Outward Bound Part 5

"Exactly so; that's just what we are going to do. I'm going to be captain; can you tell me of any better fellow for the place?" demanded Shuffles, who, putting aside the jesting manner in which he had commenced the discussion, now a.s.sumed an earnest and impudent tone.

"Didn't you hear what Lowington said when he wound up his speech?" asked Wilton.

"What?"

"About vetoing our choice if it was not a proper one."

"What of it?" asked Shuffles, innocently.

"Don't you think he would veto you?"

"Me! Not he! Lowington knows that I'm smart; I was too smart for him once, and he knows it. He won't veto me. We have been the best of friends lately."

"I don't believe he'll have a chance to veto you," said Wilton.

"What do you mean?"

"I don't believe you will be elected."

"I know I shall, if we manage it right. Let us look at it," continued Shuffles, as he took a pencil from his pocket. "Got a piece of paper?"

Monroe gave him a piece of paper, and the wire-puller began to make his calculations.

"Eighty-seven votes," said he, writing the number on the paper.

"Necessary to a choice, forty-four. Here are six votes to start with."

"For whom?" asked Monroe.

"For me, for captain, first, and for each of the others for whatever place he wants; say for Wilton for first lieutenant; Howe for second, Sanborn for third, Monroe for fourth, and Adler for first master. What do you say to that, fellows?"

As with the political "slate," there was some difference of opinion in regard to the minor officers, even after Shuffles' claim to the captaincy had been conceded But this disposition of the spoils was finally agreed to.

"Now we want thirty-eight more votes," Shuffles proceeded.

"Just so; and you might as well attempt to jump over the main royal yard as to get them," added Adler, who, having been a.s.signed to the office lowest in rank, was least satisfied with the "slate."

"Hold on; we haven't done yet. There are nine more offices. Now we will pick out some good fellow that will work for us, for each of these places; then we will promise him six votes if he will go our ticket, and do what he can for us."

"That will give us only fifteen votes," said Adler.

"I think that will be doing very well to start with. Then you five fellows can electioneer for me, and I'll do the same for you."

"I think we have made one mistake," added Sanborn. "Most of the fellows will go for Carnes for captain. He is an old salt, and has more influence than any other student in the ship. We ought to offer him some place."

"Make him purser, if you like," said Shuffles, contemptuously.

"That won't go down. Make him first lieutenant."

"And shove me out?" demanded Wilton, indignantly. "I don't see it!"

"Nor I," added Shuffles. "I won't vote for Carnes, any how. He's a sn.o.b and a flunky."

It was useless to resist the fiat of the chief wire-puller; the ticket remained as it had been originally prepared; and the young gentlemen proceeded to distribute the rest of the offices.

CHAPTER III.

THE ENSIGN AT THE PEAK.

The students on board of the Young America were between the ages of fourteen and seventeen. By the regulations, no boy under fourteen or over seventeen could be admitted, and they averaged about fifteen. They had, therefore, reached the years of discretion. Among them were a great many who were disposed to be wild boys, and not a few who had found it difficult to remain in similar inst.i.tutions on sh.o.r.e. They were not criminal or depraved, but simply wild; with a tendency to break through reasonable restraint; with a taste for mad pranks, and a contempt for authority.

Of this cla.s.s, who were a trial and a torment to the teachers of the ordinary high schools and academies, the larger proportion would have scorned to steal, or commit any wanton outrage upon the persons or property of others. There were many high-minded, n.o.ble-hearted young men, who could not tamely submit to authority, and were p.r.o.ne to insubordination, and who only needed the right kind of discipline to make them earnest and faithful men and useful citizens. There were few, if any, dunces or blockheads among them, for a life on shipboard had no attractions for such boys. They were, almost without an exception, wide-awake, bold, daring fellows, who had a taste for stirring events; fellows who wanted to climb the Rocky Mountains, visit the North Pole, and explore the Mammoth Cave. They were full of fun and mischief and it would have been easy at any time to get up a party among them to march the princ.i.p.al's cow into the parlor of the Academy; to climb to the belfry on a winter's night, and fill the inverted bell with water, where it would freeze solid before morning; or to convey the occupants of the hen-coop to the recitation room.

It was Mr. Lowington's task to repress the mischief in these boys, to keep them occupied with work and play, and to develop their moral and mental capacities. He had doubtless taken a heavy load upon himself but he felt that he was to labor for his race and his country. At least one half of his students were too wild to attend the ordinary public or private schools, or to profit by them if admitted. With such material, his work could not be a sinecure. But he had a taste for it, and he gave his whole heart and soul to the performance of his duties.

When the students were gathered on board the Young America, they were mostly strangers to him, though he had communicated personally or by letter with the parents of all of them. He had read and listened to the stories of their pranks and peccadilloes, but when they came together, he hardly knew one from another, and was not prejudiced against any individual by the terrible accounts of him related by parents, guardians, or teachers. He purposed to give them the opportunity to select their own officers at first, in order to win a more cheerful obedience from them, and because the students knew each other better than he knew them.

After the announcement of the princ.i.p.al that the voting would commence on the following morning, nothing else was talked of on board. The qualifications of various members of the school were discussed by groups of excited voters; and we must do them the justice to say that most of them considered the matter unselfishly and with a single eye to the public good. Perhaps it is a little remarkable that not a single student, outside of the little group of wire-pullers that gathered in the steerage, thought of Shuffles for the position of captain; and the "log-rollers" were likely to have up-hill work in electing themselves to the six princ.i.p.al offices. But they went to work, and labored very diligently till bed-time in carrying their point.

While none thought of Shuffles in connection with the highest position, many mentioned the dignified young gentleman, who had made one voyage up the Mediterranean--Richard Carnes. He had been on board a fortnight, and had won and retained the respect of all his companions.

Before the little band of wire-pullers in the steerage had made up the "slate" to suit their minds, the crowd on deck had agreed upon Richard Carnes for captain, and were busy in discussing the qualifications of others for the subordinate offices, when the log-rollers separated, and went to work upon their mission.

"How are you going to vote for captain, Kendall?" said Wilton, stopping up to the young gentleman who had proposed so many questions to the princ.i.p.al, and who had been so honest in confessing his ignorance of nautical matters.

"For Carnes, of course."

"Humph! I wouldn't vote for him," sneered the wire-puller.

"Why not?"

"He's too stiff; he'll put on airs, and be a tyrant over us."

"No, he won't."

"You see if he don't. I say, Kendall, are you up for any office?"

continued Wilton, with a certain appearance of slyness which the straightforward young gentleman did not exactly like.

"Am I?"

"Yes, you. Wouldn't you like a room in the after cabin?"

"Perhaps I would," answered Kendall, thoughtfully; and the place was certainly very inviting to him.

"They say the after cabin is a perfect little palace."