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

"You must be careful when you approach them, sir, for the gamblers are very sly."

Mr. Lowington passed from the professors' cabin, into the steerage, and proceeding to the entrance of No. 8, he paused to listen. He heard the whispered conversation about the stakes, and "nicks," "browners" and "outs." The gamblers were by this time highly excited by the game, and had not only become imprudent, but absolutely reckless, so intense was the fascination of their employment. Suddenly, but with a light step, he entered the mess room. Wilton sat in the berth, while his companions occupied stools outside and their heads were close together.

Mr. Lowington took Adler by the collar of his frock with one hand, and Sanborn with the other, just as Wilton had thrown the props upon the bed. With a vigorous jerk, he tossed them back upon the floor, so as to obtain a full view of the stakes and the gambling implements. The culprits were astounded at this sudden descent upon them; but before they could comprehend the situation fully, the principal turned upon his heel, and left the room without a word of astonishment or censure.

"We're in for it now," said Wilton, as his companions picked themselves up from the floor, and gazed at each other with a sheepish look.

"That's so," replied Sanborn.

"We shall catch it," added Adler.

"We shall find out how the inside of the brig looks, in my opinion," continued Wilton. "I was a fool to play here, right in the steerage. Shuffles told me that {192} Lowington smelt a mice, and would make a row about this thing."

"Shuffles told you so!" exclaimed Adler. "How did he know?"

"I don't know? I believe the parson told him last night, when he was in the brig."

"Why didn't you say so then?" demanded Sanborn. "You have got us into a pretty scrape! That is the reason why Shuffles wouldn't play himself."

"Yes, he said it was; but I didn't believe Lowington knew anything about it; I don't see how he could. He walked in here as straight as though he had been sent for, and knew just where to go," said Wilton.

"Of course he did: you say Shuffles told you Lowington knew all about it; and I suppose he has been on the watch to find some fellows at it so as to make an example of them."

"That's the whole of it. We might as well throw the props overboard now."

Mr. Lowington returned to the cabin, where he had left Paul Kendall. He was sadly disturbed by the discovery he had made, for he had no suspicion before that any of his pupils had made so much progress in vice. He knew what a terrible evil gambling was among men; that it was the forerunner of dissipation and crime; and he felt the responsibility which rested upon him as a guardian and instructor of youth.

"Mr. Kendall, your information was correct; and I commend the zeal you have displayed in bringing this fearful evil to light. How happened you to discover it?"

"I had a hint from a source which I would rather {193} not mention," replied the second lieutenant, with some embarrassment.

"Indeed!"

"Yes, sir; one of the students, who berths in the steerage, happened accidentally to let it out."

Paul said "accidentally," because he believed that Shuffles had been betrayed into the revelation by their former intimacy.

"And he does not wish to be regarded as an informer," added the principal.

"No, sir; after he had excited my curiosity, he told me where I could find the gamblers at play."

"I understand his position, precisely," said Mr. Lowington; "and I will not ask his name. The information proves to be painfully correct, and there appears to have been no malice in giving it."

"No, sir; I don't think there was: indeed, I know there was not," added Paul, when he considered that Wilton and the other gamblers were Shuffles' intimate companions.

"This is a very serious matter, Mr. Kendall," repeated the principal, thoughtfully.

"I think it is, sir; that is the reason why I came to you, instead of going to the captain."

"Perhaps it is better that you did so, on the whole," replied Mr. Lowington. "It has enabled me to see the evil for myself. Have you any views in regard to what should be done, Mr. Kendall?"

The principal often asked the opinion of the officers concerning similar matters under discussion, perhaps in order to teach them self-respect, rather than with the {194} expectation of obtaining valuable suggestions from them.

"I think there should be stricter discipline in the mess rooms, sir," replied Paul, blushing to have his opinion asked. "The fellows——"

"The students, you mean," interposed the principal.

"Excuse me, sir," added Paul, blushing deeper than before at this gentle rebuke.

The boys had a language of their own, which was not tolerated by the faculty when it ran into coarseness and slang.

"What were you about to say, Mr. Kendall?" continued the principal, smiling at the confusion of the young officer.

"The students can now do anything they like in the mess rooms. They have plenty of money, and if they want to gamble, they can. They were playing last night when the first part of the starboard watch were on duty."

"You are right, Mr. Kendall," said Mr. Lowington "The students must be looked after in their rooms. Has there ever been any gambling among the officers in the after cabin?"

"I never saw any, or heard of any. I don't think there has been."

"I hope not; but we must grapple with this question in earnest," added the principal, as he led the way out of the state room into the main cabin.

The chaplain and the doctor were there, and Mr. Lowington wished to take their advice upon the serious matter before him; and before he permitted the {195} second lieutenant to retire, he stated the case to them.

"Gambling!" groaned the chaplain.

"I detected them in the act myself," added Mr. Lowington. "You may retire, Mr. Kendall."

"Why, this is awful!"

"Boys will do almost anything that men will," said Dr. Winstock, the surgeon.

"Drinking and gambling!" ejaculated the chaplain. "What are we coming to?"

"I fear there are other vices of which we know nothing yet," added the doctor.

"Why, I'm afraid the Academy Ship will prove to be a failure, after all," sighed Mr. Agneau.

"Not at all," argued Dr. Winstock. "We are in position here to treat these evils properly. There are no fond mothers and indulgent fathers to spoil the boys, when the discipline becomes sharp."

"What can we do?" demanded the chaplain. "Moral and religious influences seem to have no effect."

"Have faith in your own medicines, Mr. Agneau," said the doctor.

"I have full faith in the medicine, Dr. Winstock; but I fear I have not done my duty faithfully."

"You need not reproach yourself, Mr. Agneau. You have been earnest in your work," interposed the principal. "In a large community of young men, all these vices and evils will appear. It was to meet them that the keel of this ship was laid, and our institution organized. I expect to find vice, and even crime, among the boys. They that be sick need a physician, {196} not they that be whole. These boys certainly behave better on board the ship than they did on shore at the various academies they attended. Pelham, who is now fourth lieutenant, and has been first, was one of the hardest boys in the school to which he belonged in New York. He has given us no trouble here, though he has been a little sulky since he fell from his former rank. Shuffles, who, in the Brockway Academy, was the worst boy I ever knew, without exception, behaved himself astonishingly well for a whole year. I am sorry to see that he has begun the second year badly."

"O, his is a very hopeful case!" said Mr. Agneau. "He is penitent for his folly, and I never saw so great a change in an individual as he exhibited on my second visit to him last evening."

"I hope he will not disappoint you. I only mentioned him to show what a benefit the ship had been to him; for if it keeps him out of trouble even a single year, it is so far a blessing to him, to say nothing of his intellectual progress, which has been more than satisfactory. The fact that there are gambling, and drinking and other vices on board, does not diminish my faith in the institution."

"It certainly ought not to do so," added Dr. Winstock, who was not so sanguine a reformer as the chaplain and was willing to wait till the medicine had time to produce an effect. "Here is an evil: we must meet it, and we needn't stop to groan over it. What's to be done? that's the question."

"The officer of the watch must be required to visit every room during the first watch at least," said the principal.{197}

"But those who are disposed to gamble will find abundant opportunities to do so," suggested the doctor. "A couple of them up in the maintop, or even in the cross-trees, could shake props, 'odd or even,' and play other games of chance, without being seen. I don't think you have hit the nail on the head yet, Mr. Lowington."

"The utmost vigilance we can use will not entirely prevent evil. We depend upon moral influences, as well as discipline, for the prevention and cure of vice and error," added the principal.

"I'm afraid a lecture on gambling wouldn't do much, good while the means of play were still in the hands of the students. It would influence some; but others are not to be influenced in any way: a strong arm alone will meet their case."

"We can take the props from them," said Mr. Lowington.

"You must go a step farther than that; you must search the berths and lockers for cards, dice, or other gambling implements. Even then you will not have struck at the root of the evil."

"What is the root of the evil?" asked the principal.

"Money, sir!" replied the doctor, with unusual energy.

"That is said to be the root of all evil," added Mr. Lowington, with a smile.

"Among boys, money does more injury than we can comprehend. A college friend of mine was wholly spoiled by his allowance of money. His purse was always full, which made him the prey of dissolute persons. He always had the means of gratifying his {198} appetites, and is now a sot, if he is living. He began to drink, gamble, and dissipate generally, before he entered college: he was expelled in a year. Without money, as a boy, he would have been saved from a score of temptations. Every boy on board this ship has a pocket full of sovereigns for his European expenses. They are all young nabobs, and if you ever let them go ashore, you will have your hands full, Mr. Lowington. They will drink beer and wine, visit bad places, gamble and carouse. While they have plenty of money, you can hardly prevent them from being a nuisance to you and to themselves."

"There is a great deal of force in what you say, Dr. Winstock."

"Money will be the root of all evil to these boys, most emphatically. Those who are disposed to gamble will do so while they have money."

"The inference to be drawn from your remarks is, that the students should not have pocket money."

"Most decidedly that is my opinion. If I had a son, I wouldn't allow him a penny of pocket money."

"That would be rather hard," said the chaplain.

"I know it, but it would be the best thing in the world for the boy. I don't mean to say that I would never permit him to have money; but he should have no stated allowance; and when he had a dollar, I should want to know how it was to be expended."

"This question of money allowances has been under serious consideration with me."

"You can't handle the boys in Europe with money in their pockets. A regiment of soldiers could not keep them straight." {199}

"I think you are right, doctor. I am tempted to take their money from them."

"Do it, by all means!" exclaimed Dr. Winstock.

The chaplain regarded the measure as rather high-handed. He thought it would belittle the boys, and deprive them of some portion of their self-respect. The instructors came into the cabin at seven bells, and their opinions were taken. Four of the six were in favor of taking all money from the boys. Mr. Lowington had already reached this view of the case, and it was resolved to take the important step at once, as the best means of effectually putting a stop to the practice of gambling.

Mr. Fluxion had been unable to attend this conference for more than a few moments, for he was the instructor in mathematics, which included navigation, and he was compelled to superintend the observations, which were made with separate instruments by himself and by the two masters of the forenoon watch. The position of the ship was found, and marked on the