookout man. Morris and Louis lay down in the cabin and went to sleep. There was nothing to occupy their attention. The weather was pleasant, the sky exceedingly blue, and the sea was quite smooth. Scott had seated himself on the forecastle, and everything on board was as quiet as midnight in a church. He had a spy-glass within his reach, and he occasionally looked through it in the direction in which the steamer was headed.
"What time is it, Flix? " he called to the wheelman, after he had taken an observation with the glass.
"Half-past eleven, Captain," replied Felix.
"Alboran in sight through the glass," added Scott.
"How far off is it? Are we in any danger of running over the island, and knocking the lighthouse into flinders? " asked the Milesian.
"No danger yet, for it is at least twelve miles distant," replied the captain. "It gives me great satisfaction to know that my calculations were correct."
"Well it might; you do that sort of thing as well as the captain of the Guardian-Mother," added Felix.
Scott watched the lighthouse till the helmsman struck eight bells, which was noon. Then he went aft and called the port watch.
"Where are we now, Captain? " asked Louis, rubbing his eyes.
"Alboran light in sight, and about seven miles distant," replied Scott, as he hastened forward again, for he had seen a felucca ahead, and he wished to speak to her.
When he reached the forecastle, he shouted through the scuttle for Don, who came on deck immediately. It was time to relieve Felipe at the engine; but the captain ordered all hands, and the Spaniard was requested to remain at his post. Pitts was busy in the galley getting dinner. The felucca in sight was a large one, and evidently belonged to the island. She was standing out from the lighthouse, and as soon as the Maud was near enough to her, the captain ordered Morris to stop her, for he had just relieved Felix.
"Now, Don, hail her," said Scott to the engineer.
"Felucca, ahoy! " said he in Spanish.
The hail was returned in the same language, and the craft came up into the wind.
"Is there any water on that island? " asked Don at the dictation of the captain.
"Plenty of it," returned the skipper of the felucca.
"We are short of water, and want a cask or two," continued the engineer.