Part 28 (1/2)
”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 sc.r.a.pe for nothing?”
”There will be no failure, Wilton; you may depend upon that. There will be a row on board within a 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 the officer of the deck; and the order was repeated by his subordinates in the waist and on the forecastle.
”We must go,” said Wilton; and they descended from their position.
The wind had continued to freshen, until the s.h.i.+p labored somewhat under her heavy press of canvas. It was the policy of the princ.i.p.al to go as easily and comfortably as possible, and he had directed Mr. Fluxion, if the wind continued to increase, to have the sail reduced, though neither the safety of the s.h.i.+p nor of the spars absolutely required such a step.
The quarter watch on deck was sufficient to perform this labor.
”Lay aloft, foretopmen!” said the second lieutenant; and those of the watch who had their stations in the fore rigging sprang up the shrouds.
”Stand by the halyard of the top-gallant studding sails! Man the tacks and sheets!”
”All ready, sir,” reported the second mids.h.i.+pman, who was in the foretop, superintending the operation.
”Lower on the halyards! Ease off the tacks, and haul on the sheet!”
The two top-gallant studding-sails were thus brought into the top, where they were made up. The fore-topmast and the lower studding sails were taken in by a similar routine, and the Young America then moved along less furiously through the water.
”Now about the chain,” said Wilton, when the lookouts had returned to their stations.
”Let me see; where did I leave off?” replied Shuffles.
”You said there was to be a row; which I don't believe.”