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Haste and Waste; or, the Young Pilot of Lake Champlain, a fiction by Oliver Optic |
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Chapter 15. The New Captain |
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_ CHAPTER XV. THE NEW CAPTAIN Lawry was bewildered by the magnificence of the arrangements suggested by Mr. Sherwood; but if the Woodville was to be employed in taking out parties of genteel people, nothing less magnificent would answer the purpose. His influential friend, it appeared, had already exerted himself to procure employment of this kind for the steamer, and the proprietor of the beautiful craft was not only willing to conform to his ideas, but was grateful for the kindly interest he manifested in the prosperity of the enterprise. Mrs. Wilford had engaged a cook, and two girls for the steward's department; the fireman was sent for; and two boys were employed as deck-hands. Now, Lawry thought it was quite necessary that his crew should be trained a little before any passengers were received on board, and after Mr. Sherwood and his party had gone home, the fires were revived, and a short trip down the lake determined upon. As soon as there was steam enough for the purpose, the pilot, now the captain, rang his bell to back her, and the deck-hands were instructed in getting the fasts on board. Ben Wilford, who was standing on the wharf, cast off the hawsers, and then jumped aboard, himself. The bells jingled for a few moments, and then the Woodville went off on her course. "This is all very fine," said Ben. "First-rate," laughed Lawry. "What am I to do?" demanded Ben, rather gruffly. "You?" said the pilot. "Everybody seems to have something to do with her except me." "What do you want to do?" "I suppose you think I'm not fit for anything." "I had an idea that you would stay at home, and run the ferry-boat." "Did you?" sneered Ben. "Some one must do that; and of course I can't now." "Hang the ferry-boat!" "It must be run, or we shall forfeit the privilege." "I shall not run it, whatever happens." "I don't see how I can." "Lawry, I don't think you are using me right," added Ben sourly. "Why, what have I done?" "You've got this boat, and though you know I'm a steamboat man, you don't say a word to me about taking any position on board of her." "I don't know what position there is on board for you, unless you take a deck-hand's place." "A deck-hand!" "That is what you have always been." "Do you think I'm going to be bossed by you?" "Ben, if you will tell me just what you want, I shall understand you better," said Lawry, rather impatiently. "You know what I want. There is only one place in the boat I would be willing to take." "You mean captain." "Of course I do." "I intended to be captain myself." "I thought you were going to be pilot of her." "So I am; and captain, too." "Then you mean to leave me out entirely." "Ben, I don't want to have any row; and I won't quarrel with my brother; but I don't think it is quite fair for you to ask so much of me." "Don't I know all about a steamboat?" "Can you pilot one up and down the lake?" "Well, no; I never did that kind of work." "Can you run an engine?" "No; and you can't, either. The captain doesn't have to be a pilot, nor an engineer." "What must he do, then?" "He must look out for everything, make the landing, and see that the people on board are comfortable." "I intend to do all that." "How can you do it, and stay in the wheel-house?" "I shall not stay there all the time. The deck-hands know how to steer. I want to do what's fair and right, Ben. The steamer was given to me; and I don't exactly like to have any one to boss me on board." "The captain don't have much to do with the pilot, and I sha'n't boss you." "Suppose the question should come up, whether or not the boat should take a certain job; who would decide the question--you or I?" "I'm the oldest, and I think I ought to have the biggest voice in the matter." "But the boat is mine," added Lawry, with emphasis. "As to that, she is just as much mine as she is yours." "I'm willing to do what's fair and right; but I shall not have any captain over me in this boat," replied Lawry. "Lawry, you are my brother," said Ben angrily; "but I don't care for that. You set yourself up above me; you make me a nobody. I won't stand it!" "I don't set myself up above you, Ben." "Yes, you do. You offered me the place of deck-hand!" "I didn't ask you to take any place. I'll tell you what I will do, Ben. I'll talk with mother and Mr. Sherwood about the matter, and if they think you ought to be captain of the Woodville, you shall be." "Mr. Sherwood don't know everything." "I think he would know what is right in a case like this." "He thinks you are a little god, and I know what he would say." "I will do as mother says, then." "What do women know about these things?" "I don't think Mr. Sherwood or mother would like it if I should give up the command of this boat to any one." "Let them lump it, then," replied Ben, as he rushed out of the wheel-house, incensed beyond measure at Lawry's opposition to his unreasonable proposal. Captain Lawry was sorely disturbed by the conduct of his brother. He could not enjoy his pleasant position at the wheel, and he put the steamer about, heading her toward Port Rock. "Lawry," said Ben, returning to the wheel-house, "I want you to tell me what you are going to do. I'm older than you, and I have seen more steamboating than you have. I think it's my right to be captain of this boat." "I don't think so." "I don't want to jaw any more about it." "I'm sure I don't." "All I've got to say is, that if I don't run this boat no one will." "What do you mean by that, Ben?" demanded Lawry. "No matter what I mean. I'm going to have what belongs to me. Once for all, am I to be captain, or not?" "No," replied Lawry firmly. Ben went out of the wheel-house, and the pilot did not see him again till after the Woodville reached her wharf. Lawry was sadly grieved at the attitude of his brother; and if Ben had been a reliable person, fit for the position he aspired to obtain, he would have yielded the point. But the would-be captain was an intemperate and dissolute fellow, as unsuitable for the command as he would have been for the presidency of a bank. Early on the following morning the supplies for the Woodville were taken on board, and at eight o'clock everything was in readiness for the reception of Mr. Sherwood's party. The steam was merrily hissing from the escape-pipe; Ethan was busy, as he always was, in rubbing down the polished parts of the engine, and Lawry was walking up and down the forward deck. Quite a collection of people had assembled on the unfinished wharf and the shore to witness the departure of the steamer. As Captain Lawry paced the deck, there was a slight commotion in the crowd, and three persons passed through, making their way to the deck. One of them was the sheriff who had arrested the ferryman a few days before. He was followed by Mr. Taylor, his father's creditor, and Ben Wilford. "I'm sorry to trouble you, Lawry," said the official; "but I suppose I must do my duty." "What's the matter, sir?" asked Lawry. "What have I done?" "Nothing, my boy. I think this is rather mean business; but I can't help it," replied the sheriff, as he produced certain documents. "Your father owes Mr. Taylor a note of nine hundred and fifty dollars, on which the interest has not been paid for two years, making the debt ten hundred and sixty-four dollars." "But the place is mortgaged for that," replied Lawry. "I have just foreclosed the mortgage; and now I must attach this steamboat." "Attach it!" groaned Lawry. "Such are my orders; your father's place would hardly sell for enough to pay the debt." "But this boat is mine," pleaded Lawry. "You are a minor, Lawry; and your father is entitled by law to all your earnings, as you have a claim on him for your support. I can't stop to explain this matter. The steamer is in my possession now, subject to the decree of the court. I shall appoint a person to take charge of her and run her for the benefit of the parties in interest." "That's too bad!" exclaimed Lawry. "I know it is; but I can't help it," replied the sheriff. "I shall appoint your brother, and from this time he has full control of her." It was evident even to Lawry, who had not been informed of his brother's worst intentions, that Ben was at the bottom of this conspiracy. Such was indeed the truth. Mr. Taylor was a young man who had recently inherited a large fortune, which, it was plain, would soon be squandered, for he was both intemperate and reckless. Ben had helped him home one night after a drunken carousal, which had been the beginning of an intimacy between them, for the younger tippler was not one to neglect an opportunity to secure a wealthy friend. They had talked together about the Woodville on several occasions, and Ben had suggested in what manner he might obtain the debt due him. On the night before the visit of the sheriff to the steamer, the malignant and jealous brother had repeated to his dissipated patron the story of his grievances--that he was a "nobody" at home, and that Lawry wanted to make a deck-hand of him. Though not a badly disposed man in the main, Taylor listened with interest and sympathy to the exaggerated and distorted narrative, and the plan by which Ben was to be put in possession of the steamer was matured. The creditor went to a lawyer, one of his boon companions, who was quite willing to make business for himself; and he had looked up the law and arranged the facts, by which he expected to hold the steamer. Doubtless it was a very ingenious scheme, and perhaps it is unfortunate that the case never came to trial, for it involved some interesting legal points. Thus far the design had been carried out, and Ben was in command of the steamer, as an employee of the sheriff. "I won't be as hard with you, Lawry, as you were with me," said Ben, as he walked up to Lawry in the wheel-house, to which he had retreated to hide his confusion. "This is your work, Ben," replied the youth bitterly. "I was bound to have the command of this steamer, and I have got it," added Ben, with malignant triumph. "I know you have; you put Mr. Taylor up to this, or he never would have done it." "Don't snarl about it, Lawry; the thing is done, and you can't help yourself. The sheriff has given me the command of the boat." "And he has attached the place. Mother will be turned out of house and home!" cried Lawry, unable to repress his tears. "No, she won't; that will be all right." "Oh, Ben! How could you do it?" "You drove me to it. It is all your fault, Lawry; so you needn't whine about it. Don't make a fuss; here comes Taylor." "I don't want to see him," said Lawry, moving toward the door. "Don't go off; I'm going to take Taylor and his friends up the lake, to give them a sail." "The boat is engaged to Mr. Sherwood, to-day." "I can't help it; he will not have her to-day. Come, Lawry, be a man. I won't be as hard with you, I say, as you were with me. I don't ask you to be a deck-hand. You shall be the pilot still." "No, I won't." "Won't you?" "I will not," said Lawry firmly, as he dried his tears. "The boat is engaged to Mr. Sherwood, and he has invited a party to go with him. They were to start at nine o'clock, and they will be down here soon." "Can't help it. I promised to take Taylor and his friends out, and they are all here now. There are the stores for his party," replied Ben, as a couple of men brought a large basket on board, from the top of which protruded the necks of a demijohn and several bottles. "I shall not go with that party," added Lawry. "But I want a pilot," said Ben. "What's the trouble, Wilford?" demanded Taylor. "Let me tell him you will go, Lawry?" whispered Ben. "He may be hard on you if you don't." "I will not. I must see Mr. Sherwood at once." "What's the matter?" asked Ethan. Lawry was explaining what had happened, when Ben came down with Taylor. "I shall not go in her till I have seen Mr. Sherwood," added Lawry, as he finished his brief statement. "Then I shall not," said Ethan. "I can steer her myself," said Ben to Taylor. "Certainly you can." "Mr. Sherwood will be down soon, and we must be off before he gets here." "Go up, and start her then," added Taylor. Without noticing Lawry and Ethan, Ben rushed up to the wheel-house, and ordered the deck-hands to cast off the fasts, which was done. He knew how to steer a boat, and understood the bells, having had considerable experience on board the large steamers. He rang to back her, supposing Ethan was at his post in the engine-room. She did not back, and he rang again, but with no better success than before. "Back her!" shouted he, through the speaking-tube. There was no answer; and, filled with anger, the new captain rushed down to the engine-room to "blow up" the engineer. He found Ethan on the main-deck. "What are you doing there?" demanded Ben. "Don't you hear the bells?" "I heard them," replied Ethan quietly. "Why don't you start her, then?" "I've nothing to do with her." "Don't you run that engine?" "I don't." "What do you mean?" "I mean that I will have nothing to do with the engine as things are now." Ben raved and stormed at Ethan; then he tried to coax him to take his place; but the engineer was as firm as the pilot had been. Taylor offered him ten dollars if he would run the engine that day; but he positively refused. The new captain then went down to the fire-room, where the man in charge of the furnaces was promoted to the position of engineer. "Now we can go it," said Ben. "No; don't start her," said the sheriff. "Why not?" "I am responsible for the safety of this boat, and she shall not go with neither pilot nor engineer." Taylor and the new captain swore terribly; but the sheriff was immovable. _ |
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