The High School Boys' Canoe ClubHancock, H. Irving (Harrie Irving)
General
The High School Boys' Canoe Club
Hancock, H. Irving (Harrie Irving)
Canoes and canoeing -- Juvenile fiction
The tackle was soon rigged. Tom Reade and Harry Hazelton, who
possessed the keenest interest in things mechanical, aided the
boat builder under his direction.
Back and forth over the spot the scow moved, while the grapples
were frequently shifted and recast.
"Stop the engine," called Driggs. "We've hooked into something!"
Laura turned somewhat pale for a moment; Belle, too, looked uneasy.
The same thought had crossed both girls' minds. What if the
tackle had caught the body of some drowned man?
"We'll shift about here a bit," Driggs proposed, nodding to the
engineer to stand by ready to stop or start the engine on quick
signal.
Before long the grappling hook of another line was caught;
"The two lines are about twelve feet apart," Driggs announced.
"My idea is that we've caught onto two cross braces of the canoe.
If so we'll have it up in a jiffy."
Both lines were now made fast to the derrick, in such a way that
there would be an even haul on both lines. Belting was now connected
between the engine and a windlass.
"Haul away, very slowly," Driggs ordered.
Up came the lines, an inch at a time. Belle and Laura could not
resist the temptation to go to the edge of the scow and peer over.
"I see something coming up," cried Belle at last.
"It's the canoe," said Tom Reade, trying to speak carelessly,
though there was a ring of exultation in his voice.
Nearer and nearer to the surface of the water came the canoe.
"Now, watch for my hand signal all the time," called Driggs.
"I don't want to get the middle part of the canoe more than an
inch above the surface."
When the point of the canoe's prow rose above the surface of the
water a cheer went up from the scow that carried the news instantly
back to the landing float.
Danny Grin stood up, waving his hat and cheering hoarsely, while
the girls who surrounded him waved handkerchiefs and parasols.
Then the gunwale appeared just above water along the whole length.
"It will be a hard job to bail her out now," Dave declared.
"Not so hard that it will worry you any," Driggs smiled.
He dragged a pump over, allowing its flexible pipe to rest down
into the water in the canoe.
"Now, some of you youngsters get hold of the pump handles," Driggs
ordered.
Five high school boys got hold with a will. Gradually, as the
water was emptied out of her the canoe rose higher and higher
in the water.
There was no cheering, now, from the boys on the scow. They were
using all their breath working the pump, while Driggs carefully
directed the bottom of the flexible tubing.
"There!" declared Driggs at last. "Barring a little moisture,
your canoe is as dry as ever it was, boys. I can't see a sign
of a leak anywhere, either. But don't make a practice of tipping
it over every day, for I can't afford to leave my work to help
you out. There's your canoe, and she's all right."
Dick got hold of the painter at the bow, while Driggs released
the grappling tackle.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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