Breaking Away; or, The Fortunes of a Student

by Oliver Optic

  CHAPTER XIII.

  IN WHICH ERNEST IS CHOSEN COMMODORE OF THE FLEET.

  The procession of boats went off in good style, after the line wasstraightened; but the flat-boat was large and heavy, and it required ahard pull to put her in motion. The boys rowed well, and the wind wasfresh enough to enable the Splash to do her full share of the work.The distance from the Institute to the island was two miles and ahalf, and at the rate we moved, I calculated that it would take nearlytwo hours to accomplish the voyage.

  The movements of the students had been so sudden and so well arranged,that if any one saw them, there was not time to interfere before theboats were off. When the scow was fairly in motion, I saw Mr. Gaule,one of the teachers, and the two laborers on the estate, rushing downto the pier, apparently intent upon doing something.

  "Come back, boys!" shouted Mr. Gaule.

  No one made any reply, or took any notice of him.

  "Come back, I say!" he cried again, but with no better result thanbefore.

  I was very glad that none of the boys made any insulting replies. Theywere as silent and dignified as so many judges. We all knew very wellthat Mr. Gaule had not force enough to attempt anything, and we didnot expect to be molested until the return of Mr. Parasyte.

  In something less than the two hours I had allowed for the passage,the procession of boats reached Cleaver Island. I was perfectlyfamiliar with every foot of the shore, and I decided that the landingshould be effected on the western side, at a point of land whichextended out a short distance into the lake. The rowers landed andcarried the painter of the scow on shore, by which they pulled theclumsy craft up to the bank.

  The tents, cooking utensils, and other camp furniture, were landed andconveyed to the high ground in the southerly portion of the island. Assoon as this work was done, Henry Vallington intimated that he wishedall the boys to assemble near the point, for a "powwow," to consultupon the state of affairs. The word was passed from mouth to mouth,till all the rebels had gathered at the appointed place.

  "Now, fellows, we want to make arrangements for doing this business ingood order. When Mr. Parasyte gets back to the Institute, and findsthat we are gone, he will not be likely to take it as quietly as hehas all day. Our breaking away has really broken up the ParkvilleLiberal Institute, and I shouldn't be surprised if its principal tooksome decided steps. I haven't any idea what he will do, but in myopinion he will do something."

  "What can he do?" asked Tom Rush.

  "He can do a great many things, and especially a great many foolishthings. I suppose, when we come down to the niceties of the matter, wehadn't any right to take the boats or the tents. In fact, Mr. Parasytestands _in loco parentis_ to us."

  "In what?" asked one of the boys who did not study Latin.

  "In the place of our parents; and therefore has authority to doanything which parents might do. I can't help saying that I have norespect for Mr. Parasyte; that I despise him from the bottom of myheart. He knows, just as well as we do, that Bill Poodles made thetrouble yesterday, and he persists in punishing Thornton for it. Forsuch a man I can have no respect."

  "So say we all!" shouted the boys.

  "There is no safety for any of us, if we permit such injustice. He maytake a miff at any of us any time. I hope that something good willcome out of this scrape; and I think that something will."

  I learned then, for the first time, that Vallington had drawn up apaper, setting forth the grievances of the students, in which severalinstances of Mr. Parasyte's injustice and partiality were related, andconcluding with a full history of the affair between Poodles andmyself. This paper had been signed by eighty-one of the students, andthe publisher of the Parkville Standard had engaged to print it on aletter sheet, to be sent to the parents of the rebel scholars.

  "Mr. Hardy has been discharged. He was the best man in theInstitute--just and fair. I don't know anything about it; but I amsatisfied that he was sent away because he condemned Mr. Parasyte'streatment of Thornton."

  "That was the reason," added Bob Hale. "Mr. Hardy saw Ernest lastnight, after the row in the office."

  "I think we have the right of the case," continued Vallington, "thoughI suppose we are wrong in breaking away; but, for one, I won't see afellow like Ernest Thornton browbeaten, and flogged, and ground down.If Mr. Parasyte wants to grind down one, he must grind down thewhole."

  "I am very much obliged to you," I interposed; "but I want you tounderstand that I don't ask any one to get himself into a scrape forme."

  "When we protect you, Thornton, we protect ourselves. Your cause isour own. We won't say anything more about that matter. We are here nowin a state of rebellion, and we must make the best of our situation.When Mr. Parasyte will give us fair play, we will return to theInstitute."

  "We will," replied some of the boys; but I am free to say that theyhoped he would not give them fair play until they had spent a week ormore in camp.

  "Now, fellows, we will see how we stand, and make arrangements for thefuture. We have boats and tents, and these are about all we have. Wehave provisions enough for supper and breakfast. We must get a supplyof eatables to-night or in the morning. It will require money, but Isuppose all of you have some; at any rate, I told you to bring yourmoney with you, if you had any."

  Most of the boys had some funds, which had been saved from theirpocket money for a Fourth of July Celebration, planned months before.

  "We need some officers, and as I don't believe in one-man power, Ishall ask you to elect them. Please to nominate a treasurer."

  "George Weston!" shouted one of the students.

  "George Weston is nominated. All in favor of his election willmanifest it by raising the right hand."

  It was a unanimous vote, and the nominee was declared elected.

  "Now we want to raise the money, we need to buy provisions, fairly. Ifany one will make a motion, it will be in order," added the chairman.

  The Parkville Debating Society, an association connected with theInstitute, had fully educated the students in parliamentary forms, andthey were entirely "at home" in the business before them.

  "I move you, Mr. Chairman, that each fellow be assessed fifty centsfor expenses," said one of the students.

  The motion was put and carried; and after Fred Mason had been electedclerk, the treasurer was instructed to collect the assessmentsforthwith. The next business was the selection of a commissary, andTom Rush was chosen to this important office.

  "Mr. Chairman, I nominate Ernest Thornton for commodore of oursquadron," said Bob Hale; and, though the nomination created somemerriment, on account of the high-sounding title of the officer, thevote was unanimous.

  "I accept, Mr. Chairman; but I should prefer to be called simply theboatman," I replied.

  "That won't do!" exclaimed Bob. "Ernest is to have charge of all theboats, including the scow, and I am in favor of calling himcommodore."

  "We won't dispute about titles," laughed Vallington; "but the boatsare all under Thornton's charge. I advise the commissary to consultwith the commodore, immediately, in regard to procuring a supply ofprovisions for the company."

  The rest of the business was soon completed. As an indication of thespirit of the boys, it was voted that the place should be called "CampFair Play." Vallington announced that six boys should be chosen eachday to do the cooking and serve out the provision; that a watch shouldbe kept around the camp night and day, to prevent a surprise from Mr.Parasyte and his forces; and that all work should be fairly dividedamong the students, with the exception of those who had been electedto offices. The boys then separated; and those who had been detailedto pitch the tents commenced their work.

  "Commodore," said Tom Rush, laughing at the title.

  "Mr. Commissary," I replied.

  "Good! We are even, except that you are a bigger officer than I am."

  "What can I do for you?"

  "About the provisions--how shall we get them?"

  "In the boats, of course," I replied.

/>   "Do you think it will be quite safe for us to go back to Parkville?"

  "We won't go there. It is only about six miles to Cannondale, on theother side of the lake. I think we had better go to-night, for wedon't know what will happen to-morrow."

  "That's a capital idea! I was thinking how awkward it would be toanswer the questions that would be asked of us in Parkville. To-nightit is. How many of us shall go?"

  "Only you and I. The Splash will carry a good load. What are you goingto buy?"

  "We must live cheap," replied the commissary.

  "I think we will bring off hams, potatoes, and bread or crackers."

  "Those will be good feed. I advise you to make out a list of what youwill want."

  "I will do so."

  "But we need not buy everything we want. The lake is full of fish, andI know just where to catch them."

  "That's first rate," added Tom, with enthusiasm. "But it will take aheap of fish to feed all the fellows."

  "I have caught a boat-load of lake bass and salmon trout in a day. Iwill agree to catch fish enough to feed the crowd for a week. But thefellows will want something besides fish to eat. Potatoes are cheap,and so are pork and bacon."

  "When shall we start?"

  "The sooner we go the better. We have no time to spare. There is agood wind now, and we may not have it much longer. I will land you atCannondale in an hour; and if the breeze holds, we shall return bynine o'clock."

  Tom Rush went to the treasurer to procure the funds he had collected,and hastened down to the Splash; but before the commissary joined me,a messenger came from Vallington to inform me that the lookouts on thebluff at the southerly end of the island had discovered a boat pullingtowards the camp. I had a small spy-glass in one of the lockers of theSplash, with which I repaired to the bluff, to ascertain who theintended visitors could be.

  "I suppose that boat bodes trouble to the camp," said the leader.

  "I think it does, for it contains Mr. Parasyte and Deputy SheriffGreene," I replied, after examining the boat through the glass.