The cook had taken advantage of the opportunity to go to bed immediately the crew returned with the beach-wagon, and Benny was in sole command of the kitchen with, as he said, “Fluff acting as mate.”
Not until two hours had elapsed did the life savers return, and then they brought the life-boat with them, none the worse, so Dick Sawyer declared, for the pounding she had received upon the rocks.
Benny met them at the door of the boat-house, and, as might have been expected, was eager to learn whether any serious injury had been wrought.
As soon as the two boats were housed, and before they entered the mess-room, Sam Hardy gave an account of the work by saying:
“We found her just inside the broken water near where you an’ I went overboard. It’s likely she’s been flung against the cliff a good many times; but, so far as we can make out, scratched paint is the only damage done. It wasn’t a wonderfully easy job to get hold of her, but once we were there for that purpose you can make certain, No. 8, that none of us were minded to let any ordinary difficulties put an end to the work. That’s all there is to the story, and it can be seen that you didn’t lose anything, except a disagreeable time, by not going with us.”
While Sam was speaking the remainder of the crew had entered the mess-room, and an exclamation of pleasurable surprise burst from the lips of all as they saw the meal which Benny had made ready.
“I’ve said before, an’ this proves it, that the time ain’t so far off when No. 8 will be able to pass examination as our cook,” Joe Gushing exclaimed, and Tom Downey added gravely:
“I hope we can make something better of the lad than that. There’s too much in Benny for us to tie him down to such work, and, unless I’m greatly mistaken, he is entitled to look many pegs higher than a job as surfman.”
Then the wearied crew sat themselves down for a pleasant half-hour, which would not have been enjoyed had they been forced to depend wholly upon the man who was paid for preparing their food.
Not until an hour past midnight did Benny go to bed, and next morning he was down-stairs with the earliest riser of the crew.