by Oliver Optic
CHAPTER IV.
OFFICERS AND SEAMEN.
After dinner the organization of the crew was continued. All hands were"piped to muster," and by this time most of those who had beendisaffected at the drawing of berths had recovered their naturalequanimity, and all were intensely interested in the arrangement of thedetails. None of the boys knew what was coming, and their curiosity keptthem in a continuous state of excitement.
"All who have drawn even numbers will take the starboard side of theship," said Mr. Lowington from his perch on the hatch. "All who havedrawn odd numbers will take the port side."
"This is the starboard side, my lads," added Mr. Fluxion, the instructorin mathematics--who, like the principal, had been a naval officer,--ashe pointed to the right, looking forward.
Some had already forgotten their numbers, and there was considerableconfusion before the order could be obeyed.
"Young gentlemen, the books will be opened to-day; and a student whoforgets his number again will lose a mark," said Mr. Lowington. "Arethey all in their places, Mr. Fluxion?"
"They are, sir," replied the instructor, who had just counted them.
"Young gentlemen, you are thus divided into two equal parts--thestarboard and the port watches. Now form a straight line, toe the crack,and call your numbers in order, beginning with the starboard watch."
The boys eagerly followed this direction, though some assistance wasrequired from the instructors in repressing their superfluousenthusiasm.
"Very well," continued Mr. Lowington, when the students were formed intwo lines. "Every boy in the starboard watch whose number is divisibleby four, step forward one pace. Number three in the port watch, do thesame. Mr. Mapps, oblige me by seeing that every alternate boy in theline steps forward."
"The line is formed, sir," replied the instructor, when he had carriedout the direction of the principal.
"Each watch is now divided into two parts--the first and second parts,as they will be called. Now, young gentlemen, the clothing will bedistributed, and each student will put on his uniform at once."
The four lines were then marched down into the steerage, each under thecharge of an instructor, to a particular locality, where the headsteward and his assistants had deposited the clothing for each watch andquarter watch. The uniform consisted of blue seaman's pants and a heavyflannel shirt or frock, such as is worn in the United States navy. Toeach student the following articles were served out:--
1 pea-jacket.1 blue cloth jacket.1 pair blue cloth pants.1 pair blue satinet pants.1 blue cap.1 straw hat, of coarse, sewed straw.1 Panama hat, bound.2 knit woollen shirts.2 pair knit woollen drawers.2 white frocks.2 pair white duck pants.4 pair socks.2 pair shoes.2 black silk neck-handkerchiefs.
These articles were given to the boys, and they were required to put onthe every-day uniform; after which they were directed to arrange therest of the clothing in the lockers belonging to them. The contractorwho had furnished the goods was present with four tailors, to attend tothe fitting of the clothes, which were all numbered according to thesize. In a short time the students began to come out of their rooms,clothed in their new rig. They looked intensely "salt," and there was noend to the jokes and smart things that were said on this interestingoccasion. Even Shuffles hardly knew himself in his new dress.
The frock had a broad rolling collar, in each corner of which was workedan anchor in white. The black silk neck-handkerchief was worn under thecollar, and not many of the boys had acquired the art of tying theregular sailor's knot. Boatswain Peaks not only stood up as a model forthem, but he adjusted the "neck gear" for many of them. Bitts, thecarpenter, and Leech, the sailmaker, who were also old sailors,cheerfully rendered a valet's assistance to such as needed help.
Agreeably to the directions of Mr. Lowington, the shore suits of thestudents were done up in bundles, each marked with the owner's name, andthe head steward took them to Mr. Lowington's house for storage.
Rigged out in their "sea togs," the students began to feel salt, as wellas to look salt. Some of them tried to imitate the rolling gait of theboatswain when they walked, and some of them began to exhibit analarming tendency to indulge in sea slang.
"There, my hearty, you look like a sailor now," said Peaks, when he hadrolled over the collar and tied the square knot in the handkerchief ofWilton.
"Shiver my timbers, but I feel like one," laughed the embryo seaman.
"What's that, young gentleman?" demanded Mr. Lowington, who happened tobe within hearing; "what did you say?"
"I said I felt like a sailor, sir."
"What was the expression you used?"
"I only said shiver my timbers, sir."
"You stole that expression from a yellow-covered novel. Did you everhear Mr. Peaks, who has been a sailor all his lifetime, use suchlanguage?"
"I'll be bound he never did," added Peaks.
"No, sir. I don't know that I ever did."
"Some sailors do use such expressions; but it is gross affectation forthese young gentlemen, who never saw a blue wave, to indulge in them. Ifyou please, Wilton, you will not use such language. It is simplyridiculous. Mr. Peaks, you will pipe all hands to muster again."
The shrill whistle of the boatswain sounded through the ship, and theboys tumbled up the ladders, eager to learn what was to be done next. Asthey formed in lines, they presented a novel and picturesque appearancein their jaunty uniform. Most of them had already learned to wear theircaps canted over on one side, and not a few of them, perhaps as muchfrom necessity as because it was a sailor's habit, hitched up theirtrousers, and thrust their hands deep down into the side pockets.
The students were again formed in watches and quarter watches, each ofwhich classes and sub-classes was indicated on the uniforms. All thestarboard watch wore a small silver star on the right arm, above theelbow, and the port watch the same emblem on the left arm. The firstpart of each watch had a figure 1, under the star, and the second part afigure 2 in the same position.
The rest of the day was spent in the organization for ship's duty, whichwas far from completed when the sun went down. The next day every boywas kept so busy that he had no time to grumble. The instructorsattended to the lessons in the steerage with one watch, while the otherwas on deck acquiring seamanship. In the course of the month, as theboys learned their duties, and the capabilities of each wereascertained, they were assigned to their stations in the variousevolutions required in working the vessel.
Boatswain Peaks had taught the boys, a few at a time, how to set asail, reef and furl it. They had been gradually accustomed to goingaloft, until the giddy height of the main royal did not appall them, andthey could lay out on the yards without thinking of the empty spacebeneath them. By the first of June, all the petty officers had beenappointed, and every student had his station billet. When the order wasgiven to unmoor ship, to make sail, or to furl the sails, every one knewwhere to go and what to do. The station billets were cards on which thevarious evolutions of the ship had been printed in a column on the left,while the particular duty of the owner of the card was written againstit. The card was kept by the student, and he was expected to learn itscontents so that he could take his place without stopping to consult it,when an order was given. Here is a specimen of the cards:--
+---------------------------------------------------------+|PORT WATCH, NO 21, WILLIAM FOSTER, ||Second Part. _Captain of the Forecastle._ |+----------------------+----------------------------------+|REEFING. |Head Bowlines. ||TACKING OR WEARING. |Forecastle. Let go head bowlines. || | Let go and shorten in foretack || | and belay it. ||GETTING UNDER WAY. |Head Bowlines. Downhauls and || | head-sheets. ||ANCHORING. |Head Bowlines, Sheets and Tacks. || | Downhauls. ||LOOSING SAILS. |Foretopmast Staysail. ||FURLING. |Head Bowlines and Downhau
ls, || | Staysail. ||MOORING AND UNMOORING.|Forecastle. ||BOAT. |Professor's Barge, stroke-oar. ||MESS. |No. 11. |+----------------------+----------------------------------+
The crew had been in training a month before an attempt was made to setmore than one sail at once; but by this time the officers knew theorders, having practised every day since the organization. The pettyofficers had been appointed, and had, to some extent, become familiarwith their duties.
The boys still continued to wonder when the Young America would go on acruise, for they were very anxious to see the blue water, and to roll onthe great waves of the Atlantic; but they were so constantly occupiedwith ship's duty and their studies, that the time did not hang heavilyon their hands. Two months of constant practice had made tolerableseamen of them, and the discipline of the ship went on regularly. Theyoung officers, as Mr. Lowington had promised, began to conduct theevolutions and give the orders.
On the 1st day of June, after breakfast, the students were thrown into afever of excitement by an unusual order, and they ventured to hope thatthe ship was to leave her moorings.
"Mr. Gordon, you will pipe all hands to muster," said Captain Carnes tothe first lieutenant.
"Pass the word for the boatswain," added Gordon to one of themidshipmen, who stood near him.
This call was answered, not by Peaks, who no longer performed the dutiesof boatswain, but by one of the students, who had been appointed to thisposition.
"Pipe all hands to muster, boatswain," said the first lieutenant, as thepetty officer touched his cap to him.
"All hands on deck, ahoy!" shouted the boatswain, as he piped the call.
This was an unusual order for that time of day, the forenoon beingappropriated to study for each watch in turn; and those who were belowhastened on deck to ascertain what was to be done.
"All hands, stations for loosing sail!" piped the boatswain, whenordered to do so by Gordon.
The first lieutenant was in charge of the ship, under the direction ofthe captain. The second lieutenant stood on the forecastle, where he wasattended by the boatswain. The third lieutenant was in the waist, andthe fourth on the quarter deck, near the mizzenmast. These were thestations of the officers whenever all hands were called. Mr. Lowingtonand the instructors stood near the companion-way, watching with interestthis first attempt to make sail all over the ship.
"Lay aloft, sail-loosers!" shouted Gordon; and his order was repeated bythe officers at their several stations.
The little tars who belonged on the topsail and top-gallant yards sprangup the rigging like so many cats, excited beyond measure by the scene ofactivity around them.
"Lower yardmen in the chains!" continued Gordon and his order waspassed, along by the officers. "Aloft, lower yardmen!"
In a moment the crew were in their places; the studding-sail booms weretriced up with the usual system, so that the sails could be reached.
"Lay out!" continued the first lieutenant; and the boys walked out onthe foot-ropes to their stations on the yards. "Loose!"
The ropes by which the sails were secured to the yards were removed atthis order, and the topmen held the sails in their places.
"All ready on the forecastle, sir," reported Foster, who was captain ofthat part of the ship.
"All ready in the foretop."
"All ready in the maintop."
"All ready in the mizzentop," reported the several captains of the tops,in their proper order.
These reports were passed to the first lieutenant in charge of the deck,by his subordinates.
"Let fall!" shouted Gordon, highly excited; and the sails dropped fromthe yard. "Overhaul your rigging aloft! Man sheets and halyards! Sheetshome, and hoist away!"
These orders were passed from mouth to mouth among the officers, andreturn reports made, according to the strict discipline of the navy.They were promptly executed by the crew, though of course not withoutsome blunders; and the Young America was covered with her cloud ofcanvas. Mr. Lowington commended the officers and crew for the promptnessand skill they had displayed in their first concerted attempt at makingsail. He then directed Captain Carnes to furl. Both evolutions were thenrepeated, until a proficiency satisfactory for one day was attained.
"Not going to sea, after all," said Shuffles, when the crew weredismissed from muster.
"No," replied Wilton. "I'm tired of lying here, and if we don't go tosea soon, I shall take myself off."
"I'm with you."
"I thought we were going to have some fun on board, but we don't doanything but study and shake out topsails."
"Do you know how you stand on marks, Wilton?" asked Shuffles.
"No; not very high, though."
"Don't you think you shall get into the cabin next term?"
"I know I shall not. I haven't tried for anything."
"On the first of next month, you know, new officers will be appointed,and I suppose the crew will be messed over again."
"I don't care, I'm getting tired of this thing, I had a better time atthe Academy before we came on board."
"There isn't much chance for any sport. Hardly a fellow has been allowedto go on shore since we joined the ship."
"Well get up a mutiny, if things don't improve."
"I was thinking of that very thing myself," said Shuffles, in a lowtone.
"A mutiny!" exclaimed Wilton, who had used the word in jest.
"Just for fum, you know," laughed Shuffles.
"You don't mean any such thing?"
"Not yet, of course."
"Do you at any time?"
"We want something more exciting than this kind of a life. Here we are,kept down and treated like common sailors. We have to touch our caps andmake our manners to Dick Carnes and the rest of the flunkies in theafter cabin. My father pays as much for me as Dick Carnes' father doesfor him, and I don't think it is fair that he should live in the cabinand I in the steerage."
"If you get marks enough, you can have a berth in the cabin," repliedWilton.
"Marks! Confound the marks! I'm not a baby. Do you think a fellowseventeen years old is going to be put up or put down by marks?" saidShuffles.
"I thought you had been working for a place in the cabin."
"So I have, but I don't expect to get it. I never studied so hard in mylife, and I believe I haven't had a bad mark since I came on board,Lowington thinks I have reformed," laughed Shuffles. "And so I have."
"What do you want to get up a mutiny for, then?"
"I shall not, if I get a decent position; if I don't, I'm going in forsome fun."
"But do you really think of getting up a mutiny?" asked Wilton,curiously.
"I was thinking the other day what a fine thing it would be if ourfellows had the ship all to themselves."
"What could we do with her?"
"Go on a cruise in her."
"We couldn't handle her; there is hardly a fellow on board that knowsanything about navigation."
"Of course, I don't mean to do anything yet a while; not this year,perhaps. One of these days, if we stay on board, we shall know all abouta ship. Fifteen or twenty of the fellows are studying navigation. We aregoing to Europe some time or other. When we do, we can take the ship,and go it on our own hook."
"I don't believe you mean anything of the kind, Bob Shuffles."
"I've been thinking about it, anyhow. We can lock Lowington and the restof the old folks into their cabin while they are at dinner; and thereare enough of us to handle Peaks and Bitts."
"I think you are crazy, Shuffles."
"We should have a high old time if we could get possession of the ship.We wont say a word about it yet."
"I think you had better not."
"We might go round Cape Horn into the Pacific, and have a splendid timeamong the beautiful islands of the South Sea."
"Of course all the fellows wouldn't join you."
"We
could put those ashore somewhere who did not agree with us."
"You know the penalty of mutiny on the high seas."
"Bah!" said Shuffles, contemptuously. "It would be nothing but it lark.No one would think of hanging us, or even sending us to prison for it.My father is rich enough to get me out of any scrape."
"So is mine; but I don't think it would be quite safe to go into amutiny."
"Not yet, my dear fellow. You can think it over."
"But I'm tired of this kind of a life. I liked it first rate in thebeginning. Do you think Lowington really intends to go to sea with theship?"
"I know he does."
"If he don't go pretty soon, I shall run away, and go to sea inearnest."
"Don't say a word about the mutiny at present, Wilton. By and by, ifthings go right, or if they don't go right, we may want to take somestock in such an enterprise."
"I don't see it yet, but of course I shall keep still."
It is doubtful whether even so daring a young man as Shuffles, who hadthe temerity to do almost anything, seriously contemplated getting up amutiny. Very likely his untamed and vicious imagination had revelled insuch an enterprise; had pictured the delights of the rover's life atsea; but a boy of ordinary common sense could hardly think of engagingin such a mad scheme.
The last week of June, with which month ended the first school term onboard of the Young America, was devoted to examinations and reviews inall the studies for which extra marks were given. On the last day theinstructors made up the merit lists, and on the morning of the 1st ofJuly all hands were mustered, and the result declared. Most of theofficers, all of whom had studied with unremitting diligence in order toretain their positions, were reinstated in their offices. The thirdlieutenant, however, fell out, having failed in his reviews, and to theastonishment of all, Robert Shuffles was found to be entitled to theplace. The first and second lieutenants exchanged ranks, and PaulKendall fell to the position of second master. Three of the tenants ofthe after cabin were compelled to move into the steerage, and three ofthe crew were transferred to the officers' quarters.
Many were disappointed, and perhaps some were disheartened, for thecompetition had been a severe struggle; and as much depended uponnatural ability as upon energy and perseverance. But the Young Americawas a world by herself. She had all the elements of society within herwooden walls, and success and failure there followed the same rules asin the great world of which she was an epitome.
After the officers had been duly installed in their positions, the pettyoffices were given to those having the highest number of marks among thecrew. It was certainly democratic for the late third lieutenant tobecome captain of the foretop, and for a second master to becomecoxswain of the professors' barge; but these young gentlemen, thoughdisappointed, submitted with a good grace to their misfortune.
The student having the highest number of marks among the crew wasallowed to have the first choice of berths in the steerage; the onehaving the next highest number had the second choice, and so on, untilall the numbers had been appropriated. At the conclusion of thereorganization, Mr. Lowington made a speech, "comforting the mourners,"and reminding all the students that, on the 1st of October, there wouldbe another distribution of the places of honor. He hoped those who hadfailed to attain what they aspired to reach would not be discouraged,for, after all, they had been gaining knowledge, and thus the real endof the school had been reached.
"How about the mutiny?" said Wilton to the new third lieutenant, whenboth were off duty in the evening.
"It won't pay just now," replied Shuffles, with great good humor.
"I suppose not," sneered Wilton, who had not even won a petty office."What would Lowington say if he knew the third lieutenant talked ofgetting up a mutiny on board?"
"What would he say?" repeated Shuffles, who was as much surprised at thehigh rank he had gained as his companion had been.
"Yes; what would he say if I should tell him of it?"
"He would say you were a mean pup for telling tales out of school; atleast, he ought to say so, and I think he would. Lowington is a prettygood fellow, after all."
"No doubt he is, now you are third lieutenant."
"You needn't snuff at it, Wilton. If you want a place, why don't yousail in, and get one. Just look out for your marks; that's all you haveto do."
"Marks! I thought a fellow seventeen years old was not to be put up orput down by marks," said Wilton, bitterly.
"That depends somewhat upon whether you get in or out," laughedShuffles.
"I suppose you and Paul Kendall will be fast friends now," added thediscontented student.
"Kendall behaves very well, and has treated me first rate since I wentinto the cabin."
"I suppose if I want to run away, you will stop me now."
"If you are going to do that, you musn't tell me of it, now I'm anofficer," replied Shuffles, as he turned on his heel, and walked aft.
Wilton was disgusted, and felt that he had lost his best friend, nowthat Shuffles had worked his way into the cabin.