HARRY'S REPORT.
"There!" exclaimed the first lieutenant, drawing a long breath of
relief, as the yacht swung round with her head to the storm, after the
anchor had been let go, "we're back here, and in just as good condition
as when we started, if we except very wet skins and badly damaged
reputations. But the vessel is all right, and that's one thing I can
feel easy about."
Harry left the officer who was second in command of the guard, to make
every thing snug on board, and went below to talk to Tom Newcombe; for,
thus far, he had not heard a word uttered that gave him an insight
into his object in capturing the vessel. As he descended into the
cabin he met the fisher-boy, who, since his release, had made several
unsuccessful attempts to reach the deck to assist the students in
retaking the yacht. But he had not yet fully recovered the use of his
hands and feet, and, he had been obliged to remain inactive in the
cabin.
"Is she all right, now?" asked Bob, as the lieutenant came down the
ladder.
"Yes, and as sound as a dollar," was the reply. "I shall turn her over
to her next executive officer, in just as good condition as she was
received; and that's some consolation."
"I wish you had driven them down here," said the fisher-boy, as he
stood his spear up in one corner of the cabin. "I'd like to have had a
chance at the governor."
"The governor!" repeated Harry, curiously. "Do you mean Sam Barton?
He is overboard. He jumped into the harbor on purpose. I hoped to
command this vessel one of these days," continued the lieutenant, more
interested in his own affairs, just then, than in the fate of the
chief, "but Tom Newcombe has sadly interfered with my arrangements by
this night's work. Wouldn't it be a good plan to pitch him overboard
also?"
"I believe it would," answered Bob. "It might save somebody some
trouble; for he'll be into another scrape as soon as he gets fairly out
of this one, and he will ruin any body who has any thing to do with
him."
"But how came you here a prisoner?" inquired the lieutenant. "You were
not in the fight, were you?"
The fisher-boy's story was a long one; for, in order to enable Harry
to understand how he came to incur the displeasure of Sam Barton, he
was obliged to begin with the story of the passenger who had paid him
forty dollars in gold for catching the steamer. He told all about Tom's
lottery scheme, which made the lieutenant laugh until his jaws ached,
and finally, he came to the Crusoe band. He related the circumstances
connected with his capture; revealed the objects of the organization,
and also the motives that had led Tom Newcombe to become a member, as
far as he was acquainted with them. What he did not know Harry was able
to supply, and thus they got at a complete history of every thing Tom
had done since his expulsion from the society of Night-hawks. Harry was
really amazed to learn that a boy of Tom's years could put any faith in
a lottery, and believe that Sam Barton's idea of hunting up an island
somewhere in the ocean, and leading Crusoe life, could be successfully
carried out.
"I do not know that my chances for promotion are the best in the world
just now," said the lieutenant, as he arose and unlocked the door that
led into the hold, "but such as they are, I would almost give them up
to know what notion that boy will get into his head next. I wonder if
he won't come to the conclusion that the North Pole is 'just the place
he always wanted to go to,' and try to fit out an expedition among the
village boys!"
"If he does he will get plenty of recruits," said Bob.
"Come out here, Friday, Jack Spaniard, Will Atkins, and Exury,"
exclaimed Harry, addressing himself to the prisoners. "Let us have a
look at you. I want to see the boy who was lucky enough to take this
vessel down the harbor in this storm, without smashing her to pieces."
The fisher-boy, while relating the history and exploits of the Crusoe
band, had given the lieutenant the names of the members, just as the
governor had pronounced them.
"By the way, Richardson," continued Harry, turning to the midshipman
who had managed the vessel, while his superior officer was leading the
attack on the pirates, "I have read Robinson Crusoe a good many times,
but I never saw any thing in it about a fellow called Exury. Whom are
you named after?" he added, addressing the reckless pilot.
"After the feller that was with the governor when he ran away in the
boat that had a shoulder of mutton for a sail," was the reply.
The first lieutenant, who was highly amused at every thing he heard
regarding the band, laughed louder than ever. Xury had got things
pretty well mixed up, if he supposed that Crusoe's boat had a shoulder
of mutton for a sail; but, after all, he was not to blame for that, for
he had never read the book, and all his ideas concerning the hero of
the band, and his surroundings, were gained from what he had heard Sam
say on the subject.
"I know who you are now," said Harry, slowly surveying his prisoner
from head to foot, "and I would advise you to discard your real name
and stick to your assumed one. If it will always bring you such luck
as has attended you to-night, you'll be an admiral one of these days.
Richardson, see that these fellows are made comfortable for the night.
They came very near sending us all to the bottom, but that's no reason
why we should not treat them as kindly as we can."
The midshipman took charge of the prisoners, and Harry unlocked the
door of the state-room in which Tom was confined, and went in to talk
to him.
"O, now, I'd like to know what you are going to do with me!" drawled
the prisoner, as the lieutenant untied the ropes with which his hands
and feet were bound. "I always was the most unlucky boy in the whole
world, but this is the worst scrape I ever got into."
"I came in, captain, to tell you that there is a good fire in the
galley, and that you may go in there and dry your clothing, if you feel
so disposed," replied Harry.
"O, now, I won't do it," whined Tom. "I'd rather stay here as I am,
than to go in there and have all those fellows tormenting me. I want
you to quit calling me captain, for I wasn't master of the vessel, nor
governor of the band, either."
"Why, didn't you tell me that you were commander of the yacht?"
demanded Harry.
"O, yes, I did, but I didn't hold the office long, for the governor got
mad at me, and broke me; and then I got mad at him, and let you out.
But I wouldn't have done it, if I had known that you would knock me
down, and then keep me here a prisoner. What are you going to do with
me?"
This was a question that Harry did not like to answer. Although Tom
had caused him a great deal of uneasiness, and had placed the yacht
and her crew in jeopardy he was not revengeful, and, if he could have
had his own way, he would have released his prisoner at once. Bad as
he was, he was the son of the man who had presented the principal of
the academy with the fine vessel of which he had the honor to be the
executive officer, and for that, if for no other reason, Harry did not
want to see him disgraced. But his orders were, to bring the attacking
party to the academy as prisoners of war, and now, that he had captured
them, he could not disobey.
"You are going to put me ashore now, are you not, Harry?" whined the
prisoner, trying hard to choke back his tears. "I'll never do it again."
"I can't!" replied the lieutenant. "I am acting under orders."
"But you must remember that I let you out," said Tom. "I was trying to
make amends for what I had done. What do you suppose my father will
say, when he hears that you marched me to the academy with those low,
ignorant ferry-boys?"
"I don't know. But if those boys were good enough for you while you
were at liberty to do as you pleased, they are certainly good enough
for you now that you are a prisoner."
"But I won't stand it, I tell you," roared Tom, now beginning to cry in
earnest. "I am not going to the academy under arrest, to be shut up in
the guard-house. Now mind what I say, Harry Green! If you don't let me
go at once, I'll square yards with you some day."
"I am not going to stay here to listen to any threats," replied the
lieutenant, placing his hand on the door-knob. "You have been a student
at the academy, and you know what is done with a fellow who does not
obey orders. You had better go into the galley and dry your clothes."
"O, now, I won't do it," shouted Tom, who seemed to be almost beside
himself with rage.
"Well, then, if I will allow you the freedom of the vessel, will you
promise that you will not try to escape?"
"No, I won't do that either. Get out of here! I'll fix you for this!"
Harry, seeing that his prisoner was in very bad humor, left the
state-room, locking the door after him. While he was talking to Tom,
the crew had been employed in setting things to rights, and now the
cabin presented the same scene of neatness and order that it had before
the fight--only one of the chairs was missing, and the center-table had
been pushed against the bulkhead to enable it to retain its upright
position, one of its legs having been broken off during the struggle.
The officer on duty sat at the desk writing, as if nothing had
happened, and a sentinel had been posted at the door of the hold, who
saluted the lieutenant as he passed.
Harry went into the galley, where the crew had congregated to dry their
clothing by the fire, and to listen to the fisher-boy's story. Xury,
Jack Spaniard, Friday, and Will Atkins were there, under charge of
a guard, and they seemed to take matters very coolly answering all
the questions asked them, and even putting in a word now and then, to
assist Bob in his description of the incidents that happened while
he was a prisoner in the cave. Xury, especially, was very talkative.
The crew all looked at him with a good deal of curiosity, and he
held himself very stiffly, believing that he had accomplished a most
remarkable feat, when he piloted the vessel safely through the harbor,
and that it was his superior skill as a sailor, and not luck, that had
carried him through.
The students were as much astonished at Bob's story as their officer
had been; and, after the latter had listened a few moments to their
remarks, he came to the conclusion that, for once in his life, Tom
Newcombe had shown some judgment when he declined to mingle with the
crew. While some of them regarded the whole affair as a stupendous
joke, others were very angry at him, and all believed that no other boy
of his age in the world had so little common sense. Very likely the
prisoner was much more comfortable in his wet clothes than he would
have been by the fire, in the galley.
The lieutenant took off his coat, wrung the water out of it, and
stood by the stove until his clothes were dry, when he returned to
the cabin, where he found the tall student with his hand wrapped up
in his handkerchief, walking up and down the floor. This was Jackson,
the second lieutenant of the ship, and the one who had done such good
service with his pillow.
"Does it hurt much?" inquired Harry.
"It is not very comfortable, I assure you," replied the student, his
face all wrinkled up with pain, "but I don't mind the hurt so much as I
do the investigation that is coming."
The first lieutenant seated himself at his desk, to write out his
report of the incidents of the night. He went about it with as much
earnestness as if he had been the commander of a government vessel, in
time of war, and had just come out of a terrible fight. He had nothing
to do but to tell the truth in the fewest possible words, and in a few
minutes the report was finished. It ran as follows:
"ACADEMY SHIP STORM KING,
July 16th, 18--.
"_Sir_
"It becomes my unpleasant duty to inform you that an attack was made
upon this vessel, at half-past ten o'clock, by an organized band of
outlaws, calling themselves 'Crusoe men,' and that it was partially
successful.
"In accordance with the instructions contained in your letters of this
date, I reported to the commanding officer of the yacht for duty and
command of the vessel. I at once proceeded to carry out the verbal
orders given me before I left the academy, and detailed six privates,
two corporals, and as many officers, for guard duty. One sentry was
posted on deck, while the officer remained in the cabin, and the
corporal in the forecastle, the latter going on deck twice each hour,
to strike the bells and see that every thing was snug. At the time
the attack was made, private Simmonds was the sentinel on deck, and
lieutenant Jackson the officer of the guard. The attacking party,
consisting of six men, were led by Samuel Barton, who went by the name
of governor. They boarded the vessel from a yawl--the darkness and the
howling of the storm effectually concealing their movements from the
sentinel, and drowning all sounds of their approach. Private Simmonds
called for the corporal, and attempted to prevent the boarding of
the pirates, but was obliged to retreat into the cabin, where he
was pursued by the governor and a portion of his band; the others,
commanded by Thomas Newcombe, going down into the galley, and thence
into the forecastle, where they aroused the guard from a sound sleep,
and drove them into the hold. The governor's squad numbered only three
men, but they were armed with spears, which we found to be quite as
dangerous as bayonets.
"The most of the crew were asleep in the hold, and before they could
be awakened, the officers in the cabin had been overpowered and
crowded into the hold at the point of the spears. The pirates placed
themselves between us and our weapons, but we would have succeeded in
beating them back but for the arrival of their reënforcements. Some
of them turned our own weapons against us, and, being unarmed, we were
forced to retreat. The pirates then locked us up in the hold, after
which, Thomas Newcombe took command of the vessel.
"Owing to some disagreement with the chief, he was broken, and the
management of the yacht devolved upon a member of the band, who
answers to the name of Xury. He started down the harbor under a close
reefed mainsail, while we in the hold made repeated but unsuccessful
efforts to escape, until Thomas Newcombe, wishing to be revenged upon
his chief for relieving him of the command, unlocked the door and
released us. We at once attacked the pirates, who made but a feeble
resistance, and in a few moments they were all secured, except the
chief, who jumped overboard rather than to fall into our hands. The
vessel was put about by midshipman Richardson, who handled her during
the fight, and brought her back to her anchorage.
"I regret to report that lieutenant Jackson, corporal Smith, and
private Simmonds, were wounded during the struggle--the former being
disabled by a thrust from a bayonet.
"I am sure that the Storm King sustained no injury during the run
down and up the harbor, but, in order to establish this fact, I
respectfully request that a Board of Survey be ordered to examine
into her condition, and also that a Court of Inquiry be convened, to
ascertain whether or not the honor of our flag has suffered in my
hands
"Very Respectfully,
Your Obd't Serv't
HENRY GREEN,
First Lieutenant, A. N.
"Captain WILLIAM STEELE,
Commanding Academy Ship Storm King."
(The letters A. N., which Harry placed after his rank, stood for
Academy Navy.)
"How will that do, Jackson?" inquired the first lieutenant, after he
had read the report to his wounded shipmate. "I know that the Board of
Survey, and the Court of Inquiry will come, whether I ask for them or
not; but I have made the request, simply to show the principal that I
am willing he should sift the matter as soon as he pleases. I can't
think of any order that I have disobeyed, but they are so hard on a
fellow here, that I expect to have my appointment revoked."
The first lieutenant placed his report in an official envelope, and,
after addressing it to the captain, he went into his state-room and
tumbled into bed. He did not sleep much; and neither did Tom Newcombe,
who, during the rest of the night, paced up and down his narrow prison
like a caged lion. Morning came much too soon for him, and, at the
first peep of day, all hands were called, and Harry put off for shore
in the jolly-boat. In half an hour he returned with a yawl, and took
his prisoners and Bob Jennings on board. The latter was landed outside
the academy grounds, and then the first lieutenant pushed off again to
take the Crusoe men before the principal. The fisher-boy would have
been glad to accompany them, for he wanted to hear what the principal
would say to Tom. But other things demanded his attention. The first
was, to go home and relieve the anxiety which he knew his mother felt
at his prolonged absence, and the other, to secure possession of the Go
Ahead No. 2, which had been left in the cave. He started off on a keen
run, and in a few minutes reached Fishertown, and burst into the house,
where his mother was engaged in getting breakfast.