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Page 28
"I intend to have the day celebrated in a proper manner. I have made
preparations for a gala day on board."
"If you please, sir, we would rather go on shore."
"I am very sorry, for your sake, that I shall be unable to reverse the
answer of the first lieutenant. If I permit one or a dozen to go ashore,
I cannot refuse any, and all must go. I think the boys will be satisfied
with the arrangements I have made for the day."
"I never was kept in school on the Fourth of July before, sir," growled
Wilton.
"Then this will be a new event in your experience," answered Mr.
Lowington, coldly, as he turned from the petitioners, and went forward.
There were a great many wild boys on board of the Young America, and it
was morally impossible for the whole crew to attend the celebration in
the city, without more or less of them getting into a scrape. They had
been kept on board for two months, and not allowed to go on shore,
except under the supervision of one of the instructors; and to let any
considerable number of them loose on such a day as the Fourth of July,
would only be courting trouble, for they would be all the more
disorderly after the long period of restraint.
Mr. Lowington did not willingly deprive the boys of any innocent
gratification. He had faithfully considered the matter of celebrating
the day, and taken the advice of the instructors on the subject. It had
been proposed to procure a band of music, and visit the city in a body,
under the usual discipline; but there were many difficulties attending
such a plan. The boys were all the sons of rich men, and most of them
were abundantly supplied with pocket money. As it would be impossible to
prevent the escape of some of them from the procession, in the crowded
streets, it was feared that their money would prove to be "the root of
all evil." The project had finally been abandoned; and, as a substitute,
a programme for a celebration on board had been arranged, for there the
students would be entirely under the control of the instructors, who
would check all excesses. It was anticipated that a few discontented
spirits would grumble, but no rebellion was expected.
Wilton and his companions were dissatisfied, and disposed to be rash.
They felt that they had been harshly and cruelly denied a reasonable
privilege. The subject of celebrating the Fourth had been under
consideration for a long time among the boys, and it had been generally
believed that all hands would be permitted to go on shore, with perfect
liberty, on that day; and many of them had already arranged their plans
for the occasion.
"Well, what do you think now?" said Wilton, as Mr. Lowington walked
forward.
"I think it's too bad," replied Adler. "It is meaner than dirt to make
us stay on board on the Fourth of July."
"But I don't see how we are going to help ourselves," added Monroe,
looking at Wilton for a solution of this difficult problem.
"I do."
"How?"
"Keep still; don't say a word here," continued Wilton. "Scatter, now,
and I will be on the top-gallant forecastle in a few minutes."
Wilton strolled about the deck a short time, and then went to the place
of meeting, where he was soon joined by the rest of the discontented
pupils.
"How many fellows can we muster?" asked he, when his associates in
mischief had again gathered around him.
"I know at least a dozen, who are up to anything," replied Monroe; "but
some of them are in the other watch. What are you going to do?"
"I'll tell you: There are the professors' barge and the third cutter at
the swinging boom. We will drop into them when the instructors go down
to supper, and make for the shore. All the rest of the boats are at the
davits; and before they can get them into the water, we shall be out of
their reach. What do you think of that for a plan!"
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