Dikes and Ditches; Or, Young America in Holland and Belgium - A Story of Travel and Adventure. Oliver 1822-1897 Optic
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