Part 59 (2/2)
Young gentlemen, you are dismissed.”
”Shuffles was a good fellow to keep us in the dark,” whispered Sanborn to Wilton.
”Keep still,” replied Wilton. ”We are lucky to get out of the sc.r.a.pe on any terms.”
So thought all of them; and it was certainly magnanimous on the part of the chief conspirator to be willing to a.s.sume all the guilt, and suffer all the punishment. There was enough of good in Shuffles to save him from the evil of his nature.
”Paul, there is one more thing I must tell you,” said Shuffles, that evening, while the s.h.i.+p lay becalmed off Kinsale. ”You remember when I told you about the gambling in the steerage?”
”I do.”
”I was deceiving you then. I only exposed the fellows in order to make trouble. I knew that the students would be closely watched, and the rules more strictly enforced, which would make them mad.”
”What did you want to make them mad for?”
”So that they would join the League.”
”Well, you did a good thing for the s.h.i.+p and for the fellows, if your motives were not good,” replied Paul. ”It was good out of evil, any way.”
”I don't think half so many fellows would have joined if Mr. Lowington hadn't taken their money from them.”
”Have you seen any gambling since?”
”Not a bit of it, Paul.”
”I am glad to know that.”
”One thing more; you know all the members of the League, Paul.”
”I?”
”Yes? you have their names on the orders, for ten s.h.i.+llings each.”
”So I have; but we will make a general affair of the presentation, and that will cover up the whole of them.”
”Thank you, Paul. You despise me as much as I like and respect you.”
”I don't despise you, Shuffles. You have done wrong, but I respect you for undoing the evil you had meditated. We are all weak and erring, and we can't afford to despise any one. On the contrary I like you,” replied Paul, giving Shuffles his hand.
”You treat me better than I deserve, Paul; but if you are my friend, I shall be all the better for it; and I hope you will not be worse.”
The end of the conspiracy had been reached. Before the s.h.i.+p came to anchor in the Cove, every boy on board had drawn his order on the princ.i.p.al for ten s.h.i.+llings, and the members of the League were veiled beneath the ma.s.s of names.
At sunrise, on Tuesday morning, the s.h.i.+p had a gentle breeze; and at three bells in the forenoon watch, she was off Roches Point, with the Union Jack at the foremast-head, as a signal for a pilot. On this exciting occasion, the studies and recitations were suspended to enable all the students to see the sh.o.r.es, and enjoy the scene. The pilot made his appearance, gave Mr. Lowington the latest Cork papers, and took charge of the s.h.i.+p. The honest Irishman was not a little surprised to find the vessel manned ”wid nothing in the wide wurld but by's;” but he found they were good seamen.
The Young America ran into the beautiful bay through the narrow opening, with Carlisle Fort on the starboard and Camden Fort on the port hand.
The students were intensely excited by the near view of the land, of the odd little steamers that: went whisking about, and the distant view of Queenstown, on the slope of the hill at the head of the bay. They were in Europe now.
”All hands to bring s.h.i.+p to anchor!” said the first lieutenant, when the s.h.i.+p was approaching the town.
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