Page:Under Dewey at Manila.djvu/205

Rh "It's a godsend to us, lad," went on Striker. "Come, let us pull her high and dry, before the waves have a chance to send her adrift. Why, look, she's got a small mast, and hang me if the sail ain't set! I reckon if she could spin her yarn it would be an interesting one. More than likely the men who manned her went down in one of those hurricanes, although she looks as if she's been water-logged this many a day."

It was no easy matter to pull the boat in, but the find had raised their spirits wonderfully, and they worked with a will, and once the Treasure, as Larry christened her, was clear of the waves, Striker took the extra precaution to tie her soaked painter to the nearest palm.

"We can't afford to lose her nohow," he said. "See, the sail seems to be in good condition, so is the stumpy mast, and I don't believe she leaks in the least. With a stock of eatables on board we can sail in her to Luzon without half trying."

"Yes, but the eatables, Luke; how can we get them? Fish and birds won't keep, and we'll have to take some water along, and—"

"You leave that to me, Larry. We know we can get all the fish and birds we want, and we can