relieved the principal’s anxiety in part; but he was still fearful that some of her crew had been washed overboard. As soon as the anchor was let go, he had ordered the signal for Captain Kendall to be hoisted.
Mr. Hamblin was the first person from the Josephine who presented himself to the principal. There was something in the professor’s countenance which looked ominous, and Mr. Lowington’s fears seemed to be confirmed by the unusual solemnity of the learned gentleman’s expression. Mr. Lowington’s heart rose up into his throat; for independently of the sorrow which the loss of one or more of the Josephine’s crew would cause him, he realized that such a calamity would be the death-blow to his favorite experiment. The entire charge of her had been committed to a boy of sixteen, and he blamed himself severely because he had not placed an experienced officer on board of her, who might at least act in great emergencies. Though Mr. Cleats was an old sailor, he was not a navigator.
The principal was in this state of suffering, bordering upon anguish, when the irate professor of Greek and Latin came on board. Mr. Lowington tried to think that nothing had happened, but it was impossible. If any one had been lost, the Josephine’s flag would be at half mast, or some other signal would have been made. Mr. Hamblin’s face looked like death itself, only his brow was contracted, and his lips were compressed as though anger and sorrow were combined in his expression.
“What has happened, Mr. Hamblin?” demanded the principal, manifesting more emotion than any one on board had ever before observed in his manner.
“I am sorry to say, Mr. Lowington, that an unpleasant event has occurred on board of the Josephine,” the professor began, very solemnly.
“I feared it,” gasped Mr. Lowington. “Who was it?”
“The captain—”
“Captain Kendall!” groaned Mr. Lowington, striking his bewildered head with both hands. “Good Heaven! I am responsible for this!”
“What is the matter, Mr. Lowington?” demanded the astonished professor.
“What did you say about Captain Kendall?” asked the principal, catching at the straw which the learned gentleman’s question seemed to hold out to him.
“I prefer to speak to you alone about it, Mr. Lowington,” added the professor, glancing at the group of officers and instructors that were gathering around him. “I will endeavor to control my emotions in stating this unpleasant business.”
Mr. Lowington, apparently happy to have even a moment’s respite from the grief and gloom which must follow the sad intelligence of the loss of Captain Kendall, led the way to the professors’ cabin.
“Now, sir, what is it? Let me know the worst!” exclaimed the principal, dropping upon the sofa like a man whose strength had all been taken from him. “I have been dreading it for many long and weary hours.”
“Dreading it?” repeated the confused professor. “Dreading what, sir?”
“That the Josephine had suffered severely in the storm,” replied the principal, impatiently. “You have come to tell me that Captain Kendall was lost overboard?” And Mr. Lowington heaved a long sigh.
“No, sir,” protested Mr. Hamblin.
“Didn’t you say that a very unpleasant affair had happened on board?” demanded the principal, eagerly.
“I did; but it was not the loss of the captain.”
“Who was it?” asked Mr. Lowington, catching his breath, in the heaviness of his anxiety.
“I really don’t understand you, sir,” said the learned gentleman, astonished and confounded by what he regarded as the singular conduct of the principal.
“Has any one been lost overboard from the Josephine?” demanded Mr. Lowington, in a loud tone, for he was impatient under the shuffling manner of the professor.
“No, sir; no one, that I am aware of.”
“That you are aware of!” exclaimed Mr. Lowington, sternly.
“Of course, if any one had been lost, I should have heard of it,” answered Mr. Hamblin, who did not quite like the tone of the principal.
“Then the officers and crew are all safe—are they?”
“They are, sir—all safe.”
“Thank God!” ejaculated Mr. Lowington, heartily, an awfully heavy load removed from his mind.
“I have come on board, sir, to make a complaint against the captain of the Josephine. This is the unpleasant business which brings me here,” added the learned gentleman, decidedly.
“Indeed!”
But even this, disagreeable as it was, came as a relief to the overcharged heart of Paul’s best friend, who had received a terrible shock from the confused state-ment of the professor. Yet it was very strange that any one should have a complaint to make against Paul Kendall, who had always been noble and manly, gentle and conciliating.
“Yesterday, just before the storm came on, Mr. Kendall was reciting with the Greek class,” continued Mr. Hamblin. “Word came to him that his presence was required on deck. He asked my permission to go on deck. As I could not see the necessity of his leaving the class before the lesson was finished, I refused to give him permission.”
“Did he leave then?”
“Not then; but half an hour later another message came to him, and he left, contrary to my orders, and contrary to my protest,” added the professor, waxing indignant as he recounted his wrongs.
“What was the message that came the second time?” asked Mr. Lowington, mildly.
“I do not remember precisely what it was—I am not versed in sea terms; but I do remember that Mr. Kendall left the class contrary to my express order. Not contented with this, he called all hands, and broke up the school, when there was no need of it. Such conduct is utterly subversive of school discipline, and—”
“Excuse me, Mr. Hamblin, but as to-day is Sunday, I must defer hearing any more of your complaint until to-morrow,” continued Mr. Lowington, rising from his chair.
“I desire to have this question settled before I resume my position in the Josephine,” said the professor, cut by the apparent coolness of the principal.
“I will hear what Captain Kendall has to say about it.”
“Sir,” exclaimed the learned gentleman, “am I to understand that you are not satisfied with the truth of my statement?”
“By no means. I wish to hear from Captain Kendall his excuse for leaving the class. I am not able to determine whether it was satisfactory.”
“I have already determined that question myself. I think I observed to you that there was not a sufficient excuse for his leaving the class.”
“I will defer the discussion of the matter till to-morrow,” replied Mr. Lowington.
“I do not object to the delay, sir; but I do object to having any of the statements of the pupil counterbalance those I have made.”
“Do
