“NOW, fellows, what shall we do?” asked Captain Rich, as soon as the lights on the tug had disappeared around the head of the island. “It is my intention,” he added, by way of apology, fearful that some of his crew might think he did not know what course he ought to pursue, “to consult my officers every time we are in trouble. I think a captain always ought to do that. So, let’s hear from you.”
“I propose that we hold over toward the mainland,” said Johnny. “We’re safe from pursuit now until morning; but we want to keep as far away from that tug as possible.”
As Captain Rich raised no objections to this proposition, the third mate brought the sloop about, and headed her away from the island. The breeze was freshening, and, when the swallow felt its full force, she began to fly over the waves like a duck. The runaways were delighted with the exhibition of speed she made, and some of the reckless ones wished that the schooner would again come in sight, so that they might show her how badly they could beat her.
While Tom had been carrying out his plans, and arranging matters for the cruise, it had never occurred to him to decide where they would go, should their attempt at escape prove successful. In fact, none of the deserters had ever broached this subject, believing, no doubt, that it was of secondary importance, and could be easily settled at any time. But now this question was brought up by the third mate, who, after calling a boy to take his place at the wheel, asked the captain to give out the course.
“That’s something I can’t do,” replied Rich, “until you tell me where you want to go.”
“Let’s visit New Bedford,” said one of the “landlubbers,” as the deserters crowded around their officers; “it’s not far out of our way, and some of us want to go there to look at the whale ships.”
“No, no!” shouted several of the boys.
“I object to visiting any city or town,” said Johnny, “for there’s danger in it. It isn’t often that a crowd of fellows are seen cruising about in a vessel like this, and some one might ask unpleasant questions.”
As the debate progressed, and votes were taken on the places proposed, it became evident that none of the boys had neglected to give some thought to this important question. One suggested that it would be a good opportunity to visit the fishing banks off Newfoundland; another thought it would be a cheap way of getting to New York; while a third, who had never seen a sheet of water larger than Newport Bay, was in favor of camping on some island close to the village. Each boy brought forward a host of arguments to convince the rest of the deserters that his plan for their amusement was the best; but it was finally discovered that those who wanted to visit Nantucket were in the majority; and, after a strong opposition from some of the timid “landlubbers,” who did not want to trust themselves very far from shore in so small a vessel, this point was settled.
“Now, captain, what’s the course?” asked Johnny, again.
“We don’t need any course yet,” replied Rich. “As long as the land is in plain view, we’ll use that for our compass. We will follow the shores of Newport Bay until we get into Buzzard’s Bay, and then we’ll steer exactly south.”
“But, perhaps, that won’t take us where we want to go!” said the third mate.
“I’d like to know what’s the reason!” exclaimed Captain Rich. “Haven’t you learned enough about geography to know that Nantucket is south of Massachusetts? Now, Newcombe, set the watch.”
So saying, the captain turned on his heel and walked down into the cabin, leaving his third mate standing silent and thoughtful.
“I expected this,” said he, unconsciously giving utterance to the thoughts that passed through his mind.
“Expected what?” asked one of the crew, who happened to overhear the remark.
“O, nothing!” replied Johnny, quickly.
“Now, see here, Harding,” said the boy, whose confidence in the captain had been considerably shaken by the latter’s conduct during the pursuit, “if you don’t believe that Rich is all right, you ought to say so before we get much farther from shore.”
“Who said he wasn’t all right?” asked Johnny. “He has made three or four voyages across the Atlantic, and he ought to know what he is about.”
But Captain Rich did not “know what he was about,” and the third mate was very well aware of the fact. Rich had been sent to sea because he could not be controlled at home, and, during his voyages, he had conducted himself exactly as Tom had behaved on his cruise on the Savannah. Being a lazy, good-for-nothing boy, he had allowed his opportunities to slip by him unimproved; and, when he was appointed captain of the Swallow, he knew but very little more about seamanship and navigation than he did when he first began his career as a sailor. Johnny knew this, and he was confident that, before long, there would be trouble on board the Swallow. Even the “landlubbers” would soon discover that Rich could not be depended upon, and then there would be a change of commanders. He, however, had “stood up” for the captain because he did not wish to be the first one to find fault.
In the meantime, Tom had gone below to execute the order Captain Rich had given him. He found pens and paper in the captain’s desk; and, after writing down the names of all the boys on board, he divided them into two watches, being careful to have in each watch an equal number of boys who had “been to sea.” His own name, with that of Johnny Harding, Tom put down with the port watch, and those of Rich and Miller with the starboard watch. Then, after showing the “watch bill” to the captain, who expressed himself satisfied with what had been done, he went on deck to read it to the crew. He lighted the lamp in the binnacle, and, calling the boys around him, read their names, after which he ordered the starboard watch to remain on deck, and the port to “go below and turn in until six o’clock in the morning.” Captain Rich came on deck a few moments afterward, a boy belonging to the starboard watch was sent to the wheel, and Tom and Johnny went below. They found the cabin crowded with boys in their watch. Every one of the bunks was filled with as many of the deserters as could get into it, and the others were stretched out on the floor of the cabin, with their uniform coats under their heads to serve as pillows. Tom was not very well pleased with this state of affairs, for he thought that, being the second in authority on board the vessel, he ought to be allowed a bunk to himself.
“O, now, see here, fellows,” whined the first mate, “where am I to sleep?”
“Look around and hunt up a place,” replied a voice from one of the bunks. “There’s plenty of room.”
“O, I can’t see any!” replied Tom. “I am the first mate of this vessel, and I want one of those bunks.”
“Rather a rough chance there, Newcombe,” said one of the boys on the floor.
Tom began to think so too. The discipline of the ship had not yet been established, and none of the crew seemed disposed to treat the first mate with the respect his high position demanded, for not one of them made him the offer of a bunk.
His only chance was to find a sleeping place on the floor, for he knew that an attempt, on his part, to compel any of the crew to give up one of the beds would be met with stubborn resistance. While Tom, after divesting himself of his coat, was trying to find a place to lie down, the third mate was causing a good deal of grumbling among the boys on the floor, by moving about and searching every nook and corner of the cabin. He was not satisfied with the course the captain had given out, and he wanted to find a chart of the coast. He knew that the island of Nantucket was “exactly south” of some parts of Massachusetts, but he did not believe that it lay in that direction from Buzzard’s Bay. He was as well posted in geography as any boy on board. He knew a great deal more about it than captain Rich, but he had never claimed to be a navigator. He was seaman enough to handle the sloop in all kinds of weather, but he could not take her where the crew might decide to go, and, more than that, he did not believe that the skipper was any better off in this respect than he was. By following the captain’s course, he believed that they would leave Nantucket away to the eastward, and it was to satisfy himself on this point that he wanted a chart. But, if there was one on board, he could not find it; and, finally becoming weary of the search, the third mate lay down among his companions, and slept as soundly as he would have done had he entertained no fears of the captain’s ability to take the sloop to her destination. The runaways all slept soundly until six o’clock, when they were aroused by the second mate. Some of them yielded prompt obedience to the call, while others refused to move until Miller descended the ladder and shook them roughly by the shoulder. Tom and Johnny were the first ones on deck. They found that the Swallow had left Newport far behind them, and was bounding along through Buzzard’s Bay before a fine breeze. The headlands at the entrance of the harbor were in plain view, and beyond them, was the ocean—its water flashing and sparkling in the sunlight like diamonds.
“What’s the course, captain?” asked Tom, who was now to take charge of the deck.
“I don’t know,” replied Rich. “I haven’t looked at the compass for two hours. I don’t need a course as long as the land is in sight. I know that we are in Buzzard’s Bay, and that if this breeze holds out, we will be in deep water in an hour. When you pass that cape,” he continued, pointing to the nearest headland, “hold her exactly south.”
“All the starboard watch below!” shouted Miller.
The boys belonging to this watch made a rush for the cabin, and the second mate was on the point of following them, when Tom inquired:
“How about breakfast, Miller? I’m hungry.”
“Well, then, go into the hold and help yourself,” was the answer. “That’s the way we did. We couldn’t find any one in our watch willing to act as cook, so we made our breakfast on crackers, codfish, and cheese; and, fellows,” continued the second mate, “do you know that we forgot to take on a supply of water?”
“Is there none on board?” asked Johnny.
“Only about half a barrel, and that won’t last eighteen thirsty fellows long. The captain says we’ll take on a supply when we reach Nantucket.”
“Have you seen any thing more of the Philistines?” inquired Tom.
“No. They probably think we are concealed among the islands in Newport Bay; and, as soon as they discover their mistake, they’ll be after us again.”
Miller then went down into the cabin, and Tom followed the third mate to the hold. One of the barrels of crackers had been broken open, and, judging by the quantity that was gone out of it, the boys in the starboard watch must have been very hungry. Johnny had not calculated on such ravenous appetites when he made his estimate of the provisions that would be required for the voyage, and it was evident to him that the supply would soon be exhausted.
The port watch grumbled a good deal over their breakfast, for they were not accustomed to such plain fare. The codfish made them thirsty, and the water was hardly fit to drink. But, nevertheless, they made a hearty meal, and returned to the deck in the best of spirits, unanimously voting the expedition a decided success, and declaring that it was much pleasanter than remaining at the academy under arrest, even though they had nothing but codfish and crackers to eat.
It was no wonder that the boys felt cheerful. It was a beautiful morning; there was breeze enough stirring to send the Swallow along at a lively pace, the motion was exhilarating, and even the “landlubbers” forgot their fears, and really enjoyed the sail. Tom, especially, was in his element. He walked up and down the deck, with his hands in his pockets, now and then looking up at the sails, to see that the boy at the wheel kept them full; and, more to show his authority than any thing else, he finally set two of the watch at work cleaning lamps, others he sent into the hold to sweep up the crumbs that had been scattered about, and the rest he ordered to wash down the deck. Some of the boys grumbled at this but the majority, including Johnny Harding, lent prompt and willing obedience to all his commands; and, in a short time, the sloop’s deck presented a scene of neatness and order that would have surprised her lawful captain, could he have seen her at that moment. Of course, such a state of affairs had its effect upon Tom. Every thing was going on smoothly, and gradually his old idea, of one day becoming a trader, took possession of his mind, and, just then, the first mate thought it was the “very business he had always wanted to go into.” He never had cared a cent about becoming a farmer, or a general in the regular army, for he had always known that he was “cut out” for a trader; and he resolved that, as soon as the cruise was ended, and he could get out of the military academy, he would go to work at something, and earn money enough to buy a sloop like the Swallow.
After the crew had performed the work assigned them, they assembled on deck; and now, for the first time, some of them began to believe that the voyage, if it should be a long one, would prove to be rather tiresome. They were too far from shore to see what was going on there, and, although some of them were, for a time, interested in the novelty of their situation, they soon grew tired of having nothing to do, and, stretching themselves out on deck, they prepared to make up for the sleep they had lost the night before, leaving their two officers and the boy at the wheel to take care of the vessel. During Tom’s watch, nothing occurred to relieve the monotony of the voyage. About ten o’clock, the Swallow passed the headlands at the entrance of Buzzard’s Bay, and the first mate, in obedience to the captain’s command, ordered the boy at the wheel to “hold her exactly south.” At noon, the port watch made another meal on codfish and crackers, after which the captain and second mate were called up to take charge of the deck. At one o’clock, they passed the Elizabeth Islands, and then Johnny, who had remained on deck, thought it high time to speak.
“Captain,” said he, “how long do you intend to hold this course?”
“Until we reach Nantucket!” answered Rich, in a tone of voice which implied that he thought his third mate very inquisitive.
“Well, if that is the case,” continued Johnny, “you had better put the crew on half-rations. The voyage will be a long one, and our provisions won’t hold out.”
“I’d like to know what’s the reason!” exclaimed Captain Rich, angrily. “Now, Harding, if you know so much about navigation, perhaps you will be kind enough to tell me where we will bring up.”
“According to my way of thinking,” replied Johnny, his good nature not in the least ruffled by the other’s sneering tones, “if you hold this course long enough, you will find yourself somewhere in the West Indies; and, after you lose sight of that shore there,” pointing to one of the islands they had just passed, “you won’t see land again until you get there, either.”
“That’s just all you know about it. But you needn’t talk to me, for, as long as I am master of this vessel, I intend to do as I please.”
“All right,” replied the third mate, as he turned to go below; “if the others can stand it, I know I can.”
This conversation had been carried on in a low tone, and none of the crew had overheard it. No doubt this was fortunate for Rich, for, had any of the deserters been aware that they were sailing as straight out to sea as they could go, the captain might have discovered that he could not “do as he pleased,” even though he was the commander of the vessel. During the whole of that afternoon, Rich kept a sharp lookout for the shores of Nantucket, but the only land to be seen was the island they had passed soon after dinner, and which was gradually sinking below the horizon, as the sloop left it farther and farther behind. When the port watch was called that night, the island was shut out from their view by a dense fog, and a hasty glance at the binnacle showed the third mate that the captain had not changed his course.
“Now, see here, fellows!” exclaimed one of the watch, “where’s the land?”
“There’s the captain,” answered Johnny. “Ask him.”
“Land isn’t far off,” said Rich, who had overheard the question. “We’ll reach it long before daylight.”
If the captain expected that this assurance would silence the fears of his crew, if they had any, he was mistaken; for, no sooner had he disappeared below, than the port watch gathered in a group on the forecastle, where they held a consultation. Johnny saw what was going on, but he kept aloof from them, determined to carry out the resolution he had made at the beginning of the voyage, that he would not be the first one to complain. Tom, as usual, paced the deck in deep mental abstraction, and he did not notice what was taking place on the forecastle. Contrary to the third mate’s expectations, however, no demonstration was made, for, after a few moment’s whispering among themselves, the watch, with the exception of two lookouts, stretched themselves on deck. Johnny, and the rest of the watch, turned in at midnight, and, when they came on deck again in the morning, there was no land in sight—nothing but the clear blue sky above them, and the ocean beneath. The third mate looked at the captain as if to say, “What do you think of it now?” But Rich, although he well knew what was passing in Johnny’s mind, walked down into the cabin without making any reply. He could not help seeing that he had made a mistake in his calculations, but he was determined that he would not acknowledge it, for that would be equivalent to confessing that he did not understand his business. After kicking off his boots, and divesting himself of his coat, Captain Rich lay down on the floor, for, as usual, the bunks were all occupied by the “foremast hands,” and, in a few moments, was fast asleep. He slept soundly for two hours, in spite of an animated discussion that was carried on over his head, and then he was awakened by one of the port watch, who informed him that he was wanted on deck.
“Is it twelve o’clock already?” he drowsily asked.
“No, but we want to see you on deck at once!”
Rich easily divined, by the boy’s excited manner, that something unusual was going on. Rising from the floor, he picked up his coat and boots, and slowly ascended to the deck.