A SUDDEN DISAPPEARANCE.
While Professor Mapps was giving his lecture,
or his “talk” as he preferred to call it, in the
grand saloon of the steamer, quite a number of boats
were pulling around the steamer, and the other vessels
of the squadron, some of them containing boatmen
looking for a job, and others, people who were curious
to see the ship and her consorts. The several craft
were not men–of–war or merchantmen; and they
seemed to excite a great deal of curiosity. Not a few
of the boats came up to the gangway, their occupants
asking permission to go on board; but they were
politely refused by the officers in charge.
Some of the boats carried lateen, or leg–of–mutton
sails, which are used more than any other on the
Mediterranean. A long yard, or spar, is slung at an
angle of forty–five degrees, on a short mast, so that
one–fourth of the spar is below and the rest above the
mast. The sail is triangular, except that the part
nearest to the tack is squared off. It is attached to the
long yard on the hypothenuse side. On the larger
craft, the sail is hauled out on the long spar, sliding on
hanks, or rings. It is a picturesque rig; and some of
the students who had a taste for boating were anxious
to try their skill in handling a sail of this kind.
One of these feluccas, with two gentlemen in the
stern, seemed to be more persistent than the others
to obtain admission for its occupants on board of the
Prince. Her huge sail was brailed up, and she had
taken a berth at the gangway of the steamer. Peaks,
the adult boatswain of the ship, obeyed his orders to
the letter, and would not permit any one to put foot
on the deck. One of the gentlemen who came off
in her had ascended the accommodation steps, and
insisted upon holding a parley with Peaks; but as the
old salt understood only a few words of Spanish, and
the stranger did not speak English, they did not get
ahead very well. The boatswain resolutely but good–naturedly
refused to let the visitor pass him, or to disturb
the lecture by sending to the saloon for some one
to act as interpreter. The gentleman obstinately
declined to give up his point, whatever it was, and
remained at the gangway till the students were dismissed
from the exercise.
When the lecture was finished, Mr. Lowington came
out of the saloon; and, as he passed the gangway,
Peaks touched his cap, and informed him that a Spaniard
on the steps insisted upon coming on board.
“I don’t understand his lingo, and can’t tell what he
is driving at,” added Peaks.
“Somebody that wishes to visit the ship, probably,”
replied the principal.
“I have turned back more than fifty, but this one
won’t be turned back,” continued Peaks, as Mr. Lowington
stepped up to the gangway.
As soon as the Spanish gentleman saw him, he raised
his hat, and addressed him in the politest terms, begging
pardon for the intrusion. The principal invited
him to come on board, and then immediately directed
the people of the Josephine and Tritonia to return to
their vessels. While the Tritonias were piping over the
side, Mr. Lowington gave his attention to the visitor.
“Have you a student in your ship by the name of
Enrique Raimundo?” asked the Spanish gentleman,
after he had properly introduced the subject of his
visit.
Mr. Lowington spoke Spanish, having learned it
when he was on duty as a naval officer in the Mediterranean;
but, as he had been out of practice for many
years, he was not as fluent in the language as formerly.
But he understood the question, and so did Raimundo,
who happened to pass behind the principal, in company
with Scott, at this interesting moment. Possibly his
heart rose to his throat, as he heard his name mentioned;
at any rate, after the history he had narrated
to Scott, he could not help being greatly disturbed by
the inquiry of the stranger. But he had the presence
of mind to refrain from any demonstration, and went
over the side into the cutter with his companions. If
his handsome olive face was paler than usual, no one
noticed the fact.
Mr. Lowington was a prudent man in the management
of the affairs of the students under his care.
When he heard the inquiry for the second master of
the Tritonia, whom he knew to be a Spaniard, he at
once concluded that the visitor was a friend or a relative
of the young man. But it was no part of his policy
to deliver over his pupils to their friends and relatives
without fully understanding what he was doing. Persons
claiming such relations might lead the students
astray. They might be the agents of some of his
rogues on board, who had resorted to this expedient to
obtain a vacation on shore.
“Are you a relative of Raimundo?” was the first
question the principal proposed to the stranger.
“No, I am not; but”—
Mr. Lowington failed to understand the rest of the
reply made by the gentleman, for here his Spanish was
at fault. The visitor was not a relative of Raimundo.
If he had answered in the affirmative, the principal
would have directed the Tritonia’s boats to remain, so
that the visitor could see the young man, if upon further
explanation it was proper for him to do so. If the
gentleman was not a relative, it was not advisable to
disturb the routine of the squadron to oblige him. He
could see Raimundo the next day, when he went on
shore. The boats of the Josephine and the Tritonia
were therefore permitted to return without any delay.
“_No hablo mucho Español_” (I do not speak much
Spanish), said Mr. Lowington, laughing; “_y no comprendo_”
(and I do not understand).
He then with the utmost politeness, as required in all
intercourse with Spanish gentlemen, invited the visitor
into the grand saloon, and sent for Professor Badois,
the instructor in modern languages, to assist at the
interview. The gentleman proved to be Don Francisco
Castro, an _abogado_, or lawyer, who represented Don
Alejandro, the lawful guardian of Enrique Raimundo.
He claimed the body of his client’s ward, the second
master of the Tritonia. Even Professor Badois had
some difficulty in comprehending the legal terms used
by the _abogado_; but so much was made clear to the
principal.
“I don’t understand this business,” said he. “I
received the young man from Manuel Raimundo, his
uncle in New York, who has always paid his tuition
fees; and I hold myself responsible to him for the
safe keeping of my pupil.”
“Ah, but you are in Spain, and the young man is a
Spaniard, subject to Spanish law,” added Don Francisco,
with a bland smile. “All the evidence will be
presented to you, and you will be fully justified in giving
up the young man.”
Mr. Lowington was very much disturbed. He knew
nothing of the circumstances of the case beyond what
the lawyer told him; and he was very much perplexed
by the situation. He called Dr. Winstock, who spoke
Spanish even more fluently than Professor Badois, and
asked his advice.
“If Don Alejandro is the lawful guardian of Raimundo,
how happens the young man to be a resident of
New York?” asked the surgeon, after the case had
been fully explained to him.
The lawyer shrugged his shoulders, but smiled as
blandly as ever.
“Don Manuel, the uncle of the boy, stole him from
his guardian when he left his native land,” said Don
Francisco. “You see, the young man has a fortune of
five million _reales_; and no doubt Don Manuel wants to
get this money or a part of it.”
“But Manuel Raimundo is one of the richest wine–merchants
of New York,” protested the principal.
The subject was discussed for half an hour longer.
Don Francisco said he had sent agents to New York to
obtain possession of the boy, and had kept the run of
the squadron from the day the ward of his client had
entered as a student. He had taken no action before,
because he had been assured that the vessels would
visit Spain, where there would be no legal difficulties in
the way of securing his client’s ward. The lawyer
made a very plain case of it, and was entirely fair in
every thing he proposed. He would not take Raimundo
out of the vessel by force unless compelled to
do so. The whole matter would be settled in the
proper court, and the young man should have the best
counsel in Spain.
“Very well, Don Francisco. I am much obliged to
you for the courtesy with which you have managed your
case so far,” said Mr. Lowington. “I will employ
counsel to–morrow to look up the matter in the interest
of my pupil.”
“But the young man,—what is to be done with him
in the mean time?” asked the lawyer.
“He will be safe on board of the Tritonia.”
“Pardon me, sir; but I have been looking for the
boy too many years to let him slip through my fingers
now,” interposed Don Francisco earnestly, but with
his constant smile. “If he hears that I am looking
for him, he will keep out of my way, as he has done for
several years.”
“Do you wish to make a prisoner of him?” inquired
the principal.
“No, no! By no means,—no prison! He shall
have the best room in my house; but I must not lose
sight of him.”
“That would be taking possession of the young man
without regard to any thing I may wish to do for him.
I do not like that arrangement,” added Mr. Lowington.
The courteous _abogado_ seemed to be troubled. He
did not wish to do any thing that would not be satisfactory
to the “distinguished officer” before him; but,
after considerable friendly argument, he proposed a
plan which was accepted by the principal. The person
who had come off in the boat with him was an _alguacil_,
or constable, who had been empowered to arrest Don
Alejandro’s ward. Would the principal allow this
official to remain on board of the vessel with Raimundo,
and keep an eye on him all the time? Mr. Lowington
did not object to this arrangement. He
would go with Don Francisco to the Tritonia, where
the situation could be explained to Raimundo, and the
_alguacil_ should occupy a state–room with his charge, if
he desired. The principal treated his guest with distinguished
consideration; and the first cutter was lowered
to convey him to the Tritonia. Dr. Winstock
accompanied the party; the twelve oars of the first
cutter dropped into the water with mechanical precision,
to the great admiration of the Spanish gentlemen;
and the boat darted off from the ship’s side.
In a moment the cutter was alongside the Tritonia,
and the party went on board of her. Most of the
officers were on the quarter–deck, and Mr. Lowington
looked among them for the second master. All hands
raised their caps to the principal as soon as he appeared
on the deck.
“Captain Wainwright, I wish to see Mr. Raimundo,”
said he to the young commander. “Send for him, if
you please.”
“Mr. Raimundo,” repeated the captain, touching his
cap. “Mr. Richards, pass the word for Mr. Raimundo.”
The first master, who had been designated, went to
look for the young Spaniard. His name was repeated
all over the deck, and through the cabin and steerage;
but Raimundo did not respond to the call. A vigorous
search was made in every part of the vessel; yet the
second master was still missing. Don Francisco’s
constant courtesy seemed to be somewhat shaken.
Inquiries were made of all the other officers in regard
to the second master. They had seen him on the deck
after the return of the boats from the Prince. Scott
had left him in the cabin, half an hour before; but he
had not the least idea what had become of him. Don
Francisco spoke French and Italian; and he examined
O’Hara in the latter, and several other officers in the
former language.
Mr. Lowington explained that he had sent no one
to the Tritonia to inform Raimundo that he was wanted;
and the _alguacil_, who had remained in the felucca all
the time till he took his place in the first cutter, assured
the lawyer that no one had gone from the steamer to
the schooner after all the boats left.
The principal and the vice–principal were as much
perplexed as the lawyer. None of them could alter
the fact that Raimundo was missing; and they were
utterly unable to account for his mysterious disappearance.
All of them were confident that the absentee
would soon be found; and the _abogado_ returned to the
shore, leaving the _alguacil_ in the Tritonia to continue
the search.