Outward Bound Part 58

"Then we are safe; but the silver pitcher must be forthcoming."

"The fellows will all be glad enough to get out of this sc.r.a.pe by paying ten shillings."

"Very well; then every one of them must sign an order on Mr. Lowington for ten shillings, payable to Dr. Winstock," added Pelham.

"They will do it. Are you sure nothing has leaked out?"

"Very sure; there would have been a tremendous commotion before this time, if our real object had been even suspected."

"No doubt of that."

"After all, Shuffles, do you really think we intended to take the ship?"

"I did; I know that."

"I don't believe I did," said the fourth lieutenant. "Nothing seemed exactly real to me, until I went overboard."

"It was more real to me then than ever before," replied Shuffles. "What shall we do with the Chain now?"

"Nothing; we may want to use it again, some time. Let every fellow keep still. When the princ.i.p.al gets his silver pitcher, which the doctor will procure as soon as he can go up to Cork, he will think the members of the Chain are the best fellows on board."

"I think you have sold the whole of us, Pelham," continued Shuffles, with a sheepish smile. "Here's the end of the Chain----"

"Yes, and we may be thankful that it isn't the end of a rope instead of a chain," laughed Pelham. "The penalty of mutiny is death."

"I have had no fear of that; it would have been regarded only as a lark.

But it is really amusing to think where we have come out," added Shuffles. "We formed the 'Chain' because Lowington was tyrannical; most of the fellows joined it because he took their money from them."

"Precisely so."

"And we are going to end it by giving Lowington a silver pitcher, in token of our respect and esteem!"

"In other words, Shuffles, we have played this game, and whipped out each other, without any help from the princ.i.p.al. It was mean business--I really think so; and while we were trying to overreach each other, the game slipped through our fingers. I am really grateful when I think what an awful sc.r.a.pe we have avoided."

"Perhaps you are right," replied Shuffles, thoughtfully; "but there was fun in the scheme."

"There might have been, if we had succeeded; but it would have been anything but fun if we had failed. Some of us would have found quarters in the brig, and we should not have been allowed to go on sh.o.r.e when we reached Queenstown."

"A fellow won't want to go on sh.o.r.e without any money," growled Shuffles, who was not wholly cured of his discontent.

"Since I went overboard I have been thinking a great deal of this matter. I have come to the conclusion that Mr. Lowington is not the worst man in the world."

"He is harsh and tyrannical."

"I don't think he ought to have taken our money from us; but I judge him from all his acts, not by one alone."

Pelham seemed to have turned over a new leaf, and to be sincerely sorry for his att.i.tude of rebellion. Shuffles was not to be convinced; he was to be overwhelmed in another manner.

The rivals separated, with their differences removed and with full confidence in each other. Pelham wrote thirty-one orders on the princ.i.p.al for ten shillings each, in favor of the surgeon, during his off-time on that day, which were to be signed and handed to Paul Kendall. As opportunity occurred, the "situation" was explained to the members of the League; and though many of them growled at the idea of giving a present to Mr. Lowington for taking their money from them, not one of them refused to sign the orders; none of them dared to refuse.

In due time Dr. Winstock had possession of all these little drafts, amounting in the aggregate to fifteen pounds, ten shillings, which would purchase quite a respectable piece of plate. Paul Kendall was the happiest student on board, for the presentation heralded the era of good feeling. The League was virtually dead for the present, if not forever.

The inherent evil of the organization, with the bickerings and bad pa.s.sions of its members, had killed it--the turtle had swallowed his own head.

The weather continued fine; the routine of ship's duty and the studies went on without interruption. On the twenty-fourth day out, at three bells in the afternoon watch, a tremendous excitement was created on board.

"Land on the port bow!" shouted one of the crew, who had been stationed on the fore yard-arm as a lookout.

All on deck sprang into the rigging, to get a sight of the welcome sh.o.r.e. It looked like a fog bank in the distance; there was really nothing to be seen, but the fact that the ship was in sight of land was enough to create an excitement among the boys.

At three bells, in the first dog watch, the land was distinctly visible.

It was the Island of Dursey, and was now seen on the beam, while other land appeared in sight ahead. It was Sunday, and all hands were at liberty to enjoy this first view of the new continent. The boys thought the land looked just like that they had last seen on the sh.o.r.e of the western continent, and perhaps some of them were disappointed because everything looked so natural.

The officers and crew were impatient to make their destined port; but the wind subsided as the sun went down on that quiet Sabbath day on the ocean. The ship hardly made twenty miles before daylight in the morning.

At eight o'clock, on Monday, when Paul Kendall had the deck, the Young America was off Fastnet Rock, and not more than half a mile from it. It is about ten miles from Cape Clear, and is a solitary rock rising out of the sea, on which a lighthouse is located. The water around it was covered with small boats engaged in fishing. The port watch were all on deck, and the scene was full of interest to them. The people whom they saw belonged to another continent than that in which they lived. All was new and strange to them, and all were interested in observing the distant sh.o.r.e, and the objects near the ship.

At one bell in the afternoon watch, when the Young America was off Gally Head, all hands were piped to muster. Mr. Lowington, on taking the rostrum, said that he had received a pet.i.tion signed by a majority of the officers and crew.

"A pet.i.tion to go ash.o.r.e, I suppose," said Shuffles to Pelham.

"I think not," laughed the fourth lieutenant, who appeared to know what was coming.

"Young gentlemen," continued the princ.i.p.al, whose face wore an unusually pleasant smile, "a few days since you were all filled with admiration at the n.o.ble conduct of one of your number, who saved the life of another at the peril of his own."

"Want to go ash.o.r.e, Shuffles?" whispered Pelham.

Shuffles was too much confused to make any reply; he did not know whether he was to be praised or blamed.

"I have received a pet.i.tion, requesting me to appoint Robert Shuffles second lieutenant of the ship, in place of Paul Kendall, resigned,"

added Mr. Lowington.

Shuffles was overwhelmed with astonishment, and a large proportion of the students received the announcement with hearty applause.

"Young gentlemen, I have only to say that the pet.i.tion is granted. I ought to add, however, that no officer will lose his rank, except Mr.

Kendall, who, at his own desire, will take the vacant number in the steerage, now belonging to Robert Shuffles, promoted. I take great pleasure in granting this pet.i.tion, because the request is honorable to you, and shows a proper appreciation of the n.o.ble conduct of your shipmate. But let me add, that you should divide your admiration between the one who rescued his friend from death, and him who voluntarily resigned his honorable position in the after cabin, in order to make a place in which merit could be acknowledged and rewarded. Nothing but a matter of life and death could have induced me to vary the discipline of the ship. Young gentlemen, you are dismissed from muster."

"Three cheers for Paul Kendall!" shouted one of the boys.

They were given.

"Three cheers for Robert Shuffles!" added Paul; and they were given.

"Mr. Shuffles will repair to the after cabin, where he will be qualified, and take his position at once."

"Mr. Lowington, I must decline Mr. Kendall's generous offer," interposed Shuffles, who was actually choking with emotion.

"This matter has been well considered, Shuffles," replied the princ.i.p.al; "and as it is the desire of a large majority of your shipmates that you should accept the position, I think you had better do so."

"There isn't a student in the ship who desires it so much as I do,"