CHAPTER XIV
CAPRICORN HEBRIDES WINDBIGLER
It had taken us the better part of two and one-half hours to make the run from Oak Island to Steam Corners, a distance of possibly five miles. That was slow traveling, to be sure. But, as I have said before, the Sally Ann was not a speed boat. Not unlike a clumsy old work horse, it could be made to go just about so fast and not much faster. The thing it was least acquainted with was speed.
Still, we were hopeful that we would be able to shorten the time of our return trip by at least thirty minutes, which would get us into anchorage off the island at two-fifteen or thereabouts. And it was to accomplish this, if possible, that we were now running the propeller full speed. This, of course, was hard on the engine. Worn in its many joints from long usage, it was liable to break down at any moment. But our errand was urgent. We had to take some chances.
As Scoop stated at the time, we probably could [[138]]have made faster passage to the island in a rented rowboat. But we didn’t like the thought of leaving our show boat behind. It would have required a guard, and that would have demanded a division of our forces. We wanted to stick together; we felt that we should stick together in the interests of our own safety. If it came to a hand-to-hand fight, a not improbable turn of affairs, four of us could put up a better battle than three of us.
Shortly after one o’clock we came within sight of the lock that we had passed through two hours earlier. The lock tender was waiting for us. I could imagine, as we approached the lock under full speed, that the old man was surprised to see us back so soon. For we had told him that morning that we were going to dock in Steam Corners to give our show and stay there over night.
“Um.… What you b’ys doin’ headin’ this way?” he inquired, regarding us in turn with narrowed eyes.
“Oh,” Scoop said airily, of no mind to take the other into our confidence, “we’re just riding around for the fun of it.”
“Goin’ back to Ashton?”
“Maybe.”