Dartaway

“ The Dartaway with Jerry steering was placed on “scratchy” time, that is starting off with the five boats judged to be about on an even footing as regarded speed.
At the signal off went the boats having a time allowance. Then the five, including the Dartaway, got off together. Behind it came three rated higher than the Cresville boys’ craft, and then the Giant, a big boat, but with a smaller engine than the Tortoise’s. Last came Mr. Smith’s craft, and what a noise she made when her captain, who, with two friends was running her, threw in the high speed gear. ”

“ READY FOR A CRUISE
“They’re slowing up!” cried Jerry. “They’re going to stop! We’ll get ’em now!”
Sure enough the Dartaway was slackening speed. She was headed toward shore. The Terror was gaining rapidly now. Chief Dalton stood up and drew his revolver in preparation of capturing the motor boat thieves.
But now the Dartaway was so near shore that the men in her could almost leap to the bank. They could be seen turning the wheel so as to throw the craft parallel with the shore.
“They’re going to jump! We’ll lose ’em!” cried Ned. ”

“ Here Peter Marley was paid for what he had done, and then the youths lost no time in running out their automobile and going home.
The next day they telegraphed to the aviator who was to give them lessons in sailing the Dartaway, and he came as soon as he could. He listened with much interest to what the lads had to tell him.
"Well, it was certainly a great try-out!" he declared. "It proves that the Dartaway is a well-balanced machine, and that means much." ”

“ Also, if the occupants desired they could pass a night on board and keep dry in the hardest rain.
A whistle worked by the exhaust of the gasolene explosions, a search lamp, similar to those on automobiles, a small anchor, a regular ship’s compass, flags and a kit of repair tools, with some extra parts of the engine, completed the boat’s equipment.
The truckmen, no less interested than the boys, surveyed the Dartaway. It was indeed a fine boat and the motor boys might well be proud of her. There was nothing like her on the river. ”

“ They camped out under a big tree at dusk and ate with good appetites in spite of their gloomy spirits and then, having built a fire on the bank, they prepared to spend the night.
“Forward again!” cried Jerry when after breakfast the simple camp outfit had been packed into the boat. At noon they came to a small village where they stopped for lunch, and to stretch their weary legs.
There they learned that the Dartaway had passed early the previous afternoon. It had made a short stop for gasolene. Of the dealer in the fuel the boys learned that two rough looking men were aboard the craft. ”

“ I’ll tow your rowboat over to shore and you can tie her up. Then we’ll keep on up the river.”
Ten minutes later, Mr. Johnson’s boat having been safely moored, the boys were on their way up stream in a much speedier fashion than they had been proceeding since the loss of their craft. A good lookout was kept for any sight of the Dartaway.
“I’ll land ’em yet,” the chief said. “They can’t go much farther as the river gets too shallow. I only hope they stick to the boat to the last. If they strike across country it will be hard to find them.”
All the afternoon the Terror chug-chugged on her way. ”

“ The Dartaway was headed through the narrow channel. Jerry, who was steering, was proceeding slowly, as he was in unfamiliar waters, and the channel seemed rather shallow.
Suddenly, as the motor boat emerged from the strait, the three boys could hardly help refrain from uttering an exclamation. There, moored to the shore, was the Bluebird.
“We’ve found her!” whispered Bob excitedly.
“Hush!” cautioned Jerry. “Pretend to be fishing while I work the boat nearer. Don’t look at the schooner. They may be watching us.” ”

“ In response he got the telegram which brought consternation to the hearts of the motor boys.
“It doesn’t seem possible,” remarked Bob, as the three lads hurried on toward the freight office.
“I guess it’s good-bye to the Dartaway this trip,” said Jerry. “Too bad! she was a fine boat.”
“Well, we’ll make the railroad pay for it, and we’ll get a better boat,” spoke up Bob.
“We couldn’t get any better boat than the Dartaway, Chunky,” said Ned. “We might get a larger one, and a more powerful one, but never a better one, She served us well. ”

“ In this fine craft, named the Dartaway, they had many adventures, not a few of which are set down in the fifth volume of the series called “The Motor Boys Afloat.” They made a long trip on the Atlantic, and during the following vacation had some surprising adventures in the Everglades of Florida. Some time later they made a voyage on the Pacific ocean in search of a mysterious derelict. On this and on other trips they had much trouble from a bully, Noddy Nixon, and his crony, Bill Berry. ”

“ Bob was to attend to the shipping arrangements, Ned to refitting the boat, and Jerry said he would sort over the portable camping outfit the boys always took with them.
The Dartaway was a fine, stanch craft, of four cylinders, as speedy as one could wish. It had many new appliances, such as three speeds forward and one reverse, and was well fitted up. There was a small galley where a meal could be cooked, and a folding table to serve it on. The stove burned gasolene. ”

“ There was nothing much that could be done until morning, so the boys, seeing that the Dartaway was securely made fast, went to sleep on board. They rested undisturbed until morning.
“Now to hunt for the mysterious schooner!” exclaimed Ned after breakfast. “Do you know I have a good scheme?”
“Let’s hear it,” said Jerry.
“We ought to disguise ourselves,” went on Ned. “If we go hunting for the schooner in our motor boat the way we are now, they can see us coming and get on their guard. We ought to make up as fishermen, just as the tramp did, and steam around slowly.” ”

“ The little party broke up about midnight, with mutual promises on the part of the chums to meet early the next morning and get the Dartaway in shape for the long trip.
They met at the river dock, where their boat was kept, and gave the craft a good overhauling. Some changes had been made in the craft since the trip on the Atlantic coast. The boat was more powerful, and was so arranged that they could sleep on board, for it had a portable awning and side curtains that could completely enclose the craft. ”

“ By this time the motor boat was some distance above the small craft. Jerry sent it toward the left shore in a long curve. This placed the Dartaway just above the rowboat. Then he reversed the engine, and the motor boat began to back down the stream.
“Stand ready to heave the line!” called Jerry to Bob. “Now girls!” he went on, “you catch the rope when he throws it! Wind it around an oar lock, and hold on to it!” ”

“ He pushed the Dartaway back from the side of the schooner and then, holding to the rope pulled her forward again so that the nose of the motor craft hit the sailing vessel a resounding blow. Still there was silence on the Bluebird.
The boys waited for several minutes, listening intently, but there was no sign of life other than on their craft.
“I’m going aboard the schooner,” said Jerry at last.
[205]
“Do you think it’s safe?” asked Ned.
“I don’t see why not,” replied Jerry. “There doesn’t seem to be any one in her. Maybe they’ve only gone away for a little while, but it’s our best chance. ”

“ Don’t run us down! We’ll upset—I can’t swim—save the girls—don’t blow up the engine—throw us a life preserver—back water—back pedal—put on brakes!” cried one of the boys.
“Oh Andy Rush, you’re enough to give any one a headache!” exclaimed Alice Vines. “No wonder your name is Rush!”
“Stop rowing and we’ll come alongside. Pull in the oars!” cried Jerry, and Ned skillfully put the Dartaway close to the smaller boat. While Bob steadied it against the motor craft the occupants got into the cockpit.
“Shall we tow your boat?” asked Jerry, “or leave it tied up on shore?” ”

“ If they were strapped in, and the biplane fell, they might be crushed to death under the heavy engine.
Most of the trip was made in the face of the wind, which, every instant, seemed to grow stronger. The Dartaway acted like a thing of life, swooping and careening from one side to the other. Dick had to manipulate the wheel and [154] the levers constantly, to keep anything like an even "keel."
"Can you keep to the course?" questioned Tom, after about half the distance to the seminary had been covered. ”

“ The chief and two detectives made up the police posse. They went to the dock where the Terror was tied up and got aboard. Mr. Slade had counted on going, but, at the last moment, found some business affairs needed his attention.
As soon as Jerry found the chief and his men were about to start he hurried back to the Dartaway’s boat house and made ready for his return trip. He found the engine needed some slight adjustments, and quickly made them.
While he was bending over the cylinders, putting in some new spark plugs, he heard a step behind, and Andy Rush joined him. ”

“ Captain Jenkinson had a party of friends [187] aboard his boat, but there was plenty of room for the boys. There was much sympathy expressed for them, and every one volunteered to be on the lookout for the Dartaway.
In the powerful boat quite an area of the bay in the vicinity of the dock was covered, in a search for a sight of the sloop. ”

“ Larger bunkers for the stowing away of provisions and water had been put in, the machinery had been overhauled and, save for a few minor changes, the Dartaway was ready for a long trip. These changes were made during the next two days, and then the boat was enclosed in a stout cradle. It was put aboard a flat car and, at the [29] end of the week, had started on the journey to St. Augustine.
As the boys were walking up the street from the depot they met a man with a small gray moustache, who looked sharply at them. ”

“ As the Rovers could readily see, the Dartaway was a complete wreck, beyond the possibility of being repaired. But the motor looked to be in good order, and the stays and turn-buckles would, of course, be worth something. ”

“ Bob replied. “It traveled a good way over land before it got to us, and I guess it wouldn’t cost much.”
“Say, that would be sport!” exclaimed Jerry. “There is just the place for a motor boat where mother is going.”
“Where’s that?” asked Ned.
“Harmon Beach. There’s a sort of cove there, where the boats are sheltered from storms. But you can go through the inlet right out to sea, and [7] then up and down the coast. The Dartaway is big enough to stand a bit of bad weather, if it don’t come too strong.” ”

“ His son Abner is helping him around the dormitories, and I hired Abner for fifty cents a night to sleep in the shed and guard the biplane. Abner has got a shotgun, and he isn't afraid of anybody; so I reckon the Dartaway will be perfectly safe."
"Good for you, Dick!" cried Tom. "Say, I hope if anybody does try to injure the machine Abner gives him a dose of shot!" ”

“ I believe they are up to some game. If we lay low we may discover what it is. If he finds we are talking about everything connected with him, we may not get at anything.”
“I’ll promise,” said Andy eagerly. He was only too ready to do whatever the other boys [70] wanted him to, as he had hopes of more rides in the Dartaway.
“That’s a bargain,” went on Jerry. “None of us will say nothing about the occurrence.”
The next few days the boys studied hard in readiness for examinations.
“Don’t you think it rather strange that the Cresville authorities should buy a motor boat?” ”

“ We don't want to go up and get wrecked."
"Oh, the Dartaway won't get wrecked—not with that powerful engine."
Dick hesitated. He did not like that strong breeze in the least. Yet he was just as anxious as his brothers to visit the seminary and meet the girls, and let them see the biplane. And there was something even more important on his mind.
"Oh, come ahead, and take a chance!" cried Tom. "We'll get through somehow!"
"Just what I say," declared Sam.
"Who is to run the machine?" asked the big brother.
"I'll run her, if you want me to," answered Tom, promptly. ”

“ Holding the wheel steady with his knees he drew from his pocket a small telescope. Adjusting it, he peered forward and looked steadily through it for several seconds.
“I believe it’s them!” he exclaimed. “I can’t make out the figures very well, but it’s a big motor boat, and one I’ve not seen around here before. They seem to be having some trouble aboard. Maybe the engine has broken down.”
“Let’s hope so,” the chief said. “If it only stays broken until we catch up!”
The Terror and Dartaway were making good time against the current. Nearer and nearer they came to the other boat. ”

“ All remained in the field to watch the flight of the youngest Rover. Sam was a little pale, but just as determined as his brothers had been to succeed. He looked over the biplane carefully, then took his seat, and told them to start the propellers.
Once more the Dartaway arose, and as it did Mrs. Rover could not repress a shudder, for Sam was very dear to her, because he was her dead sister's youngest child, and she had never had any children of her own.
But her fears were groundless, for Sam sailed over the cornfield just as well as had Dick. ”

“ So it was voted to get a swift craft in which some of our officers could patrol the river. This is the boat, and Commissioner Jones, here, and I, were out giving her a trial spin. We only got her yesterday.”
“She certainly is well named,” put in Jerry.
“Well, we hope she’ll prove a ‘terror’ by nature as well as by name,” the chief went on. “She certainly is speedy enough.”
[69]
By this time Commissioner Jones had thrown a rope to the motor boys. It was made fast to a cleat on the Dartaway, and then, the Terror being speeded up, the disabled craft was quickly towed down the river. ”