Lashed firmly to the boat deck on top of the main cabin house, was an object that made their hearts give a glad bound.
The Wondership, securely lashed, had been hoisted there and, so far as they could make out, no damage had been done her.
Jack gripped Tom’s arm.
“She’s all right, after all,” he exclaimed hoarsely, as if that was the only thing that really mattered.
Tom decided to venture on a question.
“You hoisted her on board?” he half shouted above the screeching wind to Medway.
“Yep,” was the brief reply. “Thought we might use her someway, so we made a tackle fast under her and hauled her aboard by the main cargo derrick.”
“That was mighty decent of you,” cried Jack warmly.
“Don’t fuss yourself,” was the rough rejoinder, “it warn’t done to please you.”
As Medway spoke, he turned into a doorway in the after part of the cabin house. From the hot smell of grease and oily machinery that arose from it, the boys knew that it led to the engine-room. They climbed down a steel-runged ladder and soon found themselves amidst a maze of polished rods, cams and levers. But the triple expansion engine was idle.