Breaking Away; or, The Fortunes of a Student

by Oliver Optic

  CHAPTER XX.

  IN WHICH ERNEST TAKES THE WHEEL OF THE ADIENO.

  We watched with intense interest the proceedings of the men who cameoff in the steamer. After the exhibition of meanness on the part ofMr. Parasyte, it seemed that the rebellion was more serious than anyof us had supposed. We made up our minds, with Bob Hale, that it wouldbe impossible for us ever to be reconciled to him again. We felt asthough the Rubicon had been passed, and what had commenced as a merefrolic was likely to end as a very grave affair. Though the boystalked solemnly at first about their rights, and had "struck" tovindicate a principle, they had no idea of the seriousness of theirproceedings.

  I shall not pretend to justify all that was done by our boys, or evento acknowledge that "breaking away," under any circumstances, isjustifiable; but I do say, that such a man as the principal of theParkville Liberal Institute was not a fit person to instruct anddiscipline young men. He was grossly unjust and partial; he was atyrant at heart, though for policy's sake he veiled his purposes; hewas low-minded and narrow in his views; and I am happy to say that hewas not a fair specimen of the teachers of our land.

  If the boys were wrong, he was so to a much greater degree, and hisposition and his influence made him responsible for the mischief hehad driven the boys to perpetrate. It would have been better for them,as a body, to submit until redress could be obtained in a betterway--as by the circular addressed to their parents, which was eventhen in the hands of the printer. I palliate, I do not justify, theconduct of the students.

  Matters had begun to assume a graver aspect. Mr. Parasyte had comewith a steamer, and with about a dozen men, as nearly as we couldjudge, to accomplish some purpose not yet apparent to us. We werecurious to know whether we were to be driven like sheep on board ofthe Adieno, or whether our persecutor intended to resort to strategy.He had sent off his toadies to take our boats away; but he had startedthem while we were upon Cleaver Island, and before we had laid in ourstock of provisions. This plan had failed. We were not long left indoubt.

  Mr. Parasyte stepped on shore, followed by nine men, and then by theten deserters from our camp. The men had sticks, bits of rope, andother articles in their hands. This looked like force, and we couldnot help glancing anxiously at Vallington, to ascertain, if we might,whether he intended to fight or to run away. We had no clubs or otherweapons, but the pile of sticks which we had gathered for fuel wasnear. I saw the general glance at it; but I concluded that he did notintend to give battle, unless it was in self-defence.

  As soon as the party under the lead of Mr. Parasyte had landed, theman who was left on board as boat-keeper hauled in the plank, by Mr.Parasyte's order, apparently to prevent the students from going on herdeck. I could not but smile at this precaution, for the Adieno lay insuch a position that the removal of the plank was no hinderance toagile boys like the students, and we could go on board when we chose.

  Vallington stood on a stump near the path leading from the pier to theinterior of the island, and his forces were gathered behind him,leaving the road open for the passage of the invaders.

  Mr. Parasyte marched solemnly up the path, closely followed by the menand boys of his party. He looked uglier than I had ever seen him lookbefore. By this time he must have been convinced that the Institutewas ruined; that such a host of rebels could never be reduced tosubjection; and he appeared to be acting out of the malice of hisheart. But even then something was due to appearances, and he haltedopposite the stump on which our general stood.

  "Vallington!" said he, sharply and crustily.

  "Sir."

  "If you choose to go on board of that steamer, return to theInstitute, and submit to the punishment you deserve, it is not toolate for you to do so," continued Mr. Parasyte.

  "Do you allude to me alone?"

  "To all of you. I understand you to speak for the whole party."

  "We shall be happy to do so," replied our general; and I am sure hespoke the sentiment of all the students.

  "I am glad to see you are returning to reason," added the principal;but there was a look upon his face which showed how much pleasure heexpected to derive from the proposed punishment.

  "May I ask whether we are to be punished equally?" asked Vallington.

  "You are to be punished in proportion to your offences--theringleaders more, of course, than those who were simply led away bythe influence of their leaders."

  "And we are to be punished only for this breaking away?"

  Mr. Parasyte bit his lips. It is possible he had a hope of restoringthe Institute to its former condition.

  "I don't understand you," said he.

  "Is Thornton to be regarded as guilty only of breaking away, with therest of us?"

  "Thornton's affair is to be settled by itself," replied Mr. Parasyte.

  "Then I have nothing more to say, sir," added Vallington, withbecoming dignity.

  I interposed, and begged him not to consider me, but to make terms ifhe could, and permit me to settle my own affair. Bob Hale and Tom Rushprotested; but no protest was needed to keep Vallington true to hispurpose.

  "You reject my terms, Vallington," said Mr. Parasyte.

  "I do, sir."

  "I wish to do what I can to end this unhappy disturbance, and I amwilling to say that the punishment shall be very mild--if you willreturn to your duty."

  "You have treated one of our number with shameful injustice, Mr.Parasyte. We can prove, and have proved, that he was not guilty of thecharge brought against him. If you will do him justice, and throughhim all the rest of us, we will submit to such punishment as you thinkproper for breaking away."

  "Thornton!" exclaimed Mr. Parasyte, with a malignant sneer. "Do youexpect me to receive the forced confession of Poodles and Pearl?"

  "The confession was not forced, sir."

  "Come here, Poodles," said the principal, sharply.

  Poodles stepped forward.

  "Did you make this confession?" demanded Mr. Parasyte, sternly.

  "I did--but I was afraid the fellows would kill me if I didn't do it,"whined the toady.

  "Do you hear that?"

  "I hear it, and do not wonder at anything he says," repliedVallington.

  Pearl told the same story; but our general protested that nocompulsion had been used by the students; that two boys who werecharged with deception were not to be believed in preference to eightyothers. Vallington proposed that the case should be heard over again,and Poodles required to perform the examples. The principal wasindignant, and refused all compromise.

  "Thornton is not only guilty, but this very day he attempted to drownme in the lake," said he. "Do you think I can forgive him, without--"

  "We don't ask you to forgive him, and he does not ask it. We only wishyou to give him a fair trial."

  "I will hear no more about it!" replied Mr. Parasyte, impatiently."Will you return or not?"

  "We will not."

  "Very well. I wish every one here to understand that I have given youan opportunity to return to your duty. You will not, and theconsequences be upon yourselves."

  Mr. Parasyte walked up the path, followed by his party. As Pearl andPoodles passed us, a suggestion was made that we seize upon them, andpunish them for the falsehoods they had uttered, and the meanness ofwhich they had been guilty; but this proposition was promptlynegatived by Vallington. We wondered what the invaders intended to do,and whether our general purposed to let them proceed withoutopposition. He stood calm and apparently unmoved on the stump,watching the enemy.

  The principal halted his forces at the point where our provisions andcooking utensils were kept. Every eatable, and every utensil, even tothe wooden forks and spoons we had made, were seized and conveyed tothe steamer. It was now clear that the enemy did not mean to useforce, unless we attacked them. Mr. Parasyte intended to deprive us ofour food, and starve us into subjection. But he was not satisfied yet;and when his party had deposited their burden on the deck of thesteamer, and the plank had again been hauled in, he marched th
em by usonce more.

  "We shall soon see how long you will be willing to stay here," saidour tyrant, as he walked by the stump. "As Thornton said to the man incharge of the boats at Cannondale, this morning, I suppose I have aright to my own property, wherever I find it."

  "We paid for the provisions with our own money," replied Vallington.

  Mr. Parasyte made no reply, but continued on his way up the hilltowards the tents. These also he meant to take from us; and then, orin the course of the day, he probably expected us to surrender,without conditions. The prospect did not look pleasant, for we were tobe without food or shelter on the island. I was thinking how to savethe Splash from capture, and I was about to suggest to Vallington thatit would be better for me to put off in her, when our general spokefor himself.

  The invaders were busily employed in striking the tents, and rollingup the canvas, about forty rods from where we stood. In a few momentsthey would be ready to put them on board of the steamer.

  "Fellows," said Vallington, in a low and decided tone, "our time hascome! We will take possession of that steamer. I have no idea of beingstarved into subjection. When I give the word, rush on board the bestway you can."

  "There's a man on her deck," said one of the boys; and we were allappalled at the boldness of the venture.

  "Never mind him. Commodore Thornton, you will go to the wheel-house atonce, and take the helm."

  "Who will be engineer?" asked Tom Rush.

  "I will be that myself. Bob Hale, you will run the Splash out fromthe shore, and come on board when we are clear of the pier; take twogood fellows with you. Are you all ready?"

  "All ready!" replied the boys; and the voices of some trembled.

  "Forward then!" shouted Vallington; and he leaped from the stump, andran down to the wharf, followed by the whole company.

  Bob Hale got into the Splash with two boys, and pushed her off. Therest of us leaped over the bulwarks, scrambled up to the hurricanedeck, or rushed in at the gangway. Vallington cast off the bow-linehimself, just as I reached the wheel-house.

  "Back her!" I shouted; and the word was passed through the boys toVallington, who had now gone to the engine-room.

  We were not a moment too quick, for just as the steamer began to backfrom the pier, the invaders, laden with canvas and poles, appeared onthe wharf.

  THE CAPTURE OF THE ADIENO.--Page 232.]