For a moment Bart was silent. Here was a chance for fame. He might avail himself of the lucky accident, and turn it to his own glory. But the thought was only a passing one. It was at once dismissed.
“No, boys,” said he; “the only thing I did was nearly to destroy your lives. In fact, I don’t know any more about sailing a vessel than any of you. It’s been a very narrow escape. I was a fool to try it; and I can only make amends by confessing it. I don’t believe in being a humbug, and I won’t be one any longer.”
At first the boys wouldn’t believe him, but after a while he explained all about it. After this confession, Bart was as much esteemed by his friends as ever.
XIV.
In Mud and Water.—A Sea Monster.—A terrific Fight.—Wonderful Pluck of the “B. O. W. C.”—Swallowing a Sculpin.—The Trophy.—Waiting for Deliverance.
FINDING themselves thus fixed in the mud, they looked around to see the place at which they had thus unexpectedly arrived. In front of them was a bank about sixty feet high, which extended for some miles away, commencing with the rocky headland, and covered with trees on the top; while beyond this, the country rose into hills. As far as they could see, there was no opening in the shore to indicate the presence of a cove or a harbor. From the appearance of the water, it seemed as though the mud flat extended for miles along the shore. The water was comparatively smooth, and the headland kept off the wind, so that after they had lowered the sails, the schooner remained quite still.
It was now about noon, and they knew that the tide was rising. A wide space of the mud flat lay still uncovered by the water. Their position was a safe one as yet, though not at all pleasant on many accounts.
“The tide’s rising,” said Phil; “isn’t it, Bart?”
“Yes.”