Academy Boys in Camp
Page 5
*CHAPTER V.*
*THE SWIMMING-POOL.*
No bell was needed to awaken the boys in the morning; and one tent afteranother was thrown open to the breeze as the boys in undress ran downthe beach for a plunge.
"Colder than Greenland's icy mountains," shouted Joe, as he met some ofthe boys on their way to the water when he was returning to his tent.
"Yes, colder than the north-east side of the pole," added David, whofollowed close behind.
"But jump in all of a sudden and it isn't bad," continued Joe.
The boys returned one after another, racing and jumping and exclaimingover their icy bath; and presently all were rosy and glowing with theexercise, ready for anything in the line of work or fun.
They found it hard to calm down at once, as they gathered in Mr.Bernard's tent for morning prayers; but at the first quiet reminder ofthe teacher the boys ceased their joking and listened to the Scripturereading and the fervent prayer that they all might be helped to livenoble, Christian lives. He asked that they might not be contented to gothrough life selfishly, seeking only their own comfort and happiness;but that they might watch for opportunities to be helpful to others, andthat they might be kept from all meanness of word or act.
When they came from the tent the savoury odour of breakfast was waftedto them from the cook-tent.
Jonas and Freitag had been fishing off the point as soon as daylight,and now the victims of their hooks--only an hour ago swimming in thebroad ocean--were served up on tin trenchers, set at intervals along thetable.
John and Jerry arrived in time to furnish the milk for the coffee, androom was made for them at the table, although they had already eatenbreakfast.
During the meal the boys were discussing plans for the day, and probablythe fishermen in their vessels a mile away heard the noise, and wonderedat the babel of voices sounding across the waters.
The archery club announced that they intended to set up their targets inthe pasture and practise.
The rifle club were asking permission to use their rifles in the woods,knowing that they were only to do so under the supervision of one of theteachers.
Some wanted to fish, and were discussing the relative advantages of thedifferent shores of the island.
"If you want rock-cod I'd advise ye to go out on the point that juts outalongside the beach," said Jonas, throwing in a suggestion as he broughta fresh supply of bread.
"I am going to hunt for crystal quartz; who wants to go with me? Ifound quite a lump yesterday. See here," and little Fred Wurdendisplayed his treasure.
"My! where did you find that?"
"Oh, I've seen plenty of that! I know where there's plenty of it--a bighole in the rocks, where them shiny things are all hanging down!" saidJohn, the light-keeper's son, with shining eyes.
"Where?"--"Show us!" cried a number of voices; and even Mr. Andrews madeinquiries, and said he would go to the place after breakfast.
"As soon as the tide is right, I move we have a swimming match," saidJoe Chester.
"When _will_ the tide be right, I'd like to know?" asked Dave.
"It is on the ebb now, and by the time our breakfast is done it will bequite low," said another grumblingly.
"Don't you worry; there's water enough in the ocean for you to swim in,if the tide is down!" said Jonas. "Yes, water enough, forty fathomsdeep!"
Jonas shook his head knowingly.
"I've been out on the point more than once, and sometimes the water isstill, and I can see bottom. I sounded with that long fishin'-rod o'mine, and, allowing for the tide, I reckoned there must be about as nicea pool left there at low tide as you'd want to see."
"Good!"--"Good for you, Jonas."
"Mr. Bernard, did you hear Jonas?" asked Joe.
"I think I heard, but there are so many talking at once I am not sure.If it is about a swimming-place, I assure you I will investigate thematter this morning, and find a safe place for you to go."
"Thank you, sir," answered Joe for himself and the others.
"I shall stretch ropes across, showing how far I am willing you shouldgo out; and I expect you to obey me strictly. You know we have promisedyour parents to run no risk. We have camped out three summers, and havenever met with an accident; and I sincerely trust our record may not bechanged through any carelessness of ours."
The boys agreed to follow his wishes in every particular.
Then, having finished their breakfast, they scattered about the island,some going to the rocks to fish, some to pick berries, and others topractise with bows or rifles.
Mr. Bernard and two other teachers went to the beach with drills, ironstaples, cement, and ropes, to make the bath-beach as safe as possible.
As it was ebb-tide, it was easy to see by the wet sea-weed on the sidesof the little cove the height of the water when the tide was in; sothere was no delay in locating the position of the first rope to be usedat high-water.
Holes were drilled in the rocks, and strong iron staples cemented in, inwhich the rope was fastened.
After that was accomplished they sat on the rocks and watched the sea,or read until the tide was at its lowest, and the boys began to gatheraround, anxiously questioning whether there was "a chance yet."
"That looks like a first-rate swimming-pool, Mr. Bernard, just as Jonassaid," remarked Joe, coming to stand by his favourite teacher.
"So it does, Joe; but wait till I make sure. The water is much deeperthan it looks. I will get my bathing-suit and try."
"Hurrah! be all ready, boys; Mr. Bernard is going to try the water."
Led by Joe, the crowd scampered away for their trunks, and returnedbefore Mr. Bernard appeared.
He came at length from the bath-tent, and went down into the water amidthe cheers of the boys; and probably their applause prevented a hastyretreat when he learned from experience the temperature of the water.
"I am not taking this plunge for my own pleasure, boys!" he said,shivering and laughing. "I hope you will appreciate the act, for I am amartyr in your behalf."
The first six or eight feet from the edge sloped gradually from one tothree feet in depth; beyond that the water deepened rapidly until he wasfloated from his feet and forced to swim; but everywhere the gravellybottom could be seen, and he was sure there were no treacherous holes totrap the unskilful.
"Is it all right, Mr. Bernard?" asked Joe, standing on the rocks andswinging his arms, impatient for the leap.
"Yes, I think it is."
"May I come?" and Joe's body was thrown into a diving position.
"Any of you who are accustomed to dive may come here. The others mustcome in by the beach, where the water is shallower."
Before he had finished the sentence, some dozen boys dropped or divedinto the pool, and presently he found himself surrounded by a circle ofseal-like heads as the young swimmers came to the surface one afteranother.
"It is too cold for me," he said, as the boys challenged him to swim amatch. "I must get dressed and warmed.--Mr. Andrews, look out for theboys. I will send Freitag and Jonas to drill the rocks for the otherstaples," and Mr. Bernard hastened away, inwardly determined that he hadtaken his last plunge in that pool. The more timid boys and those whocould not swim at all stood at the edge, thrusting in a foot, and thendancing and shrieking at the cold.
John and Jerry stood looking on in open-mouthed amazement or admiration,Joe could not decide which.
"I promised to teach you to swim, didn't I?" cried Joe, coming throughthe water towards them, grasshopper fashion.
"But you needn't," said both boys retreating, as if fearing that hewould seize them and force them in.
"But it's fun!"
John shrugged his shoulders.
Joe swam to and fro with his mouth open at the surface of the water, andblowing like a young sea-lion; then suddenly, to the horror of the twobrothers, he disappeared beneath the waves.
"Oh, he's drowned!" shrieked both boys.
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No one paid any attention to their cry, and John fairly danced into thewater in his fright.
"He's gone under! can't somebody get him?"
"Who?" asked one of the swimmers, looking around.
"Why, that boy Joe. I saw him go under!"
"Oh ho, Joe Chester! You couldn't drown him if you should try. Therehe is away over there by the rocks. He's a regular water-rat."
And the speaker disappeared under the waves himself.
"I mean to learn to do that myself, Jerry," said John in a confidentialtone.
Jerry nodded, as if to say, "So will I."
It seemed to the boys that they had hardly got into the spirit of thesport, before Mr. Andrews, with watch in hand, shouted, "Time's up,boys!"
"Oh no," groaned the swimmers. "Give us one more dive!"
"Well, one dive, and then you must come out."
The boys swam to the rocks, climbed up like dripping monkeys, and in aminute the pool was full of eddies where the divers had gone down.
As they came to the surface, Mr. Andrews shouted again, "Come; time'sup!"
As soon as his words were spoken every head disappeared, and it wasuseless to call them again until they were obliged to come up for air.
"Come on, boys; we agreed to mind!" said Joe. "Let's go ashore;" andfollowing his own advice, he swam in, and ran up the beach to thebath-tent, followed by his companions, all giving whoops and cries, tohelp to warm them, they said.