As the Firefly drew nearer she began hauling down her sails, one after the other, and Hopkins caught the rope that Jones threw to the Sallie. Long before any of the lookers-on thought that the little vessels were within jumping distance of each other, Don cleared the gap between them by a tremendous leap, and landed in Bert’s arms.
“Enoch, we shall never forget you for this,” said Egan, who knew instinctively that Don had something startling to tell.
“Oh, that’s all right,” replied Enoch, who, nevertheless, was highly delighted over what he had done. The boy he had befriended was able to surround him and Jones with good influences, and make it comparatively easy for them to hold to the resolutions of amendment they had made. “I guess Don would have done as much for us if he had been in our place and we in his. Cast off that line, please.”
“What for?” demanded Egan.
“We had better be getting along toward home,” replied Enoch. “We’ve been out all night, and as the breeze has been rather fresh, the folks may be worrying about us. Besides we haven’t had any breakfast yet.”
“Not much you won’t go home until we are done with you,” said Egan. “The fresh breeze will not alarm your people, because they know that you are too good a sailor to get into trouble with a cap-full of wind. As to breakfast, we haven’t had any, either. We brought it aboard, intending to eat it while we were looking for Don. Come over and take a bite with us, while we listen to what Don has to say for himself.”
As much as Enoch and Jones desired to be received as friends by the cutter’s crew, they would have been glad to postpone all intimacy with them for a day or two, at least. The fact was, they were ashamed of themselves; but they didn’t see how they could refuse to accept Egan’s invitation. Accordingly a rope-fender was dropped over the Firefly’s rail to keep the little vessels from chafing each other as they bobbed up and down on the waves, and Jones and Enoch clambered over into the cutter’s cock-pit.
“Don tells us that Brigham has gone home,” said Egan, as he passed a well-filled plate to each of his new guests. “What started him off in so great a hurry?”
Enoch repeated his stereotyped story about Lester having heard bad news and being homesick and all that, and there was not the least sign on Don Gordon’s face to indicate that he knew better. He admired Enoch for his loyalty to his friend, and Enoch and his companion admired the cutter’s crew for the very temperate language they used when speaking of the absent boy. Every one of them, except Bert, had seen the time when they would most gladly have improved an opportunity to punch his head, but they had nothing but kind words for him behind his back. Enoch told himself that the good will of such fellows was worth working for.
The story to which the boys listened while they were disposing of the good things Egan’s mother had put up for them, was the same in substance as the one we have already related, all reference to Lester Brigham and his responsibility in the matter, being omitted. The cutter’s crew were mad enough to fight when Don pushed up his hat and showed them the lump on his forehead which had been raised there by Pete’s hard fist, and even Bert bristled up like a bantam on the war-path. The surest way to make him angry was to do something to Don. They all agreed that there could be nothing done about the matter unless Don were willing to stay and prosecute every one who had a hand in kidnapping him; but Don couldn’t do that without bringing Lester into trouble, and all he had to say about it was, that he was satisfied to get off without going to Cuba. He was among friends again, and that was all he cared for. Pete hadn’t hurt him any to speak of. He was sorry he had lost his gun, but perhaps——