“There’s little show of getting two tugs out to the steamer much before high water, and I’m thinkin’ the captain may be obliged to call on us after all, unless he’s shipped a different set of passengers than usually travel. Turn to an’ fill yourself up with coffee and hearty food, Benjamin, for we’ve got a long stretch of patrol duty ahead, if nothing worse comes of this night’s business.”
[CHAPTER XI.]
THE STRANDED STEAMER.
Benny delayed in carrying out the instructions given by Sam Hardy only sufficiently long to remove Fluff’s collar and medal, and after that but little time was spent in “filling himself up,” because the excitement had driven away what small remnant of appetite was left after the feast which Mr. Bradford had set before them.
Fluff, wearied perhaps by the attentions bestowed upon him in the city, was perfectly willing to occupy the bed which the cook made up for him near the kitchen stove, and failed to exhibit any sign of displeasure when his young master left him.
“I guess he’s had all the excursion he wants in one day,” Benny said as he followed Sam out into the fast gathering gloom, and the latter replied sagely:
“Dogs are much like boys, No. 8, as I’ve said before. They think of nothin’ but pleasure while the fun is goin’ on, an’ when it’s over are disposed to pay more attention to their own weariness than duty.”
“But Fluff couldn’t help staying in the city just as long as we were there,” Benny said, as if thinking some apology was needed for the dog. “He would have been willing enough to come home if we’d shown him the way.”
“I dare say he would, Benny, I dare say he would; and now we’ll turn our attention to the work before us instead of givin’ any heed to boys or dogs. I’m thinkin’ the captain of that steamer will change his mind about landing the passengers when he learns that the tugs can’t get to him for quite a spell, an’ after he takes note of that fog-bank to seaward.”
Benny gazed in the direction indicated by the surfman’s outstretched hand, but failed to distinguish anything which betokened fog, until Sam called his attention to a dark line along the horizon, and also to the fact that there was a decided change in the temperature.