Part 13 (1/2)

”I don't want to do anything mean with any of our fellows; so don't say a word to me. I shall do my duty as an officer, as I promised to do when I was made third lieutenant.”

”Do you mean to say you will stop me, Shuffles, if you see me going?”

demanded Wilton.

”I do mean so; I promised faithfully to do my duty as an officer, and I shall do it.”

”See here, Bob Shuffles; you needn't talk to me in that manner. I knew the s.h.i.+p's cable from a pint of milk, and you can't come the flunky over me.”

”I'm going to do just as you would do if you were in my place. I won't hear a word about any of your plans.”

”But will you interfere with them?”

”If it is my duty to do so, I shall. I intend to obey orders; and if I have the deck, I shall keep things straight, whatever happens.”

”Lowington don't know you as well as I do.”

”No matter if he don't; he shall have no fault to find with me this term, if I can help it.”

”It's no use for me to mince the matter with you, Bob Shuffles. We understand each other too well for that. Something's up.”

Shuffles turned on his heel, and was about to walk away.

”Hold on a minute, Shuffles,” continued Wilton. ”I won't tell you what's up, but I'll tell you this; if you interfere with what I do, or with what the fellows with me do, I'll tell Lowington about the mutiny--I will, as sure as your name is Bob Shuffles. Do you understand me?”

”Well, I do; and it seems to me that sounds very much like a threat.”

”Call it what you like. If you turn traitor to our fellows, you must stand the racket of it. You are not a saint just yet, and those that live in gla.s.s houses musn't throw stones.”

”I believe I haven't played false to any of our fellows. If I don't choose to get into any sc.r.a.pe with them, I have a right to keep out.

That's all I've got to say.”

”But what are you going to do, Shuffles? Our fellows will want to know.”

”I'm going to do my duty,” replied the third lieutenant as he walked away, regardless of the efforts of his companion to detain him.

Shuffles was experiencing the truth of the old maxim, that honesty is the best policy. It is to be regretted that his present devotion to duty had no higher incentive than mere policy; but it may be hoped of those who do their duty from low motives, that they may gather inspiration even from their politic fidelity to obey its behests from higher motives. The third lieutenant of the Young America intended to keep the promise he had made in accepting his office, simply because it would pay best.

Wilton and his confederates had no difficulty in making up the required number of discontents and malcontents before six o'clock, which was the time fixed for carrying out the enterprise they had planned. Some of the recruits joined because they antic.i.p.ated a good time in the city in celebrating the Fourth, and others from a mere love of mischief and excitement. The details of the scheme had been carefully elaborated by Monroe and Wilton, after the ranks of the conspirators were full. Having learned a valuable lesson from the daily discipline of the s.h.i.+p, the mischief was certainly well planned. Each boy was a.s.signed to a particular position in the boats, and knew on what thwart he was to sit, and which oar he was to pull.

Wilton and Monroe, as the master spirits of the enterprise were to run out first on the swinging boom, and slide down the painters, each into the boat he was to command. The others were to follow in the same way, descending from the boom, for it was not considered prudent to run the boats up to the gangway, where some enthusiastic officer might easily interfere with the plan, which was to depend for its success upon the celerity of its execution.

When four bells struck, the professors went down to their evening meal, as usual, and the boatswain piped the port watch to supper, the starboard watch having taken theirs at three bells, or half past five.

Wilton gave a low whistle, when Shuffles, officer of the deck, was abaft the mizzenmast, with his back to the runaways who had gathered in the waist, and were waiting for the signal.

”Be lively, fellows,” said the leader of the enterprise, as he sprang over the rail, and ran out on the boom, followed by Monroe.

The others, in the order in which they had been instructed, did the same. About half of them were on the boom, when the movement was reported to the officer of the deck by the mids.h.i.+pman on duty in the waist. Shuffles rushed forward, now understanding, for the first time, the intentions of Wilton; and true to the inspiration of fidelity, he set about defeating the object of ”our fellows.”