Outward Bound Or, Young America Afloat: A Story of Travel and Adventure, Optic [best non fiction books of all time txt] 📗

Breakfast. Port Watch,
Starboard Watch, 7� o'clock.
8 o'clock. Dinner. Port Watch,
Starboard Watch, 11� o'clock.
12 o'clock. Supper. Port Watch,
Starboard Watch, 5� o'clock.
6 o'clock.

The watch bill for the second day was the same, with the exception of the names of the watches and quarter watches. The entire programme was reversed by the operation of the dog watches, which substituted "port" for "starboard," and "starboard" for "port," in the next day's routine.

When the boys were permitted to go below, they rushed to the watch bills, and studied them faithfully, till they fully understood the programme. Each student ascertained his duty for the night, and his {146} off-time and study-hours for the next day, which were included in the first day's bill.

"I go on at twelve o'clock," said Paul Kendall, in the after cabin, when he had examined the bill.

"And I go on deck at eight o'clock," added Joseph Haven, the first lieutenant. "I shall have a chance to sleep from ten till four in the morning, and an hour and a half, from six till half past seven."

"I shall have my watch below from two till breakfast time. I don't think we need wear ourselves out under this arrangement."

"No; I thought we should be obliged to take four hours of duty at a time on deck."

"How will it be when we have rough weather?" asked Paul.

"I don't know; I suppose we must take our chances then."

"What do you think of Shuffles' case?" added Paul.

"He will get the worst of it."

"I'm sorry for him. He behaved first rate last year, though they say he used to be a hard fellow."

"What's the use of a fellow doing as he has done?" said Haven, with palpable disgust. "He can't make anything by it."

"Of course he can't."

"I would rather have him in the cabin than in the steerage, for he will not obey orders; and when he is ugly, he is a perfect tiger. I wonder what Mr. Lowington is going to do with him. There is no such thing as expelling a fellow in this institution now. If {147} he means to be cross-grained, he can keep us in hot water all the time."

The officers were too much excited by the fact that the ship was outward bound to remain long in the cabin, and they returned to the deck to watch the progress of the vessel. At eight o'clock the Young America was out of sight of land, though it would have been too dark to see it ten miles distant. The quartermaster, at the helm, struck eight bells, which were repeated on the forecastle.

"All the first part of the starboard watch, ahoy!" shouted the boatswain, for it was now time to commence the programme of regular sea duty.

The first lieutenant took his place, as officer of the deck, near the helm; the second master on the forecastle and the third midshipman in the waist. The first part of the starboard watch were stationed in various parts of the deck. Of the four quartermasters, one was attached to each quarter watch. The wheel was given to two hands for the first hour, and two were placed on the top-gallant forecastle, to act as the lookout men, to be relieved after one hour's service. The rest of the boys were required to keep awake, but no special duty was assigned to them. There were hands enough on deck to "tack ship," or to take in the sails, one or two at a time.

Though the ship was nominally in the hands and under the direction of her juvenile officers, who performed all the duties required in working her, yet they were closely watched by the principal, who, if there was anything wrong, informed the captain of the fact. The commander kept no watch, but he was {148} responsible for every manoeuvre, and for the regular routine of duty. Mr. Lowington seldom spoke to any other officer in regard to ship's duty or the navigation.

When the watch was set, at eight bells, most of the boys who were off duty went into the steerage. Some of them turned in; but the novelty of the occasion was too great to permit them to sleep. They collected in groups, to talk over the prospects of the voyage, and the duties required of them, as indicated by the watch bill.

Shuffles sat on a stool in the brig, still nursing his wrath. When his supper was carried to him by the steward, his irons had been taken off. He refused to eat, and the food was removed. As he was now quiet, the irons were not replaced. The prisoner was far from penitent for his offence.

Mr. Agneau, the chaplain, was very much concerned about the prisoner. He was shocked by his disobedience, and pained to find that one who had done so well could do so ill. The case had been fully considered in the professors' cabin; and Mr. Lowington declared that Shuffles should stay in the brig till he had repented of his folly, and promised obedience for the future. The chaplain was a tender-hearted man, and he thought that some gentle words might touch the feelings of the prisoner, and bring him to a sense of duty. With the principal's permission, therefore, he paid a visit to Shuffles in the evening.

"I am very sorry to find you here, Shuffles," said Mr. Agneau, when he had locked the door behind him. {149}

"Has Lowington sent you to torment me?" demanded the prisoner.

"Mr. Lowington, you mean," added the chaplain, gently.

"No, I mean Lowington. When a man has abused and insulted me, I can't stop to put a handle to his name."

"I regret to find you in such an unhappy frame of mind, my young friend. I came here of my own accord, to do what I might to help you."

"Did you, indeed!" sneered Shuffles.

"That was my only object."

"Was it? Well, if you want to help me, you will induce Lowington to let me out of this crib, apologize for what he has done, and give me my place in the after cabin."

"That is plainly impossible," replied the astonished chaplain.

"Then you can't do anything for me; and I think I can take care of myself."

"I entreat you, my young friend, to consider the error of your ways."

"There is no error in my ways, Mr. Agneau."

"You are unreasonable."

"No, I'm not. I only want what is fair and right."

"Was it right for you, Shuffles, to refuse obedience to the principal, when he told you to go aft?"

"I have always obeyed all proper orders; and under the circumstances, I think it was right for me to refuse."

"You fill me with amazement!" exclaimed the chaplain.{150}

"You know it was not fair to give out the offices by last year's marks," protested Shuffles.

"On the contrary, I think it was entirely fair."

"I haven't anything more to say if it was," replied Shuffles, in surly tones.

The chaplain, finding the prisoner was not in a proper frame of mind for edifying conversation, left him, and returned to the professors' cabin. The boys had been forbidden to go near the brig, or to speak to the prisoner; and thus far no one had exhibited any disposition to disregard the order. Many of them, as they passed near the brig, glanced curiously at him. After the departure of the chaplain, Wilton sat down on a stool near the lock-up.

"How are you. Shuffles?" said he, in a low tone.

"Come here, Wilton—will you?" replied the prisoner.

"I can't; we are not allowed to speak to you."

"What do you care for that? No one can see you."

"What do you want?"

"I want to talk with you."

"I shall be punished if I'm caught."

"You won't be caught. How are our fellows now?"

"First rate," replied Wilton, walking up and down the berth deck, rising and looking as though nothing was going on.

"You know what we were talking about just before the row," added Shuffles, drawing his stool up to the palings.

"You said you wouldn't trust me," answered Wilton, still pacing the deck in front of the brig. {151}

"You told Lowington about something he had no business to know; but I forgive you, Wilton."

"You are very willing to forgive me, now you are in a tight place."

"It was mean of you to do it, Wilton; you can't deny that. Lowington was on the best of terms with me when I was in the after cabin, and I might have told him a hundred things about you."

"Didn't you tell him anything?"

"Not a word."

"Well, you are a good fellow, and I always thought you were. I couldn't see why you turned traitor to us when we intended to spend the Fourth of July on shore."

"I was obliged to do what I did. If I hadn't, I should have been turned out of my office."

"Perhaps you were right, Shuffles, and we won't say anything more about the past," replied Wilton, who was too willing to be on good terms with the powerful malcontent, even while he was a prisoner and in disgrace.

"Wilton, I am going to be captain of this ship within ten days," said Shuffles, in a whisper. "Now you may go and tell Lowington of that."

"Of course I shall not tell him," added Wilton, indignantly.

"I told you merely to show you that I had full confidence in you—that's all. You can betray me if you wish to do so."

"I don't wish to do anything of the kind. Of course we shall always go together, as we did before you were an officer." {152}

"I shall be an officer again soon."

"What's the use of talking about such a thing?"

"I shall."

"Do you mean to get up the mutiny?"

"I do. I feel more like it now than I ever did before," replied Shuffles; and his low tones came from between his closed teeth.

"It's no use to think of such a thing. It's too wild."

"No matter if it is; it shall be carried out."

"The fellows won't go in for it; they won't dare to do it."

"Yes, they will. I know them better than you do, Wilton. It isn't quite time yet; but in three or four days they will be ready for anything."

"You can't bring them up to what you mean."

"Yes, I can."

"What do you expect to do, locked up in that place?" demanded Wilton, incredulously.

"When I get ready to go out of this place, I shall go. I needn't stay here any longer than I please."

"Do you really mean to get up a mutiny?"

"Hush! Don't call it by that name."

"What shall I call it?"

"Call it making a chain."

"I don't understand you," answered Wilton, puzzled by the expression.

"I know what I'm about, and I have got more friends in the ship than Lowington has. And I know exactly how to manage