TOM TOPOVER IN THE ASCENDANT AGAIN.
The Lily was to make another excursion on the following Saturday; and
Marian Dornwood and Lily Bristol were to be passengers, as well as their
mothers. The principal had predicted the strong breeze which had
prevailed during the first trip, but it was just what was desired for a
trial trip. The schooner had proved herself to be a very able sea-boat,
and had exceeded all expectations in regard to her speed. She was easily
managed, and "filled the bill" in every respect.
She was entirely finished now; and, on the following Monday, all hands
went to work in the shops again, in the afternoon. Some of the new
scholars, who had shown more taste for work in iron and brass than in
wood, were set to work with a file; for this was the first lesson given
to the machinist. Among these was Tom Topover; and it was found, in a
few days, that, after some experience, he was the best filer of the
new-comers. His eye proved to be good, and the principal was much
encouraged in regard to him.
Since the first vain efforts to get up a rebellion, he had behaved very
well; and as he was not allowed to go beyond his depth, either in the
schoolroom or the shop, he had appeared to be quite satisfied with his
condition. Mr. Bentnick insisted that he was reformed and entirely
reconstructed. Mr. Brookbine was of the same mind. But Captain Gildrock
shook his head, and did not believe it, though he saw that the fellow
was wonderfully improved.
"He gives us no trouble at all," said Mr. Jepson; "and he handles a file
better than any new boy I have had."
"Intellectually, he is not much of a scholar, and he never will be
brilliant in his studies; but he learns his lessons a good deal better
than some of the brighter boys," added Mr. Bentnick; "I have great hopes
of him."
"So have I," added the principal: "but he is one of the students who is
almost sure to make a slip sooner or later, and it will not surprise me
at any time, to find him getting up a conspiracy. The trouble is, that
he has no high aim,—in fact, no aim at all. He is not yet trying to be
any thing or any body. He is doing very well just now, simply because he
is interested. He learns his lessons because he don't like to be a
prisoner in his room. It will take but a little thing to throw him off
his balance."
"I think he wants to be a machinist, and I reckon he has a fancy for
running an engine," said Mr. Jepson.
"If you believe it, encourage him by all means. The first thing to be
accomplished in his case, is to plant some kind of an ambition in his
being. If he wants to be an engineer, the desire is capable of making a
decent man of him; though I am afraid he will always be, to a greater or
less degree, uncertain and unreliable."
Hardly a week passed without the appearance at the school of one or more
visitors, for it was a rather novel institution. It had been written up
in the newspapers, and been the subject of a discussion in an
educational meeting. About the middle of the week after the trial trip
of the Lily, half a dozen gentlemen came to Beech Hill, in the
afternoon, but not particularly to see the workings of the institution.
They were capitalists who desired to interest Captain Gildrock in an
enterprise in which they were engaged. But when they got there, they
were invited to inspect the workshops, and look over the grounds. They
were pulled off to the Lily, which was exhibited as a specimen of the
workmanship of the students.
They had been so much interested in what they saw, and so much absorbed
in the business that had brought them to Beech Hill, that they remained
till the supper-bell rang. They were invited to remain to tea, and
accepted the invitation. Afterwards they went out to Beechwater to see
the students in the barges, who still practised with the oars every
evening. By this time the rowing was almost perfect, even among the new
pupils.
It was getting dark when the crew of the Winooski came from the
boat-house. In the walk, Tom Topover was observed to pick up something;
but, as he did not say he had found any thing, no further notice was
taken of the fact. He went to the dormitory with the others, and a keen
observer might have seen that he was a good deal elated about something.
But Tom was as cunning now as he had ever been, though that is not
saying much. It was a low cunning, and Tom believed he was at least ten
times as smart as anybody considered him to be.
Kidd Digfield and Pell Sankland went to work upon their examples in
arithmetic, which related to a practical subject; and they were
interested in them. While they were at work, Tom and Nim Splugger paid
them a visit. Although the bond which bound them together was not as
strong as it had been, it still existed; and they associated more with
each other than with the other students, though they were quite intimate
with Bent Fillwing and Jack Dumper, who were regarded as two of the
hardest characters among the recruits.
"I am spoiling for a good time," said Tom Topover, as he seated himself
on the bed in Kidd's room.
"What kind of a time are you spoiling for?—such a one as we had last
Saturday?" asked Kidd, who had been so seasick, that he did not remember
the trial trip with much satisfaction.
"I didn't get seasick, and I had a good time," replied Tom. "But the
thing was a little too stiff for me. There was too much officer about
the whole thing to suit me. But I should like to take a trip in the
Lily, and have it on our own hook."
"Do you believe you could handle her?" asked Pell.
"I know I could. I have learned to steer, for I had one trick at the
wheel, and I have stood at the helm on board of the Sylph."
"But the steering is only a small part of handling a boat," suggested
Kidd. "A fellow has to know what is under water as well as above it."
"I could take that schooner up to Rouse's Point—and that is as far as I
ever went—as well as Captain Randolph," persisted Tom, with a good deal
more spring in his manner than he had displayed of late.
"I don't know but you could," added Kidd, turning to his slate.
"There isn't any fun in you, Kidd Digfield, since you got into this
school. I believe you like it as well as Ash Burton and Sam Spottwood,"
added Tom, with no little disgust in his manner. "I tell you I am
spoiling for a time, such a time as we used to have."
"What sort of a time?" asked Kidd, looking up at him.
"A regular out-and-out bender," chuckled Tom, showing more of his
mysterious spring than before.
"I don't know what you want yet," replied Kidd. "Do you mean to get into
some scrape?"
"I don't believe that if I got three miles from this concern, I should
ever get back again," added Tom significantly.
"Do you want to run away?" asked Kidd, dropping his voice.
"That's about the color of it," answered the ex-chief, with a wink.
"I don't think I want to get away," replied Kidd, turning to his slate
again.
"I don't say I shall run away, but I do say I am going on a time,"
continued Tom, in a whisper, as though the walls might have ears. "I
must have some fun, even if I have to spend a week in the brig for it."
"What kind of a time? Why don't you say what you mean, and not beat
about the bush all night," demanded Kidd, who was certainly filled with
curiosity, even if the memory of past exploits with the Topovers did not
influence him.
"And you will go to old Gildrock, and tell him all about it!" exclaimed
Tom.
"That's too bad, Tom!" said Kidd, springing to his feet in his
excitement. "Did you ever know me to do such a thing?"
"I never did; but you have become a little lamb, and the shepherd leads
you with a silk thread. There is no knowing what you will do," muttered
Tom.
"You ought to know that I won't do a mean thing," returned Kidd
indignantly. "I don't believe in bucking against a stone wall as you do,
but I am no more of a lamb than you are."
Kidd certainly was not very thoroughly reformed, or he would not have so
indignantly repelled the charge of being a good boy. To be able to bear
such scoffs and taunts was the next lesson he had to learn, and it was a
great pity that he had not learned it sooner. But he could not bear to
be reproached because he had behaved himself. This is the misfortune of
any boy who has earned a bad reputation,—that he feels obliged to
sustain his bad name.
"You never used to do mean things, but since you became a little lamb"—
"I am not a little lamb!" protested Kidd, more angry than he would have
been if he had been called a thief. "I mean to get along as easy as I
can, and I don't care about living on bread and butter and cold water.
This is a free country, and every fellow that wants to do so can put his
fingers into the fire."
"Do you want to have a little fun, Kidd Digfield? That's the question
before the house just now, as the nobs say," continued Tom Topover,
dropping his voice down to a confidential tone.
"It depends upon what sort of fun it is," replied Kidd. "If you mean the
fun of being locked into your room for a week, and be fed on short
rations, I don't want any fun."
"I don't mean that, or any thing of that kind," said the ex-chief, going
to the door, and looking out into the hall to see if any listeners were
near. "I mean some real out-and-out fun, like a sail by ourselves, a day
or two at a hotel, spending the nights at the theatre, or some such
place."
"I shouldn't object to something of that sort," replied Kidd; and Pell
Sankland began to look as though he felt an interest in the subject of
the conversation, for he put his slate on the table, and gave his
attention to the conversation.
"Now you begin to act like yourself," added Tom approvingly.
"But what's the use of talking about such a time?" Kidd objected.
"It takes money, and a lot of it, to go to a hotel and the theatre.
Besides, there are no theatres within twenty miles of Beech Hill."
"There is one in Burlington, another in Plattsburgh," returned Tom. "As
to money, there will be enough of that."
"Enough of that? Do you mean that you have got any money?" demanded
Kidd.
"I don't mean to say any thing about it," added the ex-chief, who seemed
to be regaining his old sway over his companions. "All I've got to say
is, that if you want to have some fun of the sort I have spoken of, just
say the word, and don't ask any questions."
Kidd raised some objections, and so did Pell; but Nim Splugger appeared
to have been taken into the confidence of the Topover in the beginning,
for he treated all that was said as a matter of course. Tom called Kidd
and Pell "little lambs" a few times; and this seemed to have more effect
than any other arguments, albeit it was no argument at all. Kidd and
Pell did not want to yield, but they were driven into submission by the
raillery of Tom and Nim. At nine o'clock they had crept out of the
dormitory, and found Bent Fillwing and Jack Dumper at the old wharf.