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

I put my foot on shore in Ireland."

"What do you mean by making a chain?" asked Wilton, eagerly.

"A chain is strong."

"Well; what of it?"

"It is composed of many links. Can't you understand that?"

"Hush up! Some one is coming," said Wilton, as he walked away from the brig.

"Here! who is that?" demanded Mr. Lowington, as he saw Wilton moving away from the lock-up.

"No. 59, sir—Wilton," replied he. "I was just going on deck to find you, sir."

"To find me?" asked the principal.

"Yes, sir. Shuffles called me when I was passing, and wished me to tell you he wanted to see you very much. I was just going after you, sir."

"If there is any blame, sir, it rests on me," interposed Shuffles, through the bars of his prison.

Mr. Lowington unlocked the door of the brig, and entered, followed by Mr. Agneau, leaving Wilton to {163} congratulate himself on the result of the lies he had uttered.

"I am told you wish to see me, Shuffles," said the principal.

"Yes, sir; I wish to say that I am extremely sorry for what I have done."

"I thought you were crazy when you refused to obey; and now I find you were."

"I had been drinking, sir, I confess."

"Mr. Agneau has told me your story; it is not necessary to repeat it now. To-morrow I shall require you to acknowledge your error at muster, and promise obedience in the future. Are you willing to do so?"

"I am, sir."

"You are discharged from confinement then, and will at once return to your duty," replied Mr. Lowington, upon whom Shuffles did not venture to intrude his extremely penitential story. "To which watch do you belong?"

"To the port watch, first part, sir."

"It will be on deck during the first half of the mid watch, from twelve till two," added the principal, as he came out of the brig.

Mr. Lowington made no parade of what he had done. He never subjected any student to unnecessary humiliation. He indulged in no reproaches, and preached no sermons. He went on deck, intending to leave the culprit to the influence of the better thoughts which he hoped and believed had been kindled in his mind by the events of the day. Mr. Agneau remained a moment to give a final admoni {164}tion to the penitent, as he regarded him, and then went to his cabin.

"Are you going to turn in, Shuffles?" asked Wilton.

"Not yet. Are there any of our fellows below?"

"Plenty of them."

"Our fellows" was a term applied to that portion of the crew who were understood to be ready for any scrape which might be suggested. Shuffles had coined the expression himself, while at the Brockway Academy, and introduced it on board the ship. Without concealment or palliation, they were bad boys. By the discipline of the ship they were kept in good order, and compelled to perform their duties.

As in every community of men or boys, where persons of kindred tastes find each other out, the bad boys in the Young America had discovered those of like tendencies, and a bond of sympathy and association had been established among them. They knew and were known of each other.

On the other hand, it is equally true, that there was a bond of sympathy and association among the good boys, as there is among good men. If a good man wishes to establish a daily prayer meeting, he does not apply to the intemperate, the profane swearers, and the Sabbath breakers of his neighborhood for help; there is a magnetism among men which leads him to the right persons. If a bad man intends to get up a mob, a raffle, or a carousal, he does not seek assistance among those who go to church every Sunday, and refrain from evil practices, either from principle or policy. He makes no mistakes of this kind. {165}

In every community, perhaps one fourth of the whole number are positively good, and one fourth positively bad, while the remaining two fourths are more or less good or more or less bad, floating undecided between the two poles of the moral magnet, sometimes drawn one way, and sometimes the other.

The Young America was a world in herself, and the moral composition of her people was similar to that of communities on a larger scale. She had all the elements of good and evil on board. One fourth of the students were doubtless high-minded, moral young men, having fixed principles, and being willing to make great sacrifices rather than do wrong. As good behavior, as well as proficiency in the studies, was an element of success in the ship, a large proportion of the positively good boys were in the after cabin.

Another fourth of the students were reckless and unprincipled, with no respect for authority, except so far as it was purchased by fear of punishment or hope of reward. Occasionally one of this class worked his way into the cabin by superior natural ability, and a spasmodic attempt to better his condition on board.

The rest of the ship's company belonged to the indefinite, undecided class, floating more or less distant from the positive elements of good or evil. They were not bad boys, for, with proper influences, they could be, and were, kept from evil ways. They were not good boys on principle, for they could be led away in paths of error.

"Our fellows" were the positively bad boys of the floating academy; and they existed in no greater pro {166}portion in the ship's company than in the communities of the great world. To this class belonged Shuffles, Wilton, Monroe, and others. To the positively good boys belonged Gordon, Kendall, Martyn, and others—not all of them in the after cabin, by any means.

Shuffles and Wilton walked forward to find some of these kindred spirits. They seemed to know just where to look for them, for they turned in at Gangway D. Over each of the six passages from which the mess rooms opened, a lantern was suspended, besides four more in the middle of the steerage. It was light enough, therefore, in the rooms for their occupants to read coarse print.

In the lower berths of mess room No. 8 lay two students, while another sat on a stool between them. Their occupation was sufficient evidence that they belonged to "our fellows," for they were shaking props for money, on a stool between the bunks. As Shuffles and Wilton approached, they picked up the props and the stakes, and drew back into their beds.

"It's Shuffles," said Philip Sanborn. "How did you get out?"

"Worked out," replied Shuffles, gayly.

"You don't mean to say you broke jail?"

"No; that would have been too much trouble. There was an easier way, and I took that."

"How was it?"

"Why, I soft-sawdered the parson, and he soft-sawdered Lowington."

"It's all right; go ahead with the game," said Lynch, as he produced the props again. {167}

Sanborn placed the money on the stool, consisting of two quarters in fractional currency. Lynch shook the props, and dropped them on the stool.

"A nick!" exclaimed he, snatching the money. "I'll go you a half now."

"Half it is," replied Sanborn, as he placed the requisite sum on the money the other laid down.

Lynch rattled the props, and threw them down again.

"A browner!" cried he, intensely excited, as he seized the money with eager hand.

"Don't talk so loud, you fool!" added Sanborn. "The fellows are asleep above us, and you will wake them up. I'll go you a half again."

"Half it is!" replied Lynch, in a whisper, as he shook again.

"An out!" said Sanborn, picking up the money.

"Three bells! Dry up!" interposed Wilton. "One of the officers of the deck will be down in a minute."

The young gamblers put away the implements, and drew back into their berths until the inspecting officer had looked into the room. When the master had gone on deck again, the play was resumed, and Shuffles and Wilton watched it with deep interest.

Gambling was a new thing on board the Young America. It had not been practised at all in the preceding year, having been introduced by Shuffles and Monroe, who had visited a prop saloon in the city where they resided, during their late furlough. Each of them had brought a set of props on board, with which they intended to amuse themselves during the voyage. As yet, the practice was confined to a few {168} of "our fellows;" but the crew in the steerage were certainly in very great danger of being carried away by the passion for gaming, for it was spreading rapidly.

The prop-shaking was carried on in the mess rooms, while the students were off duty. Shuffles had played with half a dozen boys the night before; Sanborn and Lynch had been engaged in the game since the first watch was set, and another party had been employed in the same manner in another room. All of the boys were supplied with money in considerable sums, generally in sovereigns and half sovereigns, for use when they reached Europe. It was changing hands now, though no one had as yet been particularly lucky.

"Have a game, Shuffles?" said Lynch, when Sanborn declared that he had no money left but gold.

"No," replied Shuffles, "I shall not play any more."

"Why not?"

"I haven't time; and I don't want to become too fond of it."

"Haven't time!" exclaimed Lynch.

"No; I've got a big job on my hands."

"What's that?"

"Making a chain."

"Making a what?"

"Making a chain."

"A watch chain?"

"I think it will be a watch chain; but I'll tell you about it when we are alone. Do you understand?"

"No, I don't."

"Keep still then." {169}

Shuffles turned in, and the others followed his example. He did not sleep, if they did, for his soul was full of rage and malice. He was studying up the means of revenge; and he had matured a project, so foolhardy that it was ridiculous, and his mind was fully occupied with it.

At twelve o'clock he was called to take his place with the first part of the port watch on deck. Belonging to each quarter watch, there were five petty officers, four of whom were to call the portion of the crew who were to relieve those on duty. Shuffles was called by one of these.

The wind was freshening when he went on deck, and the ship was going rapidly through the water. At the last heaving of the log she was making eleven knots, with her studding sails still set. Mr. Fluxion came on deck at eight bells.

Wilton, Sanborn, and Adler were in the watch with Shuffles, and the malcontent lost not a moment in pushing forward the scheme he had matured. Fortunately or unfortunately, he was placed on the lookout with Wilton, and the solitude of the top-gallant forecastle afforded them a good opportunity for the conference.

CHAPTER XI.

{170}

THE GAMBLERS IN NO. 8.

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"It's coming on to blow," said Wilton, as the lookouts took their stations on the top-gallant forecastle.

"I don't think it will blow much; it is only freshening a little," replied Shuffles.

"Now, what about the mutiny?" demanded Wilton, impatiently, after he had become more accustomed to the dash of the sea under the bows of the ship.

"Don't call it by that name," replied Shuffles, earnestly. "Never use that word again."

"That's what you mean—isn't it? You might as well call things by their right names."

"It's an ugly word, and if any one should happen to hear it, their attention would be attracted at once. We musn't get in the habit of using it."

"I don't know what you are going to do yet," added Wilton.

"It's a big job; but I mean to put it through, even if I am sure of failure."

"What's the use of doing that? Do you want to get the fellows into a scrape for nothing?"

"There will be no failure, Wilton; you may depend upon that. There will be a row on board within a {171} day or two, and, if I mistake not, nearly all the fellows will be so mad that they will want to join us."

"What row?"

"Do you know the reason why I wouldn't shake props this evening?"

"I'm sure I don't."

"Lowington has found out what is going on in the rooms."

"He hasn't, though!"

"Yes, he has."

"How do you know?"

"What odds does it make how I know?" answered Shuffles, impatiently, for Wilton was much too inquisitive to suit his purposes. "I talked with the chaplain half an hour to-night. When he went to my berth after the wine, I rather think he heard the rattle of the props. At any rate the whole thing will be broken up to-morrow or next day."

"I don't see how that will make a row. Not more than a dozen fellows have played any; and they won't think of making a row about that."

"You see!" added Shuffles, confidently.

"Ugh!" exclaimed Wilton, as a cloud of spray dashed over the bow, and drenched the lookout; but they wore their pea-jackets, and such an occurrence was to be expected at sea.

"Stand by to take in studding sails!" shouted Paul Kendall, who was