Breaking Away; or, The Fortunes of a Student

by Oliver Optic

  CHAPTER XXIII.

  IN WHICH ERNEST TAKES COMMAND OF THE EXPEDITION.

  It was useless for me to remain any longer in the wheel-house, and Idescended by the forward ladder to the deck. I was indignant, but Iwas determined to "face the music." The best of friends are liable to"fall out" at times, and no better than Vallington and myself had everexisted. He was burdened by the responsibility of the position he hadassumed, and perhaps did not feel just right about the course he hadtaken. These things may have made him irritable. Though I had neverbefore known him to be unkind or uncourteous, he had certainly"pitched into me," on the present occasion, in a manner which myself-respect would not permit me to endure.

  I had been acting, in charge of the wheel, to the best of my ability;and I was perfectly confident that nothing would have gone wrong withthe steamer if the engineer had not stopped the wheels. However I felton the general question of duty, I was quite satisfied that I had beenfaithful to the interests of the expedition upon which we hadembarked; and I could not bear to be "snapped up," and treated like aninferior in knowledge and skill, even by my chosen leader. I was"chief of navigation," at least; and I felt that the general hadinterfered with my part of the work. He accused me of causing themischief, when he had been the author of it himself; and this was soplain to me that I could not help resenting it.

  Very likely my face was flushed with anger and excitement when Iconfronted Vallington on the forward deck. If it was, his was not lessso, and there was a lively prospect of a "family quarrel." With mystrong consciousness that I had done right, or, at least, intended todo right, so far as our expedition was concerned, I could haveafforded to refrain from heated expressions; and it would have beenbetter if I had done so. It is no reason, because one person getsmad, that another should. It is more dignified, manly, and Christianfor one always to control his temper. Let the truth be spokenforcibly, if need be, but kindly.

  "We are in for a pretty scrape now," said Vallington, sternly andangrily, as I walked up to him.

  "It isn't my fault if we are," I answered, sharply.

  "Why do you say it isn't your fault, Thornton? Didn't you pilot thesteamer into this hole?"

  "I didn't pilot her aground. When you stopped her there were two orthree feet of water under her keel."

  "What did you bring her in here for? If I hadn't stopped her when Idid, you would have smashed her up."

  "Perhaps I should," I answered with a sneer, when I found it wasimpossible to make any headway against the general's unreasonablespeech.

  "You were going at full speed; and it is lucky I happened to see theshore and stop her when I did."

  "I have nothing more to say," I replied, seating myself on the rail ofthe steamer.

  "I don't think there is much more to be said. Here we are, hardaground; and anybody that has a mind to come after us can take us."

  I made no reply. Vallington went to the gangway and looked over intothe shallow water. Then he walked over to the other side, and I had nodoubt our situation looked hopeless to him. After he had walked abouta while, his anger abated; and perhaps he was conscious that he hadbeen too fast in expressing himself.

  "What's to be done? That's the next question," said he.

  "I suppose nothing can be done," replied Tom Rush, who was moredisappointed than any other fellow on board. "They say the Championwill be down after us this afternoon. Perhaps she will drag us off,and then our tyrants will treat us as they think proper."

  "You needn't disturb yourselves about the Champion," I interposed."She can't come within half a mile of us at least."

  "Is that so?"

  "That is so."

  "It doesn't make much difference whether she can or not. We must stayhere till some one helps us out of the scrape," added Vallington. "Itwas stupid to come in here."

  "I don't think so," said Bob Hale, decidedly.

  "Here we are aground, anyhow."

  "Harry," continued Bob, gently and kindly, "I think Ernest was rightin what he said. If you hadn't stopped the engine, we should have gonethrough well enough."

  Vallington bit his lips, and he and Bob walked aft together. They wereabsent a few moments; and when he returned, the general's face wore adifferent expression.

  "Thornton, I acknowledge that I was wrong," said he, extending hishand to me.

  The boys standing around us immediately began to clap their hands intoken of their satisfaction. In matters of navigation they were morewilling to believe in me than in Vallington; and probably most of themwere satisfied that I had been in the right.

  "Don't say another word," I replied, jumping down from my seat, andgrasping his offered hand.

  "You will excuse my hasty language," he continued.

  "Certainly; and I ask the same favor of you," I replied.

  "I irritated you, commodore, by my unreasonable words, and I amwilling to bear all the blame."

  "You don't deserve it all."

  If Vallington had been less noble and manly, we might have had a badquarrel; as it was, our differences were promptly healed.

  "Now, what's to be done, commodore?" the general proceeded. "I havegot you into the scrape; but I hope you will be able to get out ofit."

  "I think I shall," I replied, confidently.

  "They say we are to be chased by the Champion this afternoon; but justnow we don't seem to be in condition to be chased even by a scow."

  "We are not very hard aground; we only drifted on the shoal bottom;and if I mistake not, we can work her off. So far as the Champion isconcerned, I am satisfied she will be after us as soon as she haslanded her passengers at Parkville; but that will not be for a coupleof hours yet."

  "Then you really expect her."

  "I certainly do; and when we float again, I don't care how soon shecomes. I came into this place, which you call a hole, general, simplyto get ready for the Champion; for she draws too much water to passthrough this channel."

  "Well, that's a double proof that I have wronged you, and I am all themore sorry for my unkindness."

  "Don't mention that again, Vallington," I replied, touched by hismagnanimity.

  "Fellows," said Vallington, turning to the boys, "I resign mycommission as general-in-chief of this expedition."

  "No, no!" shouted the students.

  "We are on the water now, and it is more proper that the commodoreshould have the entire command. When we are on shore again, I willresume my office. I will obey all the commodore's orders now, and therest of you will do the same."

  I protested, but the general insisted. We finally agreed to theproposition, and for the time I became the commander of theexpedition. Our first business was to float the steamer. Vallingtonwent back to the engine-room, and I resumed my place at the wheel. Irang to back her, and the paddles slapped the water furiously for atime, but without producing any effect. The steamer had taken theground harder than I supposed. She had run her bow upon the gradualslope of the bottom till the wheels were powerless to move her.

  The boys looked at one another in blank dismay, and seemed to feeljust as though the enemy were to "bag" them, as a sportsman does thegame he has brought down. I did not despair yet. From the wheel-houseI had surveyed the surroundings, and a plan had occurred to me bywhich I hoped to work the Adieno out of her uncomfortable position.

  "No go," said Vallington, as we met together on the main deck.

  "Not yet; but we won't give it up. The bow had dug into the bottommore than I supposed. We must carry a line ashore, and make fast toone of those trees; then I think we can pull her off."

  Bob Hale, with two others, was sent ashore on the North Sister in theSplash, carrying the end of a long rope. When he had secured it to alarge tree on the shore, I took the other end, the line passingthrough a round hawse-hole forward, and conveyed it aft to the shaft.After winding it four or five times round the shaft, I told the boysto haul it taut; and about twenty of them laid hold of the rope to"take in the slack," if we were fortunate enough to obtain any.


  "Bully for you," said Vallington, as he comprehended my arrangement.

  "If the rope don't break, something will come," I replied.

  I had been obliged to join several ropes, in order to form one longenough; but having carefully avoided "granny knots," I hoped it wouldhold. The bearing of the line was at the hawse-hole, near the bow ofthe boat; and as the power was applied to the rope by turning thewheel and shaft, the tendency was to haul the forward end of the boatoff the ground into the deeper water.

  "All ready now, Vallington," I continued, when the preparations werecompleted. "Back her slowly."

  He started the engine, as I directed.

  "Haul taut on that rope!" I shouted to the boys at the line.

  The wheels turned, and the shaft revolved. The rope groaned andstrained.

  "Stop her!" I added to the engineer, afraid to risk the strain. "Runaft the chain-box."

  My orders were obeyed; and as the boat floated at her stern, theweight of the chain-box was sensibly felt.

  "Back her slowly again," I continued.

  Again the rope groaned and strained as though too much was expected ofit.

  "She starts!" cried the boys forward. "She is coming off!"

  I heard the keel scraping upon the bottom; and as the rope wound up,the Adieno slid off into the deep water.

  "Hurrah!" shouted the boys.

  "Let go the rope!" I called to the boys aft. "Stop her, Vallington."

  I hastened up to the wheel-house, the better to work her. I found shelay in good position to go ahead, and I shouted to Bob Hale to castoff the rope from the tree, directing the boys on the forward deck tohaul it on board. I rang one bell, and the boat moved ahead slowlytowards the wood pier. The boys cheered lustily, and were overjoyed atour good fortune in getting out of the scrape. In a few moments I ranthe bow of the steamer up to the pier, and she was made fast to thering.

  "Now we are all hunky-dory," said Tom Rush, who was rather given to"expressions," and who was overjoyed to find there was still a chancefor an excitement.

  "Not quite," I added.

  "What's the matter now?"

  "We want some dinner."

  "You shall have it in half an hour."

  And while Tom was superintending the cooking, Vallington, Bob Hale,and myself had a consultation in the wheel-house.