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Title: Dikes and Ditches
Young America in Holland and Belguim
Author: Oliver Optic
Release Date: May 16, 2008 [EBook #25485]
Language: English
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YOUNG AMERICA ABROAD
By
OLIVER OPTIC
DIKES AND DITCHES
BOSTON
Lee & Shepard.
[Illustration: A SQUALL IN THE GERMAN OCEAN.--Page 36.]
[Illustration]
DIKES AND DITCHES;
OR,
YOUNG AMERICA IN HOLLAND AND BELGIUM.
A STORY OF TRAVEL AND ADVENTURE.
BY
OLIVER OPTIC.
BOSTON:
LEE AND SHEPARD, PUBLISHERS.
NEW YORK:
LEE, SHEPARD & DILLINGHAM, 49 GREENE STREET.
1874.
Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1868, by
WILLIAM T. ADAMS,
In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts.
ELECTROTYPED AT THE
_Boston Stereotype Foundry,_
No. 19 Spring Lane.
TO
My Fellow-Voyager in the Steamship Persia
DURING A PLEASANT TRIP ACROSS THE ATLANTIC,
IN 1865,
_STEPHEN S. HOE_,
WHOSE NAME EVER REMINDS ME OF MY PERSONAL INDEBTEDNESS
FOR MUCH OF THE PLEASURE OF THE VOYAGE; NOT ONLY
TO MY YOUNG FRIEND WHOSE NAME I MENTION HERE,
BUT ALSO TO HIM WHO SAT OPPOSITE TO US AT
TABLE, WHOSE NAME, ASSOCIATED WITH
ONE OF THE PROUDEST ACHIEVEMENTS
OF AMERICAN INVENTIVE GENIUS,
I NEED NOT MENTION, FOR
NO WORD OF MINE
COULD HONOR
IT,
_THIS VOLUME_
IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED.
YOUNG AMERICA ABROAD.
BY OLIVER OPTIC.
A Library of Travel and Adventure in Foreign Lands. First and
Second Series; six volumes in each Series. 16mo. Illustrated.
_First Series._
I. _OUTWARD BOUND;_ OR, YOUNG AMERICA AFLOAT.
II. _SHAMROCK AND THISTLE_; OR, YOUNG AMERICA
IN IRELAND AND SCOTLAND.
III. _RED CROSS_; OR, YOUNG AMERICA IN ENGLAND AND
WALES.
IV. _DIKES AND DITCHES_; OR, YOUNG AMERICA IN
HOLLAND AND BELGIUM.
V. _PALACE AND COTTAGE_; OR, YOUNG AMERICA
IN FRANCE AND SWITZERLAND.
VI. _DOWN THE RHINE_; OR, YOUNG AMERICA IN
GERMANY.
_Second Series._
I. _UP THE BALTIC_; OR, YOUNG AMERICA IN DENMARK
AND SWEDEN.
II. _NORTHERN LANDS_; OR, YOUNG AMERICA IN
PRUSSIA AND RUSSIA.
III. _VINE AND OLIVE_; OR, YOUNG AMERICA IN SPAIN
AND PORTUGAL.
IV. _SUNNY SHORES_; OR, YOUNG AMERICA IN ITALY
AND AUSTRIA.
V. _CROSS AND CRESCENT_; OR, YOUNG AMERICA
IN GREECE AND TURKEY.
VI. _ISLES OF THE SEA_; OR, YOUNG AMERICA HOMEWARD
BOUND.
PREFACE.
DIKES AND DITCHES, the fourth of the "YOUNG AMERICA ABROAD" series, is a
continuation of the history of the Academy Ship and her consort in the
waters of Holland and Belgium. As in its predecessors, those parts of
the book which lie within the domain of history and fact are intended to
be entirely reliable; and great care has been used to make them so. The
author finds his notes so copious, and his recollections of the Low
Countries so full of interest, that he has felt obliged to devote a
considerable portion of the work to the geography and history of the
country, and to the manners and customs of the people; but there is so
much that is novel in the region itself, and so much that is stirring
and even "sensational" in the history of the sturdy patriots of Holland,
that he hopes his young friends will not complain of the proportion in
which he has mingled his material. It would be a very great happiness to
him to have excited a sufficient degree of interest in these countries
to induce the boys and girls to read Mr. Motley's inimitable works, "The
Rise of the Dutch Republic," and "The History of the United
Netherlands." The writer is confident that young people will find these
volumes quite as attractive as the story books of the day.
DIKES AND DITCHES has its independent story of the adventures of the
students. Though the Academy Squadron has thus far been remarkably
fortunate in the character of its instructors, Professor Hamblin proves
to be an exception, and the crews of the ship and her consort are
unhappily plunged into sundry disciplinary tribulations by his
overstrained dignity, and by his want of discretion. The young
commander of the Josephine suffers from the evils of a divided
authority, which brings him into conflict with the senior instructor
before experience suggests the remedy. While the principal is compelled
to punish the students for their misconduct in "hazing" the obnoxious
professor, he also finds it necessary to abate the nuisance of a
conceited, overbearing, and tyrannical pedagogue. Boys cannot be
expected to be angels in school, until their instructors have soared to
this sublime height.
The author of the series, more than ever encouraged by the hearty and
generous favor of his readers, submits this volume to their
consideration, trusting that they will at least appreciate his earnest
efforts not only to please, but to instruct them.
HARRISON SQUARE, MASS.,
April 9, 1868.
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER PAGE
I. THE PROFESSOR AND THE CAPTAIN. 11
II. A SQUALL IN THE GERMAN OCEAN. 27
III. SOMETHING ABOUT DIKES. 43
IV. UP THE SCHELDT TO FLUSHING. 59
V. CAPTAIN SCHIMMELPENNINK. 76
VI. PROFESSOR HAMBLIN CHANGES HIS MIND. 93
VII. THE LECTURE ON BELGIUM. 110
VIII. ANTWERP AND RUBENS. 129
IX. TROUBLE ON BOARD THE JOSEPHINE. 146
X. WHO WAS CAPTAIN OF THE JOSEPHINE. 162
XI. ON THE WAY TO GHENT. 179
XII. IN BELGIUM'S CAPITAL. 195
XIII. THREE CHEERS FOR THE KING OF BELGIUM. 213
XIV. THE VICE-PRINCIPAL. 230
XV. THE PROFESSOR'S CHARGE. 245
XVI. CAPTAIN KENDALL'S DEFENCE. 262
XVII. MORE ABOUT THE DIKES AND DITCHES. 278
XVIII. AN EXCURSION AMONG THE DIKES. 293
XIX. A RUN THROUGH HOLLAND. 310
XX. ADIEU TO HOLLAND AND PROFESSOR HAMBLIN. 328
DIKES AND DITCHES;
OR,
YOUNG AMERICA IN HOLLAND AND BELGIUM.
CHAPTER I.
THE PROFESSOR AND THE CAPTAIN.
The Young America, with every rag of canvas set, including
studding-sails alow and aloft, rolled and pitched gracefully on the long
swells of the German Ocean. The wind was very light from the north-west,
and there was hardly enough of it to give the ship steerage-way. A mile
off, on her starboard bow, was the Josephine, beclouded in the quantity
of sail she carried, but hardly leaving a wake in the blue waters behind
her. The hummocks and the low land of the shores of Holland and Belgium
were in sight; but, with the present breeze, there was but little hope
of reaching the mouth of the Scheldt that night, though it was hardly
twenty miles distant.
The regular course of instruction was in progress in both vessels, the
starboard watch of each being in the steerage, attending to their
studies, while the port watch were on deck, in charge of the sailing
department. Mr. Lowington paced the deck of the ship, and, with the
habit of an old sailor, frequently cast his eyes aloft to see what sails
were drawing. Occasionally, from a custom begotten of his solicitude for
his charge, he glanced at the Josephine.
The squadron did not make even a mile an hour; and when the watch was
changed, at four o'clock, there was not a breath of air to ruffle the
glassy waves. The ship rolled and pitched on the swells, and the sails
slapped against the masts and rigging under the effect of her motion.
The young seamen on deck, without being in a hurry, were annoyed and
vexed, as all sailors are in a calm. They partook of the heaviness of
the scene, and gaped and yawned, from mere inactivity, and the want of
something to occupy their minds.
The calm was only the prelude of a lively scene. To the westward, beyond
the low coast line dimly seen in the distance, was a dense mass of black
clouds, rising rapidly towards the zenith. Low, muttering, muffled
thunder came over the sea. The sun went into the inky veil; and then the
lightnings flashed, faintly at first, but glaring brighter and brighter
as the darkness increased.
Mr. Lowington still paced the deck; but, instead of looking aloft now,
he cast frequent glances at the officer of the deck, who was watching
the dense black clouds. The principal said nothing; for, whatever views
he had in regard to the working of the ship, it was his policy never to
interfere until absolutely necessary. The officers were encouraged to do
their own thinking, and were expected to take all necessary precautions
for the safety of the ship at the right time. The second lieutenant was
in charge of the deck, and as yet he had taken no step which indicated
that he was conscious of any peril.
"Mr. Lavender," said he, at last, when the principal's movements had
begun to be a little nervous.
The second midshipman, who was the third officer in rank on duty,
stepped up to the lieutenant and touched his cap.
"Tell the captain there is a shower coming up, and that the clouds look
squally," added Mr. Ellis, the officer of the deck.
Lavender touched his cap, and went down into the steerage, where the
captain was reciting his French lesson to Professor Badois.
"Excuse me," said Captain Haven. "I must go on deck, for I suppose Mr.
Lowington wouldn't give an order to take in sail if the masts were blown
out of the ship."
The commander of the Young America went on deck in a hurry. He and all
below had observed the sudden darkness which pervaded the steerage, and
they were rather glad to have something stirring occur to break up the
monotony of the calm. The captain looked at the black clouds, and
promptly directed the officer of the deck to take in the studding-sails,
which was done by the watch.
The clouds wore that peculiar appearance which indicates wind--an aspect
which the old sailor readily recognizes. Captain Haven was familiar
enough with the weather signs to understand what was coming; but the
young sailor is almost as much afraid of taking in sail too soon as of
being too tardy in doing so. There is as much vanity in carrying sail as
in wearing fine clothes. The captain did not wish to be too cautious,
for that would cause a smile upon the faces of the ship's crew.
He looked at Mr. Lowington, who seemed to be perfectly satisfied, or
rather his attention was directed entirely to the Josephine, which had
not yet taken in her huge fore square-sail. Then he studied the
threatening pile of black clouds, which had now nearly reached the
zenith; while the thunder rattled, and the lightnings flashed with
blinding glare.
"Take in topgallant-sails and royals," said Captain Haven to the officer
of the deck, now satisfied that his reputation for carrying sail could
not suffer in the face of such admonitory indications.
Mr. Ellis called on the entire starboard watch to obey his orders; for
only a quarter watch was required to handle the ship under ordinary
circumstances, the other portion of the watch being idlers on deck. The
light sails were taken in; and Mr. Lowington made no comment, as he
sometimes did, after an evolution had been performed, in order to
express his approval or otherwise of the action of the captain.
The Josephine was most strangely deficient in caution on the present
occasion, and the principal was evidently much disturbed by the conduct
of her captain, who was usually very prudent, without being timid. There
she was, with all her extra sail set and flapping in the calm, while a
tempest was brewing before her.
"Captain Kendall must be asleep," said Mr. Lowington, nervously, to
Peaks, the adult boatswain of the ship.
"And the officers too," replied the old salt, hitching up his trousers.
"We ought to fire a gun to wake them up."
"It is not like Captain Kendall to be caught napping when a squall is
gathering," added the principal.
"I should think the thunder would wake them up. It's heavy for these
parts. That squall will come all at once when it does come. It will take
their sails right out of the bolt-ropes."
Mr. Lowington walked aft again, and on the quarter-deck met Flag-officer
Gordon, who had also been observing the Josephine, and wondering at her
continued neglect of the most ordinary precautions.
"Mr. Lavender," said the commander of the squadron.
The midshipman, ever ready to do the meagre duties assigned to him,
touched his cap to Captain Gordon.
"Pass the word for the signal-officer," added the flag-officer.
"That's right, Captain Gordon!" exclaimed the principal. "If the
officers of the Josephine don't do better than this, they must be
broken. I am astonished."
"So am I, sir. Captain Kendall is usually very careful, and what he
don't see isn't worth seeing."
"Be as expeditious as possible, for the squall will soon be upon us."
The signal-officer appeared with the midshipman and quartermaster in
charge of the signals. Captain Gordon ordered the number, "Take in
sail," to be set.
Paul Kendall was severely criticised on board of the ship; but, before
he has suffered too much in the estimation of his sympathizing friends,
let our readers be transferred to the steerage of the Josephine, in
which, as the consort of the Academy Ship, the same rules and
regulations prevailed. The port watch were at their studies, while the
starboard watch had the deck, in charge of Mr. Terrill, the first
lieutenant. This was the captain's study time, for he was a member of
the several classes, and in school hours was subject to the discipline
of the professors, the same as other students.
When the squall began to gather, Professor Hamblin was hearing the
recitation in Greek. The learned gentleman did not think a scholar knew
anything unless he possessed a considerable knowledge of Greek. It was
his favorite branch, and the class in this language was his pet. He was
a strict disciplinarian, and never allowed anything to interrupt the
recitation in Greek if he could possibly avoid it. No scholar, not even
the captain, as the regulations then were, could leave the class without
his permission. It is true, the rule had not been made, or even been
considered, with special reference to the commander of the vessel; but
Paul had always quietly submitted to it, even at some inconvenience and
sacrifice to himself. No emergency had arisen, since the Josephine went
into commission, which required the setting aside of the rule, and it
was supposed the professors would have judgment enough to use it with
proper discretion.
Professor Hamblin, so far as Greek roots were concerned, was not lacking
in judgment; but he knew no more about a ship than Cleats, the
boatswain, did about Greek. He was a very learned man, and lived in a
Greek and Latin atmosphere. The dead languages were the chief end of man
to him. He was cold, stern, and precise, except that, when hearing a
class in Greek, he warmed up a little, and became more human, especially
if the students manifested a becoming interest in his favorite branch.
Unfortunately for Paul Kendall, he was not an enthusiastic devotee of
the Greek language and literature. He lived too much in the present to
be enamoured of anything so old, and, as it seemed to him, so
comparatively useless. But he was faithful in the discharge of all the
academic requirements of the institution, not excepting even those
branches which he disliked. Though he was always very respectful to
Professor Hamblin, he was candid enough to say that he did not like
Greek. He was, therefore, no favorite of the learned gentleman, who
thought his abilities and his scholarship were over-estimated--because
he did not like the dead languages.
"Mr. Terrill directs me to inform you that a squall is coming up," said
Ritchie, the third master, as he touched his cap to Captain Kendall.
"No interruption! No interruption!" interposed Professor Hamblin, very
ill-naturedly.
The third master touched his cap, as the captain bowed to him in
acknowledgment that he had heard the message, and then retired. The
professor was vexed: perhaps he was a little more ill-natured than
usual, on account of being slightly seasick--an effect produced by the
uneasy roll of the vessel in the calm.
"Now, Mr. Kendall, go on with the dual of [Greek: admêv]," added he, as
Ritchie retired.
"I must beg you will excuse me, Professor Hamblin," said Paul, with the
utmost deference, as he rose from the bench on which he was seated.
"Go on with the dual!" replied the professor, sternly.
Paul looked at the snapping gray eye of the learned gentleman, and was
assured that he had a will of his own. As the captain of the Josephine,
he did not wish to set an example of insubordination, which others might
adopt before they were certain that the emergency required it. He had
not seen the gathering clouds, and he had full confidence in the
judgment and skill of Terrill, who was in charge of the deck. The rule
was that the professors should be obeyed in study hours. This had always
been the regulation on board the ship; but, then, the principal, who was
a sailor himself, was always present to prevent any abuse of power.
Paul decided to yield the point for a time, at least, and he recited his
lesson as directed by the professor. Half an hour later, Ritchie
appeared again, with another message from the first lieutenant, to the
effect that the squall was almost upon them. This was about the time
that Flag-officer Gordon had sent for the signal-officer, on board of
the ship.
"You must excuse me now, Professor Hamblin, for I must go on deck," said
Paul, as respectfully as he could speak.
"I can't spare you; I haven't finished the exercise yet," replied Mr.
Hamblin, sourly. "This is a plan to break up the lesson in Greek,
because some of the young gentlemen don't like to study it."
"I beg your pardon, sir; but the officer of the deck sends me word that
the squall is upon us. You can hear the thunder and see the lightning,"
added Paul.
"I am not afraid of thunder and lightning," growled the professor. "My
classes are not to be broken up on any frivolous pretences. Mr.
Lowington assured me I had full powers over all during study hours; and
I tell you to be seated, and go on with your recitation."
"But the vessel is in danger, sir," protested Paul.
"I'm not afraid, and you need not be. Take your seat, sir, or I will
report you to the principal."
Paul's face flushed. No officer or professor had before ever threatened
to report him to Mr. Lowington. Mr. Hamblin was as ignorant as a baby
upon nautical matters, and while the Josephine rolled easily on the
waves, and the sails flapped idly against the masts, he could imagine no
peril.
"I am sorry to disobey your order, sir; but in this instance I must,"
said Paul, firmly, though his voice trembled with emotion.
"Very well, sir," replied the professor, angrily, "I shall report you to
the principal, and if I have any influence with him, you will be removed
from your present position."
Paul did not wait to hear any more, but hastened on deck. His quick eye
discovered the peril of the moment. The squall was indeed upon them. At
the peak of the Young America hung the signal which had been hoisted;
but it was not necessary to look in the book for its meaning.
"Mr. Terrill, call all hands--quick!" said Captain Kendall, in sharp
tones.
"All hands on deck, ahoy!" roared the boatswain's mate, as he piped his
shrill whistle at the main hatch.
The students flew from their seats at the mess table, deserting the two
professors without an apology. With only two exceptions, the officers
and crew of the Josephine were all old sailors. Most of them had been on
board the ship for two years, and a sudden squall was no new thing to
them. They leaped into their stations, and when the orders were given
they knew exactly what to do.
"Stand by sheets and halyards!" shouted the first lieutenant. "Man the
jib, and flying jib halyards, and downhauls!"
"All ready forward, sir," reported the second lieutenant, whose place
was on the forecastle.
"Man the topgallant clewlines and buntlines!" continued Terrill.
"All ready, sir!"
"Ease off the sheets! Settle away the halyards! Clew up! Lay aloft, and
furl topgallant-sail!"
The topgallant men sprang up the rigging like so many cats, for all
hands had been thoroughly waked up by the impending peril.
"Let go the flying jib halyard! Haul down! Lay out and stow the flying
jib!"
"Man the topsail clewlines and buntlines!"
"All ready, sir," replied the second lieutenant.
"Let go the topsail sheets! Clew up! Settle away the halyards! Haul taut
the braces!"
All this was done in half the time it takes to read it; and the light
sails of the Josephine were furled. The main gaff-topsail was taken in,
and then the schooner had only her jib, foresail, and mainsail. It was
not necessary to take these in until the peril became more imminent; but
Paul ordered the foresail to be lowered, and reefed, for the vessel was
supposed to lie to best under this sail. The Young America had furled
everything except her topsails, jib, and spanker.
Professor Hamblin had not yet recovered from his astonishment, and he
was as indignant as a learned Greek scholar could be. Professor Stoute
and himself were the only persons left in the steerage; but while the
former laughed, the latter stormed.
"I have been insulted, Mr. Stoute," said the learned gentleman. "That
boy has disobeyed me, as though I were a person of no consequence."
"Why, he was perfectly respectful to you," laughed the good-natured
professor. "You must remember that he is the captain of the ship, and
that everything depends upon him."
"He left the class contrary to my orders; and not satisfied with that,
he calls all the rest of the students on deck," added Mr. Hamblin,
wrathfully. "I had not finished the Greek lesson."
"But there's a squall coming up," pleaded Mr. Stoute.
"What if there was a squall coming up. The principal assured me there
were hands enough on deck to work the vessel under all ordinary
circumstances."
"But you don't understand the matter, Mr. Hamblin," continued the jolly
professor.
"Do you mean to insult me too, Mr. Stoute?" demanded the irate
fountain-head of Greek literature.
"Certainly not; I beg your pardon, Mr. Hamblin," replied Mr. Stoute,
laughing more heartily than before. "I do not profess to comprehend
these nautical affairs; but I presume it was necessary to call all
hands, or the captain would not have done so."
"It was not necessary. I am willing to take the responsibility of that
assertion myself, and I shall report this disrespect and disobedience of
the captain to Mr. Lowington. If he chooses to sustain the delinquent in
such gross misconduct, I will leave the vessel at the first port we
enter."
"Mr. Lowington will certainly do justice to both of you."
"Excuse me, Mr. Stoute; he must do justice to _me_. I have been a
schoolmaster and a professor in college all my lifetime, and I do not
wish to have any one speak of settling a case between me and one of my
pupils. There is only one side to such a question," replied Mr. Hamblin,
whose dignity was terribly damaged by the incident of the afternoon.
"Well, Mr. Hamblin, I wish to be respectful; but I also mean to be
candid. I feel compelled to say that I believe you are all wrong."
"All wrong, sir!"
"Yes, sir; all wrong. Look at the question for one moment."
"I don't wish to look at it. Between teacher and pupil there can be no
issues of any kind. It is my place to command, my scholar's to obey, in
the school-room."
"Now, really, Mr. Hamblin," continued the laughing professor, rubbing
his hands, as though he enjoyed the controversy, "while I agree with you
on the general principle, I must differ from you in its application to
this particular case. Your pupil is the commander of the vessel. Our
very lives depend upon his prudence and skill. It was necessary to take
in sail."
"Very well. Wasn't half the crew on deck for that purpose?" interposed
Mr. Hamblin.
"But who shall determine whether it is necessary or not to take in
sail?"
"The officer who has the care of the vessel for the time being, of
course. Then there are Mr. Cleats, and Mr. Gage, and the servants to
help them reduce the sails, if needed. There is not the least necessity
for disturbing the classes."
"But no one except the captain can give the order to take in a single
sail in the daytime. This vessel is under naval discipline, you are
aware; but I think you cannot have read the rules. Here they are," added
Mr. Stoute, taking the printed regulations of the ship from his pocket.
"Officer of the Deck. He is not to make or take in sail in the daytime,
except in a squall, without directions from the captain; but in the
night he may take in sail, acquainting the captain with his reasons,
which he must enter on the log."
"Well, this is a squall--isn't it?" growled Mr. Hamblin.
"Perhaps it will be; but it seems to me quite proper that the captain
should go on deck when there is any danger. For my part, I have some
regard for my fat body, and I don't care about leaving it here at the
bottom of the German Ocean," chuckled Mr. Stoute; and he always laughed
with especial gusto when he had said anything which he thought was
funny. "The captain can leave any of my classes when he is sent for to
look out for the vessel."
"Mr. Stoute, this is a question of discipline; and higher considerations
than those of merely personal comfort and security should be brought to
bear upon it. It would be impossible for me to impart to my pupils a
knowledge of that noblest language of the historic past, if they are to
be permitted to leave the class when they choose to do so. I shall refer
this matter to Mr. Lowington for his decision. He must suspend the
captain, or he must suspend me. If I cannot control my scholars, I will
not attempt to instruct. It would be preposterous to do so. I shall take
a boat, and go on board of the ship at once, for this difficulty admits
of no delay."
Professor Hamblin, in high dudgeon, took his hat, and went up the
ladder. Mr. Stoute shook his fat sides, laughing at the ire of his
distinguished and learned associate. He was desirous of seeing his
companion start for the ship in the approaching tempest, and he followed
him on deck.
"Captain Kendall," said Mr. Hamblin, sternly, as he walked up to the
young commander, heedless of the rattling thunder and the flashing
lightning.
Paul bowed politely, and looked at the professor, intimating that he was
ready to hear him. It was noticeable that Mr. Hamblin always called the
commander "Mr. Kendall" when he was in the steerage attending to his
studies, and "Captain Kendall" on deck, or in the cabin. The professor
intended to indicate, by this choice of terms, that he was captain
during school hours.
"Captain Kendall, I desire a boat immediately," added Mr. Hamblin.
"A boat!" exclaimed Paul, astonished at the request at such a time.
"I said a boat, Captain Kendall. I purpose to refer the matter of your
disobedience to Mr. Lowington without any unnecessary delay."
"But, Mr. Hamblin, there is a squall coming up."
"I am aware of that; but I demand the boat."
"It would be dangerous, sir. The boat would certainly be swamped."
"I will take the responsibility of that."
"I should be very happy to furnish the boat, sir; but I cannot expose a
crew to such a storm as will soon break upon us," replied Paul.
"You refuse--do you?" demanded the professor, angrily.
"I feel compelled to do so, sir."
"In my hearing, Mr. Lowington instructed you to furnish the professors
with a boat at any time when they desired it."
"I will furnish the boat, sir; but I will not expose the crew to such
peril. I will hoist out the third cutter for you, sir, if you wish."
"I demand a sufficient number of sailors to row the boat."
"You will pardon me, sir; but I will not send any seamen into a boat
until the squall is over. It is unreasonable to ask such a thing."
"Unreasonable, sir! How dare you tell me I am unreasonable?" stormed the
professor, stamping his foot upon the deck.
Paul bowed, but made no reply. He was placed in a very disagreeable and
painful position. He knew that it was madness to send a boat off while
the squall was impending. Mr. Hamblin was wrathy. The long billows were
black and smooth, and the sails hung idly on the gaffs. There was no
danger then, and the learned gentleman had been so fortunate as never to
see any of the perils of the ocean. His passage to England in the
steamer had been a remarkably pleasant one. Nothing like a gale, or even
a high wind, had interrupted its serenity, and the professor had imbibed
a certain contempt for the perils of the ocean. He had never seen them;
and, if mere boys were able to work such a vessel as the Josephine, a
learned man like himself need not tremble in their presence.
CHAPTER II.
A SQUALL IN THE GERMAN OCEAN.
"Mr. Cleats!" said Professor Hamblin, in the most sternly solemn and
impressive manner, as he rushed up to the adult boatswain of the
Josephine.
"Here, sir!" responded the old salt, touching his cap as politely as
though the learned gentleman had been an admiral.
"I want a boat, sir," continued the professor, fiercely.
"Your honor must apply to the captain," answered Cleats, touching his
cap again.
"I have applied to him, and he has refused me. I desire you to take a
boat, and row me to the ship. The carpenter can assist you."
"Bless your honor's heart, I can't go without the captain's orders,"
added Cleats, opening his eyes as wide as though he had been invited to
head a mutiny.
"I will protect you from any harm, Mr. Cleats. I will represent the
matter to Mr. Lowington."
"I never do anything, your honor, without orders from the captain. It
would be mutiny for me to do so, and I should be hung at the fore
yard-arm."
"Nonsense, Mr. Cleats! Will you listen to reason?"
"Sartain, your honor. I always listen to reason; but there isn't any
reason in leaving the ship without the captain's orders."
"But the captain says I may have the boat; and I only want a couple of
men to row it."
"I will pull the boat with the greatest pleasure, sir, if the captain
orders me to do so; or the first lieutenant, for that matter, sir. I
always obey orders, sir, if it sinks the ship."
"I have a complaint to make against the captain for disobedience of my
orders, and he will not permit me to go on board of the ship to prefer
the charge."
"Whew!" whistled the boatswain, as long and loud as though the sound had
been made with his own shrill pipe. "A complaint against the captain! I
beg your honor's pardon, but that can't be. Nobody can have a complaint
against the captain."
"I do not wish to argue the matter with you. Will you do what I ask, or
not?"
"I beg your honor's pardon, but I will not," replied Cleats, who seemed
to have no doubt in regard to his own course, whatever rupture there
might be among the powers above him.
"That's enough," growled Mr. Hamblin, turning on his heel.
"There's a big squall coming, your honor," added Cleats, loud enough for
the professor to hear him. "The boat wouldn't live a minute in it."
"I am not afraid of the squall," replied the learned gentleman, pausing.
"Will you row the boat?"
"No, sir; I would rather not," answered Cleats, shaking his head.
At this moment a heavy roaring, rushing sound came over the sea from
the direction of the land. The water was covered with a dense white
mist. The sound increased in volume till it vied with the booming
thunder, and the surface of the sea was lashed into a snowy foam by the
coming tempest.
"Down with the jib and mainsail!" shouted Captain Kendall, sharply.
"Stand by the mainsail halyards!" said Terrill, through his speaking
trumpet. "Man the jib halyards and downhaul!"
"All ready, sir," replied the second lieutenant, forward; for all hands
were still at their stations, in anticipation of the emergency.
"All ready, sir," added the fourth lieutenant, whose place was on the
quarter-deck.
"Let go the mainsail halyards!" added the first lieutenant; and the
order was repeated by the fourth lieutenant. "Down with it, lively!"
The heavy sail, assisted by twenty pairs of willing and eager hands,
rattled down in an instant, and was speedily secured.
"Let go the jib halyards! Haul down!" said the second lieutenant, on the
forecastle, when the order to take in the jib reached him.
The hands "walked away" with the downhaul, and the jib was on the
bowsprit in an instant.
"Lay out and stow the jib!" added the officer. "Mind your eye there! The
squall is upon us!"
The roar of the squall--heard at first miles away--swept along over the
ocean, carrying a tempest of foam and spray before it, and came down
upon the Josephine. Though she carried no sail, the force of the wind
was enough to heel her down, while the spray leaped over her decks in
the furious blast. The scene was grand and sublime. The thunders roared;
the lightnings seemed to hiss in their fury, as they darted through the
moist atmosphere; and the wind, hardly less than a hurricane, howled in
unison with the booming thunderbolts.
At first, on the long swells of the ocean, which a moment before had
been as smooth and glassy as a mirror, thousands of little white-capped
waves gathered, throwing up volumes of fine spray, which was borne away
by the tempest; so that the air was laden with moisture. Though the
squall came heavy in the beginning, it did not attain its full power for
several minutes. The effect even of the onslaught of the tempest was
tremendous, and officers and crew clung to the rigging and the wood-work
of the vessel, fearful that the savage blast would take them bodily from
their feet, and bear them away into the angry ocean.
"Down with the helm!" roared Captain Kendall to the quartermaster, who,
with four of the strongest seamen, had been stationed at the wheel.
The action of the fierce wind upon the vessel's side was powerful enough
to give her steerage-way without any sail, and her head came up to the
gale, so that she took the blast on her port bow. Thus far, the effect
upon the ocean did not correspond with the violence of the tempest; for
even the severest blow does not immediately create a heavy sea. But, if
the tempest continued even for a few minutes, this result was sure to
follow. There is no especial peril in a squall, if the seaman has had
time to take in sail, unless in a heavy sea; but it does not take long
for a hurricane, in the open ocean, to stir up the water to its maddest
fury.
Professor Hamblin was walking up and down in the waist,--a very pretty
type of the squall itself,--when the initial stroke of the tempest came
upon the Josephine. His "stove-pipe" hat, as non-nautical as anything
could be, which he persisted in wearing, was tipped from his head, and
borne over the rail into the sea. This accident did not improve his
temper, and he was on the point of asking the captain to send a boat to
pick up his lost tile, when the full force of the squall began to be
expended upon the vessel. He found himself unable to stand up; and he
reeled to the mainmast, where Professor Stoute was already moored to the
fife-rail.
"Wouldn't you like the boat now, Mr. Hamblin?" chuckled the jolly
professor, hardly able to speak without having his words blown down his
throat.
"I've lost my hat," growled the learned gentleman, almost choked with
ill-nature within, and the ill-wind without.
"Ask the captain to send a boat for it," laughed Mr. Stoute. "There he
stands! Upon my word, he is a wonder to me! He handles the vessel like
an old admiral who has been imbedded in salt for forty years!"
"Any boy could do it!" snarled the irate professor.
"It is fortunate that Captain Kendall went on deck when he did," added
Mr. Stoute. "We should all have gone to the bottom if they hadn't taken
in sail in season."
"You distress yourself with mighty bugbears," sneered Mr. Hamblin. "I am
very sorry to see you encouraging insubordination among your pupils,
and--"
And a blast more savage than any which had before struck the vessel
ended the professor's speech; for, while it drenched him with salt
water, it gave him all he wanted to do to hold on for his life. He
worked himself round under the lee of the mainmast, and held on with
both hands at the fife-rail, his breath blown down into his lungs by the
wind.
The squall was not one of those which come and go in a few moments; and,
in a short time, the sea had been lashed into a boiling, roaring,
foam-capped maelstrom. The Josephine rolled and pitched most fearfully.
Below there was a fierce crashing of everything movable, while the winds
howled a savage storm-song through the swaying rigging. By the captain's
order, the crew had, with great difficulty, extended several life-lines
across the deck, for the safety of those who were compelled to move
about in executing the various manoeuvres which the emergency
required.
The angry professor began to cool off under the severe regimen of the
tempest. He was drenched to the skin by the spray, and it required the
utmost activity on his part to enable him to keep his hold upon the
fife-rail. Now the vessel rolled, and pitched him upon his moorings; and
then rolled again, jerking him, at arm's length, away from them, his
muscles cracking under the pressure. Professor Stoute, determined to be
on the safe side, had passed the end of the lee topgallant brace around
his body, and secured himself to one of the belaying pins. Nothing ever
disturbed his equanimity, and though he was doubtless fully impressed by
the sublimity of the storm, he was just as jolly and good-natured as
ever.
The captain and the executive officer were holding on at one of the
life-lines on the quarter-deck. Paul looked as noble and commanding as
though he had been a foot taller, with a full beard grown upon his face.
He appeared to be master of the situation, and Professor Stoute regarded
him with an admiration strongly in contrast with the disgust of his
fellow-teacher. The competent captain of the ship is always little less
than a miracle of a man to his passengers, especially in a storm, when
he is confident and self-reliant. They feel that everything--their very
lives, and the lives of those they love--are dependent upon him, and
they look up to him as to an oracle of skill and wisdom.
"It's coming heavier and heavier," said Terrill, as the Josephine gave a
fearful lurch.
"Ay, ay! It's nothing less than a hurricane," replied Paul.
"It's the biggest squall I ever was in," added Terrill, blowing the salt
water out of his mouth, after a pint of spray had slapped him in the
face.
"It is kicking up an awful sea."
"That's so."
"Keep your helm hard down, Blair!" shouted Paul to the quartermaster in
charge of the wheel.
"She don't mind it now, sir!" yelled the quartermaster, at the top of
his lungs.
"She's falling off, Mr. Terrill," added Paul.
"I see she is, sir."
"We must keep her head up to it, or our decks will be washed. Hard down,
Blair!"
"She don't mind it, sir!"
"Set the close-reefed foresail, Mr. Terrill," said the captain. "But be
careful of the hands."
Terrill, with the trumpet in his hand, sprang from the life-line to the
fife-rail, so as to be nearer to the hands who were to execute the
captain's order. The unpleasant plight of Mr. Hamblin attracted his
attention, in spite of the pressure of the emergency. His gyrations, as
he bobbed about under the uneasy motions of the vessel, gave him a
ludicrous appearance, which even the positive expression of suffering on
his face did not essentially mitigate. He had evidently come to a
realizing sense of the perils of the sea, and was a pitiful sight to
behold.
"Man the foresail outhaul!" shouted Terrill, through his trumpet. "Mr.
Martyn!"
"Here, sir!" replied the second lieutenant; but his voice sounded like a
whisper in the roar of the hurricane.
"Double the hands on the outhaul!" added Terrill. "Stand by the brails!"
"All ready, forward, sir!" reported Martyn.
"Stand by the fore-sheets!--Mr. Cleats!" continued the executive
officer.
"Here, sir!" said the old sailor, who, with the carpenter, was holding
on at the weather-rail.
"Will you and Mr. Gage assist at the sheet?"
"Ay, ay, sir! This is heavy work. I hope she'll carry that foresail."
"She must carry it, or carry it away," added Terrill. "We are falling
off badly."
"So we are; it ought to be done," answered the boatswain, as he began to
overhaul the sheets.
It was with the greatest difficulty that any one could stand up on deck.
The billows were momentarily increasing, and the Josephine had fallen
off into the trough of the sea, and rolled helplessly in the surging
waves, so that her fore yard appeared almost to dip in the brine. The
outhaul was run out on the deck, and manned by all the hands that could
get hold of it. The lee sheet was extended in like manner, and the whole
after guard, besides the two adult forward officers, were called to walk
away with it.
"O, dear!" groaned Mr. Hamblin, after the vessel had given an unusually
heavy lee lurch, the jerk of which had nearly knocked the breath out of
his body.
"What's the matter, your honor?" demanded Cleats, who always pitied a
landlubber in a gale.
"Do you think there's any danger, Mr. Cleats?" gasped the professor.
"Danger! Bless your honor's heart! there's never any danger in a good
ship, well manned," replied the veteran tar, as he knocked a kink out of
the sheet. "Look at the captain! When he gets scared, you may."
"It is really terrible!" puffed the learned professor.
"Wouldn't your honor like the boat now?" growled the boatswain, with a
hearty chuckle.
"All ready at the sheets, sir!" screamed Robinson, the fourth
lieutenant, who had charge of the waist at quarters.
"Hold on, Mr. Terrill!" shouted the captain, as the Josephine rolled on
her lee side till the water bubbled up in her scuppers. "Wait till I
give you the word!"
Paul was waiting for a favorable moment, when the blast should lull a
little, to set the reefed foresail.
"You must get out of the way, gentlemen!" said Terrill, roaring out the
words through his trumpet. "The sheet blocks will knock you over!"
Mr. Stoute unmoored himself, and made a dive at the life-line, where the
captain was holding on; but, being rather clumsy in his obesity, he
missed his aim, and was thrown into the scuppers. Mr. Cleats went to his
assistance, and picked him up while he lay upon his back, with his legs
and arms thrown up like a turtle trying to turn over. Mr. Hamblin was
not encouraged by this experiment of his associate.
"Why don't you go below, sir?" shouted Terrill, placing his trumpet
close to the professor's head.
"I can't move," replied he.
"Mr. Gage will help you," added the lieutenant.
The carpenter assisted Mr. Hamblin to the companion-way, while the
boatswain had succeeded in rolling Mr. Stoute up to the same point. The
doors were opened, and the head steward helped them down the ladder.
"All ready!" shouted Captain Kendall, when the favorable moment came for
setting the foresail.
"Let go the brails!" bellowed the executive officer. "Haul out!"
The ready seaman promptly obeyed the order, at the instant when the
vessel, having rolled over as far as her centre of gravity would permit
her to go in the trough of the sea, was poised as it were on a balance,
waiting for the recoil of the wave that was to throw her down on the
weather roll. The close-reefed foresail flew out from the brails, and
began to thresh tremendously in the fierce blast.
"Slack the weather vang!" continued Terrill to the hands who had been
stationed at this rope. "Walk away with the sheet!"
It required a tremendous pull to haul home the sheet of the foresail,
banging furiously in the tempest; but there was force enough to
accomplish it, though not till the vessel had made her weather roll,
which lifted half the line of seamen from their feet. The close-reefed
foresail was trimmed so as to lay the schooner to with her head up to
the sea. The billows were increasing in volume so fearfully that it was
no longer prudent to permit the vessel to roll in the trough of the sea,
where she was in danger of being overwhelmed by the combing waves.
"Mind your helm, Blair!" called the first lieutenant, springing aft to
the wheel. "Port a little! Don't let the sail be taken aback!"
The head of the Josephine came up handsomely to the sea, and it was thus
proved that the double-reefed foresail was just the sail for such an
emergency. It was only to be demonstrated whether the sail would be
blown out of the bolt-ropes or not. If it had been an old one, such
would probably have been its fate; but being nearly new, and of the best
material, it stood the strain to the end.
"Mind your eye, Blair!" roared Terrill. "Starboard!"
"Starboard, sir!" replied the quartermaster.
"Touch her up when it comes so heavy," added the lieutenant.
The vessel had fallen off, and took the wind so far on the beam that she
buried her scuppers deep in the waves. The order to "touch her up," or
luff her up into the wind, so as partially to spill the sail, was given
to ease off the tremendous pressure. The Josephine minded her helm, and
luffed so that she righted herself.
"Steady, Blair!" called the lieutenant. "Port! Not too much, or you'll
broach her to!"
"Sail ho!" suddenly shouted several of the seamen in the forward part of
the vessel.
"Where away?"
"Right over the lee bow! She has capsized!"
Paul and Terrill ran to the rail, and discovered a small vessel, lying
over on her beam ends.
"That's a Dutch galiot!" exclaimed Cleats, who promptly recognized the
craft. "That's a trick they have of turning bottom upwards."
"Port!" shouted Terrill, who did not take his eye off the foresail of
the Josephine for more than an instant at a time.
The attention of the quartermaster and the helmsman had been attracted
by the announcement of the wreck, and they had permitted the Josephine
to luff up until the foresail began to shake. The atmosphere was so
thick that the galiot was seen but for an instant, and it then
disappeared in the dense mists. Captain Kendall trembled with emotion
when he saw the disabled vessel; but it was impossible to do anything
for her until the hurricane subsided.
Fortunately the worst of it had already passed, and a few moments later
it ceased almost as suddenly as it commenced. The rain began to fall in
torrents, while a fresh breeze and a tremendous sea were all that
remained of the hurricane--for such it was, rather than an ordinary
squall.
"Set the jib and mainsail, Mr. Terrill," said Captain Kendall. "We must
endeavor to find that wreck."
These sails were accordingly hoisted, the Josephine came about, and
stood off in the direction towards which the galiot was supposed to have
drifted. The Young America had not been seen since the squall came up;
but Paul conjectured that she had run away before it. He was deeply
interested in the fate of those on board of the wreck, and trusted he
should be able to render them some assistance, if all on board of her
had not already perished.
The rain poured down furiously; but it did not dampen the enthusiasm of
the young officers and crew, though they were already drenched to the
skin. The reefed foresail was taken in, for it was found that the jib
and mainsail were all the schooner needed. She stood on for an hour or
more, without obtaining a sight of the wreck, though every eye on board
was strained to catch the first glimpse of it.
"We must have passed her," said the captain.
"It is so thick we can't see her, even if we should go within half a
mile of her."
"Come about, and stand a little more to the southward!" added Captain
Kendall. "Let the fog-horns be blown. We may get a signal of some kind
from them."
"I am afraid they were lost overboard; and that there is no one left to
make a signal," answered Terrill, sadly.
The vessel was put about, and headed as indicated by the captain. The
fog-horns were blown at intervals, and every one on board listened
eagerly for a reply. These efforts were not unavailing, for a response
was obtained after the Josephine had run half an hour on her present
course. A hoarse shout was heard on the weather beam, which was
unmistakably a cry of distress.
"Steady as she is!" said Paul to the executive officer, as soon as the
sounds were reported to him, and the direction from which they came.
"Are you not going about, Captain Kendall?" asked Terrill, with a look
of anxiety on his dripping face.
"Certainly; but if we go about here, we should fall to leeward of the
wreck," replied Paul.
The Josephine stood on for a few moments longer, and then tacked.
"Blow the horns, and keep a sharp lookout forward," added the captain,
who was quite as anxious as any other person on board; but he kept
apparently cool, in deference to the dignity of his high office.
"I see her!" shouted Wheeler, the boatswain, who had gone out on the
flying jib-boom.
"Where away is she?" demanded Martyn, from the forecastle.
"Well on the lee bow, sir."
"Are we headed for her?"
"Ay, ay, sir! We shall go clear of her to windward."
"Wreck on the lee bow, sir," reported the second lieutenant to Terrill,
who in turn reported to the captain.
"Clear away the first cutter, Mr. Terrill," said Paul.
"All the first cutters, ahoy!" shouted the boatswain's mate.
"Mr. Pelham will have charge of the boat," added Captain Kendall, who
had great confidence in the zeal and ability of this officer.
"The wreck! The wreck!" shouted all hands, as the disabled galiot came
into view.
On the rail of the vessel, whose starboard half was completely submerged
in the water, were two men, making violent gestures, and shouting to the
crew of the Josephine. Not a word they said could be understood, but it
was easy enough for Yankees to guess the meaning of their words. The
schooner was thrown up into the wind, the jib lowered, and she lay to
under the mainsail. Pelham and the crew of the first cutter took their
places in the boat, and were lowered into the stormy sea. The falls were
cast off the instant she struck the water; the coxswain gave his orders
rapidly, and the cutter went off, rising and falling on the huge waves
like a feather.
The distance was short; but even this was a hard pull in such a violent
sea. Pelham was cool and steady, and his self-possession encouraged the
crew to their best efforts. The boat ran up under the lee of the wreck,
and made fast to one of the masts. As soon as it was secured, both of
the men on the rail began to jabber in an unintelligible language.
"_Parlez-vous français?_" shouted Pelham, who had some knowledge of the
polite language.
But the men made no response; and it was evident that no long speeches
need be made on the present occasion. Pelham made signs to them to come
down into the boat, which they did. They were not satisfied, but
continued to talk in their own language, and to point earnestly to the
after part of the wreck. One of them repeated a word so many times, that
the officer of the boat was enabled at last to separate it from the
confused jumble of sentences.
"_Vrow?_" said he.
The man nodded earnestly, and pointed with redoubled vigor to the after
part of the galiot.
_Vrow_ means wife; and Pelham concluded that the skipper's lady was in
the cabin, but whether dead or alive he did not know.
CHAPTER III.
SOMETHING ABOUT DIKES.
It was evident to those on board of the Josephine that there was some
reason for the delay of the boat in not bringing off the survivors of
the wreck. The energetic motions of the men on the disabled vessel could
be dimly seen through the mist and rain.
"Hoist the jib, Terrill," said Captain Kendall. "We will run up to the
wreck, and ascertain what the trouble is."
"Man the jib halyards! Stand by the jib sheet!" added Terrill.
"All ready, sir!"
"Let go the downhaul! Hoist away!" continued the first lieutenant. "Port
the helm!"
The mainsail was trimmed, the jib sheet hauled down, and the schooner
filled away again. She ran close under the lee of the galiot, just far
enough off to clear her masts.
"What's the matter, Mr. Pelham?" called Terrill through his trumpet.
"There's a woman in the cabin," replied Pelham.
"Clear away the gig!" said Captain Kendall, as the Josephine passed out
of hailing distance of the wreck. "Mr. Martyn will take charge of the
boat."
The gig's crew were piped away, and the falls were manned. The second
lieutenant stood ready at the gangway to take his place in the boat. The
operation of hoisting out a boat was not so difficult and dangerous as
it had been when the first cutter went off, for the sea was every moment
abating its fury.
"Mr. Cleats and Mr. Gage will go in the boat with a couple of axes,"
added the captain, who had been studying the position of the wreck.
The first lieutenant gave the order to the adult forward officers, who
presented themselves at the gangway provided with their implements,
ready to do the work assigned to them. By this time the weather had
begun to clear off, and a streak of blue sky appeared in the west. The
low land and the white cliffs and sand hills were seen again; but the
coast was different from that which they had observed before the tempest
burst upon them.
"Mr. Martyn, you will cut away the masts of the wreck; but first
endeavor to save the woman in the cabin," added the captain, when the
crew of the boat had taken their places, and everything was in readiness
to lower the boat.
"I will do the best I can," replied Martyn, as he stepped into the gig.
"If the galiot does not right when the masts are cut away, report to
me."
The boat went off on her mission of mercy, and those left on board of
the schooner watched her progress with the most intense interest. All
felt that they were not "playing sailor" then, but that the issues of
life and death depended upon the exertions of the two boats' crews.
"Have you any idea where we are, Captain Kendall?" asked Terrill, gazing
earnestly at the distant shore, which was now revealing itself with
greater clearness.
Paul took a spy-glass and carefully surveyed the shore. Terrill took
another glass, and both of them went up into the main rigging, so as to
obtain a better view of the shore.
"There are some church steeples near the coast, and farther back there
is a great number of them," said Terrill.
"All right," replied Paul, as he returned to the deck, followed by the
first lieutenant.
"Do you make out the coast?" asked the latter.
"Yes; we are on Thornton's Ridge. Throw the lead!" replied Paul, with
some anxiety, as he took the glass and pointed it in the direction
opposite the shore.
"By the mark five!" reported the quartermaster, who was heaving the lead
in the fore chains.
"That proves it," exclaimed Paul. "We are on Thornton's. The steeples on
the shore are Blankenburg, and those farther off are the Bruges
steeples. We are about twelve miles to the eastward of the North Hinder,
where there is a light-vessel. We have been drifting to the southward.
We will tack now, and stand over to windward of the wreck."
The Josephine went about again, and stood up to the point indicated by
the captain. The wind had now subsided to a gentle breeze, and the sea
was abating its violence in a corresponding degree. The lead was thrown
continually, but not less than three fathoms was indicated at any time.
Cleats and Gage, with their sharp axes, were dealing heavy blows at the
masts of the galiot, while the crew of the gig and first cutter were
clearing away the standing rigging. By the time the schooner reached the
position to windward of the wreck, the work had been accomplished. The
two boats had backed away from the wreck, and suddenly the hull righted.
A few more strokes of the axes severed the shrouds, which could not be
reached while the vessel lay upon her side.
Pelham, who was on the deck of the vessel when she righted, rushed to
the companion-way, which had been submerged before. He was closely
followed by the two men. The cabin was half full of water; but he found
there a woman and a young girl of sixteen, who had been clinging for
life to an upper berth. The gallant lieutenant plunged up to his middle
in the water, and bore the girl to the ladder. At the same time, the
older of the men performed a similar service for the woman. He was
evidently the husband of the woman and the father of the girl. When he
returned to the deck, he embraced the woman and the girl, and lavished
upon them the most tender caresses.
"Mr. Pelham, you will convey these people to the Josephine, and report
what has been done to the captain," said Martyn, who was the superior
officer.
The first cutter was hauled up to the gangway of the galiot, and Pelham
by signs invited the family to embark. They comprehended his meaning,
and the females were assisted into the boat. The older man, who was
apparently the skipper of the vessel, exhibited some reluctance at
leaving his craft. His heart seemed to be broken by the calamity which
had befallen him, and he wept bitterly, uttering piteous exclamations,
which could not be understood by the Josephines, as Pelham hurried him
into the cutter.
The party continued their sad wailings till the boat reached the
schooner. The women were assisted to the deck, where they stood staring
with blank amazement at the vessel and her crew. The skipper was
bewildered by the misfortune that overshadowed him.
"I am glad to see you, sir," said Paul, as the disconsolate captain came
up the accommodation ladder.
"No use, Captain Kendall," said Pelham, smiling. "They can't speak a
word of English."
"Do you know anything about the vessel?" asked Paul.
"I read her name on the stern, as we came back, and wrote it down; for a
Yankee would choke to death in uttering it," replied Pelham, as he
produced a piece of wet paper. "It is the 'Wel tevreeden, Dordrecht.'"
"That's Dutch. She hails from Dort," added Paul.
"Where are the professors?" asked Terrill. "Can they speak Dutch?"
The professors, who had seen enough of rough weather for one day, had
been making themselves as comfortable as possible in the cabin. The
Dutchman and his family were conducted below by the first lieutenant.
"What have you here?" demanded Mr. Stoute, who had just come from his
berth, in which he had bolstered himself up, in order, as he expressed
it, to know exactly where he was.
"We have just saved them from the wreck of a Dutch galiot. They can't
speak a word of English, and we wish you to talk to them."
"In Dutch?" laughed Mr. Stoute. "I cannot do it."
"What is the matter, Mr. Terrill?" inquired Professor Hamblin, who had
also taken to his berth to save his limbs from being broken.
"A vessel has been wrecked, and we have saved two men and two women. Can
you talk Dutch?" asked the first lieutenant, going to the door of the
professor's state-room.
Mr. Hamblin proved to be no wiser than his associate, so far as the
Dutch language was concerned; and it was found to be impossible to hold
any communication with the wrecked persons except by signs. They were
committed to the care of the steward, by whom everything was done to
render them comfortable. The captain's state-room was given to the
women, and they were supplied with hot coffee and other refreshments.
"What is the condition of the wreck, Mr. Pelham?" asked Captain Kendall,
as soon as the unfortunate persons had been provided for.
"She is half full of water," replied the second master. "The crew of the
gig were pumping her out when we left."
"Do you know anything about her cargo?"
"No, sir. Her hatches were battened down, and we could not see what was
in the hold."
The first lieutenant was directed to detail a working party for the
wreck, to assist in pumping her out, and the first cutter returned to
the galiot with sixteen hands. Orders were sent to Martyn to use every
exertion to save the vessel and her cargo. It was now nearly dark; but
the weather was favorable, and Paul hoped to get the dismasted galiot
into port on the following day.
The cutter reached the wreck, and the crew of the gig, who had been
pumping and baling diligently, were relieved by fresh hands. The work
went on with renewed energy. The hatches had been taken off, and the
cargo was found to consist of butter, cheese, and manufactured goods.
The boatswain had explored the hold, and declared that the merchandise
was not badly damaged. The galiot had taken in less water than was
supposed, from her position on the waves. After four hours of severe
toil by the young seamen, the pumps sucked. The hull was tight, and the
working party were greatly encouraged by the success of their efforts.
The boatswain and carpenter, assisted by the boys, rigged a jury-mast
out of the foremast of the galiot, which had been saved for the purpose.
A jib and foresail were bent upon it, and the "Wel tevreeden" was in
condition to make a harbor. It was midnight when the work was completed,
and the report sent to Captain Kendall. Martyn, Pelham, and a crew of
ten, to be assisted by Cleats and Gage, were detailed to take the galiot
into the Scheldt.
During the first part of the night it had been a dead calm, which had
greatly assisted the labors of the working party. About four o'clock, on
the morning of Sunday, a light breeze from the westward sprang up, and
the order was given by signal for the galiot to make sail, and to follow
the Josephine. There was hardly a four-knot breeze, with the tide
setting out; and the progress of the galiot, under her short sail, was
very slow.
Nothing had been seen of the Young America since the storm shut down
upon her and concealed her from the view of those on board of the
Josephine. Paul knew that Mr. Lowington would be exceedingly anxious
about him and his vessel; but he was proud and happy in the reflection
that he had carried the Josephine safely through the perils which had
surrounded her. He had not closed his eyes during the night, as indeed
no one connected with the sailing department of the schooner had done.
The professors and the wrecked party had all turned in as usual, while
Paul kept vigil on deck with the first lieutenant.
"Sail ho!" cried the lookout forward, about seven o'clock in the
morning.
A small vessel was discovered approaching the Josephine from the
direction of the shore, or rather of the mouth of the Scheldt, whose
western estuary forms a broad bay about twelve miles in width. As the
small craft came near, it was evident that she was a pilot boat. She
carried a red flag at her mast-head, on which was a number in white
figures. On her principal sail there was a large letter "P," and under
it "ANTWERPEN." When she hove in sight, the jack was hoisted at the
foremast-head of the Josephine, which is the signal for a pilot. As the
little cutter rounded to, the words "_Bateau Pilote_" with her number,
were seen on the stern.
She was a Belgian pilot-boat. The mouth of the Scheldt, and its course
for forty miles, are in Holland, and off the mouth of the river both
Dutch and Belgian pilots offer their services to inward-bound vessels;
but the sea pilots take vessels only to Flushing, the river pilotage
being a separate charge. Mr. Lowington had instructed Paul, as the
squadron was bound to Antwerp, to prefer a Belgian pilot, who would take
the vessel up to that city, and charge the pilotage in one bill.
A canoe put off from the "Bateau Pilote," and a weather-beaten Belgian
sailor leaped upon the deck. He opened his eyes very wide when he had
taken a single glance at the vessel and her crew. He seemed to be as
much confounded as the Liverpool pilot had been on a similar occasion.
The professors were at breakfast in the cabin, and not a single man
appeared on deck.
"_L'Amerique?_" said the pilot, glancing at the flag which floated at
the peak.
"_Oui_," replied Paul, laughing.
"_Où est le capitaine, monsieur?_" added the pilot, looking around him
again.
"_Je suis capitaine,_" replied Paul.
"_Est-il possible!_"
"_C'est possible._ You speak English?--_parlez-vous anglais?_" added
Paul.
"I speak _un pere_," replied the pilot. "What vessel that is?" he
continued, pointing to the galiot, which was following in the wake of
the Josephine.
"She is a Dutch vessel, that was upset yesterday. We saved her. The
captain and his family are on board, but none of us have been able to
speak a word to him."
"Where bound are you?"
"To Antwerp. We have a crew on board of the galiot. We will not attempt
to take her to Antwerp."
"She have taken a pilot," said the Belgian, as another man from the
"Bateau Pilote" boarded her. "She shall be taken to Flushing."
"You will put into Flushing, then, so that I can obtain the men on board
of her."
"I will--yes."
"Did a ship--the Young America--go up the river last night?" asked Paul.
"No; no ship. We see a ship off the Rabs when the storm came. She come
about, and go to sea before the wind."
This was what Paul supposed the Young America had done. He had no fears
in regard to the safety of the ship as long as she had plenty of sea
room. She would soon return, and the pilot-boat would be able to report
the Josephine to the anxious people on board of her. The Belgian pilot
took charge of the vessel; and after he had headed her towards the
channel by which he intended to enter the river, he began to ask
questions in regard to the juvenile officers and crew. He did not speak
English any more fluently than Paul did French, and they did not get
along very well. Mr. Stoute, having finished his breakfast, came on
deck. He taught the French in the Josephine, and was very happy to find
an opportunity to air his vocabulary.
The skipper of the galiot came up from the cabin soon after with his
family. As the pilot spoke Dutch, the story of the unfortunate captain
was obtained at last. The vessel had been caught in the squall, and
knocked down. Two men on deck had been washed away and drowned. The
companion-way being open, the water had rushed in and prevented the
vessel from righting. The women, who lived on board all the time, as is
frequently the case with the families of Dutch skippers, had climbed up
and obtained a hold upon the berths on the port side of the cabin. By
these means they were saved from drowning; but the cabin doors, being on
the starboard side, were under water, so that they could not escape
while the vessel lay on her beam-ends.
The Josephine, followed by the "Wel tevreeden," entered the river. It
was a beautiful day, warm and pleasant; and the officers and crew, in
spite of the hardships of the preceding night, were eager to obtain
their first view of the new country whose waters they were now entering.
It was still over sixty miles, by the course of the Scheldt, to Antwerp;
but the sights on the river and on the shore were novel and interesting.
The vessels which sailed up and down the river were essentially
different from any they had ever seen, with the exception, perhaps, of
the wrecked galiot. They looked more like huge canal-boats than
sea-going vessels. Some of them had wings, or boards, at their sides,
which were let down when the craft was going on the wind, thus serving
the same purpose as a centreboard. Others were rigged so that their
masts could be lowered to the deck in passing bridges.
Maps, guide-books, and other volumes of reference were in great demand
among the students, and Professor Stoute was continually questioned by
all hands. Mr. Hamblin was too grouty to permit any such familiarity,
and doubtless he was saved from exposing his ignorance of the
interesting country which the voyagers had now entered.
The West Scheldt, upon whose waters the Josephine was now sailing, is
sometimes called the Hond. On the left, and in plain sight from the
deck, was Walcheren, the most extensive of the nine islands which
constitute the province of Zealand, the most southern and western
division of the kingdom of Holland. Zeeland, or Zealand, means
_sea-land_; and its territory seems to belong to the ocean, since it is
only by the most persevering care that the sea is prevented from making
a conquest of it. These islands are for the most part surrounded and
divided by the several mouths of the Scheldt, all of which are
navigable.
Our readers who have been on the sea-shore where the coast is washed by
the broad ocean, or any considerable bay, have observed a ridge of sand,
gravel, or stones thrown up from ten to twenty feet higher than the land
behind. This was caused by the action of the sea. The exterior shore of
Holland, that is, the land bordering upon the open ocean, has generally
a ridge of sand of this description. The sand-hills or hummocks which
are observed on the shores of Holland and Belgium are produced by the
ceaseless beating of the stormy waves.
In Holland, these ridges, or chains of sand-hills, are called "dunes."
They extend, with little interruption, from the Straits of Dover to the
Zuyder Zee. The ridge is from one to three miles wide, and rising from
twenty to fifty feet in height. The sand of which the "dunes" are
composed is generally so fine that it is readily blown by a sharp wind;
and they were as troublesome as the sands of Sahara in a simoom. In a
dry and windy day, the atmosphere would become dim from the sand smoke
of the dunes, and the material was conveyed in this manner far into the
interior of the country, covering up the rich soil, so that it became
necessary to dig up the sand. To overcome this evil, a kind of coarse
reed grass is annually sown on the dunes, which forms a tough sod, and
prevents the sand from being blown away.
The dunes form a natural barrier to the progress of the sea; but these,
of themselves, are insufficient to accomplish the purpose; for in the
highest tides the waters sweep through the openings or valleys between
the sand-hills. Immense dikes and sea-walls are erected to complete the
security of the country from the invasions of the ocean. The embankments
which protect the islands of Zealand are over three hundred miles in
length in the aggregate, and involve an annual expense of two millions
of guilders--more than eight hundred thousand dollars--in repairs.
"The great dike of West Kappel is there," said the pilot to Captain
Kendall, as he pointed to the land on the northern shore of the estuary.
"I don't see anything," replied Paul.
"There is nothing particular to see on this side of the dike,"
interposed Professor Stoute, laughing at the astonishment of the
captain. "What did you expect to see?"
"I hardly know. I have heard so much about the dikes of Holland, that I
expected to see a big thing when I came across one of them," added Paul.
"They are a big thing; but really there is very little to see."
"But what is a dike, sir?" asked Paul, curiously. "I never supposed it
was anything more than a mud wall."
"It is nothing more than that, only it is on a very large scale, and it
must be constructed with the nicest care; for the lives and property of
the people depend upon its security. When they are going to build a
dike, the first consideration, as in putting up a heavy building, is the
foundation. I suppose you have seen a railroad built through a marsh, or
other soft place."
"Yes, sir; the railroad at Brockway went over the head of the bay, where
the bottom was very soft. As fast as they put in gravel for the road,
the mud squashed up on each side, making a ridge almost as high as the
road itself. They built a heavy stone wharf at Brockway, the year before
we sailed, and the weight of it lifted up the bottom of the shallow bay
a hundred feet from it, so that boats get aground there now at half
tide."
"That is the idea exactly: The foundation is not solid; and that is
often the chief difficulty in building a dike. The immense weight of the
material of which it is constructed crowds the earth out from under it,
and it sinks down faster than they can build it. In such places as this
they find it necessary to drive piles, to build the embankment on."
"They must cost a heap of money, then."
"The annual expense even for repairs of dikes in Holland is about three
millions of dollars of our money. Speaking of that very dike of West
Kappel," added the professor, pointing to its long, inclined escarpment,
"it is said if it had been originally built of solid copper, the prime
cost would have been less than the amount which has since been expended
upon it in building, rebuilding, restoring, and repairing it. But the
money spent on dikes is the salvation of Holland. The entire country
would be washed away in a few years, if they were suffered to decay."
"I see there are trees growing on the shore, farther up the river,"
added Paul.
"Those trees are willows; and wherever it is possible for them to
thrive, they encourage their growth for two reasons: first, because the
roots of the trees strengthen the dike; and, secondly, because the
willow twigs are wanted in repairing and securing the embankment. The
foundations of sea-dikes vary from a hundred and twenty to one hundred
and fifty feet in width. The rampart is made of clay, which, as being
impervious to water, forms the entire structure when the material is
available in sufficient quantities. The maximum height of the dikes is
forty feet; but of course they vary in this respect with the elevation
of the land to be protected by them."
"But I should think the mud and clay would be washed away by the beating
of the sea."
"So they are sometimes; and to guard against such an event, which is a
calamity in this country, the dike is covered with a kind of thatch-work
of willow twigs, which has to be renewed every three or four years.
Occasionally the outer surface of the embankment is faced with masonry,
the stone for which has to be brought from Norway."
"A ship there is coming in," interrupted the pilot, pointing to seaward.
She was several miles distant, standing in under all sail. She was
examined with the spy-glasses, and every one was rejoiced to learn that
it was the Young America.
CHAPTER IV.
UP THE SCHELDT TO FLUSHING.
"I am very glad to see the ship again," said Paul to Professor Stoute.
"I supposed she would get in before us, we were detained so long by the
wreck," replied Mr. Stoute.
"Probably she stood off and on during the night, seeking for us," added
Paul, as he again looked through the spy-glass at the ship. "She seems
to be sound in all her upper works, so far as I can see."
"I dare say the ship would be safe enough as long as Mr. Lowington and
Mr. Fluxion are on board of her."
"Yes, sir; I didn't suppose any harm had come to her; but Mr. Lowington
will naturally be very anxious about us. He has made us out by this
time, and is satisfied that we are still on the top of the water. There
are the steeples of a town," said Paul, pointing to the Walcheren shore.
"That must be Middleburg."
"This island was inundated in 1808," continued Mr. Stoute, after the
pilot had assured him that the steeples seen in the interior of the
island were those of Middleburg. "Though the sea is as diligently
watched as the advance-guard of an invading army, the great dike of
West Kappel broke through, and a large part of the island was under
water. Middleburg has its own dikes and ditches, the former constituting
the wall of the town, upon the top of which there is a public promenade.
This dike or mound kept the water out of the city after the sea-dike had
given way. The inundation rose as high as the roofs of the houses in the
town, but was fortunately kept at bay by the strength of the walls."
"Were you ever in Holland, Mr. Stoute?" asked Paul, with a significant
smile.
"Never," laughed the professor; "but the schoolmaster must not be abroad
when boys ask as many questions as the students on board of this vessel.
As soon as I learned that we were coming to Holland, I read up
everything I could find relating to the country, and I assure you my
interest in the country has been doubled by my studies. We have in our
library quite a collection of works relating more or less directly to
Holland. The New American Encyclopædia contains very full and reliable
articles on the subject. We have a full list of Murray's Hand-Books,
which form a library in themselves, and which impart the most minute
information. Indeed, half the books of travel which are written are
based upon Murray's invaluable works. Then we have Motley's History of
the Dutch Republic, and the two volumes of his United Netherlands which
have been published. My knowledge of Holland and Belgium comes mainly
from these works."
"I haven't had time to look up these matters yet. I have given
considerable extra time to my French. As soon as we are moored, I
suppose Mr. Mapps will give us his lecture on the country; and I intend
to make that the basis of my reading."
"Then I will not say anything more about the dikes," laughed Mr. Stoute.
"You can do the matter up more systematically by your intended course."
"I am very glad to get all I can without the trouble of hunting it up,"
replied Paul, as he glanced again at the Young America. "I may have more
time than I want to study up these subjects."
"Why so?"
"I suppose I am to be court-martialed for disobedience as soon as Mr.
Lowington arrives," replied Paul, fixing his eyes upon the deck. "Mr.
Hamblin has not spoken to me since I left the class yesterday
afternoon."
"It is not proper for me to say anything about that to you, Captain
Kendall," added Mr. Stoute.
"I feel that I have tried to do my duty; and, whatever happens to me, I
shall endeavor to be satisfied."
Professor Stoute walked away, apparently to avoid any further
conversation on the disagreeable subject. Paul did not feel quite easy
about the difficulty which had occurred between him and the dignified
professor. He had hoped and expected that the storm would justify his
action in the opinion of the learned gentleman; but Mr. Hamblin
carefully avoided him, and he was confident he intended to prefer
charges against him as soon as the principal arrived.
The Josephine was now entering the port of Flushing. The pilot was
talking with the Dutch skipper very earnestly, and occasionally glancing
at the "Wel tevreeden." The latter seemed to be very uneasy, and to
manifest a great deal of solicitude in regard to his vessel,
notwithstanding she was safe, though the cargo had been damaged, and she
had lost her masts and part of her standing rigging.
"Captain Schimmelpennink to you wish to talk," said the pilot, stepping
up to Paul.
"Who?" exclaimed Paul, almost stunned by the sound of the Dutchman's
name.
The pilot repeated it, but not much more to the edification of the young
commander than before.
"I can't talk Dutch," laughed Paul.
"I for you will speak the English," added the Belgian.
This was hardly more encouraging than the Dutch of the disconsolate
skipper; but Paul consented to the conference.
"The galiot to you belongs for the labor you have to save him,"
continued the pilot.
With some difficulty, with the assistance of Mr. Stoute, who, however,
was not familiar with French nautical terms, Paul learned that Captain
Schimmelpennink was much disturbed about the ultimate disposal of the
"Wel tevreeden." According to maritime law, recognized by all countries,
the captain, officers, and crew of the Josephine were entitled to
salvage for saving the vessel. As, without assistance, it was probable
that the galiot would have been totally lost, the salvors would be
entitled to the greater part of the value of the wreck when it should be
sold. One half, two thirds, or even three fourths, is sometimes awarded
to those who save a vessel, the proportion depending upon the condition
of the wreck.
It appeared that the captain of the galiot was much distressed on this
account. He declared that he was a poor man; that his vessel was all the
property he had in the world; that one of the men lost overboard in the
squall was his own brother, and the other his wife's brother; and misery
had suddenly come upon him in an avalanche. By the exertions of Martyn
and others from the Josephine, a portion of the sails and standing
rigging of the galiot had been saved, so that only about one fourth of
the value of the vessel had been sacrificed by the tempest. But now the
skipper was in great trouble because two thirds or three fourths of the
remaining value of his property was to be decreed to the salvors by a
maritime court.
Paul did not feel that it would be right for him to settle, or even
discuss, this question, and he referred the skipper to Mr. Lowington,
assuring him that he was a fair man, and would deal kindly with him. But
this did not satisfy the unfortunate man. It was bad enough to lose one
fourth of his property,--for the vessel was not insured,--without having
the greater part of the remainder wrested from him by a court.
"All hands, moor ship, ahoy!" shouted the boatswain, when the schooner
was approaching one of the great canals of Flushing, or Vlissingen, as
the Dutch call it.
The anchor was let go, the sails lowered and stowed, and the Josephine
was once more at rest. The galiot came in, and anchored a cable's length
from her. Communication between the two vessels was immediately opened,
and Lieutenant Martyn made his report of the voyage since he sailed
from Thornton's Ridge. No events of any importance had occurred, and his
story could not be said to be at all sensational.
In less than an hour the Young America ran into the port, and moored
near the Josephine. The moment her anchor had buried itself in the mud
of the harbor, her officers and crew were in the rigging, gazing
earnestly at the consort. It was possible they had noticed the galiot
under a jury-mast, and in some manner connected her with the Josephine;
but they could have had no other clew to the exciting incidents which
had transpired since the two vessels parted company the day before.
"I desire to renew my request for a boat, Captain Kendall," said
Professor Hamblin, stiffly, the moment the rattling cable of the ship
was heard.
"Certainly, sir. I shall be very happy to furnish a boat for you,"
replied Paul, politely. "Mr. Terrill, you will pipe away the first
cutters for Mr. Hamblin."
"Yes, sir," replied the first lieutenant, touching his cap. "Boatswain,
pipe away the first cutters for Mr. Hamblin."
"Mr. Terrill, you will pipe away the crew of the gig for me. I will go
on board of the ship," added the captain.
"Yes, sir," answered Terrill. "Boatswain's mate, pipe away the gigsmen
for the captain."
"All the first cutters, on deck, ahoy!" shouted the boatswain.
"All the gigsmen, on deck, ahoy!" piped the boatswain's mate.
Professor Hamblin stamped his foot on deck when he heard these orders,
given almost in the same breath. He did not seem to consider that there
was anything to be done except to attend to his affair.
"Captain Kendall," said he, walking up to the young commander, with a
brisk, nervous step, "I wish to see Mr. Lowington alone."
"Certainly, sir; I will not object to your seeing him alone. If I can do
anything to favor your views, I shall be happy to assist."
"You have ordered your gig, and you said you were going on board the
ship," added the learned gentleman, his wrath not at all appeased by the
conciliatory reply of Paul.
"I am, sir."
"Am I to understand that you are going to see the principal in reference
to my communication with him?" demanded Mr. Hamblin.
"No, sir. It is my duty to report any unusual event which occurs in the
navigation of this vessel," answered Paul, respectfully.
"It is quite proper for you to regard your own disobedience as an
unusual event," retorted the professor.
"I was not thinking of that, sir. I am quite willing to leave that
matter with Mr. Lowington, and to abide by his decision. I refer to the
storm, and the wreck of the Dutch galiot. Those were unusual events."
"It would be more proper, and more respectful to me, for you to defer
your affairs till after I have seen the principal. This is the Sabbath
day," added Mr. Hamblin, solemnly. "I do not desire to have this
controversy opened to-day."
"Then, sir, I suggest that you defer it until to-morrow," added Paul.
"This is a question of discipline, and admits of no delay. If the
professors of this vessel are to be disobeyed and insulted, it is not
proper for me to remain in her another hour."
"Insulted, sir?" exclaimed the young commander, blushing under this
charge.
"Yes, sir; insulted, sir!" replied Mr. Hamblin, angrily. "Did you not
leave the class? That was disobedience, which, under the circumstances,
perhaps I might have forgiven, if you had not added insult to injury.
Not contented with your own misconduct, you immediately ordered all
hands to be called, and every member of my class was taken away."
"As to-day is Sunday, sir, I will not attempt to explain my conduct. I
am very sorry that any difficulty has occurred; but I think Mr.
Lowington will understand the matter. Your boat is ready, Mr. Hamblin,"
added Paul, pointing to the gangway, where the third lieutenant was
waiting for his passenger.
"Do I understand that you insist upon going on board of the ship
immediately?" demanded the professor.
"Yes, sir. It is my duty to report to the principal without delay. There
is a signal at the peak of the ship now," replied Paul.
"Signal for the captain to report on board of the ship, sir," said the
signal-officer, touching his cap to his commander.
Mr. Hamblin went over the side into the first cutter, which pulled away
towards the ship. The gig immediately took her place, and the captain
stepped into her. The cutter reached the Young America first, and the
angry professor ran up the ladder with unwonted briskness. The principal
was standing on the quarter, waiting to see the captain of the
Josephine, for he was anxious to learn whether she had sustained any
damage or lost any one overboard in the fierce storm. He knew that
nothing but the most skilful seamanship could have prevented the decks
of the schooner from being washed in the tremendous sea that prevailed
during the hurricane.
To Mr. Lowington every moment of time since the two vessels of the
squadron parted company the day before had been burdened with the most
intense solicitude for the fate of the consort and her crew. The fact
that she had been dilatory in taking in sail, when no one could know at
what instant the squall would break upon her, had indicated a degree of
recklessness which increased his anxiety. Mr. Fluxion had been sent to
the fore cross-trees with a powerful glass early in the morning, and the
Josephine had been discovered by the ship long before the Young America
was seen by the pilot.
During the night the ship had cruised off and on in search of her
consort, but the Josephine had drifted to the southward, and had sailed
in that direction, after the fury of the tempest had wasted itself, in
looking for the wreck of the galiot. The report of Mr. Fluxion on the
cross-trees that she was entering the Hond, relieved the principal's
anxiety in part; but he was still fearful that some of her crew had been
washed overboard. As soon as the anchor was let go, he had ordered the
signal for Captain Kendall to be hoisted.
Mr. Hamblin was the first person from the Josephine who presented
himself to the principal. There was something in the professor's
countenance which looked ominous, and Mr. Lowington's fears seemed to be
confirmed by the unusual solemnity of the learned gentleman's
expression. Mr. Lowington's heart rose up into his throat; for
independently of the sorrow which the loss of one or more of the
Josephine's crew would cause him, he realized that such a calamity would
be the death-blow to his favorite experiment. The entire charge of her
had been committed to a boy of sixteen, and he blamed himself severely
because he had not placed an experienced officer on board of her, who
might at least act in great emergencies. Though Mr. Cleats was an old
sailor, he was not a navigator.
The principal was in this state of suffering, bordering upon anguish,
when the irate professor of Greek and Latin came on board. Mr. Lowington
tried to think that nothing had happened, but it was impossible. If any
one had been lost, the Josephine's flag would be at half mast, or some
other signal would have been made. Mr. Hamblin's face looked like death
itself, only his brow was contracted, and his lips were compressed as
though anger and sorrow were combined in his expression.
"What has happened, Mr. Hamblin?" demanded the principal, manifesting
more emotion than any one on board had ever before observed in his
manner.
"I am sorry to say, Mr. Lowington, that an unpleasant event has occurred
on board of the Josephine," the professor began, very solemnly.
"I feared it," gasped Mr. Lowington. "Who was it?"
"The captain--"
"Captain Kendall!" groaned Mr. Lowington, striking his bewildered head
with both hands. "Good Heaven! I am responsible for this!"
"What is the matter, Mr. Lowington?" demanded the astonished professor.
"What did you say about Captain Kendall?" asked the principal, catching
at the straw which the learned gentleman's question seemed to hold out
to him.
"I prefer to speak to you alone about it, Mr. Lowington," added the
professor, glancing at the group of officers and instructors that were
gathering around him. "I will endeavor to control my emotions in stating
this unpleasant business."
Mr. Lowington, apparently happy to have even a moment's respite from the
grief and gloom which must follow the sad intelligence of the loss of
Captain Kendall, led the way to the professors' cabin.
"Now, sir, what is it? Let me know the worst!" exclaimed the principal,
dropping upon the sofa like a man whose strength had all been taken from
him. "I have been dreading it for many long and weary hours."
"Dreading it?" repeated the confused professor. "Dreading what, sir?"
"That the Josephine had suffered severely in the storm," replied the
principal, impatiently. "You have come to tell me that Captain Kendall
was lost overboard?" And Mr. Lowington heaved a long sigh.
"No, sir," protested Mr. Hamblin.
"Didn't you say that a very unpleasant affair had happened on board?"
demanded the principal, eagerly.
"I did; but it was not the loss of the captain."
"Who was it?" asked Mr. Lowington, catching his breath, in the heaviness
of his anxiety.
"I really don't understand you, sir," said the learned gentleman,
astonished and confounded by what he regarded as the singular conduct of
the principal.
"Has any one been lost overboard from the Josephine?" demanded Mr.
Lowington, in a loud tone, for he was impatient under the shuffling
manner of the professor.
"No, sir; no one, that I am aware of."
"That you are aware of!" exclaimed Mr. Lowington, sternly.
"Of course, if any one had been lost, I should have heard of it,"
answered Mr. Hamblin, who did not quite like the tone of the principal.
"Then the officers and crew are all safe--are they?"
"They are, sir--all safe."
"Thank God!" ejaculated Mr. Lowington, heartily, an awfully heavy load
removed from his mind.
"I have come on board, sir, to make a complaint against the captain of
the Josephine. This is the unpleasant business which brings me here,"
added the learned gentleman, decidedly.
"Indeed!"
But even this, disagreeable as it was, came as a relief to the
overcharged heart of Paul's best friend, who had received a terrible
shock from the confused state-ment of the professor. Yet it was very
strange that any one should have a complaint to make against Paul
Kendall, who had always been noble and manly, gentle and conciliating.
"Yesterday, just before the storm came on, Mr. Kendall was reciting with
the Greek class," continued Mr. Hamblin. "Word came to him that his
presence was required on deck. He asked my permission to go on deck. As
I could not see the necessity of his leaving the class before the lesson
was finished, I refused to give him permission."
"Did he leave then?"
"Not then; but half an hour later another message came to him, and he
left, contrary to my orders, and contrary to my protest," added the
professor, waxing indignant as he recounted his wrongs.
"What was the message that came the second time?" asked Mr. Lowington,
mildly.
"I do not remember precisely what it was--I am not versed in sea terms;
but I do remember that Mr. Kendall left the class contrary to my express
order. Not contented with this, he called all hands, and broke up the
school, when there was no need of it. Such conduct is utterly subversive
of school discipline, and--"
"Excuse me, Mr. Hamblin, but as to-day is Sunday, I must defer hearing
any more of your complaint until to-morrow," continued Mr. Lowington,
rising from his chair.
"I desire to have this question settled before I resume my position in
the Josephine," said the professor, cut by the apparent coolness of the
principal.
"I will hear what Captain Kendall has to say about it."
"Sir," exclaimed the learned gentleman, "am I to understand that you are
not satisfied with the truth of my statement?"
"By no means. I wish to hear from Captain Kendall his excuse for leaving
the class. I am not able to determine whether it was satisfactory."
"I have already determined that question myself. I think I observed to
you that there was not a sufficient excuse for his leaving the class."
"I will defer the discussion of the matter till to-morrow," replied Mr.
Lowington.
"I do not object to the delay, sir; but I do object to having any of the
statements of the pupil counterbalance those I have made."
"Do you wish me to condemn him without a hearing?"
"I do not wish you to condemn him at all. I simply ask to be sustained
in the discharge of my duty as a teacher."
"I will hear what more you have to say to-morrow, Mr. Hamblin."
"Very well, sir; but you must allow me to remain on board of the ship
until to-morrow, for I cannot return to the Josephine till this
unpleasant matter has been adjusted."
"As you please," replied the principal, as he hastened on deck, where a
cheer, half suppressed in deference to the day, had a few moments before
been heard.
As Paul came down from the rail of the ship, he was greeted with
applause; for, without knowing what had occurred after they lost sight
of the consort, the students in the ship realized that Paul had taken
his vessel safely through the storm. He bowed and blushed at this
demonstration, and hastened to meet Mr. Lowington, who was just coming
up from his interview with the professor. He had purposely delayed his
passage to the ship, in order to afford Mr. Hamblin time to make his
charges. It was plain that he had done so now, and Paul was not a little
anxious for the result.
"Captain Kendall, I am very glad to see you," said Mr. Lowington,
warmly, as he extended his hand to the young commander.
"Thank you, sir; I am just as glad to see you," replied Paul, taking the
proffered hand, and concluding that the professor had not materially
prejudiced the principal against him.
"I have been very anxious about you, Captain Kendall," added Mr.
Lowington. "I have imagined that all sorts of terrible things had
happened to you and the Josephine. Is all well on board?"
"Yes, sir; but we are all very tired. We were up all night, and the crew
had to work very hard."
"All night?"
"We went to the assistance of that galiot, sir. We saved four persons,
and brought the vessel in, as you see her now. She was knocked down in
the squall, and lost two men. We found her on her beam-ends."
"Indeed, Captain Kendall, you have had your hands full," replied Mr.
Lowington, pleased with the gallant conduct of his young friend.
"The captain of the galiot,--he has a name as long as the main
royal-mast backstay, and I can't remember it,--the captain is on board
of the Josephine, and wishes to see you very much. I referred the whole
matter to you, sir."
"I will see him at once."
"He don't speak a word of English--only Dutch."
"Mr. Fluxion speaks Dutch, and he shall go with me. I will return with
you in your boat," added the principal.
The professor of mathematics was called, and they embarked in the
Josephine's gig. On the way Paul briefly detailed the events which had
occurred since the squall came on, explaining the means by which the
shipwrecked party had been saved, and the vessel righted. He generously
bestowed great praise upon his officers and crew for their zealous
efforts both in working the Josephine, and in saving the galiot and her
crew.
"I have been worried about you, Captain Kendall. You did not seem to be
as prudent as usual when the storm was threatening. Ten minutes before
the squall came up you had every rag of canvas set, including your fore
square-sail. You ought to have reduced sail half an hour sooner,
especially as there was no wind, and not a sail was drawing. You should
have taken your precautions sooner, for you can't tell the precise
moment when a hurricane will burst upon you. All light sails and all
extra ones should be taken in when there is a possibility of a squall."
"I was attending the Greek class," replied Paul; but he resolved to make
no allusion to the difficulty between Mr. Hamblin and himself.
Paul's reply gave the principal an idea of the occasion of the
unpleasantness, but he refrained from any further remark on the subject.
"The Dutch captain is much troubled about the salvage on his vessel, for
the Belgian pilot told him the Josephine would be entitled to two thirds
or three fourths of the property saved," continued Paul.
"Salvage!" said the principal, with a smile. "Well, I suppose you are
entitled to it."
"I hope you will give the Dutchman the vessel and cargo. He feels very
badly. He has lost a brother and a brother-in-law, and now he is afraid
of losing nearly all that was saved. I hope you will not take any
salvage. I am sure the Josephines would all vote to have you make no
claim for it."
"Excellent! I hope they will," replied the principal, as he ascended to
the schooner's deck, followed by Mr. Fluxion and Paul.
CHAPTER V.
CAPTAIN SCHIMMELPENNINK.
At the request of the principal, Mr. Fluxion acted as interpreter in the
conversation with the Dutch skipper. The unfortunate man stated his
case, and bewailed the heavy loss to which he had been subjected by the
tempest.
"Call all hands, if you please, Captain Kendall," said Mr. Lowington,
when he had heard the statement as translated by Mr. Fluxion.
Paul gave the required order, and in a few moments the crew were at
quarters. The principal took his place on the main hatch, and all the
Josephines waited with interest to hear what he had to say.
"Young gentlemen, since we parted company in the squall yesterday, I
have suffered a great deal of anxiety on your account. The ship ran off
before the gale, while the Josephine lay to. If you had not sailed to
the southward after the tempest, we should not have lost sight of you
for more than a few hours. I acknowledge that I reproached myself
severely for intrusting the vessel to the sole care of students. But I
find that she has been as well handled as though she had been under
command of an old and experienced man. I wish to say to you that Captain
Kendall has acquitted himself remarkably well in the emergency. Though
he did not take in his light sails quite as soon as he should,
everything else was done with the skill and prudence of a veteran."
At this point the students on board, who knew very well why Paul had not
taken in the light sails sooner, looked at one another and smiled
significantly. The difficulty between the professor and the captain had
been fully discussed among them, and it hardly need be said that Paul
was fully justified by his shipmates.
"I want to add," continued the principal, "that the conduct of Captain
Kendall--with the exception I have mentioned--is fully and cordially
approved. I must say that his behavior, his skill and energy, seem fully
to justify the experiment undertaken in the Josephine. Your commander
has made a full report of the vessel, and it gives me great pleasure to
say that he awards the highest praise to his officers and crew for their
zeal and fidelity. He informs me that officers and seamen labored with
untiring energy to rescue the unfortunate persons on board of the
galiot, and also to save the vessel itself. These efforts have been
entirely successful.
"It is at all times the duty of the seaman to save life and property on
the high seas. No one knows how soon we may need the kind offices of
brother sailors of any nation; and what we expect to receive from others
we should at all times be prepared to render to them. You have done
nobly. I congratulate you upon your success; and I thank you for the
zeal with which you have discharged your several duties. Nothing so much
as the dependence of one seaman upon another, in the hour of shipwreck
and disaster, unites the seamen of all nations in one fraternity. Young
gentlemen, you have done something for your ship, and something for your
country; for every true American feels proud and happy when he learns
that an American vessel has saved even a single shipwrecked mariner. I
am sure your friends will be proud of you when they read your record for
the last twenty-four hours.
"According to maritime law, young gentlemen, you are entitled to salvage
upon the vessel you have saved. Under ordinary circumstances, you would
be justified in claiming from one half to three fourths of the value of
this vessel. The galiot, I am informed, was not insured. The value of
the vessel and cargo is perhaps four or five thousand dollars. I have no
doubt the court would give you what would amount to two or three
thousand dollars, at least; for without assistance the vessel would
probably have been a total loss.
"Captain Schimmelpennink, I am told, is the sole owner of the 'Wel
tevreeden.' He and his family lived on board of her. It was their only
home, and she was their only worldly possession. At an expense of a few
hundred dollars, he can restore her to her original condition. If sold
in her present state, she would not bring half her actual value.
Deducting the salvage from this amount, the unfortunate captain would
lose at least three fourths of his property, the accumulation of his
lifetime."
"We'll no rob the poor mon," interposed McLeish, the Scotch boy, who was
now on his good behavior.
"It will be no robbery, McLeish. You would take but your just dues,"
replied the principal, with a smile.
"We'll no tak it," added McLeish.
"No, sir!" "No, sir!" "No, sir!" responded the students in every
direction.
"Not a dollar of it, sir!" said Paul, warmly.
"Thank you, young gentlemen," continued Mr. Lowington, whose face
indicated the pleasure he felt. "You have voluntarily suggested what I
was about to propose to you. To-day is Sunday, and your conduct is
worthy of the day. I should not have mentioned the matter until
to-morrow, if I had not desired to relieve the unfortunate captain from
his anxiety and suspense. Your conduct will gladden his heart. We will
take a vote on this question, that there may be no mistake in regard to
your intentions. Those in favor of abandoning the claim for salvage will
signify it by raising the right hand."
Every hand was raised, and most of the boys added an emphatic "Ay!" to
the hand vote.
"All up!" shouted the students, looking around them to find any one who
was behind the others in this benevolent deed.
"Every one," replied Mr. Lowington, smiling. "Mr. Fluxion, I will thank
you to communicate to the master of the galiot the action of the ship's
company."
The Dutchman stood watching the proceedings of the party with a look of
sad bewilderment. His wife and daughter were near him, as sad and
confused as himself. The boys looked at him with interest as the
professor of mathematics explained to him what had taken place. The
expression which lighted up his face, as he comprehended the action of
the students, was an ample reward for their generous conduct.
"Tell him he may take possession of his vessel as soon as he pleases,"
added the principal.
Mr. Fluxion communicated this permission to the skipper; and when he
heard it he cast a longing glance at the "Wel tevreeden," which he
seemed to regard in the same light as his wife and daughter.
"How much will it cost to repair the galiot?" asked one of the students,
stepping forward from a group which had been whispering together for a
moment very earnestly.
"I do not know the price of materials in Holland," replied Mr.
Lowington. "Perhaps the captain and the pilot may be able to give you
some information on this subject."
Mr. Fluxion, the pilot, and the master of the galiot consulted together
for some time. The jib and foresail, and a portion of the standing and
running rigging, had been saved, and the Belgian and the Dutchman made a
computation of the cost of labor and material.
"About twelve hundred guilders," said Mr. Lowington, after Mr. Fluxion
had reported the result of the conference.
"How much is that, sir?" asked one of the boys, blankly.
"One hundred pounds, English," said Paul, who had already studied up
Dutch currency. "About five hundred dollars."
"I move you, sir, that a subscription paper be opened to raise the money
to repair the galiot," said Lynch.
"Second the motion," added Groesbeck.
"Young gentlemen, I think you have done all that could be expected of
you," said Mr. Lowington. "I do not mean to represent to you that
Captain Schimmelpennink is an object of charity, though I am informed
that he has not the means of paying for these repairs. But, since you
desire it, I will put the matter to vote."
The motion was carried unanimously, as the one remitting the claim for
salvage had been. The principal suggested that it was proper to appoint
a committee to attend to the subscriptions; and Terrill, Pelham, and
Lynch were appointed to perform this duty. Nothing was said to the
skipper of the galiot about this proposition; and Mr. Lowington having
warmly commended the students for their generous sympathy with the
unfortunate man, the crew were dismissed.
A boat was sent to the "Wel tevreeden" with the captain and his party.
The subscription paper was immediately opened. Terrill took the paper to
Mr. Lowington first, who headed it with sixty guilders. The principal
and the students seemed to make their financial calculations in English
money, on the basis of twelve guilders to the pound. Mr. Fluxion put
down twenty-four guilders, and the students twelve guilders each; for no
one was willing to be behind the others.
Mr. Lowington returned to the ship; and when dinner was over, most of
the Josephines turned in, for there was a fearful gaping on board as
soon as the excitement had subsided. Hardly any of the crew had closed
their eyes during the preceding night, and all of them were very tired.
At five o'clock, the white flag containing a blue cross, which is the
signal for divine service, appeared on the Young America. The service
had been postponed, to enable the Josephines to obtain a little needed
rest: it was never dispensed with except at sea, in very heavy weather.
Though the religious exercises were made unusually impressive by Mr.
Agneau, after the storm and the wreck, it must be confessed that some of
the consort's company went to sleep during the hour; but they were
forgiven, even by the chaplain, when their zealous labors to save life
and property were considered.
For some reason of his own, Mr. Lowington invited the Dutch skipper and
his family to attend the service, and a boat was sent for the party.
They came on board, and were regarded with deep interest by the crew,
though doubtless they were not much edified by the exercises, as they
knew not a word of English.
"Captain Kendall," said the first lieutenant of the schooner, when they
returned to their cabin, "I think I have money enough to build a new
galiot for Captain Schumblefungus, or whatever his name is. I don't
wonder that a man with such a name as that should be cast away,
especially if the mate had to speak it before he let go the halyards."
"How much have you?" asked Paul.
"I don't know," replied Terrill, producing a whole bundle of money
orders, with which the students had paid their subscriptions. "Mr.
Lowington made a speech to the Young Americans after he returned on
board. He told them what we had done, and what we intended to do. The
fellows in the ship wanted to have a finger in the pie; and I believe
every one of them has put down his twelve guilders."
"I am very glad to hear that; for I pitied the Dutch captain from the
bottom of my heart," added Paul.
"All the professors gave twelve guilders, except old Hamblin--"
"Professor Hamblin," interposed Paul, gently rebuking his friend for
using that disrespectful appellative.
"Professor Hamblin; but I have no respect for him, and I can't always
help speaking what I think. He is a solemn old lunatic, as grouty as a
crab that has got aground."
"We will not speak of him," said Paul, mildly.
"Well, they all subscribed except him; and I'm sure I've got more than
twelve hundred guilders. Why, even the cooks and stewards gave
something."
"I'm glad you have been so fortunate."
"Captain Spunkenfungle's eyes will stick out a foot or two when he hears
what we have done for him."
"And I'm sure we shall be as happy as he; for such gifts, you know, are
twice blessed."
The sums on the subscription papers were added up by Terrill and Pelham.
"Sixteen hundred and fifty-four guilders!" exclaimed the former, when
the result had been reached.
"Four hundred and fifty-four guilders more than the sum required," added
Paul, delighted by the intelligence.
"Shall we give it all to the skipper?" asked Pelham.
"I don't know. We will leave that to Mr. Lowington," replied Paul.
"I don't think we ought to give him any more than enough to make up his
loss. That would tempt him to wreck his galiot again, if there was an
American flag in sight," said Terrill.
"I see no reason why he should be left any better off than before the
disaster," continued the captain. "We can keep the money as a charity
fund; and I have no doubt we shall soon find a chance to make good use
of it."
The embarrassment of having a surplus was better than that of a
deficiency would have been, and the sleepy officers of the Josephine
were not likely to be kept awake by it. All hands turned in at an
earlier hour than usual. The anchor watch were as sleepy as the others;
but the discipline of the vessel was rigidly adhered to, for the
principal did not believe in neglecting any necessary precaution simply
because the crew were tired. As seamen, the students were taught to
realize that fatigue and want of sleep on shipboard would not justify
any disregard of their regular routine duty.
In the morning everything went on as usual. It had not been the
intention of Mr. Lowington to put into Flushing, and no one was allowed
to go on shore. The wind was fortunately fresh from the westward; the
pilots were still on board; and the signal for sailing was hoisted on
board of the Young America. Just before the squadron weighed anchor, Mr.
Fluxion went on board of the galiot, and informed the skipper that all
the expenses of the repairs of his vessel would be paid by the students
of the institution. The professor reported that the poor man was beside
himself with joy when he received this intelligence. He expressed his
gratitude in extravagant terms, which had no English equivalents. Mr.
Fluxion gave him eighty pounds in gold, and promised to see him again
before the repairs were completed.
Orders to weigh anchor were given, and the two vessels stood out of the
port of Flushing into the broad river. At Paul's invitation, Dr.
Winstock came on board for the passage up the river. Mr. Hamblin still
remained a guest of the ship, and the surgeon volunteered to take his
place, though he acknowledged that his Greek roots were little better
than decayed stumps in his memory.
There is nothing picturesque on the Scheldt; and it was no great
hardship for the students to be compelled to attend to their lessons in
the steerage half the time during the trip. The country is very
low--some of it below the level of the sea; and there was little to be
seen on shore, though the students on deck found enough to interest
them.
Mr. Hamblin was the only unhappy person in the squadron, even the
Knights of the Red Cross finding enough in this new and strange land to
occupy their time without plotting mischief. The learned gentleman did
not like the way in which the principal appeared to be "sustaining" him.
Mr. Lowington had called the crew together, and told them what the
Josephines had done, praising them in what seemed to the professor to be
the most extravagant language. He did not like it: it was hardly less
than an insult to commend the student against whom he had preferred
charges of disobedience and insubordination.
He was vexed that no notice was taken of his complaints--that the matter
had been deferred a single hour. In his opinion, Captain Kendall should
have been promptly suspended. The moral effect of such a course would
have been grand. Mr. Hamblin had spoken; and he felt that he had spoken.
If he was not sustained, he could not return to the Josephine. He had
spoken; and it was the principal's place to speak next.
Mr. Lowington did not speak. He was busy all the morning; and when the
vessels sailed, not a word had been said in allusion to the topic which,
in Mr. Hamblin's estimation, overshadowed all others. If the principal
did not think of it all the time, he ought to do so; for the academic
branch of the institution would be a failure if discipline was not
enforced. The ship stood on her way before the fresh westerly breeze,
and still Mr. Lowington did not mention the matter. The professor waited
till he felt he was utterly ignored, and was sacrificing his dignity
every moment that he permitted the question to remain unsettled.
"Mr. Lowington," said he at last, with a mighty effort,--for it was the
principal's duty to speak first,--"I made a complaint to you yesterday.
Thus far no notice whatever seems to have been taken of it."
"Perhaps the longer we wait the easier it will be to settle the
question," replied Mr. Lowington, pleasantly, though he dreaded the
discussion that must ensue.
"If I am not to be sustained in the discharge of my duties, it is
useless for me to attempt to perform them to your satisfaction or my
own."
"You shall be sustained in the discharge of your duties, Mr. Hamblin.
But we will discuss this matter in the cabin, if you please," added the
principal, as he led the way below.
"Unless an instructor is sustained, of course he can do nothing," said
the professor, as he seated himself in the cabin.
"Certainly not. I will hear your complaint now, Mr. Hamblin," replied
the principal.
The learned gentleman stated his grievance in about the same terms as on
the day before.
"You say that a message was sent down to the captain. Do you know what
that message was?" asked the principal.
"I do not remember it precisely. It was something about a squall."
"Very likely it was," answered Mr. Lowington, dryly. "There was a squall
coming up at the time--was there not?"
"I knew there was a shower coming up."
"You declined to let him go on deck?"
"I did, sir. The recitation in Greek was not half finished," replied the
professor, who deemed this a sufficient reason for declining.
"Captain Kendall did not go on deck when the first message was sent
down?"
"No, sir; we continued the recitation for half an hour longer without
interruption. Then the messenger came again. I told Mr. Kendall not to
leave the class; but, in direct opposition to my order, he went on
deck. Not satisfied with this, though he knew that half the students
were engaged in the recitations, he ordered all hands to be called. Of
course the students were glad enough to get away from their lessons; and
all of them stampeded from the steerage, in spite of my protest, and
without even a word of apology."
"Did they?" added Mr. Lowington, with difficulty avoiding the disrespect
of laughing in the face of the learned gentleman.
"They did; and it must be as clear to you as it is to me, that such
conduct is utterly subversive of anything like good discipline."
"May I ask what punishment you propose as suitable for such an offence
as that of Captain Kendall?"
"I am perfectly willing to leave that matter to you, sir; but I should
think that simple suspension from his office would be sufficient,
considering the position of Mr. Kendall."
"Mr. Hamblin, it is your misfortune, not your fault, that you were
brought up on shore instead of at sea," added the principal. "You have
made a very great mistake, sir."
"I, sir!" exclaimed the learned gentleman, springing up from his seat as
though such an event as that indicated by Mr. Lowington had never
occurred in his life.
"Captain Kendall also made a mistake," continued the principal.
"He did indeed, sir. It is always a very great mistake to disobey one's
teacher."
"I do not mean that."
"May I ask what you do mean, sir?"
"His mistake was in not going on deck when the messenger sent to him by
the officer of the deck reported that a squall was coming up."
"But I refused the permission," said the professor, warmly.
"Then he should have gone without your permission," added Mr. Lowington,
decidedly.
"Am I to understand, sir, that you counsel disobedience among the boys
on the Josephine?"
"No, sir; I counsel obedience to the laws of God and man, and to the
orders of one's superior. Mr. Hamblin, is it possible that you could not
understand the circumstances of that occasion?" continued the principal.
"A squall was coming up, and you desired to detain the captain of your
vessel in the steerage!"
"But half the crew were on deck. I am told that Mr. Terrill is a
competent seaman. He knew enough to take down the sails, if necessary."
"Such a course would have been without a precedent, and in violation of
one of the rules of the ship."
"Did you not tell me that all the students, including the captain,--you
mentioned him especially,--were subject to the orders of the professors
in school hours?"
"I certainly did; but if I had supposed that there was an instructor in
either vessel so utterly wanting in discretion, I should have qualified
the statement. Captain Kendall is in command of the Josephine. He is
responsible for the safety of the vessel and for the lives of those on
board."
"He might have sent up word to take down the sails," growled Mr.
Hamblin, disgusted beyond measure at the decision of the principal.
"Did any one ever hear of a captain working his vessel while in the
steerage?" retorted Mr. Lowington, impatiently, as he took a pen and
wrote a few lines on a sheet of paper. "Was Captain Kendall respectful
to you?"
"No, sir."
"What did he say that was disrespectful?"
"Disobedience is always disrespectful. He used no disrespectful words."
"I did not suppose he did. In a word, if Captain Kendall had gone on
deck when the first messenger went to him, I should have justified and
sustained him. I will go a step farther: he ought to have done so."
"Then I am to understand that I am a mere cipher on board of the
Josephine," demanded Mr. Hamblin.
"You are to understand, sir, that the first duty of the captain of a
ship is to his vessel and to those on board of her. Why, sir, I thought
the young gentleman was insane, and I was intensely anxious, when I saw
his vessel with all her light sails on while a squall, so clearly
indicated as that of Saturday, was impending. I blamed him very much.
The squall was as likely to come half an hour sooner as when it did
come. If it had struck her with all sail set, it would have taken the
masts out of her--perhaps foundered her. If several of the students had
been lost, what satisfaction would it be to me or their friends to know
that the disaster occurred because the professor of Greek refused to let
the captain go on deck!"
"Perhaps I was wrong, sir."
"_Perhaps_ you were! If you do not know that you were, you are not fit
for the position to which I assigned you."
"I see that you fully sustain Mr. Kendall," groaned the professor.
"I only blame him because he did not disobey you the first time instead
of the second."
"Was it necessary for him to call all hands?" demanded Mr. Hamblin,
triumphantly.
"It was emphatically necessary! If he had gone on deck when the first
message reached him, it might not have been necessary, though I should
have sustained him in doing so; for the safest side is always the best
side. May I ask you to read this order?" added the principal, as he
handed the sheet upon which he had written to the learned professor.
Mr. Hamblin read the order aloud.
Captain Kendall is hereby authorized and directed to leave any
class in which he may be engaged, whenever, in his own judgment,
the management of his vessel requires him to do so. The instructors
in the consort are requested to respect this order.
R. LOWINGTON.
Professor Hamblin dropped the paper, took off his spectacles, looked on
the floor a moment, and seemed to feel that the nautical academy was not
the paradise of schoolmasters.
"Mr. Lowington, I feel obliged to tender my resignation of the position
I occupy," said the learned gentleman, haughtily.
"Very well, sir. Though the want of an instructor in your department
will be a serious inconvenience to me, I shall accept your resignation
if you are not willing to respect this order," replied the principal.
That ended the conference, and Paul was sustained.
CHAPTER VI.
PROFESSOR HAMBLIN CHANGES HIS MIND.
Professor Hamblin went on deck, walked up and down, and made himself as
miserable as possible. He was the senior instructor of the Josephine,
and was the superintendent of her academic department. He had been a
schoolmaster or a professor for forty years, and was fully steeped in
the dogmatism of the pedagogue. He was disposed to be overbearing and
tyrannical, though perhaps his profession, rather than his nature, had
implanted this tendency in his character. Certainly the almost absolute
sway of the schoolmaster encourages such an unfortunate development of
the lower faculties of human nature.
It is necessary that the parent or the teacher should have this absolute
sway. Practically, his will is law, and the child has no alternative but
to rebel or obey. The limit to his authority is only placed on the line
where tyranny ends and actual abuse begins. It is true that public
opinion has its influence upon the teacher or parent; but there is room
for much petty oppression before the limit of endurance is reached. A
man may be an efficient teacher, and produce splendid intellectual
results, while he is a tyrant and an oppressor; indeed, his tyranny and
oppression may be the very means by which his success is accomplished.
The rights of the pupil are not recognized by such men. The scholar is
regarded as a machine, rather than an immortal soul. Though Mr. Hamblin
was a very pious man, in his own way, and was very careful in his
observance of all the forms of law and tradition, he was a tyrant at
heart. He ruled with an iron will, and willingly suffered no one in the
school-room to hold an opinion different from his own. He was not
popular in the Josephine; he had never been a popular teacher anywhere,
though he had been a successful one, so far as intellectual results were
concerned. His success seemed to justify him, and certainly it added to
the strength of his tyrannical will.
The good schoolmaster recognizes and respects the rights of the scholar.
While he is an unflinching disciplinarian, expecting an unquestioning
obedience, he does not believe in his own infallibility. He is kind and
considerate, and regards his pupil as an embryo man, "endowed with
certain inalienable rights," which none may trample upon with impunity.
He is both just and merciful, his heart being filled with love to God
and love to man.
Such was not Mr. Hamblin. The greatest sin of a student was to have a
will of his own. He had not the power or the inclination to harmonize
that will with the requirements of duty, and he broke it down, not by
coarse abuse, but by making the pupil so uncomfortable that a total
submission was better than a reasonable independence. In mild-tempered
boys, like Paul Kendall, the task was an easy one, when no principle was
at stake.
The professor walked up and down the deck, brooding over his grievances.
He could not afford to abandon his situation on the one hand, and it
seemed impossible to acknowledge that he was wholly wrong on the other
hand. When he had thoroughly cooled off, he was willing to own that it
was necessary for the captain to go on deck, and that if he had
comprehended the situation he should have given him permission to do so.
But he knew nothing about the management of a vessel. How should a
professor of Greek and Latin be expected to understand a matter which
even the most ignorant could comprehend, and of which even a boy of
sixteen had made himself master? Boys could play base-ball, but he did
not know how; and it seemed just as much beneath his dignity to be
familiar with practical navigation.
He was sorry now that he had not given Captain Kendall permission to go
on deck; for it was impossible to refute the arguments of the principal;
but at the same time he had not overstepped the duties of his office. He
had been informed that all the students, even to the captain, were
subject to his will and pleasure during school hours, and therefore he
had a perfect right to detain the captain. It was not his fault that a
blunder had been made; he had not made it.
The order which Mr. Lowington had shown him would remedy the difficulty
in future, and prevent its repetition; but if that order was
promulgated, it would assure the pupils that Captain Kendall had been
fully sustained, and that the professor had not been sustained. Mr.
Hamblin shuddered at the thought; for justifying a student at the
expense of the instructor was an enormity which he could not
countenance. The captain's will would remain unbroken, and the professor
would occupy a secondary position on board of the Josephine.
The learned gentleman walked the deck hour after hour, endeavoring to
devise a plan by which he could return to his position without the
sacrifice of any portion of his dignity. Mr. Lowington, in saying that
the professor's resignation would be a serious inconvenience to him, had
left the door open for him to revise his final action. The squadron was
eventually to visit Greece and other classic lands, and he was very
anxious to continue his travels, not only without expense to himself,
but while in the receipt of a handsome salary. Such an opportunity to
see Europe could never again be presented to him, and he was not willing
to sacrifice it.
Professor Hamblin was becoming more reasonable; but there was the
untamed will of Captain Kendall, an unconquered fortress, in his path.
Perhaps Mr. Lowington, now that the excitement of the first interview
had subsided, might help him out of the embarrassing dilemma, though his
decided manner was not very encouraging. The professor determined to
have another interview, and as soon as he saw the principal alone he
opened the subject again.
"What you said about my resignation, Mr. Lowington, gives me some
uneasiness. It is not my wish to subject you to any inconvenience by
leaving you, in a foreign land, where much delay must necessarily ensue
before you can obtain a suitable person to fill my place," said he, in a
tone of embarrassment.
"It would disturb my plans very much; but I cannot endanger the vessel
and the lives of those on board of her. The position of Captain Kendall
is anomalous, you will perceive."
"I am quite willing now to say that if I had understood the situation, I
should have permitted Mr. Kendall to leave the class."
"And I am quite willing to say that your services as an instructor are
entirely satisfactory to me," added the principal, with a smile.
They were more satisfactory to him than they were to the students of the
Josephine.
"Then we seem to be in full accord with each other on these points,"
replied the professor, hopefully. "I trust some arrangement may be made
to reconcile the differences of opinion on the question of discipline.
You do not sustain me, Mr. Lowington."
"I cannot, sir. If I did, I should expect the Josephine to go to the
bottom with all on board, in the first gale of wind she encounters,
should Captain Kendall happen to be reciting his Greek at the time."
"I think I understand the matter better now, and in a similar emergency
I should permit him to leave the class."
"In matters of seamanship and navigation, I have more confidence in the
judgment of Captain Kendall than in yours. He must be absolute in his
position as captain of the vessel."
"Of course, sir; and in the composition of a soup doubtless you would
have more confidence in the judgment of your cook than in mine," added
the professor, cynically; for, intellectually, the cook and the captain
appeared to be on the same level to him; and as a professor of Greek, he
did not regard it as any more derogatory to his dignity not to know
anything of the principles of seamanship than to be ignorant of the art
of making a soup.
"The order which I have written, and which I shall transmit to Captain
Kendall as soon as the squadron comes to anchor, will set the matter
right," said Mr. Lowington.
"Do you insist on issuing that order?" asked Mr. Hamblin.
"I do."
"Let me say that Mr. Stoute did not indorse my course, and that in
future I will give Mr. Kendall permission to leave the class whenever he
desires to do so."
"That is very well, sir; but, under the circumstances, I cannot permit
the captain to be embarrassed even by the necessity of asking
permission. If, by any diffidence on his part, he should delay asking
leave to go on deck, serious mishaps might occur."
"Then I am to be subject to the will of that boy?" said the professor,
disgusted at the thought.
"Not unless you are connected with the sailing department of the vessel.
You are simply prevented from exercising your will over him, to the
detriment of his duties as a navigator."
"In this light the case looks different to me," added the professor, who
was laboring to recede from his position as gracefully as possible. "I
am willing to permit the captain to have his own will in all matters
pertaining to the management of the vessel, as I am to allow the cook
entire freedom in making his soup."
"Then nothing more need be said, and you can resume your position on
board of the Josephine at once."
"I am not entirely satisfied about that order, Mr. Lowington," added Mr.
Hamblin.
"Why not?"
"Because that sustains Mr. Kendall and condemns me in a public and
formal manner."
"That is precisely what I intend to do."
"It amounts to sacrificing me, by placing me in a derogatory position. I
have not transcended the power given me, and it is not right that I
should be formally condemned."
"The order passes no judgment upon the past; it relates to the future
only. Captain Kendall must understand that he has full liberty to go
when and where he pleases, in the discharge of his duty. I am confident
he will not abuse this liberty."
"But I am to stand before him in this business as a whipped puppy.
Couldn't you give him the order verbally, and explain my position to
him?"
"What is your position?" demanded the principal, with a smile.
"I mean simply that in detaining him I erred through a want of knowledge
of seamanship."
"I can explain that; but I think it would be better for you to do so."
"For me!" gasped the professor. "Why, sir, that would be an apology!"
"It would be merely an explanation, which would come more gracefully
from you than from any other person."
"I don't think so, sir. It would be lowering myself before him."
"As you please, Mr. Hamblin. I will explain the matter myself, when I
give him the order."
"If you could give him the order verbally, it would be better."
"No; he must have the written order to show to any professor who
disputes his authority. But Captain Kendall will never give you any
trouble. He is manly and gentle, and he will not take advantage of his
position."
"I think he will have abundant ground to manifest his triumph."
"He will not do anything of the kind. If any officer of the Josephine
treats you with disrespect, he shall be suspended at once from office."
"That is very proper, sir," added Mr. Hamblin, heartily.
The learned gentleman let himself down as easily as possible. He had
consented to remain rather than subject the principal to the great
inconvenience and delay of procuring a new instructor. Captain Kendall
was to be independent only in the sailing department, in which he had no
disposition to interfere, any more than with the cook. He regarded it as
a bitter necessity which compelled him to return to the Josephine; for
he could not forego the pecuniary advantage and the opportunity of
visiting the classic lands which the voyage presented; but, though he
yielded with what grace he could command, he was dissatisfied with Mr.
Lowington, and more dissatisfied with Paul.
To go back to the consort unsustained was almost like going to a dungeon
for a capital crime, to which nothing but personal interest induced him
to submit. If the captain did not enjoy his triumph, it would be a
degree of forbearance which he could not comprehend. But he was quite
certain that the captain would "put on airs," abuse his absolute
liberty, and perhaps snub his teacher before the class. Mr. Hamblin
expected this, and made up his mind to be on the lookout for it.
After dinner Mr. Lowington suggested that his services must be much
needed on board of the Josephine, and proposed to send him to her at
once. Mr. Hamblin consented, and as the consort kept astern of the ship,
the latter was hove to, and the professor's barge lowered. Mr. Lowington
went with the learned gentleman, and agreeably to his promise, made a
full explanation to Paul, while the instructor, without a word to any
one, hastened to the steerage, and called his class, just as though
nothing had occurred. It was observed that he was unusually sour,
crabbed, and precise, and all the students were anxious to know how the
question of discipline had been settled.
"Read this order, if you please, Captain Kendall," said the principal,
when he had conducted him to the cabin, where they were alone.
"I have no desire to leave my class, unless my duty to the vessel
requires it," added Paul, after he had read the order.
"I did not suppose you had; but you will keep that order in your pocket,
and remember that your first duty is to your ship and crew."
"I suppose you have learned by this time, sir, the reason why we did not
take in sail sooner on Saturday," continued Paul, blushing deeply.
"I have. Professor Hamblin feels very badly about this matter. At the
time of it, he believed he was right, for he knows less about a vessel
than even the chaplain of the ship. He acknowledges now that he was in
error. Our rules did not before apply with sufficient distinctness to
your particular case, as captain of the vessel, responsible for her
proper navigation. Mr. Hamblin did not overstep the letter of his duty
in refusing you permission to go on deck, and I only blame him for his
want of judgment. By this order, which corrects the ship's rules, you
are made independent in all matters relating to the management of the
vessel."
"I think there can be no trouble now, sir," replied Paul, delighted to
find that his conduct was approved.
"I hope not; and I do not expect any."
Mr. Lowington returned to the ship, satisfied that he had healed the
wounds of both the sufferers. Paul was happy, and he determined to treat
the professor with the utmost deference and kindness, and thus remove
the remembrance of the difficulty. At four o'clock, after the squadron
had passed Beveland, and entered the Belgian territory, Paul went down
to recite his Greek, as usual. He could not help seeing that Mr.
Hamblin's lip quivered, and that he was laboring under strong emotions,
when he took his place at the mess table. The captain was hardly less
embarrassed, but he hoped an opportunity would soon occur for him to
perform some kind act for the irritated gentleman.
When the recitation was nearly finished, and both parties had recovered
their self-possession, the vessel gave a sudden "bump," which nearly
tipped the professor off his stool; but he righted himself, and was too
much absorbed in his favorite study to think of the incident for a
moment.
"Mr. Terrill directs me to report to you that the vessel is aground!"
said one of the midshipmen, in breathless haste, touching his cap to the
captain.
Paul blushed deeply, and was intensely annoyed at this repetition of the
circumstances of Saturday; but there was no alternative but for him to
go on deck.
"Will you excuse me, Mr. Hamblin?" asked Paul, rising.
The professor bowed, but made no reply in words. He wondered if the
vessel had not been run aground on purpose to mortify and annoy him. He
was inclined to think that such was the case, and that it had been done
to enable the captain to display his absolute authority.
Paul went on deck; but the pilot assured him that the accident would not
subject the vessel to half an hour's delay, for the tide was rising very
rapidly. He had run her a little too near a shoal, while the Young
America, by keeping in mid channel, had gone clear. There was nothing
for the captain to do on deck, and he returned to his class. The
Josephine came off the ground within the half hour, and by putting on
more sail overhauled the ship before she reached Antwerp.
"Here is the city, Paul," said Dr. Winstock, as the Josephine rounded a
bend in the river. "You can see the spire of Antwerp Cathedral."
"I see it, sir. I have heard a great deal about it. This is farther than
we have been from the sea since we sailed."
"Yes, it is a long pull from the sea for a sailing vessel; but Antwerp
is the only convenient port for visiting the greater part of Belgium. We
are only a short distance from Brussels, Ghent, Malines, and Liége. I
suppose we shall visit no other port in Belgium; indeed, there is no
other convenient one, except Ostend."
"There is a whole fleet of British steamers at anchor opposite the
town," said Paul, when the Josephine had gone a little farther.
"A great many merchant steamers come up the river. There are regular
lines to London and Harwich. By the latter route you may leave Antwerp
at four in the afternoon and be in London at nine the next morning,
though the Ostend or Calais line is quicker and better."
"Those are large steamers," added Paul, as the squadron approached the
fleet at anchor.
"Why, that's the Victoria and Albert!" exclaimed the doctor, pointing to
the largest of the ships. "That is the yacht of the Queen of England."
"It is a pretty large yacht," replied Paul. "What are the other
steamers?"
"They are the consorts of the yacht. The one that lies nearest to her is
the Osborne, which was formerly the queen's state vessel. The others are
merely a kind of guard of honor."
"Does it take five steamships to bring the queen over to Antwerp?" asked
Paul, laughing.
"She must go in state when she goes," added the doctor. "The Victoria
and Albert is a ship of twenty-four hundred tons. I hope we shall have
an opportunity to go on board of her."
"I hope we shall; but that is hardly to be expected."
"They do not exhibit her when she is in English waters, but I think they
do when she is abroad."
"All ready to moor ship, Mr. Terrill," said Paul, as the Young America
gave the signal.
The Josephine ran up to a point near the ship, and within a couple of
cables' length of the royal squadron let go her anchor. Port officers
came on board, and explained the harbor regulations; among them, one
whose duty it was to determine the amount due the pilot. This official
"hooked" the vessel, or measured her draught. As the Josephine drew
about ten feet of water, the charge was one hundred and ninety-eight
francs.
Everything was made snug on board; the ropes were carefully coiled, and
all the running rigging hauled taut; for, lying near the queen's yacht,
Paul desired to have the vessel present her best appearance. The work of
the day was ended, and the students were at liberty to observe the
strange scenes around them. There was the city of Antwerp, but it was
not much different from any other city. The Scheldt formed a crescent in
front of the town, and there was a multitude of vessels lying at the
quays, as the space on the shore is called. The river is about fifteen
hundred feet wide, and deep enough to float a ship of the line. The city
is very strongly fortified, on both sides of the river.
"Here we are, for a week or two," said Pelham to the first lieutenant,
after all the ship's duty had been performed.
"I suppose so," replied Terrill. "It seems to me just as though we had
been sailing down hill ever since we came into the river. Hark!"
It was just six o'clock, and the chime of bells on the great Cathedral
played a silver-toned melody which was almost enchanting.
"I should not object to hearing that every hour," said Pelham, when the
tune was finished. "Do they play the same tune over again?"
"I'm sure I don't know," replied Terrill.
"They have a different tune for each hour of the day, and play the
entire music of an opera," interposed Dr. Winstock. "They give a short
strain at the quarter hour, and a longer one at the half hour."
"That will be music all day long."
"Yes, and all night long," added the surgeon, as he walked away with the
captain.
"I wish he were going to stay on board instead of that solemn old
lunatic, the Greek and Latin humbug" said Terrill, who had a habit of
speaking his mind very plainly.
"Do you know how the row was settled between him and the captain?" asked
Pelham.
"I do not; but I am confident Mr. Lowington sustained the captain,"
answered Terrill. "I was in hopes that we had got rid of him when he
went on board of the ship yesterday, and I was mad when I saw him coming
back to-day noon."
"There is not a fellow in the Josephine that didn't have the same
thought," added Pelham. "I don't see why a man need try to make himself
as disagreeable as he does. All the students were willing to treat him
with respect, and get their lessons well; but he is as crank as an
alderman."
"I wish we could get rid of him," suggested Terrill.
"Of course we can't do that," replied Pelham, who was not disposed to
get into any more scrapes.
"We might make the Josephine uncomfortable for him," suggested Terrill.
"We might; but I think we had better not," added the prudent Pelham,
made wise by experience, as the bell for the cabin supper rang.
Professor Hamblin looked unusually gloomy and morose, but he labored
perseveringly to keep up his dignity. Paul sat at the head of the table,
ordinarily with his officers on each side of him in the order of their
rank; but on the present occasion, Dr. Winstock occupied the place at
his right. At the opposite end of the board was Mr. Hamblin, with the
fat professor on his right. Behind the captain's chair stood the head
steward, while the second steward was stationed near the instructors.
Mr. Hamblin occasionally cast a furtive glance at the young commander;
but Paul seemed to be as composed as though nothing had happened to
disturb the friendly relations between them. Though he did not observe
it, Terrill persisted that the learned gentleman looked "ugly," and
would make another row as soon as he could get a chance.
"I can see through the mainsail when there is a hole in it," said the
executive officer to Pelham, when they went on deck again. "If there
wasn't mischief in Mr. Hamblin's eye, there never was mischief in any
man's eye."
"What do you mean?" asked Pelham.
"You know the old lunatic threatened to have the captain suspended for
leaving the class. He failed in that, and if he don't try it again, I'm
mistaken in the man."
"Of course he won't make any more complaints till he has something to
complain of, and Paul won't give him a chance."
"I don't suppose he will voluntarily; but his conduct will be distorted.
I tell you the professor is ugly, and he hates the captain as badly as a
Christian can."
"He hasn't improved his popularity on board by what he has done."
"Every fellow on the Josephine is down upon him. There'll be a row on
board soon, in my opinion," added Terrill, as Dr. Winstock and Paul came
on deck.
A boat was lowered to send the surgeon on board the ship. Paul
accompanied him; and on the way they went up to the gangway of the
Victoria and Albert, and ascertained that visitors would be admitted to
the ship on the following day, from ten till four.
CHAPTER VII.
THE LECTURE ON BELGIUM.
"All hands, attend lecture on board ship, ahoy!" shouted the boatswain
of the Josephine, as the signal to this effect appeared on the Young
America.
Ordinarily this call was not an agreeable one; for the students had
voted that it was "dull music" to listen to a stupid lecture on
geography and history; but in the present instance it was not so. The
information communicated in regard to England and Scotland was so
familiar to them that it was robbed of its interest; but the
school-books contained only very meagre allusions to Holland and
Belgium. Many of them had read Mr. Motley's eloquent descriptions of the
bravery and devotion to principle of the Dutch people in their civil
wars and in their terrible conflict with the Spaniards, and they were
desirous of knowing more about the country and its inhabitants.
Holland is in itself an exceedingly interesting country. The students
had seen something of its dikes and ditches, and were anxious to see
more. The region seemed to be very much like a ship; for it was
necessary to keep the water out as much as possible, and to pump out
that which leaked in or rained in. The boys were to go on shore, and
they desired to understand something of the history of the country, in
order to appreciate the various objects which commemorated mighty events
in the past. The citadel of Antwerp was in sight at a bend up the river,
and they were curious to know its antecedents.
On both vessels the libraries had been ransacked for information by the
more enthusiastic of the pupils, and many interesting facts had been
gleaned from the volumes; but those who knew the most about the country
were the most anxious to know more. With only a few exceptions,
therefore, the "call to lecture," on the present occasion, was a welcome
one. The boats were lowered, and all hands in the Josephine, including
the professors, went on board of the ship, leaving the vessel in charge
of the adult forward officers.
Mr. Mapps had already made his preparations in the steerage, and on the
foremast hung a large Dutch map of the Netherlands. The students filed
in and took their seats. The professor looked unusually pleasant and
enthusiastic, probably because he felt that his wares were in demand.
"Young gentlemen, before you is the map of the Netherlands," he began.
"For our present purpose, the term must include both Holland and
Belgium; for until 1830 the two were one country, the latter having had,
for no long period, a separate political existence till that time.
"The Dutch name of the country is _Nederlanden_; the French name,
_Pays-Bas_; both of which have the same meaning--'low countries.' By
this time you have realized the literal significance of the term; for
nearly all the region consists of an immense low plain, intersected by
rivers or arms of the sea. A reference to the physical geography of
Europe shows you that the great northern plain, containing nine times
the area of France, or about one half the area of Europe, extends from
the Ural Mountains to the German Ocean.
"Doubtless the whole region now included in the Netherlands was once a
mere swamp, a wild and useless morass, unfit for the habitation of man.
Three great rivers, you perceive on the map, have their course, in whole
or in part, through Holland and Belgium--the Rhine, the Maas, or Meuse,
and the Scheldt.
"By a reference to your navigation charts, young gentlemen, you will
often find banks and bars thrown up at the mouths of rivers. At the
mouth of the Scheldt, several miles from the shore, there are Thornton's
Ridge, The Rabs, Schouwen Bank, Steen Banks, and others of similar
formation. At the mouth of the Mississippi, in our own country, you are
aware that large vessels find great difficulty in getting over the bar.
If we take a tumbler full of Mississippi water, after heavy rains in the
north-west, and let it stand a few moments, a thick sediment settles at
the bottom. This sediment forms the bar at the mouth of the river. The
sand and mud are carried down by the current, and when the water has a
chance to rest, it deposits its burden upon the bottom."
"But why in that particular place?" asked an interested student.
"Because the current of the river comes to a halt where it meets the
inflowing tide of the gulf, or when it has spent its force. These bars
are sometimes formed by currents resulting from the combined action of
the sea and the flow of the river, or by winds. A heavy gale has been
known to change the aspect of a coast, to shut up a harbor, or to open
one where there had before been no inlet. Cape Cod presents some
remarkable instances of these physical revolutions.
"The great rivers of the Netherlands, in like manner, have brought down
their sands and mud, and deposited them on what now forms the shore of
the country. The forces of the ocean, against which the Dutchman of
to-day has to contend for the preservation of his life and property,
assisted in making this country a habitable region. Certain westerly and
south-westerly winds drive the waters of the Atlantic into the German
Ocean. The coast of the country, you see by the map, is exposed to the
longest sweep of the wind from the north-west, and the most violent
tempests to which Holland is exposed come from that direction. Now, what
is the effect of these storms?"
"They pile up the sand-bars," replied Captain Kendall.
"Precisely so; the dunes and ridges of sand which border the country
from the straits of Dover to the Texel are caused by these violent winds
from the north-west. The effect of this piling up of the sands was
eventually to limit, in a measure, the boundary of the sea. The dunes
and ridges formed the foundation for the dikes which the industrious and
persevering Dutchman has erected upon them, and by which he has made
his country. For the want of time, I shall defer the physical features
of Holland, and a more particular description of its dikes and ditches,
to a future occasion. In what country are we now?"
"In Belgium, sir," replied McLeish, who always answered when he could,
though in general knowledge he was far behind his American classmates.
"What is the French name?"
"_La Belgique._"
"The German?"
"_Belgien._"
"What is the French adjective?"
"_Belge._"
"There is a liberal newspaper published at Brussels, the capital of
Belgium, which is often quoted as political authority in the United
States, called the _Indépendance Belge_. What does the term mean?"
"'The Belgian Independent,' or 'The Independent Belgian,'" laughed
Pelham.
"But the first word is a noun."
"'The Belgian Freeman,' or something of that sort."
"Doubtless it will bear that rendering, though it means literally
'Belgian Independence.' Belgium is bounded on the north, and partly on
the east, by Holland; mostly on the east by the Rhenish provinces of
Prussia, forming a part of Germany; on the south-west by France; and on
the north-west by the German Ocean. It has an area of eleven thousand
three hundred and thirteen miles; that is, it is about the size of
Maryland, or of Massachusetts and Connecticut united.
"Its population in 1863 was about five millions, equal to the aggregate
of New York and Massachusetts. In New England, in 1860, there were fifty
persons to the square mile; in Massachusetts, which is the most densely
peopled of the United States, one hundred and seventy; but Belgium has
four hundred and forty souls to the square mile, and is the most
thickly-settled country in the world.
"Belgium contains nine provinces, the largest of which, in area, is
Luxembourg, though it is one of the smallest in population. The largest
in population is East Flanders."
"Flanders!" exclaimed Terrill; "I was hoping you would say something
about Flanders, for I had an idea it was Belgium."
"It is a part of it. Flanders has belonged to France, Spain, Austria,
and Holland, at times; but it was divided into two provinces by the King
of Holland, and became a part of the United Kingdom of Belgium when it
was established in 1830. It figures largely in history, and 'our army in
Flanders' is a proverb.
"The soil of Belgium is generally sandy and poor; but, by skill and
industry, the people obtain large crops from it. In a country so densely
peopled there could not be many large farms, and the majority of the
farmers cultivate what would not be more than a garden in America; but
the system of agriculture is not surpassed by that of any country in the
world. Flax-raising is the principal occupation of the farmers; but
grasses and roots receive particular attention. Horses, cattle, and
sheep are raised in great numbers.
"The manufactures of Belgium are very celebrated. The laces of Brussels
and Mechlin (Malines) have the highest reputation. Linen goods, carpets,
woollens, cottons, hosiery, are largely produced. The foreign and
domestic commerce of Belgium, largely carried on through the port of
Antwerp, is extensive.
"Belgium is a flat country, as we have said. There are no mountains,
though in the provinces of Liége and Brabant the American traveller will
find a variety of scenery similar to that in the eastern part of
Massachusetts and Connecticut. This portion of Belgium is a beautiful
garden.
"The government, according to the charter of 1831, is a constitutional,
representative, and hereditary monarchy; that is, it has a constitution,
a parliament, and the oldest son of the king is his successor. The
king's person is declared to be sacred, and his ministers, instead of
himself, are held responsible for the government acts. The legislative
branch consists of a senate and a chamber of representatives; but the
king must sign their acts before they can become laws.
"The members of both houses of the legislature are chosen by the people,
and are called deputies. Only citizens who pay a certain amount of
direct taxes can vote. The deputies who live out of the town in which
the session is held are paid sixty-two dollars a month. They are elected
for four years, half every two years. The political privileges of the
people are only less than those of our own country.
"The present king is Leopold I.[A] He is seventy-four years old, and for
the last fifty years has been a man of mark in Europe. He was for some
time in the service of the Emperor of Russia, and went to England with
the allied sovereigns, in 1814, where he became acquainted with, and
afterwards married, the Princess Charlotte, daughter of George IV.; but
she died within two years. In 1830 Leopold was elected King of Greece;
but he finally refused the crown, because the conditions he made were
not complied with. In 1831 he was elected King of the Belgians, and was
crowned the same year. The next year he married Louise, the daughter of
Louis Philippe, King of France. Leopold, Duke of Brabant, will succeed
him. He has several other sons and daughters, among them Marie
Charlotte, wife of Maximilian, Archduke of Austria, who has been elected
Emperor of Mexico. Leopold is one of the richest men in Europe.
[Footnote A: Leopold I. died Dec. 10, 1865, and was succeeded by his
son, Leopold II.]
"Nearly all the people of Belgium are Roman Catholics, there being but
about thirteen thousand Protestants and two thousand Jews; but the
largest religious liberty is allowed to all sects. A portion of the
salary of ministers of all denominations is paid from the national
treasury. While the Catholics receive seven hundred thousand dollars
from the state, the Protestants obtain eleven thousand, and the Jews two
thousand dollars. The salary paid by the state to the archbishop is four
thousand two hundred dollars, and to a bishop about three thousand.
"The history of Flanders is substantially the early history of Belgium.
Many changes were made in the territorial limit of the country from time
to time, in the hands of its different owners. The first mention of
this country in history is in the time of Julius Cæsar, who conquered
the Low Countries, and the Romans held them till the year 400, when they
were joined to the empire of the Franks. They formed part of the vast
realm of Charlemagne.
"After the Romans had abandoned the territory, several independent
nobles established themselves in the southern part of the Netherlands.
Among them were the Counts of Flanders, who became very powerful and
influential men. They are to be regarded as the founders of the Flemish
provinces. Having no male heirs, their possessions went to the house of
Burgundy. Philip, Duke of Burgundy, married Margaret, Countess of
Flanders, and, upon the death of her father, she brought to him the
country of Flanders and other valuable possessions.
"During the succeeding hundred years, Namur, Brabant, Limbourg,
Hainault, Holland, Zealand, Friesland, and Luxembourg, all of which now
belong to Holland and Belgium, were added to the territories of the
Dukes of Burgundy. At this period appears the powerful but rash and
cruel Charles the Bold. His life was spent in open or secret strife with
Louis XI., king of France, whose suzerain, or nominal vassal, he was.
The king was instrumental in stirring up rebellion in several cities of
the Low Countries, which the duke put down with his accustomed severity.
"Charles, in revenge, having leagued with some discontented French
princes, Louis secretly fomented an insurrection in Liége. When the blow
was first struck, the crafty king was paying a visit to his cousin of
Burgundy, as he called the duke, who, on hearing the news, retained his
sovereign as a prisoner, threatening to kill him for his perfidy. The
cunning prince tried to pacify his enraged host. He was but partially
successful, and could only obtain his liberty by submitting to the most
humiliating terms. The duke compelled his royal guest to march in person
with him to the revolted city, and assist his vassal in putting down the
rebellion he had himself instigated.
"Charles the Bold was slain in battle, and his death ending his line of
dukes, Louis seized upon several of the provinces. Mary, the daughter of
Charles, was married to the Archduke of Austria, who claimed the
Burgundian provinces in right of his wife. He obtained possession,
however, of only Franche-comté and the Low Countries. The conflicting
claims for these territories kept Austria and France at war for a long
time.
"The Archduke Maximilian, who married Mary of Burgundy, became Emperor
of Germany on the death of his father. He had two children by her,
Philip and Margaret, the former of whom married Joanna, daughter of
Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain. They were the parents of Charles V.,
Emperor of Germany and King of all Spain. During this period the Low
Countries were governed by Maximilian, Philip, and Charles, deriving
their right from Charles the Bold.
"Charles V. was succeeded as King of Spain by Philip II., his son, who
also inherited the Flemish provinces. Mr. Motley's incomparable History
of the Rise of the Dutch Republic, commences at this point, with the
abdication of Charles V., and the accession of Philip II. I hope all who
have not read this work will do so, as many of you can, here in the
midst of the scenes described in its glowing pages.
"Philip was a bigot and a tyrant, and his despotism, which included the
establishment of the Inquisition, drove the people to madness, and
provoked them to rebellion. During the reign of Charles V. the
Reformation had made considerable progress in Germany, and its
principles were firmly planted in the Low Countries. Philip imposed upon
himself the duty of rooting out the obnoxious doctrines, and of
restoring the supremacy of the Catholic church.
"After his accession to the Netherlands, the king remained four years in
the country, and then departed for Spain, from which he did not again
return. He made his sister regent, and she was to be assisted by
Granvelle, Bishop of Arras. William, Prince of Orange, and the Counts
Egmont and Horn, were associated with the bishop as councillors, but
they had no real power or influence.
"The despotic conduct of Granvelle, and the attempt on his part to
introduce the Inquisition, by order of his royal master, excited the
most desperate opposition. The people organized under the lead of the
Prince of Orange, and Egmont and Horn, and an insurrection broke out in
Flanders, in 1566. These Protestant rebels have been styled iconoclasts,
or image-breakers, for they broke into the churches, overturned the
images, defaced the valuable paintings, and otherwise injured the church
property.
"The famous Cathedral of Notre Dame, which you can see from the deck of
the ship, was ravaged by the mob. The statues of Christ, the Virgin, and
the Saints were hurled from their pedestals; the rich paintings, the
choicest works of Flemish art, were cut to pieces; the organs were torn
down, the altars overturned, and the gold and silver vessels used in the
mass were carried off. For three days these tumultuous proceedings
continued, and were suppressed only when the fury of the mob had ceased,
by the Knights of the Golden Fleece, of which the Prince of Orange was a
member. The career of this remarkable man is closely identified with the
history of the Netherlands during this period. He was opposed to the
violence of the mob, not only from prudential motives, but because his
own religious views were not yet in sympathy with the Protestant
reformers, though he afterwards fully embraced their doctrines.
"The patriots of the Low Countries were, in the beginning of these
troubles, both Catholic and Protestant; but the sacrilegious conduct of
the mob detached the former from the cause, and as the Catholics were
more numerous in the southern than in the northern provinces, they
finally turned the scale in favor of Philip II. in their own section,
while the people of Holland established their independence.
"Philip then sent the savage and relentless Duke of Alva to suppress the
new religion in the Netherlands. Egmont and Horn were beheaded at
Brussels, and the Prince of Orange retired into Germany, appealing to
the Protestant princes for assistance. With an army he had raised in
Germany, and with money obtained there and of Queen Elizabeth of
England, he marched into the Netherlands, and called his people to arms.
A long and terrible war ensued, in which the Dutch suffered up to the
limit of human endurance, and displayed a heroism which is without
parallel in the history of the nations.
"The Prince of Orange was created Stadtholder; almost unlimited powers
were conferred upon him, and for years he struggled against the most
stupendous obstacles. The Dutch, being a maritime people, established a
navy, which inflicted many heavy blows upon the Spanish power. The
severity of Alva so goaded the Netherlanders that the whole country was
in arms against him. He failed to reduce them to subjection, and was
recalled. His next two eminent successors died of fever, and the Duke of
Parma was then sent as regent of Philip. In 1579 the northern provinces
declared their independence, and established the Dutch Republic, or the
Seven United Provinces, of which the Prince of Orange was stadtholder.
"Philip was so incensed at the success of the Prince of Orange that he
offered a large reward to any one who would take his life, and a
fanatical Burgundian shot him at Delft, in 1584. With this event Mr.
Motley closes his History of the Rise of the Dutch Republic.
"Belgium adhered to Spain, or, rather, the Duke of Parma succeeded in
reducing it to subjection after the murder of the stadtholder. In 1598
Philip gave the Flemish provinces to his daughter Isabella. But on her
death without children, the country again reverted to Spain. After more
than a century of strife, including the Thirty Years' War, the repeated
quarrels between England and Spain, and France and Spain, and the War of
the Spanish Succession, during which period the Low Countries were
often the battle-ground, Belgium passed into the hands of the Austrians.
"In settling up the disastrous strife of the century, the treaty-making
powers had given several of the Belgian fortresses to Holland, in order
to check the ambition of France, and the Dutch closed the Scheldt. After
an interval of peace under Maria Theresa of Austria, her son, Joseph
II., attempted to break through portions of the treaties, and obliged
the troops of Holland to evacuate his territory, but he could not open
the river. He was rash in his proceedings, and a rebellion was organized
against him.
"About this time commenced the French Revolution, whose influence
extended to the Low Countries, and in 1789 the Austrian garrison at
Brussels was forced to surrender. But the people were not united, and
their dissensions enabled the Austrians to regain their power. The
French Directory sent an army to assist the Belgians, the Austrians were
driven from the country, and Belgium was incorporated with France.
"Napoleon, while he controlled the destinies of France, devoted much
attention to the Flemish provinces, and especially to the city of
Antwerp. When you go on shore you will see immense docks and
fortifications built by him. He intended to make it a great naval
station, and it would have been of vast importance to him in carrying
out his plans for the invasion of England. The works on the opposite
side of the river, called 'Tête de Flandre,' were the beginning of an
immense military town. During this period England was almost continually
at war with France, and several expeditions were sent against Holland
and Belgium.
"When Napoleon abdicated, the Flemish Provinces were restored to
Austria; but when the allies who had overthrown Napoleon finally
disposed of their conquests, Holland and Belgium were united, and given
to the Stadtholder, who had adhered to the allies. He was styled William
I., King of the Netherlands.
"The two sections could not agree; the Dutch regarded Belgium as a
conquered province, and were not at all conciliatory in their treatment
of the new acquisition. The Belgians were essentially French in their
habits, and disliked the Dutch. In 1830 they revolted against their
masters, the insurrection extended to the principal cities, and the king
called upon the great powers who had given him the country. A congress
assembled in London at his request, which, however, decreed the
independence of Belgium.
"The people first elected a son of Louis Philippe king; but he declined,
and Leopold was then chosen. King William, of Holland, protested, and in
spite of the treaty, held the city of Antwerp. A French army was sent to
the assistance of Leopold; Antwerp capitulated, but it was not till 1839
that Holland made a treaty with Belgium, acknowledging her independence.
Leopold strengthened his position by marrying a daughter of the King of
France; and his son and heir, the Duke of Brabant, was married to Marie,
Archduchess of Austria.
"In 1848, when Louis Philippe was overthrown in France, some disturbance
occurred, and Leopold offered to abdicate; but his proposition was not
accepted, and he wisely and skilfully led his government through all the
troubles of that excitable period. He is a wise and prudent statesman,
and as such has had a great deal of influence in Europe.
"Now, young gentlemen, I trust you will not be satisfied with this
meagre sketch of the interesting country we are now visiting, but will
read up the subject so that you will understand it better."
Mr. Mapps left his position, and the studies of the morning were
commenced. After dinner the usual shore liberty was given, the
allowances paid in French francs, a supply of which had been procured in
London, and the students were landed. Instead of going on shore
immediately, Dr. Winstock and Paul paid a visit to the Victoria and
Albert.
At the gangway they found the steward of the ship, who volunteered to
conduct them through the vessel. There was nothing strikingly peculiar
in the exterior of the yacht, except that she had large, square windows,
composed of a single pane of glass, in her upper saloons and cabins; but
the steward informed the visitors that these were replaced in heavy
weather by wooden shutters, having only the small, round ports in them.
Between the paddle-boxes was a large open space, covered over by the
hurricane deck. On each side, abaft the wheels, was a small apartment,
or pavilion, with large glass windows, elegantly cushioned and
furnished, where the royal passengers could sit in rough weather, and
look out upon the sea. On the hurricane deck was a spacious
dining-saloon.
From the open space between the wheels, the steward conducted Dr.
Winstock and Paul to a passage-way, at the after end of which was a
saloon called the breakfast-room. Its length corresponded with the width
of the vessel, and one side was round, being formed at the stern of the
vessel, in which were several of the large square windows, so that the
apartment was very light and pleasant.
On each side of the passage-way were several apartments, arranged in
suits. Returning to the open space amidships, the party entered the
forward room on the starboard side.
"This is the room of the first lady in waiting," said the steward, as
they went in.
"I should say the first lady in waiting was well accommodated," said
Paul, laughing, as he glanced at the spacious apartment.
"But she may be a countess," replied the steward, leading the way to the
next room. "This is the queen's bed-chamber."
There was a large bed in this room, which looked just like anybody's
bed; but it was by no means so elegant as the young republican had
anticipated. The apartment was rich and costly in its furnishings, but
there was none of the magnificence which one would have expected to find
in the room of a queen.
"This is the dressing-room of Prince Albert," added the steward,
entering the next room. "Her majesty allows no one to occupy it since
the death of his highness."
Beyond this, on the same side, were shown several rooms appropriated to
the use of the princesses. They corresponded in style with those of the
queen; but in nothing connected with the yacht was there any gaudy
display. The party went to the opposite side, and were shown several
rooms like those they had just seen, which were occupied by the princes.
The forward room on the port side was the drawing-room. It was larger
than any other except the breakfast-room, but did not appear to be
extravagantly furnished; everything seemed to be provided for comfort
rather than show.
The conductor then led them forward, where, on each side of a passage,
were four rooms, each provided with a handsome, narrow bedstead, which
the steward said were for the use of the lords and ladies in waiting.
Forward of these, in the bow of the vessel, was the kitchen, a
three-cornered room like that on the Young America, with a large galley
or cooking-range in the middle.
Below the royal apartments, in the after part of the ship, were the
cabins for the servants. As the steward led his guests towards the
gangway, Dr. Winstock took out his purse.
"Never mind that just now," interposed their conductor, "especially as
there is the captain."
Paul wondered if the doctor intended to insult a person of so much
consequence as the steward of the queen's yacht must be, by offering him
money. He glanced at the captain, who was a fine-looking man, in naval
uniform, as the steward led the way to the accommodation steps. The
doctor slyly slipped a couple of English shillings into the man's hand,
and they went down into their boat.
"What did you give him, sir?" asked Paul.
"Two shillings."
"Well, it seems to me the steward of any American passenger steamer
would be angry if you gave him two shillings for his services."
"If I had not met these men before, I should not have dared to do it;
but it is expected," replied the doctor.
The boat pulled up to the Quai Vandyck, and Paul for the first time put
his foot upon the continent of Europe.
CHAPTER VIII.
ANTWERP AND RUBENS.
"Where shall we go first, Paul?" asked Dr. Winstock, when they landed
upon the quay.
"I don't know, sir; I think I shall be interested wherever we go. This
is a big city--isn't it?"
"Its population is hardly more than half of what it was in the days of
its greatest prosperity. In the days of Charles V. it is said that
twenty-five hundred vessels were frequently seen at one time in the
river. It had two hundred thousand inhabitants, and was then the richest
and most thriving commercial city in Europe. You perceive that this long
line of quays affords plenty of wharf room. Indeed the name of the city
is said to be derived from a Flemish phrase, '_aen't werf_,' which means
on the wharf, or on the quay."
"Mr. Motley tells another story about its name. He says the people claim
that the city is very old, and that a giant by the name of Antigonus,
established himself on the river at this place, and set up a kind of
custom-house. He required half the merchandise of those who went up the
river. He used to cut off the right hands of those who attempted to
smuggle, and throw them into the river. In this way _Hand werpen_, or
hand throwing, came to be the name of the place," said the young
commander.
"I suppose that story is as true now as it ever was. But where shall we
go?" asked the doctor.
"I want to get a little nearer to that Cathedral," replied Paul.
"That is really the most noted thing in Antwerp, and we will walk up
there; and I think we shall be able to see the pictures on the church,
which are required to produce an income. The Cathedral used to be open
till one o'clock, free to the public, but the curtains were carefully
drawn over these great works of art; after this hour visitors were
admitted upon the payment of one franc, and the pictures were exhibited.
Doubtless the same regulation is in force now."
A walk of a few moments brought them to the Place Verte, a little park
enclosed, with a colossal statue of Rubens in the centre.
"Everything in Antwerp is Rubens," said the doctor. "The people believe
in him still, and almost worship his memory."
"Why should they? He was only a great painter--was he?" added Paul.
"He was more than that: he was quite distinguished as a statesman and a
diplomatist. He was ambassador to England, Holland, and other countries.
His celebrity as an artist, and his influence with the crowned heads of
several nations, caused him to be regarded with deep interest by the
people. He lived in a splendid mansion, for the immense income which he
derived from his pencil enabled him to support an elegant
establishment. He had a great number of pupils, and at one period in his
career they painted no inconsiderable part of his pictures. He had
orders from all the crowned heads of Europe, and in many of his works he
could only make the designs and give the finishing touches to them. He
was very industrious, and painted rapidly, as he must have done to
produce so many pictures."
"He humbugged his customers then--didn't he?"
"His assistants did only the heavy work, while Rubens furnished the
design, and gave the work its finishing touches. The celebrated
sculptors do not perform all the drudgery of chiselling out a statue.
Wherever you go in Antwerp, you will hear of Rubens. You will find his
works in all the galleries, you will visit his house in the Rue Rubens,
his pictures will be shown to you in every church, and you will see his
tomb in St. Jacques."
"They have Rubens on the brain, as we should say at home," laughed Paul.
"Yes, and they have it badly. From this point you have a good view of
the Cathedral," added the doctor, as they paused near the statue of
Rubens, where they could see the building over the tops of the trees.
"The steeple is very handsome. It is of the most beautiful and delicate
workmanship you will see."
"I should think it would blow down."
"It is banded together with a framework of iron, and the stones are held
together with copper bolts."
"How high is it?" asked Paul, as he gazed up at the lofty spire.
"There you have me, Paul! I don't know. In Murray's Guide-Book it is
set down at four hundred and three feet. The man up in the tower there
says it is four hundred and sixty-six. Other authorities put it at less
than four hundred. My guide assured me it was one hundred and
forty-seven French metres in height; but this, reduced to English
measure, would give four hundred and eighty-three feet. My own idea is,
that Murray is right," replied Dr. Winstock, as they walked over to the
church.
"What's this?" asked Paul, pointing to a beautiful iron canopy in Gothic
style, near the foot of the church tower.
"That's a draw-well. It is the handiwork of Quentin Matsys."
"I don't know him."
"He was a blacksmith until he was twenty years old, when he fell in love
with the fair daughter of a painter. The story goes that the father
would not permit his daughter to marry any man that was not an artist,
and the blacksmith abandoned his anvil for the easel. He had a genius
for art, and soon painted better than his masters. He won his bride, and
achieved a great reputation in his new art. The picture of The Misers,
which you saw at Windsor Castle, was executed by him."
They bought a couple of tickets and were admitted to the church. The
interior was grand and imposing; but the chief attraction was the
pictures, which were now unveiled, and a small audience was present
examining them. Several artists were making copies of them. In the south
transept hangs Reubens's masterpiece, The Descent from the Cross.
Paul did not pretend to be a connoisseur in paintings, and could neither
understand nor appreciate the fine writing he read about them in books,
or the "hifalutin" which affected men bestowed upon them; but in the
presence of the grand old painting, he was awed and silenced. It
produced a deep impression upon his mind and heart, and for the first
time in his life he realized the sublime in art. The figure of The Dead
Christ seemed to be real, so painfully natural were the hanging head of
the Savior, and the relaxed muscles of the body. The young student gazed
long and earnestly at the picture, studying it as a whole and in detail.
It is said that Rubens paid this picture as the price of the land on
which he erected his house in Antwerp. In the north transept of the
Cathedral hangs its companion piece, The Elevation of the Cross; but its
reputation is far inferior to his masterpiece, grand as it is.
Paul walked about the church, and examined other pictures and works of
art; and then, after paying the keeper of the tower a franc, they
commenced the long ascent to the spire and chimes.
"These churches and these pictures are certainly very fine," said Paul,
as they stopped at a window to rest. "We don't have them in our country.
There isn't a church there that will compare with any of these
cathedrals, to say nothing of the celebrated pictures, such as we have
just seen."
"That's very true; and I am thankful that our people make a better use
of their money. Here in Belgium, as in most countries of Europe, poverty
is the curse of the people. They do not receive the reward of their
labor. The government and the church take the lion's share of their
earnings, and thus keep them down. This Cathedral was commenced in 1352,
and finished in 1411, though another spire was to have been built.
Nearly sixty years were employed in its erection, and probably it cost
millions of dollars. Of course the people had to pay for it. The greater
portion of the expense of it lies dormant here, it being merely an
ornamental structure. It gratifies people's tastes, it is true; but God
could be acceptably worshipped in a less costly edifice. If the capital
locked up in this church had been invested in schools, colleges, and
other educational institutions, it would be a blessing to the country.
What is paid in Europe to build these grand structures for worship, and
to support the trappings of royalty, is in our own country appropriated
to public schools; and the nation reaps the benefit of them every year
of its existence."
"That's so," replied Paul, emphatically; "and when any foreigner says
anything to me again about our want of costly cathedrals, I shall call
his attention to our schools."
"That's right; you are an American to the core," laughed the doctor.
"But I don't see any reason why we should not have as great painters in
the United States as in Europe," added Paul.
"I do see the reason. Probably we have just as much talent for art in
our nation, but the people find that it doesn't pay so well as
developing the resources of a new country. When it is possible in
America for a man to win the wealth and distinction which Rubens won,
we shall be as successful in art as Europe has been; for Washington
Allston, Benjamin West, and others have demonstrated the capacity of our
people in this direction. The encouragement which artists receive makes
the men. There are not many persons in our country who are willing to
pay ten, fifty, or a hundred thousand dollars for a picture. So much
money in a painting is dead capital among an energetic people who need
all they can get to carry on agricultural, commercial, and manufacturing
enterprises."
"Of course people will follow that calling which pays best, either in
money or in reputation."
"Certainly, and the number of Dutch and Flemish artists assures us that
painting has been a cherished art in the Low Countries. Vandyck was
another celebrated painter of this country. He was born in Antwerp, and
was a pupil of Rubens. There is a story that The Descent from the Cross
was thrown down by the carelessness of a student, and badly injured by
the fall. Vandyck, who was then a pupil of the great Flemish master,
undertook to repair the mischief with his brush, and did it so well that
Rubens declared the work was superior to his own. This story is current
in the guide-books, and in the mouths of the _commissionaires_, who
point out the places on the face of the Virgin and on the arm of one of
the Marys where the pupil touched it up. But there is no truth in it,
since the picture was hung up in the Cathedral before Vandyck entered
the studio of Rubens."
"I suppose these people like to tell good stories, whether true or not."
"Yes; and you will find a man up in this steeple who believes that his
spire is the tallest in the world," added Dr. Winstock.
They continued on their long ascent till they reached the region of the
bells, where they found the attendant who glories in magnifying the
wonders of the chimes and the spire. He had a small furnished apartment,
which the visitors were invited to enter, and where he dispensed
refreshments, of which no total abstinence man could partake. The
doctor, knowing what the man had to say, skilfully turned his attention
away from his favorite topic, until they were sufficiently
refreshed--not by the _eau de vie_ and _noyau_, but by the rest--to
explore the bell towers.
The bells composing the chime were fixed in the lofts, which were filled
with wires, cranks, and other machinery, used in operating them. In one
place there was a bank of keys like those of an organ, where a person
could play any tune he pleased upon the bells. The keeper had a history
to relate of each bell, many of which were contributed by kings,
princes, and lords, and bore their names. In another tower there was an
immense bell, at the baptism of which--for church bells are duly
consecrated in Catholic countries--the Emperor Charles V. stood as
godfather. It requires sixteen men to ring it; but its peals rouse the
Antwerpers only on great occasions, such as a visit of the king.
Dr. Winstock and Paul waited among the chimes till they had played the
hourly tune, and then continued their progress to the heights above.
The custodian of the steeple said there were six hundred and sixteen
steps from the bottom to the top, and a person does not care to make the
journey more than once in his lifetime. The winding stairs passed close
to the Gothic openings of the tower, and they had an opportunity closely
to observe the delicate workmanship of the structure, which Charles V.
said should be kept in a glass case, and Napoleon compared to Mechlin
lace.
At last, out of breath, they reached the highest point of the spire, and
looked far down upon the lofty roof of the church. The buildings of the
city looked like card houses, and a company of Belgian soldiers,
marching in the streets, appeared like the pygmies who inhabited them.
In the distance could be seen the towers of Ghent, Brussels, Mechlin,
and Flushing, the wandering Scheldt, and the low country for a vast
distance. The magnificent view, and the information it afforded, amply
repaid them for the toil of ascending, and Paul made the Cathedral the
subject of an entire letter to Miss Grace Arbuckle.
It was easier to go down than to come up, and when they had passed out
into the Place Verte, the doctor declared that he must lunch before he
walked any farther. The Hotel de l'Europe faced the Park, and Paul was
desirous of seeing the interior of it. They entered through an archway,
there being no doors on the street. There was a spacious area, or
court-yard, through which alone the house could be reached. In other
respects the establishment was similar to those in the United States.
On the continent, as in England, none but working people take breakfast
much before nine o'clock, and the hour varies from this time till noon.
Of late years the practice in American hotels corresponds with that of
European ones. In the dining-room of the Hotel de l'Europe there are
many small tables, and one or two long ones, the latter being used at
table d'hôte, which is served at five o'clock. A hotel bill is added, to
give the reader an idea of the prices:--
"HOTEL DE L'EUROPE.
_Place Verte._
ANVERS.
Note à M. Smith,
Chambre No. 40, A.
Fr. Cen.
Août 4. 1/2 Poulet et Salade, 3.00
1 Thé Complet, 1.50
Appartement, 2.50
Bougie, .50
Service, 1.00
5. 1 Déjeûné et Bifstek, 3.00
1 Bifstek, Pomme de Terre, 1.50
-----
13.00
Pour Acquit,
J. W. BARBER."
"One Thé Complet" consists of simply tea and bread and butter, and as a
franc is about twenty cents, its price is thirty cents. A centime is the
hundredth of a franc, and fifty centimes is ten cents. If the guest adds
a beefsteak and potatoes, or any other dish, to his meal, it just
doubles the cost. The "bougie" is a candle, which is charged all over
Europe, at from a quarter of a franc up to a franc. The traveller also
pays for his soap, or provides it himself. When an "old stager" pays a
franc for a candle, or a piece of soap, he rolls the part unused up in a
paper and puts it into his trunk; and, if at his next stopping-place, he
finds a candle in his room, he orders the waiter to remove it, and will
not submit to be charged for it.
Table d'hôte is a more formal meal, and in some large hotels much parade
is made over it. The bill of fare is usually very meagre compared with
that of the Fifth Avenue Hotel in New York, and every dish in the
programme is presented to the guest. The charge for this meal, at
first-class houses outside of Paris, is usually four francs, or eighty
cents.
Dr. Winstock and Paul took a seat in the _Salle à manger_. The student
was principally anxious to know what they had to eat, and in what manner
they served it, for he was of an inquiring mind, and fond of making
comparisons. The most common lunch consists of cold chicken and salad,
the latter being simply lettuce prepared with oil and vinegar. Paul was
disappointed, for the lunch differed hardly a shade from the same thing
at home. Even the gentlemanly Belgian waiter, dressed in seemly black,
spoke good English, and the "demi-poulet" was wasted upon him.
"Where shall we go now, Paul?" asked the doctor, as they left the
dining-room.
"I leave that to you, sir. You seem to be quite at home here," replied
Paul.
"We will take a carriage, and we can do up the city in a few hours."
A one-horse barouche was called, and a _commissionaire_--a kind of guide
or interpreter, who assists strangers in doing their business, or in
seeing the sights of the city--presented himself to be employed; but Dr.
Winstock, who was familiar with the place, declined his services.
"What was that man?" asked Paul, as the carriage drove off to the Rue
des Soeurs Noires, where the Dominican Church of St. Paul is located.
"He is a _commissionaire_, interpreter, or _valet de place_. Many
travellers regard such men as swindlers; but for my own part I have
found them very useful. When I first visited Antwerp I employed one. I
found him intelligent and gentlemanly, and, so far as I could judge, not
disposed to swindle me himself or to let others do so. I paid him five
francs a day, and I am sure he saved me more money than I paid him,
besides taking me in the easiest and most convenient way to the various
points in the city."
"I should think such men would be very necessary, especially to those
who cannot speak the language."
"In Amsterdam and Rotterdam I should have been on my beam-ends without
them. I never could imagine where they obtained their bad name, unless
it was from Englishmen, who are generally afraid of being cheated, and
take the alarm before there is any real danger."
The driver stopped before the Church of St. Paul, and the passengers
alighted. There was nothing worthy of note in the church; but outside of
it, in a kind of garden, one of the most singular and remarkable
exhibitions is open to the visitor. It is called "Calvary," and is a
representation of the "several stages," as they are termed, in the life
of Christ. An artificial mound is raised on the side next to the church
edifice, which is covered with a kind of rock-work, in imitation of
Mount Calvary. In various parts of the area are placed the statues of
saints, angels, patriarchs, and prophets.
On the summit of the mound is represented the crucifixion, with a figure
of the Savior on the cross. At the foot of it is the sepulchre, which is
claimed to be a perfect copy of the Holy Sepulchre at Jerusalem, though
travellers who have seen it say it bears no resemblance whatever to the
original. In the tomb, on a kind of shelf, rests the crucified Christ,
represented by a figure clothed in silk and muslin!
Near the tomb an ideal of Purgatory is exhibited, consisting of wood
carvings. The making-up of the scene appears to be a kind of cage, like
those one sees in a menagerie, with bars in front of it to prevent the
escape of the unhappy mortals temporarily confined there. Within the den
are carved and painted several figures of men, in the midst of darting,
leaping flames, upon whose faces there is an expression of intense
anguish. Doubtless the intention of those who conceived this astounding
exhibition was to impress upon the mind of the spectator the sufferings
of the unrepentant wicked. It is hardly possible that this effect could
ever have been produced upon the minds of sensible men. The spectacle is
not only in exceedingly bad taste, but it is positively repulsive, not
to say sacrilegious.
Such was the opinion of Paul Kendall, who could hardly conceal his
disgust; and ten minutes in the place exhausted his patience. He was
silent, so deep was his feeling of dissatisfaction, until he was again
seated in the _voiture_. The next objects of interest were the docks and
basins, which were reached after a short drive from St. Paul's. They
merely passed along the quay, making no stop, as the works could be seen
from the carriage.
"That is the house of the Hanseatic League," said the doctor, pointing
to a large ancient building.
"What is the Hanseatic League?" asked Paul, who had never even heard of
it.
"It was a commercial alliance between some of the cities of Germany for
the protection and development of their trade. It had its origin in the
thirteenth century, for the purpose of preventing piracy and shipwreck,
and to encourage commerce, and, indeed, all branches of industry. It
established great warehouses or factories in different parts of Europe,
and became an exceedingly powerful association, so much so that it
dictated the policy of sovereigns on their thrones, and even declared
and carried on war with several of the powers of Europe. In the
fourteenth century, the League defeated the King of Norway and Sweden.
It unseated the King of Sweden, and gave his crown to another, and
having declared war against Denmark, sent a fleet of two hundred and
fifty ships, and thousands of troops to carry it on. In fact, the
association prepared for war with England, and Edward IV. made important
concessions to avoid it. Of course the crowned heads were jealous of
its power and influence, and it was eventually broken up; but it laid
the foundation of the commercial policy of the nations. The League died
out in 1630; but Hamburg, Lubec, and Bremen formed a new one, under the
name of the Hanse Towns; and Frankfort-on-the-Main afterwards joined
them."
"I have heard of the Hanse Towns," added Paul; "but I never knew what
the term meant before."
"The docks and basins here are mainly the work of Napoleon. The great
conqueror intended to make Antwerp the first seaport of the north. The
mouth of the Thames is less than a hundred miles from the mouth of the
Scheldt, and he knew that, with a naval station equal to any in the
possession of England, he could, in time of war, cripple or destroy the
commerce of his great rival. He expended ten millions of dollars on
these docks, basins, and fortifications. The English were alarmed, and
in 1809 sent the Walcheren expedition, which obtained a foothold on that
island, but were defeated by disease and death, for seven thousand
British soldiers perished by marsh fever. By the peace of Paris in 1814,
after the battle of Waterloo, it was stipulated that the dock-yards
should be destroyed, for they were a standing threat to the maritime
powers; but these basins were preserved for commercial purposes. The
largest one will accommodate thirty-four ships of the line."
The travellers continued on their way through some of the principal
streets till they arrived at the Church of St. Jacques, which is richer
in its ornaments than the Cathedral, containing exquisitely wrought
marbles, carved wood, painted glass. This magnificent church contains
the burial vaults of the noble families of the city, and among them that
of Rubens, which is marked by a white marble tablet with a long
inscription upon it, embedded in the pavement of his private chapel. The
Holy Family, which forms the altar-piece of the church, was painted by
the great master. In 1793, when the mob, incited by the furious spirit
of the French Revolution, broke into the church, pillaging altars and
tombs alike, that of Rubens was spared from desecration by the universal
respect for his memory, though not another tomb in St. Jacques escaped
their impious touch.
The house of Rubens, situated in a street of the same name, was visited;
an outside view of the Bourse, or Exchange, the Hotel de Ville, or Town
Hall, and of other public buildings, was obtained. The Citadel, built
under the direction of the cruel Duke of Alva, to overawe the rebellious
Antwerpers, was an object of interest. After the expulsion of the
Spaniards in 1577, the people, including those of high and low degree,
men, women, and children, assisted in its demolition; but it was
speedily rebuilt, and has played an important part in subsequent sieges
and insurrections. The city is surrounded by a continuous line of
fortifications and ditches, extending from a point on the river below
the city to a point above it; and outside of this line there are a
number of detached forts to keep a hostile force from approaching near
enough to the city to shell it.
When the carriage reached the Quai Vandyck, most of the students had
returned, and the boats were in waiting. They chattered like magpies
about the wonders they had seen. When Captain Kendall went on board, the
mail-bag was handed to him, and the boys were eager to obtain their
letters from home and elsewhere.
"A letter for you, Mr. Hamblin," said the captain, as he handed the
professor a formidable envelope, postmarked "Anvers."
The learned gentleman seemed to be astonished, and bore the missive to
his state-room.
CHAPTER IX.
TROUBLE ON BOARD THE JOSEPHINE.
Almost every one on board of the Josephine had a letter, and some had
two or three. Paul had one from Grace, dated at Paris, in which she
expressed a hope that, as she was to travel a few months with her
father, she might see him in some of her wanderings. The young captain
hoped so too, and he read the letter a second time. Probably he read it
a third time after he went to his state-room, and a fourth before he
retired; for boys of his age are apt to be enthusiastic in this
direction.
Professor Stoute sat in the cabin. He had been all over Antwerp, and had
walked a larger part of the distance than a man of his obesity could
well endure in a warm day. Though he was very tired, he was very
good-natured; indeed, thus far, nothing had ever occurred to disturb his
equanimity. He was exceedingly popular with the boys, and if he had
fallen overboard, every one of them would have jumped in after him. No
one ever thought of disobeying him, and consequently he never had any
trouble.
While he sat there fanning himself with a newspaper, Mr. Hamblin came
out of his state-room with the huge envelope he had received in his
hand. The learned gentleman looked perplexed; in fact, he always wore
an anxious expression, as though he were in constant fear that somebody
would infringe upon his dignity, or that some of the boys did not
believe he was the wisest man since the days of Solomon. He always
walked just so; he always sat just so; he always moved just so. He never
was guilty of using a doubtful expression. He was stern, rigid, and
precise, and from the beginning all the boys had disliked him; but since
he had behaved so unreasonably in the squall, they could hardly endure
him.
The lean professor walked up to the fat professor, and took a stand
before him. He had removed the letter from the formidable envelope, and
held it unfolded in his hand. He looked at the letter, and then at Mr.
Stoute. The fat professor laughed, but the lean professor frowned. The
jolly one knew just what the precise one wanted, but he waited patiently
for the exordium.
"Mr. Stoute, may I trouble you?" he began, after he had put himself in
proper position.
"Certainly, sir," replied the fat gentleman.
"If this letter had been written in Greek or Latin, I could have read
it," continued Mr. Hamblin, glancing at the sheet.
"Precisely so; if it had been written in Greek or Latin I could not read
it," laughed Mr. Stoute.
"My French, as I have had occasion to acknowledge to you with deep
humiliation, has been neglected for more important studies. This letter
appears to have been written by some distinguished person, but
unfortunately he has chosen to indite it in French."
"In a word, you wish me to read it to you."
"That is what I was about to request of you. May I ask you to retire
with me to our state-room?" continued Professor Hamblin, glancing at the
officers who were reading their letters in the cabin.
"Excuse me, Mr. Hamblin; you forget that I carry round with me two
hundred and odd pounds of flesh, besides bone and muscle, and that I
have been on my feet three hours. I think, sir, if I knew this vessel
was going to the bottom of the Scheldt this instant, I should go down
with her rather than move. Have me excused, I pray you, and have
compassion on mine infirmities," laughed Mr. Stoute.
Mr. Hamblin was vexed, but he gave the letter to his associate, who
turned the sheet and glanced at the signature.
"Ah!" exclaimed he, looking at Mr. Hamblin.
"What is it? Do me the favor to read it," replied the learned gentleman,
impatiently.
"It is from Monsieur Charles Rogier, the president of the council, and
minister of foreign affairs," added Professor Stoute. "He is the man who
organized the revolution of 1830, and the greatest man in Belgium, King
Leopold excepted."
"Is it possible!" ejaculated Mr. Hamblin, struggling to keep down the
smile in which his vanity sought to manifest itself. "What does he say?"
"He says that just as he was leaving Antwerp for Brussels, he heard that
the very learned and distinguished Professor Hamblin was on board of a
vessel at anchor in the river."
"Does he say that?" asked the learned gentleman, who, knowing that Mr.
Stoute had a horrid vein of humor running through his fat frame, had,
perhaps, a suspicion that he was making fun at his expense.
"That is precisely what it says."
"How should Mr. Rogier know me?" queried Mr. Hamblin.
"I was about to read his explanation on that point: he says he heard of
you through a friend who was in London a few weeks since. He wished to
see you and extend to you a welcome to the kingdom of Belgium; but the
command of his royal master required him to leave Antwerp by the next
train; and he was deprived of the pleasure of extending to you in person
the expression of his distinguished consideration. He hopes when you
visit Brussels you will do him the honor to call upon him at the Palais
de la Nation, Rue de la Soie."
"Humph!" ejaculated the learned professor, prolonging the interjection,
and trying to suppress the smile which had a sad tendency to overwhelm
his dignity.
"You are fortunate, Mr. Hamblin," added Mr. Stoute; "of course he will
present you to King Leopold."
"Possibly," replied the Greek _savant_, stroking his chin, and frowning,
to counteract the sinister influence of the smile he could not wholly
overcome.
Mr. Hamblin took the letter and read the signature. It was certainly
"Charles Rogier," with a flourish extensive enough for any great man.
From the letter he glanced at the fat professor, who, being always
good-natured, was so now. He could not get rid of a lingering suspicion
that his undignified associate was imposing upon him. It was a great
misfortune that his own knowledge of French was so limited, and if it
had not been so late, he would have gone on board of the ship to ask
Professor Badois to translate the epistle to him.
Instead of doing this, he went to the record book of the Josephine, and
ascertained that Duncan was marked among the highest in French. Now
Duncan was a very polite and respectful student, and Mr. Hamblin had a
greater regard for him than for most of his companions. Finding this
promising young man on deck, he invited him to the sacred precincts of
the professor's state-room. Duncan was even more polite and obliging
than usual. At the request of his present host, who did not offer any
explanations, he wrote out a translation of the important letter. Mr.
Hamblin thanked him, and he retired.
There was no material difference between the translations of Mr. Stoute
and Duncan, and the learned professor congratulated himself upon the
distinction he had attained. His fame as a _savant_ had preceded him
across the ocean. The king's chief minister courted his acquaintance.
This was the homage which greatness paid to learning, and Mr. Hamblin
was willing to believe that it was a deserved tribute. He soon worked
himself into a flutter of excitement, in anticipation of being taken by
the hand by the king's chief minister, and he slept but little during
the night, so absorbed was he in the contemplation of the distinguished
honor which awaited him.
"Professor Hamblin is going to court," said Duncan to his old friend
the captain, when they met on deck after supper.
"To court whom?" laughed Paul.
"He has had an invitation to go to court to see the big bugs. I
translated a letter for him from the minister of foreign affairs; and I
suppose he's about the biggest toad in the Belgian puddle," added
Duncan. "You won't be able to touch him with a ten-foot pole after
that."
"We shall get along very well with him, if we only do our duty," said
Paul.
"The fellows are not very fond of him; and if he puts on any more airs,
they won't be able to stand it."
"Why, what's the matter, Duncan? asked Paul, anxiously, for generally
everything had gone on so well on board of the Josephine, that he
dreaded any trouble.
"O, nothing, nothing!" laughed Duncan; "only the fellows don't like
him."
"Ben, there's something up," said Paul, earnestly. "If the fellows think
anything at all of me, they won't make any trouble. If I don't complain
of Mr. Hamblin, they needn't."
"I don't find any fault with him myself," protested Ben. "I don't like
him, but I have always got along very well with him."
"What did you mean by mentioning this matter to me, Ben?" asked Paul.
"Nothing; only I shouldn't be surprised if the fellows were to haze the
venerable patriarch a little in a quiet way. They are all down upon
him."
"I am sorry for that. I hope all the fellows will do their duty, and
not get into any scrapes, replied Paul, very seriously.
"I am sorry, but I can't say that I blame them much."
"I shall blame them if they commit any act of disrespect," said the
captain, decidedly. "I hope you will say what you can forward to keep
the fellows from doing anything that would hurt Mr. Hamblin's feelings."
"What can I do? The old fossil doesn't treat the students like
gentlemen; and if he behaves so, what can you expect of the fellows? He
is cross, crabbed, and tyrannical."
"Have they just found it out?"
"No, but they were willing to bear it rather than make any trouble on
board. After what he did last Saturday, they are not disposed to be so
patient; and I can't blame them much."
"What happened last Saturday was between Mr. Hamblin and me, and the
students needn't trouble themselves about that."
"But the fellows all like you first rate, even the worst ones we have on
board; and there are some pretty hard boys here," laughed Duncan.
"If they like me, they will not get up a row."
"I will take care that all of them know just how you feel," said Duncan,
concluding to end the conversation at this point, for the subject of
these remarks had just come on deck.
The learned gentleman appeared to carry his head even higher, and to be
more dignified, stiff, and reserved, than usual. With an invitation in
his pocket to visit the greatest statesman in Belgium, he felt like a
very exalted personage; for not even Mr. Lowington had been so highly
favored. Mr. Hamblin was puffed up and swelled out by the honor the
great man had done him, and as he walked up and down the deck, the
students might have known by his air, if they had not been told of the
fact, that greatness had suddenly been thrust upon him.
It presently occurred to him that the principal had not been informed of
the distinguished consideration in which the government of Belgium
regarded the Josephine's senior instructor. It was important that he
should know it, for the fact would certainly elevate him in the
estimation of the principal, and cause him to regret that in the recent
difficulty he had not more fully sustained his notable professor.
Besides, he wished to make some arrangements which would permit him to
visit the Palais de la Nation, and to dine with the minister, if he
should be invited, as he had no doubt he should be.
With as much sternness on his wrinkled face as he could assume, he
walked forward to demand a boat of Captain Kendall. As he was passing in
the waist, a coil of signal line dropped down from the gaff above,
square upon the top of his hat, forcing it far down upon his head. Mr.
Hamblin immediately threw himself into an undignified passion. When he
had with some difficulty extricated his head from the linings of his
hat, he looked up to see who had been guilty of this act of flagrant
disrespect.
"I beg your pardon, Mr. Hamblin," shouted Grimme, a seaman, whose legs
were twined around the end of the gaff, while he was in the act of
passing a signal halyard through an eye.
The captain had received orders from the principal to have the Josephine
ready for the visit of a distinguished person on the following day, and
Mr. Cleats was preparing to dress the rigging.
"You scoundrel!" roared Mr. Hamblin, gazing up at the unfortunate youth
who had been the cause of his misfortune.
"Did it hurt you, sir?" asked Paul, stepping up to the professor.
"Was that done by your order, Mr. Kendall?" demanded the irate _savant_.
"No, sir; it was not," replied Paul, blushing with indignation at such
an insinuation.
"It is very singular that the rope should fall just at the moment I was
passing," added Mr. Hamblin, sourly, as he straightened out his crumpled
tile.
"I am sorry it occurred, sir," said Paul, who uttered no more than the
literal truth.
Mr. Hamblin glanced around the deck at the students who were collected
there. They did not seem to be sorry; on the contrary, there was a look
of diabolical satisfaction in the expression of most of them, and not a
few were actually laughing.
"I demand the immediate punishment of the offender," said Mr. Hamblin,
irritated by this manifestation on the part of the students.
By this time Grimme had descended from his perilous perch, having
completed the reeving of the halyard. Without a moment's delay, he
hastened to the spot where the angry man stood, and touched his cap with
the utmost deference.
"I beg your pardon, Mr. Hamblin. I hope you will excuse me," said
Grimme, who really wore a very troubled look.
"You did it on purpose, you scoundrel!" growled the professor, savagely;
for he could not fail to see the ill-suppressed chuckling of the
students in the waist.
"No, sir! I did not, sir!" protested Grimme. "I had the end in my mouth,
and was just going to drop the coil when I saw you."
"And you did drop it when you saw me."
"I did not mean to drop it then. I was going to wait till you had
passed; but my foot slipped, and, in catching hold of the gaff with my
hand, I let go the coil. If I hadn't dropped it, I should have fallen
myself," replied Grimme, who seemed determined to make the explanation
strong enough to meet the emergency.
"I don't believe a word of it! You meant to insult me!" exclaimed Mr.
Hamblin, still goaded on to intemperate speech by the ill-concealed
jeers of the students. "Mr. Kendall, it is your duty to punish that
insolent fellow."
"I will inquire into the matter, sir. If it appears that he did the act
on purpose, he shall certainly be punished," replied Paul, who, after
his conversation with Duncan, could not help suspecting that this was
the first step in the hazing process to which his friend had alluded.
"Inquire into it!" sneered Mr. Hamblin, with deep disgust. "I complain
of the boy: that is enough."
Paul did not think so; but he made no reply to the angry man, though he
ordered the alleged culprit to the mainmast, which is the locality of
the high court on shipboard.
"Mr. Kendall, I desire to have the gig, for the purpose of visiting the
ship."
"The gig, sir!" exclaimed Paul, to whom the professors were not in the
habit of designating which boat they would have.
"I said the gig, sir," repeated Mr. Hamblin, loftily.
"I beg your pardon, sir; but the gig is the captain's boat," replied
Paul, with deference.
"The captain's boat!" puffed the professor.
"Mr. Lowington directed me to use the first cutter for the professors,"
added Paul.
"Am I to understand that you again refuse me a boat?"
"No, sir; by no means," said the captain, ready to weep with vexation at
these disagreeable incidents.
He turned from Mr. Hamblin, and directed the first lieutenant to pipe
away the first cutters; and in a few moments the boat was ready. The
fourth lieutenant was sent in charge of the cutter. The professor went
over the side into the boat; and as he made no objections, the officers
concluded that he did not know the difference between the gig and the
first cutter. At certain stages of the tide, there is a three-mile
current in the Scheldt, with strong eddies, formed by the sweep of the
river. By a miscalculation of the coxswain, the cutter fell astern of
the ship, and had to pull up to her, which prolonged the passage
somewhat, thereby increasing the ill nature and impatience of Mr.
Hamblin.
"In bows!" said the coxswain, as the boat approached the ship; and the
two bowmen tossed their oars and boated them, taking position in the
bow-grating, with the boat-hooks in their hands.
"Way enough!" added the coxswain; and the rest of the crew tossed their
oars.
At the gangway of the ship stairs had been rigged, at the foot of which
there was a platform, for the convenience of those boarding or leaving
the ship by the boats. The bowmen fastened their boat-hooks upon the
platform, in readiness to haul the boat alongside, so that the passenger
could step out without inconvenience. But the current was strong, and
some delay ensued.
"There! let me get out!" exclaimed Mr. Hamblin, rising in the boat, and
walking between the oarsmen to the bow.
"Steady, sir!" said Humphreys, the officer, as he took the arm of the
professor, to prevent him from falling.
"Pull the boat up, so I can step out!" said Mr. Hamblin, impatiently, to
the bowmen.
They were hauling her up closer to the platform, against the strong
current, which, being in a direction contrary to the wind, made
considerable sea, causing the boat to roll and jerk uneasily. When she
was within a couple of feet of the platform, the professor attempted to
step out.
"Steady, sir!" said Morgan, one of the bowmen, as Mr. Hamblin was about
to take the step; but at that instant the boat receded from the
platform, and the learned gentleman, with one foot on the plank and the
other on the bow of the boat, made a very long straddle, toppled over
into the water, and disappeared in the eddies.
"My boat-hook broke!" protested Morgan, holding up the implement, from
which the iron had drawn out; and after what had occurred on board of
the consort, he probably deemed it necessary to make an immediate
defence.
"Man overboard!" shouted several students in the ship; and immediately
there was an immense commotion on board of her.
Mr. Hamblin rose to the surface an instant later, and shouted for help.
The accident was observed from the Josephine, and the gig piped away in
double quick time.
"Up oars! Let fall! Give way!" shouted Robinson, in the first cutter, as
she drifted away from the gangway of the ship, without waiting for the
orders to be repeated by the coxswain.
A few vigorous strokes of the oars brought the cutter to the spot where
the professor was struggling with the dirty current. The bowmen seized
him by the collar, and the crew, after no little labor, owing to the
excitement of the unfortunate gentleman, succeeded in getting him into
the boat. He was placed in the stern sheets, and Robinson afforded him
such assistance as the circumstances would permit.
The gig, with Paul and Pelham on board, was darting through the current
towards the first cutter. It was too late to be of any service; but it
continued on its way, and the captain manifested his interest and
sympathy as well as he could. Mr. Hamblin pressed the water from his
hair, wiped his face with his wet handkerchief, and otherwise
endeavored to remove the effects of his involuntary bath. He seemed to
be, thus far, no worse for the disaster; but he directed Robinson to
return directly to the Josephine, for obvious reasons.
The two boats came alongside together; and this time the professor,
notwithstanding the discomfort of his condition, made no undue haste to
leave the cutter before she was properly secured.
"I am very sorry indeed for your misfortune, sir," said Paul, politely,
when he met Mr. Hamblin on deck.
"Perhaps you are!" replied he, rushing down the cabin stairs, bestowing
hardly a glance upon the sympathizing commander.
He went to his state-room, and made an entire change of his clothing.
The weather was warm, and he suffered no serious consequences.
"You are a very unfortunate person, Mr. Hamblin," said his associate
instructor, when the _savant_, clean and dry, emerged from the
state-room.
"It was done on purpose, Mr. Stoute," replied he, solemnly, with
compressed lips.
"O, no! It couldn't be!" protested the fat professor. "You are simply
unfortunate. First, a coil of rope falls on your head, and then you fall
overboard. You should be careful."
"Has that student been punished for throwing the rope upon me?"
"No, sir. I stood by during the investigation at the mainmast. It could
not be proved that the act was done on purpose; and, for my part, I did
not believe it was."
"I am very confident it was. I can read the expression on the faces of
the boys; and I am certain there is a conspiracy among them to knock out
my brains or drown me in the river."
"Boys will be boys, and they are very prone to look at the ludicrous
aspect of an accident," added the stout professor. "I should not give a
serious interpretation to any little signs of mirth I happened to see."
"Mr. Stoute, you allow yourself to be hoodwinked, deceived, overwhelmed,
by these artful boys. You should maintain more dignity in your
intercourse with them."
"There is a true and a false dignity, Mr. Hamblin. I shall endeavor to
avoid the one, and cling to the other," replied Mr. Stoute, warmly, but
good-naturedly.
"You are aware that I asked for the gig before I started for the ship?"
continued Mr. Hamblin, impressively.
"I am; and I was also aware that the first cutter had been appropriated
to the use of the instructors."
"I demanded the gig. It was refused. What did that mean?"
"It meant just what the captain said--that the principal required him to
furnish the first cutter for our use."
"That is not what it meant," persisted Mr. Hamblin. "The crew of the
first cutter had been instructed to tip me into the river. When I called
for the gig, it deranged the plan. I am only sorry that I did not refuse
to take the cutter, and insist upon having the gig; but I do not wish to
make trouble."
"But why did you ask for the gig?"
"Because I saw Morgan, who, I knew, belonged in the cutter, laughing
when the rope fell on my head. He would as lief drown me as not."
"I think you misjudge the boys."
"I am surprised that one who has been a teacher as long as you have does
not understand boys any better," replied Mr. Hamblin, coldly. "I am
satisfied that Kendall is at the bottom of all this mischief."
"I am very sure he is not," said Mr. Stoute, decidedly.
"The crew of the cutter had been prepared for their work."
It was surprising that two men who had been among boys so long took such
opposite views of them; but the difference of opinion was more in the
men than in the boys.
These events were the staple of conversation on deck and in the steerage
among the crew; and some of the better boys heard certain indefinite
remarks about "the first step" and "the second step," used by "our
fellows;" but no real friend of law and order discovered anything which
threw any new light upon the two misfortunes that had overtaken the
senior professor, though there was a suspicion that these were the first
and second steps hinted at by the doubtful ones.
CHAPTER X.
WHO WAS CAPTAIN OF THE JOSEPHINE?
Mr. Hamblin, as before intimated, did not sleep well on the night in
question. The burden of being called to the state department, and even
to the royal palaces of Belgium, was very trying to his nerves. When he
slept, it was only to dream of the great statesman and revolutionary
leader of the Low Countries, in the act of taking him by the hand or of
presenting him to his majesty Leopold, "Roi de Belge."
He prepared himself with great care, in his reflections, for the
stupendous occasion. He studied up courtly bows, and imagined just how
he would look when in the act of making one of them. He pictured to
himself various graceful gestures which he intended to use, in order to
impress upon the great man the dignity of his character. He arranged the
little tableau of his presentation to the king, with all the speeches,
interludes, and movements. If the king said certain things, he should
say certain other things in reply; and when the interview ended, he was
with becoming grace to back out of the royal presence.
Leopold, "Roi de Belge," would probably inform him that he had, either
directly or through his faithful minister, heard of the distinguished
Greek _savant_; that he had seen or heard of the Greek Grammar he had
published, the Greek Reader he had compiled, and the Anabasis he had
edited and annotated. It was more than probable that there were copies
of these learned and valuable works in the Royal Library; for no library
could be complete without them. If they were there, the king would
graciously inform him of the fact, as the highest compliment that could
be paid to his fame as a Greek scholar. To all this, with his left hand
upon his heart, with his right extended, palm prone, at an angle of
forty-five degrees with his perpendicular, his body bent in a courteous
but dignified bow, he was to reply that his majesty did him too much
honor. It would be necessary to deprecate, in some degree, the
distinguished consideration awarded to him, and to declare his own
unworthiness of the king's notice and favor.
Then, perhaps, the royal Leopold would present him a snuff-box, studded
with pearls, diamonds, and rubies,--monarchs have a habit of presenting
snuffboxes to men who do not take snuff,--in token of his princely
appreciation of the learning of the distinguished American professor.
Or, perhaps, "Le Roi de Belge" would inform him that he desired to
promote the study of the Greek language and literature in his kingdom,
and that he was graciously pleased to appoint him Inspector of Greek, or
Librarian of the Greek portion of the Royal Library, with no active duty
but that of collecting his salary of twenty thousand francs--liberal
princes, as rich as Leopold was reputed to be, often spent their money
more foolishly than this, in rewarding distinguished men of learning.
The learned gentleman did not feel a very strong confidence that the
king would thus reward his forty years' patient study of the Greek; but
_if_ he should conclude to behave in this rather erratic but highly
honorable manner, it would give him a pleasant opportunity of waiting
upon Mr. Lowington in his cabin, and politely informing him that he
could no longer endure the insults of the Josephines, or countenance
their want of appreciation of the privilege of having such a professor
of Greek as he was; and that he felt compelled to resign his present
position, in order that "Le Roi de Belge" might avail himself of his
valuable services.
It would be delightful to make such a call upon the principal of the
academy squadron. It would be a grand occasion for a display of dignity.
He did not feel that such a pleasant event was likely to occur; but it
was not impossible. The fame of his Grammar and other works might have
come over the Atlantic while he was transplanting Greek roots in the
hard heads of stupid boys. He felt that he deserved some higher token of
public appreciation than had yet been bestowed upon him. Why should the
Secretary of Foreign Affairs send an autograph letter to him, unless
some especial notice was to be taken of him?
An audible voice seemed to say, "Go up higher, friend;" but, alas! that
was only the snoring of Professor Stoute, in the berth above him, which
his fancy had incorporated into words. There was no voice--only the
guttural sounds of his obese room-mate, who was so tired that he
breathed with unwonted labor in his sleep. There was no poetry in the
snoring of his companion, and the vision was rudely dissolved by the
reality. But the invitation to go to court was in his pocket: he could
not be cheated out of that, or of his brilliant expectations. Leopold
might do the handsome thing, at least as to the snuff-box. It was rather
awkward, in view of the approaching interview, that he could not speak
French; but the king had lived in London for a time, and doubtless spoke
English fluently. Of course the Minister of Foreign Affairs could speak
English; but even if he did not, they could meet on the same level in
Latin or Greek.
Professor Hamblin did not sleep very well; and he did not sleep any
better because Mr. Stoute slept so well, and made the state-room
sonorous with the richest base snoring that ever tormented a nervous
man. Indeed, the heavy sleeper made it so lively for the light sleeper
that the latter was two or three times goaded to the alternative of
waking the former, or abandoning the room.
In the course of the night the learned professor had polished up all his
little speeches to be recited before the minister, and probably before
the king; had nicely adjusted all his bows and gestures, and laid up a
magazine of expedients for possible emergencies, such as the presence of
the Duke of Brabant, Prince Leopold, and even of "La Reine de Belge;"
but the dreamer was glad when the morning came; for the night had been
very long, though he had probably slept three quarters of the time;
gladder still when he heard the water splashing on the deck above him,
as the watch washed down the quarter-deck, for now he could get up. He
did get up, and went out to taste the freshness of the early air.
The young seamen had finished their labor on the quarters, and were at
work in the waist. A kind of force-pump, or fire-engine, was attached to
the Josephine, to save labor in washing down the decks, and to be used
in case of fire below. It was provided with a sufficient length of hose
to reach all parts of the vessel, and was worked by a single brake,
manned by four hands. With this apparatus the boys were deluging the
decks with water, one of them holding the pipe, and half a dozen
scrubbing the planks with long-handled brushes.
A fire-engine, or indeed anything that will squirt, is a great luxury to
the boys, with whom "running with the machine" is a constitutional
tendency. The novelty of the Josephine's force-pump had not yet worn
away, and it contributed in no small degree to alleviate the hard and
ungentlemanly labor of washing down decks.
Mr. Hamblin was not a boy, and he had a constitutional dislike of
fire-engines and all hydraulic apparatus, partly, perhaps, because the
boys liked it. The quarter-deck was still wet with the drenching it had
received, and the professor did not like to dampen his feet on the one
hand, or retreat to the close cabin on the other. He did what Americans
are very apt to do when situated between the two horns of a dilemma--he
compromised between the difficulties by seating himself on the fife-rail
between a couple of belaying-pins. He was careful to place himself
abaft the mainmast, so that the wicked engine would not spatter him.
He sat on the fife-rail and began to think of the king and the minister
again; but his reflections this time were very brief, and if his fancy
burned again with glowing anticipation, the flame was suddenly quenched
by a stream of water directed at the foot of the mast, which spattered
his lower extremities very badly.
"What are you about, you rascal?" roared the learned gentleman,
springing from his perch to the deck.
But it would have been better for him to remain where he was, for the
instant his feet struck the deck, the full force of the stream from the
hose-pipe saluted him squarely in the face, filling his mouth with
water, and well nigh overthrowing him with its violence. This was a sad
accident. McDougal, one of the quartermasters, held the pipe. At the
moment the professor sprang from the fife-rail, the hoseman was looking
behind him, his attention having been called away from his work by a
remark of one of the hands at the brake.
"What do you mean, you rascal?" sputtered Mr. Hamblin, attempting to
free his mouth of the dirty Scheldt water which had been forced into it.
"That's number three," whispered one of the brake-men to another.
"Hush up!" replied the one addressed, from the corner of his mouth.
McDougal dropped the hose, and rushed aft to the place where the unhappy
_savant_ stood.
"You impertinent puppy!" cried Mr. Hamblin, soiling his white
handkerchief with the foul water upon his face.
"O, dear! What have I done!" groaned McDougal, clasping his hands in an
agony of dismay. "I beg your pardon! I didn't see you, sir. O, what have
I done!" And the wretched hoseman actually threw himself on his knees
upon the wet deck, and implored the forgiveness of the injured magnate
of the school-room.
"You meant to do it!" exclaimed the implacable pedagogue.
"No, sir! Indeed, I did not! Won't you forgive me?" pleaded McDougal,
still upon his knees.
"What does all this mean?" demanded Pelham, who was officer of the deck,
as he rushed to the spot from the topgallant forecastle, where he had
gone to keep out of the way of the splashing waters.
"O, Mr. Pelham," groaned the hoseman, "I am so sorry!"
"Get up!" said Pelham to the culprit, sternly, for anything like
servility was very disgusting to him, and probably he had his own views
in regard to Mr. Hamblin.
McDougal obeyed this imperative command, and though, ordinarily, a young
man of nerve and of much self-possession, he appeared to be trembling
with apprehension. His lips quivered, his knees smote against each
other, and he stood wringing his hands, apparently in the most abject
terror.
"I didn't mean to do it, Mr. Pelham," chattered the miserable hoseman.
"Mr. Pelham, in my opinion this act was deliberately contrived and
carried out," said Mr. Hamblin, severely, though he was evidently
somewhat moved by the misery of the culprit.
"I am very sorry for it, sir, whether it was done on purpose or by
accident," replied Pelham. "Where were you, sir, when it happened?"
"I was sitting on that frame," answered Mr. Hamblin, pointing to the
place.
"On the fife-rail?"
"Yes; if that is the name of the frame."
"Yes, sir; and he was behind the mast, and I didn't see him," pleaded
McDougal. "I saw some dirt on deck at the foot of the mast, and I threw
the stream there. I couldn't see Mr. Hamblin--indeed I couldn't, sir."
"I would not complain of the act if that had been all, for I was simply
spattered; but when I stepped down, the stream was directed full into my
face."
"I didn't mean to do it, sir. One of the brake-men hollered to me, and I
turned to see what he wanted, and when I did so, I raised up the hose;
and I suppose that's what made the stream hit Mr. Hamblin in the face,"
groaned McDougal.
"Yes, sir," interposed the brakeman, who had designated the act as
"number three." "I saw Mr. Hamblin, and I sung out to McDougal to turn
the hose. He turned round and asked me what I said, and before I could
answer Mr. Hamblin cried out to him."
"So far as I can see, it appears to be an accident, sir," added Pelham;
"but I will report it to the captain."
"O, Mr. Pelham, don't report me to the captain!" begged McDougal. "He
will send me back to the ship. I didn't mean to do it; it was an
accident."
"It is useless to report it to the captain," said the professor, with a
palpable sneer.
"Thank you, sir; you will forgive me, sir?" moaned the culprit.
"I am willing to forgive you if it was an accident," replied the
_savant_, more graciously.
"It was an accident, sir."
"It is very singular that so many accidents happen to me," said the
professor, knitting his brow, and looking very savage, when he recalled
the events of the preceding evening. "This is the third time within half
a day that an accident has occurred to me."
Mr. Hamblin walked off, and descended to the cabin to change his clothes
again. The suit in which he had fallen overboard had been dried at the
cook's galley, and was in condition for use. While changing his
garments, he recited to Mr. Stoute the new misfortune that had overtaken
him.
Pelham sharply questioned the hands who had been concerned in the
outrage; but McDougal, who appeared to be the only one implicated in the
deed, protested that the circumstances were just as he had stated them;
nothing could be proved, for the boys all agreed in their statements.
The case was therefore dismissed, to be called up again by the captain,
if he thought proper to do so. McDougal walked forward to pick up the
hose-pipe again, and as he met the brakeman who had exhibited some
intelligence before, he gave him a very sly wink.
The officer of the watch was more than suspicious. He was an old hand at
mischief himself, and not easily hoodwinked by "our fellows." He could
not help thinking that McDougal had overdone his part, for a bold young
man, like him, would not behave so much like a coward under any
circumstances. Just before breakfast time the captain and first
lieutenant came on deck together, and Pelham reported "number three" to
them.
"It was not an accident," exclaimed Paul, indignantly.
"I don't think it was myself," replied Pelham. "But at the same time,
what can you do? You can't prove that it was done on purpose."
"I had a hint from Duncan that the fellows intended to haze Mr. Hamblin,
and if this thing isn't stopped in the beginning, there is no knowing
where it will end," continued Paul, decidedly. "You will pipe to muster
the first thing after breakfast, Mr. Terrill."
The young commander was entirely satisfied in his own mind that the
unpleasant incident of the morning was a part of the hazing programme,
if the two on the preceding evening were not. He had already decided to
take prompt action, and put a stop to the disgraceful proceedings.
After breakfast, agreeably to the order, all hands were piped to muster.
The two professors had come on deck to ascertain the cause of this
movement. They had had a long talk together about the second drenching
of the senior, and Mr. Stoute was obliged to conclude that the deed had
been wilfully done. He acknowledged as much as this, and felt, as the
captain did, that prompt action was necessary; but to his surprise, Mr.
Hamblin took opposite ground towards the latter part of the interview,
and declared that McDougal, on his knees, had begged his pardon. The
learned gentleman appeared to be determined to keep his opinion at
variance with that of his associate.
Mr. Hamblin was one of those old fogies who could not appreciate
manliness in a boy. He demanded abject servility and pusillanimous
crouching on the part of an offender. When he frowned, the boy ought to
wither with fear rather than with the consciousness of guilt. McDougal
had thrown himself into a becoming attitude, in his estimation; had
groaned, trembled, and cringed. He was willing to forgive McDougal, and
had intimated as much as this to him before he left the deck.
The young commander took his place on the hatch, and made quite a
telling speech in regard to what he termed the disgraceful proceeding
which had occurred on board. He solemnly warned the boys that he would
not tolerate anything irregular and disorderly.
"Mr. Terrill, you will pipe away the second cutters," he continued,
turning to the first lieutenant.
The crew of the boat were piped away, the cutter lowered, and they took
their places in her. The second lieutenant was detailed to take charge
of her, and waited near the captain for his orders.
"Pass the word for McDougal," added the captain, when the second cutter
was ready, as he stepped down from the hatch, and stood at the foot of
the mainmast.
The culprit came forward, and touched his cap to the captain.
"For your conduct this morning to Mr. Hamblin I shall send you on board
of the ship," said Paul, in firm and decided tones.
"I couldn't help it, Captain Kendall," pleaded McDougal; but he
exhibited none of the servility which had characterized his demeanor to
the professor; he knew the captain too well to resort to such an
expedient.
"_Perhaps_ you could not," replied Paul, pointedly. "_Perhaps_ you could
not; but you were very careless."
"I didn't mean to do it," added McDougal.
"I do not say that you did. If the professor cannot walk the deck
without being drenched with water, it is time those who are so careless
should be sent out of the Josephine."
"Mr. Hamblin was behind the mast, and I thought he had gone below, sir."
"I have no time nor inclination to argue the matter. If you think any
injustice has been done to you, the principal will hear your complaint,
and I shall be as willing as you are to abide by his decision. Mr.
Martyn, you will report the case as it is to Mr. Lowington. McDougal,
consider yourself under arrest, and take your place in the boat."
The culprit wanted to say something more, but Paul ordered him into the
boat with an emphasis which he did not deem it prudent to disregard.
"Captain Kendall," said Professor Hamblin, stepping up to the young
commander, "I request that you will detain that boat for a moment or
two."
"Certainly, sir, if you desire it," replied Paul, giving the necessary
order.
"May I ask for a few moments' private conversation with you?" added the
professor, as he led the way aft.
The learned gentleman seemed to be considerably excited, and conducted
the captain to the taffrail.
"I protest against your action in this matter," said he, warmly, when
they were out of hearing of others.
"Indeed, sir! I supposed you would protest if I did not take decided
action."
"I am sorry to feel obliged to say, that you do not use good judgment in
this case," continued Mr. Hamblin, solemnly. "When that rope was thrown
upon me, you took no notice of it. I do not hear that the crew of the
first cutter have been called to account for their carelessness in
throwing me into the water last night; but, in this instance, where the
guilty party has begged my pardon on his bended knees, and shown a
degree of sorrow which it would be inhuman to disregard, you resort to
the severest punishment known on board."
"You will excuse me, Mr. Hamblin, but I think my action is fully
justified by the circumstances."
"I think not. You are extremely severe in this case, while the more
flagrant act of throwing me into the river, whether it was a wilful or a
careless one, was passed over in silence."
"It was not passed over in silence. I examined the officer of the boat,
and I found that the accident was caused by the breaking of a boat-hook
in the hands of one of the bowmen. If you will pardon me for being
entirely candid with you, Mr. Hamblin, the mishap was caused by your own
carelessness, rather than by that of the boat's crew."
"Do you mean to insult me?" demand the professor, angrily.
"Most assuredly not, sir. If you had kept your seat in the stern-sheets
of the boat, as a passenger should, until the cutter was properly
secured, you could not possibly have fallen overboard when the boat-hook
broke," answered Paul, gently and firmly.
"I do not ask your judgment upon my actions, Mr. Kendall," growled the
professor.
"Excuse me, sir; but I alluded to your movement only in defence of the
boat's crew. If the bowmen had actually intended to throw you into the
water, they could not have done it if you had kept your seat."
"It is not proper for you to criticise my action."
Paul bowed, and made no reply.
"I protest against your action in punishing McDougal. He apologized to
my satisfaction; and, as this is an affair personal with me, I am
surprised at your taking any step without consulting me."
"It is a case which affects the discipline of the vessel; and, as such,
it was proper that I should dispose of it."
"It was a personal matter, I say," repeated the professor, growing more
wrathy when he found his mighty will opposed.
"I have such information, sir, as leads me to believe that the act of
this morning was intentional."
"That's a want of judgment on your part, and I protest against your
action. I object to your sending McDougal to the ship, and I demand that
your order be rescinded."
"I shall send him to the ship, sir!" replied Paul, decidedly, his cheek
coloring.
"Shall you! Do you mean to insult me?"
"No, sir; I repeat that I do not mean to insult you."
"I say that boy ought not to be sent to the ship. Why, such a lack of
judgment--"
"Mr. Hamblin, I command this vessel!" exclaimed Paul, with native
dignity.
"Do you, indeed?"
"I am responsible for all I do to Mr. Lowington. You will oblige me by
not interfering with the discipline of the crew."
"How dare you use such language to me?" snapped the professor, dancing
about the deck with rage.
"Mr. Terrill, direct Mr. Martyn to pull to the ship, and execute my
order as I gave it."
"This is infamous!" stormed Mr. Hamblin. "Am I to be snubbed by a boy,
by one of my own pupils?"
"I have nothing more to say, Mr. Hamblin," continued Paul, bowing and
moving away.
"Stop, you puppy!" roared Mr. Hamblin, following him, and speaking loud
enough for all the officers to hear his offensive remark.
"Come, come, Mr. Hamblin, you are disgracing yourself," interposed Mr.
Stoute.
"The puppy!" gasped Mr. Hamblin. "He insulted me!"
"Don't lower yourself in the eyes of your pupils by such undignified
conduct."
"Am I to be insulted by a boy?" replied Mr. Hamblin, breaking away from
his associate.
"Mr. Terrill, send Mr. Cleats and Mr. Gage aft," said Captain Kendall,
hardly able to speak, so violent were his emotions.
"Mr. Kendall--"
"Captain Kendall, if you please," interposed Paul, as the professor,
boiling over with rage, rushed up to him.
"_Mister_ Kendall, I will--"
"One word, Mr. Hamblin, before you proceed any farther," continued Paul,
struggling to be calm.
"Here, sir," reported the adult carpenter and boatswain.
"Stand by; I may want you," replied Captain Kendall. "Mr. Hamblin," he
proceeded, turning to the furious professor, "if you venture to call me
a puppy again, or to use any other offensive epithet, I will order the
carpenter and boatswain to arrest you. I will send you in irons on board
the ship. I beg to remind you again that I am the captain of this
vessel."
Mr. Hamblin glanced at him, and then at the stalwart forward officers,
who, he knew, would obey the captain if the Josephine went down with
them in the act. If he did not feel that he had done wrong, he felt that
he could do nothing more. Professor Stoute again interposed his good
offices, and Mr. Hamblin defeated--by himself rather than the
captain--bolted from the group, and rushed down into the cabin.
The entire ship's company had crowded aft to witness this exciting
scene.
"Three cheers for Captain Kendall!" shouted a daring fellow. "One!"
They were given, in spite of Paul's cry for "silence," and then the crew
scattered. The young commander looked very pale, and went below attended
by Terrill, who had noticed his ghastly expression. He retired to his
state-room, and but for his friend's efforts would have fainted away, so
terribly had he suffered during the painful scene.
CHAPTER XI.
ON THE WAY TO GHENT.
"You have made a very great mistake, Mr. Hamblin," said Professor Stoute,
when they reached their state-room.
"Do you take part with the students, Mr. Stoute?" snapped the angry
_savant_.
The good-natured instructor concluded that it would be useless for him
to say anything while his associate continued in such an unhappy frame
of mind; and he condemned himself to silence for the present. It was
plain enough to him that the crew of the Josephine were in a state of
mutiny, so far as Mr. Hamblin was concerned, and, that the academic
discipline of the vessel was at an end. If he understood the humor of
the boys, they would refuse to obey the professor of Greek. There must
be a settlement of this serious difficulty before anything more could be
done.
Mr. Hamblin was silent also for a time. It would have been curious to
know what he thought of himself at that particular moment, though
doubtless he fully justified his conduct and regarded himself as an
injured man. A gentleman so profoundly skilled in Greek as he was, with
an invitation in his pocket to visit the king's chief minister, ought
not to be expected to submit to the snubbing of a mere boy. The two
professors sat in the state-room till the silence became painful, and
till the anger of Mr. Hamblin had in a measure subsided.
"I did not expect to see you take part with the boys, Mr. Stoute," said
the learned gentleman, in a grieved tone.
"If I take any part at all, I hope it will be on the right side,"
replied Mr. Stoute.
"Which means, I suppose, that I am on the wrong side," replied Mr.
Hamblin, with a heavy sigh.
"It means exactly that," added the other, candidly.
"You think, then, that the boys have done precisely right--do you?"
"Without saying that, I am compelled to believe you were in the wrong."
"That boy threatened to arrest me," continued Mr. Hamblin, with
something like a shudder; "and all the crew gave three cheers for
Captain Kendall!"
"I could hardly resist the temptation to join with them in giving the
cheers," replied Mr. Stoute, consolingly. "The conduct of Captain
Kendall filled me with admiration."
"Mr. Stoute, do you consider that a proper remark to make to me?"
"You will not understand anything but the plainest speech, and I intend
to be perfectly candid with you. You interfered with the discipline of
the vessel, and because the captain respectfully declined to recall the
boat, you threw yourself into a passion, and behaved in a most
ungentlemanly and undignified manner. Positively, sir, I am ashamed of
you! You called the captain a puppy, sir!"
"He's only a boy," answered Mr. Hamblin, in whom this plain talk seemed
to create a doubt in regard to his conduct.
"Any boy has the right to be treated like a gentleman when he behaves
like one, even if his opinion does not agree with our own; and
especially is this true of the captain."
"He was utterly lacking in judgment. The conduct of McDougal was a
personal matter, and Mr. Kendall should have consulted me."
"Allowing that the captain was wrong,--though I do not think that he was
wrong,--it does not improve the aspect of your conduct."
"You think Mr. Lowington will not sustain me--do you?"
"Certainly not."
"I could hardly expect it, since he has a much higher regard for that
boy than for me," sighed Mr. Hamblin.
"It is eight o'clock, and time for the recitations to commence," said
Mr. Stoute, consulting his watch. "You must decide at once what you
intend to do."
"What shall I do?" asked Mr. Hamblin, who had become fully conscious
that he had involved himself in another "unpleasantness," and that the
powers that be, unmindful of his claims, would probably decide against
him.
"Shall we hear the recitations? Are you willing to go into the steerage,
and proceed with your classes?"
"I am."
Mr. Stoute had his doubts whether it would be prudent for him to do so;
but he was satisfied that Captain Kendall could control the crew, even
if they attempted a demonstration against the unpopular instructor.
"If I had made so great a blunder as you have, Mr. Hamblin," added
Professor Stoute, "I should go to the captain, and apologize to him."
"Apologize to him!" exclaimed the _savant_.
"Yes, sir."
"To that boy, who insulted me, who threatened to arrest me, and send me
in irons to the ship, who had the impudence to tell me that _he_ was the
captain of this vessel! No, sir!"
"Very well, sir; suit yourself; I am going to the steerage to attend to
my classes."
Without waiting for his associate's final decision as to what he
intended to do, Mr. Stoute left the state-room. By this time Paul had
recovered from the faintness which had oppressed him, and had ordered
the first lieutenant to "pipe to recitations."
"Are we to go on with the studies as usual, Captain Kendall?" asked Mr.
Stoute, who could not help taking the hand of the young commander and
warmly pressing it, though without any allusion in words to Professor
Hamblin.
"Certainly, sir; the students will not be allowed to neglect any regular
duty," replied Paul.
"After the cheers which were given on deck, there is danger of a
disturbance."
"No, sir; I think not. If any officer or seaman makes a disturbance, he
shall be put under arrest instantly."
"But suppose they all do it in concert."
"They will not, sir;" but Paul spoke in hope rather than in faith, and
dreaded the demonstration suggested by the professor.
Mr. Stoute went into the steerage. The students were all there,
including the crew of the cutter which had conveyed McDougal to the
ship. They were more quiet and orderly than usual; but the calm often
precedes the storm. Captain Kendall passed into the steerage, and his
appearance was the signal for a general clapping of the hands, in which
all the officers joined. That he had won the day in his dispute with the
obnoxious professor; that he had threatened to arrest Mr. Hamblin, and
send him in irons to the ship; that he had actually called the willing
carpenter and boatswain to execute the anticipated order,--were more
than enough to make the captain a hero with the ship's company. Boys
worship pluck, and are not always particular that it should be displayed
in a good cause.
"Silence, if you please," said Paul, moved by the applause of the
students.
Silence came instantly, for the captain was a "little god" just then,
and had more influence over the ship's company at that moment than ever
before. It is true they regretted the fate of poor McDougal, but there
was not one of them who did not believe that the captain was right in
his estimate of the culprit's guilt.
"I wish to ask a favor of you," continued Paul, in a rather embarrassed
tone.
A clapping of hands assured him that he could ask no favor that would
not be unanimously granted.
"Whatever happens, I wish you to make no disturbance, and no
demonstrations of approval or dissent. Will you heed my request?"
"We will!" shouted the students with one voice.
"Thank you," replied Paul, who did not believe in a display of force
before it was necessary.
The boys commenced work upon their lessons, and the captain, passing
through the steerage, went on deck to avoid the necessity of meeting Mr.
Hamblin, whose step he heard in the passage-way leading from the cabin.
As Paul disappeared, the obnoxious _savant_ entered the steerage. One of
the students forward hissed, but his companions silenced him instantly;
and it is probable, if the captain had not spoken to them, Mr. Hamblin
would have been greeted with a general demonstration of disapprobation.
The learned gentleman was evidently much embarrassed; but he was very
quiet and subdued in his manner. He was less impatient and snappish than
usual; said nothing about "stupidity" and "blundering," as was his
habit. He seemed to be abstracted, as well he might; but while he
displayed less enthusiasm in his teaching, he was infinitely more
gentlemanly and kind. As he gave no occasion for any trouble, none came.
Though the captain did not appear at any recitation conducted by him,
the professor made no comment upon the circumstance.
Paul was troubled, but he had made up his mind what to do. Either Mr.
Hamblin must leave the Josephine, or he would respectfully ask to be
relieved from the command of her. It was simply impossible to live with
such a porcupine on board. It was a mystery to him that Mr. Lowington
had procured the services of such an unsuitable instructor; but the
fact was, that he had been engaged by the principal's agent on the
strength of his classical attainments, rather than his fitness for the
place. He had been so unpopular as a tutor and professor that no
institution could long enjoy his services, valuable as they were in an
intellectual point of view.
At twelve o'clock orders came from Mr. Lowington to dismiss school, and
to dress the Josephine for visitors. All hands were called, and in a
short time the vessel wore her gayest attire. A line of flags was
extended from the end of the jib-boom over the topmast-heads to the end
of the main boom. The flag of Belgium, which consists of black, yellow,
and red in equal parts, perpendicularly divided, floated at the foremast
head. The Young America was similarly decorated, and the Victoria and
Albert hoisted the royal standard of the United Kingdom, which is a
magnificent affair, consisting of four squares, two, in opposite
corners, being red, one blue and one yellow, with a harp and the lions
and unicorns worked upon the squares.
At half past twelve, the professors' barge, with the American flag in
the stern, and the Belgian in the bow, put off from the ship and pulled
to the Quai Vandyck. The eminent individual who was to be received by
the squadron was no less a personage than the governor of the Province
of Antwerp, an office once filled by the distinguished Charles Rogier,
the present minister of foreign affairs.
As the boat containing his excellency put off from the Quay, the yards
of both vessels were manned. All the students were dressed in their best
uniform, and the display was really quite imposing. The governor went
on board of the ship, was duly cheered by the students, and he visited
every part of the vessel. After he had partaken of a collation in the
main cabin, he left the ship, accompanied by Mr. Lowington, and visited
the Josephine. Everything appeared to the best advantage, and his
excellency expressed himself as highly delighted with the naval
institution.
All the officers and professors were presented to the distinguished
guest, who took a great deal of notice of Paul, and hardly any of Mr.
Hamblin--a muddling of distinctions which sore puzzled and annoyed the
_savant_. Not even Mr. Lowington could have suspected that the
Josephines were in a state of feverish excitement, and had been almost
in a state of mutiny, so fair and pleasant was the outside aspect of the
ship's company. The governor, having completed his inspection of the
vessel, invited all the officers to dine with him, and was then landed
with as much ceremony as he had been received.
Mr. Lowington accompanied the governor to the quay, and on his return he
went on board of the Josephine to announce his programme for a visit to
several of the cities of Belgium. All hands were called, and were
informed that the next three days would be devoted to sight-seeing, and
that the students would take the train for Ghent at half past two. The
ship's company heard the intelligence with a coolness which did not
escape the notice of the principal; but he soon received an explanation
of this apparent indifference.
"I am very sorry, Mr. Lowington," said Professor Hamblin, stepping up
to him, as he descended from the hatch, "to be again compelled to
complain to you of the misconduct of Mr. Kendall. This morning he
threatened to arrest me and send me in irons on board of the ship--_me_,
sir! He actually sent for the boatswain and carpenter for this purpose."
"Captain Kendall!" exclaimed the principal, annoyed beyond measure at
this recital of grievance. "There must have been some strong
provocation."
"Could anything justify such a threat, or such a course?"
"We will not speak of this subject here," added the principal, when he
saw that the eyes of every student on board were fixed upon them.
"Something should be done immediately," replied Mr. Hamblin, decidedly.
"I have not time to hear the case now. We take the train for Ghent in
less than an hour. I will see you in the railway carriage."
Mr. Lowington moved towards the gangway, where the barge was waiting for
him; but Paul, his cheeks all aglow, stepped up to him, and touched his
cap.
"Mr. Lowington," said he, "I wish to make a complaint against Mr.
Hamblin. He interferes with the discipline of the vessel, is very
insulting to me; and I must ask that he be removed from the Josephine,
or that I may be permitted to resign."
"I am very sorry you are having any trouble here; but I cannot stay now
to hear about it. I will see you on the train."
"Excuse me, one moment, Mr. Lowington," added the _savant_ of the
Josephine, as the principal was going over the side. "I wish to inquire
if we make any stay in Brussels?"
"We shall probably remain there one day."
"I have an invitation to visit Monsieur Rogier, the chief minister of
the King of Belgium, and should like to accept it," added Mr. Hamblin,
who thought it would be well for the principal to know this fact before
he thought much of the difficulty between himself and the captain.
"You will have ample time," answered Mr. Lowington, as he stepped over
the side into the boat.
At two o'clock all hands embarked in a ferry-boat, which conveyed them
to the Tête de Flandre, opposite Antwerp, where the Ghent railway
station is located. By the good offices of the governor of Antwerp, a
special train had been procured for their accommodation, and the
carriages were to be at the disposal of the principal for the entire
round of the Belgian cities. By this arrangement, the tourists were
enabled to make the tour in the brief space allotted to it. They were to
spend a day in the capital, but only one or two hours in each of the
other places.
In Belgium about two thirds of all the railways are owned or leased by
the government, which runs the roads, and even those which are in the
hands of corporations will eventually revert to the state. They are
exceedingly well managed, and very few accidents occur upon them; but
they run at a low rate of speed, compared with the English railways. The
fares are about three cents a mile, which is below the average in
Europe.
Mr. Lowington selected a compartment in one of the carriages, and
arranged his party so as to transact the disagreeable business on hand
during the trip. Dr. Winstock and Paul sat at one end of the section,
and Mr. Stoute and Terrill at the other, while Mr. Lowington and
Professor Hamblin occupied the middle seats. The two students were
allowed to occupy the places at the windows, so that they could see the
country which they passed through; for the principal deemed this as
important for them as their lessons; in fact, it was a study of
geography. The train moved off, bearing the company through a low
country, not very attractive in itself, though the little farms,
gardens, villages and towns were full of interest to young men like
Paul.
"Now, Mr. Hamblin, I am ready to hear your complaints," said Mr.
Lowington, after the train had passed out of the station. "Captain
Kendall, you may give your attention to it, though you can look out of
the window at the same time."
"Am I to be confronted with that boy?" demanded the professor,
indignantly.
"That boy!" replied Mr. Lowington. "I am to hear what you and Captain
Kendall have to say. Go on, if you please, sir."
"You will remember that one of the students, McDougal, was sent on board
of the ship, this morning," Mr. Hamblin began, though he was utterly
disgusted because he was obliged to make his complaint in the presence
of Paul.
"I remember it."
"The offence which that boy committed was against me personally. As he
explained the case to me, and made a very humble apology, I was willing
to forgive him. I intimated to the officer of the deck that he need not
report the matter to the captain; but it was reported to the captain,
and when I went on deck, after breakfast, I found the students had been
assembled. Mr. Kendall addressed them, with which I had no fault to
find. But you can judge of my astonishment when he called up McDougal,
and ordered a boat to convey him on board of the ship, thus subjecting
him to the severest punishment known to the students of the Josephine.
"I deemed it my duty to interfere, which I did in the most civil manner.
I respectfully protested against the action of the captain. I say I
deemed it my duty to interfere."
Mr. Hamblin paused, and looked at the principal. He wished him to say
that he also deemed it his duty to interfere; but Mr. Lowington did not
say that, or anything else, and waited till the professor was ready to
proceed.
"I remonstrated with Mr, Kendall, and he saw fit to disregard my
protest. I demanded that his order should be rescinded; but he was
haughty and impudent in his manner. He told me that the boy should be
sent to the ship. He appeared to be utterly wanting in judgment, though,
up to this time, I had remonstrated only in the mildest terms. He
informed me, in the most offensive manner, that he was the captain of
the vessel."
At this point Mr. Lowington bit his lips, to repress a smile which was
involuntarily manifesting itself on his face.
"Finally, sir, he sent for the boatswain and carpenter, and threatened
to have me conveyed to the ship in irons. It was not enough to say he
would send me to the ship, but he would send me in irons! Did ever a boy
speak to a man like that before? In college, academy, and school, I have
always been master; but here I find myself subject to the will of a
stripling of sixteen or seventeen!"
Mr. Hamblin finished his narrative, set his teeth tight together, and
threw himself back in his seat to await the decision of the principal.
"Captain Kendall, I will hear your version of this affair," said Mr.
Lowington, mildly.
The professor made a movement as if to spring to his feet. The
proceedings seemed to be very irregular. He wanted the decision made
upon his statement; and it appeared like an insult to him to ask a
student for his version of the affair after the instructor had spoken.
"When I was informed that McDougal had directed the hose-pipe at Mr.
Hamblin," said Paul, "I decided to make an example of him; for I had a
hint that the students intended to annoy the senior professor, and this
was the third time something had happened to him. I was satisfied that
the act was done on purpose, though I could not prove it."
"It was not done on purpose," interposed Mr. Hamblin, wrathfully.
"McDougal, on his knees--"
"You will be kind enough not to interrupt Captain Kendall," said Mr.
Lowington, mildly, but firmly.
"I decided to send him on board of the ship, and directed the second
lieutenant to report the circumstances to you. Before the boat had
shoved off, Mr. Hamblin called me aside, and objected to my action. He
said the affair was personal with him, and he was surprised that I had
interfered with it. I replied that the matter affected the discipline of
the crew, and that I should send McDougal on board of the ship. He was
angry then, spoke of my lack of judgment, and said the boy should not be
sent to the ship. I told him then, as decidedly as I knew how, that I
commanded the vessel."
"Yes, sir; that _he_ commanded the vessel!" said Mr. Hamblin, with much
excitement.
"Go on, Captain Kendall," added Mr. Lowington.
"He used some strong language then, and I told him I had nothing more to
say. As I was walking away, he told me to stop, and called me a puppy.
He repeated the expression, and then I sent for Mr. Cleats and Mr. Gage.
They came, and I informed Mr. Hamblin that if he applied another
offensive epithet to me, I would send him on board the ship in irons."
"Yes, sir! send _me_ to the ship in irons! Could you have conceived of
such an indignity?" exclaimed the professor. "Am I a common sailor? Am I
a servant? Am I a student? or am I the senior professor of the consort?"
"Did you speak to Captain Kendall of his lack of judgment, Mr. Hamblin?"
asked the principal.
"I did, most assuredly; and I am free to say that a child would have
exhibited more judgment than he did," replied the professor, warmly.
"Did you say that McDougal should not be sent on board of the ship?"
"I did; it was an outrage upon the boy after he had begged my pardon
with his knees on the wet deck; and it was an outrage upon me, who had
forgiven his offence."
"Did you call Captain Kendall a puppy on the quarter-deck of the
Josephine?"
"I don't know whether it was on the quarter-deck or the half-deck."
"Oblige me by answering my question."
"Perhaps I did," replied Mr. Hamblin, looking upon the floor of the
carriage; for this, he was conscious, was his weak point.
"I must ask you either to affirm or deny that portion of Captain
Kendall's complaint."
"If I did, it was because I had been snubbed and insulted by a pupil."
"You do not answer me, sir."
"I did; and I am willing to acknowledge it was highly improper; but I
was--"
"It is not necessary to explain it," interposed Mr, Lowington. "I desire
now only to obtain the facts. You applied this epithet twice to Captain
Kendall--did you?"
"Possibly I did. I was much excited."
"Affirm or deny it, if you please."
"I will grant that I did, though I do not now distinctly remember. It
was wrong for me to use such language under any circumstances, but I
have not been in the habit of being snubbed by my pupils."
"Is there any other material fact you wish to add, Mr. Hamblin?" asked
the principal.
"Nothing more is needed, I think," replied the professor, who really
believed that he had overwhelmed Paul, in spite of the conscious
disadvantage he labored under in having used intemperate language
himself. "It is plain enough that Mr. Kendall and I cannot get along
together in the same vessel."
"That is plain enough," added Mr. Lowington. "I had requested Professor
Stoute and Mr. Terrill to take seats in this carriage in order to afford
any information we might need; but I find the facts in the case are not
disputed. On the material points, there is no difference of statement
between Mr. Hamblin and Captain Kendall. I shall reserve my decision
till we return to the vessels."
"It will be impossible for me to do my duty to the students on board of
the Josephine while Mr. Kendall is in command of her," said the
professor, who wanted the decision at once, so confident was he that the
principal could not sustain the young commander this time.
"I shall arrange it so that you and Captain Kendall will no longer sail
in the same vessels."
That was very indefinite, but something was to be done; and this was all
the comfort the professor received. Paul was much agitated, and Dr.
Winstock talked to him for half an hour before he could fix his
attention upon the novelties of the country hurried in panorama before
him.
CHAPTER XII.
"IN BELGIUM'S CAPITAL."
"Gand!" shouted the guard, as he walked along the step before the doors
of the compartments, just as the train entered the station.
"I suppose that means Ghent," said Paul.
"Yes; Gand is the French name of the place," replied Dr. Winstock.
"There are many cities in Europe which you would not recognize by their
foreign appellations."
As the train stopped the whistle of the Young America's boatswain called
the students together, and Mr. Lowington told them they could stay only
two hours in the place.
"Ghent is situated at the junction of the River Lys with the Scheldt,"
said Professor Mapps, who, to the astonishment of the boys, seemed to be
plumed for a lecture. "The numerous branches of these rivers, either
natural or artificial, form canals which extend in all directions
through the city. The town may be said to be composed of twenty-six
islands, which are connected together by no less than eighty bridges.
The grand canal extends from the lower Scheldt to the town, by means of
which ships drawing eighteen feet can come up to the basin. All these
canals are navigable for boats or vessels. It is surrounded by a wall
seven or eight miles in extent, for its defence. On the grand canal,
half way between the city and the West Scheldt, there are sluices, by
which the whole country could be laid under water in case of invasion by
an enemy.
"Ghent has been called the Manchester of Belgium, on account of its
being so largely engaged in cotton manufactures. Its factories are
operated by steam power. The population in 1863 was one hundred and
twenty-two thousand. The cultivation of flowers is largely carried on
here, there being about four hundred hot-houses in the immediate
vicinity of the city.
"Ghent is a very old city, and occupies a prominent place in history. In
the days of Charles the Bold it was the capital of Flanders. Charles V.,
Emperor of Germany, was born here. It was formerly a city of vast
importance, and at one time its wealth and power had increased to such
an extent, that it was regarded as the rival of Paris. '_Je mettrais
Paris dans mon Gand_,' Charles V. used to say, as he proudly
contemplated this great city. What does it mean?"
"I could put Paris into my glove," replied one of the French scholars
near the professor. "But _gant_ is the French word for _glove_."
"Near enough for a pun, and much nearer than modern punsters often get
it," continued Mr. Mapps. "Ghent, in former days, had the reputation of
being a turbulent city, and its people were bold and warlike. They have
always been forward in asserting and defending their liberties; and you
will find that the burghers of Ghent figure largely in Mr. Motley's
Histories. I will not detain you longer now, but, as we pass through the
city, I shall have something more to say about its historic character."
A sufficient number of vehicles had been gathered during the professor's
lecture to enable the students to make the most of their limited time in
Ghent. They went first to the _Beffroi_, or Belfry-tower. It is a kind
of watch-tower, two hundred and eighty feet high, built in the twelfth
century. The structure is square, and is surmounted by a gilt dragon. It
contains a chime of bells, and a huge bell weighing five tons. The
records of the city were formerly kept in the lower part of the
building, which is now degraded into a prison. The entrance to the tower
is through a shop, and the view from the top is very fine.
The Cathedral of St. Bavon, the Church of St. Michael, and the Hôtel de
Ville, or Town Hall, were pointed out, and the carriages stopped in the
Marché au Vendredi, a large square, or market-place, which takes its
name from the day on which the sale is held. The phrase means Friday
Market. Mr. Mapps explained the use of the square, and pointed out the
ancient buildings with Flemish gables, which look like a flight of
stairs on each slope, which surrounds it.
"This was the grand meeting-place of the citizens of Ghent," he
continued; "the counts of Flanders were inaugurated here with great
ceremony and splendor. Here the trades-unions, or societies of weavers,
used to meet. Here the standard of rebellion was planted, and the people
rallied around it to overthrow their oppressors. Here Jacques van
Artevelde, the Brewer of Ghent, encountered a hostile association, and
fought one of the most furious combats known in history. He was called
the Brewer of Ghent, because, though of noble family, he joined the
society of brewers to flatter the vanity of the lower classes. His
partisans were chiefly weavers, and his opponents the fullers. In the
midst of the strife the host--the consecrated bread and wine of the
Catholic mass--was brought into the square, in order to separate the
furious artisans; but it was disregarded, and the bodies of fifteen
hundred citizens were left on this spot.
"Van Artevelde, whose statue you see before you," added the professor,
pointing to the object, "was a person of great influence. He was the
ally of Edward III. of England, and had raised himself to the position
of _Ruwaert_, or Protector of Flanders, by banishing its hereditary
counts. By his advice, the King of England had added the _fleur de lis_,
or lilies of France, to the British arms, claiming to be King of France.
He courted the aid of the Flemish people, who were very powerful,--for
it was said that Ghent alone could furnish eighty thousand fighting
men,--in order to establish his claim to rule France.
"Edward obtained the assistance of the Flemings; but he did not conquer
France, though he gained some splendid victories, in which the famous
Black Prince figured. Van Artevelde began to dread the vengeance of the
hereditary counts of Flanders, whose power he had usurped, and in 1344
he invited Edward to meet him at Sluis. Here the Brewer proposed to make
Edward's son--the Black Prince--sovereign of Flanders, in order to
secure the protection of England. He relied upon his influence with the
citizens to induce them to submit to this arrangement; but the stout
burghers rejected the proposal with contempt and indignation.
"During Van Arteveldt's absence, a popular insurrection was fomented
against him; and, on his return, as he rode through the streets, he was
made conscious of the storm that was brewing against the Brewer. He went
to his house, and barricaded the doors; but the street was soon filled
by the mob. He addressed them from a window; but they would not hear
him, and he attempted to escape by a back door into an adjoining church.
Failing to accomplish this purpose, the infuriated people broke in upon
him, and he was killed.
"In this square, also, were kindled the fires of the Inquisition by the
Duke of Alva, at the command of Philip II., and thousands perished in
the barbarous persecution.
"The rebellious spirit of the people of Ghent was very trying to Charles
V. He demanded of them an enormous sum of money, to enable him to carry
on a war against France. The burghers put the town in a state of
defence, and privately offered their allegiance to Francis I. of France.
He declined the offer, and maliciously informed Charles of it, who
marched an army through France to punish the treason of his subjects in
Ghent. Commanding this army in person, he reached the gates of the city,
and surrounded its walls, before the people were aware of his presence.
"The utmost consternation prevailed in the town, and messengers were
sent to the emperor to sue for forgiveness. Without granting any terms
to the rebels, he imperiously demanded that the gates should be opened.
His command was obeyed, and the Spanish army marched into the town. The
Duke of Alva suggested that the entire city should be destroyed; but
Charles satisfied himself with beheading fourteen of the ringleaders of
the rebellion, and confiscating their property. The principal officers
of the city were ordered to appear before the emperor barefoot and
bare-headed, clothed in black gowns, and with halters around their
necks. They were compelled to sue for pardon on their knees. As an
additional penalty, the magistrates were forbidden to appear in public
without a halter on their necks, as a badge of their ignominy. The rope
was worn; but, in the lapse of time, it became a silken cord, tied in a
true-lover's knot, and was regarded as an ornament which the magistrate
could not dispense with.
"In 1570, when the people attempted to shake off the Spanish rule, the
citadel or fortress at the Porte d'Anvers (which has been demolished)
was besieged by the Prince of Orange. It was gallantly defended by the
Spaniards for a long time; but, at last, three thousand of the burghers
of Ghent, clothed in white shirts as a distinguishing mark, assaulted
the citadel. Their scaling-ladders were not long enough, and the attack
failed. On the following day, while preparations were in progress to
renew the attack, the Spaniards capitulated. When suitable terms had
been agreed upon, the garrison, only one hundred and fifty in number,
marched out under the command of a woman. It appeared then that the
governor of the fortress was absent, and that the Spaniards had been
commanded, during the protracted siege, by his wife."
This was rather a long speech to be made in the public square; but the
boys, interested in the professor's remarks, gathered closely around
him; and it is not probable that many of the Ghenters who had been
attracted to the square by the unwonted scene understood a word that was
said. The carriages next proceeded to the Béguinage, a kind of convent
or nunnery. The establishment is a little town by itself, with streets,
squares, and gates, and is surrounded by a wall and moat. In the centre
there is a church. The houses are occupied by the Béguines, a sisterhood
of nuns in Belgium which has six thousand members. They are bound by no
vows, as ordinary nuns are, and may therefore return to the world at
pleasure, marry, and come back in their widowhood. They act as Sisters
of Charity in the city, and some of them are wealthy; but all wear the
garb of the order. There are about six hundred of them in this colony.
On the door of each house is the name of the patron saint of the
occupant.
The drive was continued through some of the principal streets of Ghent;
and, within a few moments of the appointed time, the students were again
seated in the railway carriages. The road to Bruges extends along the
side of the canal from Ostend to Ghent, which has high banks, lined
nearly all the way with tall trees. The view from the windows of the
train was interesting rather than picturesque. In an hour the train
stopped at its destination; but it was after six o'clock, and there was
no time for Professor Mapps to make any long speeches, though Bruges
had a history hardly less exciting than that of Ghent. It takes its name
from the great number of _bridges_ which it contains; for the place,
like Ghent, is cut up by canals.
Bruges was once a rich and powerful city, reputed to contain two hundred
thousand inhabitants; but, like nearly all the Flemish cities, it has
declined from its former grandeur, and now contains only fifty-one
thousand, nearly a third of whom are paupers. In the fifteenth century,
the Dukes of Burgundy held their court here; it had an immense foreign
commerce, and its warehouses were filled with the silks and woollens
manufactured in the vicinity. All this has passed away, the town has the
aspect of a ruined place, and its lofty and elegant public
buildings--the remains of former prosperity--seem to mock its present
desolation.
Fine houses may be hired in Bruges at a rent of from sixty to a hundred
dollars a year. It is said that a house has not been built in the city
for a century, for the reason that its diminishing inhabitants were more
than supplied by those which had once accommodated four times its
present population. The place is dead and dull. The streets are nearly
empty. A man-servant finds himself upon a hundred dollars a year, and a
French teacher charges twenty cents an hour for his services.
The Church of Notre Dame contains the tombs of Charles the Bold and of
his daughter Mary. La Chapelle du Saint Sang takes its name from several
drops of the blood of the Savior, which are said to have been brought
from the Holy Land. They were presented to the town, and are kept in a
richly jewelled shrine, which is exhibited to visitors at half a franc a
head. The famous order of the Knights of the Golden Fleece, so often
mentioned by Motley, whose emblems are seen in many of the churches of
Belgium, was established at Bruges, by Philip the Good, Duke of
Burgundy. The weavers of Flanders had carried the manufacture of wool to
a degree of perfection which added greatly to the prosperity of the
country, and the Golden Fleece was a fitting symbol of the industry of
the people, as well as a compliment to their skill.
The great point of interest in Bruges to the students of the squadron
was "The Belfry of Bruges," which Longfellow has celebrated in his poem
of that name, and in the "Carillon." It is a beautiful Gothic tower, on
an antique building known as _Les Halles_, or The Market, a part of
which was intended for a meat market, and a part for a cloth hall. The
spire, or belfry, is two hundred and ninety feet high. It contains the
finest set of chimes in Europe. They play four times an hour, and their
music is almost incessant. The machinery by which they are operated
consists of an immense metallic cylinder, or drum, covered all over with
cogs and pins, like that in a music-box. As this drum turns by the
action of a huge weight, the pins strike against the levers that
communicate with the bells. For half an hour on Sunday they are played
by hand, as at Antwerp.
The praise bestowed upon the chimes seemed to the students to be well
merited. There is nothing more touching and beautiful than the music of
these bells. The boys could not help taking in the inspiration they
imparted; and when it transpired that Mr. Modelle, the professor of
elocution, had a copy of Longfellow in his pocket, they almost
unanimously insisted that the poems relating to the scene should be
read. They gathered around him, the circle closely flanked by the men,
women, and children of the dull old town, who had apparently been roused
from their lethargy by the advent of the young Americans. In his deep
bass tones he read the Carillon first.
"In the ancient town of Bruges,
In the quaint old Flemish city,
As the evening shades descended,
Low and loud, and sweetly blended,
Low at times and loud at times,
And changing like a poet's rhymes,
Rang the beautiful wild chimes
From the belfry in the market
Of the ancient town of Bruges."
The students listened with almost breathless interest till the last line
of the "Belfry" was read; there was something so grand and beautiful in
the poem itself, as the images of the past are brought up,--
"I beheld the pageants, splendid,
That adorned those days of old:
Stately dames like queens attended,
Knights who bore the Fleece of Gold,"--
and something in the association of the living lines with the real
belfry of Bruges before them, that the impression was one to be
remembered for years.
After a hasty walk through a couple of the ancient streets of the city,
the students returned to the railroad station, and the train started for
Brussels, a ride of about two hours from Bruges. It was half past nine
when they arrived at the capital of Belgium. The party were greeted by
Mr. Fluxion, who had been sent direct from Antwerp to make arrangements
for their stay over night. Captain Kendall, his officers and crew, were
sent to the Hôtel Royal in the Rue Fossé aux Loups. It was a small
hotel, but very nice and comfortable. Mr. Molenschot, the proprietor,
spoke English, but he appeared to be the only person in the house who
could do so. He was very polite and attentive to the students, and spoke
familiarly and pleasantly to them about "my hotel."
Mr. Fluxion himself had a faculty for keeping a hotel, and understood
precisely what tired travellers wanted when they came in late in the
evening; and he had ordered, in addition to the _thé complet_, the
_bif-stek_ and _pomme de terre_. The boys were as hungry as wolves, and
the solid part of the entertainment was very inviting. Each dish of
beefsteak was covered over with nicely browned fried potatoes. In a few
moments there was hardly a vestige of the feast remaining on the table.
The Young America's ship's company were quartered at the Hôtel de
l'Univers, and the Hôtel de Suède, so that the party was separated; and
Paul was rather glad of it, because there were some belonging to the
ship who were not influenced by the motives which prevailed in the
Josephine. He could control his crew, even without the aid of Mr.
Fluxion, who, with several of the professors also lodged at the Royal.
They were a jolly party at the supper table; and as none of the waiters
spoke a word of English, there was a great deal of fun made in giving
their orders; but everybody was remarkably good-natured, including the
waiters themselves.
"Waiter," called Lynch, who, as a general rule, was not guilty of
knowing much about any of his studies, "bring me the _bur_."
The servant took no notice of him.
"Call him a _garçon_" said Grossbeck.
"_Garçon!_" shouted Lynch.
"_Monsieur_," replied the man.
"Bring me the _bur_."
"You might as well call for a Canada thistle," laughed Duncan, who was
one of the best French scholars in the Josephine.
"I want some butter; I have eaten up all the _bif-stek_, and all the
_pomme de terres_, and now I want some bread and butter. These fellows
don't understand their own language."
"_M'apportez du beurre_," added Duncan.
"_Oui, oui, oui!_" exclaimed the waiter, producing the required article.
"That's the idea," replied Lynch; "that man's improving. But this
_beurre_ is so fresh I can't eat it; I want some salt."
"Call for it, then," laughed Duncan.
"I will; here's a go. _Garçon_, mapperty sellier!"
"Good!" roared Duncan. "If we had a saddle of mutton for supper, I
should suppose you would want what you called for."
"I want the salt."
"I thought you did; and that's the reason why you called for a saddler."
"I didn't call for any saddler. I said _sellier_."
"Precisely so; and that is a saddler."
"What shall I say?"
"_Sel._"
"_Sel_; _sellier_. Well, I knew there was a sell about it somewhere."
"Precisely; but you were sold. I advise you not to make any long
speeches in French."
"You may bet your life I shall not," replied Lynch.
"Just mention the thing you want in one word; then you won't confuse
_garçon's_ intellect by flooding it with ideas."
"_Garçon--sel_," added Lynch, acting upon this excellent advice.
The waiter brought the _sel_, and nobody was sold this time.
"I think I shall pick up the French language in time," added Lynch,
encouraged by his success.
"Perhaps you will, but the Hôtel Royal will have crumbled to dust before
that happy event occurs."
There was any quantity of blunders made at the table, and some of the
students had nearly choked themselves to death with laughing at them,
and at the blank looks of the waiters when spoken to in a tongue which
Mr. Fluxion declared sounded more like Low Dutch than decent French. Mr.
Molenschot laughed too, and intimated that "my hotel" had never been so
lively before.
"What now, Captain Kendall?" said Mr. Fluxion, when the supper and the
blunders had ended.
"My officers and crew wish to take a little walk," replied Paul.
"What! to-night?. It is after ten o'clock."
"They wish to see how 'Belgium's capital' looks in the evening."
"Of course you can do as you think best; but I advise you to be cautious
with them. They may get into trouble in a strange city, or get lost. If
some of them can't speak French any better than they did at supper, they
will have to go to the watch-house, because they can't ask the way
back."
"They can say _Hôtel Royal_. None of my crew have ever got into trouble
since the ship's company was organized," added Paul, who wanted to go
out himself, and could not deny to others what he took himself.
The permission was given to walk till eleven o'clock, but the boys were
admonished to behave properly, and to return punctually. Lynch and
Grossbeck, who still clung together as fast friends, left the hotel in
company.
"This is jolly--isn't it?" said Lynch, as they passed out of the Rue
Fossé aux Loups into the Place de la Monnaie, a small square in front of
the Théâtre Royal.
"For less than an hour," added Grossbeck, gloomily.
"We don't understand French, and so we can't tell what time it is,"
laughed Lynch.
"That won't go down. We were told to be back at eleven."
"But if we don't know what time it is, we can't be tied to the
bell-rope."
"No use; the captain knows the boom from the bobstay, and if he isn't a
Knight of the Golden Fleece, you can't pull wool over his eyes. You know
he put McDougal through this morning."
"Well, come along. We'll have a good time while it does last," replied
Lynch, apparently appalled by recalling the summary treatment of his
shipmate.
"Everybody seems to be having a good time here," said Grossbeck, as they
passed a _café_, in front of which were a great number of small tables,
at which gentlemen were drinking, smoking, and carrying on noisy
conversation. "I don't see any reason why we should not. What are they
drinking there?"
"Beer, or wine, I suppose," answered Lynch, as he led the way he knew
not whither, turning to the left, because the street in that direction
looked more lively than the others.
There was nothing to be seen, as most of the shops were closed; but they
continued on their way till they came to a kind of arcade, a building
which contained a broad passage-way, opening from the street, with a
large number of little shops on either side.
The interior was brilliantly lighted, and most of the small stores were
devoted to fancy goods and other showy articles. The young seamen
entered the arcade, in which many people were promenading.
"They say this city is a second edition of Paris on a small scale,"
continued Lynch. "This is very well got up; but from what I have seen of
the town, it looks like a one-horse city. The streets are not much wider
than a cow-path."
"But they say it is like Paris," added Grossbeck.
"My eyes! there's a clock that speaks English! It is half past ten,"
exclaimed Lynch. "But I'm not going back to the Hôtel Royal till I've
had a little fun. There's a what-you-call-it, where they sell wine.
Let's go in, and see what it's like."
The place indicated was a wine-shop, and the two boys entered, seating
themselves at one of the little tables. The prompt waiter came to them,
bowed and scraped, and flourished a napkin, and hinted that he would be
happy to take their order.
"What will you have, Grossbeck?"
"I'll take a glass of wine."
"Let's see you take it!" laughed Lynch. "What shall we call for? I don't
remember a word of French, now that I want to use it."
"Perhaps the _garçon_ can speak English. Ask him."
"Ask him? What shall I say?"
"O, I know. _Parlez-vous Angleterre?_" added Grossbeck, turning to the
waiter.
"_Non, monsieur_," replied the waiter, who did not speak "England."
"O, confound it! What's the Dutch for wine?" demanded Lynch,
impatiently.
"I know--_eau de vie_. _Garçon, eau de vie_," replied Grossbeck,
confidently.
The waiter disappeared, and presently returned with a small decanter and
two minute wine-glasses.
"I knew _eau de vie_ would bring it," added Grossbeck, as he filled the
little glasses.
"That's pretty strong wine," said Lynch, when he had swallowed the
contents of the glass with a very wry face.
"That's so."
They looked about them till the clock indicated that it was time to
start for the hotel; but they decided to repeat the dose from the
decanter, and did so.
"That's the strongest wine I ever drank," said Grossbeck.
"How much is it?" asked Lynch.
"Let's see--_combien?_"
"_Un franc cinquante centimes_," replied the waiter, after he had
glanced at a gauge on the decanter which indicated the quantity of the
fiery fluid that had been consumed.
Neither of them could understand the answer, and Grossbeck handed the
_garçon_ a franc. The man shook his head, and held out his hand for
more. Lynch gave him another franc, and he returned a half franc piece.
"_Pour boire?_" said the man with a winning smile.
"Poor bwar! Who's he?" demanded Lynch, in whose head the strong water
was producing its effect. "He means 'poor boy.' I say, Grossbeck, does
he think I'm--I'm sizzled? I feel so myself. Come, let's go."
They rose, and moved in a serpentine path to the door.
"_Pour boire?_" repeated the _garçon_, following them.
"That's what's the matter. I'm a poor boy! I was a fool to drink more'n
one nip of your camphene," hickuped Lynch. "Here, old fellow, here's a
half of one of those francs. Don't say nothing more about it. I'm a poor
boy, but I shall get over it."
The young tippler handed the half-franc piece to the waiter, who bowed,
scraped, flourished his napkin, and fled.
CHAPTER XIII.
THREE CHEERS FOR THE KING OF BELGIUM.
"I say, Grossbeck, you and I are two bigger fools than Napoleon was when
he went to Russia," said Lynch, as they reached the street again.
"That's so. 'There was a sound of revelry by night, and Belgium's
capital'--got considerably mixed," replied Grossbeck, whose head was not
quite so full as his companion's.
"What shall we do, my boy?" stammered Lynch. "That wine was nothing
short of camphene. We shall be seen by the captain, and we shall both be
sent to keep company with poor McDougal. We've lost our mess on the
Josephine."
"Stiffen up, Lynch. Don't give way to it. What sort of a sailor are you,
that can't bear two thimblefuls of wine?"
"That wine was camphene, I tell you. It feels just like a whole bunch of
friction matches touched off at once in my stomach--that's so. I'm a
poor boy and no mistake, Grossbeck."
Lynch suddenly stopped, and grasped his companion by the arm.
"What's the matter," demanded Grossbeck.
"It's no use for me to drink wine. The _eau de vie_ carries too many
guns for me. I'll tell you what I'm going to do. I'm going to get out of
this scrape."
"So am I; but come along, or we shall be late."
"I'm going to join the temperance society, and never drink any more
wine--not another drop of _eau de vie_ for me."
Lynch evidently felt that he had got into trouble for nothing; that the
satisfaction of drinking the firewater was very unsatisfactory in the
end. He had sense enough left to see that disgrace and degradation
awaited him, and he dreaded the prompt action of Captain Kendall, as
exhibited in the case of McDougal. While still suffering from the
effects of the tipple, he resolved to drink no more; but pledges made in
the heat of intoxication are not the most hopeful ones.
The boosy youngsters worried along the street; but instead of turning to
the right, into the Rue de la Monnaie, they went straight ahead, and
were soon lost in a maze of narrow streets. They were conscious that
they had gone astray, and looked in vain for the square in front of the
Théâtre Royal, which they had marked as an objective point. At last they
came across a solitary policeman, who paused on his walk to observe
their unsteady tramp.
"Hôtel Royal?" said Grossbeck, addressing the officer.
"_Oui_," replied the man, pointing in the direction from which they had
come, and leading the way himself.
In a few moments they reached the square they had missed, and Grossbeck
recognized the flaming signs of a large clothing store, on the corner
of the street in which the hotel was located.
"Thank you. I am very much obliged to you," said he to the policeman, as
he pointed to the street.
"_Oui_," replied the officer, solemnly, though the grateful
acknowledgments of the juvenile tippler were lost upon him, except so
far as he could interpret them by the motions of the speaker.
"I feel meaner than Napoleon did after the battle of Waterloo," groaned
Lynch.
"Stiffen up, now. Here's the hotel," added Grossbeck.
"Well, what shall we do? I can't walk straight, and my head spins round
like a top," pleaded Lynch.
"Dry up. Starch your back-bone. Here comes a lot of the fellows."
"Who are they?" asked Lynch, trying to stiffen his back, and get the
bearings of his head.
The party approaching proved to be half a dozen of "our fellows," who
stopped, and immediately discovered the condition of the two hopefuls.
"I say, McKeon, can't you help us out?" said Grossbeck.
"Ay, ay; certainly we can," replied "our fellows," in concert, as they
gathered closely around the inebriates, and, thus encircling them,
marched into the hotel.
"Keep still, Lynch; don't say a word," whispered Grossbeck, as they
entered the hall, effectually concealed from the observation of the
officers by their companions.
Mr. Fluxion stood at the door, and checked off the names of the party as
they entered, on the list he held, so as to be sure that all had come
in. It was not an easy thing for Lynch to ascend three flights of
stairs; but his companions supported him, and contrived to screen him
from the officers, till they reached the room where they were to sleep.
The door was closed and fastened, and Grossbeck gratefully acknowledged
the kindness of his friends in getting them out of the scrape.
"What did you drink?" asked McKeon.
"Wine," answered the tippler.
"What kind of wine?"
"I don't know--_eau de vie_."
"_Eau de vie!_" exclaimed Blount, whose knowledge of French was above
the average of that of "our fellows."
"That's what we called for," added Grossbeck.
"And it was as strong as camphene," said Lynch, as he tumbled into bed.
"It was brandy!" laughed Blount.
The boys all laughed at the blunder, and Lynch repeated his pledge not
to drink any strong liquors, wine, or beer again. Grossbeck defended his
conduct by saying that he had heard a great deal about the light wines
of Europe, which people drank like water, and he did not suppose a
couple of thimblefuls of it would hurt them.
"Call for _vin rouge_ next time," laughed Blount; "that means red wine,
or claret. It isn't much stronger than water."
"No, sir!" ejaculated Lynch, springing up in bed, though with much
difficulty; "I shall not call for red wine, or anything of the sort.
From this time, henceforth and forevermore, I'm a temperance man. I
won't drink anything but water, and only a little of that. I feel
cheaper than Napoleon when he landed on the Island of St. Helena."
The party turned in, and in a short time all of them, tired out by the
fatigues of the day, were fast asleep. Mr. Fluxion, before half past
eleven, had reported all the students in the house. At six o'clock in
the morning all hands were turned out, and several squads of them were
exploring the city on their own account. But it was not till after
breakfast that a systematic excursion was organized. A number of
omnibuses and one-horse barouches, or _voitures_, had been engaged by
Mr. Fluxion, and, seated in these, the ship's company proceeded to the
Grande Place, which is a large square, with the Hôtel de Ville on one
side, and the old Palace, or Broodhuis, on the other side.
The Hôtel de Ville is one of the most splendid municipal palaces in the
Low Countries, where these structures are always magnificent specimens
of architecture. The spire, of open work, in Gothic style, is three
hundred and sixty-four feet high. The vane, which is a gilded copper
figure of St. Michael, is seventeen feet high. The building was erected
in the fifteenth century.
By the attention of the governor of Antwerp, several officials were in
readiness to escort the visitors through the city; and at their beck the
doors of public buildings and churches, and the gates of palaces and
gardens, were thrown open. The party entered the Hôtel de Ville, and in
one of its large rooms an opportunity was afforded for Mr. Mapps to
expatiate a little on the city of Brussels.
"Young gentlemen, what is the French name of this city?" asked the
professor, as he took the stand occupied by the chief magistrate of the
city.
"Bruxelles," responded many of the boys; for they had seen it often
enough upon signs and in newspapers to know it.
"Unlike many of the cities of Belgium which we have before visited,
Brussels is a growing place. Its population has doubled in twenty years,
and now numbers about three hundred thousand. It is situated on both
sides of the little River Senne, one hundred and fifty miles from
Paris,--which it imitates and resembles in some degree,--and
twenty-seven miles from Antwerp. It is built partly on a hill; and the
city consists of two portions, called the upper and the lower town, the
latter being the older part, and containing all the objects of historic
interest. In the upper town are the Park, the king's palace, and the
public offices. The streets are irregular, narrow, and crooked; but the
city is surrounded by a broad highway, having different names in
different parts, as the _Boulevard de Waterloo_, the _Boulevard de
Flandre_, and the _Boulevard d'Anvers_.
"The oldest part of the city is in the vicinity of this square--the
_Grande Place_, in which the Counts Egmont and Horn were beheaded by the
Duke of Alva. You saw their statues in the square. In this city, in an
old palace burned in 1733, Charles V. abdicated in favor of his son
Philip II. Here, also, was drawn up that celebrated document called the
Request. It was a petition to Margaret of Parma, in favor of the
Protestants of the Low Countries, of which you read in Motley. It was
presented to her in the Hôtel de Cuylembourg, where a prison now stands.
She was somewhat alarmed at the appearance of the petitioners; and one
of her courtiers told her, in a whisper, not to be annoyed by the
'_gueux_,' or beggars. The leader of the confederates, hearing of this,
regarded the epithet bestowed upon those who were defending the
liberties of their country as an honorable appellation, and the
petitioners adopted it as their war-cry. In the evening, some of them
appeared in front of the palace with beggars' wallets on their backs,
and porringers in their hands, and drank as a toast, 'Success to the
_Gueux_!' This trivial incident proved to be one of the leading events
of the revolution which deprived Spain of the Low Countries; for it
kindled the enthusiasm of the people, and urged them on in the
redemption of their country. In Motley you will find a full history of
the 'Beggars.' Alva was so incensed at the turn of this affair, that he
levelled to the ground the building in which the confederates met.
"Brussels has long been celebrated for its manufactures of lace and
carpets; but while it still retains its prestige in the former, it has
been outdone in the latter. The finest and most valuable lace is made
here and in some of the neighboring cities, and is literally worth its
weight in gold. The most expensive kind costs two hundred francs (or
forty dollars) a yard."
Mr. Mapps finished his remarks for the present, and the ships' company
returned to the carriages, and were driven to the Place des Martyrs,
where there is a large monument erected to the memory of three hundred
Belgians, who fell in the Revolution of 1830, which made Belgium an
independent kingdom. From this point they passed into the broad
Boulevards to the Botanical Gardens, which, however, they did not enter,
but continued up the hill to the Park, a large enclosure, beautifully
laid out, and ornamented with statues. In one corner of it is the
Théâtre du Parc, while in the square which surrounds it are located the
king's palace, the palace of the Prince of Orange, the Chamber of
Representatives, and other public buildings. The students visited the
king's palace;--but his majesty usually resides at Laeken, and the
establishment represents royalty on a small scale--and the Chamber of
Representatives, in which the two branches of the Belgian legislature
convene. In the latter, a woman showed them the Chambers, pointing out
some fine pictures, including portraits of the king and queen, and the
Battle of Waterloo, explaining everything in French.
"Where shall I find the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Stoute?" asked
Professor Hamblin, nervous and excited at the near prospect of standing
face to face before the great man of Belgium, and of being complimented
upon his great educational works.
"I don't know; but his office must be somewhere in this vicinity,"
replied the fat professor, laughing at the excitement of his associate.
One of the officials in charge of the party volunteered to conduct them
to the apartment of the distinguished revolutionist.
"You must come with me, Mr. Stoute," said the professor of Greek. "If it
turns out that Mr. Rogier don't speak English, I should be in an
unfortunate dilemma."
"I will go with you with pleasure," laughed Mr. Stoute, who was rather
desirous of witnessing the interview.
They were conducted to the apartments of the distinguished minister, and
formally and ceremoniously ushered into his presence. He bowed, and
regarded his visitors with cool indifference.
"Whom have I the honor to address?" asked the minister, in good English,
when Mr. Hamblin had made his best bow.
"I am Professor Hamblin, from the United States, at your service,"
replied the learned gentleman, who seemed to believe that this
announcement would bring the Belgian statesman to his feet, if not to
his arms--the professor's.
"Ah, indeed!" replied the minister, blankly.
"I had the pleasure of receiving a note from you at Antwerp," added the
American celebrity, annoyed at the coolness of the revolutionist.
"A note from me!" exclaimed the Belgian celebrity, curtly. "I never saw
you or heard of you before in my life."
Mr. Hamblin produced the formidable envelope, and drew therefrom the
epistle of sweet savor, which had been such a comfort to him in his
troubles. He presented it to the minister, satisfied that this would
recall the matter to his recollection.
"This note is not from me. I did not write it," said the Belgian, when
he had glanced hastily at the page.
"Really, I beg your excellency's pardon; but it is signed with your
name."
"It is a forgery--what you Americans call a practical joke, probably. I
haven't been in Antwerp for months."
There was an apparent convulsion in the fat frame of Mr. Stoute, who was
evidently struggling to suppress his mirth, or keep it within decent
limits.
"I am very sorry, sir," stammered Mr. Hamblin.
"The letter is an imposition, sir. I never heard of you before in my
life," added the great Belgian, tossing the note back to the professor,
with an impatience which indicated that he never wished to see him
again.
That vision had exploded--no invitation to dinner, none to visit the
king, none to accept the position of Librarian of the Greek portion of
the Royal Library, whose only duty was to consist in drawing his salary.
Mr. Hamblin bowed, and so far conformed to his original programme as to
back out of the office. Doubtless he came to the conclusion, in his
disgust, that Belgium was a "one-horse" kingdom, and that royalty was a
humbug.
The vision exploded; so did the mirth of Mr. Stoute, as soon as the door
of the department of foreign affairs had closed behind him. He laughed
till every ounce of his adipose frame quivered.
"What are you laughing at, Mr. Stoute?" demanded the disappointed suitor
for Belgian honors.
"You will excuse me, sir; but really I can't help it," choked the fat
professor.
"I really don't see anything to laugh at," added Mr. Hamblin,
indignantly.
"I was intensely amused at the shuffling indifference of Monsieur
Rogier. He evidently regards himself as a very great man, not to be
disturbed by insignificant Greek scholars."
"What do you mean by _insignificant_, Mr. Stoute?" asked the lean
professor, solemnly.
"Why, the minister had never even heard of you, of your Greek Grammar,
Greek Reader, and Anabasis. Such is fame!" chuckled the good-natured
instructor.
"'What we Americans call a practical joke,' were the words of the
minister. Do you regard this as a joke, Mr. Stoute?" said the learned
gentleman, very seriously.
"I suppose it is a joke to all, except the victim."
"Do you know anything about the author of this senseless piece of
imposition?"
"Certainly not. I had not the least idea that the ponderous document was
not genuine till his excellency pronounced it a forgery."
"Who could have done this?"
"Some of the students, probably."
"Probably," replied the professor, taking the note from his pocket
again, and carefully scanning the handwriting. "I have no doubt it was
done by one of the students. It is another of their infamous tricks--the
fourth that has been put upon me. Do the other instructors suffer in
this manner?"
"I have not heard of any other victims, and I am inclined to think you
are the only one."
"I do not see why I should be selected as the recipient of these silly
and ridiculous, not to say wicked, tricks. A rope falls on _my_ head,
_I_ am pitched into the river, drenched with dirty water, and now sent
on a fool's errand to the king's chief minister! I don't understand why
I am the only sufferer."
Professor Stoute did understand why Mr. Hamblin had been so frequently
sacrificed, but he had a habit of minding his own business, and did not
venture to give an opinion on the subject, which probably would not have
been well received. What the fat professor knew all the boys in the
Josephine, and most of those in the Young America, knew--that the cold,
stiff, haughty, tyrannical, overbearing manner of the lean professor had
made him exceedingly unpopular; that the students disliked him even to
the degree of hating him; that if he had ever had any influence with
them, he had lost it by his ridiculous sternness and stupid precision.
Mr. Hamblin did not know this, but everybody else did.
"Don't you know this writing, Mr. Stoute?" demanded the irate man of
Greek roots, after an attentive study of the note.
"I do not."
"I do!" added Mr. Hamblin, decidedly.
"You are fortunate then. If we can unearth the culprit, he will be
severely punished."
"I am not so clear on that point. This note was written by Captain
Kendall."
"Impossible!" exclaimed Mr. Stoute, seizing the note, and examining more
attentively than he had done before the writing it contained.
It did look like Paul's writing. It was his style, and there were not
more than two students in the Josephine who could have composed the
French in the document. Those two were Paul and Duncan. But Mr. Stoute
was unwilling to believe that the captain would resort to such a
proceeding.
"I shall charge him with it," added Mr. Hamblin.
"I advise you not to do it without more evidence than you have yet
obtained," said Mr. Stoute, seriously.
"After we return to the vessel I shall probably be able to obtain some
proof," continued Mr. Hamblin, as he put the letter in his pocket.
When they went to look for the rest of the party, they found them
forming a line in the square. Present with Mr. Lowington was his
excellency, the governor of Antwerp, who had just invited the company to
visit the palace gardens. In even lines, with the officers in their
proper places, the procession marched across the park and through the
gates, at which a file of Belgian soldiers presented arms to them. In
the garden they formed a line on one of the walks. Near the palace,
walking to and fro, was an old gentleman, but still erect and manly,
with a glittering decoration on his breast. Several other persons, most
of them dressed in uniform, or decked with orders, were standing near
the old gentleman.
Presently the governor of Antwerp approached the ship's company,
attended by an officer to whom Mr. Lowington was introduced. The three
then walked towards the old gentleman, to whom the principal was
presented. The venerable personage bowed gracefully, but did not offer
to shake hands, or indulge in any republican familiarities.
"That's the King of Belgium," said Dr. Winstock to Paul, as the
principal and the venerable person approached the line, followed by the
officials.
"The king!" exclaimed Paul, taken all aback by the announcement; and
this was the first time he had ever looked upon a live monarch. "He
seems just like any other man; what shall we do?"
"Give him three Yankee cheers," replied the doctor.
Captain Kendall spoke to the flag-officer and to Captain Haven.
"Three cheers for his majesty the King of Belgium!" called Flag-officer
Gordon.
They were given with a will, but the "tiger" was omitted in deference to
royalty. King Leopold gracefully and graciously acknowledged the salute
by touching his hat, and then walked up and down the line, inspecting
the ship's company. Mr. Lowington, hat in hand, walked just behind him.
His majesty then took position in front of the line, and the students
came to the conclusion that he was going to make a speech; but he did
not: he spoke to Mr. Lowington again, who went to the line and called
out the flag-officer and the two captains.
"You are to be presented to the king; don't speak unless you are asked a
question, and don't turn your back to him," said Mr. Lowington in a low
tone.
Paul was startled at the idea of being presented to King Leopold, but he
followed his companions, and in due time was with them handed over to
the gentleman who had presented the principal, and who proved to be the
grand chamberlain.
"Captain Kendall, commander of the Josephine," said the gentleman, when
Paul's turn came.
Paul bowed, blushing up to the eyes, when he became conscious that the
royal gaze was fixed upon him; but he had self-possession enough not to
overdo the matter, and his salute was as dignified and graceful as that
of majesty itself. The king smiled when he saw the fine form and
handsome face of the junior captain.
"Do you command a ship?" asked his majesty, surveying the young officer
from head to foot, with a pleasant smile on his face.
"I command the Josephine, your majesty; she is not a ship, but a topsail
schooner of one hundred and sixty tons," replied Paul, satisfied that
kings speak just like other men.
"You are very young to command a vessel of that size," added the king.
Paul bowed, but made no reply, as no question was asked.
"Can you manage her in a gale?" asked his majesty.
"I think I can, your majesty; at least I have done so within a week on
the coast of your majesty's dominions."
The king actually laughed at this confident reply. As he bowed slightly,
Paul, for the first time in his life, backed out, and continued to back
till he reached his station at the head of the Josephines. The king then
bowed to the whole line, and retired. As he did so, Flag-officer Gordon
called for three more cheers. The king turned and bowed again. This
time the snapper, in the form of the tiger, was applied, which so
astonished the royal personage that he turned once more, laughed, and
bowed.
Professor Hamblin looked very nervous and discontented. "That boy" had
been presented to the king, and he, who had compiled a Greek Grammar, a
Greek Reader, and edited the Anabasis, had been "left out in the cold."
If it was possible for a great mind like that of the _savant_ to harbor
such a vicious feeling as envy, he certainly envied Paul Kendall his
brief interview with the King of the Belgians.
The party retired from the garden, and returned to the carriages. It
appeared in explanation of this unexpected honor, that the governor of
Antwerp had waited on the king that day, and informed him casually of
the presence of the students of the academy squadron in the capital, and
he had expressed a desire to see them in a very informal manner. Mr.
Lowington was no "flunky," and never sought admission to the presence of
royalty, for himself or his pupils.
As the procession of omnibuses and fiacres moved down to the lower town,
they were thrown into great excitement by seeing many of the streets and
houses dressed with flags and other devices. On inquiring at the hotel,
Mr. Molenschot informed Paul that it was a saint's day, and that a
religious procession would march through some of the principal streets.
"Go down into the Boulevard d'Anvers, and you will have a good chance to
see the show," added the landlord.
"What is it?"
"O, it is really very fine and very grand; but go at once, or you will
be too late."
The students were permitted to go to the street indicated, and they had
hardly secured a good place before they heard martial music, playing a
solemn dirge.
CHAPTER XIV.
THE VICE-PRINCIPAL.
[Illustration: A RELIGIOUS PROCESSION IN BRUSSELS.--Page 230.]
A crowd of people preceded the procession, as it came out of the Rue de
Laeken into the Boulevard d'Anvers. At the head of it marched the
military band, and the _cortége_ was flanked by soldiers of the Belgian
army, indicating that the government felt an interest in the display.
The students were on the tiptoe of excitement at the novel spectacle;
and Paul asked his friend, the doctor, a great many questions which he
could not answer. The composition and order of the procession were very
nearly as follows:--
A man bearing a cross on a pole.
Banner.
Little girls dressed in white, with flowers in their hands.
Little boys.
Banner.
Image of the Virgin borne by four men.
A lamb, very white and clean, led by a string, and
decorated with red ribbons, with boys on each
side, carrying various emblems.
Young ladies in white.
Another image of the Virgin.
About twenty priests, in white muslin robes, and in
satin robes trimmed with gold.
Two boys with censers.
Silken canopy, borne by four men, under which walked
two ecclesiastics, in full costume one
bearing the Host.
The canopy was surrounded by men carrying lanterns with silver
framework, and of peculiar construction. The censers, as they were swung
backward and forward by the bearers, emitted a dense smoke, which rose
far above the procession, and marked its progress.
As the _cortége_ approached the spot where the boys stood, the band
ceased playing, and the priests began to chant the mass to the
accompaniment of a single base horn. The procession moved very slowly,
and the rich voices of the priests, mingling with the heavy notes of the
horn, produced an effect solemn and impressive even on the minds of
those whose religious education did not prepare them to appreciate such
a display.
As the host approached, hundreds of the crowd in the street knelt
reverently upon the pavement, and bowed their heads before the sacred
emblems. Women and children strewed the path of the procession with
flowers, green branches, or, in the absence of these, with handfuls of
colored paper cut into minute pieces. Indeed, the street, in places, was
literally covered with these votive offerings of the people, who had no
other means of testifying their reverence for the ceremonial.
The line filed into the Rue Longue Neuve, which was extensively
decorated with flags, streamers, and other national and religious
emblems. In many windows burned a line of candles, in some cases before
a crucifix. In this street the procession halted, and several of the
priests moved up an arch forming the entrance to one of the better
residences. In this recess an altar had been erected, and was covered
with all the emblems of the Catholic faith. The priests knelt before it,
and chanted a portion of the service, and then returned to the
procession, which continued its march up the street; the flowers and
bits of colored paper filling the air before it, and the people still
reverently bowing down to the host. The solemn and impressive chanting
of the priests kindled the pious enthusiasm of the multitude, and as the
line passed the _cafés_ and _estaminets_, or smoking houses, the pipe,
the drink, and the gay jest were abandoned, to pay homage to the faith
of the nation.
The faces of the little children and the white-robed maidens in the
procession presented an aspect of religious enthusiasm, solemn but not
sad, which young people seldom wear. Everybody seemed to be carried away
by the excitement of the scene; all hats were removed, and the utmost
respect was paid to the representatives and to the emblems of the church
in the line.
As Paul and his friend followed the spectacle up the street, they saw a
Béguine nun kneeling at the altar in the arch, wringing her hands in an
ecstasy of devotion, while several women were regarding her with an
admiring reverence, which seemed to indicate that they envied her the
enjoyment of the heavenly raptures which thrilled her.
"It is very solemn--isn't it?" said Paul, when they had passed out of
hearing of the procession.
"It is really moving, even while you have no sympathy with the church
which makes these displays."
"I think I was never more moved in my life than I was by the chanting of
those priests. But what is the occasion of all this?"
"I don't know; except that this is some saint's day--St. James, I
believe; but there is something of this kind in Brussels nearly every
Sunday; and I have seen several minor displays in the streets in the
evening."
"I am surprised to see how much respect the people pay to their
religion. If they have these displays often, I should think they would
become stale."
"It appears they do not. I have a great deal more consideration and
respect for these exhibitions in Belgium than in some other parts of
Europe, for the reason that all religions enjoy the utmost toleration
here. The people are almost exclusively Catholic, and yet they permit
Protestants and Jews entire freedom in the exercise of their religion,
and pay them their fair share of the government money."
At two o'clock dinner was ready at the Hôtel Royal; and it need not be
added that the boys also were ready. Half an hour later the whole party
had been loaded into stage-coaches, which, in an hour and a half, set
them down on the battle-field of Waterloo. For two hours they wandered
about the field, or rather up and down the two principal roads which
pass through it. On the highest ground of the field, where there is a
mound two hundred feet high, surmounted by the Belgic Lion, Mr. Mapps
gave a brief account of the great battle, pointing out the spots of the
greatest interest, including the road by which Blucher arrived. The
subject is too vast for these pages; but it will be alluded to in the
summary of French history in a subsequent volume.
There are several monuments, and columns, and obelisks on the
battle-field, which mark the fall of distinguished men or their
burial-places. Beneath the great mound are buried thousands of all the
armies represented in this historical conflict, which settled, for a
time, the fate of Europe. The field is the harvest-ground of a multitude
of beggars, relic-hunters, and guides, who bore visitors almost to death
with old buttons, musty rags, flattened bullets, bones, and other
articles, which they produce as keepsakes of the battle. The stock of
these things probably failed long ago, and the traveller may well be
suspicious of the genuineness of anything which may be offered to him by
these leeches.
At six the stages conveyed the tourists to the Groenendael Station, on
the railway to Namur, where they arrived after a ride of an hour,
express time. This place is the "Belgian Sheffield," being largely
engaged in the manufacturing of arms, cutlery, and hardware. Its
vicinity contains rich mines of iron, coal, and marble. Many battles and
sieges have occurred in this place; and Don John of Austria, sent by
Philip II. to subdue the country, was buried here. The city contains a
population of twenty-six thousand, and is beautifully located at the
junction of the Meuse and Sambre Rivers. The train stopped here but an
hour; and the students roamed through some of the principal streets,
which, however, were too much like those of places they had visited
before to excite any especial interest.
Two hours later, they arrived at Liége, which was to be the eastern
limit of the excursion. As before, Mr. Fluxion had preceded them, and
engaged accommodations at the hotels. The students were very tired, and
not disposed to explore the city of the bishops that night. Before
breakfast on the following morning, Mr. Mapps gave them the history and
other interesting particulars relating to the city, when they had
assembled in the old citadel of St. Walburg, which overlooks the town.
"Liége, whose Flemish name is _Luik_, contains one hundred and nine
thousand inhabitants, who are principally concerned in the various
manufactures of iron, and especially in the making of cannon and arms,"
said the professor. "I observed to you before, that this part of the
country bears some resemblance to New England. As you have an
opportunity to observe for yourselves, the scenery is very fine, but
rather of the pleasant and quiet description.
"The province of Liége, of which this city is the capital, was formerly
governed by a line of bishops; and those of you who have read Scott's
Quentin Durward will remember William de la Marck, the Wild Boar of
Ardennes, whose adventures are located in this vicinity. In the tenth
century, the bishops of Liége were made sovereigns by the German
emperor, and received the name of Prince-Bishops. But the burghers of
Liége, like those of Ghent, had a will and a way of their own, and
frequently rebelled against the bishops, in support of their rights; and
Charles the Bold took the rulers under his protection. Still they
persisted in revolting, and Charles destroyed the city, as a punishment,
in 1468. Fifteen years later, William de la Marck murdered the
prince-bishop, in order to obtain the mitre-crown for his son. This was
the beginning of the insurrection, in which, as I have related to you
before, Charles the Bold compelled the king of France to march against
the rebels.
"The place was subsequently captured by the French; the bishops were
expelled at the commencement of the French Revolution, but were restored
by the Austrians two years later. In 1794 it was annexed to France; but
after the battle of Waterloo it was incorporated into the new kingdom of
the Netherlands. In 1830 the old spirit of the burghers of Liége
revived, and they were among the foremost promoters of the Belgian
Revolution."
The students descended from the heights, whose fortresses command the
city, took an outside view of the Hôtel de Ville, several churches, and
other public buildings, and breakfasted at nine. Though they had by no
means exhausted the city, the time would not permit a further
examination. The train was ready for them; and their next stop was at
Louvain, which, like Ghent and Bruges, had dwindled down from a
population of two hundred thousand to thirty-three thousand. It contains
a magnificent town hall, decorated in the most elaborate style.
From Louvain the party hurried on to Mechlin, or Malines, a picturesque
old city, still famous for its fine lace. It is about the size of
Louvain, and, like that, presents a deserted appearance, being only the
shadow of its former greatness. Its principal object of interest to the
tourist is the Cathedral of St. Romuald, a structure of the fifteenth
century, and, like the great churches at Cologne and Antwerp, still
unfinished. It was built with money obtained by the sale of the pope's
indulgences, which, happily, "gave out" at last. Its spire, which was to
have been six hundred and forty feet high, remains incomplete, at little
more than half this height, which, however, is only eighteen feet less
than the cross on St. Paul's, in London. The church is an immense
structure, said to cover nearly two acres of ground. It is the cathedral
of the Belgian archbishop, or primate.
"There, Paul, we have finished Belgium," said Dr. Winstock, as the train
started for Antwerp.
"I am glad of it; for I am tired of sight-seeing. It seems to me now
that I have no desire to see another Cathedral, Hôtel de Ville, or
Grande Place," replied Paul, languidly, as he settled himself back in
his seat.
"A new country will wake you up," laughed the doctor. "I suppose we
shall be in Rotterdam to-morrow."
"I hope so, though I don't know but I should like blue water better than
being shut up in these rivers and canals."
"You will get blue water enough before the season is ended."
In half an hour from Malines, the train reached Antwerp. Mr. Fluxion had
arrived before; and there were two tugs at the Quai Vandyck, which had
been employed to tow the vessels down the river. They conveyed the
students on board, and the orders for sailing were given immediately.
Mr. Hamblin, who had not yet recovered from his disappointment, hastened
to the cabin. He commenced a diligent search for papers written by the
captain, in order to compare their penmanship with that of the forged
note. As Mr. Stoute had been compelled to acknowledge, there was a
general resemblance between the handwriting of Paul and that of the
unknown scribbler of the note. Though a minute comparison failed to
establish any closer connection between them, the professor wanted to
make out his point; and it was not difficult for him to find a
particular similarity.
Paul was busy on deck, getting the Josephine under weigh, and Mr.
Hamblin had the cabin to himself for his investigation. The stamp on the
paper of the fictitious note had already excited his attention, and he
took the liberty to enter Paul's state-room, in search of some like it.
He opened the upper drawer of the bureau, which formed a writing-table
when the front was dropped. The first object that attracted his
attention was a package of paper of the size, and apparently of the
quality, he sought. He picked up a quire of it, and a smile of
vindictive satisfaction played upon his wrinkled face, as he discovered
upon it the identical stamp of the forged note.
His case was made out, and great was his joy. Paul would certainly be
disgraced and removed for such an outrage as a practical joke upon one
of the most dignified instructors in the squadron. We must do Mr.
Hamblin the justice to say, that he did not wish to prove any more than
he believed to be true; but it is very easy for a prejudiced person to
believe a great deal against one who has offended him. A student who was
not fond of Greek could not be a very noble, or even a very upright one;
and he was confident that, when Paul's true character became known, when
he was no longer stimulated to great deeds by his high office, he would
prove to be a very different person from what he now appeared to be.
Mr. Hamblin confiscated a half quire of the paper, and secured several
French exercises written by Captain Kendall, to be used as evidence
against him. He then searched the vessel for similar paper in the
possession of other students, but found none. He went on deck, to
ascertain what was to be done; for Mr. Lowington had assured him he
would not be any longer obliged to sail in the same vessel with the
obnoxious student. A boat from the ship was alongside, and Mr. Fluxion
had just stepped on board. The boatswain was hoisting his baggage out of
the boat, which indicated that he was to remain.
Paul was reading an order just handed to him by Mr. Fluxion, which
appeared to settle the difficulty between him and the learned professor.
The order was in these words:--
Mr. James E. Fluxion is hereby appointed vice-principal of the
academy squadron, and will be obeyed and respected accordingly.
Mr. Fluxion is also hereby instructed temporarily to discharge the
duties of Professor of Greek, Latin, and Mathematics, on board of
the Josephine.
R. LOWINGTON, _Principal_.
The new vice-principal handed a note to Mr. Hamblin as he came upon
deck, in which he was directed to repair, with his baggage, on board of
the ship. The learned gentleman was not quite satisfied with this
arrangement. It looked a little ominous.
"Have you no order for Captain Kendall, Mr. Fluxion?" he asked, as the
vice-principal waited for him to read his letter.
"I have given him an order from the principal."
"Is he not directed to go on board of the ship?"
"He is not."
"I have preferred charges against him, and I was led to believe that he
would be suspended," added Mr. Hamblin, who was not quite sure that he
was not to be suspended himself.
"No order to that effect was sent by me," replied Mr. Fluxion. "You will
excuse me, but the vessel is about to get under weigh."
"I am not satisfied with these proceedings. I complained to Mr.
Lowington that it was impossible for me to instruct my classes while
they were under the influence of Captain Kendall. No notice appears to
have been taken of my charges."
"I think some notice has been taken of them. You are directed to report
to the principal, with your baggage, on board of the ship."
"Am I to be punished instead of that obstinate and impudent pupil?"
demanded the professor.
"I have nothing to say about it, Mr. Hamblin," added Mr. Fluxion,
sharply. "If you are not going to the ship, we will weigh anchor and
proceed on our voyage."
The professor went down into his state-room, and hastily packed his
trunk, which was brought up and put in the boat by one of the stewards.
The students watched these movements with the deepest interest, and they
could hardly conceal their satisfaction when it was clear that the
obnoxious instructor was going to leave the Josephine, "bag and
baggage." There was a great deal of punching each other in the ribs, a
great deal of half-suppressed chuckling, and a very decided inclination
to give three cheers. A few of the more prudent ones checked any noisy
demonstration; but the moment that Mr. Hamblin went over the side was a
very joyous one.
The Josephine tripped her anchor, and, hugged by the steam-tug, stood
down the river on her way to Rotterdam. Mr. Fluxion went below, and
installed himself in the state-room vacated by Professor Hamblin. Mr.
Stoute gave the vice-principal a hearty welcome; and it was soon evident
that they were men who could cordially agree. Paul was delighted with
the change; for if there was any one in the squadron, besides the
principal and the doctor, for whom he had a high regard and a thorough
respect, it was Mr. Fluxion. He was a sailor from the sole of his foot
to the crown of his head. He had visited all the maritime ports of
Europe, spoke half a dozen modern languages with facility, and was
popular with the boys. He was a sharp disciplinarian, and the students
found it difficult to outwit him. He knew all the tricks of sailors,
and especially of man-of-war's men. He was the right hand man of Mr.
Lowington, and the new arrangement, whereby the professor had been
created vice-principal, and sent on board the consort, was to prevent
the recurrence of such an incident as that which had imperilled her in
the German Ocean during the squall.
Though Paul felt that his own powers were in some degree abridged by the
presence of the new officer, whose authority, unlike that of the
instructors before, extended to the vessel, and was equal to that of Mr.
Lowington, he was now satisfied. A competent person was present, with
whom he could share the responsibility of the navigation of the vessel
in case of an emergency. He was on the best of terms with Mr. Fluxion,
and he was happier than he had been before since the Josephine sailed
from Hull. Leaving him to the enjoyment of the new order of things, we
will follow Mr. Hamblin on board of the ship.
The barge ran up alongside, and the professor's trunk was hoisted on
board. As soon as the students saw the barge and the baggage, which
indicated that the obnoxious old gentleman had been transferred to the
Young America, a murmur of disapprobation went through the ship.
"I say, Wilton, we are to have that old humbug in the ship!" exclaimed
Perth, the chief of the Red Cross Knights, who, however, had changed
their name to the Knights of the Golden Fleece.
"That's so," replied Wilton, who had contrived to keep out of the brig
nearly a week. "He has his plunder with him."
"We must do as the Josephines did," added Perth, in a whisper.
"What's that?"
"Get rid of him. This shall be the first job of the Knights of the
Golden Fleece. McDougal, who is a capital fellow, told me all about how
the fellows in the Josephine managed it."
"I heard they had been hazing him."
"That they did," laughed Perth. "There is fun in the thing. If the old
fossil was a decent fellow, of course we wouldn't disturb him. Just as
soon as he made a row on board, all the fellows took the captain's part.
Morgan dropped him into the river, by drawing out the nail that held the
boat-hook in the wood; Blount dropped a coil of signal halyards on his
head; and McDougal ducked him with the hose-pipe; and the old fellow got
a bogus letter from Antwerp, inviting him to visit some of those kings,
or something of that sort."
"Who sent the letter?" asked Wilton, greatly interested, as he always
was, in anything of this kind.
"Nobody knows; at least McDougal says so. When we were at Brussels, the
old Greek went to see some big fellow there,--the king or some
minister,--and the big bug wouldn't look at him. One of our fellows
heard Stoute telling the doctor about it; and Fatty was so tickled that
he shook just like a freshly-baked cup-custard. There goes the
boatswain's whistle. We are off now," added Perth, as he sprang to his
place at the capstan.
The anchor had before been hove short, and in a few moments the Young
America, also in the warm embrace of a powerful steam-tug, moved down
the river.
"All hands in the rigging!" shouted the first lieutenant, as the ship
approached the Victoria and Albert.
The students ran up the shrouds like monkeys, and stationed themselves
in the rigging.
"Three cheers for the Queen of England," called Goodwin; and they were
given with becoming zeal.
A lady dressed in black, who was walking the promenade deck, near the
dining saloon, bowed and waved her handkerchief. That lady was Queen
Victoria. The Josephine at this moment came up on the other side, and
delivered her round of cheers. Mr. Fluxion carried the intelligence on
board that the queen had returned, and that the yacht would sail that
evening; and all hands were on the lookout for her majesty. She bowed
and waved her handkerchief to the Josephines, as she had to the students
in the ship.
She was not very distinctly seen by the curious students in either
vessel, and appeared like a stout "dumpy" little woman, in no respect
different from any other lady. In spite of this fact, it was voted to be
a big thing to have seen the Queen of England; and the king of the
little realm of Belgium sank into insignificance, compared with her.
"She don't look like a queen," said Captain Haven to Mr. Mapps, who
stood next to him.
"Did you expect to see her with her crown and coronation robes on, and
with the sceptre in her hand?" laughed the professor.
"Not exactly; but I was not prepared to see a lady so much like any
well-dressed woman we meet in the street."
"Let me see," said Mr. Mapps, glancing at the shore, intent upon
renewing his favorite topic, "Fort St. Laurent must have been here; and
this is where Van Speyk went down, or rather went up."
"Who was Van Speyk?"
"He was the commander of a Dutch gunboat, in the revolution of 1830. His
vessel wouldn't come about--what do you call it?"
"Missed stays, sir," replied Captain Haven.
"Missed stays, and got aground right under the guns of the fort. He was
ordered to surrender, but refused to do so, though there was not the
least chance for him to make a successful resistance. He was determined
that the rebels should not have his vessel, and, rushing down into the
powder-magazine, he said his prayers, and coolly laid his lighted cigar
on an open barrel of powder. An explosion followed which shook the whole
city. Twenty-eight, out of thirty-one on board, including the heroic
captain, were killed--blown up into the air. A monument to his memory
was erected by the side of that of De Ruiter, and the government pledged
itself that a vessel in the Dutch navy should always bear the name of
Van Speyk."
"He was a good fellow," replied the captain, warmly.
CHAPTER XV.
THE PROFESSOR'S CHARGE.
"I say, Perth, I've been a good boy for more than a week, and I begin to
be ashamed of myself for my want of activity," said Wilton, who had
seated himself on the bowsprit-cap, while his companion was reclining on
the flying jib. "I shall spoil if there is not something going on soon."
"We'll go on that cruise in the Josephine just as soon as we can bring
things round right," added Perth.
"It's no use to think of that while we are moored fifty or a hundred
miles from the sea," continued Wilton.
"Of course not. Rotterdam is away up the river, with a bar at its mouth
having only seven feet of water on it at low tide. You must go over
that, or by the canal, which runs through an island. Do you know where
we go next?"
"I heard some of the fellows say we were going to the southward soon."
"If that's so I should suppose we shall go into Dieppe or Havre," said
Perth.
"I heard Havre mentioned. How will that suit?"
"First rate!" exclaimed the embryo captain of the proposed prize, for
the Knights depended upon Perth for the navigation of the Josephine,
when their long-cherished plan should be put in execution.
"I suppose we shall not stay in Holland more than a week."
"No, I hope not. Lowington is afraid we shall all get sick if we stay
here long."
"Havre is just the place for us. It has an open harbor, and we can go to
sea from there without any difficulty. Besides, there's another thing
that will favor us."
"What's that?" asked Wilton.
"All the fellows will go to Paris when the ship is there, and we can
have a first-rate chance to operate while they are gone."
"I don't know about that. Our fellows will all want to go to Paris with
the rest. I want to go there myself," suggested Wilton.
"We may as well give it up, then," added Perth.
"We must see Paris, anyhow."
"I'll tell you what we can do. We can run round through the Straits of
Gibraltar, and up the Mediterranean to Marseilles. From there we can all
go to Paris.".
"That will be a long cruise," said Wilton.
"No matter for that. The longer the better."
"How far is it?"
"Not less than two thousand miles. We could go in ten or fifteen days,"
added Perth, warming up as he anticipated the pleasure of the runaway
cruise. "After we get into the Mediterranean, we can run along the coast
of Spain, go into port as often as we like, and have a first-rate time
generally."
"But don't you suppose Lowington will follow us?"
"No matter if he does. We can beat the Young America on a wind from
Monday morning till Saturday night. If we find the ship is overhauling
us, all we have to do is to hug the wind, and we can give her the slip."
"We haven't money enough to pay the expenses of such a trip," said
Wilton.
"There's plenty of money in the Josephine. But we don't need much. The
vessel has a year's provisions in her hold."
"Salt junk and hard tack," suggested Wilton, who was not partial to this
diet.
"That will do very well while we are at sea; and when we get to Spain we
can buy things cheap. Besides, our fellows are going to raise some money
on their own account," said Perth, in a whisper.
"How's that?" asked the other, curiously.
"Every one of the Knights wrote home to have their folks send them some
money at Paris,--or every one but you and Munroe; and the game was
played out with you and him, for you had some sent to you in London."
"Yes; and Lowington got it," replied Wilton in disgust.
"We fixed it all right. We shall find loose change enough on board of
the Josephine to keep us happy till we get to Paris, by the way of
Marseilles, and then we shall be rotten with stamps."
"But don't you expect to be caught some time or other?" inquired Wilton,
whose experience on a former occasion seemed to point in this
direction.
"No matter if we are. We must be ready for that; but we will be jolly
while we have things our own way."
"It's no use to talk about it yet," added Wilton, with a yawn, for the
wild scheme seemed so far off to him that he could not enter into the
spirit of it yet.
"It won't be more than a week or ten days before we shall be ready to
make a strike. You know we must all cut up so as to be left on board."
"Yes, and some one will be left on board with us, just as it happened at
Cowes."
"It won't be Fluxion, anyhow; for he has been transferred to the
Josephine, and we can come it over any other of the professors. However,
we must feel our way, and the first thing we have to do is to get left
on board."
"Humph! That's easy enough," said Wilton, who had never found any
difficulty in being left behind, or in being condemned to the brig.
"We must make a sure thing of it next time; but it won't do to run away
with a boat again. Hush up! There comes that old stick-in-the-mud from
the Josephine," added Perth, lowering his voice to a whisper.
The gentleman thus discourteously alluded to was Mr. Hamblin,who had
climbed upon the topgallant forecastle for the purpose of obtaining a
view of the region through which the vessel was passing. As the two boys
were far out on the bowsprit, over the water, he did not venture to
approach any nearer to them; yet the excessive prudence which the
Knights practised required them to keep silence whenever there was a
possibility that a word might be overheard by the uninitiated.
"I wish he would come up here," whispered Wilton, from the corner of his
mouth.
"Why?"
"I would contrive some way to spill him into the drink," chuckled the
ever-willing conspirator.
Mr. Hamblin was then cool and self-possessed, and he did not venture out
upon the treacherous spar, and the entangling rigging, so that the
wretch on the cap had no opportunity to give him a second bath in the
dirty Scheldt. The learned gentleman was looking for the site of the
Duke of Parma's Bridge, but he couldn't find it, and presently retired.
He was not much interested in the Spanish operations in Flanders, though
he felt it his duty to see a spot so noted in history--it was so
effective, before a class of students, to be able to say he had seen the
place alluded to in the text-book. He was, in fact, more concerned to
know what Mr. Lowington's decision was, and he was waiting impatiently
for an interview with him.
"The old hunks is too mean for the Josephines, and he has been quartered
upon us!" exclaimed Wilton, as the professor descended to the main deck.
"The fellows in the consort say he is as grouty as a mud turtle, and as
crabbed as an owl at noonday. He snubs every one that makes a blunder,
and rips at the class half the time."
"They say Lowington don't like him much better than the fellows do,"
added Perth.
It would be difficult to explain how any of the students had reached
this conclusion; but it is certain that boys understand their guardians
and instructors much better than the latter generally suppose.
"Perth, I think we might as well have our liberty stopped for serving
out Old Crabs, as for anything else," suggested Wilton.
"I'm willing; the Knights will do that job handsomely, you may bet your
life."
"But we musn't get caught too soon."
"We work in the dark, and we can do the thing as well as the Josephines
did."
"Let's study up something at once, and put him through a course of
sprouts. I don't believe in tolerating a professor who was too mean for
the Josephine," replied Wilton, shaking his head, as though a personal
indignity had been put upon him.
"All right; we will be ready as soon as he is. What's the row on deck?"
continued Perth, rising from his seat, as a group of students gathered
in the rigging, and on such elevations as would enable them to see over
the bulwarks.
"Only one of Mapps's long yarns," answered Wilton.
"I'm going down to see what it is."
Perth went down, but Wilton had not the slightest interest in anything
Mr. Mapps had to say; and he stretched himself on the jib, which had
been cast loose ready to hoist, in case it should be required.
"This is the place where the Duke of Parma built his great bridge over
the Scheldt," said the professor of history, as the students gathered
around him.
"What did he build the bridge for?" asked one of them.
"In order to close the navigation of the river, and thus prevent the
people of Antwerp from obtaining provisions, which came to them from
Holland. When the Prince of Orange was assassinated, the Duke of Parma
was making his preparations to subdue the country. By the death of the
prince Holland was left without an effective leader, while in the duke
Spain had one of the most accomplished and energetic generals of his
age. Parma saw that Antwerp was the key to the situation, and he
directed his whole attention to its capture.
"Before this time the Prince of Orange had realized that the loss of
Antwerp would be the loss of the whole of the region which is now called
Belgium; and when it was clear in what direction his skilful antagonist
proposed to operate, he had advised the cutting of the dike on your
right, which would lay the country under water, and open a channel of
communication with Holland and Zealand by water. Unfortunately, his
advice was disregarded till the duke had secured the dikes--a neglect
which caused the loss of Antwerp, and with it the whole of Flanders.
"Though Parma had erected forts all along the banks of the river, the
hardy Dutchmen ran the gantlet of them, and Antwerp was well supplied
with food, the price being four times as much as in Holland. The people
of the city, and even their leaders, ridiculed the idea of constructing
the bridge, and took no steps to prevent it. The death of Orange caused
a panic throughout the Netherlands, of which the shrewd Parma took
advantage, and urged on his preparations. Though crippled in a measure
by the neglect of his sovereign to supply him with men and money, the
bridge was completed in the face of tremendous obstacles. It was
twenty-four hundred feet long, and composed of thirty-two boats, or
vessels, bound together by hawsers, cables, and beams. On each side was
a wall of timbers, and on the structure guns were planted for its
defence. A fort was erected at each end, heavily armed and manned.
"When the bridge was finished, the Antwerpers, who had laughed to scorn
the idea of such a structure, found that their supplies were cut off.
They made two attempts to break through the bridge, but failed in both,
though in one of them they made a breach by exploding a fire-ship, and
destroyed nearly a thousand Spanish soldiers, and Parma himself was
knocked senseless. The attempt was not followed up with sufficient
energy, and the Spaniard had time to repair the work. Antwerp, deprived
of provisions by the skill and determination of the duke, was starved
out and compelled to surrender. The country continued under the Spanish
yoke, while the United Provinces maintained their independence."
The attentive audience which had gathered around the professor separated
when he had finished the story. Some of them went aloft, to look over
the dikes, and with their eyes followed the long lines of ditches and
canals which extended into the interior.
In the mean time, Mr. Hamblin walked the deck very uneasily, waiting for
an opportunity to discuss his position with the principal. The studies
of the classes were to be resumed on the following day, and he was
anxious to know what disposition was to be made of him. The ship was
already provided with an excellent instructor in Greek and Latin; and
only in the department of mathematics was there a vacancy, made by the
transfer of Mr. Fluxion. It would be impossible for Mr. Hamblin to teach
anything but Greek and Latin, though he had had some experience in the
other branches.
Mr. Lowington seemed to be provokingly indifferent on the subject, and
the professor was at last compelled to ask an interview, which, however,
his dignity compelled him to defer till the ship was approaching
Flushing, when the steamer was to leave her. The principal understood
the character of the learned gentleman very well, and knew that any
manifestation of anxiety on his own part would so inflate the vanity of
the professor that he could do nothing with him; but he granted the
interview when it was demanded.
"Mr. Lowington, I am rather desirous of knowing what is to be done,"
said the _savant_, when they were alone in the main cabin. "I find that
Mr. Fluxion has been transferred to the place I filled on the Josephine.
As you are aware, I was employed to teach Latin and Greek."
"I am aware of it," replied the principal, still appearing to be
singularly indifferent in such a momentous crisis, as it seemed to Mr.
Hamblin.
"I presume Mr. Fluxion is competent to teach the classics."
"Entirely competent. He was assigned, in the beginning, to the
department of navigation, on account of his knowledge of practical
seamanship. I don't know that he has any superior as a teacher of the
classics."
Mr. Hamblin did not like this answer. The principal had no business to
think that any one was _his_ equal in the department of Greek and Latin,
especially the former. Mr. Fluxion had never written a Greek Grammar,
compiled a Greek Reader, and edited the Anabasis. The remark of the
principal was very injudicious.
"Having been displaced from my position in the consort, I am rather
desirous of knowing what is to be done with me," added the professor,
choking down his disgust.
"I hope we shall be able to make an arrangement that will be
satisfactory to you, at least for the present," replied the principal.
"I have had some consultation with the instructors; and Mr. Paradyme has
obligingly consented to take the department of mathematics in the ship
for a time, and the Greek and Latin will be assigned to you."
"This arrangement is entirely satisfactory to me, Mr. Lowington,"
answered the professor, who was really delighted to obtain what was
regarded as the senior professorship in the squadron; and it seemed
quite fitting that the place should be given to him.
"This is only a temporary arrangement," added the principal, desirous to
prevent any misunderstanding in the future.
This was not entirely satisfactory to Mr. Hamblin, who thought a thing
so fitly done ought to be permanent.
"It is not pleasant for me to feel unsettled, and to be liable to a
change at any time," said the professor. "I think I should prefer my
place in the Josephine."
"Since you and the captain of the Josephine cannot agree, it does not
appear to be practicable for you to remain there."
"Do you expect me to submit when insulted by a pupil, Mr. Lowington?"
asked Mr. Hamblin, solemnly. "Will you allow a student to insult me?"
"I will neither allow a student to insult you, nor you to insult a
student," replied the principal, with the most refreshing frankness.
"You will not allow _me_ to insult a pupil!" exclaimed Mr. Hamblin.
"Certainly not."
"Do you think me capable of doing such a thing?"
"I am sorry to say you have proved that you are. You called one of them
a puppy."
"But not until--"
"Excuse me, Mr. Hamblin. I do not purpose to discuss this matter again."
"May I ask if you sustain Mr. Kendall in his conduct towards me?"
"I do--fully."
"I am astonished, sir!"
"So am I--astonished that a gentleman of your learning and ability
should so demean himself as to apply offensive epithets to his pupils.
In the first place, you had no right to interfere with the discipline of
the vessel; and when Captain Kendall told you that he commanded the
Josephine, he said no more than the truth, and no more than the
circumstances required him to say. In the second place, after you called
him a puppy, and repeated the epithet, on the quarter-deck, I could not
have blamed him if he had put you in irons. I approve his conduct
fully. As you insulted him before his officers and crew, it was
necessary that he should vindicate himself before them."
"I am afraid this vessel is no place for me," said the professor, with
extreme disgust.
"I am afraid not, if you cannot observe the rules of the ship."
"I think I have observed the rules, sir. Mr. Kendall used every means in
his power to annoy me; and still you sustain him in it. He knows that
you are partial to him."
"I am not aware that Captain Kendall used any means to annoy you."
"I think you do not know that boy as well as I do. A rope was thrown
down upon my head: the offence was suffered to pass unnoticed by Mr.
Kendall. I was wilfully or carelessly thrown into the river; the captain
did not consult me, but made his inquiries in private, and of course the
culprits escaped."
"You were thrown into the river by your own carelessness, Mr. Hamblin. I
saw the whole of it."
"So Mr. Kendall told me, in the most offensive tones. I do not complain
of these things; I only mention them for the sequel. A boy drenched me
with water; he begged my pardon on his knees, and I forgave him; but
this offence the captain punishes in the most severe manner. Why?
Apparently because I--the only sufferer--had forgiven the offender."
"It was necessary for the captain to put a stop to such pranks."
"But he did not use good judgment. McDougal explained the matter, and
was exceedingly sorry."
"But he drenched you on purpose."
"Impossible, sir!"
The principal called one of the stewards, and sent for McDougal, who
presently appeared. He had already confessed that the drenching was not
an accident, and he repeated his statement, to the utter astonishment of
the discomfited pedagogue. During the excursion on shore, some of the
Josephines had told him that the trouble between Paul and the professor
had been on his account; and he had made the confession in order to
justify the captain, at whatever cost to himself. The spirited conduct
of the young commander had filled the boys with admiration, and they
were determined that he should not suffer, whoever else did.
"You did it on purpose--did you?" repeated the _savant_. "May I ask why
you did it?"
"The fellows didn't like you, and were bound to get you out of the
Josephine," replied McDougal, candidly.
"The fellows!" exclaimed Mr. Hamblin. "Were there others concerned in
this iniquitous transaction?"
"More than a dozen of them."
"Did you write the letter to me which purported to come from the Belgian
Minister of Foreign Affairs?"
"No, sir."
"Who did?"
"I don't know, sir."
"You don't know! Don't lie to me," said the professor, sternly.
"I do not."
"I know," added the learned gentleman, turning to the principal.
"McDougal, you say that a dozen boys were concerned in your proceedings.
Who were they?"
"I would rather not tell, sir. I am willing to own up to all I did
myself."
"You hear that, Mr. Lowington?" exclaimed the professor, with horror.
"Of course I hear it, Mr. Hamblin," replied the principal, impatiently.
"You may leave, McDougal."
"Leave, sir!" ejaculated Mr. Hamblin.
"Go, McDougal;" and he went. "You said you knew who wrote the fictitious
letter, sir."
"I do."
"Who was it?"
"Mr. Lowington, if that boy you sent away had told the whole truth, he
would have confessed that Mr. Kendall was at the bottom of all these
infamous proceedings."
"Captain Kendall!"
"Yes, sir; especially the plan to throw me into the water. When I
demanded a boat, I mentioned the gig. It was refused. Why? Because the
crew of the first cutter had been instructed to tip me overboard! It is
very strange that no one but myself has been able to understand the
vicious intentions of the boys."
"The gig is the captain's boat. The regulations require the captain to
give the professors the first cutter," explained Mr. Lowington.
"I was not aware of it at the time; but I am satisfied that the crew of
the first cutter had been instructed to pitch me into the river."
"If they were, you were very obliging to assist them as you did," added
the principal. "But go on. Do you suppose Captain Kendall instructed
McDougal to drench you with water?"
"Very likely."
"And then inflicted the severest punishment upon him for doing it? It is
absurd! That was the third and last offence. The captain put an end to
these tricks by his well-timed energy, and I am sure he had no part or
lot in them. Do you think he got some one to write the letter to you?"
"No, sir; I think he did it himself," replied the professor, more
calmly, as he came to what he considered his stronghold.
"I am not willing to believe it."
"I am prepared to prove it, sir."
"If Kendall has been guilty of such conduct,--if it can be shown that he
wrote the letter, or that he knew of its being written,--I will not only
suspend him, but I will reduce him to a common sailor, and confine him
in the brig," said the principal, with no little agitation.
This strong speech looked like the dawn of reason to Mr. Hamblin, and he
hastened to produce his evidence. The letter and several exercises
written by Paul were first placed on the cabin table, to enable Mr.
Lowington to compare the penmanship.
"There is a strong similarity in them, I grant; but they are all written
in the common school-boy hand of the United States," added the
principal.
"There is a stronger resemblance than that. The capital A's are the
same; the small r's are identical."
"But the small a's are different."
"Doubtless he disguised his hand to some extent."
"Is this all the proof you have?" asked Mr. Lowington, somewhat
relieved.
"No, sir," replied the professor, triumphantly, as he exhibited the
paper he had taken from Paul's state-room, which was different from any
he had been able to find in either vessel. "The paper is identical, you
perceive."
"I see that it is."
"And no other student has such paper."
"The ship has provided paper for the students, but none like this," said
Mr. Lowington, with a sigh.
"I think you will consider the case proved," added Mr. Hamblin,
exultingly.
"By no means. Enough has been shown to warrant an inquiry. I will make
an investigation immediately."
This was all Mr. Hamblin could ask; and, confident that Captain Kendall
would be convicted, he left the cabin, as the captain of the Belgian
steamer came in to settle for the towage.
CHAPTER XVI.
CAPTAIN KENDALL'S DEFENCE.
The squadron remained off Flushing long enough for Mr. Fluxion to visit
the shore, and ascertain the condition of the "Wel tevreeden." The
repairs were going on, but were not completed, and the cost of them
could not yet be determined. The vice-principal, however, obtained such
information in regard to the probable expense, as to enable him to make
a final settlement. Captain Schimmelpennink came off to the Josephine
with him on his return. It was certain that eleven hundred guilders
would cover the whole expense of putting the galiot in perfect repair,
and the balance of this sum was handed to the skipper.
If there ever was a grateful man in the world, that man was the captain
of the "Wel tevreeden." In addition to the energetic speeches he made
through the interpreter, he indulged in some very pretty and significant
gesticulations, which the officers and crew could comprehend. The
students were happy in the good deed they had done--quite as happy as
the the skipper himself. In addition to the sum expended, there was five
hundred and fifty-four guilders in the hands of the treasurer, which was
to be used for some similar object when presented to them.
While Mr. Fluxion was absent at Flushing, Mr. Lowington had gone on
board of the Josephine, and, taking Paul into his state-room, had
exhibited the fictitious note to him, stating the charge made against
him by Mr. Hamblin.
"I need not say, Captain Kendall, that this is a very serious charge,"
added the principal, solemnly.
"I think it is, sir," replied Paul, blushing deeply. "If you think I
wrote that letter, sir, I hope you will do your duty."
"I certainly shall, though it break my heart."
"Whatever you do, sir, it will not alter my regard for you."
"I am already accused of partiality towards you, Captain Kendall," added
Mr. Lowington. "I confess that I never had a pupil for whom I cherished
so high an esteem and so warm a regard."
"Thank you, sir. You are now, as you always have been, very kind to me,"
replied Paul, hardly able to restrain the tears in which his emotions
demanded expression.
"I must say that I deem this charge groundless and absurd; but I cannot
explain it away. The writing in the note resembles yours in some
respects; and the fact that the kind of paper on which the note is
written is found in your possession alone has not been explained. Do you
know anything about this note?"
"Nothing, sir; only that it came in the mail with the rest of the
Josephine's letters."
"When did you get the paper which Mr. Hamblin found in your writing
desk?"
"I bought it in Antwerp on Tuesday afternoon, when we went on shore,"
replied Paul, promptly.
"I shall be obliged to inquire further into this matter. You will have
all hands called."
They left the state-room together, and the first lieutenant ordered the
ship's company to be piped to quarters. Without any definite
explanation, the principal directed all the students to bring their
stock of stationery on deck, and they passed in review before him,
exhibiting the quality of their paper. At the same time Mr. Stoute
searched the steerage for any which might have been concealed. If any
student had purchased paper in Antwerp, it was not of the kind on which
the forged letter had been written.
"Young gentlemen," said Mr. Lowington, mounting his rostrum, "a
practical joke is the stupidest thing in the world, when perpetrated at
the expense of the feelings of others. Some one has put such a joke upon
Mr. Hamblin, the very last person in the world to appreciate this
species of humor. One of your number is charged with the act."
"The old lunatic has laid it to the captain," whispered Terrill, who
thus interpreted the mysterious proceedings of the principal and Paul.
"The particular kind of paper on which the letter to Mr. Hamblin was
written is found only in the possession of that one student," continued
the principal, with an emotion he could not wholly conceal. "I desire,
if any of you have any information in regard to the note, that you will
communicate it at once."
Mr. Lowington paused, and the boys looked blankly at each other. Even to
them, at that moment, a practical joke seemed to be the stupidest thing
in the world. There was a tremendous sensation among them; but no one
volunteered to give the desired information.
"Young gentlemen, although the evidence in my possession is not
sufficient to condemn the student charged with the offence, it is enough
to justify grave suspicions, and I shall be under the painful necessity
of suspending him, and sending him on board of the ship for further
examination."
Paul was not half so much disturbed by this announcement as he had been
by the trying scene with Mr. Hamblin, a few days before. It is the
guilt, and not the loss of honor, the disgrace, which is hard to bear
when one is charged with misconduct or crime. He stood with folded arms,
submissive to the authority of the principal, and satisfied that the
truth would prevail in the end.
"Who is he?" asked one of the students in a suppressed tone, when the
silence became painful.
"Captain Kendall," replied the principal; and this name produced a
tremendous thrill in the hearts of the ship's company.
"No, sir! No, sir!" shouted some of the students.
"Silence, young gentlemen! I know how you feel," interposed Mr.
Lowington. "Although it would seem to me impossible that Captain Kendall
should have written this letter, Mr. Hamblin distinctly charges him with
the act, and I am sorry to add that there is some evidence to prove the
charge."
Mr. Lowington was more grieved than any other person on board, and it is
more than probable that, in his great anxiety to avoid partiality, he
ran into the opposite extreme, and exposed himself to the peril of
doing injustice to his young friend.
"Captain Kendall, you will consider yourself under arrest, and report on
board of the ship," added the principal, turning to Paul.
The young commander bowed submissively, and the boys wondered how he was
able to take the matter so coolly.
"It's a shame!" exclaimed Terrill, in a low tone, to Pelham.
"Mr. Terrill," continued Mr. Lowington, "the command of the Josephine
devolves upon you until further orders, and you will go to sea as soon
as Mr. Fluxion returns."
The first lieutenant started when his name was called, and suspected
that he was to be taken to task for the remark he had just made. It was
fortunate for him, perhaps, that the principal did not hear his
energetic words, or the command might have been given to the second
lieutenant, for Terrill's impulsive nature would have led him into some
intemperate speech, so deeply did he feel for the captain.
"I hope my command will be of very short duration, sir," said he, as the
principal stepped down from the hatch.
"I hope so, Mr. Terrill," answered Mr. Lowington. "Captain Kendall, you
will repair to the ship in the barge."
"I will be ready in a moment, sir," replied Paul, as he went below to
obtain a few needed articles.
"Captain Kendall, I am downright sorry for this," said Terrill,
following him into his state-room.
"Don't be at all disturbed about it," answered Paul, cheerfully. "I am
glad Mr. Lowington has taken this course. I expect to be able to prove
that I could not have written the letter, and I shall be restored as
soon as we reach Rotterdam. It is a good deal better to be proved
innocent than to be suspected of being guilty. Here is the key of the
safe," he added, as he took it from his pocket and handed it to his
successor.
"It's lucky for old Hamblin he isn't on board of the Josephine," said
Terrill, with an ominous shake of the head. "I think the fellows would
throw him overboard before the vessel gets to Rotterdam if he were."
"That isn't the right spirit, Terrill; and as a particular favor to me,
I ask that you will not say a word about Mr. Hamblin. I have my own
opinion in regard to him; and I suppose every fellow has; but the least
said is the soonest mended. I hope you will not let the officers and
crew indulge in any demonstrations of disapproval."
"Not let them! I can't help it. I believe if old Hamblin was on board, I
would join with the rest of the fellows in making a spread eagle of him
on the fore shrouds," answered the commander _pro tem_.
"Don't think of such a thing. Two wrongs won't make a right," said Paul,
anxiously. "You and I have been first-rate friends, Terrill, and for my
sake do not encourage or tolerate any demonstrations."
"I will do the best I can, but I feel just like making the biggest row I
was ever in since I was born."
"Keep cool; you are going to sea right off, and you will have enough to
do to look out for the vessel."
"I shall do as you tell me, if I can; but only because you wish it. I
think the fellows ought to give a few hearty groans, so as to be sure no
one mistakes their sentiments."
"Don't do it, Terrill," said Paul, as he led the way to the deck, with
his bundle in his hand.
When they went on deck, Mr. Fluxion had just returned in the first
cutter; and great was his astonishment, and that of the boat's crew,
when informed of the exciting event which had just transpired. The
interview with the Dutch skipper changed the current of thought on board
for the moment; but as soon as he departed, nothing was talked of but
the arrest of the captain.
Paul stepped into the barge with the principal, who was very sad and
silent. As soon as they were on board of the Young America, and the
barge hoisted up, orders were given to fill away again.
"What does that mean?" asked Perth, when the barge was hoisted up, as he
ran up to Wilton.
"What?"
"Why, there is Captain Kendall on the quarter-deck of the ship, and the
Josephine is getting under way without him."
"There's been a row somewhere; Kendall is one of the flunkies, but he's
a good fellow for all that," added Wilton, who could not help giving
Paul this tribute.
"I'll tell you what it is," said Howe,--who was one of the barge's crew,
and had heard all the proceedings on board of the Josephine,--as he
joined them, "Kendall has been suspended, broken, turned out of office
for writing that letter to old Hamblin."
"Is that so?" demanded Perth.
"That's so; but all the fellows in the Josephine say he didn't do it."
"It would be a new idea for Kendall to do anything wrong--even to sneeze
in prayer time."
The order to man the braces interrupted the conversation; but the news
went through the ship even before she had begun to gather headway. The
matter was thoroughly discussed, and it was perfectly understood that
Mr. Hamblin had preferred the charge upon which Paul had been broken or
suspended. The commander of the Josephine was almost as popular in the
ship as he was in the consort; and the indignation against the professor
of Greek was hardly less violent in the one than in the other.
"Captain Kendall, you will occupy the spare state-room in the after
cabin, next to Flag-officer Gordon's," said Mr. Lowington to Paul, as
they met after the ship was underway.
"Thank you, sir," replied the young commander, who had seated himself
near the companion-way.
"As soon as supper is disposed of, I propose to examine into the charge.
You shall have a fair trial."
"I have no doubt of that."
Mr. Lowington walked away, and Paul, who was much embarrassed by the
continued expressions of sympathy extended to him by the officers of the
ship, retired to his state-room to consider his line of defence.
Mr. Hamblin, satisfied before, was delighted now. Justice seemed to be
extending her tardy hand in his favor. The rebel against his mighty
will had been suspended, and was actually under arrest. Of course the
principal had acknowledged the validity of the evidence he had
presented. The motive for such an annoying practical joke was patent to
all in the squadron, while the quality of the paper and the resemblance
of the writing were enough to convict the offender.
The professor was enjoying his triumph, not vindictively, he persuaded
himself, but in the sense that his own personal action and motives were
on the eve of being justified. As the ship moved majestically down the
river, he walked up and down, athwart ships, in a better mood to enjoy
the scene which presented itself than ever before since he joined the
squadron. He walked from rail to rail because Paul was seated on the
quarter-deck, and he did not care to meet him. When the young commander
went below, he walked fore and aft.
The deck was crowded with students waiting for the supper bell to ring;
and many an ugly and dissatisfied look was bestowed upon him; but the
learned gentleman, in his triumph, was too well pleased with himself to
notice them. Mr. Hamblin involuntarily extended his walk, from time to
time, until it was continued to the forecastle, where the crew were
collected in large numbers. Hardly had he passed the foremast on his
first round, than he was saluted by a universal groan, so deep and
hearty that he stopped short and looked at the crowd. They were silent
then.
"Young gentlemen," said the _savant_, sternly, "if that was intended as
an expression of--"
The remark of censure was brought to an abrupt termination by a very
annoying incident. Mr. Hamblin had halted directly under the weather
fore yard-arm, braced up so as to take the wind on the beam. Before he
had reached this point of his remark, a new fellow by the name of
Little, remarkable for his agility, dropped from the yard directly upon
the top of the learned gentleman's hat, in fact, sitting down upon his
"tile" as fairly and squarely as though the deed had been done on
purpose, bringing with him the slack of the weather clew-garnet.
The professor was prostrated to the deck by the weight of the little
seaman,--for Little's name precisely described his stature,--while the
unfortunate boy was thrown forward flat upon his face.
"O, I'm killed, I'm killed!" cried Little, rising with much real or
apparent difficulty, and pressing one hand upon his hip.
"You rascal, you!" roared Mr. Hamblin from the inside of his hat, as a
dozen boys sprang forward to pick him up.
The professor was not a fashionable man, and did not wear a hat which
would simply rest upon the top of his head, or which would pinch the
depository of his ancient lore, and the weight of the student had
pressed it far down over his eyes. With some labor he extricated his
learned pate from its imprisonment, and glanced with dismay at the
hat--a new one which he had bought in Antwerp to replace the one he had
lost overboard in the hurricane.
"You scoundrel!" repeated the _savant_, when he had removed the
mutilated tile.
"He didn't mean to do it, sir," said Perth, pointing to the bloody face
of Little; "he's almost killed himself."
"Are you hurt, Little?" demanded Mr. Lowington, rushing forward when he
discovered what had happened.
"Yes, sir; almost killed," groaned the poor boy, making the wryest face
a boy ever made, and twisting himself into a contortion of body which
none but an India-rubber youth like himself could have accomplished.
"Pass the word for Dr. Winstock," added the principal, anxiously. "Are
you much injured, Mr. Hamblin?"
"I believe there is a conspiracy to take my life," growled the
professor, without replying to the direct question.
"Are you hurt, sir?"
"Not so much in body as in my feelings," answered Mr. Hamblin, holding
out his damaged hat. "It was done on purpose, sir."
Dr. Winstock now appeared on the forecastle, and as Little seemed to be
the greater sufferer, he attended to his case first. He examined the
face of the boy, for by the most assiduous rubbing with his right hand
while his left was devoted to the hip, he had contrived to besmear his
face all over with the blood which flowed freely from his nose. The
surgeon could find no wound on the face, and it was plain that there was
nothing more terrible about the head than the nosebleed.
"Where are you hurt, Little?" asked the doctor.
"In the hip; it's broke!" replied the sufferer with an explosive groan.
Dr. Winstock laid the patient down upon the deck, and proceeded to
examine him with the greatest care. He declared that no bones were
broken.
"He appears to be suffering great pain," said the principal, anxiously.
"He has probably wrenched a muscle in his fall, and that is almost as
painful as a broken bone. He has received no serious injury," replied
the doctor, as he lifted the patient from the deck.
"I am glad it is no worse. How did it happen, Little?"
"I was coming in from the weather yard-arm, sir. I should have gone down
the leech of the foresail if you had not told me not to, sir. O!" gasped
Little, distorting his face, and doubling up his lithe little body.
"Never mind it now," added the principal, kindly.
"I feel a little better, sir. Mr. Hamblin began to say something to the
fellows on deck, and I stopped to listen. O!"--and Little doubled up
again. "I caught hold of the clew-garnet, sir--O! I was leaning down to
hear what Mr. Hamblin said, and bore my whole weight on the clew-garnet.
It wasn't belayed, sir,--O!--and it let me down."
Mr. Lowington desired to know what hands were stationed at the fore
clew-garnets; but when they appeared, they were very confident they had
belayed these ropes as usual. Little was advised to go below and turn
in; but he preferred to remain on deck. As soon as the principal and the
doctor had gone aft, the young reprobate turned to his companions, put
his thumb to his bloody nose, and wiggled his fingers. Indeed, a
remarkable cure seemed suddenly to have been wrought in his particular
case; for he walked as nimbly as ever, until some of the officers came
forward, when, unfortunately, he had a sudden relapse, from which he did
not recover--when the "powers that be" were around--for several days.
After supper Paul was sent for, and repaired to the main cabin, where he
found the principal, the surgeon, Mr. Hamblin, and several of the
professors. Mr. Lowington stated the charge preferred against Captain
Kendall, mentioning the evidence in support of it. He then inquired of
the professor if he had anything to add to what he had already said on
the subject.
Mr. Hamblin had something to add, but it was in the nature of an
argument against the accused, rather than a statement of fact. He
reviewed his life on board the Josephine since the troubles had
commenced, enlarging upon the zeal with which he had discharged his
duties. He gave his view of the difficulty between himself and the
captain, as he had given it before; but he adduced no new proofs of the
charges he preferred.
"The only question before us at the present time, Mr. Hamblin, is in
regard to the authorship of the letter purporting to come from Monsieur
Rogier," interposed Mr. Lowington. "Have you any new evidence to bring
forward?"
"No, sir; I think the charge has been fully proved," replied Mr.
Hamblin.
"Captain Kendall, if you have any defence to make, I am ready to hear
it," added the principal, turning to Paul.
"I did not write the letter, and I had no knowledge whatever of it until
Mr. Hamblin received it. Perhaps the writing resembles mine, but not
very much. Will you let me take the letter, sir?"
The note was handed to him, and he pointed out several letters which
were different from any in the exercises by which the similarity had
been shown.
"Of course he would disguise the handwriting," interposed Mr. Hamblin.
"The writing alone would not prove anything," added Mr. Lowington.
"So far as the kind of paper is concerned," continued Paul, picking up
the half quire which the professor had taken from his state-room, "I
bought it in Antwerp for a particular purpose." He did not think it
necessary to state that it was for his letters to Miss Grace Arbuckle.
"Are you quite sure you bought it in Antwerp?" demanded the professor.
"I shall prove that I did," replied Paul, indignantly. "I wish to say I
had a hint that the officers and crew were very much dissatisfied with
Mr. Hamblin, and--"
"With me!" exclaimed the _savant_, as though it were quite impossible
for the students to be dissatisfied with him.
"Allow Captain Kendall to make his statement, if you please," said the
principal.
"But, Mr. Lowington, his statement is incorrect. I have been on the best
of terms with the majority of my pupils. Only a few of the worst of
them have manifested any ill-will towards me."
"Go on, Captain Kendall," said the principal.
"I am prepared to prove all I say. If I had known that this
investigation was to take place to-day, I should have asked for the
attendance of several witnesses. I used all my influence to prevent any
one from playing practical jokes upon Mr. Hamblin. I desire to have the
first lieutenant of the Josephine, and Duncan, examined."
"What have they to do with it?" asked the professor, impatiently.
"After doing what I could to prevent others from annoying Mr. Hamblin by
practical jokes, it is not likely that I should indulge in them myself."
"That is a good point; and to-morrow the witnesses shall be called,"
said Mr. Lowington.
"I will now ask Dr. Winstock to make his statement," added Paul, turning
to the surgeon.
"The letter is postmarked 'Anvers,'" said the doctor, picking up the
letter from the table. "It is utterly impossible that Captain Kendall
had anything to do with this document."
"Why so, sir?" demanded Mr. Hamblin, nervously.
"This letter passed through the Antwerp post-office. If Captain Kendall
had mailed it there, I should have seen him do it. He was not out of my
sight a single moment from the time we left the Josephine till we
returned to her. This paper," added the doctor, taking up the half
quire, "was purchased in Antwerp. I went into the shop with Captain
Kendall, and looked at the quality of it before it was done up."
"Are you satisfied, Mr. Hamblin?" asked the principal.
"No, sir, I am not," replied the professor, decidedly. "I am by no means
certain that the paper on which this letter was written was obtained in
Antwerp. It does not follow because Dr. Winstock did not see Mr. Kendall
mail this letter, that it was not mailed by him. I did not see him mail
it; Mr. Lowington did not see him mail it. He could have sent it to the
post-office by a dozen of his confederates."
"Since Captain Kendall desires that the first lieutenant and Duncan
should be heard, we will continue the examination till to-morrow," added
the principal, rising from his chair.
The hearing was adjourned, and Paul returned to his room.
CHAPTER XVII.
MORE ABOUT THE DIKES AND DITCHES.
The pilot of the ship was discharged at eight o'clock in the evening,
and the two vessels stood on their course to the northward, with a fresh
breeze from the south-west. They kept just outside of the continuous
chains of shoals on the coast, but for nearly the whole time within
sight of the numerous lighthouses which mark the various entrances of
the Scheldt and the Maas. The masters on duty were kept very busy in
consulting the charts and the sailing directions; but at one o'clock the
squadron was off the Brielle Gat, which is the deepest entrance to the
river.
There are two principal passages by which vessels may reach Rotterdam
from the sea. At the mouth of the Maas, or of the river which includes
the Rhine, Waal, and Maas, there is a large island called the Voorne. At
the north of it is the Brielle Gat, which is the most direct sea passage
to the city; but the bar at its mouth has only seven and a half feet of
water at low tide. At the south of the island is the Goeree Gat, by
which the largest ships must enter, passing through the island in a
canal.
The Dutch pilot who boarded the ship, after learning her draught,
declared that she could go over the bar of the Brielle Gat, and both
vessels went up by this passage. At five o'clock in the morning the
squadron came to anchor in the broad bay before the city of Rotterdam.
Paul Kendall, free from all care, and not much disturbed by the cloud
which hung over him, had turned out early to see the sights on the
river. He had a splendid prospect of windmills, dikes, and ditches. The
Dutch pilot spoke intelligible English, and the young inquirer laid him
under contribution for his stores of knowledge. Paul asked a great many
questions, which the pilot good-naturedly answered.
Vlaardingen, the principal port engaged in the herring fishery, was
pointed out to him. Every year this place sends out about a hundred and
fifty vessels, or more than one half of the whole number engaged in this
branch of the fisheries. On the 10th or 11th of June, in each year, the
officers of the herring fleet go to the _Stadhuis_, or town hall, and
take the prescribed oath to observe the laws regulating the fisheries of
Holland. Three days later they hoist their flags on board, and go to
church to pray for a season of success. On the following day, which is
kept as a holiday in the town, the fleet sails. The fishing season ends
on the 1st of November.
The herring are highly prized by the Dutch, and the first which are
caught by the fleet are sent home in the fastest vessels; and when they
are expected, watchmen are stationed in the Vlaardingen steeple to
announce their approach. The first kegs are sent to the king and his
chief officers of state. One of these first cargoes produces about
three hundred and twenty-five dollars, or eight hundred guilders.
With a dense cloud of smoke hanging above it stood the town of Schiedam,
which contains nearly two hundred distilleries for the manufacture of
gin. Holland gin and Schiedam schnapps are regarded by those who indulge
in these beverages as the best in the world. The place was surrounded by
windmills, which are a principal feature of the scenery in all parts of
Holland proper.
After breakfast the signal was hoisted for the Josephines to attend the
lecture on board the ship, and a boat was sent ashore, in charge of the
steward, to procure the mail. The students were perched in the rigging,
observing the strange scenes which presented themselves on every hand.
The river was full of market boats loaded with vegetables, the principal
of which was a coarse plant, with large, straggling leaves, used as
cabbage or greens. There were large and small steamers plying in every
direction, and the scene was quite lively.
The Josephine's ship's company came on board, and all hands were piped
to lecture. Professor Mapps was at his post, with the map of the
Netherlands hanging on the foremast. His description of the dikes and
ditches of Holland was very full; but such portions of it as have been
given by Mr. Stoute will be omitted.
"Young gentlemen," he began, "I have already called your attention to
the physical geography of the Netherlands. The Rhine, which in Germany
is the _Rhein_, and in Holland the _Rhyn_, has its mouths in Holland.
Its length is nine hundred and sixty miles, and it is of vast importance
to Europe in a commercial point of view, being navigable for large
vessels to Cologne, and nearly to its source for smaller ones, though
occasionally interrupted by falls and rapids above Basle. Vessels of one
hundred tons go up to Strasbourg.
"The Rhine enters Holland, and immediately divides into two branches,
the southern being the Waal, and the northern retaining the original
name. The Waal is the larger of the two, and flows west until it unites
with the Maas, or Meuse, in Belgium, on one of whose estuaries our ship
now floats. About ten miles below the Waal branch, the original Rhine
divides again, the northern branch being called the Yssel, which flows
north into the Zuyder Zee. Thirty miles below the Yssel, it divides for
a third time, the southern branch being called the Leek, of which the
arm that flows by Rotterdam is the more direct continuation, though all
these branches are connected by frequent cut-offs. The original Rhine
pursues its way to the German Ocean. The dunes, or sand-hills, formerly
closed up this branch, and for a long period the water did not flow
through it; but at the beginning of the present century a canal was
opened through the old bed.
"The Yssel formerly flowed into a fresh-water lake, where the Zuyder
Zee, or Southern Sea, now is. Nearly the whole of the space occupied by
this sea was then dry land; but the ocean, in the course of time, swept
away its barriers, and covered the region with water, which is
navigable, however, only for small vessels. Amsterdam is situated on an
arm of this sea, called the Ij, or Eye, as it is pronounced. From the
Helder, a point of land at the southern entrance to the Zuyder Zee, a
ship canal, fifty miles in length, extends to the city. This is the
'great ditch' of Holland. It is eighteen feet deep, and broad enough for
two large ships to pass each other, having a double set of locks at each
end, in order to keep the water of uniform height, as in a dock.
"You are already familiar with the peculiar conformation of Holland.
There is not a hill, a forest, or a ledge of rocks worth mentioning in
the whole region. A large portion of its territory has been redeemed
from the ocean by the most persevering labor, and by the most
unremitting care and watchfulness is it kept from destruction. The sea
is higher than the land, the lowest ground in the country being from
twenty-four to thirty feet below high-water mark. The keel of the Young
America, floating in some of the waters of Holland, would be higher than
the ridge-pole of the Dutchman's cottage on the other side of the dike.
"These low grounds, formerly swamps and lagoons, which lie below the sea
level, are called _polders_. These were originally charged with water,
and merely shutting out the sea was only half the battle. As in Ireland,
the principal fuel of the people is peat, or turf, ten million tons of
which are annually used. Immense excavations have been made in the
polders to obtain the peat; and the inhabitants stand an ultimate chance
of being robbed of their country by fire as well as by water.
"The natural lakes and the peat-holes--the latter from twelve to twenty
feet deep--formed extensive water-basins. Some of you will remember the
turf diggings in the great bog in Ireland, as we passed through it on
our way to Killarney. The peat was not dug out in trenches, but the
entire surface of the land was skimmed off, just as workmen in the city
dig away a hill. It was so in Holland; and you must understand that the
bottom of these peat-beds forms the land now improved as gardens and
farms.
"These depressions of the surface were filled with water. The first
thing to be done is to shut out the ocean and its tributaries--all those
rivers of which I have been speaking, that form a network of canals all
over the country. For this purpose a dike is built on the border of the
land to be enclosed. Take, for example, the Island of Ysselmonde,--the
land next south of us,--and Holland really consists of nothing but
islands formed by the rivers and the natural and artificial canals. It
will, therefore, be a correct specimen of the system of dikes and
ditches throughout the country, though some of the sections are subject
to greater or less difficulty in the drainage, owing to various causes,
which will be explained.
"When the dike around Ysselmonde is finished, the country is protected
from inundation from without. Sometimes in winter the river may be
blocked with ice, which stops the passage of the water. All the ice from
the Rhine and Meuse must pass through these rivers on their way to the
sea, and, being stopped in a narrow place, it forms a dam. In 1799 a
large portion of Holland was threatened with total destruction, on
account of one of these blockades. Behind the dam the water rose seven
feet in one hour, overflowing the dikes, and breaking through them. This
danger is incurred every winter; but disaster is generally warded off by
the vigilance of the dike-keepers.
"We will suppose that the dike we have built around Ysselmonde protects
it from the exterior water; but as the water in the Maas, at high tide,
or even at low tide, is above the surface of the polders, they cannot be
drained by the ordinary ditches; and it is necessary to remove the water
by mechanical means. For this purpose windmills are erected on the
dike,--as you see them in every direction,--many of which work
water-wheels, pumps being but seldom used. The apparatus for removing
the water is of several kinds, including a scoop-wheel, the screw of
Archimedes, and the inclined scoop-wheel. The water is not lifted to any
considerable height by these instruments.
"When the height to which the water is to be raised is too great to be
accomplished by the agency of one machine, a series of them is
introduced. Supposing the land in the middle of Ysselmonde to be twenty
feet below the level of the Maas, four series of operations would be
required to lift the water. The central portion is enclosed by a dike,
with a _ringsloot_, or canal, outside of it. The windmills raise the
water five feet. Outside of this, as the level of the land rises,
another canal and ditch are made, and the water is lifted another five
feet; and the process is repeated until the water is finally discharged
into the river. The ditches which separate the different tracts of land
are used as highways, for conveying the harvest to market, the
difference of level being overcome by locks. Of course the character of
these works depends upon the formation of the land.
"The soil of the polders thus drained is remarkably rich and productive.
The two chief exports of Holland are butter and cheese, the low lands
furnishing excellent pasturage for cattle.
"In the service of the government is a special corps of engineers,
called _Waterstaat_, who are employed in watching the waters and the
dikes, and in guarding against any breaking of the latter. In the winter
time, which is the period of the greatest peril to the dikes, these men,
many of whom are gentlemen of the highest scientific culture, are
stationed near the places where danger is apprehended. Buildings
containing all the necessary materials and tools for repairing the
embankments are provided, and, indeed, all precautions which skill, and
science, and care can bring are at hand; for the safety of the country
depends upon these structures.
"The coat of arms of one of the Dutch provinces is a lion swimming,
having this motto: _Luctor et emergo_, 'I strive and keep my head above
water,' which seems to be the whole business of the Dutch people,
figuratively and literally. If you visit the great dike of the Helder,
as I hope you will, you may stand on the low land within it, and hear
the thunder of the sea, as it beats against the dike, fifteen feet
higher than your head.
"The canals of Holland serve a triple purpose. They are the highways of
the country, they drain the land, and they serve as fences. You travel
all over the region in the canals, and all the productions are conveyed
upon them. The roads are for the most part built on the tops of the
dikes, but they are not solid enough to permit their use by
heavily-loaded wagons. Many of them are paved with bricks, on account of
their spongy nature, which answers very well for the passage of light
vehicles.
"The people seem to have a peculiar affection for these ditches, and you
will often find that the Dutchman has his little private canal,
extending around his house, apparently only to gratify his national
vanity, though perhaps really it is his fence. Even here in Rotterdam, I
have noticed a filthy ditch, from four to ten feet wide, between the
house and the road. It is nearly filled with water, which is covered
with a vile green scum. The wonder is, that this stagnant water does not
breed a pestilence.
"The principal canals are sixty feet wide, and six feet deep, though of
course many in the cities and elsewhere, intended for the passage of
large vessels, are broader and deeper.
"With this imperfect statement of the physical characteristics, as a
basis for your observation, I leave the subject to say a few words about
the government and history of the country.
"William III. is the present king of the Netherlands. He is forty-seven
years old, and is a lineal descendant of William of Orange, and a
grandson, on the mother's side, of Czar Paul I. of Russia. He has a
salary, or civil list, of two hundred and fifty thousand dollars a year,
which is pretty fair pay for ruling over a kingdom about the size of the
State of Maryland, or of Massachusetts and Connecticut united, and
containing a population about equal to that of the State of New York.
"The government is a limited monarchy, the whole legislative power being
vested in the two chambers called the States General. The First Chamber
consists of thirty-nine members, elected by provincial councils, from
those inhabitants who pay the highest grade of taxes. The Second Chamber
contains seventy-two members, elected by general ballot; but only those
who pay taxes to the amount of fifty dollars a year are voters. All
measures appropriating money for any purpose must originate in the
Second Chamber, which is the popular body, and become laws only when
assented to by the sovereign and the First Chamber. The king executes
the laws with the aid of seven ministers, who receive a salary of five
thousand dollars a year.
"Free toleration is allowed to all religious sects. Protestants are
largely in the majority, the proportion being as twenty to twelve.
Education is generally diffused among the people. In 1863 the revenue of
the Netherlands amounted to forty-one millions of dollars. The Dutch
have extensive colonial possessions in the East and West Indies, and on
the west coast of Africa. The regular home army contains fifty-nine
thousand officers and men. Its navy consists of fifty-eight steamers and
eighty-one sailing vessels.
"I do not think you will be likely to realize the poetic ideal of the
Dutchmen, young gentlemen. Though they drink a great deal of beer and
Schiedam schnapps, you will seldom find them intoxicated; and I have
never been able to see that they smoke any more than the people of our
own country. They are not necessarily fat and clumsy. The men are of
medium stature, in no special degree distinguished from other people in
Europe and America. The women are very domestic, and very cleanly in
their persons and in their dwellings. The Dutch people are prudent,
economical, beforehanded.
"In the brief sketch I gave you at Antwerp of the history of the
Netherlands, that of Holland was included up to the period of the murder
of the Prince of Orange, which occurred in 1584, while he was
Stadtholder of the Seven United Provinces. At his death, his son, Prince
Maurice, was elected Stadtholder in his father's place. He was then only
seventeen years of age, but he proved to be a young man of great
military ability, and commenced a glorious career, which ended only with
his life, in 1625. With the bright example of Prince Maurice before
them, I think our young captains of his age may be encouraged."
This remark "brought down the house," and more than fifty of the
students glanced at Paul Kendall, whose "improbable" achievements in the
Josephine were the admiration of everybody in the squadron, except
Professor Hamblin.
"Philip II. died in 1598, and his successor continued his efforts to
conquer the Dutch, but without success. By this time Holland had created
the most powerful navy in the world, and with her seventy thousand
seamen swept the commerce of the Spaniards from the seas, even in the
remotest waters of the globe. The galleons and treasure ships from the
colonies of Spain were captured, and their rich booty poured into the
exchequer of the Dutch. The monarch of Castile was almost impoverished
by these losses; and, deprived of the means to carry on the war of
subjugation, he agreed, in 1609, to a truce of twelve years.
"Religious dissensions then broke out in Holland, which soon assumed a
political turn. The Stadtholder, Prince Maurice, was ambitious to become
the hereditary sovereign of Holland, in which he was opposed by
Barneveldt, a venerable judge, aided by De Groot, or Grotius, a noted
Dutch scholar and statesman. The opposition were styled 'remonstrants.'
The judge was charged with a plot to hand his country over to the
tyranny of Spain; and though he was a pure patriot, he was condemned and
executed. Grotius, by an expedient which would have been deemed
improbable in a novel, escaped from the Castle of Loevestein.
"At the expiration of the truce, Spain renewed her efforts to conquer
Holland; but, after a war of twenty-seven years, the independence of the
country was acknowledged in the peace of Westphalia. During this period
the Dutch maintained their supremacy on the sea, attacking the Spanish
possessions in all parts of the world, and especially in the East
Indies, where they commenced the foundation of their empire in that part
of the globe.
"The growing naval power of Holland excited the apprehensions of
England, and war was the consequence, in which the Dutch Admirals Van
Tromp De Ruiter, and De Witt, as well as Admiral Blake of the British
navy, won imperishable renown.
"Prince Maurice was succeeded at his death by his brother Henry; but, in
1650, the office of Stadtholder was abolished, and that of Grand
Pensionary substituted. John De Witt held the position.
"In 1668, France having seized upon the Spanish Netherlands, Holland
united with England and Sweden to check the power of the French monarch;
but Charles II., subsidized by Louis XIV. of France, deserted his ally.
England and France united, won Sweden over, and formed a league against
Holland. Louis invaded Holland with an army six times as large as the
Dutch could bring into the field, and conquered three provinces. The
quarrel between the house of Orange and the party headed by the Grand
Pensionary still continued to rage. The supreme power was in the hands
of the States General. De Witt proposed to establish the government of
Holland in the East India possessions, as Portugal did in Brazil, rather
than submit. The representative of the house of Orange encouraged the
people to resist at home, and declared that he would 'die in the last
ditch.' As the formation of the country rendered it exceedingly probable
that the 'last ditch' was to be found somewhere in Holland, the advice
of this Prince of Orange was adopted. The popular current turned in his
favor, and against the Grand Pensionary, who was murdered by a mob at
The Hague.
"The Prince of Orange was elected Stadtholder, and is known as William
III. Instead of seeking the 'last ditch' himself, he opened it for the
benefit of the invaders. The dikes were cut, and the country was so
thoroughly inundated that the French army was forced to retire, after
sustaining very heavy losses. Peace was made with England in 1674, and
three years later, the Stadtholder married Mary, daughter of James, Duke
of York, who became king of England at the death of his brother Charles
II. By the revolution of 1688, William and Mary were declared joint
sovereigns of England.
"When William III. died, his cousin and next heir was not recognized as
Stadtholder of Holland, the anti-Orange party being in the ascendant. A
republic was again organized under Heinsius; but, in 1747, the prince
again prevailed, and the line of the Stadtholders was resumed under
William IV., who was succeeded by William V. In 1795 the Batavian
Republic was established, under the influence of the French Revolution,
France having conquered the country.
"In 1806, Napoleon remodelled the government, and placed his brother
Louis, the father of the present French emperor, upon the throne. Louis,
who was a very moderate and sensible man, offended his brother by ruling
his kingdom in the interest of Holland rather than France, and, after a
brief reign of four years, was compelled to abdicate. Napoleon then
annexed Holland to France.
"At the downfall of Napoleon the Netherlands were erected into a
kingdom, which included Belgium, as I have before stated, and the Prince
of Orange was made king, under the title of William I. The present
sovereign is his grandson. The Belgian Revolution of 1830 deprived
Holland of one half of its territory, and more than half of its people;
but these events I mentioned in my lecture at Antwerp."
Mr. Mapps retired, and Mr. Lowington took his place.
"Young gentlemen," said the principal, "this afternoon we shall make a
steamboat excursion to Dort, and through some of the arms of the sea, to
enable you to see Dutch life from the water. On Monday we shall start on
a grand excursion through Holland, visiting the following places in the
order in which they are mentioned: Delft, The Hague, Leyden, Harlem,
Amsterdam, Sardam, Broek, Alkmaar, The Helder, and Utrecht. The
programme will enable you to see all the interesting points of Holland,
including the capital, the drained lake of Harlem, and the great dike of
the Helder.
"The water of Holland is very bad, and drank in any considerable
quantities would probably make you sick. Spring water, brought from
Utrecht in stone jars, may be obtained in the large towns. Whenever it
is practicable, I shall see that you are supplied with it; but avoid the
common water. You will now resume your studies."
Mr. Hamblin took his place with the other professors, and the studies of
the ship went on as usual. The mail came on board, and, when school was
dismissed, the letters were distributed. The first lieutenant of the
Josephine and Duncan were invited to the main cabin to give their
evidence in regard to the trouble between Paul and the professor.
CHAPTER XVIII.
AN EXCURSION AMONG THE DIKES.
Terrill and Duncan, with the letters in their hands which they had just
received, entered the main cabin. They were called upon, in the presence
of Mr. Lowington and Mr. Hamblin, as well as Captain Kendall, to give
their testimony, which went to show that the commander was thoroughly
and heartily opposed to any demonstration against the obnoxious
instructor.
"What did Mr. Kendall say to you?" asked Mr. Hamblin.
"He asked me to use my influence with the fellows to prevent anything
being done, and wished me to let them all know that he would not
tolerate anything irregular," replied Duncan.
"Did he, indeed!" sneered Mr. Hamblin.
"He did, indeed," answered Duncan, with a twinkle of the eye.
"How happened he to say as much as this to you?" demanded the professor.
"Because, being an old friend and schoolmate of Captain Kendall, I
happened to tell him that the fellows were inclined to haze Mr.
Hamblin."
"To haze me!" exclaimed Mr. Hamblin.
"I understand that we are to tell the whole truth here," added Duncan,
who seemed to enjoy the confusion of the learned gentleman. "I didn't
hear of any particular plans; but the fellows kept hinting at
something."
"Did they, indeed?"
"They did, indeed."
"But you don't know what they were?"
"I do not, sir."
"Can you tell me who wrote the letter I asked you to translate?"
"No sir, I cannot."
Mr. Lowington asked some questions of the witness; and it was evident to
him that the disaffection on board of the Josephine was more general
than he had before suspected. Terrill was called upon to explain still
further the position of the captain; and Duncan opened his letters,
being, as all the boys were, anxious to hear from home. He had two
letters. Besides the one from his mother, there was another postmarked
at Cologne, which he read after he had finished the first.
As Duncan read this Cologne letter his face became quite red, and he was
not a little agitated. By the time he had finished both of them, the
first lieutenant had told all he knew in regard to the captain's
position. He was very candid in making his statement, and took no pains
to conceal the general disgust felt on board of the consort at the
conduct of Mr. Hamblin; and he took no pains to conceal the fact that he
shared the feelings of his shipmates.
"I should like to add something to my former statement, if you please,
Mr. Lowington," said Duncan, rising, with the Cologne letter in his
hand.
"What do you wish to add?" asked the principal.
"I know now who wrote the letter to Mr. Hamblin."
"Who?"
"Richard H. Linggold."
"Who is he?"
"He is an old schoolmate of mine, whom I met in Antwerp the afternoon we
first went ashore there," replied Duncan, who now appeared to be
considerably embarrassed.
"Was he a schoolmate of Mr. Kendall also?" demanded Mr. Hamblin, who was
more anxious to connect the letter with him than to promote the
discipline of the students.
"No, sir; I don't think Captain Kendall ever saw Linggold."
"We are to conclude, Duncan, that you put him up to this mischief,"
added Mr. Lowington.
"Yes, sir; I did," answered Duncan, candidly.
"Why did you virtually deny all knowledge of the letter when I appealed
to the ship's company before the suspension of Captain Kendall,"
continued Mr. Lowington, sternly.
"I will explain. I met Linggold in Antwerp, and spent an hour with him
at the Hôtel St. Antoine, where he was staying with his uncle. He wanted
to know about the academy squadron, and I told him all about both
vessels. As the trouble we had had in the Josephine was uppermost in the
minds of all of us, I told him all about that."
"Did you, indeed?'? said Mr. Hamblin.
"I did, indeed. I am willing to acknowledge that I intended to join with
the rest of the fellows in hazing Mr. Hamblin."
"Are you, indeed?" sneered the professor, so wrathy that it was
impossible for him to keep his seat, and he began to stride up and down
the cabin.
"I am, indeed. About a dozen of us were going to write letters to Mr.
Hamblin from all the big bugs, including Louis Napoleon, the King of
Holland, the King of Belgium, and all the Ministers of State whose names
we could find out."
"Were you, indeed?" gasped the _savant_, passing before the witness.
"We were, indeed. I told Linggold what we were going to do, and he
promised to help me, being a first-rate French and German scholar; but I
told him we didn't want any help, and that he would get me into a scrape
if he meddled with the matter. I meant to have the letters mailed in
some place where none of us ever went. I told Linggold I wanted him to
take the letters and mail them at Cologne, and other places he went to
in his travels; and he promised to do so. I didn't think of such a thing
as his writing any letter after what I said. I left him then, and
haven't seen or heard from him since till now. He must have written the
letter right off, and mailed it at once, for it came on board the
Josephine that night."
"Do you mean to say that you didn't know this letter was to be written?"
demanded Mr. Hamblin, sharply.
"Yes, sir."
"When I asked you to give me a translation of it, were you not aware
that it was a forgery?"
"I supposed it was."
"You knew it was!"
"No, sir; I did not. I had no knowledge whatever in regard to the
writer. It did not occur to me, after what had passed between Linggold
and me, that he wrote the letter. I believed it was done by some fellow
on board. When the captain was arrested, all the fellows tried to find
out who had sent the letter, but no one would acknowledge it."
"Did you write any letters of this description, Duncan?" asked the
principal.
"No, sir. I had two conversations with the captain; and when he asked me
to do what I could to prevent any tricks being played upon the
professor, I determined not to have anything to do with the letters, or
any practical jokes of any kind. I can bring a dozen fellows to prove
that I said all I could to keep them from playing any tricks."
"What does your friend say in his letter?"
"He says the joke was so good he couldn't resist the temptation to send
the first letter to the professor himself, and wants to know why I
didn't send the letters to him that I promised?"
"Why didn't you?"
"After what the captain said, I persuaded the fellows not to write the
letters, and I did not write any myself. This letter is on the same kind
of paper as that," added Duncan, pointing to that which Paul had.
"Are you satisfied, Mr. Hamblin?" asked Mr. Lowington.
"No, sir, I am not," replied the professor, decidedly. "It appears that
there was an organized conspiracy against me in the consort."
"But it does not appear that Captain Kendall had anything to do with
it," added the principal, mildly.
"These boys are deceitful."
"Some of them are," replied Mr. Lowington, taking his pen and writing a
few lines. "Duncan, I am not satisfied with your conduct."
"I am not satisfied with it myself, sir," answered Duncan. "Perhaps I
ought to have known where that letter came from when Mr. Hamblin asked
me to translate it; but I supposed some of the fellows on board had done
it."
"Didn't you recognize the writing of your friend?"
"No, sir; it is very much like that of half a dozen fellows on board."
"It is very much like Mr. Kendall's," said Mr. Hamblin.
"Linggold, Captain Kendall, and myself, all learned to write in the same
school."
"Then Mr. Kendall knows this Linggold?"
"No, sir; he didn't go to the school till Captain Kendall left."
"I suppose not," added the incredulous professor. "I am still of the
opinion that Mr. Kendall wrote that letter."
"I am entirely satisfied that he did not write it. Duncan, you will
remain on board of the ship. Mr. Terrill, you will return to the
Josephine, pipe to muster, and read this order. Captain Kendall will
return with you."
"What is the order?" demanded Mr. Hamblin.
"'All charges against Captain Kendall being disproved, he is hereby
reinstated, and ordered to resume the command of the Josephine,'"
replied the principal, reading the order.
"Mr. Lowington, I protest--"
"I have heard you patiently, Mr. Hamblin, and have given my decision,"
interposed the principal, directing the students present to retire.
Paul bowed to Mr. Lowington, and left the cabin. The investigation had
ended as he had supposed from the beginning that it would end.
"Mr. Lowington, I protest against this decision," repeated Mr. Hamblin,
angrily. "I feel obliged to say that there has been a great lack of
judgment in managing this unpleasant business."
"And I feel obliged to remind you, Mr. Hamblin, that I am the principal
of this academy squadron. My decision is final," replied Mr. Lowington,
with dignity, as he rose from his chair and left the cabin.
"Snubbed by the boys, snubbed by the principal!" exclaimed the learned
gentleman. "Dr. Winstock, did you ever witness a more ridiculous farce
in your life?"
"Never, sir," replied the surgeon. "It seems to me that you insist upon
condemning Captain Kendall, guilty or innocent."
"I have no doubt whatever of his guilt. Those boys are all in league
with each other, Kendall included. There is a conspiracy to annoy me,
and to get rid of me; but they will find they have mistaken their man
in me, if they haven't in anybody else! Dr. Winstock, I tell you the
letter Duncan held in his hand was a fiction! I have been with students
all my life, and I know them."
"Why a fiction?"
"That Duncan, who is a very plausible young man, and a friend of
Kendall, mind, is at the bottom of all this mischief. He wrote the
Cologne letter himself. It was got up, and sent enclosed to the
postmaster at Cologne, who of course forwarded it to Rotterdam. It is a
trick to disprove the charge against Kendall."
Mr. Hamblin was very much excited, and developed his theory in full to
the surgeon, who quietly pointed out its discrepancies. He insisted that
the students of the Josephine had thorned and irritated him for the sole
purpose of getting rid of him, and that Paul was at the bottom of the
mischief.
"When Mr. Lowington has been among students as long as I have, he will
understand them better," he added, triumphantly, for he was satisfied
that he had established his position. "The Josephine is an utter
failure! The plan is absurd and ridiculous. The senior professor has no
authority; or it is divided with a boy who hates Greek!"
Dr. Winstock had heard quite enough on the subject, and it was a great
relief to him when the dinner-bell rang. At this moment three times
three rousing cheers came over the water from the Josephine. It was not
difficult to determine the occasion of this demonstration; but Mr.
Hamblin declared it was another evidence that the students in the
consort were all in league, and that the captain of her, instead of
being cheered, ought to be in the brig.
Before the dinner was finished, a Dutch steamer, which Mr. Fluxion had
engaged, came alongside the ship, and all hands were piped on board. She
then went to the Josephine, and received her company.
"This steamer does not seem to be much different from those we saw in
England," said Paul, as he seated himself with Dr. Winstock where they
could see the country on both sides of the river.
"Not very different, but it is very unlike an American boat," replied
the surgeon.
"The steering apparatus is not like anything I ever saw before," added
Paul. "The helmsman stands on a raised platform, and his wheel revolves
horizontally."
"All the Rhine steamers have that arrangement."
"I think a wheel-house forward is ever so much better. I see the cook is
a woman."
"Yes; all the Rhine steamers have female cooks. This boat, I believe,
belongs to the Moerdyk line. Passengers from Antwerp come by railroad to
Moerdyk, and there take the steamer to Rotterdam. This country is very
favorable to railroads in being level, but very unfavorable in the
number of rivers and cut-offs to be crossed, which it is impossible to
bridge."
The steamer stood up the Leck, and turned into the Merwe, which is a
branch five or six miles in length, connecting the Leck and the Waal. On
each side was a dike, of course; but the view from the steamer showed
only an ordinary bank. The top of it was broad, and occasionally there
was a neat cottage or a little inn upon the top of it. The roof or
chimney of a house beyond it was frequently observed, otherwise the
uninformed traveller would not have suspected the character of the
country. The embankment was studded with windmills, placed on the
highest ground, to give the sails the full benefit of the wind. Some of
them were used for grinding grain, some for sawing lumber, and others
for forcing the water up from the low ground into the river.
The steamer passed from the Merwe into the Waal, and stood up the river.
There was but little variation in the scenery. The wall of dikes on
either side was uninterrupted. Sometimes they were lined with rows of
trees, between which was the common road; at others they were bare and
naked. The captain of the steamer told them that a portion of the
country in the vicinity was lower than the bottom of the river. The
whole region seemed to be saturated with water, and the wonder is that
the people can go to bed at night with any assurance that they will not
be drowned out before morning.
"There is the Castle of Loevestein," said the captain of the boat, who
spoke good English, "and the fort below has the same name."
"Did you ever hear of it before?" asked Mr. Mapps, who was on the
lookout for places of historical interest, as he turned to a group of
seamen.
"You mentioned it this morning," replied one of the students.
"In what connection?"
"Some man had a wonderful escape from it," added another.
"Who was that man?"
"A Dutchman with a Latin name."
"Grotius, or De Groot," added Mr. Mapps. "The Stadtholder, Prince
Maurice, the boy general and ruler, wished to make himself hereditary
sovereign of the Netherlands, and was opposed by the judge, Barneveldt,
and Grotius. The prince carried the day; Barneveldt was executed, and
Grotius imprisoned in this castle, where he was kept nearly two years.
He was very strictly guarded at first; but his wife, finding that the
vigilance of the sentinels was relaxed, devised a scheme for effecting
his liberation. The books, papers, and linen of the prisoner were
conveyed to him in a large box, which the guards, having so often
searched in vain for contraband articles, at last neglected to examine.
The box, and the carelessness of the soldiers, suggested to the wife of
Grotius the means of getting her husband out of the castle.
"She prepared the chest by boring some holes in it, for the admission of
the air, and took her servant-girl into her confidence. The box was
conveyed to the apartment of Grotius, and the project explained to him.
He did not relish the idea of being shut up in a chest, and rolled about
in a boat; but his wife's entreaties prevailed over his scruples. It was
pretended that the box was filled with books which the learned man had
borrowed in Gorcum, the town which you see on the other side of the
river.
"The chest, containing the philosopher, was conveyed by the soldiers
down to the boat, in charge of the servant-girl. When one of them
complained of its weight, the man said it was the Arminian books which
were so heavy; for Grotius was an Arminian in his theology. The soldier
suggested that it was the Arminian himself; but this was intended as a
joke, and the box was tumbled into the boat. The servant made a signal
with her handkerchief to her mistress, who was looking out of the
window, to indicate that all was right.
"When the boat reached Gorcum, the box was conveyed to the house of a
friend of Grotius, of whom it was presumed that he had borrowed the
books. The servant-girl told him that her master was in the box, and
begged his assistance; but he was so terrified, in view of the
consequences, that he refused to have anything to do with the matter.
His wife, however, had more pluck in the service of a friend, and,
having sent all her domestics out of the house on various errands, she
opened the box, and released the philosopher from durance vile.
"Grotius, who had suffered no serious inconvenience from his confinement
in the box, which was only three and a half feet long, was disguised as
a mason, and, with a rule and trowel in his hand, was conducted to a
boat, and sent into Belgium, where he was safe from pursuit.
"The philosopher's wife remained in the room occupied by her husband in
the castle, and used every means to conceal his escape. She lighted the
lamp in his room at dark, by which the governor of the prison was
deceived. She was arrested and imprisoned for a short time; but when
discharged, she joined her husband in Paris, whither he had gone."
"There is a frigate in the Dutch navy called the Marie van
Reigersberch, named for the wife of Grotius," added the captain of the
steamer, who had been an attentive listener to the story.
The steamer went but a short distance farther up the Waal, and then came
about. She soon reached Dort, or Dordrecht, where she made a landing,
and the students wandered for an hour through the streets of this
ancient town.
"This is a musty old place," said Paul, as he walked up one of the
streets with a canal in the middle of it, in company with Mr. Fluxion
and the surgeon; "I shouldn't feel safe here unless I lived in a boat."
"Many of the people live in boats, as you perceive," added Mr. Fluxion,
as he pointed to a gayly-painted craft, on the deck of which was a group
of children.
At the little window in the stern sat a woman, sewing, while another was
knitting near the cabin door. There were white muslin curtains at the
stern ports, and what could be seen of the interior of the apartment
indicated that it was kept extremely neat.
"I think I should prefer to live in something that would float, in case
of accident," laughed the doctor, "especially in this part of Holland.
The operation of the water is wonderful. The channel in front of Dort
was formed by an inundation which separated the town from the main land,
leaving it deep enough to float the largest Indiaman."
"The Leck, on which we sailed for a time after leaving Rotterdam, was a
canal dug by the Romans to connect the Rhine and the Waal," added Mr.
Fluxion. "A freshet cleaned it out, and tore away its banks so as to
make the present broad river of it. In an inundation a few years later,
seventy-two villages were swept away, and one hundred thousand people
lost their lives. Thirty-five of these villages were never heard from
afterwards, and not even their ruins could be found."
"I should emigrate if I lived here," said Paul.
"The people of Holland are very much attached to their country," replied
Dr. Winstock.
"Well, they ought to be, on the principle that we like best what has
cost us the most trouble to procure," added Paul. "It seems to me a
great pity that people should struggle here to keep their heads above
water, when we have so much spare land in America. We could take them
all in without feeling it."
"Dutchmen would not feel at home on high ground."
"We could plant them down in Louisiana, and even treat them to an
occasional inundation."
"Certainly we should be very happy to accommodate them with a country.
We have a great many Dutchmen already, and they make thrifty,
industrious, and useful people," continued the doctor. "But I think, if
Holland were blotted out of existence, the world would miss it very
much."
"This is a great lumber port," said Mr. Fluxion. "Those great rafts
which float down the Rhine from Switzerland are mostly brought to this
place. I hope the boys will have a chance to see one of those rafts, for
they are stupendous affairs. One of them sometimes contains a hundred
and fifty thousand dollars' worth of lumber, and has a crew of four or
five hundred men."
"I think I heard Mr. Lowington say that we were to go down the Rhine,"
replied Paul.
"That is the Kloveniers Doelen," said Mr. Fluxion, as he led his
companions into a back street and pointed out an old Gothic building.
"It was here that the Protestant divines discussed the doctrines of the
reformed religion, whose 'miraculous labors made hell tremble,' to quote
the words of its presiding officer. The assembly is called in history
the Synod of Dort. The building, as you may see by reading the sign, is
now a low public house and dance-hall."
"Reading the sign!" exclaimed Paul, laughing; "a fellow would knock all
the teeth out of his head in attempting to speak some of these words."
"But many of them are very like English words. A dike is a _dijk_."
"Steamboats are _stoombooten_," said Paul; "and a street is a straat.
What are canals?"
"_Grachten_; the drawbridge is _ophaalbruggen_."
"Whew!" whistled Paul.
"But you can observe something like open-bridge in the sound. You see
that the _spiegels_ are very common here."
"I see they are; but I haven't the least idea what they are."
"The little mirrors placed outside the windows."
"I saw plenty of them in Antwerp."
"They are not as common there as in Holland, where they are to be seen
attached to almost every house. By this contrivance a Dutch dame can see
every person that passes in the street, without raising the blinds. But
I think the hour is nearly up, and we must return to the steamer," said
Mr. Fluxion.
The party went on board, and the steamer returned to Rotterdam by a
different route from that by which she had come. The next day was
Sunday. After the second service on board the ship, Mr. Fluxion, having
occasion to go on shore, invited Paul to accompany him.
"It will not seem much like Sunday to you in Rotterdam," said the
vice-principal, as they landed at the _quai_.
"I supposed the Dutch were very strict."
"Some of them are. Look down that street," said Mr. Fluxion, as he
pointed to the broad avenue which bordered the great river. "You observe
that the _quais_ are all lined with ships. In the houses opposite live
the merchants. They occupy the upper stories of the buildings, while the
lower are used as counting-rooms and storehouses. The ship-owner sits at
his parlor window and witnesses the unlading of his vessel."
They walked up to the Hôtel des Pays-Bas, which the traveller is
informed by its card is situated in the _Korte Hoogstraat, wijk No.
287_, where Mr. Fluxion desired to see a gentleman who had engaged to
meet him there. In one of the public rooms a party were playing cards,
drinking, and smoking, and talking Dutch in the most vehement manner.
After a stay of an hour at the hotel, they returned to the _quai_,
passing through _Zandstraat_, which was filled with people, shouting,
singing, and skylarking. About every other shop appeared to be a
drinking saloon, in which a fiddle or a hurdy-gurdy was making wild
music, while the floor was crowded with men and women dancing.
In another street they encountered a mock procession of girls and boys,
singing in the most stormy manner as they marched along. It was not at
all like Sunday, and Paul was so shocked at the desecration of the day,
that he was glad to regain the silence of his cabin in the Josephine.
CHAPTER XIX.
A RUN THROUGH HOLLAND.
Like that of all impulsive men, the wrath of Mr. Hamblin was
short-lived, though he still felt that he was greatly abused, greatly
distrusted, and greatly under-estimated; and the last was the greatest
sin of all. After the first blast of his anger at the final decision of
the principal had subsided, he was disposed to be more politic. Mr.
Lowington had snubbed him, which was a great mistake on Mr. Lowington's
part.
Mr. Hamblin knew that he was an older man than the principal, and he
felt that he was a wiser one, and his employer ought to consult him,
defer to his opinion, and take his advice. He did not do this to the
extent the learned gentleman demanded; and the Academy Ship was the
sufferer thereby, not himself. If Mr. Lowington could stand it, he
could, disagreeable as it was. If Mr. Hamblin had been pecuniarily
independent, he would have thrown up his situation, and visited the
classic lands alone; but as he was not able to do this, he decided to
submit to Mr. Lowington's caprices, and give the institution the benefit
of his valuable services.
If the students had known of this decision, they would have remonstrated
against it. As it was, they protested in their own way. On Saturday
night, after the return of the students from the excursion, while the
_savant_ was promenading the deck for his needed exercise, not less than
three practical jokes were played off upon him. The crew were squaring
the yards, hauling taut the sheets, lifts, and braces, and putting the
deck in order for Sunday. The professor was tipped over by getting
entangled in a piece of rigging, a bucket of water was dashed upon his
legs, and a portion of the contents of a slush-tub was poured upon him
from the main-top. No one seemed to see him; the students appeared to be
struck with blindness, so far as the learned gentleman was concerned. It
is true that the rogues who pulled the brace, dashed the water, and
upset the slush-tub, were immediately committed to the brig; but this
did not seem to afford much comfort to the victim.
On Sunday morning it was necessary to commit three more; but the whole
six were released in the evening, because they could not sleep in the
brig. Mr. Lowington was annoyed quite as much as the professor; and when
Mr. Fluxion came on board, he had a long conversation with him on the
subject.
"I was a boy once, Mr. Lowington," said the vice-principal; "and I am
free to say I would not have tolerated such an instructor as Mr.
Hamblin. He hasn't a particle of sympathy with the students. He is
haughty, stiff, and overbearing. He is imperious, fretful, snarling, and
tyrannical. In a word, I don't blame the boys for disliking him."
"I am conscious that he is not the right person. In the case of Kendall,
he protested against my decision, and had the impudence to tell me that
I lacked judgment. I have engaged him for a year. What shall I do?"
replied the principal.
"I hardly know; but we shall be in trouble as long as he is in the
squadron. We must give the boys fair play, if we expect them to do their
duty."
"I have kept Duncan on board the ship, and I suppose I must punish him,"
added Mr. Lowington. "He plotted mischief, but he has really done
nothing."
"Excuse me," said Dr. Winstock, as he opened the door, but retreated
when he saw that he disturbed a private interview.
"Come in, doctor; I wish to see you," replied the principal.
The surgeon was admitted to the conference, and the case stated to him.
"The pedagogue of the past is rapidly going out of fashion," said the
doctor. "Our educational system is progressive, and it will no longer
tolerate the teacher who is the petty tyrant he was twenty years ago.
Mr. Hamblin is an old-school pedagogue. His will is law, which is all
right to a certain extent. The teacher must be the judge between right
and wrong; but he must be gentle and kind, and raise no false issues
between his pupil and himself. Mr. Hamblin is not gentle and kind. He is
capricious, wilful, and passionate."
"I agree with you in regard to Mr. Hamblin; but what shall I do?"
"Discharge him," replied the doctor, promptly. "Any instructor who
cannot get along with Paul Kendall, without quarrelling, is not fit for
his place. The students of the Josephine have hazed Mr. Hamblin out of
pure sympathy for their captain."
"I have engaged Mr. Hamblin for a year from the 1st of July."
"I should pay him his salary in full, and let him depart in peace, if he
would."
"We need his services as an instructor."
"So far as that is concerned, I will volunteer to take the department of
mathematics. I was a tutor in college in that branch for a couple of
years."
Mr. Lowington thanked the surgeon for this offer; and the call to divine
service in the steerage terminated the interview. The principal's
advisers spoke his own opinions; and the only thing that embarrassed him
in getting rid of the obnoxious professor was the bad conduct of the
students in regard to him. It was emphatically wrong for them to "haze"
an unpopular professor; and Mr. Lowington was not willing to act under
apparent compulsion.
The school studies were continued as usual through the forenoon of
Monday. After dinner, dressed in their best uniforms, with bag and
blanket, the students were conveyed to the shore for their trip through
Holland, which was to occupy three or four days. The first afternoon was
to be occupied in exploring Rotterdam, and, as usual, Paul Kendall and
Dr. Winstock kept together.
"This is the _Hoogstraat_," said the doctor, when they reached the
principal street of the city.
"Does that mean _Hog Street_?"
"Not at all," laughed Dr. Winstock. "It means the _High Street_. It is
situated on the top of an old dike or dam, built to keep the Maas from
overflowing the country behind it. One of these canals is formed out of
the River Rotte. This stream and this dam gave the name of _Rotterdam_
to the place."
"Whose statue is that?" asked Paul, when they came to a wide bridge over
a broad canal.
"That is the statue of Erasmus, who was born in Rotterdam."
"Never heard of him."
"He was a noted theologian and classical scholar, who made his mark in
the polemical discussions of Germany and Switzerland in the time of the
Reformation. This is the _Groote Markt_, or market-place, of Rotterdam,"
added Dr. Winstock, when they had crossed the bridge.
[Illustration: A DISAGREEMENT AMONG THE DOG TEAMS.--Page 314.]
It was a great square, in the middle of which the canal widened into a
basin for the accommodation of the market boats, by which the meats and
vegetables are brought from the country. There were plenty of dog teams
passing in and out of this square, and at rest there, which amused the
young Americans hugely. The vehicle--a little cart or wagon, sometimes
large enough to contain four of the great polished brass milk-cans,
holding from ten to twenty gallons, and sometimes no bigger than a baby
carriage--was generally in charge of a woman. In some of them the dog
was regularly harnessed in a pair of shafts; but in the larger ones
there was a division of labor between the driver and the animals. The
woman held the shafts, while the dogs, from two to six in number, were
attached to various parts of the vehicle. If there were but two of them,
they generally trotted under the wagon, being harnessed to the
axletree; if more than two, the others were hitched on ahead of her, and
at each side of her. The dogs were of all sorts and sizes, and seemed to
be patient and well trained in the discharge of their duty. In some
instances, while the woman held the shaft, a stout man walked behind,
with a stick in his hand, officiating as general manager of the team,
including his "_vrow_"!
"There's a row!" shouted Paul, as they approached the banks of the
canal.
"That's not an uncommon scene in Holland," replied the doctor, laughing.
One of the first-class dog teams had incautiously been conducted too
near another team, reposing, after the labors of the day, on the verge
of the canal. Some canine demonstration on the part of the idle dogs,
doubtless, excited the ire of the travelling team, and, without asking
the woman's permission, the latter deserted the ranks, so far as their
harness would permit, and "pitched into" the others, which sprang to
their feet, and met the assailants half way. All the dogs howled,
growled, and barked vehemently, and in a moment the two teams were
rolling upon the ground, entangled in their rigging, snapping, biting,
and kicking, in mad fury.
The woman seized a stick, and belabored the belligerents with great
vigor; but the fight continued, in spite of her, until several women
interfered, and dragged the cart of the idlers, clogs and all, out of
the reach of the others. The driver, after severely whipping her charge,
unsnarled their rigging, and went on her way. Paul had to stop and laugh
frequently at these dog teams, the animals presented so many different
phases of character. Some of them howled or barked as they trudged
along; and many manifested a desire to make the acquaintance of other
teams on their way, much to the annoyance of the driver, who would storm
at them in Dutch, kick and whip them.
Many of the men, women, and children wore sabots, or wooden shoes, which
Paul compared to canal boats, and went clumping and clattering along the
streets like champion clog-dancers. The Flemish cap, worn by some of the
peasant women, also amused Paul very much. From each side of the
wearer's head, near the eye, projected a brass ornament, in the shape of
a spiral spring, but each circle diminishing in size till the wire ended
in a point, like a gimlet.
In the older parts of the city the tourists found brick buildings whose
walls slant outwards, so that the eaves would project eighteen inches
over the base, as farmers in New England sometimes build their
corn-barns.
Rotterdam contains about as many canals as streets, which are frequently
crossed by draw-bridges. Some of these are handsome iron structures,
revolving on a balance, so as to make a passage on each side when open.
Others were raised by heavy framework overhead; and in some of the
bridges there was only an opening one or two feet wide, to permit the
passing of the vessel's masts.
After examining the canals and bridges in this part of the city, Paul
and the doctor walked to the church of St. Lawrence, which is noted for
its great organ, ninety feet high, and containing sixty-five hundred
pipes.
"Now, Paul, we will take a carriage and ride up to the park, and go
from there to the railway station," said the doctor, as they left the
_Groote Kerk_.
"What is that man eating?" asked Paul, as they passed through one of the
dirtiest parts of the city, where, on the bank of the canal, a woman was
standing behind a table loaded down with a heap of shellfish, just as
they came from the mud.
The customer was taking them from the shells, drinking at intervals from
a cup.
"They are a kind of mussel; I never had confidence enough to taste of
them," laughed the doctor. "The condiments are in the cup, I suppose. Do
you wish to try them?"
"No, I thank you; my stomach is not lined with zinc, and such a vile
mess as that would be too much for it. Those cakes look better," added
Paul, pointing to a stand where a man and woman were cooking waffles, or
flapjacks, which were eaten by the purchasers in a neat little booth.
"Those are very nice," said the doctor. "We will try some of them. You
never need have any suspicions of the neatness of these Dutch women."
They went into the booth, and were soon supplied with a couple of the
cakes, hot from the furnace, and covered with powdered white sugar. Paul
agreed that they were very nice.
"The signs amuse me quite as much as any thing else, and I am studying
Dutch by their aid," said Paul, as they continued on their way.
"Read this, then," added the doctor, handing him a yellow paper bag he
picked up in the street, on which was a shopkeeper's advertisement.
"I can read some of it," replied Paul; and the reader may help him.
In de Mooriaan.
Deze en meer andere soorten van
TABAK, SNUIF, SIGAREN, KOFFIJ,
THEE ENZ
_zijn te bekomen bij_
D. B. SCHRETLEN,
Zandstraat, Wijk 5, No. 447,
ROTTERDAM.
"Tobacco, snuff, cigars, coffee--these are plain enough. What does 'Wijk
5' mean?"
"That is a division or ward of the city, like E. C. and W. C., in
London."
The carriage was obtained, and they rode to the park, which, however,
had no particular attractions. With the exception of the canals, and the
manners and customs of the people, there is little to see in Rotterdam.
On the way they met a funeral, the carriages of which were peculiar; and
the driver of the hearse wore a black straw hat, with a brim more than a
foot wide, and with great white bands at his neck.
At five o'clock the students had all collected at the station of the
_Hollandsche Spoorweg_, or Holland Railroad; and in twenty minutes the
train set them down at Delft, the port from which the Speedwell sailed
with a portion of the Pilgrim Fathers of New England. The name of the
town is derived from "_delven_," to dig. It contains twenty thousand
inhabitants, and was formerly noted for its pottery manufacture, which
was called Delft ware, from this place.
The party went immediately to the _Prinsenhof_, now a barrack, which was
the building in which the Prince of Orange was assassinated. The spot
where the murder took place was pointed out. A descriptive stone in the
wall records the event. From this place they passed on to the Old
Church, nearly opposite, which has a leaning tower, and saw the tomb of
Van Tromp, the great Dutch admiral, the hero of thirty-two sea-fights.
In the New Church is the monument of the Prince of Orange. His statue
rests upon it; and at the feet of the great man is represented a little
dog. The inscription was translated by Mr. Mapps, and the allusion to
the dog afforded the professor an opportunity to tell a story.
"While the prince was asleep in his camp, near Mechlin, the Spaniards
attempted to murder him," said he, "and would probably have succeeded
had if not been for this little dog. As the assassins approached the
tent, the dog discovered them, and jumped upon his master's bed, barking
furiously, and tugging at the clothing with his feet and teeth. The
prince was awakened, and succeeded in making his escape. When his master
was killed, twelve years later, this dog pined away and died."
"Perhaps he died of old age," suggested one of the students.
"The story is, that he refused to eat from grief. I cannot vouch for it;
but he was a good dog, and deserves the mention made of him on the tomb.
This church contains the burial-vaults of the present royal family of
Holland."
At six o'clock the train was off for The Hague, and arrived there in
fifteen minutes. On the way, the spire of the church at Ryswick, where
the treaty of 1697 mentioned in all the school histories, was framed,
was pointed out to the students. Accommodations had been engaged in the
city for the company and they remained here over night.
The Hague, or, as the Dutch call it, _S'Gravenhage_, and the French _La
Haye_, is the capital, and has a population of eighty-one thousand.
Though it was the residence of the stadtholders in former times, it was
only a small village, and its notable features are of modern origin.
Barneveldt was executed and the De Witts murdered here. The Picture
Gallery and the Museum were specially opened for the young Americans.
The works of art were hastily viewed, and the students passed into the
Cabinet of Curiosities, of which there is a vast collection, including
an immense number of dresses, implements, and models illustrating life
in Japan and in China.
Among the historical relics are the armor worn by the admirals De Ruiter
and Van Tromp; the portrait and sword of Van Speyk, who blew up his
vessel on the Scheldt; a part of the bed of Czar Peter the Great, on
which he slept while working at ship-building; the last shirt and
waistcoat worn by William III. of England; the dress in which the Prince
of Orange was murdered; the pistol of the assassin, with two of the
bullets; a model of Peter's cabin at Zaandam, or Sardam, and many other
objects of interest which seemed to bring the distant past before the
eye of the beholders.
Early the next morning the students were roaming at will through the
city, anxious to see what they could of its handsome streets, the
principal of which is the Voorhout, lined with trees, and flanked with
splendid edifices. After breakfast the train bore them on to Leyden. On
the way, at the suggestion of Mr. Fluxion, the train, which was a
special, was stopped, and the students were allowed half an hour to
explore some beautiful gardens which abounded in this vicinity. Many of
them belonged to the country seats of wealthy gentlemen, and were as
magnificent as fairyland itself.
But what pleased Paul more than the gardens of rich men, was an
opportunity to visit the house and grounds of a citizen in humbler life.
Mr. Fluxion asked the permission, which was readily granted.
"You needn't take your shoes off here, as you must in some parts of
Holland, before you enter a house; but you must wipe them very
carefully," said the vice-principal. "The greatest sin against a Dutch
housewife is to carry any dirt into her premises."
Paul made sure that not a particle of dust clung to his feet, and
entered the cottage. It was plainly furnished; but everything was as
clean, and white, and neat as though the room had been the interior of
the upper bureau drawer. Dr. Winstock ventured the remark, that Dutch
husbands must be the most miserable men in the world, since it could not
but be painful to be so excruciatingly nice.
The proprietor of the house had about half an acre of land, which
constituted his garden. It was laid out with winding walks and fanciful
plats of ground, filled with the richest-hued flowers. It contained a
pond and a canal, on a small scale; for a Dutchman would not be at home
without a water prospect, even if it were only in miniature. At the end
of the garden, overlooking the pond, there was a grotesque little summer
house, large enough to accommodate the proprietor and his family. Here,
of a summer afternoon, he smoked his pipe, drank his tea, coffee, or
beer, while his wife plied her needle, and the children played at the
door.
"What is that inscription on the house?" asked Paul, as they approached
the building.
"_Mijn genegenheid is voldam_," replied Mr. Fluxion.
"Exactly so! I understand that, and those are my sentiments," laughed
Paul; "but what does it all mean?"
"'My desire is satisfied,'" replied the vice-principal.
"He is a happy man if that is so," added the doctor.
"Many of the Dutch label their garden houses with a sentiment like
that," continued Mr. Fluxion. "I have seen one somewhere which smacks of
Yankee slang--'_Niet zoo kwaalijk_.'"
"I should say that was slang," interposed Paul.
"It means, 'Not so bad.'"
"Well, it isn't so bad, after all," added the doctor, glancing back at
the "_zomerhuis_," as they retired, with many thanks to the proprietor
for the privilege granted to them.
The hoarse croaking of the locomotive whistle, which appeared to have a
cold in its head, drummed the students together again, and the train
proceeded.
"This is the Rhine," said the doctor, as they went over a bridge.
"The Rhine!" exclaimed Paul, jumping out of his seat. "Why, it isn't
anything!"
"That is true; but you must remember that this is the old Rhine,--the
part which was dug out, robbed of the burden of its waters by the Yssel,
the Leck, and the Waal. The Rhine of Germany is quite another affair.
The mouth of the Rhine is eight miles below Leyden. It was closed for a
thousand years."
"What became of its waters? They must have gone somewhere," said Paul.
"They disposed of themselves in various small streams, and worked their
way to the ocean, or soaked into the sands. The mouth of the river was
opened in 1809, by an engineer, under the direction of Louis Napoleon,
King of Holland. But the ocean at high tide was higher than the river,
and to prevent the sea from flowing back into the country and disturbing
the system of dikes, immense gates were made in the sluiceways
constructed for the purpose. When the tide comes in, these gates are
shut. At low tide they are opened to let the water out. Indeed, this is
true of all the canals, which are provided with gates at each end, like
a dock. The dikes at the mouth of the Rhine are stupendous works; and as
the foundation is nothing but sand, they are built on piles, and the
face of them is of stone. This is Leyden."
"What is there here?" asked Paul, as they got out of the carriage.
"It has about the same sights as Delft, and also a celebrated
university; but it is more noted for its siege by the Spaniards, in
1574, than for anything else. Doubtless Mr. Mapps will fight the battle
over again."
Of course the professor of geography and history could not lose such a
glorious opportunity, and in the _Stadhuis_, where the picture of Peter
Vanderwerf, the burgomaster who so bravely defended the place in the
memorable siege, was pointed out, he took advantage of the moment.
"The city had held out four months," said he, after introducing the
topic, "when the worst came. The Prince of Orange had promised to assist
the people by supplying them with food; but so close was the blockade of
the place by the Spaniards, that it was impossible to do so. They were
reduced to the very verge of starvation. Dogs, cats, rats, horses, were
greedily eaten. Six thousand of the people died of pestilence, which
came with the famine, and there was hardly force enough to bury the
dead. Though pressed and threatened by the citizens, the inflexible
burgomaster refused to surrender the town. At last a couple of carrier
pigeons flew into the city, which brought the intelligence that the
prince had cut the dikes, and sent Admiral Boiset to their relief when
the rising waters should drive the Spaniards away. But the waters did
not rise high enough to enable the admiral to approach, and the people
prayed to Heaven for help. It came. A storm and a gale forced the waters
far up the river to the walls of Leyden. Boiset, with eight hundred
wild Zealanders, fought their way through the Spaniards, perched in the
trees, in boats, or in such places above the water as they could find,
and made his way into the town. A thousand of the enemy were drowned.
Leyden was saved, and the people celebrate the day of their deliverance
up to the present time.
"As a reward for their bravery and dogged perseverance, the prince gave
them the choice of a university or exemption from a portion of their
taxes. They chose the former, and the University of Leyden was the
result."
After a hasty walk to a few of the points of interest in the town, the
journey was resumed, and in twenty minutes the party was set down in
Harlem. In the _Groote Kerk_ of St. Bavon, they listened to the playing
of another great organ, including imitations of bells, and the _vox
humana_, or "_nux vomica_," as some of the students persisted in calling
it. Harlem is famous for its hyacinths and tulips, the passion for which
grew out of the great _tulip mania_, two hundred years ago, when single
cuttings of these bulbs were sold for four thousand florins, and even at
higher prices. They are raised not only in gardens, but in fields
hundreds of acres in extent; for they are a very important article of
commerce, the gardens of Europe being supplied from this vicinity.
Harlem resisted the Spaniards with the same vigor and determination that
distinguished Leyden, though with a less fortunate result; and Mr. Mapps
was too glad to tell the exciting story. The town held out till
starvation was inevitable, when it was decided by the brave defenders to
form in a body around their women and children, and fight their way
through the enemy. The Spaniards, hearing of this scheme, sent in a flag
of truce, offering pardon and freedom, if the town and fifty-seven of
the chief citizens should be given up. This number of the principal men
volunteered to be the sacrifice, and the terms were accepted; but the
bloodthirsty Duke of Alva, having first murdered the fifty-seven
citizens, entered upon an indiscriminate massacre of the people, of whom
two thousand were slain. When the executioners were weary with the
slaughter, the victims were bound together in couples, and thrown into
the Lake of Harlem. Four years later, the town fell into the hands of
the Dutch again.
After the professor had finished the siege of Harlem, the party walked
along the Spaarne to the machinery used for draining the low land
formerly covered by the lake. This territory, three hundred years ago,
was dry land; but an inundation gave it over to the dominion of the sea.
About twenty-five years ago, the States General of Holland undertook to
drain it, by forming a double dike and canal entirely around the
district, thirty-three miles in circumference, and containing forty-five
thousand acres. Three huge systems of pumps were erected, to be worked
by steam, and the task of discharging an average depth of thirteen feet
of water was begun. After four years' pumping, the lake was dried up,
and the land was sold at the rate of about eighty-five dollars an acre.
The machinery is still required to keep the water down. One engine works
eleven pumps, with a lift of thirteen feet, discharging sixty-three tons
of water at a stroke.
The travellers took their places in the train, and in a few minutes were
conveyed over the causeways into Amsterdam, in season for the two
o'clock dinner.
CHAPTER XX.
ADIEU TO HOLLAND AND PROFESSOR HAMBLIN.
After dinner the party, in charge of a couple of the city officials, who
had given them a welcome, went to the Palace, the noblest building in
Amsterdam. It rests upon nearly fourteen thousand piles, driven seventy
feet through the mud to "hard pan." During the reign of King Louis, it
was his residence, and the other sovereigns of Holland used it when they
visited the city. Its remarkable feature is an imposing hall, one
hundred and twenty feet long, fifty-seven feet wide, and one hundred
feet high. The interior is lined with Italian marble, and adorned with
works of art.
"Young gentlemen," said Mr. Mapps, taking position in this great hall,
"Amsterdam contains a population of two hundred and sixty-eight
thousand. In shape, it forms rather more than the plane of a half
circle, the circumference being composed of the walls of the city,
outside of which is an immense canal. Inside of the walls there are four
principal canals, extending nearly around the city. Take the transverse
section of the trunk of a chestnut tree, divide it, with the grain of
the wood, into two equal parts, and the top of one of them will give you
the plane of the half circle. The layers of the log, formed by each
year's growth, would indicate the canals and the intervening spaces
covered with buildings. The heart of the city, however, is irregular.
"Each of these canals is situated in the centre of a broad street. The
Keizers Gracht, or Canal, is one hundred and forty feet wide. They are
not circular, but form the sides of an irregular decagon. Other canals
intersect the principal ones, so that all parts of the city may be
visited in boats or vessels. The River Amstel flows through the town by
a winding course; and Amsterdam is derived from the name of this stream
and the dam built over it, in former days, on the spot where this
edifice is located.
"The Y, or the Ij, is an arm of the Zuyder Zee, and forms the diameter
of the half circle; but it is bent in the shape of a bow. The water is
admitted to the canals by the Amstel. At low tide the water in the
Zuyder Zee is only six or seven inches below the level of this river,
and great difficulty is experienced in obtaining a circulation of water
in the canals, where it stagnates, and affects the health of the city.
All the canals and openings from the sea are protected by flood-gates
and sluices. The canals which cut up the city divide it into no less
than ninety islands, connected by two hundred and fifty bridges.
"The entire town, its sluices, and even some of its canals, are built
upon piles; for the soil beneath is nothing but loose sand and bog mud.
In 1822 a vast warehouse sunk down into the mud, on account of the
weight of grain stored in it. Amsterdam is not only in peril from the
sea around it, but there is danger that the bottom may drop out.
"In the Spanish war, of which I have had so much to say since we entered
Holland, Amsterdam was held by the Duke of Alva, and, with this city as
the base of operations, he intended to conquer the country. The siege of
Harlem was conducted from this direction.
"A small fleet of Dutch armed vessels was frozen up near this city, and
a force was sent to capture them by the Spanish commander. The crews
opened a wide trench in the ice around their vessels, and, putting on
their skates as the besiegers approached, advanced to give them battle.
The Dutchmen, perfectly at home on skates, out-manoeuvred and beat the
Spaniards, who left several hundred of their dead on the ice. The duke
was astonished; but he was a prudent man, and ordered seven thousand
pairs of skates, upon which his troops were trained to perform military
movements."
"That was a big thing on ice," said one of the students, as the lecture
closed.
In the course of the day the party visited the _Oude Kerk_, or Old
Church, containing "a big organ," the _Niewe Kerk_, which has monuments
to De Ruiter, Van Speyk, and others.
"You will not have an opportunity to go to church in Holland, Paul,"
said the doctor.
"No, sir; I suppose we sail for Havre this week."
"Most of the people go to church; but they do not observe the Sabbath
very rigidly. Gentlemen sit with their hats on during the service, or
take them off, as they please. Amsterdam is one of the most charitable
cities in the world, and is noted for its almshouses, asylums,
hospitals. In one orphan asylum there are seven or eight hundred boys
and girls, who are kept there till they are twenty years old, and then
sent out with a good trade. They wear a peculiar dress, to prevent them
from being admitted to theatres, rum-shops, and other improper places;
for the keepers of these establishments are severely punished if they
permit any of the children of the public charitable institutions to
enter their places. A contribution for the poor is taken up every Sunday
in the churches by the deacons, who use a thing like a shrimp-net with a
long handle, having a little bell for the benefit of those who wish to
look the other way when it is thrust in their faces."
"That's a good idea; but, I suppose, the Dutch have invented some small
coin for these occasions," laughed Paul.
"A stiver, or five Dutch cents, equal to less than two of our cents, is
small enough. There are a great many poor people in Amsterdam who live
entirely in cellars. As you have seen, a great many families live in
vessels, keeping a pig, hens, and ducks on board, and sometimes even
have a little garden on deck. When the Dutchman gets married and sets up
in life, he obtains a small boat of from one to three tons, and goes to
housekeeping on board. If they prosper, they buy a bigger craft; but his
home, his wife, and children are on the water."
The dike which surrounds Amsterdam has been planted with trees, and
converted into boulevards. There were formerly twenty-six bastions upon
it, constituting the fortifications of the city; but, being no longer
useful for defence, windmills have been erected upon them, to grind the
grain for the city. The four streets bordering the principal canals are
hardly to be surpassed in Europe. The buildings, which are mostly of
brick, are unique, with fantastic gables and projecting eaves. Many of
the streets are lined with trees on the banks of the canals. On the
whole, the students were more interested in Amsterdam than in any other
city they had visited, partly, perhaps, on account of its oddity. As
long as there was light to see, they continued their rambles, and then
retired early, in order to be prepared for a fresh start the next day.
At five o'clock in the morning the party took a steamer for Zaandam, or
Sardam. Leaving the shore, they had a fine view of the city. The harbor
is enclosed by two rows of piles, with occasional openings to admit the
passage of vessels, which are closed at night with booms armed with iron
spikes. In various parts of the Ij were seen little pavilions, built
upon piers, which are the summer houses of wealthy citizens, who own
pleasure-boats, and repair in them to these cosy little temples, to
drink wine and coffee and smoke their pipes.
At Sardam the curious students visited the cottage of Peter the Great,
in which he lived while he worked as a shipwright. The shanty is of
rough plank, and cants over on one side; but it was surrounded by
another building by the Queen of Holland, to protect it from further
decay. It contains but two rooms, one above the other, the former
reached only by a ladder. Alexander of Russia placed over the
chimney-piece a marble slab bearing the inscription, "Nothing is too
small for a great man." The walls of both rooms are covered with the
autographs of visitors, including that of the Emperor of Russia.
From this point the tourists were conveyed by the steamer to Waterland,
from which they were to proceed by _trekschuit_ to Broek. This peculiar
craft is a kind of drag-boat, much used for passengers and light freight
on the canals of Holland. It is a long, narrow barge, nearly the whole
of which is taken up by a low cabin. Above it is the hurricane deck,
provided with a railing and benches to sit upon. At each end is a flight
of stairs, by which the main deck is reached and the cabins entered. The
_ruim_, or forward cabin, occupying the greater part of the space, is
appropriated to the common people, while the _roef_, or after-cabin, is
for the better class; but as genteel people seldom patronize the
_trekschuit_, this apartment is very small. It was drawn by horses,
attached to a long rope made fast to the pole or mast, near the bow.
Like everything Dutch, the boat was fitted up very neatly, and the
students were much interested in exploring it.
"Here we are, all on the raging canal!" said Terrill to his captain, as
the team started. "If it comes on to blow, we can take a reef in the
forward horse."
"Or in the _het jagertje_," laughed Paul, who had been talking with Mr.
Fluxion.
"We'll take a reef in that now. Don't your teeth ache, captain?"
"No; that's the boy that rides one of the horses."
The canal was filled with boats loaded with market produce, drawn by men
and women harnessed like mules to the tow-ropes. Woman's rights seemed
to be particularly recognized in this part of Holland, for females are
harnessed to the boats like horses, enjoying the same rights as the
"lords of creation." The houses on the way were mostly cottages, whose
steep roofs were often twice the height of the walls. The stork, which
the people cherish with a kind of superstitious reverence, was
occasionally seen, but not so frequently as in the vicinity of The
Hague, where he has a nest on the roof in a large proportion of the
houses.
The boys were much interested in the navigation of the _trekschuit_.
Meeting another boat, the steersman shouted "_Huy!_" indicating that the
other craft was to go to the right. When the tow-boy of the approaching
boat reached a certain point, he stopped his team, and the _trekschuit_
horses passed over it, as the rope slacked. He halted again to loose the
rope for the barge to pass over. Neither boat was stopped by the
operation. At the many bridges the rope was cast off, and made fast
again, without any delay.
An hour and a half brought them to Broek, the paradise of Dutch
neatness. It is a village of eight hundred people, most of whom have
"made their pile" and retired from business. Neatness is carried to
lunacy here, for no one is permitted to enter a house without taking off
his shoes. The narrow lanes and passages which serve as avenues are
paved with brick, or with tiles of different colors, arranged in
fantastic figures, and some are covered with sand and sea-shells, made
up into patterns. Strangers are warned not to ride through the place;
they must walk, leading the horse. The houses are mostly of wood,
gaudily painted; the roofs are covered with glazed tile of various hues.
The cow-stables of the dairy farms are better than the houses of most of
the poorer classes of Europe, having tiled floors, with everything
"polished off" and sandpapered as nicely as though they were intended
for drawing-rooms. Over each stall is a hook, by which the cow's tail is
fastened up, so as to keep her neat and clean.
The students continued on their way from Breck to Alkmar,--which
sustained a siege, and successfully resisted the Spaniards,--and thence
to The Helder, a town of twelve thousand inhabitants, opposite the
Texel. The great ship canal to Amsterdam commences at this point, which
is the only place on the coast of Holland where the deep water extends
up to the shore, the tide rushing through from the Zuyder Zee keeping
the passage open. The party had an opportunity to examine the mighty
sluices and gates, and to observe the stupendous dikes, before described
by Mr. Mapps. They visited the fortress erected by Napoleon with the
intention of making The Helder the Gibraltar of the North.
On Thursday morning the tourists took the steamer, through the Great
Canal, to Amsterdam. Being obliged to wait an hour for the train to
Utrecht, Paul visited one of the "diamond mills" of the city with Mr.
Fluxion. About five hundred men were employed in the establishment, and,
as the business is exclusively in the hands of the Jews, the mills are
closed on Saturday, and work on Sunday. The art of cutting and polishing
diamonds was for a long period exclusively in the hands of the Jews of
Antwerp and Amsterdam. There are quite a number of these manufactories
in the city at the present time. The machinery is operated by steam,
turning wheels for polishing the precious stones, and propelling the
wire saws for cutting them.
Diamond dust is the only substance with which an impression can be
produced upon the hard stones, and they are polished by metal plates
covered with this dust, and revolving with inconceivable rapidity. The
saw is a very fine wire, to which the dust is affixed. This process
appears to be the origin of the adage "diamond cut diamond." Before the
fifteenth century, diamonds were worn in their natural state, and the
art of cutting and polishing them was discovered by a native of Bruges.
The journey of the students was continued by railway to Utrecht.
Approaching this city, the country assumed a different aspect,
presenting occasional undulations, while in the town itself there is
quite a slope down to the River Rhine, on which it is located. The
treaty of Utrecht, which settled the peace of Europe after the war of
the Spanish succession, was signed at the house of the British minister;
but it has since been pulled down. The principal object of interest in
the city is the tower of the Cathedral of St. Martin, which is three
hundred and twenty-one feet high, and commands a view of nearly the
whole of Holland and a portion of Belgium. The sexton has his residence
more than a hundred and fifty feet above _terra firma_, where his family
are domiciled, and where his children were born. Doubtless they will be
regarded as persons of high birth.
At five o'clock in the afternoon, the weary travellers reached the
vessels of the squadron. Holland "was done," and the excitement was
ended. Many of them were tired out and cross, and it was a relief to
know that the squadron would go to sea the next morning. During the
rapid run through Holland, Wilton and Perth had found abundant
opportunities to discuss their mischievous scheme of running away with
the Josephine. They had so contrived it that eight of the Knights of the
Golden Fleece had occupied a compartment by themselves in the railway
carriages. As the squadron would arrive at Havre on Friday or Saturday,
no time was to be lost in arranging the details of the precious scheme,
which had been fully explained and assented to by the confederates.
The first point to be gained was to "cut up," so that the whole
twenty-six Knights should be condemned to imprisonment on board the
ship, while the rest of the students, with the instructors, went to
Paris. Mr. Hamblin was still the centre of all their hopes in this
direction; for hazing him would enable them to kill two birds with one
stone. It was a great satisfaction to annoy him, independently of the
result to be gained. Wilton proposed to "keelhaul" him. This was a
barbarous punishment, formerly in use in the English and Dutch navies,
and consisted in dragging the culprit under the keel of the vessel by
ropes attached to the opposite yard-arms. Perth declared that this was
utterly impracticable, and a third suggested that it was only necessary
to "talk" the matter in order to bring down the punishment upon their
anxious heads. Monroe, who always adopted moderate counsels, thought it
would be just as well to frighten the old gentleman out of his wits.
Indeed, all, except Wilton, protested against inflicting any serious
injury upon him. A ducking, or something of that kind, would do him no
harm; but they did not wish to hurt, only to annoy, him.
After supper the students felt a little brighter. Mr. Hamblin was pacing
the deck, as he always did towards evening, and Perth drummed together
his forces to play the first act in the drama. The names of the
twenty-six Knights had been written down on a sheet of paper, and a
dozen of them took position in the waist, with their backs to the
professor. Scarcely had the actors taken their places before the
Josephine's gig came alongside with Captain Kendall, who visited the
ship to receive his instructions from the principal for the next day.
Paul stepped upon deck; but, perceiving that Mr. Lowington was engaged
in an earnest conversation with Dr. Winstock, he did not interrupt him,
but paused in the waist. Of course the conspirators suspended
operations, and Paul spent the time he was waiting in conversation with
them about the wonders of Holland. As he stood there, Mr. Hamblin cast
frequent glances at him, and brooded heavily over the indignities which
had been heaped upon his learned head by the young commander, as he
believed. Probably the current of his thoughts would have assumed a
different direction if he had been aware that the principal and the
surgeon were discussing the best means of "letting him down easily."
Mr. Lowington at last discovered that Paul was waiting for him, and the
difficult subject was deferred. The captain of the Josephine went below
with the principal, and the conspirators began to discuss in a very
unguarded manner the process of keelhauling the obnoxious professor. As
the learned gentleman passed the group, he could not help hearing his
name mentioned. The boys soon became very earnest in their manner. They
had seated themselves under the lee of the hatch, and did not appear to
notice the fact that Mr. Hamblin was passing on the other side of it at
intervals.
"We'll keelhaul him," said Wilson; and the _savant_ distinctly heard the
remark, though he did not know what it meant; only that it was some
trick to be played off upon him.
"If he didn't hear that, he's deaf as a post," added Perth, as the
professor passed on.
"He'll leave the ship as soon as we have keelhauled him," was the next
remark which Mr. Hamblin heard.
Of course this meant himself; and he paused when he had satisfied
himself that he was not observed. As this was just what the conspirators
wanted, they revealed their wicked scheme fully, though with some
appearance of concealment.
"Here are the names of all the fellows who are to take part in the
operation," said Perth, flourishing the paper. "The fellows with a cross
against their names are to throw the old fellow down; those with a dash
are to man the reef-pendants; those with a wave line are to make fast to
him--"
That was all. Mr. Hamblin made a plunge into the midst of the young
rascals, and snatched the paper from the hands of the leader. The
conspirators sprung to their feet, and nothing could exceed the
consternation depicted upon their faces. They stood aghast, horrified,
confounded.
"It was only a joke, sir," stammered Perth, as the professor, with
trembling hands and quivering lips, gazed at the paper, reading the
names, and noting the signs against them.
"You villains, you!" gasped he. "Keelhaul me--will you?"
"It was only in fun, sir. We didn't mean to do it, sir," added Wilton.
Mr. Hamblin did not wait to hear any more. He rushed aft, rushed down
the companion-way, rushed into the main cabin, where the principal was
just dismissing Paul.
"They are going to keelhaul me, next, Mr. Lowington!" exclaimed the
learned gentleman, savagely.
"Pray, what is the trouble, Mr. Hamblin?" asked the principal, mildly.
The professor explained, exhibiting the list of names in evidence of his
assertion. Mr. Lowington was sceptical. It was not possible that the
boys could entertain such a monstrous proposition as that of keelhauling
a learned professor.
"But I heard the plan myself, sir," persisted Mr. Hamblin. "I don't know
what keelhauling is, but that is the expression the scoundrels used."
Mr. Lowington explained what it meant; and the _savant_, without
considering the practicability or the possibility of subjecting him to
such an operation, was filled with rage and horror. The principal went
on deck, and from the paper taken from Perth called the roll of the
conspirators, summoning them to the mainmast.
"If you have no further instructions for me, sir, I will return to the
Josephine," said Paul, touching his cap to the principal.
"Mr. Lowington, Kendall is concerned in this affair," interposed the
professor, violently.
"I, sir!" exclaimed Paul, confounded by the charge.
"He is, sir; and I can prove it," protested Mr. Hamblin, whose wrath had
almost reached the boiling point.
"You can return to the Josephine, Captain Kendall," added Mr. Lowington,
in his quiet, decisive tone.
"Mr. Lowington, I protest--"
"Mr. Hamblin," interposed the principal, sharply, "I will thank you to
accompany me to the cabin;" and, turning, he walked to the
companion-way, followed by the professor.
"I wish to say, Mr. Lowington, that I am not mistaken in regard to
Kendall," said the angry instructor, as they entered the main cabin.
"Without a doubt,you are mistaken, sir."
"No, sir; I am not. When he came on deck, he went immediately to that
group of bad boys who were plotting to keelhaul me, and had a long
conversation with them. I watched him, sir. My eye was hardly off him a
moment. I was looking for something of this kind."
"And you found it."
"Yes, sir; I did."
"When people are looking for faults and errors in others, they usually
find them," added the principal, significantly. "But I did not invite
you to the cabin to consider that matter."
"It seems to me this matter is properly the subject for discussion at
the present time," replied the professor, who thought the principal's
ways were past finding out.
"No; there is a subject of more importance than that, which must be
attended to first. I find it necessary to say that I am ready to accept
your resignation of the situation you fill."
"My resignation, sir!" exclaimed Mr. Hamblin, taken all aback by this
unexpected announcement.
"Your resignation, sir."
"This is very remarkable conduct on your part, sir."
"On board of the Josephine, in the presence of the officers and crew,
you protested against the action of Captain Kendall. When I have called
a large number of the students to the mainmast for discipline, you
protest against my action. I have to say, sir, that discipline, under
these circumstances, is impossible."
"Am I to understand that you discharge me, Mr. Lowington?" demanded the
professor.
"I intimated that I was ready to accept your resignation."
"Well, sir, I am not ready to offer my resignation."
"Then you compel me to take the next step. I object to your remaining on
board another day."
"I was engaged for a year."
"With the proviso that we were mutually satisfied. A fortnight ago you
tendered your resignation, without regard to the engagement. If I had
understood your relations with the students as well then as I do now, I
should have accepted it."
Mr. Hamblin began to "subside." He had pretty thoroughly convinced
himself that the institution could not be carried on without him; and,
since the principal had once objected to accepting his resignation, he
had felt that his position was secure. While he was considering the
matter, Mr. Lowington went on deck, and investigated the plot to
keelhaul the professor. The conspirators had talked over the matter
during his absence, and had come to the conclusion that the truth would
serve them best. They were shrewd enough to see that there was a rupture
between the principal and the _savant_.
Perth, as spokesman for the party, confessed that they knew Mr. Hamblin
was listening to them; that they intended he should hear the plot, which
they had not designed to execute; that it was only a trick to annoy him.
"Was Captain Kendall concerned in it?" asked Mr. Lowington.
"No, sir," shouted the whole party.
"What were you talking about while he was with you?"
"About Holland, and what we had seen on our trip. You were speaking
with Dr. Winstock, and he was waiting to see you," replied Perth.
The principal lectured them severely, and in earnest, for their
misconduct; but he did not give them the coveted punishment of dooming
them to remain on board while the rest of the students visited Paris. He
gave them bad marks enough to spoil all their chances, if they had any,
of promotion, and the choice of desirable berths when the crew should be
reorganized at the beginning of the next quarter, which would be in one
month. He added that he should preserve the list of names, and that the
conduct of the party in the future would be closely observed.
"We were stupid," whispered Perth to Wilton, as the principal retired.
"We have given him a list of all the Knights."
"And he hasn't stopped our liberty," replied Wilton, in disgust.
"No matter; we must keep still, and fight for chances."
When Mr. Lowington returned to the cabin, the professor was as cool as
an iceberg; but the decision had been made, and it could not be
reversed. The principal reviewed Mr. Hamblin's connection with the
squadron from the beginning, and commented on his conduct in the consort
and in the ship. It was plain speech on both sides; but the result
remained unchanged.
Professor Hamblin is not a myth. He had no sympathy with the students,
and, being arbitrary, tyrannical, and unjust, they "hated him with a
perfect hatred." It was certainly best that he should go; for in
whatever vessel he was, he kept it in a turmoil. Mr. Lowington paid him
his salary for a year, and enough in addition to defray the expenses of
his return to the United States.
The next morning the signal for sailing was hoisted on board of the
Young America, and the pilots came on board. The students were bright
and fresh, and having seen the dikes and ditches of Holland, they were
rather anxious to escape from its muddy waters and its monotonous
plains. In fact, they sighed for another taste of blue water and the
fresh sea air.
"All the barge's crew on deck, ahoy!" piped the boatswain, at the order
of the first lieutenant.
The boat's crew repaired to their stations on the quarter, wondering
what was to be done next.
The ship's company, who were waiting for the order to weigh anchor, were
vexed at the delay which the trip of the boat to the shore indicated,
and waited impatiently to learn what was going to happen. One of the
stewards brought up Mr. Hamblin's trunk, and presently the professor
himself appeared with his overcoat on his arm, and his cane and umbrella
in his hand. There was a decided sensation among the crew. The barge was
lowered and placed in charge of the third lieutenant. Mr. Hamblin bowed
stiffly and coldly to the other professors, and followed his baggage
into the boat, taking no notice whatever of any of the students.
The sensation grew upon the boys as the boat pushed off and appeared
beyond the ship's side. It was a delightful picture to them--the
obnoxious professor seated in the stern sheets, with his trunk before
him. It was emblematic of the final separation. The enthusiasm of the
moment could not be repressed; and before the principal could interfere,
it had vented itself in three tremendous and hearty cheers. Mr.
Lowington was vexed, but the deed was done.
The barge passed within a short distance of the Josephine, and her crew,
seeing the trunk and the professor, understood the cheers, and repeated
them with all the vigor of their lungs. It was impudent, disrespectful,
and naughty; but the same students, in both vessels, would have wept
over the departure of any other of the professors.
The boat returned, the sails were cast loose, the anchor weighed, and in
due time both vessels were standing down the river. At noon the pilots
were discharged, off the Hock of Holland.
"South-west by west," said the first master of the ship, giving out the
course to the quartermaster, who was conning the wheel.
There was only a lazy breeze in the German Ocean, and the squadron
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By Elijah Kellogg.
THE WHISPERING PINE SERIES. By ELIJAH KELLOGG. To be completed in 6
volumes. Illustrated. Per vol., $1.25.
1. THE SPARK OF GENIUS.
2. THE SOPHOMORES OF RADCLIFFE.
3. WINNING HIS SPURS.
4. THE TURNING OF THE TIDE. (In press.)
Mr. Kellogg presents some admirable characters among his college boys,
and every volume of this series is brimful of fun and adventure.
"Nothing better ever written."
THE PLEASANT COVE SERIES. By ELIJAH KELLOGG. To be completed in 6
volumes. Per vol., $1.25.
1. ARTHUR BROWN, THE YOUNG CAPTAIN.
2. THE YOUNG DELIVERERS.
3. THE CRUISE OF THE CASCO.
4. THE CHILD OF THE ISLAND GLEN.
"The Elm Island Stories," by this author, are deservedly popular. "The
Pleasant Cove Series" deals with many of the same characters.
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