"Ben, Mr. Bernard is a good man. He had the right of it about that
lying business. I hate myself for it."
"So you said before," answered Ben, beginning another air.
"I know it," interrupted Ralph, "I mean it more and more. I mean never
to deceive any one again."
"Quoth the raven, 'Nevermore;' anyway never till you get into trouble
again," said Ben.
"I don't care how great the trouble may be, I'll confess and be true.
Do you know I tried saying last night what the captain told us he said.
Somehow I never liked before to think the Lord was looking at me, but
now I am glad he is, for he can see I really mean to do better."
"It's queer you feel that way. I don't see any use worrying over a
little lie. I've told dozens of them, and I never felt bad about it. I
feel uncomfortable enough now, but I reckon it's my stomach and not my
mind. I say, let's go to sleep."
This was easier to say than do, and both boys tossed and rolled in
misery with sea-sickness, home-sickness, and fear, until from sheer
exhaustion they fell asleep.
The morning dawned foggy, and foggy the day ended. The next day was
like this; and the boys were too sick and worried to taste a mouthful of
food. The fog did not prevent the fishing, and the two men kept busy
with their lines, or their work of dressing the fish, and had little
time to devote to the boys, even if they had known what to do for them.
"I wish the two little land-lubbers were safe ashore," was the fervent
remark uttered over and over again by the captain, as he and Marcus
worked together.
"A storm is coming, and this fog will get blown higher than a kite," the
boys heard the captain say.
"Yes, it feels like bad weather," was Marcus's answer, as he gave a wise
glance around their foggy prison and blew a long blast on the big horn.
"Hear that, Ben?" asked Ralph.
"What? The horn? Yes, I hear it."
"No! Didn't you hear what Captain Dare said? We've got to have a storm
after all. In this little vessel, too. It will go down, sure as the
world," and Ralph grew paler than ever. Ben felt very much as his
friend did, but said less.
"I hear another horn, captain."
"Yes!" said the captain, listening.
Marcus blew again long and loud; and again was answered from out in the
fog. After a while the two vessels came within hailing distance, and
Ralph, seized with a sudden longing, rushed up to the captain, and said
eagerly,--
"O captain, it's a larger vessel than this! Don't you suppose they
would take us aboard? If there is going to be a storm, I would rather
be in a large vessel; this is such a little egg-shell."
"Egg-shell! not a bit of it. But I'd like nothing better than to get
rid of you. I don't want passengers to look out for in a gale. My
little smack has rode out many a storm, but I'd rather be alone with my
one man."
"Oh, ask them! beg them!" urged Ralph, more and more excited.
"Tell them we've got money to pay with," added Ben a little more
quietly.
The captain laughed, but gratified them by hailing the brig. "Here are
two boys, sea-sick and scared; storm coming; no accommodation. Can you
take them off my hands?"
"We are bound out," came the answer from the vessel, whose outlines were
only dimly seen through the fog.
"Never mind where they are bound, tell him," said Ralph, pulling the
captain's arm; "we don't care."
"We've no room for passengers," added the invisible speaker on the brig.
"Nor I neither," grumbled the captain of the smack. "I ought to have
knowed better than to take 'em;" then aloud he added, "They'll die of
fright on my hands if there comes a tough gale."
"Who are they?" asked the voice in the fog.
"Two young scamps that belong to a school that's gone on Whaleback to
camp. Leastways that's what I guess.--Isn't it so, boys?"
"Yes."
The vessels were soon far apart, and the boys, disappointed in their
hopes, sat down by the captain to watch him splice a rope.
"How did you know we belonged to that school? and how did you know where
they were going to camp?" they asked.
"I guessed at one and heard the other. They told me on the wharf that
Bernard's school was going to camp on Whaleback; and when that boat came
by, and you two ran for the cabin so sudden like and kept so still, I
put two and two together and made four easy enough without a slate or
pencil."
"That's because you are an old tar," said Ben.
"But I haven't figgered out yet what you wanted to run away from that
crowd for! It seems to me if I was a fellow of your age I'd rather go
to camp than go aboard a fishing-smack and be sea-sick and scared to
death."
Neither of the boys cared to answer.
"You had some reason, I suppose. I'd really like to know it. Tell me
truly now--were you lying when you said your folks were willing you
should come?"
"We didn't say just that. We said they didn't expect us home for a
month, and they don't," said Ralph; then, regardless of Ben's frown of
disapproval, he added, "I'll tell you how we happened to leave them. I
did a mean thing--a shabby joke that didn't turn out the way I
meant--and then when Mr. Bernard told the boy who did it to stand, I
didn't dare to."
"Of course you didn't!" said Ben apologetically.
"No 'of course' about it!" said the captain abruptly. "An honest boy
never gets out of a scrape in a mean way."
"Well, I know it now, but I didn't dare to stand up. And then he pulled
the line tighter by telling any one who knew the boy who did the
mischief to stand; and Joe Chester was the only fellow that confessed to
knowing. He gave us several chances on that, and tried to shame us out
of lying; and at last, as long as Joe Chester wouldn't tell, Mr. Bernard
said unless the other fellow confessed, Joe would have to lose his
camping-out time with the crowd."
"Did you own it?" asked the captain.
"Not then. I felt meaner than dirt; but I was afraid I'd be expelled.
It went on that way till the night before the school left for the
island; then I couldn't stand it to have Joe left behind, and I up and
wrote a note and left it for Mr. Bernard, confessing all."
"And what did you have to do with it, Ben?" asked Captain Dare,
wondering why Ralph had not mentioned him.
"I? Oh, I knew about it, but I wasn't going to tell on Ralph."
"Then you got behind me to keep out of their way," said Captain Dare.
"Well, what is going to be the end of it all?"
Ralph shook his head.
"None of us know, and that's a fact, boys! But it ought to be a lesson
to you to keep truth on your side. Lies never pay."
"So I believe," said Ralph in sober earnest.
"I begin to think so too," said Ben. "Anyhow, these didn't."
"Now's the time to take a fresh start, then; and I hope we'll all of us
live so we can be glad to have the Lord see all we do and hear all we
say,--yes, and know all we think, too. That's the tough part--the heart
is such a queer thing. Sometimes it looks all fair and smooth, and we
feel pretty well satisfied with ourselves; but just dig down a little
way and we'll find a lot of rubbish there we are ashamed of. The only
way is to keep it open for the Lord to look through all the time."
Then, after a silence, during which the boys looked gloomily out into
the fog that seemed to be growing blacker and heavier like a pall, he
added cheerfully, "Well, good-night, boys; keep up good courage. The
_Una_ is a tough little boat, and has rode out many a stiff gale."
"She's such a little thing to fight against big waves and strong wind,"
said Ben.
"Yes; when I'm down in that cabin I feel as if there was no more than a
paper wall between us and the other world," added Ralph.
"Less than that, boy, less than that. There's only a breath 'twixt us
and the other world any time, on sea or on land. What's the difference,
as long as God's hand holds on to us? I feel just as safe as my little
grand-baby does in his crib," said the captain.
"I don't," said Ben in a low tone; "I'd give all I own, and all my
father owns too, if I was near enough the shore to jump on it. I'd be
willing to make a long leap too."
"Good-night," again said the captain, as if to dismiss them.
"Good-night," replied the boys; but they were restless and anxious, and
could not bear to go down into the close cabin, which seemed more like a
prison than ever.
The storm had not commenced, and the only sign of it that the boys could
see was the blackness of the fog and the peculiar feeling of the air,
which seemed heated and heavy.
They sat down again behind the cabin, where the captain could not see
them, and spoke in whispers.
"Let's stay on deck all night," said Ben. "If she capsizes we would
stand a better chance here."
"I don't suppose we'd have the least chance in either place," was the
doleful reply.
"That vessel might have taken us off," grumbled Ben.
Ralph was feeling too badly to talk, and he stared at the fog in a
despairing way. They sat there until the wind began to blow, and the
spray from the big waves to dash over them; then, as a last resort, they
retreated to the cabin.
"Good-night, captain," said Ralph dolefully as he passed.
"What! you two fellows on deck yet! I thought I sent you below a couple
of hours ago. Down with you! You'll be washed overboard if you stay up
here."
*CHAPTER XVI.*
*A WRETCHED NIGHT.*
The boys went reluctantly into their berths, but not to sleep.
Sick and frightened, they could only listen anxiously to the beating of
the waves against the vessel, and the hurried movements of the two men
on deck, as, tossed by the winds and the sea, the _Una_ rolled heavily
to and fro.
The moments seemed hours, and the hours seemed ages.
Never in their lives had they been so terrified. Several times the water
rushed down into the cabin, as the waves broke over the deck; and
Captain Dare looked down upon them, long enough to ask if they were
drowned out.
"Hear the thunder!" exclaimed Ralph, as the heavy roll and crash sounded
overhead, and the cabin was lighted almost continually with flashes of
lurid light.
Ben made no reply, but buried his head under the blanket.
"It's queer I don't feel so scared as I did," said Ralph soberly. "I
feel something as Captain Dare does--that after all we are in God's
hand. Hear that peal! It seemed to roll right over the deck."
Ben made no answer, but cowered still closer under the blanket.
The rain now descended in perfect sheets upon the deck; and although the
cabin door was closed, the water poured down through the cracks, and
came in around the small windows above the berths, adding to the
discomfort of the boys, who could not escape the drenching there without
stepping into the water with which the cabin floor was covered.
The rain fell as if another flood had commenced; and the wind had no
mercy on the little vessel--breaking her yards and snapping her
topmasts; and unreefing with goblin fingers the topsails, it whipped
them to tatters.
At length the thunder ceased to mutter, and after midnight the rain fell
no more; but the wind continued to blow, and the little vessel to run
before it.
It was sunrise when the captain opened the cabin door and looked down.
"Well, boys, get up and give thanks! The little vessel has weathered
the toughest kind of a gale. We are all safe now."
"Is the danger really over?" asked the boys eagerly, as they sprang from
the berth upon the wet floor.
"The worst is over, thank God! It was a tough storm and a stiff blow,
but the _Una_ rode it out," he said proudly. "One mast got a bad
wrench, and all the canvas that could get loose got ripped into rags;
but that's nothin' to what it might have been, considerin' how the wind
roared and howled over the sea. Folks blame the sea for these accidents;
but bless you, the sea ain't to blame! How can it help rearing up, with
a gale like that throwing it on its pitchfork? I don't like to see
things abused, and I stick up for the sea; it behaves well enough as
long as the wind lets it."
"Where are we?" asked the boys, as they reached the deck and looked
curiously around. "There's no land at all in sight!"
"No; we got blown well out to sea. It's lucky we didn't try to make a
port last night: we'd have been caught among some o' them islands if we
had, and knocked to pieces on the rocks."
"That's so," added Marcus, with a wise shake of the head.
"You two fellows did first-rate last night!"
"You are chaffing, captain," said Ralph, looking red.
"No, honestly. I expected I'd have trouble with you when that storm
came; but I'll say that for you--you did first-rate!"
"We were too scared to do any other way," confessed Ben with a laugh.
"Scared or not, some folks will make a rumpus just when they ought to
keep stillest.--Now, Marcus, give us a good breakfast, and then we'll
shake out our canvas and see where our damages are. We must be working
back, for I don't propose to let this wind drive us off shore any
further than I can help.--One time last night, along the first of the
blow, we came very near Whaleback, boys; but a miss is as good as a mile
when the danger is over."
"Whaleback! Oh, I wish we were there now! No, I don't either!"
exclaimed Ralph.
"_I_ wish you was there, anyhow," said the captain gruffly. "That's
where you belong. I believe the master there would take you back and
forgive you. You've got a good dose of punishment, if ever a couple of
young liars had."
"You don't know how Mr. Bernard feels about lying. He will never want
the other boys to be with us again,--never!" said Ralph.
"I don't know about that," and Captain Dare shook his head wisely. "I
know there isn't nobody hates a lie worse nor me; but it ain't for me to
hold back when a fellow is sorry for it, and quits the whole business of
lying."
"And I mean to do that!" interposed Ralph with emphasis; "but Mr.
Bernard doesn't know it."
"No, and that's just what I was wishing you on Whaleback for, so you
could tell him."
"He wouldn't believe us!" exclaimed Ben. "We couldn't expect him to,
after we lied to him as we did. No, I don't want to see him. A storm at
sea is bad enough; but I believe I'd rather go through another than go
ashore and face him."
"I'd like to have him know how I feel about it," said Ralph. "I mean to
write him a letter after I get back to father's. Of course we never can
be taken back into school."
"Breakfast!" shouted Marcus, flourishing the towel with which he had
been polishing the tin plates.
"I believe the fright last night took away my seasickness," said Ralph,
as he helped himself to the fish Marcus had broiled. "The fright did
it, or else it died a natural death, for I had it long enough. I feel
more like myself than I have since I came on board."
"So do I," said Ben, following Ralph's example.
"When is this voyage going to end, captain?"
"Oh, when I get my load, I told ye before. It will take some time for
this sea to go down enough to give us another chance at the fish; but
with fair luck I reckon a week more will fill us."
The boys groaned.
"What! don't you like it? You seem so fresh after the storm, I
concluded you was makin' up your mind to follow my profession. Then you
don't mean to take to the business as a steady thing?" Captain Dare
asked, with a twinkle in the funny light-gray eyes overshadowed with
bushy brows.
"No," answered the boys laughing. "Dry land for us."
After breakfast, the two men unreefed the sails, and began to repair
damages. The small boat that had been stowed on deck during the storm
was again launched and towed behind.
The broken topmasts were useless; but the most serious injury was to the
foremast, which was sprung out of position.
This they braced as well as possible, and setting all available canvas,
they began the process of tacking, to regain their former-position.
As the wind abated, they began to troll for fish; and in spite of the
rough sea, the boys felt well enough to help with the lines.
"If you stay aboard long enough, I'll make good fishermen of you yet,"
said the captain with a chuckle, as he noticed the colour in their
cheeks and the sparkle in their eyes when they surveyed the mass of fish
they had helped to catch.
"Now, just turn to and help to dress 'em," said Marcus.
The boys respectfully declined to join in this work, and went to sit in
the bow as far as possible away from the board on which the fish were
being prepared for drying.
They had been so busy fishing, the time had passed very quickly, and,
tired and sleepy, they soon went to bed, thankful that the storm was
over and their seasickness gone.
The morning dawned bright and clear, and when they went on deck at
sunrise, Captain Dare pointed to the islands toward which they were once
more sailing.
"Home again! home again, from a foreign shore!" sang Ben; and Ralph was
at ease enough now to join in the song.
"That sounds good," said the captain approvingly. "Give us another.
Sing us a hymn tune."
After a little consulting together the two boys sang the chant, "The
Lord is my Shepherd." When they ceased, the captain said,--
"Give me that again; twice more, and then I'll let you off. I never
heard anything so good as that!"
The boys complied, and wondered, as they sang it, why there seemed so
much more in the chant than they had ever noticed before in singing it
at school.
"I never noticed that chant much," said Ralph: "it means a lot more than
it used to. I wonder why?"
"Bless your heart, boy! you've got more feelin' in your soul now, and
more thoughts in your head. I tell you that's a psalm that has to grow
on you. It don't mean nothin' particular to folks that haven't had
trouble, but to them that have, it keeps growin' and growin', until they
see more and more in it every time they think of it. I say that psalm
over and over to myself when I'm sittin' here o' nights with my hand on
the helm, but I never knew it could be sung. I used to sing once; I
wonder if I could learn that. I'd give 'most anything to do it."
"Why, of course you can," exclaimed Ralph. "See here, it is just as
easy;" and he hummed the first line. "Strike right in and sing it with
us."
The two boys sang the chant again and again, until the captain had
mastered it; and during the day he hummed it as he worked, resolving in
his joy over his success that he would go out of his way to do those
lads a favour, but it should be a surprise, and he would not tell Marcus
even of his intention.
It proved a fine day for fishing. School after school of mackerel came
by, and the boys worked industriously, helping the fishermen to gather
their harvest. At night, tired and sleepy after their unusual labours,
they went below early, and the captain, with a wink and crook of his
finger at Marcus, beckoned him to his side.
"That's Whaleback yonder."
"Yes, I know it is; what of it?"
"There's a good breeze."
"Yes."
"I'm going to make for that island, and anchor off the south end, where
the beach is."
"You are?" asked Marcus, puzzled to know what this could be for.
"In the mornin' when our two chaps wake up they'll be so near their
mates it won't be my fault if that affair doesn't get settled," and the
captain rubbed his hands and laughed softly.
"Oh, I see! All right. Just as you say."
So while Ralph and Ben slept soundly in the cabin of the _Una_, the
little vessel sailed on and on in the moonlight, and before midnight
dropped anchor just off the south end of Whaleback. The weather-beaten
face of the old captain broadened with mirth as he looked across at the
cluster of tents showing white in the moonlight, and thought of the
commotion he would create in the morning. As he crept down into the
cabin to indulge in a nap, he laughed aloud over his manoeuvre; but the
two boys were too soundly asleep to be easily disturbed.
*CHAPTER XVII.*
*A SURPRISE.*
At the earliest dawn of day the captain and Marcus stole quietly from
the cabin, closing the door carefully that the boys might sleep
undisturbed. "I don't want to miss a mite of the fun I've got planned
out, Marcus. I tell you I feel like a boy myself this morning."
They kept very quiet, fearing that Ralph and Ben might appear too soon
upon the scene. After a while they saw Jonas emerge from his tent with
a fishing-rod over his shoulder. Intent on business only, thinking
about the breakfast he was to prepare, he had gone nearly out to the end
of the point of rocks at the side of the beach, before he discovered the
fishing-smack anchored within speaking distance. The captain had already
stepped into his boat, and with a few strokes of the oars he reached the
rocks where Jonas stood rubbing his eyes to make sure he was not
dreaming.
"Well, I never! Where did you come from all of a sudden?" was Jonas's
greeting.
"Hush! Don't talk loud. I've got a couple of passengers I don't want
waked up."
"Who are you, anyhow?" asked Jonas, his curiosity getting the better of
any politeness he might have used.
"I am Captain Dare of the _Una_."
"You are the fellow that carried off two of our boys," exclaimed Jonas,
with a sudden increase of interest.
"They took passage with me," said the captain with dignity. "Is the
head-master over yonder?"
"Mr. Bernard? Yes, asleep still."
"I want to see him."
"About the boys?"
"Yes."
"All right. How glad he'll be!"
"Go call him then, but don't let any one else know,--that's a good
fellow."
"I'll do it; but just tell me one thing. Have you got those chaps
aboard?"
Captain Dare nodded and laughed. Without waiting to hear more, Jonas
rushed over the rocks, and made his way to Mr. Bernard's tent. The
teacher was a light sleeper, and in camp he was ready at any time for a
summons, so he lifted the flap of the tent at once in answer to Jonas's
rap, and saw the cook making motions of secrecy. He beckoned him
inside, and Jonas began, almost breathless after his run--"The _Una_ is
anchored off here, and the captain wants to see you before the others
get astir."
Mr. Bernard uttered an exclamation of surprise and delight, and without
waiting to ask any more questions, hastily donned his clothes and
hurried after the messenger, leaving little Max asleep in the tent.
Jonas led the way to the point of rocks, and there in the boat sat the
captain.
"Captain Dare!" exclaimed Mr. Bernard.
"Yes, sir, that's my name."
"I am Mr. Bernard."
The two men shook hands most cordially.
"He's all right! I'll risk _him_!" was the mental exclamation as the
captain's twinkling eyes surveyed the teacher from head to foot. "I've
got two of your boys in my cabin yonder, Mr. Bernard."
"Alive and well?" asked the teacher eagerly.
"Yes, alive and well. Better boys, too, than when you saw them last,
Mr. Bernard."
"God be praised! This gives me joy," was the fervent response.
"And, Mr. Bernard, they've had pretty heavy punishment. I really hope
you'll call it enough and forgive 'em. They are ashamed and sorry, I
know. I'll answer for that."
The teacher's eyes were moist, and he took off his glasses to wipe them
as he said, "May I go on board with you?"
"That's just what I want. I told those chaps you'd forgive 'em; but
they said I didn't know you, and you'd never trust 'em again. You may,
though. I'll answer for 'em you may--both on 'em. You'll never catch
either of 'em in a lie again."
"Are the boys expecting me?"
"Bless you, sir, no; they don't know no more about it than your boys up
yonder asleep in their tents. No, it's all a surprise;" and the old
captain chuckled with delight.
"Say nothing about this, Jonas, and keep quiet, so the boys will sleep
till we get our arrangements made."
"All right, sir; I've got my fish to catch yet," answered Jonas, baiting
his hook.
"Never mind those fish--that's slow work. I'll send my man ashore with
mackerel and cod enough to last you a while."
The teacher seated himself in the boat, and Captain Dare pulled quickly
back to the vessel.
"Marcus, pick out some of the No. 1 mackerel and the best cod and hake,
and pull over where that fellow is waiting," said the captain, as he
stepped on the deck of the _Una_; then turning to his guest, he said
gleefully, "Those boys are still asleep, I reckon, but there they are
safe and well down in my cabin," and he opened the door a little to look
in. "Yes, sound asleep, the young rascals; won't they be surprised! I
said I'd go out of my way to do 'em a favour to pay 'em for learnin' me
that hymn tune, but they hadn't no idea what I meant to do."
The door moved by sliding, and when the captain pushed it open Ralph
opened his eyes.
Was he dreaming, or was that Mr. Bernard's face looking down upon him,
full of kindness and forgiveness?
No, it was no dream. Mr. Bernard was coming down the steps, and Ralph
sprang from the berth to meet him, knowing before a word had been spoken
that he was forgiven.
Just then Ben opened his eyes, and sleepily looked around.
What was that? Mr. Bernard with his arm around Ralph's shoulder.
Surely he was still asleep, and still in dreamland.
"O Ben, he forgives us--he has come for us," cried Ralph with quivering
lips. "Isn't it too good to believe?"
Mr. Bernard held out his other hand to Ben, and drew him to his side.
"Where are we, Mr. Bernard, that we found _you_?" asked Ralph with a
puzzled look.
"Ask your good captain. He has gone out of his course, in the kindness
of his heart, to do us all a favour."
"No favour at all," said the captain earnestly, waving his hand in token
of disclaiming any obligation on their part,--"no favour at all. I like
to see things get righted, and I like to have a hand in doing
it.--Besides, didn't you two chaps teach me that chant that's going to
help me through many a long night at the helm?"
"You will allow us to _feel_ thankful to you, captain, if we keep quiet
about it, won't you?" asked the teacher laughing. "We have been
anxiously watching for your vessel ever since we heard from you.
"Heard from us! when?" asked the captain with a puzzled look.
"We heard by the vessel you hailed the night before the storm."
"Well, now, where did you see _her_?"
"On the rocks just off the lighthouse."
"What! cast away?"
"Yes: she went on the rocks the night of the storm; but the crew were
saved, all but one man. They have been over at the lighthouse, waiting
to see the last of the wreck, after rescuing all the cargo they could."
The captain turned to the boys, and said: "That was an escape for you.
If we had had our way, you would have been on that wreck too. How
little we know what's best for us! I'd rather not have the ordering of
things if I could. I'd be sure to make a mess of things. God knows
best, and that's true every time."
"It was fortunate indeed," added Mr. Bernard. "But we have been more
anxious than ever, since Captain Melrose reported you."
"We didn't think you would care," said Ralph with a flushed face.
"Why, Ralph, have you been in my school all this time and know me no
better than that? There has been no time since the trouble began that I
would not have received you gladly if I had known you to be honestly
sorry for your fault. You know me better now, I hope."
Ralph put his hand in the outstretched palm of the teacher, and said,
"Yes, Mr. Bernard, I could never be afraid of you again; but I mean with
all my heart never to do anything again that I shall be ashamed to tell
you."
[Illustration: Ralph put his hand in the outstretched palm of the
teacher.]
"God grant you his help to keep this resolution. We need his help, my
boy; you know that."
"Yes, I know. I am very sure that _I_ do."
"And you, Ben?" asked the teacher, turning to the other boy, who had
kept in the background,--"you mean to be honest and true, too."
"Yes, sir, I mean to be true like Joe Chester; and I think you are very
good to give us another chance. It is what neither of us expected. We
thought our days at your school were over."
"Not yet, I hope,--not till you are ready for college.--Now, how shall
we tell your friends you have come?"
"Don't any of them know it?" asked the boys quickly. "I have been
wondering that we heard no noise."
"No, indeed, no one knows it; but they will soon be astir, and then
there will be noise enough, for camp-life has not quieted them down at
all.--Captain Dare, if my boys spy the _Una_ they will make an attack
upon us that will frighten you, unless you are used to war-whoops."
"I'm not easily scared at a noise," said the captain laughing.
"Joe Chester would make nothing of swimming across here," said Ben.
"No, indeed, and in his delight at your return he would be sure to do
something rash," added Mr. Bernard.
"How can he be glad to have us back?" asked Ralph with reddening face.
"I am sure I am ashamed to see him, I treated him so shabbily."
"You may be sure he remembers nothing against you. He has been your
warmest friend in camp, and most anxious for your welfare. If I had
been ever so harshly inclined toward you, I should have been won by his
intercession in your behalf. He was sure all the time that you
regretted your course."
"Joe is a good fellow, and he judged me by himself," answered Ralph
warmly, "and that was more than I deserved."
"Joe is a noble boy, true to the very core; but we must decide quickly
how to manage your return to camp."
Before they had proceeded further, however, the question decided itself.
*CHAPTER XVIII.*
*THE GREETING.*
On the fishing excursion the day before, David had taken cold, and was
awake with toothache half the night.
He did not arouse his friend, however, and it was not till daylight that
Joe discovered his condition.
"I'll go over to Mr. Bernard's tent and get something to stop it. Why
didn't you call me before?" asked Joe, dressing as quickly as possible.
"Oh, I didn't like, you were so sound asleep. Besides, I kept thinking
it would get easier; but it aches now worse than ever."
"I'll go over immediately," said Joe, pulling on his boots. "Mr.
Bernard keeps a lot of stuff in his tent, and I guess he'll find
something to help you."
"Likely as not he will offer to come over with his nippers to pull the
thing out, but tell him, 'No, thank you.'"
"Good-bye, old fellow; I'm off. Keep your head under the blanket."
Joe lifted the flap of the tent and stepped outside. Everything was
quiet; the camp was asleep. The sky in the east was all aglow with the
coming sun. Joe drew a long breath of the fresh morning air, and looked
around as he ran toward Mr. Bernard's tent.
Suddenly his eyes fell on the little vessel at anchor. In a moment he
understood it all, and, turning quickly, he rushed back to his own tent,
and seizing Dave by the shoulder he shook him till the blanket dropped
off, and then he performed a dance around the tent, adapting his motions
to the narrow quarters.
"Are you crazy, Joe Chester?" asked David, sitting up and looking very
much dazed after having been rolled so snugly in the blanket.
He held his hand over his aching face, and felt rather cross at Joe's
unseemly antics.
"I believe I am, Dave. Just get up and peep out; it will do your
toothache good," whispered Joe. "But don't let the other fellows hear."
"What's the matter now?" grumbled Dave; but he jumped out of bed and
looked out of the tent in the direction indicated by Joe's finger.
"What's that,--a vessel?"
"It looks like one, doesn't it?"
"What's she doing there?"
"She's at anchor. But hush! don't talk so loud."
"That's queer; but what's that to us that you should go on at that rate?
I thought you had made some great discovery," said Dave, preparing to
retreat.
"Well, I should like to know if I haven't. I tell you, Dave, that's the
_Una_," cried Joe in a triumphant whisper.
"The _Una_?" asked Dave, letting go his cheek, and looking up with
increased interest.
"Yes, sir, the _Una_; and of course Ralph and Ben are there, too."
Dave gave a prolonged whistle below his breath, but Joe hushed him.
"I'll run to Mr. Bernard's tent and see if he knows. You'd better dress
and come down if your tooth doesn't ache too hard."
"I don't care if it does; I'll go," said Dave, seizing his clothes and
beginning to dress in haste.
"Well, tie up your head in something, and come on."
Joe darted out of the tent, and ran noiselessly to Mr. Bernard's.
In vain he rapped on the canvas, as little Max, the only occupant, was
still soundly sleeping.
"Mr. Bernard knows it," thought Joe, as he ran like a greyhound down to
the rocks, followed by Dave, who came only half dressed and wrapped in a
blanket like a young savage.
Jonas and the captain's man were throwing the fish from the boat up on
the rocks, and they did not hear the boys until they rushed upon them
with a suppressed whoop.
"Where are they, Jonas? Have they come ashore?" demanded Joe.
Jonas raised himself slowly from his work, and stared at the speaker, as
he answered with provoking slowness, "Where's who?"
"Oh, you know. The boys--Ralph and Ben. Have they come ashore?"
"Not as I know of; I haven't seen 'em."
Marcus had thrown out the last fish, and was about to push off his boat,
when Joe leaped in, and Dave followed, blanket and all.
"That's cool, I must say. What business have you got in here?" growled
Marcus; but Joe saw that it was a good-natured growl, and he only
laughed as he seated himself.--"Now, what shall I do?" asked Marcus,
appealing to the cook. "I don't believe these chaps are wanted over
there."
"Yes, let them come," called Mr. Bernard, who, having heard the voices,
appeared at the vessel's side.
"All right, sir--just as you say," answered Marcus.
In a few moments the boat had reached the vessel; and Joe, nimble as a
monkey, was up the side in a twinkling.
David, having his blanket to manage, crawled up more slowly; and when he
reached the deck, Joe had disappeared down in the little cabin, where he
was shaking hands, and bringing a welcome that set Ralph and Ben at ease
immediately.
"And who is this?" asked Mr. Bernard, as Dave came stumbling down the
steps, trailing his blanket.
"Dave Winter."
Then the hand-shaking was renewed, and Captain Dare received his share
of welcome and thanks for returning the boys to them.
"This is the most like the prodigal son of any story I ever got mixed up
in," Captain Dare remarked, as soon as there was a lull in the
conversation.
"Only there are two of us," said Ben laughing.
"Cap'n, the whole pack's comin'," shouted Marcus in a tone of dismay,
looking down into the crowded cabin. "If they board us, we'll be
swamped."
They all laughed, and Mr. Bernard protested that they would spare the
_Una_ from such a fate.
"Now, captain, if you will put us ashore, you will make us still more
your debtors."
"I'll do that, Mr. Bernard, although I would like to keep you aboard
till I sail."
"Don't talk of sailing yet. You must come ashore, and see our quarters,
and at least take breakfast with us,--you and Marcus too."
"Oh yes, captain," cried Ralph and Ben, eagerly seconding the
invitation. "We want all the fellows to know you."
The captain laughed, and allowed himself to be pushed up the cabin
steps, where loud cheers from the crowd on shore greeted the party.
The news had spread from tent to tent that the _Una_ had arrived, and
the runaways returned to them; and with whoops and hurrahs the
half-dressed crowd rushed to the beach.
Some unfastened the boats moored there and pushed off in them, and
others stood on the rocks and shouted, as Mr. Bernard, followed by the
captain, Ralph, Ben, Joe, and Dave, came on deck.
There was no mistaking the warmth of the greeting from their
school-mates. Hats were waved and cheer after cheer given as the boat
reached the shore, and the boys climbed up the rocks, followed by Mr.
Bernard and Captain Dare. It was so different from the reception they
had imagined when they thought of a return to school.
If they had been received coldly or with sneers and taunts, they would
not have wondered; but this welcome seemed wholly unaccountable, and
Ralph and Ben received it very modestly, feeling that it was entirely
undeserved.
Captain Dare and Marcus were introduced to the crowd of boys, and were
escorted to the tents, while the _Una_ was left to swing to and fro on
the rising tide.
The half-dressed boys hastened to finish their toilets, and had barely
time for this before the bell for prayers rang, and they all gathered in
the large tent, where Mr. Bernard gave hearty thanks for their new
happiness. The prayer was suited to the occasion, and it touched every
heart.
When it ended, Ralph, who stood by Mr. Bernard, said in a manly way,
though his lips trembled as he spoke, and his face was pale, "I want you
all to know, boys, that I don't deserve this welcome from you and the
teacher. I was a mean fellow, and a wicked fellow, and a sneak to boot;
but I've made up my mind that I'll lead a different life, with God's
help."
There was perfect silence after Ralph ceased speaking and stepped back a
little.
Ben did not know that Ralph intended to say anything of the kind, and
indeed the boy himself had not thought of it until, touched by the
prayer offered in his behalf, he was moved to speak.
"I suppose I ought to say something too," he thought; "but I declare I'd
rather be back in the _Una_ with a gale blowing." Red and awkward, he
got up and said, "I'm sure I don't deserve it either. You are all awful
kind about it, and I hope you'll never have to be ashamed of us again.
I mean to be honest and true after this."
As soon as he had spoken he got behind Mr. Bernard, and fanned himself
with his cap to get the flame from his face.
Ralph whispered to the master, and to the delight of the captain the
whole school began the chant he liked so much--"The Lord is my Shepherd,
I shall not want."
With his hands behind him, and his huge frame swaying to and fro, he
joined with unbounded comfort, as well as with spirit and understanding,
in the music.
Knowing his fondness for singing, Ralph asked Mr. Bernard to have more;
and the boyish voices sang hymn after hymn, and some of the school
glees, that they had practised many times, and had even given in concert
in the town of Massillon, where the Academy Glee Club was looked upon as
something to be proud of.
When they ceased, Captain Dare said, "It's good to be here. I wouldn't
have missed it for all the world. I shall hear that singing above the
roar of the wind and the sea,--I know I shall."
Jonas had prepared quite a sumptuous repast in honour of the event--that
is, considering the fact that there was no market within four or five
miles. There was fish broiled and fish fried, mackerel, cod, and hake,
hot biscuits, and bread; best of all, coffee that scented the air with
odours from "Araby the blest."
Captain Dare was given the place of honour at Mr. Bernard's right hand,
and Marcus sat among the boys, listening to the stories of their
accidents and adventures, as they were detailed to Ralph and Ben, who
were not anxious to talk of their own experience, acknowledging that the
days that had been spent on the _Una_ were wretched days to them.
"The fact is," said Ralph, with sudden frankness when urged to give an
account of himself, "we were scared and sea-sick the worst way. At
least I was. Ben was braver than I: he did his best to keep jolly, until
the storm came,--then he gave in; didn't you, Benjamin?"
Ben nodded laughingly. "I'll never deny that. You were the braver of
the two then; but I believe any 'land-lubber,' as Captain Dare calls us,
would be scared with such a commotion of wind, sea, and thunder and
lightning, to say nothing of rain that came down by the tubful."
Ben shrugged his shoulders as he ended his account of affairs, and
sought consolation in another of Jonas's biscuits. After breakfast
Captain Dare said: "My man Marcus is looking at me, as much as to say,
'Come, you are wasting time;' but, Marcus boy, we ain't. I believe I've
got pleasure enough out of this time to last till I'm an old man. I
suppose you think I'm that now; but, bless your hearts, my lads, when
you get as old as I am you'll think old age a long way off. But we must
be going now. My little vessel there is as restless as a colt. She can
never bear to be tied up. See her dancing and tossing around! She wants
to be off. I must be getting her in port for repairs."
"Oh, don't go yet, captain!"
"Stay all day," cried the boys.
"No, don't tempt me. I must get my load of fish, and go home to see my
grand-baby. When you go back to Massillon, be sure to visit my folks
and see that baby; he's a fine fellow, if I do say it. I set a heap by
him, and he does by me too, strange to say. But good-bye, all of you."
"Ralph," said Ben, pulling his friend's sleeve, "we haven't paid him for
our passage yet."
"Sure enough; and there are our valises aboard the vessel--we must get
them."
The entire company of teachers and scholars went down to the beach to
see the visitors off; and Ralph and Ben went over to the vessel in one
of the boats to have a few last words with Captain Dare, and to bring
away their goods and chattels.
When they had brought the valises from the cabin, and had come to give a
final shake of the hand, Ben took his purse from his pocket and said,
"Now, captain, how much shall we pay you?"
"Off with you, boy! Not a penny. You are welcome to that trip, I am
sure. It turned out better than any of us expected, didn't it? I shall
always like to think it over."
"But, captain--" began Ralph.
"No 'but' about it. The vessel is mine, every timber of it, and if I've
a mind to take passengers, it's nobody's business. So off with you.
Keep your promises. Be good boys, and that's all I'll ask. God bless
you. Good-bye."
Ralph and Ben returned to the shore, and stood with the crowd waving and
cheering as the _Una_, with all sails set, glided away.
As long as they could see the two men, they stood on the rocks and waved
hats and handkerchiefs; and Marcus gave a return salute by flourishing
his dish-towel and blowing his fog-horn--the same horn that had sounded
so dismally in the fog when Ralph and Ben were at sea.
"There goes a man worth knowing!" exclaimed Ralph. "He is rough enough
outside, but he is pure gold through and through. Where would we have
been if we hadn't fallen into his hands?"