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Bob the Castaway

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<h2 id="id01611" style="margin-top: 4em">CHAPTER XXV</h2> <h5 id="id01612">HOMEWARD BOUND——CONCLUSION</h5> Before an hour had passed the oncoming boat was in plain sight. Then the castaways could see it contained four brown-skinned natives. But, though they were savages, they were not warlike. In fact, they waved their hands in welcome, and called encouragingly to those in the gig. "I hope they have some water aboard," said Mr. Tarbill. "I'd give anything for some right off the ice." "I'd be glad of some out of a tea-kettle," said the captain, for the last in the cask had been dealt out some time before. A little later the commander was exchanging a few words with the natives, as he found he could speak a little of their language. "We're within a few miles of the big island," he told his anxious companions. "This is a fishing party in one of their big native canoes. They'll show us the way back, and they have plenty of water." The parched throats and swelling tongues of the castaways were soon relieved by a fairly cool drink from the filled skins in the native boat. Then the brown men passed over some cocoanuts and other fruit that were grateful to the palates of the half-starved ones. Captain Spark conversed a little longer with the friendly savages, and some news they gave him seemed to give him great satisfaction. "There's an American ship in port at the island," he said, "and she's homeward bound around the Horn. We can take passage in her. Hurrah, men, our troubles seem to be over!" "Thank God!" said Mr. Carr fervently, and so great was the strain on Mr. Tarbill that when it was relieved by the good news he cried like a child. Nor were Bob's eyes altogether dry. A little breeze had sprung up, and, guided by the natives, the castaways were soon at the island. It was a large one, and the first sight they had of it showed them a big ship in the harbor. At this they set up a cheer. It did not take Captain Spark long to arrange matters with the American skipper. He agreed to let the sailors, Bob and Mr. Tarbill work their passage home, and Captain Spark was to give his services as assistant navigator in lieu of passage money. As the ship was taking on part of a cargo of native produce from the island she was not quite ready to sail, and in the meanwhile Bob and the captain went about the island a bit, Bob collecting a number of curiosities. The natives treated them kindly, and the four who had saved the lives of the castaways by appearing in the nick of time felt well repaid by the present of a few trinkets which Bob and the sailors had in their pockets. Finally the time came for them to take passage on the Walrus, which was the name of the American ship. They sailed one bright morning, and under a spanking breeze the big island was presently low down on the horizon. Bob was soon a favorite with every one on the ship, he was so anxious to learn and so ready and obliging. He never grumbled, even when the work was hard. But Mr. Tarbill never ceased lamenting the fact that he had ever left home. As for our hero, he seemed to have settled down in life and was fast learning to become a good sailor. The pranks he used to play were now a thing of the past, and he fully justified the good opinion Captain Spark had of him. It was a six months' trip home, for they were delayed two weeks or more by contrary winds, and several days longer in making the passage of Magellan Straits. As the Walrus was to put in at Charleston, South Carolina, it was necessary for Captain Spark, Bob and Mr. Tarbill to make the rest of the journey home by rail. Mr. Carr and the two sailors secured berths in the Walrus. Though Captain Spark had lost all his money in the shipwreck, he was able to borrow enough for the fares of himself, Bob and Mr. Tarbill. Bob reached home a little short of a year from the time he had left. He was a much better boy than when he went away. His father and mother did not need to be told of the change in him. They could see it for themselves. "What did I tell you?" asked Captain Spark triumphantly of Mrs. Henderson. "I said the voyage would make a man of Bob, and it did." "The voyage or the shipwreck?" asked Mrs. Henderson. "I guess it needed both," ventured Bob's father. Of course Bob was the hero, of all his associates, and they never tired of hearing his stories of what had happened. Later it was learned that Second-Mate Bender and his men had been picked up by a passing vessel and saved. As for Captain Obediah Hickson, when he heard that Bob had returned, he hastened to see him, took him off into a corner and whispered: "Did ye git th' treasure, Bob?" "No, captain. I don't believe there was any. We didn't have a chance to look for the island before the shipwreck, and after it the map got lost." "Well, maybe it's jest as well, Bob," said the old man with a philosophical air. "I'm gittin' too old to need so much money anyhow, an' you're young enough to earn what you need. I reckon it's jest as well," and with a chuckle he shuffled off. As for Bob, he had such a liking for the sea, in spite of the terrors of the deep, that when he completed his education he became mate on a vessel, and finally captain, and now is in a fair way to become part owner of a big ship trading between New York and South American ports. And here we will say good-by to Bob Henderson, the former castaway. <div style="break-after:column;"></div>

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