Beverly leaned over the railing to get a better look at the spray coming up under the bow. Jeannie proactively grabbed Bev by the waist to keep her on the deck. Beverly looked back to her sister and nodded toward the sea.
"Seems to be a lot faster today."
"The Captain said something about picking up speed to outrun a current shift or something. He didn't go into a lot of detail."
"What about the shoot? Will we be delayed?"
"We shouldn't be," the Boss stepped forward, "but we need to run through the scene first to get the stills." The Boss placed his hands on the lifeboat as he looked over the scene. Steve stepped forward with his camera.
"I'm ready."
"We're really moving," the Boss paused, "but the Captain assures me this is perfectly safe."
"Should be," Steve eyed the rigging, "a lifeboat is safety equipment after all."
"Yeah," the Boss nodded, "but now that we're about to shoot the scene, I find myself wondering just how important it is to the picture." Yvette stepped up and leaned on the boat.
"It's the comic highlight of the picture, I think. We're all ready." Yvette's confidence calmed all concerns and the Boss smiled as he waved over the girls. Beverly, Jeannie, Yvette, Minerva, and Daisy would be doing this scene, and all approached the lifeboat calmly. Steve nudged the Boss.
"I think I should be in the boat when it's lowered," he said, "I think I can get some good close-ups." The Boss nodded and Steve climbed aboard. Patty stood by smiling, it was always great to see Steve in action. Deckhands then proceeded to move the boat off it's perch and let it dangle over the side of the boat. The others crowded near to observe as the deckhands explained one last time the process of lowering and raising the boat. Daisy and Jeannie grabbed the cranks and began lowering the craft. Captain Talbot watched from the bridge. All was going well, until the Conqueror was rocked by a sudden collision.
The ship was rocked forward, pushing everybody back and off their feet. Providently, the motion made everyone fall away from the edge where the spectators were watching the lifeboat. Those in the lifeboat did what they could to avoid panic as the boat swung back and forth. As the boat threatened to slam into the side of the ship, a deckhand shouted for the girls to release the boat so it wouldn't be smashed. Daisy and Beverly complied and the boat dropped to the ocean below. As she grabbed at the sides of the boat, Minerva caught sight of a huge mound of mud rising from the sides of the Conqueror.
The Conqueror came to a dead stop, but the lifeboat quickly pushed away from the mother ship. The boat skipped along like a hot rod as those inside it tried to hang on. What was going on was a mystery to all involved, but the lifeboat and all aboard were soon nearing the horizon as the Conqueror settled into place. Back on the Conqueror, the passengers and crew returned to their feet. Talbot ordered anchors dropped. Muddy water was starting to spread out from the sides of the ship and sink back into the deep. The Boss and Roger were first to look over the side.
"Where's the boat?" The Boss shouted for help. Roger noticed the foaming mud surrounding the ship and pointed.
"We've run aground!"
"There're no shallows in this area," one of the deckhands took a look, "it must be debris tossed up by the volcano."
"From a hundred miles away?" Roger and the others hand been told the reason for the increase in speed, but none of them really expected the disturbance to travel so far so quickly.
"If it popped with enough force," the deckhand noted, "it's possible. Right now we're dead in the water. Pray we stay afloat."
"The lifeboat," the Boss urged, "it didn't get caught in that muck?"
"No!" Roger pointed out to sea. "There's the boat! How'd it get so far away?"
"It must've gotten caught in that current the Captain was trying to avoid," the deckhand took a quick look as he helped Sugar to her feet, "they'll have to break out of it and circle back. We can't do anything for them until we know what damage has been done!" Patty reached toward the boat as she took a spot next to Roger. Roger took a breath.
"Steve'll be alright, Patty. The girls may need him."
The Conqueror fell farther and farther away from view of the group in the lifeboat, which was being pushed along the surface so quickly as to set a speed record. Everyone continued to hang onto the sides of the boat, daring not to move lest they cause it to tip. Steve noticed the survival kit near his feet and dug out the very pistol.
"We've got five flares," Steve reported, "I'm going to shoot off one of them to let the others know we're alive."
"Better hurry, Steve," Daisy looked back, "the Conqueror is almost out of sight." Steve nodded and aimed the pistol at the sky. On deck, Henry Chestnut caught sight of the flare first.
"They're alive," Henry reported, "I just hope that isn't a distress signal."
"How far can that current take them?" Doris asked.
"It's already been moving toward us for a hundred miles," Roger stated, "there's no telling how far it will carry them."
"We'll radio other ships in the area," one of the crew spoke up, "warn them about the current and tell them to keep an eye open for the boat." The assembly felt helpless as they scanned the horizon where the boat had vanished from their view. The entire group held prayer for the safety of their friends and loved ones.
Jeannie had no idea how far the lifeboat had traveled when she noticed their speed was finally diminishing. She turned to Steve as if to ask if he noticed it too. He did, and nodded before Jean could say anything. The group looked over the sides of the boat as they watched the rushing water become calmer and calmer. There was a collective sigh. Steve scanned the horizon.
"We either broke out of it, or this is where it lost some of it's steam," Steve said, "wherever we are." Jeannie grabbed a pair of binoculars out of the survival kit and scanned the distance. To the west, storm clouds could be seen gathering. Yvette nervously eyed the ocean. She was still learning how to swim, and this wasn't the way she wanted to finally figure it out. Everyone else eyed the looming storm clouds. Jeannie pointed and handed the glasses over to Steve.
"There's an island over there, right where that storm is forming."
"I'd rather go in the opposite direction." Beverly didn't like the idea of going any closer to a storm.
"If that picks up," Steve figured, "we wouldn't be able to move fast enough to stay in front of it. If we have to deal with rain, better we do it on dry land rather than out here. Besides, that island will give us a stationary position so it'll be easier for Captain Talbot to find us when he can."
"I can't fault your logic," Beverly admitted, "but I'm not looking forward to moving in that direction."
"We can't stay here." Minerva reached for the oars. Steve stayed Minerva's hand and took the oars himself. Movement toward the island was much slower than it had been away from the ship, but at least they all knew where they were headed this time.
TO BE CONTINUED...
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