“Steady, captain! Work her up gradually,” I added.
The wheels turned slowly at first, so as not to part the tow-line, or needlessly wrench the sunken car; but in a few moments she had full steam on. It was an anxious moment to me, and the gathering crowd on shore watched the movement in silence.
“She starts!” exclaimed Tommy, highly excited. “She’s coming!”
“Of course she’s coming; I knew she would,” I replied, struggling to keep down the emotions which agitated me.
“Hurrah!” yelled Tommy, as the dummy began to follow us, as though she were a part of the steamer.
“Starboard your helm, Captain Underwood,” I called.
“Starboard it is,” replied the captain, when he had given the order to the wheelman.
“Keep as well in shore as your draught will let you,” I continued.
“I can’t run the boat up on the shore, Wolf,” said the captain.
“I don’t want you to do so. The dummy travels very well on the bottom.”