THE CRUISE OF THE FLEET.
The school year was ended; and it was remarked that the school had never
been in a more flourishing condition. The boys, stimulated by the boat
organizations, had made remarkable progress, and parents and committee
sympathized with them in the pleasant anticipations of the coming
vacation.
Since his defection in June, the conduct of Charles Hardy had been in
the highest degree satisfactory. His character seemed to be radically
changed. He did not "put on airs," nor aspire to high places. His pride
had been lowered, and he was modest and gentle; therefore my young
friends will not be surprised to learn that his associates had rewarded
his endeavors to do well by electing him coxswain of the Zephyr.
On the morning of the day appointed for the grand excursion, the
squadron, as it formed in line opposite Captain Sedley's house,
consisted of the following boats, manned and commanded as below:--
Zephyr, 12 oars, (bearing the broad pennant of
Commodore Sedley,) Charles Hardy.
Butterfly, 12 oars, Paul Munroe.
Bluebird, 12 " Fred Harper.
Rainbow, 12 " William Bright.
Lily, 8 " Henry Brown.
Dart, 8 " Dick Chester.
Dip, 4 " (tender,) Tony Weston.
My young readers need not be indignant at finding so brave and skilful
an officer as Tony Weston in command of the little Dip, deeming it an
insignificant position for him to occupy; for the tender was to be
detailed on special duty, and the appointment was a marked compliment to
his skill and judgment.
The system of signals established for the use of the fleet was very
simple, and consisted of plain flags of red, white, blue, yellow, green,
orange, and purple, each color being a distinct order. The discipline of
the fleet was of a mongrel character, composed of naval and military
tactics. When the squadron sailed in compact order verbal commands were
given; and when the boats were too far apart for the word to be heard,
signals were used. But these details will be better understood as the
squadron proceeds on its voyage.
The boats were ranged in line, side by side, with the Zephyr on the
right, the Butterfly on the left, and the Dip in the middle, each with
its gay flags floating to the breeze. All the oars were in-board, and
the clubs were waiting for the commodore's orders.
On board the Zephyr, a longer staff than she had formerly used was
erected, on which, half way up, was placed her fly, and at the top the
broad pennant--of blue, covered with silver stars. On this pole the
signals were hoisted, when the pennant had to be lowered for the time.
All eyes were directed to the commodore, who was standing up in the
stern sheets of the flag boat.
"Ready!" said he, in a voice loud enough to be heard the whole length of
the line; and every boy grasped his oar.
"Up!"
It was a beautiful sight to observe the precision with which the oars
were erected. A company of soldiers could not have handled their muskets
with more unanimity.
"Down!" and in like manner the oars dropped into the water.
Those who have observed the manner in which a military officer gives his
orders have discovered the secret of this pleasing concord of action.
Commands consist, except in a series, of two words; and dwelling for an
instant on the first keeps all in a state of readiness to act the
instant the second is given. Frank had studied the matter while
witnessing the evolutions of the Rippleton Guards, and he had adopted
the plan in the club. When the captain said "shoulder," the men knew
what was coming; and at the word "arms," the evolution was performed. So
with "present--arms!" "file--right!" "left--wheel!" etc.; and to these
observations he was indebted for the proficiency of his club, and of the
fleet.
"Ready--pull!" he continued.
The stroke was very slow, and each coxswain was obliged to keep his boat
in line with the others, the flag boat regulating their speed.
When the squadron had reached the upper part of the lake, the pennant
was dropped, and up went a red flag.
"Cease--rowing!" said all the coxswains, except the Zephyr's.
Then the red flag was lowered, and a blue one was hoisted.
"In single line," the coxswain of the Bluebird, which was next to the
Zephyr, interpreted the signal, and his boat followed the flag.
The others came into the line in proper order, and the squadron passed
entirely round the lake.
"Cease--rowing!" exclaimed the coxswains, in concert, as the red flag
again appeared.
Up went a green flag, and the line was formed; then a yellow, to form in
sections of two. In this order the squadron pulled down the lake again,
to the widest part, where various fanciful evolutions were
performed--which it would be impossible to describe on paper. One of
them was rowing in a circle round the Dip; another was two circles of
three boats each, pulling in opposite directions. Then the boats were
sent off in six different ways, forming a hexagon, with the tender in
the center; after which they all came together so that their stems
touched each other, in the shape of a star.
"Now, boys, we are ready for the voyage up Rippleton River," said
Commodore Sedley. "I need not tell you that the utmost caution must be
used. Watch the flags closely, and every coxswain be very prudent."
"Ay, ay!"
"Tony will lead in the Dip, and each boat will place a man in the bow to
look out for buoys, which he will place over rocks and shoals."
"Ay, ay," answered the coxswains.
"Now, Tony, you may go up and mark off the rocks at the mouth of the
river."
The little Dip, which had a picked crew for the occasion, darted away up
the lake, leaving the rest of the fleet to follow.
"Form a line!" shouted Frank, and the boats backed out from their
positions, and in a moment had obeyed the order.
"Ready--pull;" and the fleet moved slowly and grandly up the lake.
The boys were in high spirits. There was something inspiring in the
operations of the squadron that would have moved a more steady mind than
that of a boy of twelve. Every moment was a revelation of the power that
dwelt in them, of the beauty of order, of the grace of harmonious
action. As in the great world, a single intractable spirit might have
produced a heap of confusion, and it was the purpose of the organization
to bring each into harmony with the whole.
The fleet reached the mouth of the river. Tony had placed buoys on the
dangerous rocks each side of the channel, so that the boats, by
approaching it in the right direction, could easily pass through in
safety.
The Dip had been provided with a large number of these buoys. They were
pieces of board, part of them painted red, and part blue, with a line
and weight attached to each. Near the dangerous rock or shoal one of
these buoys was to be located, which would be kept in place by the
weight. The coxswains had written instructions from the commodore to
keep red ones on the starboard side, and blue on the port side, going
up the river, and _vice versa_ coming down.
The Zephyr took position near the rocks to see that every boat
approached the channel in the right direction, as, if they did not, they
would be sure to strike. By these extraordinary precautions, the fleet
passed through in safety, and three stunning cheers announced that the
passage had been effected.
"Here we are, Charley," said Frank, as the Zephyr pulled ahead of the
other boats.
"All safe, thanks to the skill and prudence of our commodore," replied
Charles; and the reader will be struck with the modesty of his language.
"Where is Tony? I don't see him."
"Round the bend, I guess; but here are his buoys all along."
"Signal man, hoist the blue," continued the commodore; and the fleet
followed in single line.
"Here's the bridge; I fancy Tony knows the soundings here," said
Charles.
"Ay, there is the rock on which Mr. Walker's chaise hung. It is almost
out of water, now."
"Did you hear what Mr. Walker said when some one asked him why he did
not sue the town?"
"No; what was it?"
"He said it was the luckiest day of his life when he pitched off the
bridge."
"Indeed!"
"He has thought so much better of humanity since, and it introduced him
to Tony Weston, whom he calls a hero in embryo."
"Mr. Walker is a nice man--a whole-souled man."
"That he is! How many men would have done for us what he did? And I, in
particular, have reason to be grateful to him," said Charles, with a
sigh. "I shall never forget him and your father, wherever my lot is
cast."
"That is manly of you, Charley. But I am sure they have been abundantly
rewarded by your devotion to duty since."
"I have tried to do right."
"You have done well; everybody says so."
"I cannot soon forget what a fool I was to believe Tim's wicked lies. I
suppose I wanted to believe them, or I should not."
"It is a great pity we ever let Tim into the club; but we meant right;
we meant to reform him. Where do you suppose he is now?"
"Somewhere near the Cape of Good Hope."
"My father thinks he has got enough of the sea by this time."
"I dare say. Didn't you ever feel a desire to go to sea, Frank?"
"No; not lately."
"Nor I; Tim Bunker lent me the Red Corsair of the Caribbean Sea, just
before that scrape, and I thought then that I should like to take a
voyage."
"My father will not let me read such books; and since he has told me
what they are, and what their influence is, I don't want to read them."
"There's Tony, with the red flag hoisted."
The red flag had been agreed upon as the signal to stop the fleet, when
the navigation was very hazardous, or impracticable.
"Cease--rowing!" said Charles.
Frank ordered his signal man to hoist the red in the flag boat.
"Can't we go any farther than this?" asked Charles.
"I don't know; we are not more than a mile above the bridge."
"Here comes the Dip."
"Well, Tony, what's the matter?" said the commodore, as the tender
approached.
"I haven't found a clear channel yet. The bed of the river is covered
with rocks," replied Tony, as the Dip came alongside the Zephyr.
"Then we must call this the head of navigation," added Frank, with a
laugh, though he was not a little disappointed to find the cruise up so
soon.
"Perhaps not; there is water enough, but the twelve-oar boats are so
long they can hardly dodge the rocks. The Lily and the Dart can get
through very well."
"Have you sounded clear across?"
"I haven't had time to examine very thoroughly yet. If you let the boats
lay off I will look farther."
"Very well; I will go with you in the Dart," replied the commodore, as
he ordered up a white and a blue flag, which was the signal for the Dart
to close up.
The signal was obeyed, and Frank followed the Dip. After half an hour's
search, a clear channel was found close to the land; so close that the
oars could not be used, and a party was sent on shore to drag them
through with ropes.
The line was formed again, and the squadron slowly followed the Dip as
she examined the river. For the next mile there were no obstructions.
"Twelve o'clock!" shouted Fred Harper from the Bluebird.
"Dinner time, then," replied Frank. "Here is a beautiful grove, and we
will land and dine. Hoist the orange"--the signal to land.