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diff --git a/old/65650-0.txt b/old/65650-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 0257b33..0000000 --- a/old/65650-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,5900 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook, Boy Scouts at Sea, by Arthur Astor Carey, -Illustrated by Harold James Cue - - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of -the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - - - - -Title: Boy Scouts at Sea - Or, A Chronicle of the B. S. S. Bright Wing - - -Author: Arthur Astor Carey - - - -Release Date: June 20, 2021 [eBook #65650] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - - -***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BOY SCOUTS AT SEA*** - - -E-text prepared by Demian Katz, Craig Kirkwood, and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team (http://www.pgdp.net) from page images generously made -available by Villanova University Digital Library -(https://digital.library.villanova.edu/) - - - -Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this - file which includes the original illustrations. - See 65650-h.htm or 65650-h.zip: - (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/65650/65650-h/65650-h.htm) - or - (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/65650/65650-h.zip) - - - Images of the original pages are available through - Villanova University Digital Library. See - https://digital.library.villanova.edu/Item/vudl:404832 - - -Transcriber’s note: - - Text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_). - - The whole number part of a mixed fraction is separated from - the fractional part with -, for example, 2-1/2. - - An additional transcriber’s note is at the end. - - - - - -BOY SCOUTS AT SEA - - -[Illustration: Without thinking of the side-ladder, he dove off the -rail. FRONTISPIECE. _See page 205._] - - -BOY SCOUTS AT SEA - -Or A Chronicle of the B. S. S. _Bright Wing_ - -by - -ARTHUR A. CAREY - -With Illustrations by Harold James Cue - - -[Illustration] - - - - - - -Boston -Little, Brown, and Company -1918 - -Copyright, 1918, by Little, Brown, and Company. - -All rights reserved - -Published, September, 1918 - -The University Press, Cambridge, U. S. A. - - - -TO MY SHIPMATES ON THE BOY SCOUT SHIP _PIONEER_ - - - - -PREFACE - - -This is not a boys’ “book of adventure” but an imaginary chronicle -based upon the setting of an actual cruise. It is believed that there -are Sea Scouts who will recognize familiar surroundings and will recall -the ideas which are associated with them; and it is hoped that Land -Scouts will feel, on the _Bright Wing_, the same spirit that they -associate with the inspiration of the camp fire. - - A. A. C. - - - - -CONTENTS - - - CHAPTER PAGE - - I “AFTER YOU, PILOT” 1 - - II GETTING READY 16 - - III JACK--CHIEF BOATSWAIN’S MATE 28 - - IV ALL HANDS ABOARD! 40 - - V THE FIRST FORENOON AT ANCHOR 56 - - VI SPORTS BY LAND AND WATER 67 - - VII UNDER WAY FOR MARBLEHEAD 81 - - VIII THE SALEM FIRE 92 - - IX SCOUTS TO THE RESCUE 103 - - X IN MARBLEHEAD HARBOR 113 - - XI DICK’S CONFESSION 126 - - XII ANOTHER MEETING OF THE CLUB 140 - - XIII A GREEN HAND 148 - - XIV THE KEY OF THE KEELSON 158 - - XV SEASICKNESS 168 - - XVI THE COMMANDANT’S INSPECTION 185 - - XVII STORM-BOUND AT PROVINCETOWN 194 - - XVIII A CLEARING SKY AND A FRESH START 208 - - XIX A RESCUE 222 - - XX VINEYARD HAVEN 237 - - XXI DISRATING AND PROMOTION 249 - - XXII FRIENDLY THINGS AND A NEW POINT OF VIEW 259 - - XXIII THE FOUR SQUARE CLUB 271 - - XXIV A GUEST OF THE CLUB 282 - - - - -LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS - - - Without thinking of the side-ladder, he dove off the - rail _Frontispiece_ - - PAGE - - He wet his thumb and held it up in the air to judge - which way the wind was blowing 52 - - Dick dove forward on the ground to touch the base 70 - - She seemed to be measuring the distance to a really - secure footing on Dick’s shoulder 109 - - * * * * * - -BOY SCOUTS AT SEA - - - - -CHAPTER I “AFTER YOU, PILOT” - - -“Say, George, won’t you come down to the island this afternoon and spin -us a yarn? You know we’re going to Boston to-morrow to ship on board -the _Bright Wing_, and we want to talk things over; perhaps you could -give us some extra points.” - -The speaker was Dick Gray, who had been an apprentice Sea Scout ever -since the previous autumn, and was now about to take his first summer -cruise on the Boy Scout ship with his two companions, Tom Sheffield and -Chippie Smith. He was talking to his brother George, a midshipman just -home from Annapolis for his vacation, and he naturally looked up to -him as an authority in nautical matters. Besides, George had recently -returned from a long trans-Atlantic cruise, and he had only just heard -of Dick’s interest in the Sea Scouts. Much had happened since George’s -last visit home, and Dick was eager to tell him all about it and to win -his sympathy and approval. - -The headquarters of the three boys was a little shack on Duck Island, -which formed part of the home farm, where, for a couple of years past, -they had kept their pets and hatched all the plans for their various -adventures. - -George was a good deal older than Dick, and had recently--within the -last few days--heard a story which had impressed him so deeply that his -idea of all his duties as an officer had been changed and heightened. -When, therefore, Dick asked him to come down to the island and to spin -a yarn to the boys, this story immediately jumped into his mind and he -wondered whether he could tell it in such a way as to create in them -the same feeling that it had aroused in him. - -“I wish I knew more about your Boy Scout business, Dick. Can’t you tell -me something about it?” he asked. - -“Well, now,” answered Dick, “to pass for apprentice we have to know -more knots than the Land Scouts do to pass for tenderfoot, and to swim -twenty-five yards farther.” - -“That isn’t exactly what I’m after,” replied George. “I understand -that the Land Scouts learn more woodcraft and such things than the Sea -Scouts, and that the Sea Scouts are supposed to be more at home in the -water. What I would like to know is what the _Boy Scouts_ are? I met -some one the other day who explained to me that there were two branches -of the service--corresponding to the Army and the Navy--but he did not -tell me exactly what the service itself was. Now, in the Navy, it’s our -duty to defend the country by sea, and all our education is intended to -make us efficient in seamanship and the art of war. The object of the -whole thing is just the same in the Navy as in the Army, except that -the one fights by sea and the other by land. It’s the protection and -service of our country in either case, and both branches take the oath -of allegiance.” - -“That’s it!” said Dick eagerly. “We have an oath, too, and it’s the -same oath for the Sea Scouts as it is for the Land Scouts. I guess it’s -the same for Boy Scouts all over the world; although, of course, they -use different words and speak in different languages.” - -George asked his brother to repeat the oath, and then he remarked: - -“I’m glad to know that oath, Dick. It has helped me to understand more -about the whole thing.” - -“I’ll get you the manual,” said Dick, “and you can look that over and -see for yourself what the law is.” - -“The law? Oh, I suppose that’s a sort of Regulations. Run and get me -the book and I’ll come down and spin you a yarn before supper time. -When do you expect the other boys?” - -“At four o’clock.” - -Dick ran off delighted, and hastened over to the island to put -everything straight for the meeting in the afternoon. Then he came back -to the house and telephoned to Tom Sheffield in the town, for fear he -might possibly make a mistake in the time or forget to come, and asked -him not to forget to bring Chippie with him either. - -They arrived on time, sure enough; and George and Dick were already on -the island to receive them. After they had squatted down on the floor -of the shack, George lost no time in beginning. - -“Before I begin my yarn, fellows, I want to say that I have had a good -talk with Dick about the Boy Scouts, and I have also been reading -carefully the scout oath and law, and other things given in the manual. -I understand more about it than I did before, especially about the -first point of your oath, which is: ‘To serve God and my country, -and to obey the Scout Law.’ In the Navy, we have to take an oath of -allegiance, too, but are supposed to serve our country principally -through fighting, while you are trained to serve your country in all -sorts of different ways. In the Navy and the Army we have to fight -with shot and shell and cold steel; but this is not the only kind of -fighting a fellow may have to do in order to serve his country. He has -got to fight the _evil in himself_ in order to be trustworthy, helpful, -brave, and all the other things that your scout law requires. These -things that you have to learn are the very foundations of service; -and, if you should engage in military work later on, your training in -these things will make you far better soldiers or sailors than you -otherwise would be. I can only say that I wish I had had such training -before I went to Annapolis. The fact is, every man has to know how to -fight, whether he is a soldier, or a sailor, or a civilian; and, unless -you know how to fight against meanness, and falsehood, and cowardice -beforehand, you won’t make so good a military man or so good a citizen -when the time comes.” - -“How about your story, George?” remarked Dick. - -“All right,” replied George. “Here goes: I was staying with my chum, -John Stimson, over the week-end a while ago, and, as we were going in -to dinner with his father, Admiral Stimson, I stepped back at the door -to let the old gentleman pass, but he held out his hand and signed for -me to go first--I suppose because he was my host. As he did so, he said -with a smile, ‘After you, pilot!’ Of course I walked in ahead of him, -in obedience to his order, but I couldn’t make out what he meant by -‘pilot’, and the conversation was such that I could not butt in with a -question about it. After dinner I got hold of John, who explained to -me that it was a custom in the Navy, commemorating the act of Captain -Craven of the U. S. S. _Tecumseh_ at the battle of Mobile Bay. - -“John said his father was never tired of telling the story, and was -sure that he would be glad to tell it to me then and there. He asked -me to wait a minute while he went to his father’s study to find out, -and returned in a few minutes with this message: ‘By all means,--come -in right away.’ - -“Well, boys, I wish I could tell it to you the way the old Admiral -told it to John and me. But, as I can’t do that, I’ll just give you -the facts: The Confederate fleet were up in the bay, protected below -by strong coast fortifications on either side. The _Tecumseh_ was the -first ship in the line of Union vessels which were fighting their way -up into the bay against the bombardment of the forts. Captain Craven -was up in the turret with the pilot, who was pointing out the channel -through the mine fields which had been carefully prepared by the enemy. -But a mistake was made in the ship’s course which brought her into -contact with a mine, striking her so that she went on her beam ends. - -“You understand what this means?” said George, after a little pause, -and he held up his two hands to indicate the angle to which the deck -of the vessel would rise under the circumstances. - -“Then she settled down with a kind of shivering motion and began to -sink as the sea flowed in through the gash in her side. - -“The inside of the turret was a small place and the two men shut -up there were in close quarters. The only way out was the way they -had come in, through an opening in the turret deck, like one of the -manholes you see leading underground from the surface of the street. -There was a little ladder in this manhole, and only room enough for -one man to pass at a time. As the vessel settled and sank, it was -inevitable that the water should rise in the manhole and ultimately -fill the turret. There was no time to lose if either one was to make -his escape from the death trap. It must have seemed a long wait to the -two men as they stood facing one another and taking in their situation. -But it probably wasn’t as long as it seemed before Captain Craven -pointed to the manhole with the words that Admiral Stimson had quoted -to me: - -“‘After you, pilot.’ - -“You see, boys, Captain Craven had a law similar to your scout law; -and, according to that, the captain of a sinking ship cannot think of -saving himself until everyone else on board has been rescued. He obeyed -this law of his calling without hesitation; and, when the pilot had -made his escape down the manhole and been picked up and rescued, the -water rose and filled the turret, and the captain went down with his -ship. The whole thing could not have lasted more than a few minutes, -although it must have seemed much longer; and, in that time, Captain -Craven had maintained his honor and that of his country at the expense -of his own life, while at the same time saving the life of another -human being.” - -George had realized the scene with so much vividness as he told the -story, that all the three boys present felt as if they, too, had -witnessed Captain Craven’s act of heroism. Dick felt, somehow, as if -the opening of the manhole were right before them in the middle of the -floor of the shack, and all three of them shared in his feeling. There -was a long pause during which they visualized that scene in the turret -of the _Tecumseh_. - -George finally broke the silence: - -“When the Admiral had finished, I sat back in my chair in a quiet kind -of way, and after a while, the old gentleman spoke. - -“‘You see, Gray,’ said he, ‘Craven only did his duty; but what enabled -him to do his duty at that moment so nobly was the fact that he had -done it hundreds of times before--again, and again, and again--in the -ordinary affairs of his life and work. If he had been in the habit of -shirking his studies, or of being mean to other fellows, or of yielding -to fear in his ordinary life from day to day, he would have formed -habits which would have made it difficult or impossible for him to be -generous and manly when the supreme test came.’ - -“I couldn’t say very much,” continued George, “except to thank the old -gentleman,--but I thought to myself, ‘You’re just such another one as -Craven; and, if you were to ask me to cut off my finger, or my hand, -I’ll be hanged if I wouldn’t do it.’ - -“Well, after that,” George went on, “I began to think about the -Academy, and I seemed to see a thousand things that I might have done -differently and better; and it seemed to me that I could hardly wait -until vacation was over to get back to my work. Maybe, when you come -back from your cruise, Dick will write me a letter and say how you got -on, but I advise you to do the same thing that I’m going to do,--to -think of that story every day and to put more push into doing the -things that my oath requires. - -“I suppose you fellows are going to have your meeting now, and I’ll go -up to the house and unpack my trunk; I’ll see you again at supper.” - -There was another pause after George had left the three boys, until -finally Chippie remarked: - -“I never thought of that before, fellows; but, when you do act in one -way right straight along, you learn to do it better all the time. You -remember a year ago I couldn’t knock up a ball decently; but I worked -at it quite a lot, and the more I did it, the easier it came.” - -“That’s so,” remarked Tom, “and you can knock up about as well as I -can, now; but it seems kind of different with games and sports from -what it does with other things that aren’t so much fun.” - -“You bet it is,” chimed in Dick; “my mother gave me a letter to mail -last week, and I found it in the pocket of my jacket three days -after--a scout is trustworthy, eh? I tell you what it is,” continued -Dick, “you know we have called ourselves a club and nobody knows it but -ourselves, and we’ve been stickin’ up for each other at school and in -the town when other fellows have tried to pitch into us, and that’s all -right. But it seems to me that we could do more than that, and I’ll -ask you two fellows to give me a dig in the ribs,--or if that doesn’t -work--a punch in the nose, when you see me going to do a mean thing. I -want to keep the scout law and my oath as much as I want anything, and -I don’t see why you shouldn’t help me do that as well as to stick up -for me when some other cove calls me names behind my back!” - -Chippie and Tom looked at each other for a moment, and finally -exclaimed together: - -“Gee!” - -“Then,” answered Tom, “why shouldn’t we all do the same thing? You know -how hard it is to do things on time; and there’s no ‘being trustworthy’ -unless you do. So Chippie, you and Dick just kick me out of bed when -it’s time to get up, and I’ll be much obliged to you. Dad says I’m -lazy, and I know he’s right, but I’ve got to learn to keep this scout -law--or bust!” - -All three assented cordially to the idea that they should join forces -as brothers-in-arms against everything that stood in the way of their -scout duty. - -“I say,” cried Chippie, “this is what I call a club! And, see here, -there are just three of us. Why not call it The Triangle Club?” - -“And I vote,” said Tom, “we make this our motto: - - “After you, Pilot!” - - - - -CHAPTER II GETTING READY - - -Two weeks before the founding of the Triangle Club, referred to in -the last chapter, Ship’s Company Number 1, of the Sea Scouting Branch -of Northbridge Boy Scouts, were holding their last meeting in their -regular assembly room before the beginning of the summer cruises. - -The B. S. S. _Bright Wing_ was to sail from the Boston Navy Yard in -just two weeks, and some of the younger boys were already beginning to -feel that they must get their sea legs on so as to “be prepared.” - -Dick Gray showed keen interest and great enthusiasm for this new -venture in scouting; and because he was a good swimmer and loved -the water, he hoped to prevail upon his father to apply for a berth -on the _Bright Wing_ during her first cruise of the season. He was a -painstaking boy, and had always been useful about the house since he -was “knee-high to a grasshopper.” His mother, though not an invalid, -was very far from being robust; and, as Mr. Gray could not afford -many servants, her household duties might often have been too much -for her if Dick had not been there to take hold and lend a hand. -Though not tall for his age, he was strongly built, and, if it had not -been for occasional dark and gloomy moods, he would have been almost -indispensable both in the house and on the farm. Naturally, every one -was glad when they heard that there was a chance for Dick to go on a -real cruise, for they knew that the boy’s personal interests--however -willing he always was to keep them in the background--all lay in the -direction of seafaring. - -“I do hope,” said old Robert, the farm hand, to Mr. Gray, “that boy -will get his chance at the sea, this year! He does deserve it, if ever -a boy did.” - -“Yes,” replied Mr. Gray, much pleased with Robert’s approval of his -son, “I think it will do him good. He’s a good home-body, we know, but -we don’t know how he’ll turn out as a sailor among a lot of other boys; -I can’t be sure how he’ll behave away from home when one of his ‘moods’ -comes over him.” - -While Mr. Gray liked Dick’s enthusiasm, he felt that he ought to find -out as much as possible about the conditions of the life on board -before making a decision, and that is what had brought him this evening -to one of the regular Sea Scout meetings, to learn for himself, as much -as he could, what the idea and the spirit of the undertaking really -were. After he had been greeted by the scout master in charge--Mr. -Howard Miller--while the boys all stood at attention--one of the older -scouts, Jack Perkins, was detailed to stand by and give him all the -information he possibly could. - -Jack had been a boatswain’s mate for two summers running, and there -was nothing he enjoyed more than explaining the details of the work to -a new acquaintance; so he placed two chairs for himself and Mr. Gray -on the low platform at the rear of the hall, where they could command -a full view of all the proceedings, and then began talking to him in a -low voice: - -“You see, sir, the room here is arranged so as to be as much like the -deck of a ship as possible. This broad platform that we are sitting -on, with the colors hoisted in the center, is the ‘quarter-deck’ where -only senior officers are allowed, with the exception of Sea Scouts on -watch and of any seaman whose duty brings him here. That door over -there, by which we came in, stands for the vessel’s bow, because it is -just opposite the quarter-deck; but this is only so in a general way to -indicate the direction of bow and stern, or ‘fore and aft,’ because it -is also used as the gangway by which every one passes over the ship’s -side either to come aboard or leave the vessel.” - -“I understand,” said Mr. Gray. “I must confess that I did not know that -I was stepping over a ship’s side when I passed through the door a few -minutes ago!” - -“Why!” exclaimed Jack, “didn’t you hear the boatswain’s call as you -entered the room, sir?” - -“Sure enough, sure enough,” said Mr. Gray. “I heard a whistle with a -peculiar musical trill, but I did not know what it meant.” - -“Well, sir,” said Jack, with a certain quiet dignity, “that is the -salute that is always given to visiting officers when they come on -board.” - -Mr. Gray’s face lit up with a smile of intelligence. “Well, to tell the -truth, I did feel something pleasant; and, now that I think of it, you -boys were standing at attention at that very time when Mr. Miller came -up and shook hands with me.” - -“That’s right, sir,” said Jack. “We older Sea Scouts like these little -bits of ceremony, especially because it’s just what happens when we -are aboard the old _Bright Wing_, and brings back the taste of the salt -water and the feel of the breeze on your face.” - -“I see--I think I understand,” said the older man with a pleasant -smile, and looking down the room, his smile broadened as he took in the -bright and cheerful scene before him. - -The Sea Scouts were all in their white jumpers and hats, for the idea -of a ship’s deck of course included that of “out of doors”, and hats -were only removed when something happened, like the arrival of a mother -or sister. - -The boys were grouped according to their sections (corresponding to -patrols), in four little knots, each surrounding a table at which one -of the boatswain’s mates, the scout master, or some other instructor, -was presiding. They were sitting around their little tables like Land -Scouts around a camp fire, listening and talking in low tones, so as -not to interfere with what was going on in the other groups. One set -of boys was tying knots and splicing bits of rope with a marlinspike -made by themselves out of good hard wood. Dick had done so well with -his knots that he had been put in charge of this group in the absence -of the regular instructor. At another table a chart was spread out, -and the parallel rules and dividers were traveling back and forth over -the ocean amid contented murmurs and eager questions from the boys. -In another corner the boatswain’s mate was putting his men through an -informal examination in signalling. The whole scene, while very varied -and animated, had the delightful atmosphere of combined activity and -contentment. - -Mr. Gray felt that every boy there was having a good time, and could -not help catching the contagion of contented work. He made some further -inquiries of Jack, and learned that each section rarely was kept on one -subject more than twenty minutes or half an hour at a time, and that -the instructors went from one group to another. - -“You see, sir,” said Jack, “this is not intended to be like school, -and we don’t want to keep a scout working at one thing until he gets -tired of it. It is something like feeding your dog! He should have an -appetite for more at the end of every meal.” - -Mr. Gray sat musing quietly for a few minutes while his mind wandered -back to his own boyhood. “I wonder,” thought he, “that there was -nothing of this sort in existence when I was a boy!” Presently he -turned to his companion with the question, “What is that green light in -the right-hand corner and the red one on the opposite side?” - -“Those are the starboard and port side-lights, sir, that are always -run up at sunset when under way, and it is good for the new fellows to -get used to their right position before they go to sea. I think you -remember things by pictures in your mind better than you do by words. -You see, sir, the boys have to light and lash these lamps in their -proper places before every meeting; and then, when ‘Colors’ are over -and the boatswain blows ‘stow away all gear’, the lamps and all other -things have to be taken down and properly stowed away. That’s another -thing, sir, I learnt from sea scouting that no one could ever pound -into me on land. Before I went to sea I was the most disorderly lubber -you ever set your eyes on; but on a ship there’s just so much space -allowed to every man, and so every one is obliged to have a place for -everything and everything in its place. Some fellows laugh at me now, -but it makes me feel funny if I don’t find my shoe brush hanging on its -own hook. If the fellows did not feel that way aboard ship, the whole -place would be a mess and a litter in no time, and none of the gear -would be in its place when needed; it would certainly cause delay and -confusion, and might sometimes even be dangerous. - -“These two groups on the right-hand side of the hall, where the green -light is placed, are the two first sections of each division; and -the other two, on the left-hand side as we face the door, are the -two second sections of each division, on the same side as the red -side-light. Of course, you understand, sir, that these are the four -sections of a ship’s company as they stand on the deck of the _Bright -Wing_,--each one being also the regular crew of one of the cutters or -of the launch.” - -Mr. Gray nodded assent, and then said with a laugh, “You mustn’t tell -me anything more to-night, my boy, for I have taken in enough for one -evening. You have given me a great deal to think about, and I am happy -to believe that Dick--” - -Just then the bugle rang through the hall, and, after a few sharp words -of command from the scout master, the boys fell into formation for -“trooping the colors.” Each section was represented by its color bearer -and color guards, while the rest of the ship’s company were drawn up -on either side fore and aft. At the word of command the section colors -were marched up to the quarter-deck, two on each side of the national -ensign, facing one another. Then the whole company present faced about -towards the Stars and Stripes while the bugler sounded “Evening -Colors.” At the final salute the section colors were smartly dipped, -while every man’s hand was raised to his hat, and the color bearers -marched down again to their places in formation. - -All hands were then dismissed, and the formal activities came to a -close. Only one thing remained to be done, and that was the stowing -away of all gear. Mr. Miller stood with watch in hand while the -boatswain piped the order, and Mr. Gray noticed Dick rushing across the -hall to stow away the ship’s bell, while other boys were carrying the -side-lights, the bill-boards, and all the other articles for which they -were responsible. Presently Mr. Miller’s voice rang out: “One minute -and fifty-two seconds! Record time!” - -Just then Dick came running up to his father. “Well, Father, what do -you say about the _Bright Wing_--don’t you think this is just about -right?” - -Mr. Gray assented smilingly and said: “I tell you what, Dick, if you -will get this young man here to give you a little coaching before you -go aboard,--well, I have nothing more to say.” - -For about a second Dick seemed struck dumb with pleasure, while his -eyes sparkled. - -“Sure!” cried he, “won’t you, Jack? Say, when can I come around and see -you? and may I bring Tom Sheffield and Chippie Smith along, too?” - -Jack thought for a minute and then turned to Mr. Gray. “I will be glad -to help them all I can, sir. Dick, you come around with the other -fellows to-morrow after supper.” - -“Gee!” Dick seemed to grow two inches taller in the next minute, and -then rushed off to find Chippie and Tom. - - - - -CHAPTER III JACK--CHIEF BOATSWAIN’S MATE - - -The next evening Jack cleared the table for his mother after supper and -got the dining room all snug and shipshape. His own room was very small -and at the top of the house; and, as his mother had offered to bring -in some refreshments for the boys later in the evening, Jack asked -permission to hold his meeting in the dining room. - -His father had gone out to his Lodge, and Mrs. Perkins was very much -interested in Jack’s interview with the younger boys. Her father -had been a sea captain, and there was a picture of one of his ships -hanging over the mantelpiece in this very room. Some beautiful large -shells which he had brought home from one of his voyages stood over -the fireplace, under the picture of his vessel, the _Sally Smart_--an -old-fashioned clipper ship--famous in her time for her speed and style. -The whole room had a somewhat nautical flavor; and in one corner was a -low long lounge with a broad shelf partially overhanging it, which gave -the general appearance of a ship’s bunk. - -When Jack had won the cup for the broad jump, representing the -Northbridge High School, Mrs. Perkins, in her motherly pride, had put -the pewter cup alongside of her father’s shells on the mantelpiece. - -It was a warm, spring evening. The scent of the lilacs was wafted in -through the open door, and Jack could hear the boys’ footsteps as they -came through the dooryard up to the porch. He met them at the door and -led them into the dining room. - -“You come right in here, kiddies, and make yourselves at home. You -might as well get into the bunk there in the corner, all of you, and be -as comfortable as you can before I begin with you, for I hope to get -you good and tired by the time I get through!” - -The small chaps could not help feeling at ease under the influence -of Jack’s cordiality. He was really glad to see them, and they knew -it, and so they took him at his word, and all three--Dick, Tom, and -Chippie--snuggled into the bunk together, half sprawling and half -sitting, like a litter of young pups. - -“Fire away now,” cried Dick, “we don’t care whether school keeps or -not; and, whatever you’ve got to say, I guess we can stand it!” - -“Well,” replied Jack, “joking apart, I’m feeling pretty well this -evening myself, for I have just had news from Mr. Miller that I am -appointed Chief Boatswain’s Mate of the _Bright Wing_ for the first -cruise. Now, you lazy lubbers, take notice that the Chief Boatswain’s -Mate is the father of the crew, and you’ve got to mind what I tell -you, or you will have to stand on the seam, or walk the plank, or do -anything else that Dad says.” - -All this was said so good-naturedly that even Chippie, the youngest, -was encouraged to answer back; so he called up with his small voice out -of the recesses of the bunk: - -“Gee, boys, he talks as if he were the Captain and Mate and the Admiral -of the fleet all at once; but I guess he means well enough!” - -“Good luck to you, Boatswain’s Mate,” called out Tom, “it’s a good -thing to get some of your ideas ahead of time, and then we’ll know what -to expect.” - -“Say,” said Dick, “aren’t there any officers above you, or are you and -the crew the whole show?” - -Jack sat listening to these flying remarks with quiet satisfaction. “No -matter what _I am_,--you’ll find that out soon enough; but I’ve been -thinking myself that there is nothing like ‘being prepared’ when you -have a good job ahead of you. I shall have to see that you lubbers are -licked into shape the first or second day on board, and I might as well -begin now, and so have more time for the others later on!--See? - -“But, before we begin, I’d like to find out whether you know what -‘standing at attention’ means; for if you get that right from the -start, it will save you and your officers a lot of bother.” - -The boys began getting up out of the bunk; and, before they had all -stood up, Jack gave the command “Attention!” - -All three were on their feet in an instant, and then Jack formed them -in line and made his inspection. - -Dick, in his eagerness, was stiff and leaning over backwards; Tom stood -fairly erect with chest up, but his fists were clenched; and Chippie -stood with one foot about six inches ahead of the other. None of them -looked straight ahead with quiet eyes. - -Jack corrected all these mistakes very carefully, impressing upon each -one the necessity of practising by himself until he could stand with -heels together, chest up, back erect, little fingers on the side seam -of trousers, and eyes looking straight ahead, without thinking of the -details, but, as it were, automatically. Then he gave the command “At -Ease!” and explained that they could take any position they chose, -provided that one foot remained in the same place. - -“Now tumble into your bunk again, for we’ve lots more to talk about. -When you get home, look up the subject of ‘Etiquette’ in the pamphlet, -‘The Organization of Sea Scouts’, and there you can find out when you -are supposed to stand at attention, and how to salute, with a few -other necessary things.” Jack then drew himself up with an air of -great authority: “Ladies and Gentlemen, I will now proceed with my -instructions to this pirate crew. The subject will be divided into -three parts: The first, Officers and Petty Officers; second, the Plan -of the Deck; third, Etiquette and ‘A Sailors’ Cheer.’ - -“Number one: I have been asked whether there are officers higher in -rank than myself. It might have occurred to the intelligent inquirer -that--the--Captain--is--in--charge--of--the--vessel. All orders come -from or through him; but, just as on board a man-of-war, the Secretary -of the Navy would be higher in rank than the Captain;--so, on board a -Boy Scout ship, the Chairman of the Sea Scouting Committee outranks -the Captain. Under the Captain are the Mate and Sea Scout Master of -equal rank, the First Mate being the Captain’s assistant in sailing -the vessel, and the Sea Scout Master being in command of the crew of -boys. For the rest of the organization I refer my audience to the -same interesting pamphlet, ‘The Organization of Sea Scouts.’ My own -responsible office, upon which I will permit no reflections, is that of -the first of the four Boatswain’s Mates, or the Chief Boatswain’s Mate, -as I think I have before remarked. I am in command of the first section -of the first (or forward) division in particular, and of all four -sections in general. I am the chief Boy Officer; but, while occupying -this exalted position, I recognize the authority of my superiors and -the authority of the scout law. I am immediately responsible to -the Sea Scout Master and his assistants, but may also receive orders -from the Boatswain, the Mate, the Captain, and the Chairman of the -Committee. If I were to get a ‘swelled head’ and refuse to obey orders -(which is impossible, I trust), it would be the duty of the First -Mate to deal with me in the traditional manner of first mates on all -self-respecting vessels. - -[Illustration: Sketch of Deck Plan of the Boy Scout Ship “Bright Wing” - -1. Quarter-deck (aft of dotted line, in direction of arrows). - -2. Cabin Companionway. - -3. Crew’s Day Bunk. - -4. Side Ladders. - -5. Berth-deck Companionway. - -6. Forecastle Companionway. - -7. Jib Netting. - -8. Mainmast. - -9. Foremast. - -10. Windlass. - -a, b, c, d, regular positions of the four sections at quarters.] - -“Number two: I have drawn up a diagram of the ship’s deck, showing the -position of the quarter-deck (Number 1); the cabin companionway (Number -2); the crew’s day bunk (Number 3); the side ladders (Number 4); the -berth deck companionway (Number 5); the fo’castle companionway (Number -6); and the jib netting (Number 7); the latter being an airy place -suspended between sky and sea, where sleepy scouts off duty can take a -nap after dinner. - -“Gentlemen will please copy this diagram, so that, if necessary, they -will be able to reproduce it in their sleep and find their way about -the deck in the dark. There are many other things to learn about the -ship, both inside and out, but this is just to give you a start. I -shall be glad to answer any questions at the proper time.” - -A confused mixture of voices came out of the bunk. The boys had become -much interested in Jack’s lecture, and three pairs of eyes gazed out -upon him from the dim light, one pair peering from under a shock of red -hair belonging to Chippie Smith; one black pair that belonged to Dick; -and a blue pair that shone out of the freckled face of Tom’s cropped -towhead. - -“Say, who’s the chairman?” - -“What’s a companionway?” - -“What are the side ladders for?” etc., etc., etc., _etc._, and right in -the middle of the uproar, Jack rose and gave the command “_Attention!_” -All sprang from the bunk and stood facing the door from the kitchen -which had just swung open. Mrs. Perkins stood in the doorway with a -tray in her hands, upon which were a pitcher of lemonade and some hot -gingerbread, fresh from the oven. - -All the boys stood as quiet as mice until she had deposited the tray on -the table. When Jack had thanked his mother, he gave the command “At -Ease!” and she turned to the boys, almost with anxiety, to find out -whether Jack had made his talk pleasant and interesting. - -She had a sailor’s blood in her veins, and she knew that a ship’s -company must be a happy one if it was to do anybody any good. So she -seconded Jack’s efforts with the true sailor’s cheer and the boys felt -nothing but pleasure and enjoyment in connection with their little -taste of drill in nautical knowledge. They all sat down to their -supper, but Jack reminded the boys that he had not reached the third -point of his lecture, namely that of Etiquette, and then asked his -mother’s permission to round up the evening’s instruction, which he did -quite simply and without any more mock heroics. - -“Now the next thing I want to tell is about the quarter-deck. You -see, boys,” he said, “in ancient times every ship carried a crucifix -high up aft, and the National Ensign was flown just below it. These -two symbols represented together the idea of God and the King, and -therefore were saluted whenever a man passed over the side, either on -arriving aboard or leaving the ship, and whenever a man came up from -below on to the deck. We preserve the same custom now both in our Navy -and on Boy Scout ships; because, although the crucifix and the King -have disappeared, the ideas of God and our country always remain, and -the custom of saluting the quarter-deck--whether the flag is flying at -the time or not--is an expression of the first words of the scout oath: -‘_On my honor I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country._’” - -It was interesting to note the change in Jack’s manner as he solemnly -repeated these words. Any one could have seen that he regarded them as -very important and as expressing an idea to be held in reverence. The -younger boys listened attentively and, after a little pause, during -which his words seemed to be sinking into their minds, they thanked -Jack for giving them such a good send-off, and then thanked his mother -with real gratitude for her friendliness and the good little supper -which they had so much enjoyed. - -All hands parted in high spirits, full of expectation of the time when -they should actually tread the deck of the _Bright Wing_. - -As they were going home, Tom suddenly said: “Gee, I guess I’ll get up -an hour earlier to-morrow morning and work on that diagram!” - -“Say,” said Chippie, “he didn’t tell us the positions of the four -sections on the deck; I’d like to mark them on my drawing. I’ve half a -mind to go back and ask him now!” - -“Oh! come along,” said Dick, “it’s too late; my Dad says you mustn’t -drive a willing horse too far.” - -“All right, Dick!” - -And so they separated, each one to his own home and bed, to dream of -bunks, and quarter-decks, and companionways, all mixed up together. - - - - -CHAPTER IV ALL HANDS ABOARD! - - -On Tuesday, the twenty-third of June, the _Bright Wing_ lay in the -berth assigned to her at the Navy Yard, all prepared to set sail at -noon. There was a moderate breeze down the harbor, the tide was high at -eleven o’clock, and all she would need would be a tow out for a mile or -so to get out of the way of the shipping. - -Everything was shining on board. The ship carried a new suit of sails, -and her paint and bright work were all gleaming in the sunlight. At the -fore topmasthead the Boy Scout flag was rippling, and at the main truck -the long pennant was waving gracefully. The ensign did not catch the -wind so well, being under the lee of a big battleship docked close by. -Everything looked as if the _Bright Wing_ were chuckling to herself in -anticipation of her coming venture. - -The three Northbridge boys had come up by the early train, accompanied -by Mr. Sheffield and Tom’s sister Eleanor, and Chippie had immediately -gone below to hunt up his locker, where he was putting the contents -of his sea bag in order. The other two boys remained on the dock, -taking in the scene before them with pride and pleasure; Dick talked -with Mr. Sheffield about different points of special interest, while -Tom’s beaming face spoke more eloquently than words as he and Eleanor -listened to the conversation. - -“She’s like a duck in the sunshine!” said Dick. - -“Yes, right after her morning dip,” said Tom. - -Presently Mr. Sheffield and Eleanor bade the boys good-by and Tom and -Dick jumped on to the deck. - -Some of the other boys had come on board the night before and had -already put their lockers in order and got into their white uniforms. -Dick and Tom received their individual “station billets” upon which -they found all the information as to their bunks, lockers, divisions, -sections, and special duties in the different emergency drills, written -out clearly, so that they could set to work at once to find out where -they belonged, what was expected of them, and how to make themselves -comfortable. - -At a quarter to eleven the boatswain’s pipe was heard, loud and clear, -and the order “all hands aboard” rang out. The few scouts who were -left on the wharf cut their good-bys short and quietly clambered down -the ratlines or jumped on to the deck. Then the gangway was hauled up, -the hawsers released, and the _Bright Wing_ sat, like a gull, free in -the water. In the meantime the Government tugboat had backed up within -easy distance and thrown her line on board; and, as the vessel drifted -into the channel, the tug got under way, the line tightened, and the -_Bright Wing_ followed in her wake. - -The regular watch were at their posts on deck as a matter of -course,--the lookout in the bow, the boatswain’s mate with his -quartermaster and other seamen just in front of the quarter-deck, while -the rest of the boys climbed up the rigging, shaking their hats in -final farewell to their friends ashore. - -It was not long, however, before they were far enough out in the -channel for the tug to leave them. Jack Perkins was in the bow in -charge of the line; the Captain was at the wheel; Jack was waiting for -the order to “let her go”, and, as soon as the words reached his ears, -he cast off the line which slipped into the water and left the _Bright -Wing_ to her own resources. The Captain of the tug waved his hand in -salutation, the sails filled, and a sense of living motion was felt -by all on board as the _Bright Wing_ rolled over slightly and began -cleaving the water under the pressure of her sails. - -Tom and Dick were standing near the rail, well forward on the windward -side. “Gee!” cried Dick, “what a difference there is between sailing -and being towed.” - -“You bet,” said Tom, “something like being alive or dead!” - -Soon after they had parted from the tug, the bugle sounded for mess -inspection, and the scout master passed up and down the line. After -that, all hands waited “at ease” until the cabin boy came up on deck -and announced dinner to the ranking officer. The boys then marched aft -by twos, followed by the officers, and stood at their places at the -tables until after grace. - -Dick, Tom, and Chippie, much to their disappointment, found themselves -in different sections, so that they did not sit together at meals; but -Dick sat next to his boatswain’s mate, who was Clarence Ellsworth. - -“Say,” said Dick, when he got a chance to speak, “why do the boys go -down to dinner before the officers? You’d think the officers would -march down first.” - -“Well, you see,” said Ellsworth, “those who go down first have to wait -for the others, and the officers come down when everything is ready to -pitch into the food. Something like getting into a boat,--we have to go -down first to get things ready. (Law Number 5.) It’s the same for Sea -Scouts and for all sailors everywhere.” - -“Oh, I understand,” said Dick. - -The boys’ table ran down the whole length of the berth deck--fore and -aft--on the starboard side, while the smaller officers’ table was on -the port side. Jack sat at the head, or forward end, of the boys’ -table as chief boatswain’s mate. The talk was very animated and rather -loud, for, of course, the boys felt the pleasant excitement of new -surroundings and unaccustomed conditions. Some of them were shy and a -little awkward on account of the strangeness of things they had never -seen before; but, under the influence of good food and good humor, they -all gradually unbent, and the boys of each section soon felt at home -with one another. Of course it was the business of the boatswain’s -mates to help this feeling along as much as possible, so that they -could get the best work out of their men; for it is a rule, both on -land and sea, that the best work is done when the men who work together -do it in a friendly and a happy spirit. This, you will remember, is -what Mrs. Perkins had learnt from her father, the captain of the _Sally -Smart_. She had taught it to Jack, and Jack had taught it to the other -boatswain’s mates. - -Before dinner was over, Dick noticed the new watch go on deck to -relieve the old one, and the old watch come down to take their share -of the good things. By the time all the boys had returned on deck, it -seemed to him that they had gone about half the way to their anchorage -at Hull. The remainder of the afternoon was spent principally in -putting their belongings in order and in asking questions about the -different parts of the ship and their uses. By half-past four they -dropped anchor at Hull, and the sails were furled; and, at five -o’clock, the bugle sounded for the first General Quarters of the -cruise. - -First, the boys were drawn up in two rows on each side facing each -other, while the setting sun threw long shadows to starboard on the -deck; they were then faced about toward the quarter-deck to hear -the first official words addressed to them by the Chairman of the -Committee. He was a tall man with gray hair and dressed in a blue -suit; you could see that he was fond of his job, and Dick thought that -his eyes were noticing everything that was going on. He spoke in a -clear voice that you could hear all over the ship, although it was not -particularly loud, and there was absolute attention on the part of the -boys. - -“I’m mighty glad, boys,” said he, “to welcome you on board this -ship. You know, of course, that we are here for a serious purpose. -The _Bright Wing_ is not a yacht, and we are not here just to enjoy -ourselves, although we probably shall have a much better time than if -we were. We are here to learn to apply the spirit of the scout law -to the art of seamanship. I do not want to keep you long now, but I -want to point out to you at the outset the fact that you have a real -responsibility as the crew of this vessel. - -“Men who are in the habit of facing danger look it squarely in the -face and do not pretend that it does not exist. There is always a -certain amount of risk in life at sea, although many sailors seem to -think it is more dangerous to cross Washington Street or Broadway -during business hours than to face the most adverse winds and dangerous -currents; but, for the sake of those we have left at home, as well as -for other good and sufficient reasons, the safety of the vessel is -something we are bound in honor to ensure to the utmost of our ability. - -“Now there are three things which are essential to this safety. The -first is the soundness of the vessel and her tackle, and for this the -Sea Scouting Committee, of which I have the honor to be the Chairman, -is responsible; the second is the knowledge and skill of the Captain, -and for this both he and the Committee are responsible; and the third -is the handiness and good discipline of the crew, and for this YOU are -responsible. - -“Both the Committee and I are satisfied with the soundness of the -vessel and her tackle, and also with the skill and knowledge of our -Captain or Navigating Officer; it remains for you to prove that you are -equal to the share of the responsibility which devolves upon you, and I -heartily believe that you will prove yourselves worthy of the trust.” - -After this the boys were dismissed until Mess Inspection and supper at -half-past five. - -“I say,” said a quiet boy, nudging Dick’s elbow, as they sat eating -their baked beans, “that old Chairman seems to mean what he says all -right.” - -“Yep,” replied his companion, “you bet he does. And he expects us to -toe the mark. Any duffer can see that!” - -After supper Dick found the other two members of the Triangle Club, and -they voted unanimously that the Chairman was “all right.” - -Before prayers, the names on the Anchor Watch were posted by Mr. -Miller, with particular instructions for the scout on duty, and the -first watch was from eight to nine. This hour was always assigned to -one of the youngest boys, and Chippie happened to be the one selected -the first night on board. As soon as prayers were over, Mr. Miller -hastened to join him to make sure that he understood just what his -duties were, and to repeat to him the instructions already posted on -the berth deck. - -It was Chippie’s business to know the name of the Sea Scout who -succeeded him at nine o’clock, and also the exact position of his bunk. -He was to keep a sharp lookout on all sides of the vessel and to notice -if anybody hailed the ship from shore. He was to watch the riding -lights fore and aft and to see that they were brightly burning. He was -to give notice of any boats or other vessels approaching or hailing the -ship. On noticing anything that called for attention he was immediately -to report to the scout master. In case of change of weather, he was to -call Mr. Wilson, the mate. - -He was provided with a card called the “Rough Log” ruled off into -several different headings on which, before the end of his watch, he -was to note down the state of the weather, the state of the sea, the -cloud formations, the direction of the wind, and the direction of the -ship’s head, stating the time of his observations. This card was then -passed on to his successor, so that the complete record for the night -contained observations for every hour. - -At five minutes of nine he was to go below and wake up his successor. -Then he was to return on deck and ring the ship’s bell (two bells) at -nine o’clock. After that he was to remain on duty until relieved; but, -if his relief failed to put in an appearance at five minutes past nine, -he was to go below and turn him out of his bunk. He was then to return -on deck until relieved, and under no circumstances to leave his post -before the arrival of the new watch. - -“Remember,” said Mr. Miller, in conclusion, “you are responsible for -the safety of the ship during your watch, and you are on your honor.” - -The boys had all turned in, and taps had sounded by the time Mr. Miller -had finished. Left to himself, Chippie began pacing the deck, stopping -every few minutes to peer out into the darkness and to listen to every -sound. - -The binnacle lamp was always kept burning so that the compass could be -read; and, in the light of this lamp, Chippie filled out the spaces -provided on the Rough Log. He wet his thumb and held it up in the air -to judge which way the wind was blowing, and was surprised to find how -difficult it was to make up his mind. Finally concluding that there -was no wind (a fact which in his great earnestness he had failed to -notice), he put down a good big zero under the heading “Direction of -the Wind.” - -[Illustration: He wet his thumb and held it up in the air to judge -which way the wind was blowing. _Page 52._] - -“Good joke,” thought Chippie; “I guess it won’t take me so long to find -that out next time,” and then turned his attention to the “direction of -the ship’s head”, “the state of the sea”, “the state of the sky”, -etc. - -Any job, when you are not accustomed to it, seems awkward, and Chippie -filled out his last space with a sense of relief. Then he ran forward -to look at the ship’s clock in the companionway, and found, to his -surprise, that it was already one minute to nine, and he should have -gone below to wake the next watch four minutes before. - -But luckily the new watch had been lying awake in his bunk with his -clothes on, and saved Chippie the trouble of going below by appearing -at the top of the ladder just as Chippie was about to go down. So -then Chippie went straight to the ship’s bell and--“ding-ding”--“two -bells”--rang out into the night. - -“Gee, but I’m in luck,” whispered Chippie to himself. - -Then he went aft with the new watch, showed him the Rough Log and the -list of directions, and finally went forward again, slipped down the -companionway, and crawled into his bunk. - -“I wonder if some of the other fellows will be trying to study out -which way the wind is blowing!” thought Chippie as he pulled off his -clothes. Then his thoughts went back to his home in Northbridge for a -while; and presently the _Bright Wing_ began rocking gently in the roll -of a passing steamer. He was just awake enough to notice the motion and -then sailed off to the land of dreams. - -At ten o’clock it was Dick’s turn on watch. The last members of the -crew ashore--the carpenter and first mate--had come aboard at half-past -nine, and there were no more hails to listen for. The boats were all on -their davits, the boat booms and side-ladders were up, and the _Bright -Wing_ was tucked up and snug for the night. - -After Dick had finished his observations of the weather, etc., and -had filled out the Rough Log, he watched the sky for a long time. He -did not know the stars very well, but they had a great attraction for -him. He looked around until he found the Great Dipper, which was the -constellation he was most familiar with, and then the Pole-star by -following the direction of the pointers. He noticed that the Dipper -was to the right of the Pole-star and below it. Then he noticed the -constellation called Cassiopeia--in the shape of a “W” to the left of -the Pole-star and above it. - -“Here’s my chance,” thought Dick, with a sudden inspiration, “to see if -the northern stars do really turn around the pole like a wheel as they -are supposed to do.” He then looked at the buildings on shore to find -some landmark by which to test the turning of the stars. But his watch -on deck was already half over, and he had not time enough to make his -experiment properly. If he had been on land it would have been easier, -but the ship was swinging at her anchor with the tide as it ran in, and -there were no very prominent buildings in sight. - -When the next boy came up to stand his watch, Dick tried to interest -him in his astronomical observations, but he got no response, and so -promised himself to begin his experiment in plenty of time at the very -next opportunity. - - - - -CHAPTER V THE FIRST FORENOON AT ANCHOR - - -At the sound of reveille the next morning, the boys were all out -of their bunks in short order; and, after a cup of cocoa with some -crackers, they got the gear out of the way preparatory to scrubbing the -decks, and the cabin skylights and portholes were closed. - -“What the dickens is the use,” said Dick to Tom, “of having all these -things done on the very minute? A fellow has hardly time enough to look -around!” - -“That’s all right,” answered Tom, “the things have all got to be done -sometime, and the quicker they’re put through, the better. There’s no -sense in wasting time over the chores.” - -“Right you are, Tom,” said Perkins, who was standing near, “and on -board a vessel you have to be even quicker than on land; for otherwise -we should be knocking our heads together--there are so many of us in a -small space. That’s why things have to go like clockwork.” - -While the decks were being scrubbed with salt water, the officers in -the cabin heard the swish of the water up against the portholes as they -were dressing below. Suddenly an exclamation was heard from the cabin -companionway, immediately followed by the scout master’s whistle and -the cry, “Boatswain’s Mate!” - -The boatswain’s mate ran down and found Mr. Miller wiping the back of -his neck which had just been soused by a stream of salt water coming -through an unclosed porthole. - -“Who is responsible for closing the portholes, Perkins?” - -“On the starboard side, Sir? I will find out at once. It must be some -one in the second division, first section.” Jack returned on deck and -found the boatswain’s mate of that section. “Gray,” was the answer, -“Number 4,” and Jack went back to the cabin and reported to Mr. Miller. - -“Put him on report,” said he, “and bring the matter up at ‘Mast.’” - -“Ay, Ay, Sir,” said Jack, and the incident was closed for the time -being. - -Then the scrub-deck gear was stowed, portholes and skylights were -opened up again, all hands began washing, for which they were allowed -four buckets of fresh water, and pretty soon, at the sound of the -boatswain’s pipe, which seemed especially musical in the morning air, a -lot of hungry boys--followed by their officers--went below with raging -appetites. - -“Colors” came immediately after, and, at the command “Attention!” every -man and boy on deck stood up straight and practically motionless, -facing the quarter-deck. One minute later, at the words “sound off”, -it was interesting to observe the quartermaster as he held the ensign -under his left arm, deftly wound up, so that it should not touch the -deck or the rail, and then gave the halyard a quick haul. The ensign -broke out clear and ran up to its staff head without a hitch. At the -end of the bugle call, all the right hands on deck went up in salute, -and then everybody was dismissed and the ceremony was over. - -Morning “Colors” is the beginning of the official day on board a -vessel in the Navy or in the service of the Boy Scout brotherhood. No -visitors are expected on board before this time, and nobody need feel -the necessity of being completely dressed before breakfast, which comes -half an hour earlier. Scrubbing and washing down the decks is done -in bare feet and legs with the trousers rolled up over the thighs--a -custom which originated the fashion of the “bell shape” characteristic -of sailors’ trousers. A ship’s company before morning “Colors” is very -much like a household when people are dressing or doing early morning -chores in slippers and dressing gown, the difference being that there -is more “housework” to be done at that early hour on board ship. The -raising and saluting of the ensign is not alone an act of respect to -the flag, reminding us of the first point of the scout oath and of our -duty to our country, but it is like opening the front door of a house -and saying good morning to the world at large. - -This is true even in a more literal sense; for, immediately after -morning “Colors”, the boat booms are let down and the boats -lowered--thus providing means of communication with the shore and other -vessels; and, at the same time, the side-ladders, which give general -access to the ship, are put in position. - -For the time being--as they stood at attention during the bugle -call--both Chippie and Dick had clean forgotten their little adventures -of the night before. Everything was so different from the way things -look during the night watches. The deck of the vessel, alive with -boys and men, only arrested in their activity by the brief ceremony -of “Colors”, other vessels in the neighborhood all astir with -preparations for the day, the sun shining brightly in the east and -reflected in the rippling surface of the water, broken only by the -shadows of the hulls and their spars,--how different a scene was this -from that in which Chippie had been the central figure as he stood in -the dark the evening before, with not a soul in sight, solemnly holding -up his thumb in the still air to see which way the wind was blowing! - -All that was outside of Chippie’s thoughts now as completely as if it -had never happened; but it would return again later with many other -shifting scenes; and through them all there was something in the -back of his mind which could always be recalled whatever his outward -surroundings and circumstances might be. He had no father, and he -was his mother’s only son. She was a hard-working woman who had made -it possible for him to have everything he needed ever since he could -remember. She had made it possible for him to come on this cruise, and -he was deeply grateful to her for all her goodness. He remembered what -Jack Perkins had told them that evening at his house about saluting the -flag not only as the emblem of our country but also as the emblem of -our duty to God; and this morning, as he stood there “at attention”, he -thought to himself: “I guess the biggest duty I’ve got is to stand by -my mother!” - -Just before “Colors” the coxswains, who had cleaned their respective -boats before breakfast, reported them to the scout master as ready for -inspection; the quartermaster reported the clocks wound, and the watch -was relieved. - -The new watch consisted of Clarence Ellsworth, boatswain’s mate, a -coxswain, a quartermaster, and five ordinary and apprentice seamen, -of whom Dick Gray was one and served as messenger. This watch was on -duty for four hours, from eight to twelve, and the boatswain’s mate was -responsible for all the routine orders during that time. Immediately -after the old watch had been relieved, Mr. Miller handed to Ellsworth -a slip of paper upon which were written these routine orders. He was -supposed to blow his “call” and to give his orders in a clear, audible -voice and then to see that they were carried out as stated. It was the -special duty of the master-at-arms to help in carrying out orders by -mingling with the boys, setting them a good example, and giving the -slow or lazy ones a good-natured shove ahead. The boatswain’s mate -cannot be in two places at once, and the master-at-arms is a great help -to him in this respect, and must necessarily be a boy of ability and -character; for the master-at-arms could not possibly have the right -influence with the boys if he merely tried to order them around; he is -obliged to be good-humored and dignified, and to keep his mind on his -job all the time. The master-at-arms at this time was admirably suited -to fill all these requirements. - -As the boatswain’s mate of the watch sounded the call for “Mast”, -the boys all lined up on the starboard side just forward of the -quarter-deck, and the captain and scout master stood facing them. Dick -was the only Sea Scout on report, and was charged with not properly -closing a porthole before washing decks. He pleaded guilty and was -let off with a warning, as this was his first offense. All hands then -joined in the “setting up” exercises before going over the masthead. - -The master-at-arms was an “able seaman” by the name of Young, who came -from Attleboro, an inland town, where there were few facilities for -practicing seamanship; he was a boy who was earning his living and -the leader of a small gang who had formed themselves into a section -of Sea Scouts. He had received a good many hard knocks, and, through -them, some knowledge of human nature; and there was a good-humored -determination about him which made him a natural leader whom it was -easy to follow. There was nothing showy about Bertie Young, but you -could not have found a boy on board who did not value his regard. -Nothing special was apt to occur for the master-at-arms to attend to, -during the morning hours at anchor, except to exert a steady influence -for order and quiet; and, without having to think of it, he habitually -kept track of the time and of the messenger in ringing the ship’s bell. -But one of his chief jobs came in the evening; namely, that of keeping -the berth deck quiet after tattoo and taps had sounded. - -At a little after half-past eleven, Young happened to look at his -watch, and it struck him that he had not heard the ship’s bell sound -seven bells as it should have done a few minutes before. Looking over -toward the day bunk, he noticed Dick, the messenger, fooling with some -of the boys who were off duty, and quietly walked up to him. - -“Say, Dick,” said he, “didn’t you forget to strike seven bells?” - -“No, it isn’t time yet,” retorted Dick somewhat crossly. - -“You’d better look at the cabin clock and see,” answered Young. “Say, -Dick,” continued the master-at-arms, “you have no business to be here -on the day bunk when you’re one of the watch on duty.” - -Dick flung off in a huff to look at the clock and found that he was six -minutes late. Then he started forward to ring the bell and bumped up -against Chippie Smith. - -“Get out of the way there, Chip; don’t you see I’ve got to strike the -bell? I’m six minutes late now, but I don’t care whether it’s six -or sixteen! I’m tired to death of all this doing things on time and -splitting the day up into seconds! It’s all bosh, I say.” - -“You go and strike the bell,” retorted Chippie, “and do your talking -afterwards!” And then he thought to himself: - -“I guess it’s about time to have another meeting of the club. I’ll go -and find Tom.” - - - - -CHAPTER VI SPORTS BY LAND AND WATER - - -The evening before, Mr. Miller had engaged the Hull baseball field for -this afternoon; and, as all the boys were to be allowed liberty, some -of them went down to the cabin at half-past two to ask for a little of -their money which was kept in the ship’s safe. At a quarter to three -the bugle sounded for liberty inspection, and a few of the greener boys -were found to have tied their black kerchiefs with wrong knots, causing -a laugh among the older ones. - -“How do you expect your rope knots to hold, if you can’t tie your -neck-gear right?” said Jack Perkins, as they all tumbled into the -ship’s cutters and rowed ashore. - -Mr. Miller and Perkins were chosen captains for the two teams, and -Boatswain Fred Hamilton was elected umpire. Then Mr. Miller and Jack -began choosing their men alternately; and, as they stood in two bunches -opposite each other, “the Blues” and “the Reds” appeared to be fairly -evenly matched. - -About half a dozen boys who had not been lucky enough to be chosen for -the teams, sat on the benches and improvised score cards, hoping that -some of them might be called upon as substitutes before the game was -over. Mr. Miller himself was a good player for “the Blues.” He was more -than an average player, having served on his freshman nine at college, -and having always gone out regularly as a candidate for the “Varsity” -up to his senior year. On two or three occasions he had even played -as a substitute on the “Varsity”, and was looked upon as a valuable -and reliable man in reserve. “The Reds”, on the other hand, had a -first-rate player in their captain, Jack Perkins, who, besides being -a prize-winner at track athletics, had served as captain of his class -nine at the Northbridge High School. - -Both Mr. Miller and Jack usually took the position of catcher. Mr. -Graham Wentworth, the assistant scout master, was made pitcher for the -“Reds”, and Clarence Ellsworth pitcher for the “Blues.” - -At the toss up, the “Blues” won their first innings and went in with -Mr. Miller at the bat. He knocked a swift grounder, which was picked -up by the shortstop, Tom Sheffield, and thrown to first base, so that -Mr. Miller was put out at the very beginning of the inning. Chippie -Smith, who was sitting on the benches, climbed up and waved his hat -frantically at this good play of his chum’s, and the spectators, who -had now begun to gather around the stands, gave a round of applause. -Tom was surprised at himself, and began muttering “steady, now, -steady!” to keep from getting excited. - -Mr. Miller felt rather queer as he sat down on the grass and watched -Ellsworth go to the bat. The latter helped the situation for -the “Blues” somewhat by making a two-base hit to left field. He -held second base all right, and the “Blues” felt a little better. -Ellsworth, however, tried to steal third, but was put out by a pretty -cross-diamond throw from the pitcher, Mr. Wentworth. This made two -out for the “Blues”, and it looked as if the first inning was to end -unluckily for them. Nobody scored, that inning, until all had been -at the bat excepting Dick Gray, who got his first base on a “single” -to right field, but then, to the astonishment of everybody, kept on -running to second. Guy Plummer, who was playing right field, picked the -ball up quickly and threw it to second, at just about the same time -that Dick dove forward on the ground to touch the base. The second -baseman, Sidney Malloy, was a good player but rather a small boy, and -immediately turned to the umpire and claimed that Gray was out; but -Dick gave him a dig in the ribs; and, at the same time grabbed the -base, loudly claiming that he had made good. - -[Illustration: Dick dove forward on the ground to touch the base. _Page -70._] - -The umpire took a few minutes to consider, and then decided that Gray -was “not out.” Plummer had been in a pretty good position to see what -had actually happened and he thought it was a clear case of “out”; at -the same time, it was quite possible that Gray had honestly believed -that he had touched the base before the ball was caught. Nobody really -had any unpleasant feeling over the incident, except Malloy, the second -baseman, and Mr. Wentworth, who from the pitcher’s box had noticed the -ugly look in Dick’s face when he told the small-sized second baseman to -“shut up!” - -This made “three out” at the end of the first half of the first inning. -The “Reds” only made one run in their half, and this was scored by -Perkins on a “three-bagger” to left field, caught, but dropped, by the -left fielder. During the next four or five innings no very remarkable -work was done on either side. There was some good hitting, but the -fielding was rather poor; and, at the beginning of the sixth inning, -the score stood at seven to six in favor of the “Reds.” During this -inning, however, Mr. Wentworth began improving in his pitching. He -seemed to have got his second wind and threw his balls with a kind of -regular swing, and with greater swiftness and accuracy. - -One of the “Blues” was put out on three strikes and Clarence Ellsworth -struck a ball which went almost straight into the air, and was well -judged and caught by the second baseman, Malloy, who had previously -been roughly handled by Dick. - -After this the “Reds” began to forge ahead still further, and the hopes -of the “Blues” were finally dashed when Mr. Miller, after having made -a two-base hit, was put out on third,--the final score being eleven to -six in favor of the “Reds.” - -Thus ended the first game of the season for the “Blues” and the “Reds” -of the _Bright Wing_; and, after cheering one another and giving the -Boy Scout yell, they started to walk through the town on their way back -to the dock. - -The long boat, with Mr. Miller on board and Tom Sheffield as coxswain, -got under way first; and, as the ship was about half a mile from the -shore, it gave the boys a good chance for a stretch after their game. -The two other boats started together about seven minutes after the long -boat, and the idea of a race occurred to the two coxswains at the same -moment. Mr. Wentworth, the officer in command, gave his assent. The -two coxswains, Chippie Smith and Sidney Malloy, looked their men over -carefully with a view to balancing the boats; and, after one or two -changes of position, it was agreed that Mr. Wentworth should give the -word. The latter picked out the corner of a certain building on one -side of the bay and the mast of a ship lying at anchor on the other -side. The imaginary line connecting these two points would be about at -right angles to the course the boys would have to row to get to the -_Bright Wing_. Mr. Wentworth ordered the two bow men to report when -both bows were as nearly as possible on this line with their heads -turned in the direction of the ship; and, after a little backing and -pulling, with the boats about a hundred feet apart, Mr. Wentworth gave -the order, “Stand by;--give way together!” - -Once started, Mr. Wentworth, of course, said nothing more, but, in his -seat in the stern, next the coxswain, left the management of the boat -entirely to him. - -“Easy, now! Easy!” called Chippie, as his men, in their haste to get -away, began interfering with one another, instead of pulling all -together. - -Malloy’s crew made a little better start, for he had taken pains to -warn them to go easy for the first six strokes until they had got the -rhythm of the oars into their heads and bodies. - -By the time Chippie’s men had got out of their little mess, Malloy’s -boat was about a length ahead; and, after that, both crews settled down -to work with a good steady swing. - -In such a short race as this, one boat’s length at the start was of -some importance, and Chippie felt that they must do their best to -make up for the loss as quickly as possible. It was not a question of -keeping strength in reserve, as he would have done if there had been a -mile to row instead of a half-mile. - -The _Bright Wing_ was lying broadside on to them, and it had been -agreed that they would row across her bow,--the first boat going across -being the winner. They knew, of course, that there would be plenty of -boys on board who would crowd into the jib netting to act as judges. - -Both coxswains were counting steadily to keep the rowing smooth and -even, and Chippie’s boat had already caught up to the extent of half -a length, when an angry exclamation escaped one of the boys who had -“caught a crab”, and, at the same time, lost his balance--tumbling over -backwards with his feet in the air. - -“All but Number Three keep on rowing,” cried Chippie. “Easy, there, -Number Three! You must not pull the boat around. All right, Dick. Now, -all together,--keep stroke! One, two!--one, two!--one, two!--” Thanks -to Chippie’s presence of mind, the incident had only cost them one -boat’s length, so that they found themselves a length and a half behind -the other boat, instead of half a length, as they had been before. - -“It was your fault, Guy,” muttered Dick under his breath, to the boy -behind him. - -“Keep your mouth shut and your oar going, Dick,” cried the coxswain; -“we’ve got to save this race first, and you can blame other people -afterwards.” - -Some of the boys in the other boat, when they had noticed Dick’s -mishap, had begun to laugh and sensibly slackened up their pace. -Chippie noticed this, and it gave him a new interest in gathering his -men together to do their best. - -“Now, boys,” said he, in a low but distinct tone, “pull yourselves -together, and we may win out yet. The other crew have begun -wool-gathering, and that will give us a chance either to win or make it -a tie.” - -Then, “one, two!--one, two!--” he began his firm rhythmical count, -and every boy in the boat felt the effect of Chippie Smith’s quiet -determination. - -In another minute the chuckling boys of the other crew were surprised -to notice that they were only a half length ahead. Then they stopped -grinning, and Malloy got back on his job, which he realized he should -never have left for a moment. - -But now it seemed that they had come too near to the goal to recover -themselves entirely. Chippie Smith’s boat had too strong a headway, -and the whole crew were working together like animated clockwork. -They managed to cross the line practically at the same time as their -opponents, and the question of which boat actually was the winner had -to be referred to a committee of three boys who were in the jib netting -at the finish. The race was so close that the committee itself was not -unanimous, although Chippie Smith’s boat was declared the winner by the -distance of a mere hair’s breadth. - -When it was all over, Mr. Wentworth sent for Chippie and shook hands -with him. - -“I call that pretty work, Smith; you were in a hard position when that -mistake was made, and you held your men together well.” - -Chippie was standing at attention and brought his hand up to salute. -There was no mistake about the “smile of the scout” on his face at that -moment. It was more eloquent even than his hearty “Thank you, sir!” - -The interest in the race had been so keen among both officers and boys -that the memory of the baseball game was almost cast into the shade. - -Sidney Malloy’s crew were a little ashamed of themselves, but they -were foremost in their appreciation of the grand way in which their -opponents had rallied and made such a fine showing at the end. - -All the boys in Chippie’s crew felt that they owed their victory--such -as it was--to the coxswain, and were for carrying him on their -shoulders around the deck, but Chippie got away and climbed up the mast -to the crosstrees, from which superior strategic position he threatened -to annihilate any one who should be so bold as to pursue him. - -After Chippie had come down and the excitement had begun to subside, -he began to feel uncomfortable about Dick, and wondered what was the -matter with him. He thought about the incident of the bell, and then -about Dick’s accident in the boat. - -“I never saw him so awkward in a boat before,” thought he, “I wonder -what’s got into him?” - -Then he thought of the meeting on Duck Island when they had all three -agreed to keep one another up to the scout standard, and felt troubled -and unhappy. He went off to talk it all over with Tom. - -The only other member of this crew who was not happy was Dick Gray -himself, and it was hard to make out just what was the matter with him. -In talking him over with the Chairman, Mr. Wentworth remarked: - -“I can’t quite make that boy out, sir. He may need some special help. I -can’t make out his signals.” - - - - -CHAPTER VII UNDER WAY FOR MARBLEHEAD - - -Immediately after reveille next morning, the boys were surprised to -hear the boatswain’s call followed by the command to “stand by to set -sail.” The boatswain’s mates “got busy” very quickly and could be -seen sending their boys to different parts of the deck,--some to the -bowsprit to remove the jib stops, some to the fore boom to release -the foresail, and the others to the parts of the ship to which they -belonged. - -After the fore and main sails had been set, all hands were ordered -forward to the windlass and began hauling up the anchor. It was hot -work, and there was not room enough for all the boys to get on to the -job at the same time; but Dick managed to get on among the first, while -Tom and Chippie were in the outside ring who stood ready to jump in and -“spell” their comrades. Then,--after the anchor had been broken from -the ground,--came the manning of the halyards,--first the main, then -the fore, and then the jumbo and the jib halyards. - -As the head sails ran up, they were filled by a light northwest breeze -which somewhat tempered the heat. The night had been very warm, and -the boys were all glad to get up on deck and very much interested in -the prospect of sailing; the reef-points beat a cheerful tattoo on the -canvas, as it quietly slatted back and forth, while the ship’s bow -headed westward to pass through the gut into the outer harbor. Once -outside, she settled down to a long leg on the port tack, and then the -anchor was hoisted up and lifted over the rail. - -While this was going on, Jack Perkins was active in seeing that -the boatswain’s orders were carried out. The mate stood on the -quarter-deck giving his commands, while the boatswain repeated them -forward with the musical accompaniment of his call. Jack not only had -his own division to look after, but it was his business also to see -that the other B. M.’s were on their jobs, and that every scout of -every division was doing his allotted work. - -This was the first time that the crew had performed this particular -manœuvre, and it was not surprising that there was a hitch here and -there. Some small boys would stand looking on while the others were -hauling on the halyards, but on inquiry it was found that they were -under the impression that only the “huskies” were considered worthy -of this work. This idea was quickly dispelled, however; and, before -the mainsail was finally set, every available boy was on the halyards, -each one contributing his share of the pull, however small it might be. -Other boys who hesitated were mostly green hands who had not caught the -spirit of acting together, while one of the little fellows was found -in the jib-net admiring the view, and another curled up on the day bunk -reading a book. Altogether it was a good opportunity for Mr. Miller to -distinguish the wool-gatherers from the workers, but he felt sure that -it was only practice that was needed to get this crew pulling together -in true and shipshape style. - -By this time it was 7:45, and there was just time to scrub decks and -then wash up before breakfast. It was a pleasant thing to hear the -trill of the boatswain’s call as the mess cooks scrambled down to set -the tables; and better still to sit down to breakfast after the early -morning’s work. - -The breeze was not strong but held out steadily while the routine work -was going on, and also through “quarters” and “mast.” At “quarters” the -“lucky bag” was brought out for the first time and was found to contain -a jumper, a couple of towels, and a lanyard and knife. Mr. Miller -explained the principle of the “lucky bag” as follows: - -“The master-at-arms will pick up everything that he finds lying about -the decks and put it in the ‘lucky bag’; they may remain in the bag at -the discretion of the sea scout master until he decides to open it at -‘quarters.’ At this time articles lost may be claimed by those who have -missed them, but a penalty may be imposed upon the owner before the -lost article is returned to him. As this is the first time the ‘lucky -bag’ has been opened on this cruise, no penalties will be exacted on -the return of these articles. The Sea Scouts are warned that in the -future they will be expected to be shipshape in their habits, and that -articles left carelessly lying about will not be returned to their -owners until due penalty in the shape of extra duty has been paid. - -“But there is another matter to which I must call your attention at -the present time. It is one thing to approve of discipline in theory -and quite another to submit to it in practice. Most of you boys are -familiar with stories of good seamanship, but very few of you have -ever experienced before this cruise the training which made such -seamanship possible. Almost everybody is naturally lazy, and doing -things on time is irksome and disagreeable to lazy people. ‘Oh, I -guess to-morrow’ll do as well’, or ‘All right, I’ll be there in a few -minutes’--these are the common expressions of lazy lubbers who have not -yet learnt to like the promptness and alertness which good seamanship -requires. I warn you boys of this now, at the beginning of the cruise, -because I know the temptation comes to almost every one, and you might -as well give up the idea of being Sea Scouts unless you are morally -strong enough to clear all such lazy stuff out of the way. Orders must -be carried out on the run and on the jump, and _there is no room for a -grouch on board of this ship_. - -“Since this cruise started, I have seen some boys hanging back and -doing their work in a poor-spirited way; I did not always blame them, -because I knew they were acting from ignorance and did not yet know -the absolute necessity on board ship of a prompt and cheerful spirit. -But, after this, I shall expect all hands to put their best foot -foremost and to show that they have in them the making of good sailors -and Sea Scouts. - -“Those who are not able to live up to this standard will loaf their way -along until they drop out,--maybe at the next port we make. They will -not come on another cruise and they will have missed all the training -as well as all the fun and enjoyment that comes from putting your heart -into your work and doing what you have to do with all your might.” - -While Mr. Miller was talking, you could see some of the boys here -and there straighten up in sympathy with his words. Tom and Chippie, -especially, looked at one another significantly and hoped that Dick was -taking it all in as eagerly as they were. But they were disappointed, -for the grouchy look on Dick’s face had not cleared away. - -The instruction that morning was “Knots and Splices”, “Boxing the -Compass”, “Ship’s Rigs”, and “Chart-work with the Captain.” Tom liked -the chart-work best and found no difficulty in remembering the symbols -for lights, buoys, shoals, etc., and felt as if he were on a cruise -within a cruise, exploring the waters of some foreign land. Chippie -felt most at home with his knots and splices, because it was less like -studying than any of the other subjects; and both boys were surprised -to find how much they had to learn about ship’s rigs. Dick, on the -other hand, did not seem to take much interest in anything, and if -there had been any motion of the sea he would have been suspected of -being seasick. - -About ten o’clock the breeze died down while they were still a good -distance from Marblehead. It was hot, but as there was no swell on the -water, everybody felt comfortable in spite of the heat. The boys had -begun to feel at home in their new surroundings, and were too much -absorbed in the interest of their work, as each division passed from -one instructor to the next, to mind the discomfort of the heat. - -As there was no particular hurry in getting to Marblehead, which was -their destination for that day, the Captain decided not to use the -launch to tow the ship unless it should become necessary toward the -afternoon. So the _Bright Wing_ lay with her sails flapping quite -lazily, and with the jaws of the main gaff creaking and snarling, as it -swayed from side to side, until eleven o’clock; when the bugle sounded -“retreat from drill”, and there was nothing more but play and good fun -until dinner time. - -After dinner a change in the weather set in, in the form of gathering -clouds toward the northwest, which at first were scarcely noticeable; -while the ship’s band--in the form of a good Victrola--played some -lively airs, in which the boys often joined in chorus. By about three -o’clock the wind was blowing in light but sudden gusts and the clouds -in the northwest had gathered thickly, with streamers extending -overhead, indicative of more wind. - -Jack climbed up into the crosstrees to take a good look at the sky -and reported to the Captain, when he came down, that there was smoke -in the direction of Marblehead, but he could not make out whether it -was at Marblehead itself or beyond. Pretty soon the smoke became quite -perceptible on deck as the wind increased to a fresh breeze. - -The Captain sent word to the Chairman; and, as soon as he came on deck, -he noticed the cloud of smoke which was now quite conspicuous in the -northwestern sky, and stretching like a long streamer over the sea. - -“There may be something for us to do when we get to Marblehead,” said -he to Mr. Miller, who was standing by. “It must be a big fire to cause -so much smoke as that.” - -For the next half-hour the _Bright Wing_ bounded along in a spanking -breeze, and every boy on board felt the new exhilaration and life of -the wind and motion. It did not take them long to get into port, and -they dropped anchor in Marblehead harbor at about a quarter of four. -The boys were all at their places for lowering the sails; but, once -lowered, they were ordered to make them only temporarily secure with -the stops, without careful furling, in view of the Chairman’s haste to -get ashore and on to the scene of the fire as quickly as possible. It -was decided to leave one of the four sections on board to finish the -furling and make all fast, and then to follow the rest of the company; -these got into the boats as soon as they could be lowered, and headed -for the nearest wharf. - -Dick appeared to have got over his grouch during the day, and his -section was the first to leave the ship. - - - - -CHAPTER VIII THE SALEM FIRE - - -As soon as the main party arrived at the landing they inquired eagerly -where the fire was, and learned very soon that it was in Salem, and had -started in the northwestern section of the city. - -Marblehead lies about southeast from Salem, and the wind was blowing -from west to east, veering to northwest,--so that the fumes of smoke, -driven by blasts of heated air, kept pouring over the houses of the -little old-fashioned town, making the atmosphere decidedly disagreeable -in the streets below. - -Mr. Miller was in command of the company; and, after a brief -consultation between himself, Mr. Wentworth, and the boatswain’s -mates, it was decided to separate into divisions, to march within -easy call of one another toward Salem, and to reach, if possible, the -headquarters of the Salem Fraternity or Boys’ Club. Here, they felt, -they would be sure to find other boys with their leaders who could give -them all the information they required and plenty of work to do. - -The distance to Salem was about four miles; and, during the second half -of their walk, the smoke became thicker and hotter. Here and there -burning embers, carried by the wind, fell along the road and on the -roofs of adjoining houses. All along the streets people were hurrying -from one place to another in more or less excitement; and, on the -housetops, groups were busy wetting down their roofs and putting out -burning cinders. A little later they came upon piles of furniture on -the sidewalks, and furniture vans carrying the household possessions of -families to places of safety. The activity increased as they entered -the city proper. As they walked northward, the wind and smoke came -from a direction on their left; and, as they advanced nearer to the -heart of the fire, they could see the flames springing out of the -wreckage below, spreading from one house to another under the influence -of the wind; could hear the crash of falling buildings, and watch great -showers of sparks and burning material being carried along by the gusts -of air. - -Presently they found themselves surrounded by a crowd of people, and -the order was passed along to each division to walk in Indian file. Tom -Sheffield was the last boy in the line and suddenly his attention was -attracted by a knot of people that had gathered quickly around some one -who was lying in the street. This had happened after the other scouts -had got well ahead of him, so that he was the only one who had noticed -the occurrence. He ran quickly up to the spot and saw a woman lying in -the midst of the group with broken pieces of crockery all around her -and a large spot of blood on the left sleeve of her white shirt waist. -Her eyes were closed, and her face was pale. An elderly woman held her -head on her lap but was evidently frightened and did not know what to -do. A little child in the crowd was crying excitedly, and at the same -time a man called out, “Get a doctor, somebody,--she’s bleeding to -death!” - -Tom then quickly ripped up her sleeve with his knife and laid the -wound bare. He saw at once from the pulsations and color of the blood -that an artery had been severed. He then felt in his pocket for his -first-aid kit but found that he had left it behind. Quickly he whipped -out his pocket handkerchief and folded it over to serve as a bandage, -tying it tightly above the wound. He then exerted even more pressure by -inserting a lead pencil and twisting the bandage around. When the crowd -noticed that the blood had stopped flowing, there were exclamations of -surprise. - -“Good for you, sonny,” called out the burly man. - -“He’s one of them Boy Scouts,” remarked another, “you can tell by the -suit he wears.” - -“Come,” called out Tom, “you fellows had better stop talking and hurry -up the doctor. Has anybody gone for him?” - -“That’s all right, son; here he is now.” - -And a brisk young man stepped out of an automobile that had just slowed -up at the outskirts of the little crowd. - -After a glance at the improvised bandage and tourniquet, the doctor -nodded at Tom with a smile and went back to get more permanent -apparatus out of his bag. This was quickly applied and then, after -asking a few questions and learning that the woman’s house had been -burnt down, he lifted her up in his arms, and carried her to the -automobile. - -“Here, you Scout! I want your help. Jump into the automobile and -support her head as I lift her in.” - -Tom instantly obeyed, and the next minute the patient’s head was -resting upon his shoulder, and the doctor was driving the car to the -Beverly Hospital. Once there the attendants took charge under the -doctor’s orders; and, left to himself, Tom began to wonder how he could -best communicate with Mr. Miller. - -He decided to telephone from the hospital to the Salem Fraternity, -and leave a message there; and, as he was coming out of the telephone -booth, he ran across the doctor who had come from the wards to -telephone himself. - -“Oh! Hullo!” cried he, addressing Tom with a hearty greeting, “I was -afraid you had run away, Scout; I wanted to shake hands with you and -compliment you on your work. But we doctors are beginning to take good -work for granted, when we see your uniform.” - -Tom laughed. “I guess the good work wouldn’t stay good long,” said he, -“if we were to bank on the uniform.” - -“Where are you going now?” asked the doctor. And, when Tom had -explained, he continued, “I’ll drive you to the Fraternity building -myself, and probably we shall get there about as soon as your troop -does. I’m sorry we had to drive that poor woman so far, but the Salem -Hospital is partly burnt. She bore the journey all right, however; she -had just regained consciousness when I left, and I will call up and -inquire about her this evening.” - -After another half-hour’s drive, during which Tom was much impressed -by the distress of the people and the great amount of work to be done, -they arrived at the Fraternity building, and he at once reported to Mr. -Miller. - -When Tom had bolted toward the crowd surrounding the fainting woman, -his absence had not been noticed because so many things were happening -on all sides. The main body of boys soon came to a place where they had -an unobstructed view of the fire and where the people were standing in -a compact mass looking on at the awe-inspiring but brilliant scene. -The street, however, was blocked, and the people were not allowed to -approach any nearer to the fire. Many of them were excited; and, every -now and then, two or three would surge forward in advance of the line, -pushing ahead of them a rope that had been roughly secured to bar the -way. As the boys approached the scene, they heard a voice calling out: -“Stand back! Stand back!” and Jack Perkins a few moments later called -out: - -“Say, boys, we are not the only scouts here!” - -Dick Gray was near the front, behind Jack, and there were two or three -rows of people tightly pressed together ahead of him, so that he could -not see what was going on in the front, but he ducked down and got -through between their legs and saw a Boy Scout, with a patrol leader’s -badge in his hat and staff in hand, guarding the line and holding back -the crowd. - -“Hullo, Bob!” called out Dick from somewhere near the ground. He had -recognized Bob Peters of the second Beverly troop, who had made a -record for high jumping at the last Boy Scout rally. - -“Hullo!” called back Bob, with a grin. “What are you doing there down -cellar?” - -“Hunting for the fire hose!” cried Dick, quick as a wink, and -disappeared behind the legs of the crowd again. - -As they could not get through in this direction, it became necessary -to find some other and more roundabout way, so they turned off to the -right, making a semicircle and avoiding the thickest part of the smoke. -Finally they came to the Fraternity building on Central Street, which -was out of the path of the wind and fire. - -As they entered the building, the smell of cooking attracted their -attention first, and they met several boys passing through the hall -carrying loaves of bread and pitchers, which they very soon discovered -contained soup. While some of the scouts and other members of the -Fraternity were patrolling the city in search of good turns to homeless -people, others were waiting to carry supplies of food wherever they -might be needed. - -The superintendent of the Salem Fraternity happened to be absent at the -time, and a well-known scout master, Mr. Shallack, from an adjoining -town was organizing the boys for service. The first thing he had done -was to requisition food and other supplies, such as kitchen utensils, -etc., from a number of business men, and then he had organized an -efficient soup kitchen to supply food to the many who would soon be in -need. - -Mr. Miller immediately offered the services of his ship’s company, and -they were sent out in groups of two or three to find people who needed -immediate help, and to give them whatever service was in their power. - -It was not until he was arranging these groups of boys that Mr. Miller -noticed Tom Sheffield’s absence and inquired of each of the other boys -where they had last seen him. Ellsworth Randall was his boatswain’s -mate and was really responsible, but could give no explanation. - -“I don’t understand it, sir,” said he, “but I think he must have -stopped to look at something, and then lost his way before he could -catch up.” - -“H’m,” said Mr. Miller, “that doesn’t sound like Sheffield; he’s no -wool-gatherer!” - -Meanwhile Dick had come up and begged that he might be allowed to go -and hunt for Tom, but just then the telephone bell in the office rang. - -“Some one to speak to Mr. Miller,” said the attendant, and to his -intense relief, Mr. Miller heard Tom’s voice, talking over the wire -from the Beverly Hospital. - -“I’m sorry, sir,” he heard him say, “but I had to run and lend a hand. -I’ll explain it all to you as soon as I can get there.” - - - - -CHAPTER IX SCOUTS TO THE RESCUE - - -After Tom had returned and reported to Mr. Miller, he, Chippie, and -Dick were ordered off in quest of good turns. They had been directed -toward a certain street which was on the very edge of the fire; and, -after they had walked ten minutes in this direction, they heard cries -proceeding from a house on the opposite side of the road. They crossed -over and entered the house, which was an old-fashioned single dwelling -turned into a building with a tenement on each floor. Two women--one -elderly and the other comparatively young--were carrying down-stairs, -with some difficulty, a large trunk containing all the household goods -and clothes they had managed to scrape together, while a little girl -was crying passionately at the foot of the stairs: - -“The kitty, oh! the kitty! We have left the kitty up-stairs and she -can’t get out!” - -The house had caught fire on or near the roof, and the top story was -almost gone. It was a five-story house, and the fourth story was -already burning, with the smoke and flames penetrating into the third; -and out of this third story the two women and the little child had -escaped just about in time, but leaving behind them many things they -would have liked to save. Among these was the cat, of whom they had -not thought until the little girl had begun crying for it at the foot -of the stairs. It was too late to go back in the ordinary way, because -the smoke had gathered so thickly about them that it would have been -almost impossible to get through; but Chippie suddenly remembered the -directions in the Boy Scout Handbook about crawling along the floor, -and so getting enough air to breathe while making one’s way through -a burning house. He turned to one of the women and asked her on what -floor their apartment was, and then, after thinking for a moment, he -said: - -“I’ll see whether it’s possible to get through on my hands and knees -and bring the cat out.” - -“Right you are, Chip,” said Dick, “and you, Tom, take hold of that -trunk and carry it out into the middle of the street, while I get -around into the back yard and see if there is any way of climbing up to -the windows of the third story.” - -Chippie darted up-stairs, and the last they saw of him was the soles -of his boots over the top step of the staircase, as he began pushing -his way first on hands and knees and then crawling on his stomach. The -little girl--who evidently had no anxiety for her own safety--clapped -her hands with delight, while the two women looked on with satisfaction -and relief as Tom took hold of the handle of the trunk and dragged it -out through the door. - -In the meantime Dick had run around to the back of the house; and, -after looking carefully for some time along the row of windows on the -third story, recognized something white in the corner, pushing up -against a pane of glass. He looked steadily for about half a minute, -when he saw it move, and made up his mind that it was the cat. Quickly -he measured the distance to the window with his eye, and noted the fact -that a stone wall ran up about four feet, and also that a rain-pipe -ascended from the top of the wall up to and past the window at a -distance of about two feet to the left. If he could only climb up that -rain-pipe and open the window, in case it was unbolted, he could give -the cat a chance to jump upon his shoulder. - -But there was something in Dick that did not want to do it; something -that told him it would be a mighty unpleasant thing to slip down and -get killed just then, or even to break an arm or leg. He knew what a -painful thing a broken arm was, for he had been with his aunt once when -she had slipped upon the ice and fallen backward, striking her elbow -on the hard surface. He knew how much she had suffered, even after the -arm was set, before she had regained the use of it. All these thoughts -went through his mind in a flash. Then there came to him the voice of -the little girl crying for her kitty; and then, again, like a quiet -voice rising from somewhere inside of him, the familiar words, “A scout -is brave.” It brought up the scene at prayers on the berth deck of the -_Bright Wing_ and the sound of another voice that was saying: “Without -honor life is not worth living.” And all of a sudden Dick made up his -mind that nothing was of any consequence to him at that moment but to -save the kitten. The next instant he thought of Chippie, crawling on -his way through the suffocating smoke, and ran back to the front door -and up the stairs as far as he could go, calling out to him to come -back, for they could rescue the cat through the window. To his surprise -Chippie was already on his way out, having found it impossible to -force the inner door, which was secured by a latch from within. Dick -hurried him out into the fresh air and around to his station at the -back of the house. - -“Here, Chippie, give me a boost up this wall, and I guess I can get up -the waterspout all right.” - -It was difficult work, because he could not get his legs fully around -the pipe, for it was too near the wall; but Dick had a pretty good -knee grip from having ridden bareback at home, and he managed to hold -with his knees enough of the distance that he had gained with his -hands to make some headway. He would grasp with both hands and lift -up his knees, and they would slide down again about half-way; but, -nevertheless, he would make on an average about six inches every pull, -and at the end of five minutes’ strenuous work his shoulder was above -the level of the window. Here, luckily, a brick had fallen out of the -wall, making a little place where he could rest one foot; and so he -waited for a minute or two to get his breath before reaching out to -the window. He soon recovered his wind and stretched out his hand; but, -although the window was not bolted, he could not raise it because his -hand was too far from the center. He then determined to break the pane -of glass nearest to him; and, reaching into his pocket, pulled out his -jackknife, and, with two sharp strokes, knocked a hole into the pane -without injuring his hand. But his arm was not long enough to reach -the kitten, and all that he could do was to hold it out within easy -distance for her to step on. Kitty’s fur was bristling with fear, but -it was interesting to note with what daintiness she managed to step -over the broken glass on to the outer sill. Then came a few moments of -apparent reflection while she seemed to be measuring the distance to a -really secure footing on Dick’s shoulder. He encouraged her with his -voice; and, with a single spring, she landed on his shoulder with her -claws piercing through his coat and dangerously near his skin. - -[Illustration: She seemed to be measuring the distance to a really -secure footing on Dick’s shoulder. _Page 109._] - -Then Dick began his journey downward, which was, of course, easier than -the upward climb. It was a question of putting on the brakes, but did -not take more than forty seconds. - -In the meantime, Chippie had got most of the smoke out of his eyes, and -had been watching Dick with breathless interest. Then they thought of -the little girl and the two women and started off in pursuit; and they -soon noticed, at a little distance, a large trunk being carried by a -woman and a boy, with an old woman and a little girl accompanying them. -In another minute Dick was handing the kitty to her small mistress; -and, when the little girl had done all she could to show her delight, -Dick and Chippie took charge of carrying the trunk to relieve Mrs. -Green and Tom, and they all kept together until they reached the Common. - -Here they found a large number of people who had taken refuge with -their household goods and chattels; and, when they had discovered a -vacant bench for the two women and the little girl, they sat down on -the ground themselves to hold a council of war. It was now six o’clock -and pretty near supper time. Was there room at the Salem Fraternity to -give shelter to their party for the night, or was there room in any of -the tents pitched on the Common? But Dick cut all these considerations -short by saying: - -“The first thing to do is to report to Mr. Miller, tell him all the -facts, and receive our instructions. Tom, you and Chippie stand by the -ladies here in case they should want anything immediately, and I will -go back to the Boys’ Club. You will probably hear from me again in half -or three-quarters of an hour.” - -Dick reported the facts as briefly as possible to Mr. Miller, who took -down the names of Mrs. Mitchell and her daughter, Mrs. Green, and -listened to Dick’s description of the place on the Common where they -were sitting under the protection of Tom and Chippie. After consulting -with the superintendent, he told Dick to take supplies for supper, and -to inform the party that they would be welcome in tent Number 6, where -two other families, similarly situated, were to pass the night. - -In the meantime, the fourth division from the _Bright Wing_ had -arrived, and had been at work for some time. Sleeping quarters were -provided for the boys in rooms at the top of the Boys’ Club; and, when -it was time for them to turn in, they felt mighty well after all their -hard work, and mighty tired. - -For some reason or other, Dick’s thoughts wandered away from the -exciting experiences of the day, and kept returning to that game of -baseball, when his touching second base had been questioned; he did not -feel happy about it, and as he went to sleep, the words, “A scout is -trustworthy”, kept rising up and passing through his mind. - -Chippie Smith dreamed of a procession of white and black cats climbing -up the waterspout to the top of a house, crossing the roof, and then -quietly walking down like flies on the other side. - - - - -CHAPTER X IN MARBLEHEAD HARBOR - - -At the request of the superintendent of the Boys’ Club, the Sea Scouts -remained in Salem one more day and night. By that time the militia had -arrived, and the worst of the emergency was over. The fire had been -put out since the night after their arrival, and the relief committee -for the whole city was thoroughly organized and in working order. -When they had said good-by to the superintendent and as many of their -new friends as they could find at the moment, the boys started, after -breakfast, on their way back to the ship. The scene was quite different -from that through which they had marched on that first afternoon. -There was no fire burning anywhere; and, in the high wind, most of -the cinders had been blown out to sea; but there were desolate proofs -of the destruction wrought in the charred and broken walls of the -forsaken houses which, only a few days before, had been cheerful and -comfortable homes. They passed by groups of people who were walking -about inspecting the ruins, and overheard an old man saying: - -“They say fire is a good servant but a poor master--and I guess they’re -right. What do you say, Joe?” - -Dick Gray, Tom, and Chippie walked together and talked over their -adventures. - -Soldiers belonging to the militia were standing sentry at different -points to protect the property that had not yet been removed, and -they also had charge of the street traffic, so that no carriages or -automobiles that were not engaged in rescue work were permitted within -the burnt district. - -Dick told the other boys of the rescue of a blind man by one of the -Salem scouts. The poor fellow had been found in the railway station, -hearing the strange sounds and feeling the fire creeping nearer, but -not knowing which way to turn. Tom, on the other hand, told them about -his first-aid adventure with the woman and the doctor, of which he had -not spoken previously to any one except Mr. Miller. - -Then it suddenly occurred to him that, as they were all three together -and practically alone, this would be a good opportunity to speak to -Dick about a matter which he and Chippie had talked of together, and -which had been on their minds for some days past. So Tom changed the -subject rather suddenly and said: - -“Dick, Chip and I have been wondering what you have had such a grouch -about lately; can you tell us?” - -“What do you want to know for?” answered Dick rather gruffly. - -“Well,” replied Tom, “it has something to do with the law about being -cheerful--hasn’t it? And aren’t we three sworn brothers-in-arms to see -that we keep the law?” - -Dick did not answer at once, and he didn’t seem to relish what Tom was -saying. But Chippie piped up next: - -“Don’t you remember, Dick, when you said you wanted to learn to keep -the scout law, or bust? and we all three agreed to stand by each other?” - -There was no answer, and they walked along in silence, until finally -Dick said, in quite a different tone: - -“Say, fellows, I’ve got something to tell you,” and in their interest -to hear what he had to say, the two others stopped walking and the -three heads bent forward together. - -After about five minutes’ talk, they resumed their walk and soon -reached the wharf. They all three had a rather troubled expression -as they joined their comrades, got into the boats, rowed out to the -ship, clambered up the side-ladder and saluted the quarter-deck,--all -seemed in a kind of daze. Most of the other boys felt as if they had -been asleep, too, and had just waked up from an exciting dream. They -gathered around the day bunk, talking over the incidents of the past -two days, when suddenly “first call” to quarters was sounded. This -finally woke them up completely and brought them to a realization of -present duty. - -As they stood up in their places at quarters, there was a general -inspection of clothing; some of the working suits were so badly used up -as to be almost beyond repair. - -Before the company was dismissed, the Chairman made a few remarks, -during which he praised the work of the company in general, and told -the boys there would probably be more to say on the subject after the -meeting of the next officers’ conference, which would sit as a Court -of Honor. It was also announced that there would be no instruction -or drill for the remainder of the day, but that all the boys could -go in swimming and take a rest until supper time. Wind and weather -permitting, the ship was to sail for Northbridge the following morning. -Everybody noticed that the Chairman and Mr. Miller were in high good -humor. - -There was a good swim that afternoon and a lot of frolicking in the -water off the ship’s side; and, although a few of the boys were so -tired that they crawled into their bunks and slept until they heard -the bugle call for “mess cooks below”, most of them were gathered in -groups, either on the day bunk or in the jib netting, to talk over the -events of the last two days. - -The chief work that the boys had done was in carrying food to people -on the Common and in helping to load baggage and furniture that was -taken out of the houses upon trucks and vans; and, when Chippie told -the story of Dick Gray’s rescue of the white cat, some of the company -took it more as a joke than anything else, and thought it was not much -of a thing to do, considering how easy it was to get a cat whenever you -wanted one, and how many kittens were drowned every day. - -Chippie took up the cudgels for Dick and thought that it was no joke -for any creature, either animal or man, to burn to death. - -“If you could ask the cat what she thinks of it, I guess she’d say it -was a mighty good job!” - -Dick was entirely silent throughout the controversy; but, somehow or -other, his mind seemed to have got the habit of recalling parts of -the scout law on every possible occasion. And now, as he listened to -the clamor of the talk around him, he heard again that same quiet -voice which had spoken to him as he contemplated the waterspout in -Mrs. Green’s back yard. This time it kept repeating the words, “Shall -protect all harmless life.” Then that old idea of the baseball game -and second base came jumping up into his mind again, and he thought to -himself: - -“Why shouldn’t I have a talk with Mr. Miller about that?” There -was something queer going on in Dick’s mind that he did not quite -understand himself. - -At the recreation hour, after supper, there were several good sparring -matches and a lot of singing; and, during one of the less noisy -intervals, Dick noticed Mr. Miller standing all alone and leaning up -against the foremast stays. He seemed to be quietly watching the scene -in front of him, and every now and then the flicker of a smile played -over his features. - -“Now’s my chance,” said Dick to himself. “There’s a full fifteen -minutes before prayers.” - -Dick’s working trousers had been pretty badly worn on the waterspout, -and he had been wondering whether he should have to patch the holes, or -whether, considering the circumstances, he could get a new pair,--but -it was not about his trousers that he was waiting to speak to Mr. -Miller. He had a kind of sickish feeling that seemed to be getting -worse and worse as time went on. He felt as if he were two boys -instead of one. The boy who had been working along with Tom Sheffield -and Chippie Smith all over Salem--the boy who had climbed up the -waterspout, and who had beaten down the desire to shirk and be a -coward--was not the same boy who had played in the baseball game at -Hull. On the other hand, that boy of the baseball game seemed to be -not unlike the boy who had been scared to risk his neck in saving the -little girl’s cat. - -It is not a pleasant thing to have two people inside of you when they -are fighting with one another. And this is what seemed to be happening -to Dick Gray; and the more he tried to do his duty as a scout, the more -these two boys inside of him wanted to fight and kick up a dust. So, as -Dick was looking at Mr. Miller standing in the dusk against the evening -sky, Dick Number 1 repeated: - -“I guess now is the time,” and started to walk forward in the right -direction; but he hadn’t got much more than half-way toward Mr. Miller -when Dick Number 2 whispered: - -“Never mind about the baseball game; ask him about your working -pants!” and the next moment he was standing before Mr. Miller with his -hand lifted to the salute. Mr. Miller did not notice the suppressed -excitement in his face, nor did he hear the thumping of his heart, as -he remarked, with assumed quietness: - -“I got my pants badly torn in Salem the other day, sir, and I’d like to -know whether I can get another pair?” - -“You coward! You coward!” whispered Dick Number 1 inside, before Mr. -Miller could answer. - -“Oh! let me see,” said Mr. Miller. “They are rather badly done up, -aren’t they? How did you get them torn so badly?” - -“Climbing a waterspout, sir,” said Dick. - -Mr. Miller smiled, and then there was a little pause. - -“That is not a question you should come to me with, Gray; report to -your boatswain’s mate, and he will report to me for the whole section. -Lots of other boys have torn their clothes.” - -“Ay, ay, sir,” replied Dick, with a salute, and turned away. - -But he did not get any fun out of the sports on deck that night, and -the words, “You coward! You coward!” kept ringing in his ears. - -After taps that evening there was officers’ conference in the cabin; -and, when certain routine matters had been disposed of, the rescue work -in Salem was talked over very thoroughly. All the boys had behaved -well, and some of the little ones had done almost too much. Jack -Perkins had been in immediate charge of organizing the groups and of -overseeing their work, and he had managed his task so well that he had -been able to make careful notes of pretty nearly everything that had -been done. - -This, of course, was a great help to the Court of Honor in awarding -their commendations, and it was voted first that Jack Perkins should -be commended at quarters the following day. Five other boys, including -Chippie and Tom, who had done especially hard work in saving and -carrying valuables out of burning houses, were commended, and besides -it was decided to give Tom a commendation for the incident with the -doctor. - -Finally, the question of Dick Gray and the cat came up; and although -it was undoubtedly a genuine case of saving life, a doubt arose as to -whether such an act as Dick’s constituted “life saving” in its real -sense. - -There was an interesting discussion on this point, and it was finally -decided that the meaning of “life saving”, in its connection with the -merit badge, could only refer to the saving of human life, but that -Dick’s act was an emphatic instance of obedience to Law Number 6: - -“He is a friend to animals. He will not kill nor hurt any living -creature needlessly, but will strive to save and protect all harmless -life.” - -The Court also found that it involved, though perhaps less -conspicuously, an upright obedience to Law Number 10: “A scout is -Brave.” - -It was therefore decided to award Dick not the medal for “life saving”, -but a special commendation. - -The officers present felt that the same doubt which had arisen in some -of their own minds would naturally arise in the minds of the boys, and -particularly hoped that the Chairman would make the whole question -clear at quarters on the following day. - -When the meeting was over, all the officers seemed pleased at the -result, and, after a stroll on deck, Mr. Miller and the Chairman went -below. - -“Good night, sir,” said Mr. Miller to the Chairman, after they were in -their bunks. “Something is going on inside of that boy, Gray. There is -no doubt that he did a plucky and unselfish thing, and it will probably -help him to see some other things in their true light.” - -“That’s just what I think, Mr. Miller; I believe in the boy. Good -night,” and the Chairman turned over in his bunk and went to sleep. - - - - -CHAPTER XI DICK’S CONFESSION - - -Next morning all hands were on deck at five o’clock to weigh anchor -and set sail. It was a beautiful morning with a light breeze from the -northeast which was just about a head wind. - -The Captain was on the quarter-deck giving his orders, which were -repeated by the mate a little forward of amidships. The boatswain was -forward near the jib halyards, and Jack Perkins was busy looking out -for his own section and watching to see that the other “B. M.’s” were -doing the same thing. The master-at-arms was down below, hurrying up a -couple of lazy lubbers who were inclined to dawdle instead of getting -out on deck. - -Mr. Wentworth stood with watch in hand ready to time the different -operations for the ship’s log, and Chippie Smith, who had been detailed -as recorder, waited with pencil and paper in his hand. Everything went -more smoothly than usual, and the work was watched with great interest -by the Chairman, who wanted the boys to grow even more skilful and -efficient in handling the ship. No noise was allowed while the work of -getting under way was going on,--no whistling, or singing, or anything -which might possibly drown the voice of the Captain in giving orders, -or of the other officers in repeating them. The consequence was that -the Captain could give his commands in a comparatively low tone which -was distinctly heard; and this, in itself, tended to prevent confusion. - -The jib and jumbo went up respectively in three and two minutes; the -foresail and the mainsail in six and eight minutes. Jack Perkins, as -Chief Boatswain’s Mate, had prepared for the morning’s work the night -before by holding a little council with the three other “B. M.’s” and -going over with them in detail the duties and stations of the four -different sections. As a result, the work was very prompt, each “B. -M.” at his station with his own section listening carefully to get the -orders either from the Captain or the mate, or the boatswain, according -to his position on deck, and then repeating them promptly and quietly -to his own boys and leading them in carrying out the manœuvre--whatever -it might be. - -When the anchor was hoisted, the sails caught the breeze on the -starboard tack and the _Bright Wing_ worked out of the harbor against -the wind. Once outside, the breeze began to rise, and everybody felt -the delight that comes from the buoyancy of the water and the freshness -of the wind and spray. - -“I’m glad it’s a head wind,” said Tom to Dick, who was sitting -alongside him on the day bunk, “because it will take us longer to get -to Northbridge, and we’ll get more of a sail.” - -“You bet,” said Dick, “shouldn’t wonder if we got a spanking breeze -pretty soon. I thought I saw a little water coming through a lee -scupper for’ard, just now. The old ship seems to sail best on her side, -anyway.” - -The conversation was interrupted by the boatswain’s whistle for “scrub -and wash clothes”; and all who did not belong to the watch went down -and started scrubbing their clothes. In ten minutes the clothes were -up on the lines, and the decks were being scrubbed--after the cabin -skylight and portholes had been securely closed--with a smile in memory -of Mr. Miller’s discomfiture two days before. Then came personal -washing for every individual, followed by mess inspection and breakfast. - -Everybody had been so busy all the early morning that the great event -of the day which was to happen at quarters had been temporarily -forgotten; but, after the first keen edge of appetite was satisfied, -interest and curiosity asserted themselves as to what was going to -be done about the work at Salem, and who was to receive awards or -commendation. - -Of course everybody knew that Jack Perkins had done a lot of good work, -and had been responsible for seeing that orders were carried out. He -was always a valuable man in any kind of business, because he never -forgot things himself and always reminded his subordinates when they -were apt to forget. As far as the boys could judge, they all had tried -their best, but of course some had been more successful than others. As -regards Dick Gray, the company were divided in opinion, some believing -that the rescue of a cat would not be even mentioned in an official -Order of the Day, and others asserting their belief that he would -receive the medal for “life saving.” Tom and Chippie were especially -earnest advocates of the value of Dick’s achievement. - -“It wasn’t his fault that it was only a cat,” said they. “He would have -done the same thing if it had been a boy or girl!” - -Dick had been up on deck among the very first that morning and had -enjoyed getting under way in the fresh morning air. He went below to -breakfast with the others in high spirits; but when he heard the talk -about the coming awards and so forth, it made him feel queer, and the -feeling stuck to him--even after he was on deck again polishing brasses. - -After the usual roll call at quarters, the “setting up” exercises -caused a good deal of amusement because the deck was rather sharply -inclined, and the vessel was bounding along quite briskly. Some of -the green hands kept losing their footing and tumbling about, and the -regular climbing over the masthead was omitted. Then came the command, -“Attention,--About face”, and all turned toward the quarter-deck to -hear what the Chairman was going to say. - -“Boys,” said he, “I am glad we had the opportunity of going ashore -at Marblehead and giving a little help at the Salem fire. It is a -thing that we shall all remember, and the next chance we get we -shall be able to do better because of this experience. But we must -not forget that such things as these are all in our day’s work, and -should be careful not to feel that we have done anything very great or -exceptional in trying to help people in an emergency. It is something -that our training is intended to help us to do as _a matter of course_, -and all the different things that we do for the sake of training are -made much more interesting than they otherwise would be, by using them -in practical service whenever an opportunity occurs. - -“But, although we want to be careful not to be vain or foolish because -we have had the privilege of doing such things as it is the duty of -every scout to do, when he gets a chance, we must recognize good work -when we see it, so as to encourage one another to do more such work, -and to do it better and better as time goes on.” - -He then turned and spoke in a low voice to Mr. Miller, who immediately -gave the command: - -“Perkins--front and center!” - -Jack immediately marched down and stood directly opposite the Chairman. - -“Perkins,” said the Chairman, “the Court of Honor, especially convened -to consider the work of the ship’s company at the Salem fire, have -decided that your work ashore was of excellent quality and deserves the -commendation of the Court. The Court commends you for carrying out your -instructions promptly and with good judgment.” - -Jack saluted, and, at the word of command, marched back to his regular -position. - -Malloy, Young, Ellsworth, and Smith were then ordered to “front and -center” and stood “at attention” before the Chairman. - -“It gives me pleasure to tell you, boys,” said the Chairman, “that you -have been especially commended for good work at the Salem fire.” - -All saluted, and at the words “About face--march”, from Mr. Miller, -returned to their positions with a grin upon their faces. - -Then Tom was ordered forward, and received a commendation for efficient -first-aid work in helping to save a woman by stopping the flow of blood -from a severed artery. There was general surprise at Tom’s first-aid -commendation, for none of the boys knew about the incident except Dick -and Chippie. - -“Just like him,” muttered Malloy; “with all his talk about Gray and the -cat, he hasn’t let on about himself at all!” - -“Gray, front and center,” was the next command. - -Dick took his position “at attention” before the Chairman, with the -most solemn face you could possibly imagine. - -“Boys,” said the Chairman, addressing them all together, “the Court -finds that the case of Gray is somewhat different from the others and -requires special attention. Not only did he do good work in helping in -a rescue and in moving belongings to a place of safety, but he actually -saved life, although the life was only that of a little animal,--a -little girl’s pet. The regular medal for ‘life saving’ could not be -awarded in such a case, because that is reserved as a reward for the -saving of human life only; for, while the law recognizes the sacredness -of all harmless life, it makes an important distinction between the -value of human life and that of an animal. However, the qualities of -unselfishness and courage which Gray has shown in saving a kitten from -the third story of a burning house are qualities which he or any other -would need in saving human life under similar circumstances.” - -While the Chairman was saying these words, Mr. Miller was watching -Dick’s face attentively, for it was getting paler and paler, more and -more troubled. - -“The Court, therefore,” resumed the Chairman, “not only commends”--here -the Chairman paused as he noticed the expression on Dick’s face. - -“What’s the matter, Gray?” he asked kindly, in a low voice. - -“I--I--can’t take it!” muttered Dick. “Don’t ask me now. May I speak -to Mr. Miller for a minute?” - -All this had been said in an undertone, and the whole company was -stirred by a feeling, partly of curiosity, and partly of discomfort. -Mr. Miller was standing within earshot, and the Chairman nodded to him. -Then Mr. Miller beckoned to Dick and led him down the ladder into the -cabin. - -The boys were then ordered to remain “at ease”, and every one looked at -his neighbor as if to say: - -“I wonder what is going to happen next?” - -Presently Mr. Miller appeared on deck again and reported to the -Chairman in a low voice; and, in a few minutes more, he went back to -get Dick, and they both stood alongside the Chairman. - -The general feeling of suspense by this time had grown extremely acute, -when the Chairman said: - -“Boys, Gray has asked permission to say something to us all before -we go on with awarding the honors. I ask you to listen to him with -careful attention. His only object in talking to you now is to do his -full duty as a Boy Scout under very trying circumstances.” - -Dick had had a good, frank talk with Mr. Miller in the cabin below, -and had cleared his mind of a weight that had been pressing down on -him for some time past, although he had not, until that morning, faced -the necessity for action with perfect clearness. He now had determined -to make a clean breast of the whole matter and to accept his just -penalty--whatever that might be--like a man. - -“I want to say, fellows,” said he, “that the umpire was wrong in the -game at Hull, when he decided in my favor about second base. I never -touched it. I got around to third and then home without ever having -come within six inches of second base, except after I had been fairly -put out. I haven’t any excuse; I knew it was wrong, but I did not know -how wrong it was. I have done other things like that before, and I -thought they were smart. Now you know it, and maybe I shall lose my -scout badge. I have lost the right to wear it, anyway, and you can see -as well as I that I can’t accept any honor for what happened at Salem.” - -He then turned to the Chairman, who said with a very quiet voice: - -“You may go below for the present, Gray.” - -The Chairman, Mr. Miller, and Mr. Wentworth then consulted together, -and finally asked Jack Perkins to join them. The whole company was -impressed by the solemnity of the incident. The Chairman explained -to the boys that the question of awarding an honor to Gray under -the present circumstances must be reconsidered in the light of his -confession. - -“But,” said he, “I can assure you of one thing: however wrong Gray has -been in the past, I respect him for his straight-forwardness to-day. -Let me warn you boys against treating this matter in any way that might -appear to be mean or disrespectful to a fellow scout. It would be a -base and brutal thing to treat lightly such humiliation as this.” - -Judging from the faces of the boys as they separated when they were -dismissed, it seemed as if the warning of the Chairman were hardly -necessary. They were all sorry for Dick and greatly surprised, but -owing to his frank and public confession, they had a feeling of -confidence that everything would turn out right in the end. - - - - -CHAPTER XII ANOTHER MEETING OF THE CLUB - - -During the evening recreation hour, when everybody was on deck, Tom, -Chippie, and Dick had a quiet talk below, sitting on Tom’s locker. Each -one of the three felt the urgent need of their getting together and -talking over, with the utmost frankness, everything that had happened -since the morning of the baseball game at Hull; but now that they were -sitting alone face to face, there did not seem so very much to say -after all, because of their talk on the way back from Salem and Dick’s -manly confession before all the boys. - -“I’m glad you came out with it all, this morning, Dick,” said Tom. “It -must have hurt to have all the fellows know about it, and there was -nothing to force you to tell except your honor.” - -“Yes,” chimed in Chippie, “you might have covered it up and taken the -commendation, and no one would have been any the wiser!” - -“Yep,” retorted Dick, with a grim look, “but how do you think I would -have felt? Don’t you suppose that dirty trick I played at Hull would -have gnawed inside of me? I don’t suppose you fellows know how much it -hurts--when you have a right to know better. If it hadn’t been for our -talk on the way back from Salem, and the cat, and all that they brought -up to me about honor and the scout law, maybe I might have forgotten -the Hull business--for the time, anyway; but I’m mighty glad I didn’t. -Say, boys,” said he, with a sudden gleam of animation, “it’s like when -you’ve eaten something that goes against you; you can’t get right till -you’ve thrown it up!” - -“To-morrow is Sunday,” said Tom, “and we expect to drop anchor in -Northbridge to-night. All hands are going ashore to church in the -morning, and there’s liberty in the afternoon. What do you fellows say -to a meeting of the Club on Duck Island?” - -“A-1!” answered Dick. - -“Bet your life!” exclaimed Chippie, “I’d like to hear that story over -again about ‘After you, pilot’, and the fellow that went down the -manhole. I say, Tom, I think we ought to write that out and keep it -in a secret and safe place in the shack. I’m thinking we may like to -remind ourselves of that story once in a while. You see this time it -was Dick that made a break, and I guess it was because he forgot all -about his oath in the excitement of the game. But maybe next time it -would be you or me, Tom, that would be tempted in some such way. We -might as well be prepared for the worst, and then the enemy can never -catch us asleep.” - -“You’re a good one, Chip,” cried Dick, and gave his comrade a thump on -the back. “That makes me feel that we’re working together, and that -the Club is a real live thing. Before you said that, I had a sneaking -feeling that nobody could be as bad as I was, and that makes a fellow -feel kind of washed out and discouraged.” - -“Now it’s time to go on deck, for the fellows will be coming down -to prayers in a few minutes,” said Tom. “We’ll write that story out -carefully with ink in the shack to-morrow afternoon”; and, as they -approached the companionway, Chippie gave Dick a shove up ahead of them -and whispered in his ear: “After you, pilot!” - -There were only a few minutes to wait on deck before prayers, and Dick -felt relieved and refreshed, first, because the load of unacknowledged -guilt had rolled off him and had seemed to sink to the bottom of the -sea; and secondly, because he felt the respect and sympathy of his -brothers-in-arms. Dick Number 1 was in the saddle, and ready for action. - -They came to anchor at Northbridge at about nine o’clock that -evening, and the next morning all hands landed and went to church. -The Northbridge boys then joined their families for dinner, while the -others returned on board and landed again in the afternoon to take -a hike through the surrounding country. Tom, Dick, and Chippie met, -according to their agreement, at the shack on Duck Island at four -o’clock. - -“You call the meeting to order, Tom,” said Chippie, “that’s your -business; and, as Dick’s brother was the one who told us the story, -I vote Dick had better tell it to us the best he knows how, only -slowly--and I’ll write it down, and you can tell us when you think -we’re off the track.” - -“Chip’s a pretty good manager, eh, Dick?” said Tom. “Here he orders -me to call the meeting to order and then goes on and tries to run it -himself! What do you think of that, sonny?” - -“All right, Tom, it’s your show,” said Chippie, “only for goodness’ -sake, begin.” - -“This meeting will now come to order,” said Tom solemnly. “Does -everybody agree to what Chippie has said? If so, get your pen and paper -ready, Chip, and you, Dick, begin the story.” - -There was a pause, and then Dick asked: “What was the name of the ship?” - -“_Tecumseh_,” said Tom. - -“Write that down, Chip,” said Dick, “the name of the ship was -_Tecumseh_”; and then he went on with the facts of the story, helped -along by suggestions from Tom and Chippie. It took them quite a long -time to get through, but finally they came to the last sentence: “And -so Captain Craven gave up his life to do his duty as a good scout, -and to keep his oath and law; and so, to remind them of his brave and -courteous act, the officers of the Navy have the custom of saying, -‘After you, pilot’ when one of them steps back to make way for another; -and also, because we want to be reminded of his brave and courteous act -and faithfulness to his oath and law, we--the members of the Triangle -Club of Duck Island--have written out this story to read once in a -while, and have taken ‘After you, Pilot’ as our motto.” - -“I move,” cried Chippie, “that we adopt this as the charter of the -Club.” - -“What’s a charter?” asked Dick. - -“It means what the Club’s about,” said Chippie quickly. - -“Well, if that’s so,” answered Dick, “I think there ought to be -something else in the Charter.” - -“What’s that?” asked the others eagerly. - -“Why, what we said in the beginning, when we first read the story, that -each one of us pledges himself to do his best, first, to keep the law -himself as well as he can, and then to help the others to do the same -thing; and--not only that--but each one will tell any other, when he -sees him sliding off, the way you talked to me coming back from Salem.” - -Dick’s motion was unanimously agreed to, and then all three stood up -and took hold of hands to confirm their pledge, thus also forming -the triangle which was the symbol of the Club. They then all three -solemnly signed the document, affixing their scout signs: - -[Illustration: Thomas Sheffield - -Chipman R. Smith - -Richard Gray] - - - - -CHAPTER XIII A GREEN HAND - - -While the meeting of the Triangle Club was going on at the Grays’ farm, -Mr. Wentworth went ashore with the yeoman,--Bob Brackett--to meet a new -boy who was to join the ship that afternoon. - -As soon as they had arrived at the landing, however, they were -approached by a tall, elderly man who looked as if he had come from -the country, and had rather a small boy at his side in the Land Scout -uniform. - -“My name is Jackson,” said he, addressing Mr. Wentworth, “and I have -brought my nephew, William Brown, for whom, I understand, a berth has -been reserved on the _Bright Wing_.” - -“Yes, sir,” replied Mr. Wentworth cordially, “and I am very much -obliged to you for being on hand so promptly, for you have saved me the -trouble of looking you up at the hotel.” - -After shaking hands, Mr. Wentworth turned to Brown with a friendly nod, -and then, facing Bob, he said: - -“This boy with the mail bag, Brown, is our yeoman, and we shall have -to wait until he has been to the post office, before returning to the -ship. Do you think, Mr. Jackson, that your nephew would like to go to -the post office with the yeoman? It might be pleasant for him to make -friends with one of the crew before he goes aboard.” - -Mr. Jackson assented, and Billy Brown saluted awkwardly by throwing his -arm out on one side and then bringing it up to the back of his head. -“He’s a queer duck,” thought Bob, but his meditations were interrupted -by Mr. Wentworth. - -“You can go now, Yeoman, and be as quick as you can. Remember you are -on duty, and you have no other errand but to post the outgoing and to -fetch the incoming mail.” - -Mr. Wentworth spoke with decision; but his tone was so friendly that -any boy would have felt inclined to obey him. - -The two scouts went off together at a smart pace; and, as they walked -up the street, Mr. Wentworth noticed a great contrast in the way they -held themselves. The same thought seemed to have entered Mr. Jackson’s -mind. - -“I’m in great hopes,” he said, “that the drill and discipline on the -_Bright Wing_ may improve Billy’s physical condition. He is a studious -boy, but he does not get enough fun or activity out of doors.” - -“I understand, sir,” said Mr. Wentworth; “he has an intelligent face -and a good bright eye, but his body isn’t well gathered together. He -seems to have a little stoop in the shoulders. For how long is he to be -on board, sir?” - -“His berth is engaged for two weeks, but if there is room for him, he -might possibly stay longer.” - -“Well,” said Mr. Wentworth, “a good deal can be done in two weeks -if a boy is intelligent and willing,--I mean in the way of a start. -A good brain and willing disposition are the best sort of help to a -boy for getting his body into shape; for, if he can get a strong idea -of physical balance into his mind, it will give him an interest in -keeping his body up to the mark. But, of course, he needs practice and -exercise, too. I understand, sir, that you are also coming on board?” - -“Yes,” replied Mr. Jackson, “I’m going as far as Provincetown, and then -I shall have to take the train for home. I have not had a good sail for -many years, and am looking forward with great pleasure to being on a -Boy Scout ship.” - -Mr. Wentworth was very glad of this opportunity to find out the special -needs of the new boy, and he looked forward particularly to reporting -everything he had learned to the Chairman and Mr. Miller. - -“I shouldn’t wonder,” thought he to himself, “if we made a good -light-weight boxer of the lad before he leaves the ship; but the main -thing is to teach him to gather himself together and to swim and row -well.” He had a quick eye for such things. - -The conversation had not continued much longer when Bob and Billy -reappeared with a heavy load of letters and bundles in the mail bag. - -Fred Hamilton, the boatswain, was in charge of the launch that lay -alongside the landing. Mr. Wentworth ordered the boys into her stern, -and then got in himself to give Mr. Jackson a hand. He then went -forward to the wheel and the boatswain stood by the engine. - -When they returned to the ship, it was recreation hour, and the music -of the “ship’s band” greeted the newcomers across the water. Half a -dozen hands were stretched over the side to catch the painter of the -launch as she approached the side ladder. The Chairman and the Captain -were standing on deck ready to welcome Mr. Jackson. - -Bob immediately took the mail below and sorted it out according to -regulations, while Mr. Wentworth went to the clothes locker to find a -suit of “whites”, and a blue working suit to fit the new apprentice -seaman, William Brown. - -Billy’s “Station Billet” was made out within half an hour from the time -he arrived, and Bob was detailed to explain it to him. - -Billy made out that he was Number 6 in the Second Division, Second -Section, which was in charge of Harold French, as “B. M.”, and Bob -offered to take him to French so that he could report at once. - -French looked him over quietly and then said, “You know how to swim, I -suppose?” - -“Yes,” said Billy, “I’ve done my fifty yards.” - -“How about diving?” asked French. - -Billy put his hand on his stomach with a smile and said with a peculiar -drawl, “I’ve had a good many slaps right here. I’m not much good at -that.” - -“Probably you don’t swim under water, then,” replied the “B. M.” - -“No,” said Billy, “and we never went beyond our depth where I learned -swimming.” - -“Well,” said French, “we’ll have to go with you under water the first -chance we get, and I guess we can teach you a thing or two.” - -Billy answered these questions with a deliberate air and without -any evidence of being ill at ease. He evidently was in the habit of -thinking before he spoke, and carefully listening to what was said; -and, although his carriage was poor and his physique not particularly -strong, French liked the clear, steady look in his eyes. - -As Billy was turning away, the “B. M.” called after him, “Say, young -fellow, have you put your things into your locker and got them in order -yet?” - -“Yes,” replied Brown. - -“Well,” said the “B. M.”, looking at his watch, “we’ve got twenty-five -minutes before prayers, and I guess we can go forward and have ten -minutes’ drill.” - -Then he turned for a minute to Dick Gray who had just returned on -board, and said in an undertone: “You just keep an eye on him, Dick, -and show him the ropes.” - -At that moment there happened to be nobody on the forward deck, so -that French and Billy and Dick had it all to themselves. French gave -his commands in a comparatively subdued voice, so as not to attract -a crowd, and then suggested to Brown a few simple ideas about the -attitude of respectful attention and the significance of it in the -daily life of a scout, while Dick took the position to illustrate what -French meant. - -Billy was rather awkward, and his large round eyeglasses and prominent -ears gave him a queer look of somehow being out of place in his new -surroundings; but French noticed that he seemed to enjoy the drill and -to take a genuine interest in what he was being taught. - -“Heels together, little finger on the seam of your trousers, chest -up, stomach in,--don’t bend backwards, balance on the instep--neck -straight, chin in. There, sonny, that’s the way you want to hold -yourself at quarters, or any time ‘at attention.’ But you can’t expect -to do it easily without teaching your body to be strong in the right -places. You seem kind of soft now, and here’s a little medicine that -will help harden you a bit.” - -Then he and Dick showed him an exercise in deep breathing and -stretching. “Do that six times, two or three times a day, and I guess -it will give you a lift,” said French. - -Billy thought of thanking French, but somehow or other felt that his -gratitude would not be appreciated,--or else that he had better show -it by making progress rather than by words,--so he drew himself up -straight and waited to see what was going to happen next. Just then the -boatswain’s call sounded out sharp for prayers, and they all went down -the companionway to the berth deck. - -Billy’s locker and bunk were not far from Dick’s, and after “tattoo” -they undressed together and talked about a number of things that had -aroused Billy’s curiosity. They were interrupted by the sounding of -“taps”; and a minute after Bertie Young, the master-at-arms, made his -rounds to see that all were in their bunks and that everything was -quiet. - -“He knows mighty little about a vessel,” thought Dick, as he turned -over in his bunk, “but he’s a great one for asking questions, and I -shouldn’t wonder if he knew the whole thing before long.” - -In the next bunk but one, Billy lay thinking about the farm and the -home folks. “I wonder,” thought he, “whether Roger has remembered the -special feed for the calf.” Then, in another minute, he was thinking of -the ship again, and of his present surroundings, and wondered how he -could have come into so entirely different a world within only fifty -miles of the world he had left behind him. “There are lots of things on -board this ship,” thought he, “that I never heard of in my life; but -I’ll do my best to learn every one of them, and won’t the boys at home -be surprised!” - - - - -CHAPTER XIV THE KEY OF THE KEELSON - - -The next morning, much to every one’s disappointment, the ship’s -departure was delayed by a dead calm, and so the “routine at anchor” -continued uninterrupted. Meantime Mr. Jackson was making the most of -his opportunities for observing the life on board. After following the -instruction of the four sections from one o’clock to half-past two, he -promised himself to have a good talk with the Chairman and the Captain -when the boys should have gone ashore for their liberty and everything -on board would be comparatively quiet. - -Billy had his first experience of going over the masthead that morning; -and, as he was rather a sedentary boy, the thought of it made him feel -a little queer. He did not like climbing or high places particularly, -but he simply used his common sense, and told himself that the thing -_had to be done_ and that there was no use thinking any more about -it. Dick managed to get up just behind him so that he could watch -him and give him a word of encouragement, if necessary, and things -went on all right until they got nearly to the crosstrees. Then Dick -noticed that Billy hesitated, and he reached his own arm well up beside -him and whispered to him just where to put his hands and feet. The -sound of Dick’s voice was all that little Bill needed, and he rallied -immediately and climbed to the top, and then stepped across and began -going down the other side. - -In the afternoon Mr. Jackson watched the string of white hats and -jumpers disappear down the cabin companionway, as the boys went to get -some of their money before going ashore; and then the inspection of the -same string drawn up in line on deck before they got into the boats at -three o’clock. He watched them row away from the ship with the “long -boat” a little in advance,--their white hats and jumpers like so many -dots, and their oar blades sparkling in the afternoon sun. - -As he turned his head away from this cheerful scene, he noticed the -Chairman standing by his side and looking in the same direction. - -“They’re not a bad lot of youngsters,” said the latter, “and there’s -just mischief enough in them to keep us busy.” - -“Have they all gone ashore?” asked Mr. Jackson. - -“All but a few,” replied the Chairman, and he blew his whistle. - -“Dick,” said he, turning to the messenger, who had just run up in -answer to the signal, “find out how many boys are left on board.” - -In a few minutes Dick returned and gave the result of his search. - -“There are five, sir: the Chief ‘B. M.’, reading a book in the -jib netting, sir; two forward, scrubbing sails for extra duty; Tom -Sheffield and the new boy,--Brown, sir, I think is his name.” - -“That makes six, counting you,” said the Chairman. - -“Yes, sir, I’m on duty as messenger until the liberty party returns.” - -“That’s well! Now go and ask Brown to come up and speak to me.” - -Billy clambered up the berth deck ladder, and, as he stood at salute -before the Chairman and Mr. Jackson, the latter thought he already saw -a change for the better in his bearing. - -“Sit down, Brown. This is a slack time, and I thought perhaps you’d -like to have a little visit with your uncle.” - -“Yes, sir,” answered Billy, and he still spoke with the old-fashioned -deliberation that Mr. Wentworth had noticed the evening before at the -landing. - -As he sat down, Mr. Jackson asked: “Well, how do you like it, Bill, as -far as you have got?” - -“I like it first rate, uncle; seems to me I’m seeing something new -every minute, and I like it, too! I find I get twisted with so many new -names of things, but I guess that will get all straightened out in a -few days.” - -“What do you find hardest, Bill?” - -“Well, I guess it’s hardest for me to remember to stand up straight; -but that ‘B. M.’ of mine--what’s his name--he’s a pretty good sort of a -fellow, and gives me a dig in the ribs now and then; and then there’s -Dick--I don’t know his last name--he’s a good ’un! Oh! That reminds -me,” exclaimed Billy suddenly, “I had almost forgotten something!” - -Then turning to the Chairman: - -“Will you please tell me, sir, where I can find the key of the keelson?” - -A faint smile played over the Chairman’s face as he asked the boy why -he wanted it. - -“Well, the quartermaster, I think they call him, told me to get it, -because the ‘B. M.’ asked him for it, and he said he had not seen it -for some time; so I went and asked the messenger, and he didn’t know -where it was, and sent me to the boatswain; and the boatswain, he -didn’t know where it was, and sent me to the mate, and the mate sent -me to the Officer of the Day, and he said I’d better ask the Chairman -of the Committee. It’s a mighty funny thing how a thing like that can -get lost on board ship, for I haven’t noticed many things lying around -loose.” - -The Chairman was silent for a few seconds, and then, “It _is_ a funny -thing, Brown,” said he, “but I’ll tell you what you do. The Captain is -down in the cabin at this moment. You go and report to him from me, -tell him your story, and say that I am sure that he can help you out.” - -“Shall I go now, sir?” asked Billy. - -“Yes,” said the Chairman, “unless Mr. Jackson has something else to say -to you.” - -But Mr. Jackson had nothing more to say just then except this: - -“When you have found out where the key of the keelson is, Bill, I wish -you would ask permission to show it to me, and then--bring the keelson -along, too, so that we can examine it carefully and see whether the key -really fits.” - -There was the slightest possible twinkle in Mr. Jackson’s eyes as he -made this remark, and Bill looked at him earnestly, as if to fathom its -meaning. He then turned to the cabin companionway and disappeared below. - -Just then Mr. Jackson’s eye was arrested by a boy up on the mainmast -crosstrees, and he recognized Jack Perkins. - -“Why, there’s your chief ‘B. M.’,” said he to the Chairman, “taking a -view of the ocean.” - -“Yes,” was the reply, “that’s Jack, and he’s having his regular -constitutional. It is pretty good exercise for a boy who is as strong -as he is, but I should hate to do it myself.” - -The Chairman then explained that Jack was in the habit of beginning -at the jib stay and climbing up to the foremast crosstrees hand over -hand, with only the slight support he could get from his knees and -feet. He then would proceed in the same manner over to the mainmast -crosstrees, a distance of twenty-seven feet, and finally come down by -the main topping lift to the quarter-deck. - -“That means a pretty good head,” said Mr. Jackson, “besides good -muscle.” - -Just then Billy reappeared, and with a broad grin on his face, -addressed the Chairman. - -“I’m mighty sorry to have troubled you, sir, about that key. I guess -the works inside my thinker have run down, sir.” Then, turning to Mr. -Jackson, “Perhaps I’d better wait until after the cruise, uncle, and -I’ll bring you the keelson in my gripsack!” - -“He seems to be the right stuff!” remarked the Chairman as Billy walked -off. - -Having found out from the Captain the exact position and use of the -keelson--to bind the ship’s timbers to the keel--Bill lost no time -in spreading the information among the ship’s company after their -return on board. He was as much interested in sharing a new piece of -information as he was in acquiring it originally; and before supper was -over, the story of his investigation and its result had spread from -quarter-deck to forecastle. - -That evening, after the riding lights were up, two choice spirits were -cleaning the sidelights, and, hoping to squeeze a little more fun out -of Bill, casually remarked: - -“Look--Brown--hurry up, will you, and get me the green oil for the -starboard light!” - -Billy, in his great desire to help, started toward the companionway, -then hesitated, and finally turned back, remarking dryly: - -“I guess, Johnnie, if you want to go find it yourself, you’ll find the -green oil just alongside the red oil, and you’ll find them both--I -should say--in the same locker with the ‘key of the keelson’.” - -Soon after this, the Triangle Club met in the jib netting. - -“What do you think of the new fellow--Brown?” asked Dick. - -“If he goes on asking questions at this rate,” replied Chippie, “his -cocoanut’ll bust before long.” - -“Not much,” retorted Tom; “he’ll make a good master-at-arms one of -these days. He’s good stuff!” - - - - -CHAPTER XV SEASICKNESS - - -The following morning at quarters, as an easterly breeze had sprung up -during the night, it was announced that the ship would sail immediately -after “mast”, which would be at a quarter of ten. This meant another -opportunity for the “B. M.’s” to see how well they could handle their -sections in getting under way; and, as soon as “mast” was over, Jack -called Ellsworth and the two other boatswain’s mates together to remind -them of the details of their jobs. Then he went over and talked with -Bertie Young, the master-at-arms. - -“Look, Bertie,” said he, “don’t let any lubbers loiter down below after -the call for getting under way has been sounded.” - -“Sure, Jack,” said Bertie, “I’ll be on the job.” - -Meantime the sky had become overcast, and the wind had freshened, and -it still blew from the northeast as it had done the day before. While -going over the masthead, the boys noticed quite heavy clouds near the -horizon. There was also more moisture in the air, and everything looked -as if a northeaster were making up its mind to visit the coast. The -wind, however, was not strong enough to warrant taking in any reefs, -and the _Bright Wing_ sailed briskly away from her anchorage with a -motion that gradually increased as they cleared the harbor. The lee -scuppers were all under water by this time and no mistake, and the -vessel flew like a gull when the wind catches its outspread wings and -carries it along without resistance. The tide was running out, also, -and they slipped off so quickly that an hour later, when the boys were -looking back at the shore, the familiar spires and headlands had -almost disappeared in the distance. - -The manœuvre of getting under way had been carried out as smoothly as -the last time, and now the master-at-arms was busy warning the smaller -and greener boys off the lee rail. - -“The weather’s too cold for a bath this morning, you lubbers; and, -besides, the Captain doesn’t want to stop her headway to pick you up,” -cried Bertie. “Gee, what a spanking breeze!” - -Now and then a boy might be noticed lingering at the foot of the -foremast stays to leeward, looking intently at the water, and then -coming back with a wistful look upon his face. As time went on, these -little visits seemed to become more frequent; and then Mr. Miller -and Mr. Wentworth were observed by the Chairman tucking boys away in -different corners of the deck wrapped up in their blankets; and these -blanketed bundles of boys deposited in the more sheltered nooks began -to increase until there were half a dozen or more scattered about in -different places. - -Just then Jones passed along and said to one of the boys with a jeer: -“Seasick, eh! I thought so!” - -“No, _sir_!” answered Chip, “I _was_ sick, but I’m feeling better. Next -time she goes about, I think I’ll take a hand with the rest of them.” - -“Ready about! Hard-a-lee!” rang out across the deck. - -Chippie jumped to his feet in an instant. - -“Gee,” muttered he, “but that was a short tack,” and ran to report to -his “B. M.” - -“That’s good, Chippie,” said Ellsworth, “you take hold right here,” and -in another minute the _Bright Wing_ gave a spring and was off again on -the port tack. - -Harold French and Randall Turner were the two “B. M.’s” of the second -division, and they both began cheering up their invalids and pointing -to Chippie, who was right as a trivet, though his face still looked a -little paler than usual. - -At mess inspection there were only three boys missing; but some of -those who had begun to feel well as long as they were on deck, asked -suddenly to be excused before the end of dinner, and scrambled up the -ladder into the fresh air as fast as they could. In the meantime Bertie -Young, the master-at-arms, had given cups of broth to the patients who -had remained on deck, and was urging them to chew some pieces of hard -tack. - -“Put something into your stomachs, boys, and that will make them feel -more homelike.” - -They were all feeling better by this time, and Dick Gray called out, -lifting his head from underneath his blanket: - -“Say, fellows, here’s a conundrum for you: Which would you rather -do,--feel all O.K. ashore, or sick as a boiled owl at sea?” - -“Gee,” growled out a voice from another gray blanket, “I know what -answer I’d a’ given to that two hours ago, but it’s different now! So, -here goes, fellows,” and he jumped to his feet. “I call for three -times three cheers for the _Bright Wing_ and ‘being sick at sea!’” - -The other two also sprang to their feet; and, as the Captain and Mr. -Miller were coming up on deck, they heard, to their surprise, the -sounds of the cheering, “Rah, Rah, Rah--Rah, Rah, Rah--Rah, Rah, -Rah--Sea Scouts--Sea Scouts--Sea Scouts--Bright Wing, Bright Wing, -Bright Wing--S-i-c-k a-t S-e-a!” - -A roar of laughter followed from the former patients of the hospital -ward, and it was so contagious that it reached way forward to the -galley where the mess cooks were washing up after dinner. - -“See here, we’re not all through yet,” cried Dick, as a new blanketed -figure lay down. Chippie noticed the pale face of Jones. - -“Can I get you anything, Jones?” asked Chippie innocently. - -“No,” answered Jones, with a groan and sour face. - -“He doesn’t feel as perky as he did,” thought Chippie to himself, with -a grin. - -There was always a “band concert” of half an hour after dinner when -the ship was at sea; and, under the influence of the music from the -Victrola, the last remnants of squeamishness disappeared, except in the -case of poor old Jones. - -“Pride comes before a fall,” said Dick to Chippie; “I guess he’d have -done better to own up before.” - -Some of the huskies even tried dancing up and down on the windward side -of the deck. The wind also seemed to be backing round to the westward, -and the motion of the waves was not quite so lively. - -Mr. Wentworth was Officer of the Day; and, after the band concert and -dance were over, the Chairman and Mr. Miller went below. Mr. Wilson, -the mate, was at the wheel giving some of the older boys a spell from -time to time, and the Captain had already gone below to write some -letters. - -After Turner, French, and Perkins each had been at the wheel for about -twenty minutes, the lookout shouted, “Light-ho!” - -The mate immediately responded in a loud singing voice, -“Wh-e-r-e--away?” - -“Three points off the port bow!” came the answer from the lookout. - -“Can you make her out?” called the mate. - -And the lookout sang back, “I think it’s Whale’s Back Light, sir.” - -Just then the cry, “Messenger!” was heard coming up through the cabin -companionway, and Sidney Malloy, who was the messenger on duty, came -running aft to answer the summons. - -“Messenger, sir,” said he, as he saluted, standing beside the -Chairman’s bunk. - -“Oh! Sidney, is that you?” said the Chairman, “are there any more sick -boys on deck?” - -“No, sir,” answered Sidney, “only one; but a few of ’em look a little -green-like, sir.” - -“Who are they?” - -“Well, sir, there’s Dickie Gray and Chip Smith--they don’t seem to be -quite first-rate yet, sir.” - -“Send Gray down to me,” said the Chairman, who then got out of his bunk -and took his coat down from the bulkhead. - -There was a sound of running feet on the deck, for the messenger always -did his errands on the run, and, in another minute, Dick was in the -cabin. - -“You sent for me, sir?” - -“Yes,” said the Chairman, “sit down there on the locker a minute. How -far are we from ‘Whale’s Back’?” - -“The lookout has just reported ‘Whale’s Back’ in sight, sir.” - -“Really,” said the Chairman, “that is very interesting; because now you -can tell me how far we are from Portsmouth Harbor.” - -“How is that, sir?” asked Dick. - -“Well, if you don’t know, I can tell you in a few minutes; and then you -can pass it on to some of the other boys. Go and ask the yeoman to give -you a plumb line and half-circle, and then bring it here to me.” - -Dick ran off very much interested and found the yeoman writing a -letter on the berth deck. - -“Say, Bob,” said Dick, “what’s a half-circle and plumb line? Have you -got one?” - -“Sure,” answered Bob, “what do you want it for?” - -“The old man has just sent me down to get it. Hurry up there, quick.” - -Bob Brackett, as yeoman of the ship, besides being always responsible -for carrying the mail, had charge of the stationery, postage stamps, -games, and instruction material; and now he dove down into one corner -of his yeoman’s locker and pulled out a board shaped like a half-circle -with a straight edge or diameter of eight inches. - -“There’s the board,” said he, and tossed it on the table; “the plumb -line seems to have gone adrift.” - -Then, after rummaging a little longer, he called out: - -“Here it is,” and handed Dick a leaden sinker fastened to a string. - -“Now wait a minute,” said Bob, “and I’ll tack the string on for you. -You see it’s got to be fastened just in the right place,--at the center -of the straight edge.” - -He fastened the string down with a thumb tack, and then Bob took it and -ran aft again to the cabin. - -“Have you had anything about angles and circles at school, Gray?” asked -the Chairman. - -“Yes, sir, but I don’t remember much about ’em.” - -“Well, I guess you’ll remember enough to understand what I am going to -tell you.” - -Then he pointed out the degree marks that ran along the curved edge of -the half circular board. - -“Now if you hold the board up with the straight edge on top and -horizontal, you’ll notice that the plumb line falls at right angles -to the horizontal line and, at the edge of the circumference, passes -through a point marked zero--but you must have seen a thing like this -before, haven’t you? It’s what they call a ‘protractor.’” - -“I’ve seen something like it, I think, sir, but I never understood what -it was for.” - -“Well,” said the Chairman, “you’ll see now how easy it is to -understand, when you put your mind to it! This point marked zero that -the plumb line passes through when the straight edge is horizontal, -is exactly in the middle of the curved edge of the semicircumference. -Now, from zero along the curve to the end of the straight edge, on both -sides of zero, are ninety little points marking ninety degrees, making -two halves of a semicircle, or in other words, one-half of a whole -circle of 360 degrees. - -“If you hold the straight edge of the board up to your eye and move the -further end upward from the horizon, while keeping the center steady, -the plumb line moves away from zero toward your body, and at the same -time along the face of the semicircle, and registers a certain number -of degrees from zero. If you imagine yourself standing in the middle -of a circle, you can also imagine a lighthouse or a church steeple at -the circumference of the circle. This distance to the circumference -will be the radius. Then imagine that radius held fast at your end, -but swinging upward and pointing to the sky. It will measure ninety -degrees when it is pointing straight up from where you are standing to -a point in the heavens directly above your head, and forty-five degrees -when pointing to a place in the sky half-way between the horizon and a -point directly above, and less than forty-five degrees when pointing -to a place in the sky nearer the horizon. The straight edge of this -board represents the direction of the sight line, or radius; and, as -you tip the end up above the horizon until it reaches the top of the -tower or steeple you are measuring, the same number of degrees will -be registered by the plumb line at the bottom of the board, counting -from zero, as the line appears to move toward yourself. Now, if you are -holding your board with your right hand, just put the finger of your -left hand on the plumb line to keep it in place while you look to see -what it registers,--this way,” and the Chairman went through the motion -with his hands. - -“Thank you, sir,” said Dick, “I understand that very well, but I don’t -see how it gives the distance to the lighthouse.” - -“No,” replied the Chairman, “of course not, and that is just where the -most interesting part of the operation comes in. I have shown you how -to measure the height of your lighthouse in degrees along the edge of -a circumference; and now we must find out how to measure the distance -of the lighthouse, or the radius of the circle, from the center where -we are standing, to the point in the circumference where the lighthouse -stands.” - -Dick looked up with interest and said, “I don’t see, sir, how that can -be done, because we want the distance in miles or yards, and there is -nothing to show us the number of miles or yards in a degree.” - -“That’s true,” said the Chairman, “but happily for us, some old fellow -a long time ago had a bright idea. He knew that, in every circle, the -length of the radius is always in the same proportion to the length of -the circumference, and so he laid out a line equal in length to the -radius along the circumference, and found that it was equal to a little -more than 57 degrees. Supposing, then, that you found your lighthouse -to be four degrees above the horizon, you could then calculate what -fraction of the length of the radius the height of your tower is by -finding the number of times that four is contained in 57. Let me -see,--that would be about 14-1/4, wouldn’t it?” - -“I guess so, sir,” said Dick. - -“Now,” continued the Chairman, “if your lighthouse is 300 feet high, -this 300 feet will be the same part of the distance as 4 degrees is of -57 degrees. But 4 goes into 57, 14-1/4 times; therefore, the length of -the distance will be 300 feet × 14-1/4, which is 4,275 feet, or about -four-fifths of a mile.” - -“Oh, I see,” cried Dick, “but how do we find out the height of the -lighthouse?” - -“That’s a good question,” said the Chairman; “we can’t find the -distance unless the height is given, and for that reason the heights -of lighthouses and other conspicuous objects are usually given on the -charts. But, if we knew our distance from the lighthouse, we could -easily find its height by similar reasoning.” - -Just then the Captain, who had been writing at the cabin table, looked -up and said: “I’ll show you the chart, Gray--I don’t just remember -the height of ‘Whale’s Back’,” and he reached out for the chart of -Portsmouth Harbor, which was rolled up in its place on the cabin -bulkhead. When he had unrolled it he showed Dick the figures. - -“Thank you, sir,” said Dick. “Mr. Chairman, is there any time when -you’d like me to report about this?” - -“Come and speak to me, right after ‘colors’,” replied the Chairman. - -Dick saluted and climbed up on deck as quickly as he could. He -felt a kind of new opening in his brain, and was keen on making his -observation and calculation as soon as possible. Every trace of -seasickness had vanished. - - - - -CHAPTER XVI THE COMMANDANT’S INSPECTION - - -The next morning Billy Brown went through “washing clothes” and -“scrubbing decks”, “colors”, “bright work”, “quarters”, and “mast” with -his eyes and ears wide open; and, all the time, he was looking out for -an opportunity to practice the exercise which his “B. M.” had given -him as medicine for his “softness.” During morning instruction he had -“knots and splices” for one period, “boxing the compass” for another, -and “ship’s tackle” with the mate for the third. He came out very well -with the first two, but was of course quite ignorant when it came to -ship’s tackle. As was always the case, however, the more ignorant -he was, the more anxious he seemed to learn, and quite a shower of -questions fell about the ears of the mate before the instruction period -was over. - -While drill was going on among the boys, the Captain and the Chairman -were making a regular inspection below to prepare for the visit of the -Commandant of the Portsmouth Navy Yard, who was expected on board at -11:30 to inspect the ship and crew. - -Several boys’ lockers were found in disorder and reported to their -respective “B. M.’s.” But the Chairman was delighted with the excellent -condition of the galley and the forecastle. - -“Ketchy”, the cook’s assistant, also served as cabin boy on board, and -he was particularly careful that morning to see that the officers’ -quarters were as well up to the mark, at least, as any other part of -the vessel. - -At half-past ten Mr. Miller left in the launch to call for the -Commandant at the Navy Yard; and Dick Gray, who was one of the regular -watch, was detailed to keep a sharp lookout for the return of the -launch and report it at once to Mr. Wentworth, who was Officer of the -Day. - -All the boys were in their “whites” in honor of the impending visit; -and they were just about finishing the third instruction period when -Dick noticed the launch, flying the “Jack” in her bow, turn the corner -of the fort at the entrance of Little Harbor. He immediately reported -to Mr. Wentworth, and the “B. M.” on watch blew his call and sounded -“Retreat from drill.” - -“Side boys--stand by!” was the next command, and two “B. M.’s” with -their respective quartermasters took their positions at the starboard -side-ladder. Meantime the rest of the crew was ordered to its regular -stations as at “quarters”, and only the watch were left to lend a hand -as the launch drew up to the side. - -The Commandant was rather a stout officer with a pleasant look. A -good-humored smile lit up his face as he stepped on deck between the -side boys standing at salute and noticed the trill of the boatswain’s -call. His hand was first raised to acknowledge the salute, and he then -shook hands with the Captain and the Chairman who were waiting to -receive him. - -They introduced Mr. Jackson as their guest, and all three walked aft to -the quarter-deck and sat down under the awning. - -The boys were then ordered to “stand at ease” until after the -inspection of the ship, and their visitor inspected her carefully from -stem to stern, looking into every corner, and asking to have the lid -removed from everything that was covered up. - -While they were in the galley he examined carefully the back of the -range to see whether there was any danger from fire; and then, pointing -to a ring in the deck beneath their feet, “What’s that?” asked he. - -“A coal bunker,” answered the Captain; and, lifting the corner, which -was a little stiff, he showed the place between the deck and the -timbers below where the range coal was kept. - -The Commandant then asked questions about the storage of gasoline -for the launch and where the kerosene for the lamps was kept. It was -explained to him that the only supply of gasoline was kept in the bow -of the launch itself, and that the kerosene was lashed inside of a -crate out on deck. He examined the boatswain’s lockers with a good deal -of interest and expressed himself as satisfied with the result. - -When they came back to the deck, the boys were drawn up at “Attention” -and he walked up and down the lines deliberately and carefully, taking -in all there was to be seen. - -Then, turning to one of the officers, he said: “How long does it take -you to get one of the boats into the water fully manned?” - -“Would you like to see them try it, sir?” asked the Chairman. - -As the Commandant assented, the Captain spoke to Jack Perkins. - -As usual, when lying at anchor, all the boats were in the water, -swinging from the boat booms, whereas the Commandant’s question -evidently referred to lowering a boat from its davits into the water; -so that the long boat--which was the cutter belonging to Jack Perkins’s -section--first had to be hauled up on the davits and made secure in the -position it occupied when the ship was at sea. Then Mr. Wentworth took -out his watch while Jack Perkins gave the command: - -“First division, first section, attention! Stand by to lower the long -boat!” - -The boys jumped to their places at the davits, while Chippie Smith, -the coxswain, climbed into the boat at once and began shipping the -rudder. Tom had hold of the painter as the boat dipped into the water -with Chippie in the stern. Five of the section then climbed over the -side, and finally Tom--the last one--took his seat in the bow with the -painter in his hand. He quickly seized the boat hook; and, in answer to -Chippie’s “shove off”, the boat swung away from the ship and the oars -dropped into their rowlocks. - -“That was pretty good,” said the Commandant; “how long did it take, Mr. -Scout Master?” - -“Just one minute and twelve seconds,” replied Mr. Wentworth. - -“Well,” continued the Commandant, “lowering a boat properly is no -joke,--your boys have the right idea, Captain; but I should say they -needed a little practice. It’s a nice little bit of team work, and -I suppose you have a competition between your three boats’ crews -occasionally. Now, Mr. Chairman,” he went on, “may I have the pleasure -of saying a word to the boys before I leave?” - -The crew was then ordered into its accustomed position at “mast”, -facing aft, while the Commandant stood on the quarter-deck with the -other officers beside him. - -“I am glad to have seen you and your ship, boys, and to have had the -pleasure of talking to your officers. - -“I have examined the ship as thoroughly as I could, in the short time -at my disposal, and I find her A-1 for cleanliness and order. There -is nothing so clean as a clean sailor in a clean vessel, and there is -nothing so filthy as a dirty one. - -“I don’t know whether all of you boys appreciate your surroundings on -board this vessel, both as regards the ship and your officers; but, if -you knew as much as I do about the life of seamen, I am sure you would -be grateful for the opportunities you are enjoying, and I have no doubt -you are. - -“But don’t make the mistake of accepting all this without feeling -the necessity for making a just return; and this you can do best -by attending to your work as thoroughly as possible, and preparing -yourselves to serve your country. - -“I don’t mean only in a military way, for that is but one of many kinds -of service needed; but, if you follow the lines given in your scout -law, you cannot fail to be useful wherever you are.” - -After a few more words with the Chairman, the Commandant, accompanied -by Mr. Miller, entered the launch and waved a good-by to the _Bright -Wing_ and its crew. - -All stood at attention until the launch had shoved off. They were then -dismissed and went below for dinner. - - - - -CHAPTER XVII STORM-BOUND AT PROVINCETOWN - - -The entrance to Little Harbor at Portsmouth, between Great Island and -the breakwater, was so narrow that it would have been impossible to get -out to sea against the tide unless a westerly wind had been blowing. As -it was, the wind was light and easterly, so that the _Bright Wing_ was -obliged to adapt herself to the tide, which began to run out as early -as three in the morning. At four o’clock, therefore, all hands were -called to the windlass, and, as soon as she was free, the ship slipped -out past the breakwater and the fort, toward the rising sun, with her -sails slightly shaking in the breeze. - -The course was about south by east as far as Thatcher’s Island; and, -from there, about south-half-east for Race Point on the tip end of the -Cape,--the whole distance being roughly seventy miles. So long as the -wind held easterly, or at least did not veer around in a southerly -direction, it would be possible for them to sail the first thirty miles -or so on one long leg, fairly close hauled; but, from Thatcher’s Island -on, they would be able to slack off their sheets. - -The plan of the cruise included a short stay at Provincetown, to give -Mr. Jackson a chance to get ashore, and from there around the Cape to -Martha’s Vineyard; then through the Cape Cod Canal to home waters at -Hull. - -As the _Bright Wing_ slipped along through the water at a moderate -speed, everything on board was going like clockwork. There was no -seasickness to interfere with the routine instruction, and the light -easterly breeze made it cool and pleasant, although it was very hot -ashore. At quarters it was announced that Randall Turner, “B. M.” of -the second division, first section, had left the ship at Portsmouth -the night before, in response to a telegram announcing his mother’s -serious illness, and that Ronald Jones, the coxswain of the same -section, had been appointed “B. M.” in Turner’s place. At dinner time -they were just about opposite the twin lights on Thatcher’s Island; -and, when the new watch came on deck after dinner, they noticed that -the wind had shifted to the north of east, and that the sky was -beginning to be overcast. The breeze, also, was freshening, and, as the -sheets were let out to catch more of the wind, the _Bright Wing_ began -running rather faster, with the breeze on her port quarter. The mate -and Mr. Wentworth were walking up and down, sniffing the air. - -“Guess we’ll make Provincetown in short order, if this wind holds,” -said the mate; then, looking up at the clouds, he added, “I shouldn’t -wonder if it thickened a little before to-morrow morning, and I notice -the glass has gone down since we left Portsmouth.” - -This was the first time some of the younger boys had sailed in a strong -fair wind. The motion, of course, seemed far less than if they had been -obliged to beat up against it, and there was little or no discomfort, -in spite of the fact that the wind was gradually increasing and the -weather thickening. - -At about four o’clock in the afternoon, it began to rain, and all hands -on deck got into their oilskins and rubber boots. Fortunately, however, -there was no fog, and Cape Race light soon loomed up clearly across the -port bow. Once passed, it became necessary to beat to the northward -against the wind, so that they did not drop anchor in Provincetown -Harbor until after dark. - -In the meantime the weather had developed into a storm, and the _Bright -Wing_, along with a number of fishing schooners that were moored in the -harbor, dropped extra anchors as a matter of precaution. - -It was not possible to send the launch ashore that night for the mail, -and it seemed a strange thing to the younger boys to feel the motion -of the ship, and to hear the sound of the wind blowing through the -rigging, while at the same time they knew that they were at anchor. - -Dick Gray had been getting more and more into his work since the crisis -he had passed through some days before. He felt as if he had thrown -off a great load that used to weigh him down while he was working, and -had taken more than half the fun out of his play. He had a new sense -of freedom which he had never felt before; and, at the same time, a -tremendous desire to make good in whatever he was called upon to do. -Dick “Number 1” was not only in command, but using all his force and -intelligence to make a good and obedient servant of Dick “Number 2.” He -began to feel a new sense of enjoyment in his life which he, himself, -did not quite understand; but the truth was very simple: he was -becoming a man, and learning to appreciate a man’s responsibilities. - -Ronald Jones, the new “B. M.” who had succeeded Turner, was a boy who -had got ahead in his tests for ratings and merit badges rather by book -learning than from actual experience. Of course all the senior officers -as well as the “B. M.’s” were interested to see whether he had in him -the right stuff for a petty officer; and Mr. Wentworth, as Officer of -the Day, watched with even greater care than usual to see whether Jones -gave his commands on time, and also whether they were properly carried -out. The boy, of course, did not realize how carefully he was being -observed, and seemed rather pleased with himself than otherwise, until -Mr. Wentworth asked him why the order for the first instruction period -of the afternoon was three minutes late. Jones mumbled out an excuse of -some sort; but, as a matter of fact, it had really never occurred to -him that three minutes would make any difference one way or the other. - -“You remember, Jones, I explained to you when I gave you your watch -billet that every routine order must be given and carried out _on the -dot_ by the deck clock. If you have not remembered to give the order -within sixty seconds of the right time, you are clearly at fault, and -no excuse will be accepted. Until you have had some practice, you will -not find this an easy thing to do, and it may be that you will never be -able to accomplish it. All men cannot be officers, for they haven’t got -it in them, and yet they may be very good privates. It is the same with -boys, and now you have your chance of proving whether you can make good -or whether you can’t.” - -Jones might have understood from Mr. Wentworth’s serious tone -that there was need for mending his ways; but he seemed to take -his new authority more as a feather in his cap than as a serious -responsibility. This was not the first time he had been “called down” -since noon, when he and his section had been put in charge of the -watch. His “life buoy” (whose duty it is to stand on the leeward side, -prepared to throw the buoy at any moment) was lolling most of the time -on the cabin house instead of being alert on his two feet. There were -four or five more routine orders on Jones’s watch bill to be given -before he was relieved at four o’clock; and, of those, only two were -punctually and properly carried out. - -At the officers’ conference that evening, Mr. Wentworth reported, among -other things, on Jones’s first watch that afternoon, and it was decided -to give him another forty-eight hours to see whether he could make good -as a petty officer. - -The next morning Mr. Jackson, who was anxious to take the train to -Boston, found to his surprise that it was impossible to get ashore, -for the storm had risen to unusual violence. The Captain and the mate -kept a close watch on the anchor cables, for they feared the anchors -might drag at any moment. On account of the rain, quarters, setting up -exercises, and instruction were all held on the berth deck; but toward -noon there came a break in the clouds, and, with the first gleams of -sunshine, the wind began to abate. - -It was not until after dinner, however, that the launch was sent ashore -with Mr. Jackson, the yeoman, and Billy Brown, who accompanied his -uncle to the train; and, as soon as they had landed, the yeoman started -for the post office, while Mr. Jackson and Billy walked to the railway -station. - -“Say, uncle,” said Billy, “seems a long time since you and I came -aboard at Portsmouth, doesn’t it? You can tell the folks I’m having -the time of my life; but just find out, will you, whether Roger has -remembered the calf.” - -Mr. Jackson promised. Bill watched the train roll out of the station, -and then found his way back to the wharf where Bob Brackett was waiting -for him, and they both returned to the ship just in time for the -afternoon swim. - -The weather had cleared by three o’clock, the sun was shining brightly, -and all together the conditions were just right for a good dip, -although there was more motion in the water than usual, even inside -the harbor. Jack Perkins was in charge of the swimming party, and was -particularly interested in teaching Billy Brown, who seemed to have -great difficulty in getting over a natural aversion for the water. -Brown knew the stroke well enough, but would tighten up from lack of -confidence, and Jack was trying hard to teach him to swim in a quiet -and leisurely way instead of working in spasms. - -They were all swimming off the ship’s side to leeward, as the Captain -and mate were preparing to row ashore, and Jack suddenly remembered a -letter which he had forgotten to give to the yeoman to mail. - -“Captain,” he called from the water, “are you going near the post -office?” and, as the Captain nodded, he said, “I forgot to give the -yeoman a letter I wrote home,--would you mind mailing it for me, sir?” - -At the Captain’s cordial assent, Jack scrambled up the side-ladder and -disappeared down the berth deck companionway. - -Meantime, Brown had been swimming pretty well--for him--and struck -out from the ship’s side, followed by Chippie Smith, who knew Billy’s -peculiarities as a swimmer and was keeping a friendly eye on him. But -the tide happened to be bearing away from the vessel, and suddenly -Chippie noticed that Billy was sputtering and struggling ahead of him -in a kind of panic. - -“It’s all right, Bill--take your time and swim back here to me,” called -out Smith in a reassuring tone. - -Little Billy felt the force of the current against him, and finally -scrambled through about six feet of water to where Smith was; but, -having completely lost his presence of mind, frantically grabbed him -round the neck from behind and began weighing him down into the water. -One of the boys near the ship noticed what was going on and gave a loud -call for help which reached Dick’s ears while he was writing a letter -home on the day bunk. He had no sooner heard the cry than he bounded -to the ship’s side and took in the situation at a glance. Without -thinking of the side-ladder, he dove off the rail, clothes and all, and -came up again about four feet from where the two boys were struggling. -Approaching close to Chippie, he said quietly: - -“Knock the back of your head against his nose, Chip; that will break -his hold, and then I’ll pick him up.” - -Smith had been careful to keep his mouth closed while his head was -under water, and took in a deep breath whenever he could manage to -wriggle to the surface. Now Dick’s voice gave him just the support he -needed, and he quietly bumped against Billy’s face with the back of his -head. He purposely did not do it hard the first time; but the second -time he knocked just hard enough, and Bill relaxed his grasp. Dick then -turned over on his back; and, catching Billy under the arms, quietly -swam back to the side of the ship. - -It did not take long to lift Billy to the deck, and it was found that -he was really more frightened than anything else. The Chairman, the -Captain, and almost the whole ship’s company had formed a ring around -him as he lay there on his back. Mr. Miller knelt beside him for a few -minutes; and, when he had reported his pulse fairly good and their -anxiety had been allayed, one of the boys cried out: “Look at Dick -Gray!” and burst out laughing. - -All eyes followed those of the laughing boy, and the merriment became -general and hearty as Dick--dripping from head to foot--gazed with an -earnest look upon the little figure lying on the deck, his fountain pen -sticking up at a sharp angle from his mouth, in the same position it -had occupied when he first started from his writing on the day bunk and -jumped off the rail into the water! - -“What’s the matter with me?” he blurted out. - -“Don’t talk with your mouth full!” shouted Chippie, and only then did -Dick become conscious of his pen. - -“How about your letter, Gray?” asked the Chairman, with a twinkle in -his eye. - -“I guess I’d better change my clothes before I finish it, sir,” said -Dick, with a grin. - -Meantime Billy Brown had got up on to his feet, and was ordered to -report to the Chairman as soon as he had changed his clothes. - - - - -CHAPTER XVIII A CLEARING SKY AND A FRESH START - - -At prayers that night, the talk turned naturally enough on Law Number -10,--“A Scout is Brave.” - -“There are very few men,” said the Chairman, “and perhaps fewer boys, -who do not suffer from fear of some sort at one time or another. If -they let the fear get the best of them without making any effort to -overcome it, they become cowards, and their weakness goes on increasing -and tends to weaken them in everything they undertake to do. A -thoroughgoing coward is the most untrustworthy kind of man possible; -and, at the same time, the most to be pitied, for he has no refuge from -his fear, and must continue to suffer till he has faced and overcome -it. It does not matter what we are afraid of, so long as we give in to -fear; and, if one terror is removed from the outside, another is likely -to take its place at any time. I want you boys to understand this: that -nothing in the world is more frightful than to be under the control -of selfish fear; and, when we have the habit of controlling our fear, -nothing in the world is unendurable, and nothing in the world need be -terrifying. - -“Some people are born with certain special kinds of fear, like the fear -of water or of fire, and such things are no more their fault than the -color of their eyes or hair; but it is very decidedly their fault if -they do not work and learn to overcome them. It is the greatest mistake -to imagine that they cannot be controlled and entirely conquered. I -have had a good talk with Brown this evening, and he understands that -the panic he was in while swimming was in itself a contemptible thing, -but he does not propose to let it control him. Panic, or uncontrolled -fear, is very selfish; and, in this case, Brown sees that he might -have drowned Smith as well as himself if his hold hadn’t been broken. -He understands that his own life would not be worth saving if this -weakness should continue to master him, and of course he will make it -his particular business to get the best of it. - -“Lots of boys have been through hard fights with themselves about such -matters, and there is not one of us here to-night who has not some -weak spot over which he must keep a careful watch for the sake of his -honor,--his obligation to duty and to God.” - -“Please, sir,” said a small voice from the back row, “the first time I -went over the masthead, I was so scared I thought I never should get -down again; but the next time it went better, and the next time after -that I didn’t mind it at all.” - -The Chairman recognized in the speaker one of the younger scouts; and, -before he could make any reply, Brown piped up from the other side of -the deck: - -“That’s the same as me, sir, only Dick Gray, he helped me over the -worst of it. Now I had just as lief go over as eat my dinner.” - -“That’s well,” replied the Chairman. “What you’ve got to do from now on -is to learn to like the water--and the deep water--as much as you like -going over the masthead.” - -The weather was somewhat uncertain when they turned into their bunks -that night, and, at about half-past one the next morning, Mr. Miller -climbed up on deck very quietly, to find out what the prospects were -for sailing around the Cape. The wind seemed to have veered to the -northwest and blew cool in his face as he looked up to the sky. There -appeared to be no clouds in any direction, and the stars were shining -brightly wherever the sky could be seen. He did not see the anchor -watch at first, although the rough log was in its place near the -binnacle light on the cabin house. He walked forward, thinking that the -watch might be for the moment in the jib netting; but, as he turned -around to come aft again, he noticed the small figure of a boy in a -watch cap coming down the fore rigging. He recognized Dick Gray as the -latter stepped on to the deck and saluted. - -“What were you doing up aloft, Dick?” asked Mr. Miller. - -“Looking at the stars, sir. You can’t see them so well from the deck, -on account of the spars and rigging.” - -“Have you got the log all written up?” - -“Yes, sir,” replied Dick, “and she’s heading just about north, the same -direction that I was looking.” - -“What were you trying to make out?” They spoke with subdued voices so -as not to disturb the sleepers. - -“Well, sir, I was trying to make out the great wheel turning around -the Pole-star; that is, I was trying to see it turn, but the water’s -so unsteady that it’s hard work telling whether you can see it turn or -not.” - -Now Mr. Miller was very much interested in the stars, and was fond of -coming up on deck at night to take a look at the heavens now and then, -and so the question Dick had raised was one that interested him quite -as much as it did Dick. - -After he had thought for a few minutes he finally said: - -“It _is_ a difficult thing to observe unless you have some fixed and -conspicuous object in the landscape to watch the turning stars go past. -If we could stay here all night, though, or even for three or four -hours, we would easily notice the change in their positions. But our -night watches aren’t arranged for the study of astronomy; it’s too bad, -isn’t it?” - -“I was thinking, sir, if I could make a little rough chart of the -principal northern stars as they are now, it might be interesting to -compare their positions with the way they look in the early evening.” - -“That’s a good idea,” said Mr. Miller cordially, “have you anything to -draw a circle with?” - -“No, I haven’t up here, sir.” - -“Well, here’s a fifty-cent piece, and you go aft and make your chart -while I keep my eyes and ears open toward the water for you.” - -“Thank you, sir,” said Dick, and ran aft with the fifty-cent piece. -First he drew the circle and then made two lines crossing each other -through the center at right angles. The whole circle represented the -course of the stars in twenty-four hours, and each quarter, of course, -would represent six hours. He made just a dot for the North Star, close -to the center, and then placed the Great Dipper, with its pointers, in -the right position at one extremity of the circle, and “Cassiopeia”, in -the shape of a “W”, nearly opposite to it, on the other side, in this -way: - -[Illustration: 1.30 A.M. - -7.30 P.M.] - -“Now,” thought he, “if I get a chance to-night before prayers, I’ll -make another sketch then. That’ll be about eighteen or nineteen hours -from now, and they ought to have turned about three-quarters of the -way round the circle by that time.” He then took a look at his watch, -and found he had three minutes to wait before ringing four bells at -two o’clock; so he returned the silver coin to Mr. Miller and took his -station near the bell, watch in hand. - -Meantime Mr. Miller went below, and Dick slipped down the berth deck -ladder to call his successor, who happened to be Tom Sheffield. They -came on deck together and Tom rubbed his eyes sleepily. - -“See,” said Dick, as he turned to go down the ladder to his bunk, “if -you want to look at something nice, when you’ve got through with the -log, just crawl up the fore-rigging to the crosstrees and look around. -So long!” - -Next morning the wind was blowing moderately from the northwest, the -sky was bright and clear, but there was quite a heavy sea rolling from -the effects of the storm. Everything was favorable to an early start, -and the weather was especially good for getting around the Cape, for -no seamen like to pass anywhere near Pollock Rip and the other rocks -on the eastern side in thick or foggy weather. After they were out of -the harbor, and had passed Long Point Light, they beat up against the -wind for a couple of hours till they got about three miles outside of -Race Point, where the sheets were slackened and the ship ran free. -It was not altogether a comfortable motion for the green hands; for, -as they were running with the wind, they did not feel the breeze in -their faces, and a fresh breeze in your face is a great thing for -seasickness; but the air, such as it was, was cool and clear, and the -ship was all alive with the rolling motion of the waves. The wind held -in about the same direction pretty much all day; and, having made a -particularly early start, by four o’clock in the afternoon they were -off the southeast corner of the Cape. - -They had set sail at four o’clock that morning, and Clarence Ellsworth -was on watch with his section until after breakfast. From eight o’clock -till noon, Ronald Jones--the new “B. M.”--came on; but, much to Mr. -Miller’s disappointment, he did not seem to be doing any better, so -that even his messenger was tardy with the ship’s bell. - -The westerly wind seemed to put a keen edge on all the appetites -aboard, and at dinner the conversation was quite as lively as the -knives and forks. - -Jones’s section sat at the end of the table opposite the Chief “B. -M.” and, during a comparative lull in the general noise and clatter, -Jones’s voice was heard saying, in a domineering tone: - -“Didn’t you hear what I told you? I told you to eat up that piece of -fish,--the _whole_ of it.” - -The general attention was arrested by the sound of this unusual -command, and another boy’s voice was heard to answer: - -“It’s a second help, Ronald, and I got too much; I can’t help that.” - -Jones’s voice grew more angry, and he did not seem to realize that the -whole company were listening to his remarks. - -“I don’t care whether it’s your second help or your twenty-second. You -do what I say, or I’ll put you on report!” - -There was no answer to this remark excepting the fact that the order -was not obeyed, as the signal was given to leave the table before the -remaining quantity of fish could be consumed; and, in accordance with -his threat, Jones reported the matter to Jack Perkins--as Chief “B. -M.”--immediately after dinner. - -“It’s too bad,” said Mr. Wentworth, when Jack brought the matter to -him. “I’m afraid that’s another bad mark against Jones. He’s too slack -with his orders about work, and he’s over-keen about trifles and his -personal authority. It takes more common sense than that to make a good -petty officer.” - -During the afternoon they passed Chatham on their starboard side, and -hauled in the sheets off Monomoy Island to make the passage through -Pollock Rip Slue and then past Shovelful and Handkerchief lightships. -Just as they were finally heading directly for Vineyard Haven, the -lookout cried: “Ship ahoy!” - -“Where away?” called the voice of the Captain, who was at the wheel. - -“Straight ahead, sir,” was the answer of the lookout. - -“Can you make her out?” - -“Seems like a rowboat full of people!” was the answer. - -The Captain called the mate to the wheel and sent the messenger for his -glasses, then he went forward himself and made a careful examination -of the little dot on the water to which the lookout had called his -attention. The glass revealed the fact that there was a small mast in -the boat, although she carried no sail, at which a flag was flying -upside down, evidently as a signal of distress. Meantime the Chairman -and Mr. Miller had come up and joined the Captain in the bow, and it -was decided to keep the vessel right on her course until they reached -the boat ahead of them. - -“They must have had to abandon their ship somewhere outside,” remarked -the Chairman, “and, when the wind changed after the storm, they had to -row against it to make for shore.” - -“Yes,” answered the Captain, who still had the glasses up to his eyes. -“I caught a glimpse of an oar just then, in the sunlight, but they -can’t have more than two, and it’s a long pull they have ahead of them -in a rough sea, with a load like that.” - -“I suppose they are making for Nantucket, but that must be fourteen -miles off, and they couldn’t possibly get there before nightfall.” - -So they talked back and forth until gradually they began to make out -more and more distinctly the details in and about the boat and its crew. - -Chippie was standing near by as the conversation between the Chairman -and the Captain took place. He immediately ran off to find Tom and Dick -and tell them the news, which spread like wildfire all over the ship; -and it was as much as the boys on watch could do to attend to their -regular duties without stopping frequently to peer at the little boat -in the distance ahead of them. - - - - -CHAPTER XIX A RESCUE - - -The sea was still rough from the after effects of the storm, and, -although the waves had somewhat subsided, yet they were high enough to -tumble over one another--forming white-caps and streamers of spray when -caught by the wind. All hands on board who had no definite posts of -duty had their eyes fixed upon the boat ahead, and the boys were taking -turns in looking through a marine glass which they had borrowed from -the Chairman. The lifeboat must have been about five miles off when -first sighted by the lookout, and it was not long before they could -distinguish, by help of the glasses, a number of people in the boat. -There seemed to be eight or ten men, and the boat appeared to be about -twenty feet long. In the stern was a pile of what looked like bundles -or sacks with some one lying down and partly supported by them. The -light was still good, and the declining sun shed its rays full upon the -object of their attention. When they had come within about a mile of -the boat, they observed that it was an old man, probably weak or ill -from exhaustion, who lay in the stern. - -She was shipping some water forward, although not very much, and one of -the men was busy bailing her out a little aft of amidships. - -“Maybe she’s leaking a little,” suggested the mate. “These lifeboats -often get shrunken seams from not being in the water for a long time. -But it wouldn’t take more than twenty-four hours in the water to swell -her up tight; and, if that’s why she’s leaking, they can’t have been -away from their ship more than a day and a night.” - -“Maybe it’s only the surface spray that’s filled her up,” answered the -Captain. - -The men in the boat were rowing against the wind; and, as they -evidently had only one pair of oars on board, they were making very -slow headway. As the _Bright Wing_ approached, they slackened their -efforts and, putting both oars on the leeward side, merely kept the -boat’s head up into the wind. The Captain meantime had been making up -his mind how best to approach them, and decided to give the _Bright -Wing_ a good “full” to starboard and then to luff up and shoot into the -wind so that the lifeboat would be to leeward of the _Bright Wing_ on -the starboard side. He timed his little manœuvre with great skill so -that the ship’s headway, counteracted by the wind as she shot up with -her sails shaking, was just enough to bring her to a standstill at -about ten yards to windward of the boat. - -“Boat ahoy!” called out the Captain. “Can you row up alongside?” - -The oars were immediately adjusted and dipped into the water; and, in -a few strokes, the boat had come up to within ten feet. - -The sea had still enough motion to make it a somewhat delicate matter -to handle the boat so that there would be no bumping or unnecessary -jar in getting the people aboard. The mate and Perkins had the largest -fenders hanging close to the side-ladder; and Bertie Young threw out -a line toward the bow of the boat, while Ellsworth threw out another -toward the stern. These were immediately made fast, but the Captain -ordered them kept fastened with some slack, so as to allow enough free -play between the boat and the vessel to prevent unnecessary strain. - -One man, who seemed to be the Skipper, was giving directions on the -lifeboat, which kept rising and falling with the waves, alongside the -_Bright Wing_. - -The man lying in the stern was old and sick; but his eye watched what -was going on, though his body remained motionless. As soon as the lines -were made fast, the Skipper on the lifeboat signed to one of the -younger men to get aboard the ship; and this one, watching his chance, -waited until the boat had risen on the top of a wave,--and then, -grasping one of the stays of the _Bright Wing_, lightly stepped on to -the rail, and down upon the deck. He then stood holding out his arms -over the side-ladder toward the crew of the boat, while the Skipper -held up a small boy of about twelve, who was lifted on deck without any -difficulty. - -After that, five able-bodied men jumped on board, each watching his -chance, until only the Skipper and the sick man were left. Meantime the -Captain leaned over the rail and asked the Skipper whether he had any -tackle by which the invalid could be raised, as he was evidently unable -to walk; the Skipper shook his head, and the Captain then threw him -a swimming belt and line which had been used on the _Bright Wing_ in -exceptional cases, to teach beginners to swim. - -The bowline was then hauled in until the lifeboat drew close to the -boat boom, which had been let down by the Captain’s orders. The Skipper -then hauled on the boom lines until the stern of the lifeboat lay close -to the tip end of the boom. He then strapped the belt around the old -man’s waist and fastened the line attached to it with a bowline knot to -the end of the boom. - -As soon as the patient had been properly strapped up, the Captain gave -the signal, and his frail old body was hoisted into the air slightly -above the height of the rail. Then the boat boom was swung over the -rail, and, as soon as the bent body of the old man had passed over the -side, hanging, with a slight swinging motion, about two feet above the -deck, Mr. Wentworth took him in his arms and Jack Perkins unfastened -the belt. Then they carried him to the day bunk, and the boys supported -him with pillows, while Mr. Wentworth and Jack went back to help haul -the lifeboat alongside the ship. The Skipper passed up several cases -containing a sextant, compass, and chronometer,--also a long tin tube -in which was a roll of charts,--and then, in his turn, he stepped on to -the deck. - -Meantime the old man had been left on the day bunk in charge of -Tom, Dick and Chippie, who happened to be the boys nearest at hand, -when--suddenly--they noticed that he had turned deadly pale and had -evidently fainted. - -“Take the pillows from under his head, Tom,” said Dick. “We’ll lay -him perfectly flat, and, Chippie, you unbutton his shirt and free his -throat and chest. I’ll take off his boots and rub his legs upward.” - -“Now, Tom, go below and get some fresh water and a towel.” - -The boys worked so quietly together--without any excitement or -haste--that hardly any one else knew that the old gentleman was -unconscious until gradually the other boys gathered around the day -bunk, when Tom said: - -“Stand back, fellows, you’re cutting off the air from him; one of you -run and report to Mr. Miller what has happened.” - -In another minute Mr. Miller was looking over the heads of some of the -smaller scouts at the patient on the day bunk, and smiled his approval -of the way in which the three boys were working. Just then the old man -opened his eyes, and Mr. Miller leaned over to feel his pulse. - -“It’s fairly good, and I think we can put back the pillows now, and -he’ll feel more comfortable. But we’ve got to keep him warm, Smith, so -run down below and get a couple of blankets. We’ll let him stay up in -the fresh air as long as we can.” - -While all this had been going on, hardly a word had been spoken, -excepting by the Captain and the Skipper and the boys at the day bunk; -and the sense of relief from suspense--when the Skipper finally stepped -aboard--was so great that a cheer arose, beginning at the forecastle -and taken up by the boys, to vent their feelings of happiness at the -rescue. - -Finally the lifeboat itself was fastened astern while the cook began -busily preparing hot coffee and broth, and bread and butter. - -After the old man had rested for half an hour or so, and had taken a -few sips of broth, he was carried down into the officers’ cabin and put -into Mr. Wentworth’s bunk; and to Mr. Wentworth the care of the patient -was assigned. It was also arranged that there should be a Sea Scout -attached to him as special attendant, to be relieved every three hours, -and Dick Gray, who was the first to whom this duty was allotted, sat -down on the cabin locker next the old man’s bunk with mingled feelings -of sympathy and pride. - -The watch on duty had stuck to their post admirably during these -exceptional circumstances, and now the Captain ordered the sails close -hauled and pointed the ship as nearly as possible into the wind while -waiting instructions as to their future course. - -While taking his coffee in the cabin, the Skipper explained that they -were bound for Boston, having lost their ship, the _Monmouth_ from -Cardiff, by fire, about fifty miles from the coast. - -“There is another lifeboat still adrift, as far as I know,” said he, -“which abandoned the ship some hours before we did, but I believe it -is likely to have been picked up by some coastwise vessel, just as our -own boat has been picked up by the _Bright Wing_. The _Monmouth_ was a -tramp ocean steamer of about two thousand tons, laden with Welsh cannel -coal, for Boston. Now the first thing I want to do, after thanking -you, gentlemen, for saving our lives, is to get into communication, if -possible, with the crew of the other lifeboat; and I suppose the best -way to do this would be to get to a telegraph office and communicate -directly with the nearest wireless station, or with the British Consul -in Boston, or both.” - -The Chairman at once sent for the Captain; and, considering the -direction of the wind, which had slightly veered to the northward, it -was decided to keep on their original course to Vineyard Haven and -send out telegrams of inquiry from there. As they were only about -thirty miles away, they would probably drop anchor in the Haven in -about three or four hours, and before the closing of the telegraph -office. After this decision the Captain returned on deck and gave the -order to slacken sheets; and in another five minutes the _Bright Wing_ -had gathered herself together and was sliding along in a straight line -for Vineyard Haven. - -It was necessary to detail an extra helper for the cook; and, at -half-past five, the regular supper time, all the crew of the lifeboat, -with the exception of the sick man and the Skipper, were given seats -at the boys’ table; while the Skipper as the guest of the Chairman sat -at the officers’ table; eight of the boys had their supper separately, -after the others. - -During the meal the talk, of course, turned on the shipwreck and fire -at sea. - -“We discovered the fire,” said the Skipper, “two days before we left -the ship. Some of the coal had caught fire in the hold and had gained -sufficient headway, before being discovered, to make it impossible to -quench it by water. The heat, of course, was intense; and the harder -we worked with the pumps at one end, the more the fire seemed to gain -in intensity at the other. Finally I gave the order to batten down -all the hatches and try to smother it; while, at the same time, we -put on full steam in the hope of making Boston Harbor in time to save -the ship, although her cargo would, in any case, be a dead loss. But, -unfortunately, the great heat in the hold not only made it impossible -to stay in the engine room and fire room, but also interfered with the -working of the machinery; and it soon became evident that there was -nothing to do but to let her burn, so I gave orders for all hands to -try and save what they could of their personal belongings. - -“One of the stokers was overcome by the heat and would have burned to -death at his post if the Chief Officer and I had not got him out of -the fire room just in time to avoid being suffocated by the fumes -ourselves. There were only two lifeboats aboard, and we lowered the -stoker who had so nearly lost his life into the first one. - -“Six men and the two assistant engineers took their places in the first -lifeboat in charge of the Chief Officer, and were equipped with three -pairs of oars, a compass, three cases of food, and two jugs of water. -I estimated that they could live for three days, by great economy, and -they all felt confident that they would be picked up long before the -three days were up. - -“It was a relief to me to feel that at least half of the crew were -in a fair way to be rescued. The old gentleman in the cabin is my -father-in-law, who is on his way out West to join a married daughter, -living in Vincennes, Indiana; and the boy is his grandson, whose -parents have recently died, and who is going with the old man to find a -new home on American soil. I preferred,” said he, “to keep the members -of my family with me, although it might possibly have been safer for -them to get away in the first lifeboat; but there were still a number -of things for me to do before leaving the ship. - -“The northeast storm was just about at its tag-end when lifeboat Number -1 left the _Monmouth_. The wind was in her favor, in a general way, -and the water, though still rough, was gradually calming down. After -seeing them off and waving my hat as they drew away from the vessel, -I went over in my mind all the things that should be got together and -put into the second boat. The belongings of the crew did not fill more -than three or four sea-bags and were quickly gathered. The cash, the -instruments, and the ship’s papers were carefully deposited in the -bottom and covered with oilskin; and now, when we were all ready to -step aboard, the Second Officer reported that he could find _only one -pair of oars_! There was a mast, but no sail; and we would have to be -very careful not to break or lose either of the two oars upon which so -much depended. - -“But the sky was clearing, and we were all delighted to leave the heat -and desolation of the burning ship. It was six o’clock in the evening -as we left her; and, although we were obliged to travel slowly, our -course lay toward the pleasant gleams of the setting sun--which meant a -friendly shore and the beginning of a new chapter.” - -While the Skipper was telling his story at the supper table, every man -and boy stopped to listen with bated breath; and, as soon as supper was -over and the boys had scrambled on deck, Tom, Dick, and Chippie found -one another, as if by magnetic attraction, and with the same idea in -their minds. - -“Did you notice the Skipper was the last man to leave the ship?” said -Chippie. - -“You bet!” answered Dick and Tom in a single breath. “After you, -Pilot!” - - - - -CHAPTER XX VINEYARD HAVEN - - -It was nine o’clock in the evening when the _Bright Wing_ dropped -anchor in Vineyard Haven; and the long boat, with a picked crew of four -boys, took the Skipper and the Chairman ashore as quickly as possible. -Much to their disappointment, however, they found the telegraph office -closed; but, at the landing, they met the chaplain of the Sailors’ -Bethel, who was an old friend, and he entered very heartily into their -plans for trying to communicate with the crew of lifeboat Number 1. He -had been at his present post for many years and had much experience of -shipwrecked seamen. - -“It would probably not be any use to telegraph to the British Consul -in Boston to-night,” said he, “for the office would be closed by this -time; and, unless your other lifeboat had been picked up by some -steamer equipped with wireless, there would probably be no information -about her as yet at the radio station. The quickest and best way, both -of giving and receiving information, would be to wait until to-morrow -morning and then to report to the British Consulate by long-distance -telephone. In that way you can get an answer at once, and the Consul -will let you know if he is in touch with the other members of your -crew. But won’t you come over to the Bethel for a while and make us a -little visit?” - -“Why, thank you,” answered the Chairman. “We would like to go, I am -sure, and I would especially like the boys to see your place.” - -The boat’s crew consisted of Dick, Tom, Perkins, and Young; and, on -arriving at the Bethel, they found half a dozen seafaring men reading -the newspapers and magazines, or playing checkers. When they heard -from the chaplain what had happened, they all gathered around the -Skipper and plied him with questions about the fire and the wreck, -and everything that had occurred since. The Skipper had taken an -observation at noon the very day they abandoned the _Monmouth_, and so -was able to tell them just where they had left the burning wreck. He -answered all their questions clearly and fully, giving many nautical -details which are always interesting to seafaring men. - -“I guess you must feel,” dryly remarked an old salt, “as if you had -just dropped off the gridiron.” - -“Yes,” answered the Skipper with a smile, “but not into the fire. First -we dropped into the water to cool off a bit, and then we dropped into -the arms of our friends. - -“Say, Chaplain,” continued he, addressing their host, “isn’t there -something in the Good Book about being ‘covered with His Wings’?” - -“Why, yes,” answered the chaplain, “‘He shall cover thee with His -feathers, and under His wings shalt thou trust.’” - -There was a pause--and all were silent, as they seemed to reflect upon -the words quoted by the chaplain. - -“Well,” remarked the Skipper meditatively, “I have seen a good many -vessels in my life, but I never saw one just like that little schooner -we came off just now,--the _Bright Wing_, they call her. I shouldn’t -wonder if she was one of them wings of the Almighty that we are told to -trust in.” - -“She might be one of the little feathers,” said the Chairman, with a -smile. “She floats lightly enough upon the water!” - -“If you ever need a friend in a tight place, boys,” resumed the -Skipper, “I can recommend the Sea Scouts; I understand that’s what they -call the boys aboard of her.” - -They must have talked for about two hours; and, when the visitors got -up to say good night, some of the men wanted to shake hands, and all of -them felt the way soldiers do when they have heard a thrilling tale -of battle or adventure. Their attention had been of the deepest kind -because the talk was about things that they understood through and -through, and cared more about than almost anything else. - -The chaplain walked back to the landing with his guests; and, as they -neared the wharf, the boys ran ahead to unfasten the painter and get -the boat ready. - -“Say,” said Dick, “that Skipper’s a corker. What do you think, Jack?” - -“He seems to know his business all right,” answered Jack, “and to have -kept his head cool in spite of the fire. Sh-h! Take your positions, -boys, here they come.” - -As the two men got into the boat, the Chairman said: - -“We’ll see you again to-morrow morning, Chaplain, and report progress.” - -With that they waved good-by and disappeared in the darkness to the -rhythmic sound of the oars. - -Hammocks had been swung for the men of the _Monmouth_, partly on the -main deck and partly on the berth deck with the boys. There were -also two extra bunks in the forecastle prepared for them, and the -Skipper shared a double berth in the cabin with the Second Officer. Mr. -Wentworth and Mr. Miller slept on the day bunk, facing one another, -under the open sky. There was no better place on the ship to sleep -in than this, on summer evenings at anchor; but as the day bunk ran -directly under the main boom, it was exposed to a steady draught -whenever the ship was sailing, and only the green hands occasionally -wanted to sleep there when they were under way. - -Jimmie, the little cabin boy of the _Monmouth_, had become great -friends with Chippie Smith, and the latter had found a cosy corner for -him near his own bunk. It was astonishing to see what a difference it -made on the _Bright Wing_ to have such a lot of new people aboard and -so many new faces, although the work went on just the same as usual. - -Orders had been given privately the night before through the “B. M.’s” -to all the Sea Scouts that routine duties were to go on precisely the -same as under ordinary circumstances, and that the newcomers were to -be considered and treated as guests of the ship; and the hospitality -of the ship required that every scout and officer on board should be -willing to share the use of his belongings with their guests and feel -responsible for their comfort and safety. After consulting with the -Chairman and Mr. Miller, regular stations at quarters were assigned to -the officers and seamen of the _Monmouth_ and they were also informed -of the ship’s regulations through the Skipper and the Second Officer. -Among the _Monmouth’s_ men--besides the Second Officer and Mr. Apthorp -who had served as steward--were the chief engineer, two firemen, -Jimmie, the cabin boy, and three seamen. They fully entered into the -spirit of their new situation, and even proposed to the Second Officer -that they should form a ship’s band from among their own number; for -they had a concertina, a bugle, and a flute among them, which they had -been able to carry away from the wreck uninjured. The Skipper thought -they had better wait awhile before making permanent plans, for, much as -they enjoyed the good time they were having on the Boy Scout ship, they -could hardly, under the circumstances, expect to stay there long. - -It was Thursday evening when they reached Vineyard Haven, and on Friday -morning, immediately after “colors”, the Chairman and the Skipper went -ashore again, in the launch this time, accompanied by Mr. Wilson, the -mate, and the boatswain. When they returned, two of the boat’s crews -were out for rowing practice, while the two other sections were on deck -splicing ropes and practising their bandaging for “first aid.” - -The Chairman knew, of course, that the Skipper would first of all want -to have a talk with his own men and tell them the result of his effort -to communicate with the Consul; and so he offered them the use of the -cabin, and they all trooped down the after companionway. In about ten -minutes the Skipper put his head above the cabin house and invited the -Chairman to come down and join them. - -“Mr. Chairman,” said he, “I have told my men here, including Mr. -Apthorp, my father-in-law, what we learnt over the telephone this -morning. Of course, we are mighty glad at the news that the crew of -lifeboat Number 1 was picked up by the _Mauretania_ and taken to New -York. So long as they are in communication with the British Consul in -Boston, we need not decide anything about meeting them until we get to -his office. But there is one thing we’ve got to attend to straight off, -and that is to shake hands with you, and every man and boy aboard your -ship. There’s no way that we can make a return, except by passing along -what you have done for us to some other poor devils, if we should ever -get the chance. So, all we have to say now, sir, is ‘God bless you’, -and put us ashore as quick as you can.” - -“I think,” answered the Chairman, “we had better let you off at Wood’s -Hole, which is about the nearest railroad terminus on the mainland. -It is only about six miles from here, as the crow flies, and about -three hours by rail from Boston. I am sorry to part so soon, just as -we were beginning to get acquainted,” continued he, “for, if this wind -holds, it will not take us long to get across the sound. What does your -father-in-law think of this plan?” - -Mr. Apthorp had insisted on putting on his regular clothes that -morning, and was sitting in one of the cabin chairs when he was thus -referred to. - -“I think, sir,” said he, “the plan is a good one; I am beginning to -feel like a new man from the rest I have had on board your ship; but we -crowd you up more than is comfortable for you. I advise you to get rid -of us as quickly as you can, sir, because, when we get good and used to -your way of seafaring, we’ll all want to stay with you forever!” - -There was nobody ashore, so they were able to set sail at once. Dick -Gray was on duty as messenger that morning, and he took the message to -the Captain to get under way as soon as he was ready. - -The sails were set, and the anchor weighed in short order, for the crew -of the _Monmouth_ insisted on being allowed to do their share at the -ropes and windlass. A stiff breeze was blowing from the same direction -as the night before,--a little north of northeast,--so that they would -have to tack out against the wind until they passed the mouth of the -harbor, and then would have a straight course for Wood’s Hole, with -the wind abeam on the starboard tack. But, just as they were about to -hoist the anchor, the chaplain of the Bethel arrived alongside in his -launch and offered them a tow. This, of course, was a great help, as -the wind was too strong for a tow by the ship’s launch, so the offer -was gratefully accepted, and it became unnecessary to tack against the -wind. - -The chaplain’s launch was a powerful boat which he was in the habit of -using to visit incoming vessels and to bring their crews ashore to the -Bethel. It did not take him long to tow the _Bright Wing_ out to where -she could head directly for Wood’s Hole, and then he cast off the line -and waved his hand for good-by. - -Ellsworth was up in the bow at the time, with Dick Gray, and -immediately began hauling in the line and coiling it up in its place. -Dick watched the launch disappear in the distance until it was only a -speck upon the water. - -“I guess _he’s_ done his good turn for to-day,” said he to Ellsworth. - -“Yes,” replied the “B. M.”, “but you can’t trust that sort of fellow; -he’s likely to do a half dozen more before the day’s over.” - -“That’s right,” assented Dick, “I suppose you get the habit, -like--after a while.” - - - - -CHAPTER XXI DISRATING AND PROMOTION - - -The Sea Scouts were drawn up in line as their guests went over the side -at Wood’s Hole, a short time afterward, accompanied by Mr. Miller, -who saw them off on the train for Boston. As the train was moving out -of the station, Jimmie was sitting by the open window and Mr. Miller -reached up his jack-knife. - -“Here, Jimmie,” said he, “is a souvenir of the _Bright Wing_. Get a -lanyard and put it round your neck and it will bring you luck.” - -The next moment the train was out of sight behind the station, and Mr. -Miller turned to walk down to the water. - -“It’s funny,” thought he to himself, “I feel as if I had known that -bunch of men for years, and yet it is only twenty-four hours since -they came on board.” - -As soon as he had returned to the ship and reported to the Chairman, -they weighed anchor and passed between the islands into Buzzard’s Bay -on the way to the Cape Cod Canal. It seemed a tame piece of business -to tow through the “ditch”, when they might have had a grand old sail -around the Cape again, but they were due in Hull on Saturday morning, -at the latest, and another ship’s crew was waiting to get aboard the -following Monday. - -A special conference of officers was called by the Chairman immediately -after dinner, where the question of Ronald Jones’s fitness as a petty -officer was brought up and carefully discussed. None of the officers -felt that he was able to carry the responsibilities of a “B. M.”, and -they knew that he would lower the standard of discipline if allowed -to remain in this position. It was voted to disrate him, in the usual -way, by asking the Chairman to explain the matter to the boy carefully -beforehand; so that, if possible, he would himself see the justice of -the decision. - -Then the question came up as to who would be his successor. The next -day--which was Saturday--was the regular time for awarding ratings and -promotions at the end of the cruise, and it was also the time appointed -for the settlement of the question of Dick Gray’s commendation for -efficient conduct during the Salem fire. The idea of his promotion -to succeed Jones occurred to everybody present at the same time. The -matter of his foul play at baseball was considered absolutely settled -and atoned for by the sincere and manly confession he had made of his -fault, and the complete change in his bearing and work since that event. - -“That boy was the greatest kicker on board at the beginning of the -cruise,” said Mr. Miller, “and even objected to striking the bell on -time, but now he positively enjoys being punctual and is one of the -most trustworthy boys in the ship’s company.” - -“Apart from the other matter,” remarked the Chairman, “that is just the -quality we need in a ‘B. M.’, provided he is far enough along in his -seamanship; and the spirit he showed in coming to the rescue of Smith -and little Brown, the other day, in itself speaks volumes for his gain -in manliness and efficiency.” - -“We all feel the same way about that,” replied the Captain; “and, -besides, there was never any trouble about Gray’s _understanding_ -things. It was only a question with him of being willing and -straightforward. He seems to have learnt that now, and it won’t be hard -to put him wise where he may be lacking in points of seamanship.” - -As the end of the cruise was drawing near, it was decided to call -the company to special quarters that very afternoon, as soon as the -Chairman had finished his talks with Jones and Dick; for, of course, it -was necessary that the latter should be warned of his coming promotion. - -Boys who read this book are familiar enough by this time with the way -official announcements are made at quarters,--the main idea being that -whatever is said is intended to be publicly noted by everybody on board. - -In his talk with Jones, the Chairman explained carefully the difference -between the duties of an officer and his official relations to the men -under his command, on the one hand, and the actions of a vulgar boss, -or “bucko mate” on the other. - -“The latter,” said the Chairman, “is a man who puts his own self-will -in the place of law, because his mind is not large enough to grasp -the idea of law. His only notion is that he is bigger than the other -fellow, and he wants to prove his bigness. The true officer, on the -other hand, is personally humble and knows that his only authority -comes from the law which he represents, and which he himself must be -even more careful to obey than the best of his subordinates. - -“You see, Jones, a true officer respects the personal liberty of his -men so long as it does not interfere with duty. For instance, a boy -has a right to judge for himself, on ordinary occasions, whether he -has had enough to eat or not. It is an officer’s duty to respect his -personal liberty as well as to enforce whatever has to do with his -official duty. If a boy is not doing his work properly, he should be -reprimanded and reported, if necessary; but an officer has no right to -make him stand on his head, or to give him any merely arbitrary command -in the name of his official authority. Do you see what I mean?” - -“I think I do,--a little, sir,” answered Jones. “You mean that orders -should be given for the good of the whole thing, and not just because -an officer wants this or that done for the fun of it.” - -“That’s right, Jones, and I can tell you it is a great thing, that, and -is worth thinking a lot about. It’s a big principle or law of life. If -a man is big enough to grasp it, so that he can carry it out in his -actions, he has in him the making of an officer or leader, because he -inspires confidence in others. You have proved that you do not possess -this quality now, but you have shown me that you are _capable_ of -understanding it, which is the first step toward becoming that kind of -a fellow. Whether you ever do so or not depends on how much you care to -work for it. If you care enough, and will give up always thinking of -yourself first, that will be so much to the good.” - -“Well,” said Jones, “it’s all new to me, sir, and I’d like sometime to -have another chance. I’m not sure that I _am_ big enough, sir; it’s -like being in new waters where you don’t know your bearings.” - -“We are here to give you your bearings, Jones,” replied the Chairman, -“but you are the only person that can supply the headway; and, as I -said, _if you care enough, and will give up other things for the sake -of it_, you will have all the strength you need for this. If you should -come aboard next summer, with a good record ashore from now on, I, for -one, would be in favor of giving you another chance as a ‘B. M.’” - -“Thank you, sir,” exclaimed Jones, “I feel as if I’d like to try.” - -“You know you will be helping us if you succeed, don’t you? In work -like this we all need one another’s help; and, perhaps one of these -days you’ll be passing it along to some other fellow.” - -As Jones stepped on deck he was surprised that he did not feel more -unhappy about his failure to make good. It was not that he did not -care, for he cared more than ever before. He had not understood the -responsibilities of a petty officer before; and, now that he _did_ -understand them, he was not surprised that he had failed; he wondered, -rather, that he had not made a worse botch of it. - -“Now,” thought he, “I’ll go and tell the fellows of my section what’s -happened, and explain to them what I’ve found out.” - -The Chairman’s talk with Dick was very brief. - -“The officers are of the opinion, Gray, that you are doing your work -better than when you first came on board; do you think they are -mistaken?” - -“Well, sir,” answered Dick, “I’m sure of one thing; it’s not half as -good as it ought to be, but I do care more than I did. I never knew -what ‘trustworthy’ meant, sir, until that day when I found out that -I had been untrustworthy, and had taken a mean advantage. I learnt -something that time, and I guess I’ll never forget it.” - -“I believe you never will, Dick, and the officers of the ship agree -with me that you should have more responsibility laid upon you. There -is to be a special call to quarters in half an hour and you are to be -appointed ‘B. M.’ of the first section, second division.” - -Dick looked up with evident surprise and exclaimed: - -“Half an hour, sir! That’s a short time to get on to my job!” - -“I trust _you_ for that, my boy. Many of the duties you are, of course, -already familiar with. The backbone of the job is to see that your men -learn the same sense of responsibility that you have gained yourself. -As regards necessary points of seamanship, in which you may be lacking -at present, go to the Chief ‘B. M.’; and, if necessary, he will pass -you on to the boatswain. If you realize what you don’t know, you can -very soon find out all you need to know. The worst thing is to imagine -that you know when you don’t.” - -“What’s the matter with Jones, sir?” asked Dick. - -“I think Jones is coming along all right,” replied the Chairman. “His -appointment was a mistake, although it would have been difficult to -know it beforehand. There are other things that he must learn first -before he can be a petty officer, and I believe that he has begun to -learn them already. You might go up and have a little talk with him -before quarters.” - -The two boys had their little talk then, and it turned out to be the -first of many talks--some very long ones, in which they exchanged -ideas and compared notes. That afternoon on the _Bright Wing_ was the -beginning of a friendship which bids fair to last all their lives. - - - - -CHAPTER XXII FRIENDLY THINGS AND A NEW POINT OF VIEW - - -They got through the Canal late in the afternoon; and, during the -playtime between supper and prayers, it seemed as if the boys were keen -on making the most of their last evening on board. - -There was a sparring match between Jack Perkins and the boatswain for -heavyweights, and between Dick Gray and Chippie Smith for lightweights. -Then there was wrestling between Bertie Young and Ellsworth, and some -“cock fighting” between the younger boys. After that the boatswain -got out his fiddle, and half a dozen of the crew danced the hornpipe, -both single and double--including the Captain, who, in addition to -the hornpipe, performed the “skipping rope dance” for which he was -especially famous, and which was the envy of all beholders. - -“There isn’t a boy on the ship who is as lightfooted as the Captain,” -remarked Mr. Wentworth. - -“And there isn’t a man who has a better head on him,” said -Jack Perkins. “Three cheers for Captain Goodfellow!--Cool and -steady!--Always ready! Rah, Rah, Rah! _Good-fel-low!_” - -As the cheers arose, all eyes looked around to find the Captain; but he -had a way of disappearing when bouquets were handed around and didn’t -turn up again until it was time for him to take his trick at the wheel. - -Meantime, while all the merriment was going on, Billy Brown crept away -from the crowd and went forward of the windlass to think a little by -himself. He was feeling very badly; and, after a while, Dick, who -happened to be standing by the starboard fore-rigging, noticed him -there. - -“What’s the matter, Billy?” he asked, and sat down on a coil of rope -beside him. - -Brown did not answer at first; and then, with some difficulty, muttered: - -“Well--you see--Dick--it’s the swimming!” - -And then, changing his manner, as if the floodgates of his grief or his -anger were opened--he broke out in a torrent of words, and Dick hardly -knew whether he was going to cry or challenge him to fight. - -“What do you s’pose is the matter with me? I’m scared blue in the -water, and I can’t seem to help it. The old man says I’ve got to get -over it, but I don’t see how I’m going to! Blast you--how do you do it?” - -Dick thought for a few seconds and then remarked quietly: - -“Well, seems to me I’ve heard that, when you are afraid to do a thing, -there’s only one way out, and that is _to do it_.” - -“Isn’t that just what I’m doing?” said Bill, with vehemence. “I plunge -in all right, but it’s after I’ve got in that I’m scared if anything -different happens!” - -There was another pause, and a longer one than the last, and then -Dick’s face lit up with a bright smile. - -“I have it,” said he; “look, Billy, it’s as plain as the nose on your -face.” - -“What?” asked Bill incredulously. - -“It’s because _you don’t feel friendly with the water_. Now, don’t -say a word until I tell you what I mean. My Dad, he has a story that -I’ve heard him tell fifty times, about when he was a young man and was -walking along the road for two or three days with two other fellows to -a lumber camp in Maine. He says whenever they came to a village, the -dogs of course would run out to see who they were; and there was one -among them (whom Dad calls Bob) that the dogs would always bark at much -worse than they did at Dad and the other fellow. Well, Bob didn’t like -getting particular attention from the dogs; and, after a while, he got -so cross that he used to put stones in his pocket all ready to throw -at them. Dad and the other fellow kept wondering what it was about -Bob that made the dogs hate him as if he were a natural enemy; and, -finally, they decided it was because Bob _was scared_ of the dogs. Then -they began asking him questions about his home and what he used to do -when he was a boy, and they found that he never had a dog of his own, -and didn’t understand dogs. - -“‘I don’t like ’em,’ said he, ‘and I guess I come by it rightly, for -Mother she was fond of cats, and never would have a dog about the -place.’ - -“Dad,--he mulled over this, and he got more and more sure and certain -that the reason the dogs didn’t like Bob was because he was scared of -them. Dogs like folks who are friendly with ’em, says Dad, and when -you’re scared you’re only thinking about yourself and your own safety, -and so you can’t be friendly.” - -“But I don’t understand,” answered Billy. “I can see how you can be -friendly with a dog, but how can you be friendly with the sea when it’s -liable to drown you?” - -“How can you be friendly with a dog when he’s liable to bite you?” -retorted Dick. “The sea is no more liable to drown you, if you treat -it right, than the dog is liable to bite you if you’re not afraid of -him.” - -Just then Ellsworth and Chippie came up and joined them, and Dick -repeated earnestly to them what he and Brown had been talking about. - -“Of course,” said Ellsworth, “you can’t expect to get along in the sea -unless you keep the rules of the sea. A bird knows the rules of the -air, but can’t get along under water because he isn’t made so that he -can keep the rules of the water. But you and I, Bill, are made so that -we can learn the rules of the sea and of the air, as well as those of -the land, if we want to, and aren’t scared to try. You have to have a -brain to keep your balance, wherever you are--and your brain has to -know how to do it; and _it can learn if it isn’t scared_. For instance, -take the rules of the land; you can keep up on the two wheels of a -bicycle so long as you’re moving, because you’ve got a brain; but the -bicycle can’t by itself, and falls over unless you prop it.” - -“What’s that got to do with swimming?” asked Billy in a dull tone. - -“Why,” answered Ellsworth, “you’ve got to learn to balance _in_ the -water and _on_ the water, just as you do on a bicycle,--only it’s a -little different; and, if you do, _the water will prevent you from -drowning_. When you know how to balance on the water, you can lie down -on it and float, very much as you’d lie down on the floor; and it will -keep you up, so long as your balance is right, in the same way that the -floor does. But the hard thing about it is that you can’t keep your -balance if you’re scared.” - -“And,” broke in Dick, “if you’re friendly with the water, you can’t be -scared.” - -“That’s a funny thing,” said Brown thoughtfully, “I guess I don’t -understand the water. Just the same as that friend of your Dad’s didn’t -understand dogs. Is that what you mean, Dickie?” - -“You bet,” answered Dick, “that’s just right. But you don’t seem to see -that the sea is friendly. All it asks is for you to understand and -keep its rules, the same as you have to keep the regulations on board -ship.” - -Brown had brightened up a little during the last part of the -conversation; but, after a while, he grew sober again. - -“What are you fellows talking about, anyway? The sea isn’t a man that -can be friendly or unfriendly any more than a table or a chair can. It -hasn’t got as much brains as a dog! It can’t even bark, let alone talk -to a fellow.” - -“Do you hear that, Chippie?” asked Dick, with a smile, “he says the sea -can’t talk! It seems to me I’ve heard it roaring and bellowing among -the rocks lots of times. I’ve heard it laughing, too, only it speaks -to your eyes as well as to your ears. It smiles too, sometimes, and -sometimes it looks cross; but, on the whole, it’s a great big friendly -thing, and is a mighty handy help in getting from one place to another.” - -Chippie and Ellsworth listened with interest to what Dick was saying, -and it was a wonder to them that Billy didn’t see it just as they did. - -“He’s right, when he says he doesn’t understand the sea,” thought Dick. -“The sea not able to speak! You might as well say that the sun isn’t -able to shine and that the stars can’t blink at a fellow.” - -At this point Ellsworth and Chippie left them and joined some of the -other boys on the day bunk. - -Billy was silent for a long time and Dick sat by, waiting for him to -say something. - -“Do you know, Dick,” said Billy, after a long pause, “I’ve never -thought about things that way in my life before! Does it mean that -everything is friendly if you treat it right?” - -“Yes,” answered Dick, “something like that.” - -“But how about shipwrecks, when hundreds and hundreds of people are -drowned?” - -“Shouldn’t wonder,” answered Dick slowly, “if--a good many times--the -laws of the sea were broken; and then, of course--when the right time -comes--death is just what a fellow needs!” - -“_What do you mean?_” asked Billy, almost fiercely. - -“Well, Dad says death is like changing cars on the railroad. If we -didn’t change cars, we wouldn’t get to where we belong. He says it’s -only a station in life, and the folks who have been friendly with the -other things along the road, are _always friendly with death_.” - -“Well, that beats anything I ever heard!” exclaimed Billy. “How do you -know when ‘the right time comes’?” - -“Well--there’s a Conductor--he’s friendly, too. He tells you when it’s -time to change cars, and he never makes a mistake. We needn’t worry -about that, Dad says.” - -“I’d like to see your Dad, Dick!” - -“Maybe you will some day, Bill; he’d like to see you, I’m dead certain.” - -“What makes your Dad like that, Dick? My Dad died when I was a little -shaver, but I never heard of _his_ saying such things.” - -“Well, maybe my Dad didn’t always feel that way himself. I shouldn’t -wonder, Billy, if he used to have to do a lot of fighting in -himself--something like what you’re doing.” - -“I’d like to see him--_sure_!” repeated Brown. - -“You could come over any time,” said Dick cordially; “only Sunday would -be the best day. Your town, Northbridge, is the same as ours, only we -generally use the East Northbridge station.” - -“I’d like to mighty well! Maybe next Sunday! Has your Dad always been a -farmer?” - -“Yes, and he’s a grand farmer, Father is! You ought to see him with his -live stock. There isn’t a calf, or a pup, or a chicken, that he doesn’t -know as well as you know me; and they know him, too. Oh, he’s friendly, -is Dad--and he’s brave, too!” - -Just as the “B. M.” of the watch was beginning to blow the call for -prayers, Dick turned to Brown and said: - -“Billy, if I were you, when I got scared in the water, I’d just roll -right over on my back and float, and then wait till the scare blew -over.” - -“I’ll try it,” said Bill, and slipped down the companionway. - - - - -CHAPTER XXIII THE FOUR SQUARE CLUB - - -At prayers the talk turned on fighting, and Brown got a little mixed as -to how you could be friendly and fight at the same time. - -“A fellow told me to-day, sir,” said he, “that being friendly helps -your grit. I don’t see how you can fight without grit, nor how you can -fight and be friendly at the same time.” - -“That does seem funny,” answered the Chairman, “but haven’t you ever -noticed, when fellows are fighting, that the fellow who gets mad and -excited is apt to get the worst of it?” - -“Well, I never thought of it, but maybe that’s so,” replied Brown. - -“You bet it’s so!” exclaimed Chippie Smith. “It’s as bad as losing your -wind, sir! You begin to hit wild--I know that’s right, Billy!” - -“Of course it is our sacred duty to fight at certain times,” went on -the Chairman. “For instance, our ‘Duty to Our Country’ requires it in -time of war, just as ‘Our Duty to God’ requires us, in addition, to -fight against temptation every day of our lives. But, in both these -cases, we are fighting _for_ something as well as _against_ something, -and we are friendly with the something we are fighting for,--whether it -is our country and the folks at home, or whether it is the strong and -clean man within ourselves. When you are fighting with a big, friendly -feeling in your heart, you can’t feel mean and hateful, even to a mean -and hateful enemy. You will hate the meanness, but that will only -make you sorry for the poor devil who is under the control of his own -weakness; you will keep a clear mind and a steady hand, and you will be -able to give good, strong blows,--straight from the shoulder. If you -get the worst of it, you’ll do your best to come up smiling; and, if -you punish the other fellow, you will shake hands with him right away.” - -“It’s the spirit you fight with, isn’t it, sir?” suggested Mr. Miller. - -“Yes,” answered the Chairman, “when a man has conquered his own bad -temper or anger, he becomes able to fight in a generous spirit; and -that is probably what your friend meant, Brown, when he said that being -friendly helped you to be brave. You see it helps you to keep your mind -quiet, and so to keep your judgment true and your balance even.” - -“My balance! Yes--that’s right,” thought Billy to himself, with -eagerness, thinking of what Ellsworth had been saying just a little -while before. - -They reached their old anchorage at Hull at about ten o’clock that -evening, and the night watch went on duty every hour from then on. Most -of the boys below were so fast asleep that they did not hear the rattle -of the chain; but there was one who lay awake for some time after, and -that was Billy Brown. - -The most important of the anchor watches is from four to five in the -morning, because all the lights have to be put out at sunrise, in -addition to making out the log and the other duties. It so happened -that Dick Gray came on at four o’clock, and Tom Sheffield at five. -After putting out the lights and looking around for a while in the -early morning light, Dick sat down behind the binnacle to write up the -log. Just as he had finished his task, he heard a slight splashing -sound in the water; and, by the time he had got amidships, he noticed a -boy’s head swimming away from the ship’s side. - -He was so surprised, that--for the moment--he did not know what to -do; and, as he was trying to make up his mind, he saw the boy turn -over and float upon his back, with his face toward the ship. He at -once recognized Brown and remembered the talk they had had the evening -before. - -“Gee! the little beggar is testing himself!” thought Dick. “He seems -to be getting along all right. He’s doing just what I told him to, and -will soon make himself feel at home in the water.” - -Billy didn’t stay on his back long, but went on toward a catboat -that was moored about fifty yards away from the ship. As Dick stood -watching, the boy’s head disappeared behind her bow and then reappeared -again around her stern; and, to Dick’s great satisfaction, he saw that -Billy was heading back toward the ship. But he seemed to like his -little manœuvre of rolling on to his back, for he repeated it several -times on the home stretch. - -“He doesn’t seem to have thought how he is going to get back over the -side,” continued Dick, soliloquizing; “I guess I’d better put the -side-ladder down for him.” - -Dick was so absorbed in watching the swimmer that he almost forgot to -ring the ship’s bell at five o’clock; and, just as he was doing it, Tom -crawled sleepily out of the companionway and joined him. - -“What do you s’pose, Tom,” said Dick eagerly, but in a low voice, -“there’s Billy Brown got into the water, unbeknownst to any one, five -minutes ago, and has swum round that boat there, fifty yards off, and -is swimming back again--rolling over on his back every now and then, -like an old sea-dog, to take a nap. What do you suppose has got into -him?” - -“Dunno,” said Tom, rubbing his eyes. “Is he the fellow that nearly -drowned Chip the other day in a funk?” - -“Sure,” replied Dick, decidedly, “that very same. Something must have -oiled his works inside.” - -“It beats me,” said Tom, and walked off to look at the log. - -When Billy got near the ship he noticed the side-ladder and gave Dick -a grin which showed that he appreciated the help. He climbed up all -dripping and was for grabbing Dick round the waist in his eagerness to -give vent to his feelings, not only of gratitude for the ladder, but of -relief at the result of his self-imposed test. - -“Keep your slimy flippers off me, you porpoise!” said Dick and grinned -back at him with sympathy and pleasure. - -“Well, you’re a good ’un,” said Brown. “I should have been in a fix if -it hadn’t been for the side-ladder. I never thought of how I was going -to get back.” - -“Get below, now, as quickly as you can,” said Dick, “or maybe the -anchor watch will put you on report.” - -“Don’t say a word,” said Bill; “I got special permission from the old -man last night!” - -He then dripped down the companionway to his bunk and managed to escape -attention, while Dick went forward and got a mop to wipe up the pool at -the spot where they had been talking. - -After the regular morning duties were over, the officers met in the -cabin to hand in their marks in the different branches of instruction -during the cruise. Then the boys were called down, one at a time, -to submit to a final test, and it was three hours before they were -all through their examinations. The total result was that eleven -boys had passed for the rating of Ordinary Seaman, five for Able -Seaman, and half a dozen had received commendations in different -subjects,--including three in advanced swimming. - -Special quarters were held immediately after dinner, and the ratings -and commendations given out as a result of the examination. - -The sails were then set for the last time, all hands called to the -windlass, the anchor weighed, and the _Bright Wing_ quietly dropped -down the harbor to her berth in the Navy Yard. - -But, before she got there, an important matter was settled by the -members of the Triangle Club, who held their meeting in the jib -netting. It was Tom who called the meeting to order, and Dick explained -the important change he had noticed early that morning in Billy Brown. - -“I tell you what, boys,” said he, “it’s no joke for a fellow to break -up a habit like that, and I’m dead certain that Billy has made a good -start. He’ll make a fine swimmer before long, and he’s shown a lot of -grit. I vote we make him a member.” - -Tom objected at first, as he hadn’t known Billy particularly well; -but, when he realized the struggle that the boy had been through, he -heartily gave his consent. - -The only difficulty was how to fit a fourth member into the “triangle”; -and finally Dick proposed that they should change the name and call it -the “Four Square Club.” He then pulled a book out of his pocket; and on -the fly-leaf drew the following device: - -[Illustration: After you, Pilot] - -Billy was immediately informed of his unanimous election and accepted -the honor with surprise and delight. - -“You’ll have to go through your initiation when we get home!” said -Chippie with a grin. - -Then came a final “sweep down, fore and aft” to clean up the deck; -and, after the sails had all been carefully furled and the gear stowed -away, the last good-bys were said and the “Four Square Club” left the -dock for the station and took the train to Northbridge together. Dick -went along as far as East Northbridge--one station nearer--and the last -thing he said was: - -“Remember the meeting on Wednesday, boys, and we’ll put Bill through -the initiation. Gee!” said he, looking out of the window as the train -slowed up, “I’ll be blowed if that isn’t Dad out there now, come to -fetch me, with the little mare!” - -Every member of the Club turned to gaze at Dick’s father, and watched -Dick sling his sea-bag into the back of the open buggy. Then, as he -lightly took his seat, the mare, who had been prancing a little, gave a -slight spring forward, and they were off. - -“Did you notice,” said Tom to the other fellows, “how he gave the mare -her head? No hauling and tugging at her mouth!” - -“_You bet_ I did!” answered Bill. - - - - -CHAPTER XXIV A GUEST OF THE CLUB - - -The initiation of Billy took place at the old shack on Duck Island a -few days later; and the first formal meeting of the Four Square Club -was held immediately after. - -Tom called the meeting to order as usual, and they all four sat down on -the floor in the customary way; only this time they were careful to sit -in the four corners of an imaginary square instead of in a triangle. -In the middle of the square thus formed Tom had laid a small iron hoop -which he had found in the cellar, and explained that it was intended as -a memorial of the manhole in Captain Craven’s turret, like the circle -in the center of the square in the Club emblem, and it was voted to -use the hoop as a symbol at every formal meeting. - -Then the Charter of the Club was read by Dick, and, after that, there -was a pause which Tom was the first to break: - -“Say, fellows, do you remember what it was the old Admiral said to -George Gray about Captain Craven after he had told him the story?” - -“I remember,” answered Chippie, “it was something about how the Captain -had been doing the same thing every day, all his life, and so he was -all prepared to do it then.” - -“How’s that?” asked Bill. - -“Why, you know, he had to take an oath--the same as we do--and he had -been working hard to do his duty and keep his oath in all his work, no -matter what it was,” said Tom. - -“And so,” Dick went on, “when it suddenly was his duty to get drowned -to save the other fellow--why, he just kept right on, doing his duty, -and got drowned!” - -“Oh, I see,” said Bill, with a little shiver. “Was he friendly with the -water?” - -“He was friendly enough not to run away from it, anyway!” answered -Chippie. - -“I say we put that all down in the Charter,” exclaimed Dick. - -“Dick!” said Billy earnestly, “I wish we could talk to your Dad -about that, and see what he’d say. You know you said I might see him -sometime!” - -“That’s a grand idea,” chimed in Chippie. “We’ll ask him to come down -to the next meeting! What do you think, Dick?” - -“Well, he could come down any time after working hours,” said Dick -reflectively. “But I tell you what I’d better do. I think I’d better -tell him all about the baseball game and what _I_ did first.” - -“Yes, _sir_!” replied Bill earnestly, “and tell him about my funk and -all. The more he knows about us the better. What do you say, Tom?” - -“I say the same thing,” said Tom. - -“What I like about this Club is, that we’re all working together for -something that’s worth while, and that something is all in the Charter. -But--Gee!--the more I think of it, the bigger it seems to me; and an -older fellow, like Dick’s Dad, ought to be able to help us a lot.” - -Then the meeting adjourned; and that evening at home, Dick had a -heart-to-heart talk with his father and told him everything of -importance that had happened during the cruise. - -Mr. Gray’s face clouded over when Dick made his confession about his -foul play at second base, but it soon began to brighten as Dick spoke -of the torment which began working inside of him afterwards from time -to time, and finally the revolt of his spirit against any further -deception when he was about to receive the commendation for having -saved the little girl’s cat. - -“You gained a victory over yourself, then, Dick, and I thank God! There -has always been a mean streak in you which showed itself in what we -used to call your ‘dark moods.’ You conquered that mean streak then, -and you will be able to conquer it again. Have you had any of the dark -moods since?” - -“Yes, father, but they have been lighter, and I have been able to drive -them away without much trouble.” - -“Good,” replied his father, “you could not have told me anything that -would have given me more real satisfaction. God bless you, and help you -to keep on the same track.” - -Mr. Gray listened attentively and with great interest, also, to the -story of Billy Brown’s struggle with fears, and every now and then -asked a brief question to make sure that he had understood all that had -occurred, and all that had been going on in the boys’ minds. He had -never heard the story of Captain Craven before, and was delighted with -it, as an example of the spirit of loyalty to duty and heroic courtesy. - -Finally, when Dick explained the reason why the boys wanted him to -come to their next meeting: - -“Sure!” he exclaimed warmly, “I wouldn’t miss it, Dick! I’ll explain it -to your mother, too, and she wouldn’t have me miss it, either! It means -a lot to me to see you and these other lads catching on--while you are -still boys--to ideas which it has taken me a lifetime to reach, through -all kinds of experience, and some of it pretty tough, too. You tell the -other boys that I’ll be there, and that their motto means just as much -to me as it does to them.” - - * * * * * - -At the time of the meeting the following Sunday, Dick had brought -over a chair for Mr. Gray to sit in while the four boys took their -accustomed places, and he assured them that he would be quite ready to -adopt their charter as a rule of life. Then, lowering his voice, and at -the same time talking more earnestly, he said: - -“Dick has told me, boys, of some of your difficulties and victories -during this cruise, and your desire to carry on the same warfare -against evil, now that you have come ashore again. I believe that there -is more of the man in every one of you than there was when you first -started on this cruise.” - -“Would you like us to read the Charter, sir, before we begin?” asked -Tom. “Because it’s about that especially that we want you to tell -us. Say, Bill, you ask him what you want to know. But we’ll hear the -Charter first.” - -So Dick read the Charter through and ended with the words: “and so -Captain Craven gave up his life to do his duty as a good scout, and -to keep his oath and law; and so, to remind them of his brave and -courteous act, the officers of the navy have the custom of saying: -‘After you, Pilot’, when one of them steps back to make way for -another; and also, because we want to be reminded of his brave and -courteous act and faithfulness to his oath and law, we--the members of -the Four Square Club of Duck Island--have written out this story to -read once in a while, and have taken ‘After you, Pilot’, as our motto.” - -After a little pause, Mr. Gray said: “What was it, Bill, that you -wanted especially to know?” - -Bill felt a little shy, but he was already beginning to control his -feelings more, and so pushed through the shyness and began to talk. - -“At the last meeting, sir, Dick was saying that there ought to be -something else in the Charter about how it was that Captain Craven was -strong enough to do the way he did. And the old Admiral, when he first -told the story to George Gray, he said that it was because Captain -Craven was in the habit of doing his duty every day of his life--no -matter what it was. What do you think of that, sir?” - -“I think that’s right,” replied Mr. Gray, “and it would be a good -thing to put it in the Charter, because it shows that each one of us -can be preparing every day to do whatever may be required of us in an -emergency.” - -“‘Be Prepared’ is the Boy Scout motto, sir,” said Chippie. - -“I know it is,” continued Mr. Gray, “and ‘Be Prepared’ is the motto to -act upon every day of our lives, if we want to be strong enough to say: -‘After you, Pilot’, when we get our chance.” - -“I see that, sir,” answered Bill, “but if you want to have grit in the -water, you have to be friendly with it; and what I wanted to know was, -whether Captain Craven was friendly with the water, and if that was the -reason he did not mind drowning?” - -Mr. Gray thought for quite a while before answering this question; and, -while they were waiting in silence for his answer, the boys listened to -the lapping of the little waves on the beach near by. - -“Of course you know, Bill, no one can say for certain just what passed -through that man’s mind; but I, for my part, would say that he had done -lots of things in his life that were harder to do than just dying, and -that there was no reason for his not feeling friendly with the water. I -think he did.” - -“It makes me shiver,” said Bill, “to think of getting drowned, in spite -of the fact that I am able and willing to swim in deep water any time; -it’s being friendly with the water that’s helped me to get my balance, -but--Captain Craven--_he knew_ he was going to drown, so what was the -use of his keeping his balance?” - -“I guess, Bill, that Captain Craven loved the water because he had -conquered all fear of it years ago, if he ever had any, and some of -the happiest times of his life had been spent in doing his duty at -sea. But I’m thinking that he had another habit that prepared him for -this emergency. If he hadn’t been drowned at that time he would have -reported to Admiral Farragut, his superior officer, every detail of -the explosion; and now,--when there was no possibility of reporting to -the Admiral,--he may have thought to himself, ‘this drowning will be -over in a few minutes, and then I’ll report to the Great Captain, whose -child I am and whose will is my duty, wherever I see it.’” - -“Won’t you come to another of our meetings some time, sir?” asked Tom -after a pause. - -“That I will,” answered Dick’s father, “and I tell you what it is, -boys; I won’t forget this meeting in a hurry, either!” - -As they got up and left the shack, the sun was just setting. - -“It’s time for ‘colors’,” said Tom, “will you give the command, sir?” -and all stood at attention while Dick slowly lowered the flag. - - - - - * * * * * - - - - -Transcriber’s note: - -Illustrations have been moved to paragraph breaks near where they are -mentioned. - -Punctuation has been made consistent. - -Variations in spelling and hyphenation were retained as they appear in -the original publication, except that obvious typographical errors have -been corrected. - -p. 108: Missing words were assumed to be as follows: - - the (force the inner) - latch (a latch from) - into (out into the) - at (station at the) - - - -***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BOY SCOUTS AT SEA*** - - -******* This file should be named 65650-0.txt or 65650-0.zip ******* - - -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: -http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/6/5/6/5/65650 - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United -States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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