Up The Baltic Part 14

Mr. Lowington repeated only what most of her friends had told her before--that her weak indulgence would be the ruin of the boy; that he needed a strong arm. He was willing to take him into the Academy ship, but he must obey all the rules and follow all the regulations. The perplexed mother realized the truth of all he said.

"You will take him as an officer--won't you, sir?" she asked, when she had in a measure reconciled herself to the discipline proposed.

"Certainly not, madam," replied the princ.i.p.al. "If he ever becomes an officer, he must work himself up to that position, as the other students do."

"But you could let him have one of the rooms in the cabin. I am willing to pay extra for his tuition."

"No, madam; he must go with the other students, and do precisely as they do."

"Where will his servant lodge?"

"His servant?"

"Yes, James. He will want a servant, for I don't know that he ever dressed himself alone."

"He can have no servant, except those of the ship."

"That's very, _very_ hard."

"Perhaps it is, but if the boy can't dress himself alone, he must lie in his berth till he acquires the art by hard thinking. I wish you to understand the matter thoroughly before you leave him, madam."

Mrs. Blacklock struggled with the hard terms; but even to her the case seemed like a desperate one, and she was willing at last to try the experiment, though she intended to follow the ship wherever she went, to save him from suicide when his situation became absolutely hopeless. The terms arranged, she followed Mr. Lowington on deck, where Clyde was discovered in the loving embrace of the big boatswain, who released him as soon as he saw the lady.

"Now, Clyde, my dear, we have arranged it all," said Mrs. Blacklock; and it ought to be added that such a result would have been utterly impossible if the subject of the negotiations had been present.

"I don't care if you have," replied Clyde, bestowing a fiery glance upon the boatswain, who was smiling as blandly as though earth had no naughty boys.

"Why, what's the matter, Clyde!" demanded the anxious mother.

"I've had enough of this ship," howled the little gentleman, as he glanced again at the stout forward officer.

The complacent face of Peaks maddened him, and Clyde felt that, perhaps for the first time in his life, he had lost a battle. He could not bear the sight of the boatswain's placid features, unruffled by anything like anger or malice. He felt that he had not even provoked his powerful adversary. He howled in his anger, and then he cried in his desperation. Suddenly he seized a wooden belaying-pin from the rail, and shied it at the boatswain's head. Peaks caught it in his hand, as though he had been playing toss-ball with his victim; but the next instant his anaconda fold encircled the youth again. Mrs.

Blacklock screamed with terror.

"There is no harm done, madam," interposed the princ.i.p.al. "We don't allow boys to throw things here."

"You are very, _very_ harsh with the poor boy."

"And the poor boy is very, very harsh with us. He throws belaying-pins at our heads."

"He did not mean any harm."

"Perhaps not; but that's an unpleasant way of manifesting his regard."

"I've had enough of this ship! I won't go in her!" howled Clyde, struggling to escape from the grasp of the officer.

"Do you hear that, sir? Poor boy!"

"He will soon learn better than to behave in this violent manner. We can cure him in ten minutes after you have left the ship."

"What! whip him?" exclaimed the mother, with horror.

"No, madam; we never strike a student under any circ.u.mstances, unless it be in self-defence; but if a boy won't go when ordered, we carry him. We always have force enough to do this without injury to the person."

"But see the poor boy struggle!"

"It will do him no harm."

"He says now that he will not go in the ship."

"If I were his parent, it would be as I said, not as he said, after he had ceased to be reasonable. I would consult the wishes and opinions of a boy of mine, as long as he behaved properly--no longer. You have only to leave him, and I a.s.sure you he shall be treated as kindly as he will permit us to treat him. I do not wish to influence you, but I am confident that ruin lies in that boy's path, unless he is reformed."

Mrs. Blacklock actually wept. She loved the boy with a blind affection in spite of the disrespect and even abuse that he heaped upon her. It was a terrible struggle to her, but she finally decided to leave him on board of the ship, perhaps satisfied that nothing else could ever save him from himself, and her from the misery his reckless conduct constantly occasioned her.

"You wished to go to sea, Clyde, and I have decided to leave you in this ship," said the poor mother, trembling with emotion.

"But I tell you I won't stay in this ship," roared Clyde, as Peaks, at a signal from the princ.i.p.al, released his prisoner.

"I can do nothing with you, my dear boy. You won't obey me, and I must leave you to those who can control you. I am going on sh.o.r.e now, but I shall see you again at Christiania."

"I won't stay!" howled Clyde.

"Good by, Clyde," said Mrs. Blacklock, desperately, as she folded her son in her arms, and kissed him on both cheeks.

"I tell you I won't stay!" cried the angry youth, breaking away from his mother's embrace.

"Make it short, madam," suggested Mr. Lowington.

"Do try to be good, Clyde, and then you can come home very, _very_ soon," added Mrs. Blacklock, as the princ.i.p.al conducted her to the accommodation ladder, where the first cutter had been manned to put her on sh.o.r.e.

"I tell you again, I won't stay! If you leave me, I'll jump overboard."

"O!" groaned the weak mother.

"If you do, young man, we will pick you up with the greatest pleasure," said Mr. Lowington, as he hurried the lady to the side.

"O, if he should!" gasped she.

"There is not a particle of danger, madam; Mr. Peaks will take excellent care of him," replied her comforter.

The boatswain, at a nod from Mr. Lowington, again embraced Clyde, but did not injure him, nor permit him to injure himself. The lady was handed into the boat, and Captain c.u.mberland politely performed this service for Miss Blacklock. Of course the poor mother was in an agony of doubt and anxiety, but the students in the cutter seemed to be so cheerful, contented and gentlemanly, that she hoped for the best.

Clyde was appalled at the situation, and one of the stern realities of life seemed suddenly to dawn upon him. As soon as his mother disappeared over the side, he ceased to struggle, for he gained nothing by it, and the students appeared to be amused by his sufferings. Peaks released him, and the victim of wholesome discipline looked about him with a wondering stare; but there was no mother to cajole or intimidate, and he was thrown entirely upon his own resources for the means of resistance, if he purposed to resist. He appeared to be stupefied by the situation, and Mr. Lowington, taking advantage of his bewilderment, invited him into the main cabin, where he kindly but firmly "laid down the law" to him. Clyde was by no means conquered, but was rather considering how he should escape from this trying position. At the close of the interview, the princ.i.p.al handed the patient over to one of the stewards, and requested him to see the new comer clothed in the uniform of the ship. Peaks was directed to keep an eye on the victim while the crew were on sh.o.r.e.

All hands were soon seated in the boats, and in half an hour all the students in the squadron were turned loose in the streets of Christiansand. Though the instructors were of the party, they were not required to exercise any particular supervision over their pupils.

There was hardly anything to be seen, and as a large number of the students had never crossed the Atlantic before, they wanted to know if they had come so far to see such a town. Most of the houses were of wood, but they were neat and well kept. As the capital of the province of Christiansand, the town was the residence of the Stift Amtmand, or governor, and of the bishop of the diocese. It was founded in 1641, and having an excellent harbor, it is a place of considerable commercial importance, having a population of about ten thousand.

The boys visited the cathedral, which is a fine building of gray stone, and being the first which most of them had seen, it had a considerable interest to them. They observed the people, and their manners and customs, so far as they could, with more interest than the buildings, which differed in no important respect from those in the United States. Pa.s.sing across the water front of the town, they came to the Torrisdal River, over which there is an excellent bridge. They crossed the stream, and walked to an antiquated church. Some of the houses on the way were very neat, pretty structures, not unlike the one-story dwellings seen all over New England.