Hawaiian Sea Hunt Mystery by Andy Adams

Author:Andy Adams [Adams, Andy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Children's Books, Growing Up & Facts of Life, Friendship; Social Skills & School Life, Boys & Men, Literature & Fiction, Genre Fiction, Action & Adventure, Children's eBooks, Men's Adventure, Mystery; Thriller & Suspense, Mystery, Sea Adventures
ISBN: 9781258080181
Publisher: Literary Licensing, LLC
Published: 1959-12-31T23:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER XIII

A Near Miss

“Everything all clear?” Mr. Brewster called out from his position at the tiller in the yawl, Easy Action.

“Aye, aye, sir,” Biff called back to his father. Biff held on to the bow line, loosely circled over a piling at the dock.

“Cast off, then,” Tom Brewster ordered.

Biff flicked the rope, snaking it over the piling, as the Easy Action was cleared. Biff heard the low growl of the reverse gear as his father backed easily away from the wharf. A shift to forward, the engine revved up higher, and the yawl headed out of the harbor at Hana.

It was a clear night, bright stars lighting up the skies over the Hawaiian Islands. A slight sliver of a new moon could just be seen rising in the east.

The yawl ran on its auxiliary engine for fifteen minutes, putting the harbor behind it. When they were well clear, and in open sea, Mr. Brewster cut the engine.

“All hands to,” he called. “Prepare to hoist sail.”

A yawl is a fore-and-aft rigged vessel. It has a large mainmast forward, and a much smaller mast set abaft or behind the tiller, or wheel.

Hank Mahenili and his son Li had hold of the halyards at the mainmast, ready to pull on the lines to raise the main and jib sails.

Biff would handle the mizzen or aft sail by himself.

“Heave away, me hearties,” Mr. Brewster ordered.

The three “hearties” heaved, and the sails slid up their masts, and billowed gently out, catching a soft, warm wind. The sails were set and trimmed.

“Okay, Biff, you take over now.”

Biff came into the cockpit and took the tiller over from his father.

“Keep her headed as she is now. The compass setting is for Upolu Point. We ought to make it easily by daybreak, and then we’ll cruise the western coast of the Big Island.”

“Heading for Ka Lae, Dad?” Biff asked.

“That’s right, Biff. Hank and I are going to turn in now. You and Li handle the ten-to-two watch. Wake us up at two, then you boys can grab some sleep.”

Li joined Biff in the cockpit.

The Easy Action lived up to her name. She slid effortlessly through the water, noiseless except for the soft swish of her bow cleaving a path. The wind held steady. There was nothing to do but hold her on course.

“Like sailing, Li?” Biff asked.

“It’s the greatest. I’ll take sail over power any day.” Li spoke as if he were an old salt.

“Not so good for water skiing, though,” Biff said. “You need more speed for that, quick speed, fast starts.”

“Oh, sure. But for a cruise like we’re taking, give me sail.”

The boys were quiet. The spell of the night settled over them. Li, Biff knew, dozed off from time to time. He himself felt drowsy, lulled into sleepiness by the slight rise and fall of the craft as it rode over the swells.

Biff looked at the luminous dial of his watch. It was nearly twelve o’clock. He nudged the sleeping Li.

“Hey, you’re supposed to be on this watch with me.

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