Part 17 (2/2)

”I do not refer to your punishment, when I allude to the consequences of your misdeed, for that was very light. You have fallen very low in the estimation of your superiors.”

”Do you mean Mr. Shuffles, sir?”

”I did not mean the officers exclusively, though I believe they have a proper respect for the discipline of the s.h.i.+p.”

”I don't think Shuffles need to say anything.”

”He hasn't said anything.”

”He is worse than I am.”

”Shuffles has done very well, and merits the approbation of the princ.i.p.al and the instructors.”

”They don't know him as well as I do,” growled Wilton.

”They probably know him better. Your remarks do not exhibit a proper spirit towards an officer. He defeated your plan to escape, but he did no more than his duty. He would have been blamed, perhaps punished, if he had done any less.”

”I don't find any fault with him for doing his duty, but I don't like to be snubbed by one who is worse than I am. If you knew what I know, sir, you would turn him out of the after cabin.”

”Then it is fortunate for him that I don't know what you know,” replied Mr. Lowington, sternly. ”If you wish to injure him in my estimation, you will not succeed.”

”He is going to get up a mutiny one of these days. He told me all about it,” continued Wilton, desperately, when he found that the princ.i.p.al was in no mood to listen to his backbiting.

”That will do, Wilton? I don't wish to hear anything more about that matter. Your testimony against Shuffles, under present circ.u.mstances, is not worth the breath you use in uttering it.”

”I thought it was my duty to tell you, if any one was trying to get up a mutiny.”

”You did not think so; you are telling me this story to revenge yourself against the third lieutenant for his fidelity. Whether there is, or is not, any truth in what you say, I shall take no notice of it.”

”It is all true, sir. He did speak to me about getting up a mutiny, locking up the professors, taking the s.h.i.+p, and going round Cape Horn; and he will not deny it.”

”He will have no opportunity to deny it to me, for I shall not mention the subject to him. Go to your duty, and remember that you have injured yourself more than Shuffles by this course.”

Wilton hung his head, and went forward, cheated of his revenge, and disconcerted by the rebuke he had received.

Mr. Lowington was quite willing to believe that Shuffles had talked about a mutiny, while he was in the steerage, but there was at least no present danger of an extravagant scheme being put into operation. He understood Shuffles perfectly; he knew that his high office and his ambition were his only incentives to fidelity in the discharge of his duty; but he had fairly won his position, and he was willing to let him stand or fall by his own merits. He was not a young man of high moral principle, as Paul Kendall, and Gordon, and Carnes were; but the discipline of the s.h.i.+p was certainly doing wonders for him, though it might ultimately fail of its ends.

The s.h.i.+p came to anchor, the band was sent on sh.o.r.e, and the Fourth of July holidays were ended. On the following morning the studies were resumed, and everything on board went on as usual. A few days later, the s.h.i.+p went on a cruise to the eastward, spending a week in each of the princ.i.p.al ports on the coast. The students soon became so accustomed to the motion of the s.h.i.+p, that none of them were seasick and the recitations were regularly heard, whether the Young America was in port or at sea.

When the cold weather came, stoves were put up in the cabins and in the steerage, and the routine of the s.h.i.+p was not disturbed; but Mr.

Lowington dreaded the ice and snow, and the severe weather of mid-winter, and in November, the Young America started on a cruise to the southward, and in the latter part of December she was in Chesapeake Bay. In March she returned to Brockway. By this time the crew were all thorough seamen, and had made excellent progress in their studies. Mr.

Lowington was entirely satisfied with the success of his experiment, and was resolved to persevere in it.

The boys were in splendid discipline, and there had not been a case of serious illness on board during the year. Besides the six hours of study and recitation required of the pupils per day, they were all trained in gymnastics by Dr. Winstock, the surgeon, who had a system of his own, and was an enthusiast on the subject. This exercise, with the ordinary s.h.i.+p's duty, kept them in excellent physical condition; and while their brown faces and rosy cheeks indicated a healthy state of the body, their forms were finely developed, and their muscles scientifically trained.

Greek and Latin, German and French, with the ordinary English branches pursued in high schools and academies, were taught on board, and the instructors were satisfied that the boys accomplished twice as much as was ordinarily done in similar inst.i.tutions on sh.o.r.e, and without injury to the students. Everything was done by rule, and nothing was left to the whims and caprices of teachers and scholars. Just so much study was done every day, and no more. There was no sitting up nights; there were no b.a.l.l.s and parties, theatres and concerts, to interfere with the work; no late suppers of escalloped oysters and lobster salads to be eaten.

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