UNEXPECTED EXCITEMENT
"Well, what do you know about that, Tom?" asked Ned, as they stood on deck watching the chase."Isn't he the greatest ever-- Mr.Period, I mean?""He certainly is.I'd like to see what happens when he catches that Turbot chap.""Bless my pocket handkerchief!" cried Mr.Damon."I don't believe he will.Mr.Period's legs aren't long enough for fast running.""Those scoundrels were after us, up to the last minute," spoke Mr.Nestor, as the ship moved farther out from the dock.Tom and his friends could no longer see the excitable picture man after his rival, but there was a commotion in the crowd, and it seemed as if he had caught the fellow.
"Well, we're free of him now," spoke the young inventor, with a breath of relief."That is, unless they have set some one else on our trail," and he looked carefully at the passengers near him, to detect, if possible, any who might look like spies in the pay of the rival moving picture concern, or any suspicious characters who might try to steal the valuable camera, that was now safely locked in Tom's cabin.Our hero, however, saw no one to worry about.He resolved to remain on his guard.
Friends and relatives were waving farewells to one another, and the band was playing, as the big vessel drew out into the North, or Hudson, river, and steamed for the open sea.
Little of interest marked the first week of the voyage.All save Koku had done much traveling before, and it was no novelty to them.The giant, however, was amused and delighted with everything, even the most commonplace things he saw.He was a source of wonder to all the other passengers, and, in a way, he furnished much excitement.
One day several of the sailors were on deck, shifting one of the heavy anchors.They went about it in their usual way, all taking hold, and "heaving" together with a "chanty," or song, to enliven their work.But they did not make much progress, and one of the mates got rather excitedabout it.
"Here, shiver my timbers!" he cried."Lively now! Lay about you, and get that over to the side!""Yo! Heave! Ho!" called the leader of the sailor gang.The anchor did not move, for it had either caught on some projection, or the men were not using their strength.
"Lively! Lively!" cried the mate.
Suddenly Koku, who was in the crowd of passengers watching the work, pushed his way to where the anchor lay.With a powerful, but not rough action, he shoved the sailors aside.Then, stooping over, he took a firm grip of the big piece of iron, planted his feet well apart on the deck, and lifted the immense mass in his arms.There was a round of applause from the group of passengers.
"Where you want him?" Koku calmly asked of the mate, as he stood holding the anchor.
"Blast my marlin spikes!" cried the mate."I never see the like of this afore! Put her over there, shipmate.If I had you on a voyage or two you'd be running the ship, instead of letting the screw push her along.Put her over there," and he indicated where he wanted the anchor.
Koku calmly walked along the deck, laid the anchor down as if it was an ordinary weight, and passed over to where Tom stood looking on in amused silence.There were murmurs of surprise from the passengers at the giant's strength, and the sailors went forward much abashed.
