Outward Bound Part 22

_Forenoon Watch, from 8 till 12 A.M._

From 8 till 10. 2d Lieut., 1st Master, 2d Mid. First Part of the Port Watch. Second Part of Port Watch off Duty. All the Starboard Watch study and recite till 12.

From 10 till 12. 4th Lieut., 3d Master, 4th Mid. Second Part of Port Watch. First Part of Port Watch off Duty.

_Afternoon Watch, from 12 till 4 P.M._

From 12 till 2. 1st Lieut., 2d Master, 1st Mid. First Part of Starboard Watch. Second Part of the Starboard Watch off Duty. All the Port Watch study and recite till 4.

From 2 till 4. 3d Lieut., 4th Master, 3d Mid. Second Part of the Starboard Watch. First Part of the Starboard Watch off Duty.

_First Dog Watch, from 4 till 6 P.M._

From 4 till 5. 2d Lieut., 1st Master, 2d Mid. First Part of the Port Watch. Second Part of the Port Watch off Duty. All the Starboard Watch study and recite till 6.

From 5 till 6. 4th Lieut., 3d Master, 4th Mid. Second Part of the Port Watch. First Part of the Port Watch off Duty.

_Second Dog Watch, from 6 till 8 P.M._

From 6 till 7. 1st Lieut., 2d Master, 1st Mid. First Part of the Starboard Watch. Second Part of the Starboard Watch off Duty. All the Port Watch study and recite till 8.

From 7 till 8. 3d Lieut., 4th Master, 3d Mid. Second Part of the Starboard Watch. First Part of the Starboard Watch off Duty.

_Breakfast._

Port Watch, 7-1/2 o'clock. Starboard Watch, 8 o'clock.

_Dinner._

Starboard Watch, 11-1/2 o'clock. Port Watch, 12 o'clock.

_Supper._

Starboard Watch, 5-1/2 o'clock. Port Watch, 6 o'clock.

The watch bill for the second day was the same, with the exception of the names of the watches and quarter watches. The entire programme was reversed by the operation of the dog watches, which subst.i.tuted "port"

for "starboard," and "starboard" for "port," in the next day's routine.

When the boys were permitted to go below, they rushed to the watch bills, and studied them faithfully, till they fully understood the programme. Each student ascertained his duty for the night, and his off-time and study-hours for the next day, which were included in the first day's bill.

"I go on at twelve o'clock," said Paul Kendall, in the after cabin, when he had examined the bill.

"And I go on deck at eight o'clock," added Joseph Haven, the first lieutenant. "I shall have a chance to sleep from ten till four in the morning, and an hour and a half, from six till half past seven."

"I shall have my watch below from two till breakfast time. I don't think we need wear ourselves out under this arrangement."

"No; I thought we should be obliged to take four hours of duty at a time on deck."

"How will it be when we have rough weather?" asked Paul.

"I don't know; I suppose we must take our chances then."

"What do you think of Shuffles' case?" added Paul.

"He will get the worst of it."

"I'm sorry for him. He behaved first rate last year, though they say he used to be a hard fellow."

"What's the use of a fellow doing as he has done?" said Haven, with palpable disgust. "He can't make anything by it."

"Of course he can't."

"I would rather have him in the cabin than in the steerage, for he will not obey orders; and when he is ugly, he is a perfect tiger. I wonder what Mr. Lowington is going to do with him. There is no such thing as expelling a fellow in this inst.i.tution now. If he means to be cross-grained, he can keep us in hot water all the time."

The officers were too much excited by the fact that the ship was outward bound to remain long in the cabin, and they returned to the deck to watch the progress of the vessel. At eight o'clock the Young America was out of sight of land, though it would have been too dark to see it ten miles distant. The quartermaster, at the helm, struck eight bells, which were repeated on the forecastle.

"All the first part of the starboard watch, ahoy!" shouted the boatswain, for it was now time to commence the programme of regular sea duty.

The first lieutenant took his place, as officer of the deck, near the helm; the second master on the forecastle and the third midshipman in the waist. The first part of the starboard watch were stationed in various parts of the deck. Of the four quartermasters, one was attached to each quarter watch. The wheel was given to two hands for the first hour, and two were placed on the top-gallant forecastle, to act as the lookout men, to be relieved after one hour's service. The rest of the boys were required to keep awake, but no special duty was a.s.signed to them. There were hands enough on deck to "tack ship," or to take in the sails, one or two at a time.

Though the ship was nominally in the hands and under the direction of her juvenile officers, who performed all the duties required in working her, yet they were closely watched by the princ.i.p.al, who, if there was anything wrong, informed the captain of the fact. The commander kept no watch, but he was responsible for every manoeuvre, and for the regular routine of duty. Mr. Lowington seldom spoke to any other officer in regard to ship's duty or the navigation.

When the watch was set, at eight bells, most of the boys who were off duty went into the steerage. Some of them turned in; but the novelty of the occasion was too great to permit them to sleep. They collected in groups, to talk over the prospects of the voyage, and the duties required of them, as indicated by the watch bill.

Shuffles sat on a stool in the brig, still nursing his wrath. When his supper was carried to him by the steward, his irons had been taken off.

He refused to eat, and the food was removed. As he was now quiet, the irons were not replaced. The prisoner was far from penitent for his offence.

Mr. Agneau, the chaplain, was very much concerned about the prisoner. He was shocked by his disobedience, and pained to find that one who had done so well could do so ill. The case had been fully considered in the professors' cabin; and Mr. Lowington declared that Shuffles should stay in the brig till he had repented of his folly, and promised obedience for the future. The chaplain was a tender-hearted man, and he thought that some gentle words might touch the feelings of the prisoner, and bring him to a sense of duty. With the princ.i.p.al's permission, therefore, he paid a visit to Shuffles in the evening.

"I am very sorry to find you here, Shuffles," said Mr. Agneau, when he had locked the door behind him.

"Has Lowington sent you to torment me?" demanded the prisoner.

"Mr. Lowington, you mean," added the chaplain, gently.

"No, I mean Lowington. When a man has abused and insulted me, I can't stop to put a handle to his name."

"I regret to find you in such an unhappy frame of mind, my young friend.

I came here of my own accord, to do what I might to help you."

"Did you, indeed!" sneered Shuffles.

"That was my only object."