As Desmond had predicted, there was quite a heavy squall as the yacht approached the guardship. Waiting until the latter craft gathered sufficient steerageway, Mr. Graham lowered the staysail. Adroitly steered by Desmond, the yacht ran gently alongside the hull of the guardship. Ropes were thrown and made fast, and, with hardly a jar, the two vessels were side to side, separated only by a pair of large coir fenders.
The first instalment of the Southend-on-Sea Sea Scouts' "good turn" was an accomplished fact.
CHAPTER III
An Involuntary Guest
Mr. Graham was surprised to find that it was just past midnight when he returned on board the guard-ship. Taught by experience, he had left his wristlet watch on board, knowing that he was in for a soaking before the then unknown task was but half completed.
"We've been nearly two hours, lads!" he exclaimed; "and we haven't finished yet. You two fellows"—indicating Frank Bedford and Pat Hayes—"can take the dinghy and row up to Wootton Bridge and find a doctor. Bring him back with you. It's an urgent surgical case—compound fracture. And, since the post office is bound to be shut, the doctor will probably have a telephone. Ask him to let you use it. Ring up the number on the paper and give the message I've written down. Got that?"
"Yes, sir," replied both Sea Scouts, and without a moment's delay they brought the dinghy alongside the yacht, clambered into her, and rowed vigorously in the direction of Wootton Bridge.
"Now, lads," continued the Scoutmaster briskly, addressing the remaining three youths, "we've got to get the patient aboard here. I don't suppose our friends the Wootton Sea Scouts have left a stretcher on board, so we'll have to rig one up. Get busy. If we can do this part of the business before Mr. Collinson recovers consciousness so much the better. He won't feel the jolting."
The Sea Scouts had often constructed impromptu stretchers, and, in spite of being comparatively strange to the guardship and her gear, they soon got to work. A couple of short boat-hook staves, some light lashing, and a few blankets were all that were necessary.