Chapter Nine
"What Happened?"
All went well until just after they had left the passage between the Shoals. The Captain had barely uttered, "Hard to starboard!" when the universe exploded around him. When he came to he was lying on the deck. Someone was pressing a bandage to his head, "What happened?" he moaned.
"We've been hit," the helmsman answered, "we're going down. The water's coming in faster than the pumps can handle it."
"Where are we hit?" the Captain asked, trying to get up.
"On the starboard side," the helmsman answered, "just below the waterline. We've got a pretty bad hole over there."
"Pump the starboard buoyancy tanks," the Captain ordered. "Flood the port ones all the way. It might bring the breech far enough out of the water to slow down the flow and give the pumps a fighting chance. If we can get another pump we can hook it up to the secondary bilges. There should be another pump on the dock at the point."
The helmsman ran off to work feverishly with the controls. The young Warlock spoke up. "If we could get a mattress and some timbers the hole's right by a support brace. We could rig a patch. It might not stop all the water but it would slow it down."
The helmsman reappeared. "I think it's working," he cried. "I'm going to run below and have a look."
"Help me sit up, young fella," the Captain insisted. "Man, my head hurts."
"Little wonder," the Warlock answered, "you got a piece of rock sticking in it. Must've splintered when it hit the hull. Half the bridge is gone."
The Captain felt the side of his head. "That's gonna take some pulling to get out," he half joked.
The Warlock didn't seem amused. "You really should take it easy, sir," he cautioned, "there's no telling what harm that thing has done."
"If we don't get out of here, son," the Captain answered, "it isn't going to matter much. Get a fresh bandage. Wrap it around my head, and help me to the bridge. I've got to see how badly we're hurt."
The Warlock obliged flinching every time the Captain moaned, as he tightened the bandages. "That's the best I can do," he finally announced.
The Captain struggled to his feet. After a few minutes he was satisfied The radar and depth finder were undamaged. The help controls were working. There was a tremendous splash a little ways off.
"We really need to get OUT of here" the Captain muttered. He reached for the intercom but it was smashed to scrap.
"Young man," he moaned, "there's two emergency walkie talkies in the cabinet down there. Get them out. Leave one here and get one below to the engineer. I must be able to talk with him."
"Yes, sir," the Warlock answered.
A few minutes after he disappeared the helmsman returned. "It's working!" he cried. "The pumps are keeping up with it, even getting ahead of it. Two engines were below water. Now two are above and running."
The Captain patted his shoulder. "Well done!" he praised. "Give it a few minutes. Get us as high out as you can. When we get underway the pressure may increase the flow."
The ship rumbled and the Captain cursed. "Not another one!"
"It's the other volcano on the big island," the helmsman explained. "The summit was clear a few moments ago. IT'S beginning to smoke, too! It may start popping any minute!"
It seemed like it took forever until they could get underway again and they had to stop every few minutes to let the pumps catch up but finally they neared the dock.
The men rushed down, cheering, but fell silent when they saw the ferry's list, and, the large rip in her side.
The Warlock jumped onto the dock. "Where's the doctor?" he cried.
An older man cried "Here!"
"You're needed on the bridge," the Warlock continued, "the rest of you I need a large mattress and timbers, lots of timbers, and there's supposed to be an extra pump here, somewhere."
"There's mattresses in that hotel over there," the man cried.
Three men hurried off to get one.
"There's timbers down here," he cried, pointing towards the end of the dock. Soon twenty or thirty men were fetching these.
"The pump's down here," yet another man cried, out, "in the fire shed. But God knows where the keys are!"
The Warlock walked over, drew his pistol and blew the lock mechanism out of the door.
"Right here!" he cried.
In minutes eight men had the pump on the ferry and were struggling with it to get it into position On the bridge the doctor was doing what he could for the Captain.
"How well can you see?" he whispered.
"Not a God damned thing out of my left eye," the Captain answered, "and the right's getting a little blurry. Can you do anything?"
"You need a hospital," the doctor answered. "You've got a concussion. You SHOULD be unconscious. But you're just too damned stubborn to go down! I'm going to give you something to help you stay conscious, but I have to warn you, it's EXTREMELY dangerous."
"The kid'll never make it back over the Shoals," the Captain answered. "Keep me conscious until then. After that he can get her back to the harbor. Once we're over the Shoals I can die, it doesn't matter!"
"Hell it doesn't!" the doctor answered. "We'll have no more damned talk like that! Now, while these boys are trying to get this boat in some kind of condition so she'll sail again, you get some rest."
The Captain couldn't argue. In a few minutes the beautiful sound of the auxiliary pump starting up filled the air, and a few minutes later came the sound of hammering from below. The Captain didn't remember dozing off but after a while the helmsman shook his shoulder. "The pumps are making way, Captain," he announced. "The leak is cut down considerably. Request permission to equalize ballast."
"Permission granted," the Captain answered.
The ship beneath them rumbled again. "But do it while we're underway," the Captain snapped, gaining his feet. "How much longer do we have?"
"Two hours. We just got a radio report that the tsunami isn't moving as fast as they expected, BUT it's BIGGER than they expected!"
"Well, at least it has the decency," the Captain answered, "to give us a little more time."
The ferry backed away from the dock and again made for the channel. "One last run, old girl," the Captain praised, "one more good try. That's all we've got to have."
As if in answer to his praise the old ship came almost level and began o plow on. But she didn't come QUITE level and that worried the Captain. There was water below the pumps couldn't get out. Even with the tide high it was going to be close!