BY W. O. STODDARD.
CHAPTER IV.
"Whoop! Bully!" That shout came from the wreckers, within fifty yards, just as Pete got the hook of the Captain's "gaff" into the gills of the bass, and Kroom himself hoisted the prize on board. Every ounce of their suspicion was gone in a moment, and the cat-boat tacked away; but just then Sam said, in a very low voice:
"There's that white thing, if it's a life-preserver. It's got stuck again."
In the other boat there was trouble. All the men noticed the Elephant with her extra passenger, now that she was near enough; and suddenly the man at the helm stood up and said:
"Captain Kroom did go to the wreck. I saw that big feller that's with him. He was on the Goshawk when the tug left her. We'd better watch Kroom and see if he's gropplin' on his own account. We can't do or say a thing unless we can pick up what was thrown over."
"Thrue for ye," replied the man next him. "Thin the inlet's the place to wait for thim. We can luk into his boat, sure."
"I'll tell you what, boys," said the steersman, "those fellers threw over more'll we know of. They'll come back for every pound of it, but we can beat 'em."
It looked as if their view of the matter was just as Captain Kroom had said. They had not the slightest idea but what it was entirely honest to do what they were attempting. Does not anything that drifts ashore belong to the land it is stranded on?
It is true that the laws of most countries and the rights of other men are against the wreckers, but they have a strong belief in a kind of "storm law." It is a law that reaches out into the sea sometimes, and covers anything which may be found floating around. It certainly takes in all that can be fished up from the bottom.