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“THAPPY DAYS oe
THE LOST SCHOOL SHIP,
BY J. C. BRADLEY.
CHAPTER I.
ABOARD THE SCHOOL SHIP,
“WELL, here we are aboard the school
ships at last, and bound for a long cruise,”
ck, and for my part I'm, as
happy & a clam in high water.”
“So or you know, like yourself, i
have always wanted to learn to be
lor.”
“T know, but you didn’t have arything
like as hard a time of it getting your par-
ents to consent as
“That's so, I gu ess “for father had no
very serious objections, and he soon con-
vinced mother inst it might be best to let
me have my w:
“e Well, my folks didn’t like the idea of
my becoming a sailor, and I don’t believe
they ever would have given finer consent
if Dhadn't got Captain Barton to come and
talk them over, He's no end of a good old
, I think, but they do say he’s a mighty
strict disci Iinarian on ship board.”
This dialo jogue accurred on the deck of
the brig Advance, at a pier in New York
harbor years ago,
Jack Castlemon and Tom Foster, the
speakers, were bright. and manly- looking
lads, aged Respectively about eighteen and
sixteen yea’
They w ere “the sons of well-to-do par-
ehts, and residents of New York city.
The boys were great chums, and long aga
they had sworn eternal friendship. Sach
hoped some day to become a sea captain,
and command his own ship. Then, too,
each had a longing for adventure, and a
desire to visit the strange lands beyond the
The school ship, Advance was a bark-
rigged brig, that is she had three masts
instead of two, like a regular brig.
carried four guns—twelve pounders—for
defensive purposes,’ and a supply of am-
munition and small ai
t that time there. ‘yas a possibility of
meeting pirates, for buccaneers yet roved
the high seas in some parts of the world.
‘The Advance was said to be a fast sailor,
and of course it was understood the cap
tain intended to keep out of danger w hen
possible, but in case of necessity the Ad-
vance could fight in self defense,
‘fhe school ship wasa private enterprise,
T hat is to say, she was not a United States
training ship, such as is used by the gov-
ernment for the training of paval cadets
intended for service on men-of-
Captain Barton had chartered, “the Ad-
vance on his own account, and fitted her
up fora school ship according to his own
views of the requirements of such a vessel,
He was an-educated man, and a retired
naval officer. Before he took command of
the school ship he had conducted a private
naval academy near
It was the captain's purpose. to instruct
the boys of his school ship in seamanship
and navigation, while at the same time
they pursued a general course of st tudy to
acquire a liberal education. It was under-
stood, however, that the cadets
school ship were to be thoroughly fitted
for service in the merchant marine depart-
ment of seamanship.
ptain Barton, with Mr. Blake and Mr.
Porter, his first t and second mates, and
three special tutors constituted the facul-
ty of the school ship.
There was acrew of eighteen able bodied
seamen to work the ship, and a colored
S38
®
cook,
‘The port side of the ship opposite the
officers’ cabins had been knocked into one
, large apartment which was fitted up as
‘the sleeping quarters or “ bunk room” of
the boys, The sailors occupied the com-
mon forecastle. The deck was to serve as
a recitation room in fine weather, and the
mess room would be used for the same
urpose when the deck was not available.
‘Twenty boys, ranging from fifteen to
eighteen ears of age, had been shipped as
cadets aboard the Advance. ‘he par-
ents or guardians of these lads were all
required to pay for each a stipulated sum
in advance, and for this Captain Barton
agreed to instruct, board, clothe and gen-
erally look after the well being of his
charges for the period of one year, which
the school ship was to spend at sea, cruis-
ing to such parts of the world as the cap-
tain might elect to visi
‘When Jack Castlemon and his chum en-
gaged in the conversation which we have
recorded, they were watching the sailors
on deck handling boxes, bales, barrels and
other things. The brig was getting ready
to go to sea, but there was still some wor!
todo, All the twenty boys who were to
gallon the brig were already aboard, and
they were now scattered about the deck,
Jack Castlemon and Tom Foster stoo
together by the rail, and while both were
very good-looking lads i in appearance, they
presented a marked contra:
ack was tall for his age and strongly
built. His hair and eyes were black, and
he had a ruddy complexion,
Tom Foster was slender, and evidently
not very muscular. His hair was light, he
had blue eyes, and fair, almost girlish com-
plexion, At school, heretofore, Jack had
always been able to take care of himself,
and sometimes he had taken it upon him:
self to protect weaker lads from abuse ; for
@ was a noble hearted and generous lad
who loved fair play. Tom Foster had all
the pluck of a giant, paw he lacked the
strength to back up his courage some-
times, though he was strong renough for his
age an
At the stern, leaning on the deck rail,
and watching the dock, while the longing
and rebellious baprossion upon his heavy,
pe fy face seemed to indicate he did not
ike to leave the city, and was by no means
pleased with his present prospects, stoo
a stocky red-headed youth, about the age
of Jack Castlemon,
joys soon get acquainted, and it was
already known among the cadets of the
ship that this youth was called Dick Rand.
Though he and the other boys had only
been aboard_ the vance twenty-four
hours, Dick Rand had already got a bad
name, for he had developed an overbearing
disposition, and shown that he was in-
clined to bea
Young Rand had boasted to his fellow ca-
dets that he had been expelled
from half a dozen boarding schools and
academies, and as a last resort to keep him
at school, his guardian—whom he called
“the old man”—had secured a berth for
him aboard the school s!
“But Thate the sea, and ou can bet I
won't: let. this old bulk | hol me long if I
can help it,” Rand had s:
Jack Castlemon and i Poster did not |e
like Dick Rand from the start, and thus
far they had avoided him as far as it was
possible to do so without too plainly show-
ing their aversion,
In a few hours the stores had been placed
elow, and the deck began to assume a
much more presentable appearance.
Already the parents, friends, and guard-
ians of the boys of the school ship had
taken leave of them, when the Advance
was cut loose from the pier, and while the
loved ones on the dock sent up cheers, and
waved [heir handkerchiefs, and mothers
arting with their beloved sons‘
the brig rifted away with the tide. But
the wind proved adverse and down the
bay she dropped her anchor, Inthe morn-
ing the win ne was favorable and Captain
Barton gave orders to ‘ heave the anchor.”
‘The crew sprang to the capstan’ and to
the masts, While some were turning the
capstan and bringing in the cable, others
were loosening the sails, peuling at ropes,
and making ready to get cfore the wind
as soon as the anchor was lif
When the anchor was raised to the brig’s
bows it was secured by the cat-block.
Then sail after sail was spread to the
wind, and the school ship had begun its
4
“Outside Sandy Hook the pilob was put
into a small tug that was waiting for him,
more sails were spread, and soon the Ad-
vance was fairly at
It was not long before most of the boys
became more or less sea sick, but as soon
as the ship was out in the ocean Mr. Blake
called all the cadets forward, Captain
Barton addressed them,
lie was a rather stern-faced man with
gray hair and mustache, but he had a
pleasant voice, and the lads did not doubt
him when he assured them that he re-
ei explicit obedience of the rules of
t
Then Fre stated what those rules were:
Four hours a day were to be devoted to the
study of text books, including’ the newest
works on the subject of navigation. Two
hours each day were to be given to practi-
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uPoNiaxo
cal demonstrations i in the use of nautical
Fass, ete., and in the “application of the
table of lograthims, By the way of get-
ting actual experience as seamen, “the boys
were to be divided into two squads, or
“‘watches” of ten lads each, and each day
they were to take a hand at the work o:
the regular. crew of able-bodied seamen
for a short
Each boy hi previously been assigned a
separate bunk in the bunk room, and when
e had concluded his little speech the cap-
tain, seeing many of the lads who had
never been to sea 2 befor re were so ill they
gould hardly keep upon their feet dismiss-
and advised all who were indis-
posed to retire to their quarter:
“ cheers for the captain and our
good ship !" eried Jack Cz n, when
the captain ceased speaking, and despite
the disturbances in their stomachs, which
threatened soon to become revolutions,
Most of the boys then went below, and it
seemed to them the rolling and pitching of
the brig increased all the time.
Jack Castlemon was one of the few lads
syho did not suffer much from seasickness,
o he remained on deck, but his chum,
Tom Poster was among those who had t
The captain and Mr, Blake came up as
Jack was seated near the forecastle hatch
dnd halting hear the lad they fell into a
conversatio
Jack heard. the captain sa.
“Well, Mr. Blake, I think we have got | ©
a pretty ‘fair lot of’ men for our regular
“ Yes, sir, they seema likely lot of chaw-
baccos, and ['m not sorry the sailor named
mith deserted at the last moment, for I
think the chap called Black, whom the
shipping agent picked up for us ,yester-
day is a better seaman than Smith.
“Do you really think so? W ell, I'm
lad tohear you say so, You know I've
tried to ship the very best crew I could
get, and I'm payinga little higher wages
than is paid on sailing vessels as a rule,
don’t want any trouble with the crew with
all the boys aboard for whose safety I
ave made myself responsible.”
“Certainly not, sir, And I don't think
we shall have any difficulty with the men,
since they are to be treated well. Of course
strict discipline must be observed with
the crew though, and all orders must be
promptly obeyed.
Yes, sir, and ook you, Mr, Blake, that
yon always find work enough for the crew,
dleness is apt to breed discontent, partic-
ularly on ship board, and in almost every
crew there is someone ready to make those
we would otherwise do well enough, fan-
they are badly treated,” replied the
captain.
“Right, sir, no doubt if the history of
every mutiny was fully known, the trouble
began through the ind ulgence of the cap-
tain, in allowing the crew too many idle
ours,”
Then the speakers walked away, and
Jack siniled as he thought it seemed it
never had ocourred to them that the other
extreme—overwork—might haves as bad an
influence upon the crew as idle:
In a few days the boys of the ‘school ship
were generally pretty well recovered from
Seasickness, and gular routine of
work and study was commenced.
boys were all clad in neat blue uniforms,
and they wore caps with gold bands, and
with the letters “Ace ‘or Advance Ca-
dets, worked in fro’
Th ship was boura first for the West
Indies, and the captain announced he
would touch at “pore Royal, Havana and
possibly at other points, and give the lads
m3
a chance to go ashore and see something
of the country.
oung hero, Jack Castlemon, and
his chum happened to be assigned to the
same watch for actual work with the regu-
lar crew in which Dick Rand was placed.
Among other duties, they were required
to drill with the gun crew. For eac
the twelve pounders a crew from the sea-
men had been selected by the captain,
And they were also put through the regu-
lar manual with the small arms.
e Advance, had not been at sea man.
days before Dick Rand, the butly, reg
headed youth, who had run awa:
expelled from every school he had Attended
on land, began to make trouble among his
fellows,
Rand was constantly picking quarrels,
and getting into fights in w hich thus far
be was always the victor, and most of [be
boys grew to hate and fearhim, But J.
Castlemon and Tom Foster had managed
to keep aloof from him, so neither had
been compelled to try conclusions with
him at fisticuff:
Fighting on shipboard was strictly for-
bidden but nobody reported Rand, for the
cadets | code of honor would not permit
such atl
e da; While the Advance was off the
coastof I lorida, bowling along before a fine
breeze from the northwest, Jack and Tom, ,
h Rand were drilling their cannon as
assistants to the re; gular seamen, when
Tom accidentally dropped around shot on
did not fall fairly upon
them, but it hurt him enough to make him
howl, and uttering a torrent of profanity
he flew at Tom and dealt him aheavy blow
with his fist full in the face.
CHAPTER IT.
THE SAILOR CALLED BLACK.
Tom Foster was much smaller and less
muscular than Rand who was two years
his senior, He reeled back under the un-
merited blow of his enraged assailant and
the blood flew from his nose.
Jack Castlemon was behind Tom, and
the latter would have fallen upon the deck
had he not caught him, Jack knew his
friend had accidentally dropned the: heavy
shot, and he aves justly indignant at
Rand’ 8 s‘prutal
Knowing ane “well that Tom could not
hold his own against the’ bully, who ad-
vanced sea intending to strike him
again, Jack aced himself before his
y
et out of my way! Get out of my
way, Jack Castlemon, or ll thrash you too!
He’ dropped th on purpose, and I
know it, I'l teach etn not to play tricks
on me 3” blustered Rand, threatening Jack
with bis fist.
o,no!. It was an accident !" protest-
ea Tom. Pe Don’t get into trouble on my
account, Ifhe wants fight, ll give it oe
him! I'm not afraid of him,” he ad
with the courage of a stout heart, though
Bae must have known Rand could whip
Tom threw off his jacket, like the plucky
little chap he really was, and no on e but
Jack offered to interfere. None of the of-
ficers or tutors were in sight just then, and
it appeared the rough sailors of the gun
fee were glad of a chance to witness a
aE at's right, little ‘un! Stand up to
him like a man, an’ we'll see fair play!”
cried one of the sailors,
Nand tried to get at Tom, but Jack push-
ed him back,
“Oh, you will have it yourself, eh?
Well, ‘then, here’s at you!” cried Rand,
and he flew at little ‘Tom's protector,
Now, it chanced that Jack knew more
about boxing than the enraged bully, and
he gave a practical demonstration of the
a .
ments they fought’ fariousiy, and Rand
tried his best to close with Jack, but the
latter was too wary for h
Jack recived some blows, but he man-
aged to dodge or ward off the most of them,
while he punished his adversary severely.
At last he caught Rand a blow under the
chin phieh fairly lifted him from his feet,
and he fell in a hea was unable t
get up. Jack stepped hack and folded his
arms, for he would not strike a fallen
enemy,
e gun crew gave Jack a cheer, and
Tom wrung his hand, But just then Mr,
Blake appeared upon the scene, attracted
by the shouts with which the sailors had
saluted the victor.
The first mate saw blood upon Jack's
face, and as he also observed Rand's bat-
tered condition, as the defeated Dally, then
slowly got upon | his feet, he understood
what had iaken pla
“A fight, eh? Castiemon and Rand, yo
are both under arrest. shall report you
to the captain, and he wt see that you are
punished,” said Mr.
tried to enter'a Srotest ; but the
mate i terrupted him.
rd, sir! Nota word !” he said
ota ls
threateningly, and Rand became silent,