Part 18 (1/2)
Boys who had bad habits were watched, and injurious tendencies corrected.
But the students enjoyed their life on s.h.i.+pboard. As the vessel went from port to port, new scenes were opened to them. Those who could be trusted were allowed to go on sh.o.r.e in their off-time; and as all their privileges depended upon their good conduct, they were very careful to do their duty, both as students and as seamen, cheerfully and faithfully.
The Young America dropped her anchor in Brockway Harbor on the 5th of March, on her return from her southern cruise. The first term of the second year was to commence on the 1st of April, and it was understood that the s.h.i.+p would sail for Europe on the last day of March. The vessel needed some repairs, and all the students were allowed a furlough of twenty days to visit their homes.
Several of the larger boys, including Carnes, had obtained places in the navy, and were not to return. Two or three were to enter college in the summer, and a few were to go into mercantile houses; but these vacancies would be more than filled by the applicants who had been waiting months for an opportunity to join the s.h.i.+p.
After the departure of the students, the Young America was docked, and the necessary repairs made upon her. She was thoroughly cleansed and painted, and came out as good as new. Before the return of the boys, her provisions, water, and stores, were taken on board, and all the preparations made for a foreign voyage. On the 25th of the month she was anch.o.r.ed again at her old moorings, and in the course of the next two days all the instructors and pupils were in their places. There were eleven new boys.
”Young gentlemen,” said Mr. Lowington, as he mounted his usual rostrum, ”I am happy to see you again, and to welcome you on board. Our experience during the coming season will be much more interesting and exciting than that of the last year. We shall proceed immediately to Europe, and all who are worthy of the privilege will have an opportunity to visit the princ.i.p.al cities of Europe--London, Paris, Naples, St.
Petersburg. We shall go up the Baltic and up the Mediterranean, in this or a subsequent cruise, and I can safely promise you, not only an interesting, but a profitable trip. In a circular I have informed your parents and guardians of my purposes, and you are s.h.i.+pped this time for a foreign voyage, with their consent and approval.”
This speech caused no little excitement among the boys, who antic.i.p.ated a great deal from the summer voyage. It was no small thing to visit London, Paris, and St. Petersburg, and not many boys obtain such an opportunity.
”But, young gentlemen, I believe in discipline and progress, as most of you know. I expect every student to do his whole duty; and I wish to tell you now, that misconduct, and failures at recitation, will bring heavy disappointments upon you. If you do nothing for yourselves, you need expect nothing from me. For example, when the s.h.i.+p is going up the Thames, if any one of you, or any number of you, should be guilty of flagrant misconduct, or gross neglect of your studies, you will see no more of the city of London than you can see from the cross-trees, for you shall not put a foot on sh.o.r.e.”
”Rather steep,” whispered one of the new comers.
”That's so, but he means it,” replied an old student.
”We shall be at sea, out of sight of land, for twenty or thirty days,”
continued Mr. Lowington. ”We shall encounter storms and bad weather, such as none of you have ever seen; for in going from port to port, last season, we were enabled to avoid all severe weather. We shall go to sea now with no harbor before us till we reach the other side of the Atlantic, and we must take whatever comes. But the s.h.i.+p is as strong as a s.h.i.+p can be built, and with good management she would stand any gale that ever blew. Good management includes good discipline, and every officer and seaman must be faithful in the discharge of his duty, for the safety of the s.h.i.+p and all on board of her will depend upon the fidelity of each individual.
”Young gentlemen, there are eleven new scholars: they must take the vacant berths after the s.h.i.+p's company is organized on the old plan. The offices will be given out and the berths drawn by the merit roll for January, February, and a portion of March--only about nine weeks of term time.”
Shuffles, who stood near the princ.i.p.al, looked very much disconcerted when this announcement was made, and whispered to Paul Kendall that it was not fair to distribute the offices by last year's record. While the Young America was lying at anchor in Chesapeake Bay, in December, Shuffles, then second lieutenant, had received a letter from his mother, in which she had informed him that his family would visit Europe in the following spring, and that he would leave the s.h.i.+p, and form one of the party. This information had caused him to relax his efforts as a student, and he had fallen very low in rank. This was the reason why the proposed distribution of offices was not fair.
When Shuffles went home on his furlough of twenty days, he had behaved so badly that his father refused to have him form one of the party in the trip abroad, and compelled him to return to the s.h.i.+p for another year of wholesome discipline under Mr. Lowington. Angry and indignant, Shuffles did return and the announcement that the offices were to be distributed by the merit roll did not add to his equanimity.
”I will now read the record of marks,” said the princ.i.p.al, ”and announce the officers for the next term.”
The boys were silent and anxious; for places in the after cabin were more highly valued than ever, now that the Young America was going to Europe.
CHAPTER VIII.
OUTWARD BOUND.
Mr. Lowington read the merit roll, announcing the officers as he proceeded. The occupants of the after cabin, who were appointed for the succeeding three months, during which time the s.h.i.+p crossed the Atlantic, and visited various European ports, were as follows:--
CHARLES GORDON, _Captain._
Joseph Haven, _First Lieutenant._ Paul Kendall, _Second ”_ Samuel Goodwin, _Third ”_ Augustus Pelham, _Fourth ”_
William Foster, _First Master._ Henry Martyn, _Second ”_ Thomas Ellis, _Third ”_ Joseph Leavitt, _Fourth ”_
Joseph O. Rogers, _First Purser._ Edward Murray, _Second ”_
George W. Terrill, _First Mids.h.i.+pman._ John Humphreys, _Second ”_ Mark Robinson, _Third ”_ Andrew Groom, _Fourth ”_