CHAPTER 11
A Wild Storm
When the Aldens had shut all the windows and looked out at the sea, they changed their minds about the rain. This was no little rain. This was a storm.
The sky became very dark. There was thunder. The rain fell in sheets. The wind made a terrible noise around the lighthouse.
“You do know about the weather, Grandfather,” said Benny. “You said a storm was coming, and boy! here is a storm.”
“There goes a telephone pole,” shouted Henry. “Nobody can telephone out of this town tonight.”
“I hope no one is out in a boat,” said Violet. “The waves would tip it over.”
The waves dashed up against the lighthouse. They even ran down the road and covered it with water.
The storm grew worse. Lightning made the whole beach light. The thunder sounded very loud over the water.
“I don’t care for this at all,” said Violet. “It seems dangerous.”
“It is dangerous,” said Grandfather quietly. “I surely hope nobody is out in a boat.”
The storm did not stop. It grew even worse. The waves covered the whole wide beach. Suddenly there was a loud knock at the door.
“Who in the world is that?” shouted Benny. “I hate to open the door. The rain will pour in.”
But Henry opened the door. It was Mr. Cook.
“Have you seen my son?” he cried. “Where is my son?”
“Come in, quick!” said Henry. “We don’t know where your son is. We haven’t seen him today.”
“Oh, oh!” cried the man. “My wife told me to look in the little house first, but he isn’t there. He must have taken my boat! He’s out in my boat! What shall I do? He will tip over. Nobody could handle a boat in this storm!”
Henry said, “Is there any Coast Guard around here?”
“In Ashland,” Tom Cook cried. “They haven’t time to get here.”
“We’ll see about that,” said Henry. He dragged on his raincoat and went to open the door.
“Where are you going, Henry?” asked Grandfather sharply.
“I’m going for the Coast Guard. The telephone’s out. We can’t do a thing alone.”
Mr. Alden opened his mouth. Then he shut it again. He knew Henry had to go.
Henry was backing the car around. “Get in,” said Henry to Mr. Cook. “Quick!” And off he drove through the water that covered the road, splashing it high as he went.
After Henry and Mr. Cook had gone, Mr. Alden was very quiet.
At last Violet said, “Henry will make it. He always does.”
“I hope you’re right, child,” said Mr. Alden. “I am worried. If Larry is out in the open sea in this, I don’t see how he can ever get to land.”
“Maybe he knows the weather, too,” said Jessie. “Maybe he started out for home before the storm came.”
“How awful that the light in this lighthouse is gone!” said Benny. “If we could only light that, he could find his way better.”
“The reflector is left,” said Jessie. “Maybe a small light would show a little.”
Everyone had a flashlight that would stand up. Benny carried them all to his room at the top and set them around. The reflector did show a little light through the storm.
By this time they heard voices outside. The neighbors had come to the lighthouse to find out about the Cook boy. They all knew his father’s boat was gone.
“Come in, everybody,” said Jessie. Everyone was dripping with water. “My brother has gone for the
Coast Guard. They will go out from Ashland and look for Larry.”
Then Jessie and Violet saw Mrs. Cook. She looked pale, but she smiled at the girls.
The neighbors were wonderful. They had seen storms before. A woman told Jessie to heat a lot of water and make coffee for the Coast Guard men. She herself helped.
The men who had come went out on the beach to see if they could see anything. They stood in the waves up to their knees. But soon the water was up to their waists. They went back to the rock seats. They all had flashlights and some had enormous field glasses.
“The Coast Guard is quick,” said Mrs. Cook. “They will be out to sea before your brother can get home.”
Jessie and Violet put their arms around her.
The light in the top of the lighthouse showed a little through the heavy rain. It seemed like ten years before a man shouted, “I see the Coast Guard boat! And I see the Cook boat!”
Henry and Tom Cook drove up as the man spoke.
“Oh, where?” begged Mr. Cook, getting out. “Show it to me.”
The man gave him his glasses and told him which way to look. The boats were still right side up, but they often disappeared in the waves. Then Henry went down to the beach, too.
“What will they do?” Henry asked.
“They’ll take the boy off and tie his boat to the Coast Guard boat. I hope they will see our light and come here to our beach. The little boat can get through the waves here.”
Men looked through their glasses. “They’re tying the boat on now. They must have the boy.”
“If I ever get my son back, he can have anything he wants,” cried Tom Cook. “Anything at all. Anything in the world!”
“He’s a smart boy, your Larry,” said Henry. “Maybe you know that.”
“Yes, I know that. If he only comes back safe!”
“He will,” said a fisherman. “The Coast Guard is coming fast this way. They wouldn’t come now if they didn’t have the boy aboard.”
“Oh, thank you!” cried Mr. Cook. “Can you really see their boat?”
“See for yourself.” The fisherman gave him his glasses. The rain was still pouring down. It was still thundering. Everyone was soaking wet. But they could see the Coast Guard coming through the great waves. The Sea Cook II was tied on behind it.
Mrs. Cook helped Jessie heat towels and blankets in front of the gas oven and make a bed with the blankets.
“You’ll have to use my bed for him,” said Mr. Alden.
Henry said, “You may have my bed, Grandfather, and I’ll go up with Benny.”
“I don’t think I’m going to bed,” said Mr. Alden.
“We’ll be all ready for him when he comes,” said Jessie.
“Is there a doctor in this town?” asked Mr. Alden.
“Oh, yes indeed. Someone has gone for him. He is on his way.”
“Well, since there is no policeman,” said Mr. Alden, “I thought there wouldn’t be any doctor either.”
“He is a very good doctor. His name is Dr. Phillips.”
“That big Coast Guard boat can’t land here,” said Henry to a man.
“No, they will come to the beach in the smaller boat. The Coast Guard can run it through the waves. You’ll see.”
Nearer and nearer came the big boat. The storm was still raging. When the boat was quite near it stopped. Three of the men got into the Sea Cook II and rowed for the beach. Larry was lying in the boat.
At last the boat reached the shore. Strong men took hold of it, and pulled it up on the sand. Henry helped. He looked at Larry. He was lying still with his eyes shut.
“He’s alive,” the man said. “But he doesn’t know anything yet. Put him to bed and get a doctor. We saw your dim light.”
“We’re all ready,” said Henry. “Right in the lighthouse.”
“The lighthouse!” said the man.
“Yes, we are living there this summer. We have a bed all made up for him with hot blankets.”
Henry helped the men lift Larry out of the boat. He was soaked and his hair was dripping wet. The men took him into the lighthouse.
“We’ll get him dry first,” they said. Mrs. Cook rubbed Larry’s hair with a hot towel. He was shivering, but he did not open his eyes.
When Jessie went to the door to meet the doctor, the men got Larry’s dripping clothes off and wrapped him in the hot blankets. They laid him in Grandfather’s bed.
Everyone came in with the doctor to see how Larry was. Suddenly Larry shouted, “Feed the world! Feed the whole world!”
Henry looked at Jessie.
The doctor said, “He has a high fever. He doesn’t know what he is saying.”
Violet did not say a word. She was thinking.
Tom Cook was at Larry’s side, begging him to open his eyes.
“Larry, Larry,” he kept saying.
The doctor said, “I don’t think you ought to talk to him. He will wake up himself when he is able. Remember he has been out in that terrible storm. It is better for him to keep quiet now.”
Mr. Cook did not say another word. But he never moved from Larry’s side.
Jessie began to think. “Isn’t it funny?” she thought. “We were sure Mr. Cook didn’t like his own son. And we find he does. Maybe we’ll find out that Larry likes his father, too.”
When Larry could swallow, the doctor gave him some medicine. A little color came back in his face.
“Have you any hot soup?” the doctor asked Jessie. “Soon he will be able to take it. It will do him good.”
“Yes, I have canned soup,” said Jessie.
“That’s all right. Don’t put much water in it. Give it to him strong.”
Larry’s mother was the one to feed him the soup. His eyes opened and then shut. Then he opened them again. He seemed to be hungry.
All this time, Benny had not said a single word. He just watched. Now he sat down quietly in a chair. Watch went over and sat close beside him.
The old dog did not bark once at all the strangers. He seemed to know that they were Jessie’s friends. So they would be his friends, too. Benny put his arm around the dog’s neck and together they sat there.
Violet went and put her arm around Benny’s shoulders. “It’s been too exciting, Benny,” she said. “You’ll feel better soon. Suppose you have some hot soup, too.”
Benny was thankful to eat the hot soup. He almost went to sleep eating it.
“Better lie down,” said Violet. “After all, it’s almost midnight.”
Benny was soon fast asleep.
All the rest stayed up and watched Larry. All at once he said, “Mother, I tried to feed the whole world.”
“What is he talking about?’ asked Dr. Phillips. “Keep him quiet if you can. He will soon be asleep. Don’t try to take him home yet.”
The kind neighbors began to say goodnight.
“I’ll come again early in the morning,” said Dr. Phillips, going out last of all.
Jessie and Violet went up to their room. Henry carried Benny upstairs to his bed without waking him. Mr. Alden and Watch sat quietly with Larry’s father and mother. And for the first time, when the clock struck twelve at midnight, Watch did not bark. |