Up The Baltic Part 2

"Nothing?"

"Not a thing."

"Then you are hungry?"

"I had a little supper last night--not much," continued Ole, apparently counting the seams in the deck, ashamed to acknowledge his human weakness.

"You shall have something to eat at once."

"Thank you, sir."

Captain c.u.mberland therefore conducted the stranger to the steerage, instead of the main cabin, and directed one of the stewards to give him his supper. The man set half a cold boiled ham on one of the mess tables, with an abundant supply of bread and b.u.t.ter. Cutting off a large slice of the ham, he placed it on the plate before Ole, whose eyes opened wide with astonishment, and gleamed with pleasure. Without paying much attention to the forms of civilization, the boy began to devour it, with the zeal of one who had not tasted food for twenty-four hours. Captain c.u.mberland smiled, but with becoming dignity, at the greediness of the guest, before whom the whole slice of ham and half a brick loaf disappeared almost in a twinkling. The steward appeared with a pot of coffee, in time to cut off another slice of ham, which the waif attacked with the same voracity as before. When it was consumed, and the young Norwegian glanced wistfully at the leg before him, as though his capacity for cold ham was not yet exhausted, the captain began to consider whether he ought not to consult the surgeon of the ship before he permitted the waif to eat any more. But the steward, like a generous host, seemed to regard the quant.i.ty eaten as complimentary testimony to the quality of the viands, and helped him to a third slice of the ham. He swallowed a pint mug of coffee without stopping to breathe.

As the third slice of ham began to wax small before the voracious Norwegian, Captain c.u.mberland became really alarmed, and determined to report at once to the princ.i.p.al and the surgeon for instructions.

Knocking at the door of the main cabin, he was admitted. Dr. Winstock a.s.sured him there was no danger to the guest; he had not been without food long enough to render it dangerous for him fully to satisfy himself. The quant.i.ty eaten might make him uncomfortable, and even slightly sick, but it would do the gourmand no real injury. The captain returned to the steerage, where Ole had broken down on his fourth slice of ham; but he regarded it wistfully, and seemed to regret his inability to eat any more.

"That's good," said he, with emphasis. "It's the best supper I ever ate in my life. I like this ship; I like the grub; and I mean to go to America in her."

"We will see about that some other time; but if you don't tell us how you happened to be off here, I am afraid we can do nothing for you,"

replied the captain. "If you feel better now, we will go and see the princ.i.p.al."

"Who's he?" asked Ole.

"Mr. Lowington. You must tell him how you happened to be in that leaky boat."

"Perhaps I will. I don't know," added Ole, doubtfully, as he followed the commander into the main cabin.

Captain c.u.mberland explained to the princ.i.p.al the circ.u.mstances under which Ole had come on board, and that he declined to say anything in regard to the strange situation in which he had been discovered.

"Is the captain here?" asked the midshipman of the watch, at the steerage door.

"Yes," replied Captain c.u.mberland.

"Mr. Lincoln sent me down to report a light on the lee bow, sir."

"Very well. Where is Mr. Beckwith?"

"In the cabin, sir."

The captain left the main cabin, and entered the after cabin, where he found Beckwith, the first master, attended by the second and third, examining the large chart of the North Sea.

"Light on the lee bow, sir," said the first master.

"Do you make it out?"

"Yes; we are all right to the breadth of a hair," added the master, delighted to find that his calculations had proved to be entirely correct. "It is Egero Light, and we are about fifty miles from the Naze of Norway. We are making about four knots, and if the breeze holds, we ought to see Gunnarshoug Light by one o'clock."

Captain c.u.mberland went on deck to see the light reported. Though it was half past eight, the sun had but just set, and the light, eighteen miles distant, could be distinctly seen. It created a great deal of excitement and enthusiasm among the young officers and seamen, who had read enough about Norway to be desirous of seeing it. For weeks the young gentlemen on board the ship had been talking of Norway, and reading up all the books in the library relating to the country and its people. They had read with interest the accounts of the various travellers who had visited it, including Ross Brown, in Harper's Monthly, and Bayard Taylor, and had studied Harper, Murray, Bradshaw, and other Guides on the subject. The more inquiring students had read the history of Norway, and were well prepared to appreciate a short visit to this interesting region.

They had just come from the United States, having sailed in the latter part of March. The squadron had had a fair pa.s.sage, and the students hoped to be in Christiansand by the first day of May; and now nothing less than a dead calm for forty-eight hours could disappoint their hopes. Five years before, the Young America and the Josephine, her consort, had cruised in the waters of Europe, and returned to America in the autumn. It had been the intention of the princ.i.p.al to make another voyage the next year, go up the Baltic, and winter in the Mediterranean; but the war of 1866 induced him to change his plans.

Various circ.u.mstances had postponed the cruise until 1870, when it was actually commenced.

The Young America was the first, and for more than a year the only, vessel belonging to the Academy. The Josephine, a topsail schooner, had been added the second year; and now the Tritonia, a vessel of the same size and rig, was on her first voyage. The three vessels of the squadron were officered and manned by the students of the Academy. As on the first cruise, the offices were the rewards of merit bestowed upon the faithful and energetic pupils. The highest number of merits gave the highest office, and so on through the several grades in the cabin, and the petty offices in the steerage. The routine and discipline of the squadron were substantially the same as described in the first series of these volumes, though some changes had been made, as further experience suggested. Instead of quarterly, as before, the offices were given out every month. Captains were not retired after a single term, as formerly, but were obliged to accept whatever rank and position they earned, like other students.

There was no change from one vessel to another, except at the end of a school year, or with the permission of the princ.i.p.al. The ship had six instructors, three of whom, however, lectured to all the students in the squadron, and each of the smaller vessels had two teachers.

Mr. Lowington was still the princ.i.p.al. He was the founder of the inst.i.tution; and his high moral and religious principles, his love of justice, as well as his skill, firmness, and prudence, had made it a success in spite of the many obstacles which continually confronted it. As a considerable portion of the students in the squadron were the spoiled sons of rich men, who had set at defiance the rules of colleges and academies on sh.o.r.e, it required a remarkable combination of attributes to fit a gentleman for the difficult and trying position he occupied.

Mr. Fluxion was the first vice-princ.i.p.al in charge of the Josephine.

He was a thorough seaman, a good disciplinarian, and a capital teacher; but he lacked some of the high attributes of character which distinguished the princ.i.p.al. If any man was fit to succeed Mr.

Lowington in his responsible position, it was Mr. Fluxion; but it was doubtful whether, under his sole administration, the inst.i.tution could be an entire success. His love of discipline, and his energetic manner of dealing with delinquents, would probably have increased the number of "rows," mutinies, and runaways.

The second vice-princ.i.p.al, in charge of the Tritonia, was Mr. Tompion, who, like his two superiors in rank, had formerly been an officer of the navy. Though he was a good sailor, and a good disciplinarian, he lacked that which a teacher needs most--a hearty sympathy with young people.

The princ.i.p.al and the two vice-princ.i.p.als were instructors in mathematics and navigation in their respective vessels. Mr. Lowington had undertaken this task himself, because he felt the necessity of coming more in contact with the student than his position as mere princ.i.p.al required. It tended to promote friendly relations between the governor and the governed, by creating a greater sympathy between them.

The Rev. Mr. Agneau still served as chaplain. In port, and at sea when the weather would permit, two services were held in the steerage every Sunday, which were attended, at anchor, by the crew of all the vessels.

Prayers were said morning and evening, in the ship by the chaplain, in the schooners by the vice-princ.i.p.al or one of the instructors.

Dr. Winstock was the instructor in natural philosophy and chemistry, as well as surgeon and sanitary director. He was a good and true man, and generally popular among the students. Each vessel had an adult boatswain and a carpenter, and the ship a sailmaker, to perform such work as the students could not do, and to instruct them in the details of practical seamanship.

After the lapse of five years, hardly a student remained of those who had cruised in the ship or her consort during the first voyage. But in addition to the three vessels which properly const.i.tuted the squadron, there were two yachts, each of one hundred and twenty tons. They were fore-and-aft schooners, of beautiful model, and entirely new. The one on the weather wing of the fleet was the Grace, Captain Paul Kendall, whose lady and two friends were in the cabin. Abreast of her sailed the Feodora, Captain Robert Shuffles, whose wife was also with him.

Each of these yachts had a first and second officer, and a crew of twenty men, with the necessary complement of cooks and stewards. They were part of the fleet, but not of the Academy Squadron.

CHAPTER II.

OFF THE NAZE OF NORWAY.

Mr. Lowington examined Ole Amundsen very carefully, in order to ascertain what disposition should be made of him. He told where he was born, how he had learned English, and where he had pa.s.sed the greater portion of his life, just as he had related these particulars to Captain c.u.mberland.

"But how came you out here in an open boat?" asked the princ.i.p.al.

Ole examined the carpet on the floor of the cabin, and made no reply.

"Won't you answer me?" added Mr. Lowington.

The waif was still silent.

"You have been to sea?"

"Yes, sir; I was six months in a steamer, and over two years in sailing vessels," answered Ole, readily.

"What steamer were you in?"

"I was in the Drammen steamer a while; and I have been three trips down to Copenhagen and Gottenburg, one to Lubeck, one to Stettin, and one to Stockholm."