Outward Bound Or, Young America Afloat: A Story of Travel and Adventure

by Oliver Optic

  CHAPTER XV.

  AFTER THE GALE.

  One of the most singular traits observable in the character of some boysis the willingness, and even the desire, under certain circumstances, toget into trouble. A young gentleman, feeling that he has been slighted,or his merit overlooked, permits himself to fall into a mental conditionin which he feels no responsibility for his conduct; in which herecklessly breaks through all regulations, places himself in an attitudeof opposition to constituted authority, and seems to court the heaviestpenalty which can be inflicted upon him for disobedience, impudence, andrebellion.

  The fourth lieutenant of the Young America had worked himself up to thisdisagreeable pitch. He was not only disposed to assume an attitude ofopposition to the principal, who had made the obnoxious regulation whichwas the immediate cause of his rebellious condition, but to all whosupported his authority, or willingly submitted to it.

  Smoking was a high crime on board the Young America--not in the relationof the practice to the ship, but to the student. It was condemned, notsimply because it would be offensive in the cabins and steerage, and ondeck, but because it was a bad habit for a boy to acquire. The adultforward officers, the cooks and the stewards, were allowed to smoke onthe forecastle at certain prescribed hours; but it was a punishableoffence for a student to smoke at any time or in any place, whether onboard or on shore.

  Goodwin was indignant at the conduct of his room-mate, for the thirdlieutenant was not only opposed to smoking on principle, but the fumesof tobacco were intensely offensive to him; and there was no doubt that,in the confined space of the state room, insufficiently ventilated,while all the openings in the deck were closed during the gale, thesmoke would make him "as sick as a horse." He was a noble-minded, manlyyouth, and had all a boy's detestation for tattling and tale-bearing. Hedid not like to go on deck and inform the principal of the conduct ofPelham, but he could not submit to the indignity cast upon him. He wentout into the cabin, and threw himself upon the cushioned divan, underthe stern ports of the ship.

  This would have been a very satisfactory place to sleep under ordinarycircumstances; but Goodwin had hardly secured a comfortable position,before the heavy rolling and pitching of the vessel tumbled him off, andhe measured his length on the cabin floor--a very undignified situationfor a third lieutenant. He picked himself up in the darkness, and triedit again, but with no better success than before. He had fully intendedto go on deck and inform the principal of the misconduct of Pelham,which had driven him from his room; but he shrank from the task.

  What Goodwin was attempting to do on the divan many of the officers werestriving to do in their berths, though with better success than attendedhis efforts. It was not an easy matter to stay in the berths; and thisdone, the situation was far from comfortable. Avoiding the rude fall onthe one side, the occupant was rolled over against the partition on theother side. Sleep, in anything more than "cat naps," was utterlyimpracticable, for as soon as the tired officer began to lose himself inslumber, he was thumped violently against the pine boards, or was rousedby the fear of being tumbled out of his berth.

  Mr. Lowington comprehended the situation of the students, and when thetopsails and courses had been reefed, he called up all the stewards, andsent them through the after cabin and steerage, to ascertain thecondition of the boys, and to give them the benefit of certainexpedients known to old voyagers for such occasions. Jacobs, the stewardof the after cabin, entered to perform his duty. He had no light, noteven a lantern; for fire is so terrible a calamity at sea, that everylamp was extinguished by the stewards at ten o'clock, and no light wasallowed, except in the binnacle, without the special permission of theprincipal Even the captain could not allow a lamp to be lighted afterhours.

  Jacobs went to all the state rooms on the port side first, and pulled upthe berth sacks above the front of the bunks, so as to form a kind ofwall, to keep the occupant from rolling out. A bundle of clothing wasplaced on the inside of the berth, and the body was thus wedged in, soas to afford some relief to the unstable form. Pelham's room was thesecond one on the starboard side, and Jacobs came to it at last, in hishumane mission. He opened the door, and started back with unfeignedastonishment to see the lamp lighted, and the fourth lieutenant puffinghis cigar as leisurely as the violent motion of the ship would permit.

  "Contrary to regulation, sir," said Jacobs, respectfully as he touchedhis cap to the reckless officer.

  "Take yourself off, Jacobs," replied Pelham, coarsely and rudely.

  "Yes, sir."

  Jacobs did take himself off, and hastened on deck to inform Mr.Lowington of the conduct of the infatuated officer.

  The principal immediately presented himself. Pelham had fully believed,in his self-willed obstinacy, that he could look Mr. Lowington full inthe face, and impudently defy him. He found that he was mistaken. Theexperience of Shuffles in the hands of the boatswain and carpenter wouldintrude itself upon him, and he quailed when the principal opened thedoor and gazed sternly into his face.

  "Smoking, Mr. Pelham?"

  "Yes, sir," replied the rebel, with an attempt to be cool and impudent,which, however, was a signal failure.

  "You will put out that cigar, and throw it away."

  "I will; I've smoked enough," answered Pelham.

  "Your light is burning, contrary to regulation."

  "The ship rolls so, I should break my neck without one," replied Pelham,sourly.

  "That is a weak plea for a sailor to make. Mr. Pelham, I confess mysurprise to find one who has done so well engaged in acts ofdisobedience."

  The reckless officer could make no reply; if the reproof had been givenin presence of others, he would probably have retorted, prompted by afalse, foolish pride to "keep even" with the principal.

  "For smoking, you will lose ten marks; for lighting your lamp, tenmore," added the principal.

  "You might as well send me into the steerage at once," answered Pelham.

  "If either offence is repeated, that will be done. You will put out yourlight at once."

  The fourth lieutenant obeyed the order because he did not dare todisobey it; the fear of the muscular boatswain, the irons, and the brig,rather than that of immediate degradation to the steerage, operatingupon his mind. The principal went on deck; Pelham turned in, and wassoon followed, without a word of comment on the events which had justtranspired, by Goodwin.

  The night wore away, the gale increasing in fury, and the rain pouringin torrents. It was a true taste of a seaman's life to those who were ondeck. At daybreak all hands were called again, to put the third reef inthe topsails. At eight bells the courses were furled. The gale continuedto increase in power during the forenoon, and by noon a tremendous seahad been stirred up. The ship rolled almost down to her beam ends, andthe crests of the waves seemed to be above the level of the main yard.

  In the popular exaggerated language, "the waves ran mountain high,"which means from twenty to forty feet; perhaps, on this occasion,twenty-five feet from the trough of the sea to the crest of the billow.Even this is a great height to be tossed up and down on the water; andto the boys of the Young America the effect was grand, if not terrific.The deck was constantly flooded with water; additional life-lines hadbeen stretched across from rail to rail, and every precaution taken toinsure the safety of the crew.

  Study and recitation were impossible, and nothing was attempted of thiskind. The storm was now what could justly be called a heavy gale, and itwas no longer practicable to lay a course. Before eight bells in theforenoon watch, the royal and top-gallant yards had been sent down, andthe ship was laid to under a close-reefed main-topsail, which thenautical gentlemen on board regarded as the best for the peculiarconditions which the Young America presented.

  When a ship is laying to, no attention is paid to anything but thesafety of the vessel, the only object being to keep her head up to thesea. In the gale, the Young America lay with her port bow to the wind,her hull being at an angle of forty-five degrees, with a line indicatingth
e direction of the wind. Her topsail yard was braced so that itpointed directly to the north-east--the quarter from which the galeblew. The helm was put a-lee just enough to keep her in the positionindicated. She made little or no headway, but rather drifted with thewaves.

  The young tars had a hard forenoon's work; and what was done wasaccomplished with triple the labor required in an ordinary sea. Allhands were on duty during the first part of the day, though there wereintervals of rest, such as they were, while the boys had to hold on withboth hands, and there was no stable abiding-place for the body. The shiprolled so fiercely that no cooking could be done, and the onlyrefreshments were coffee and "hard tack."

  "This is a regular muzzler, Pelham," said Shuffles, in the afternoon, asthey were holding on at the life-lines in the waist.

  "That's a fact; and I've got about enough of this thing."

  "There isn't much fun in it," replied Shuffles, who had been watchingfor this opportunity to advance the interests of the "Chain."

  "No, not a bit."

  "It's better for you officers, who don't have to lay out on the yardswhen they jump under you like a mad horse, than for us."

  "I suppose I shall have a chance to try it next term."

  "Why so?"

  "I lost twenty marks last night. I got mad, lighted the lamp, and smokeda cigar in my state room."

  "Will the loss of the twenty marks throw you over?"

  "Yes? I'm a goner!" added Pelham, with a smile.

  "What made you mad?"

  "The captain snubbed me; then Lowington came the magnificent over me. Asingle slip throws a fellow here."

  A single slip in the great world throws a man or woman; and young menand young women should be taught that "single slips" are not to betolerated. More children are spoiled by weak indulgence than byover-severe discipline. But a boy had a better chance to recover fromthe effects of his errors in the Young America, than men and women havein the community.

  By gradual approaches, Shuffles informed the fourth lieutenant of theobject of the "Chain," which Pelham promptly agreed to join, declaringthat it was just the thing to suit his case. He was in a rebelliousframe of mind; and though he could not feel that the enterprise would bea complete success, it would afford him an opportunity to annoy andpunish the principal for his degrading and tyrannical regulation, as therecreant officer chose to regard it.

  By the exercise of some tact, the conspirators found a convenient placeunder the top-gallant forecastle to consider the project. Pelham wasduly "toggled," and offered no objection to the penalty; indeed, he onlylaughed at it.

  "Suppose we get possession of the ship--what then?" asked Pelham.

  "We will go on a cruise. I understand that she has provisions for a sixmonths' voyage on board. I'm in favor of going round Cape Horn, andhaving a good time among the islands of the South Sea."

  Pelham laughed outright at this splendid scheme.

  "Round Cape Horn!" exclaimed he.

  "Yes? why not? We should be up with the cape by the first of June;rather a bad time, I know, but this ship would make good weather of it,and I don't believe we should see anything worse than this."

  "What will you do with the principal and the professors?" asked Pelham,lightly.

  "We can run up within ten or fifteen miles of Cape Sable, give them oneof the boats, and let them go on shore."

  "Perhaps they won't go."

  "We have ten fellows already in the Chain, who are seventeen years old.If we get half the crew, we can handle the other half, and theprofessors with them."

  "All right! I'm with you, whether you succeed or not. I'm not going tobe ground under Lowington's feet, and be snubbed by such fellows asGordon. If I want to smoke a cigar, I'm going to do it."

  "Or take a glass of wine," suggested Shuffles.

  "If there is any on board."

  "There is, plenty of it. I'll make you a present of a bottle, if youwish it."

  "Thank you. Suppose we get the ship, Shuffles, who are to be theofficers?" asked Pelham.

  "We shall have good fellows for officers. You will be one, of course."

  "I suppose I am higher in rank now than any fellow who has joined theChain."

  "Yes, that's a fact; but we are not going to mind who are officers now,or who have been before. We intend to take the best fellows--those whohave done the most work in making the Chain."

  "Whether they are competent or not," added Pelham.

  "All the fellows know how to work a ship now, except the green handsthat came aboard this year."

  "This is rather an important matter. Shuffles, for everything dependsupon the officers. For instance, who will be captain?" asked Pelham,with assumed indifference.

  "I shall, of course," replied Shuffles, with becoming modesty.

  "That's a settled matter, I suppose."

  "Yes; without a doubt it is."

  "I may not agree to that," suggested the new convert.

  "You have already agreed to it. You have promised to obey yoursuperiors."

  "But who are my superiors?"

  "I am one of them."

  "Who appointed you?"

  "I appointed myself. I got up the Chain."

  "I think I have just as much right to that place as you have. Shuffles."

  "I don't see it! Do you expect me to get up this thing, and then take asubordinate position?" demanded Shuffles, indignantly.

  "Let the members choose the captain; that's the proper way."

  "Perhaps they will choose neither one of us."

  "Very well; I will agree to serve under any fellow who is fairlyelected."

  "When shall he be chosen?" asked Shuffles, who was so sure of a majoritythat he was disposed to adopt the suggestion.

  "When we have thirty links, say."

  "I will agree to it."

  The conspirators separated, each to obtain recruits as fast as he could.During the latter part of the day, the gale began to subside, and atsunset its force was broken, but the sea still ran fearfully high. Thefore course was shaken out, and the ship filled away again, plungingmadly into the savage waves.

  On Sunday morning, the gale had entirely subsided; but the wind stillcame from the same quarter, and the weather was cloudy. The sea hadabated its fury, though the billows still rolled high, and the ship hadan ugly motion. During the night, the reefs had been turned out of thetopsails; the jib, flying-jib, and spanker had been set, and the YoungAmerica was making a course east-south-east.

  "Sail ho!" shouted one of the crew on the top-gallant forecastle, afterthe forenoon watch was set.

  "Where away?" demanded the officer of the deck.

  "Over the lee bow, sir," was the report which came through the officerson duty.

  The report created a sensation, as it always does When a sail is seen;for one who has not spent days and weeks on the broad expanse of waters,can form only an inadequate idea of the companionship which those in oneship feel for those in another, even while they are miles apart. Thoughthe crew of the Young America had been shut out from society only aboutthree days, they had already begun to realize this craving forassociation--this desire to see other people and be conscious of theirexistence.

  After the severe gale through which they had just passed, this sentimentwas stronger than it would have been under other circumstances. Theocean had been lashed into unwonted fury by the mad winds. A fierce galehad been raging for full twenty-four hours, and the tempest wassuggestive of what the sailor dreads most--shipwreck, with its longtrain of disaster--suffering, privation, and death. It was hardlypossible that such a terrible storm had swept the sea without carryingdown some vessels with precious freights of human life.

  The Young America had safely ridden out the gale, for all that human artcould do to make her safe and strong had been done without regard toexpense. No niggardly owners had built her of poor and insufficientmaterial, or sent her to sea weakly manned and with incompetentofficers. The ship was heavily manned; eighteen or twenty men would havebeen deemed a s
ufficient crew to work her; and though her forceconsisted of boys, they would average more than two thirds of the muscleand skill of able-bodied seamen.

  There were other ships abroad on the vast ocean, which could not comparewith her in strength and appointments, and which had not one third ofher working power on board. No ship can absolutely defy the elements,and there is no such thing as absolute safety in a voyage across theocean; but there is far less peril than people who have had noexperience generally suppose. The Cunard steamers have been running morethan a quarter of a century, with the loss of only one ship, and nolives in that one--a triumphant result achieved by strong ships, withcompetent men to manage them. Poorly built ships, short manned, withofficers unfit for their positions, constitute the harvest ofdestruction on the ocean.

  Mr. Lowington believed that the students of the Academy Ship would be assafe on board the Young America as they would on shore. He had taken agreat deal of pains to demonstrate his theory to parents, and though heoften failed, he often succeeded. The Young America had just passedthrough one of the severest gales of the year, and in cruising for thenext three years, she would hardly encounter a more terrific storm. Shehad safely weathered it; the boys had behaved splendidly, and not one ofthem had been lost, or even injured, by the trying exposure. Theprincipal's theory was thus far vindicated.

  The starboard watch piped to breakfast, when the sail was discovered,too far off to make her out. The boys all manifested a deep interest inthe distant wanderer on the tempestuous sea, mingled with a desire toknow how the stranger had weathered the gale. Many of them went up theshrouds into the tops, and the spy-glasses were in great demand.

  "Do you make her out, Captain Gordon?" asked Mr. Fluxion, as he came upfrom his breakfast, and discovered the commander watching the strangerthrough the glass.

  "Yes, sir; I can just make her out now. Her foremast and mainmast havegone by the board, and she has the ensign, union down, hoisted at hermizzen," replied the captain, with no little excitement in his manner.

  "Indeed!" exclaimed the teacher of mathematics, as he took the glass."You are right, Captain Gordon, and you had better keep her away."

  "Shall I speak to Mr. Lowington first, sir?" asked the captain.

  "I think there is no need of it in the present instance. There can beno doubt what he will do when a ship is in distress."

  "Mr. Kendall, keep her away two points," said the captain to the officerof the deck. "What is the ship's course now?"

  "East-south-east, sir," replied the second lieutenant, who had the deck.

  "Make it south-east."

  "South-east, sir," repeated Kendall. "Quartermaster keep her away twopoints," he added to the petty officer conning the wheel.

  "Two points, sir," said Bennington, the quartermaster

  "Make the course south-east."

  "South-east, sir."

  After all these repetitions it was not likely that any mistake wouldoccur; and the discipline of the ship required every officer and seamanwho received a material order, especially in regard to the helm or thecourse, to repeat it, and thus make sure that it was not misunderstood.

  It was Sunday; and no study was required, or work performed, except thenecessary ship's duty. Morning prayers had been said, as usual, andthere was to be divine service in the steerage, forenoon and afternoon,for all who could possibly attend; and this rule excepted none but thewatch on deck. By this system, the quarter watch on duty in theforenoon, attended in the afternoon; those who were absent at morningprayers were always present at the evening devotions; and blow high orblow low, the brief matin and vesper service were never omitted, foryoung men in the midst of the sublimity and the terrors of the oceancould least afford to be without the daily thought of God, "who plantshis footsteps in the sea, and rides upon the storm."

  Every man and boy in the ship was watching the speck on the waterywaste, which the glass had revealed to be a dismasted, and perhapssinking ship. The incident created an intense interest, and wascalculated to bring out the finer feelings of the students. They werefull of sympathy for her people, and the cultivation of noble andunselfish sentiments, which the occasion had already called forth, andwas likely to call forth in a still greater degree, was worth the voyageover the ocean; for there are impressions to be awakened by such a scenewhich can be garnered in no other field.