Isles of the Sea by Oliver Optic

"Arrived at Portsmouth, steamer Ville d'Angers, having in tow the hulk of the ship Castle William, dismasted in the violent gale of April 8," read Mr. Pelham, from a newspaper which had just been received by the African steamer.

He had hastened on board of the Prince with the paper as soon as he obtained it. The news was certainly very important, for it assured the principal that the missing steamer was safe; and, in the absence of any additional intelligence, it was presumed that her crew were all well.

Mr. Fluxion took the paper, and looked it over. He was especially happy because his confident prediction that the Ville d'Angers was all right, had been fully verified. Mr. Lowington was delighted in the safety of the students on board of her. The Marian was still in port; for Judge Rodwood enjoyed the climate of the island and the frequent hospitality of Don Roderigue so much, that he was in no haste to pursue his truant ward.

A boat was immediately sent to the Marian to inform the judge that his ward had been heard from, and was believed to be all right. He was glad to hear it, though he seemed to be in no hurry to leave the beautiful islands.

"Ah, here is more news! " exclaimed Mr. Fluxion, who was still looking over the paper.

"About the steamer? " asked Mr. Lowington.

"Yes, sir: here is a tolerably full account of the voyage of the Ville d'Angers, and of the state of things on board of the Castle William," continued the senior vice-principal, as he seated himself under the awning on the quarter-deck of the American Prince.

"Let us hear it," added the principal eagerly.

It was a Southampton paper; and the editor reminded his readers of the visit of the academy squadron to the waters of the Solent and Spithead, and the race around the Isle of Wight, about six years before. Then followed an account of the picking-up of the French steamer, and the subsequent falling-in with the wreck of the Castle William.

"A very wealthy American gentleman," the article continued, "who was the patron of the academy squadron, and had presented to its distinguished principal an elegant and costly steam-yacht of twelve hundred tons burden, happened to be a passenger, with his family, in the Ville d'Angers from Havre to Malaga. When the condition of things on board of the unfortunate Castle William was ascertained, this noble-hearted gentleman, with his wife and her sister, went on board of the hulk where pestilence and death were raging, and tenderly nursed the sick. Mr. Frisbone, who is jocosely called the ‘American Prince,' -- and he is one of Nature's most royal princes, -- immediately resorted to various sanitary measures, and with his own hands whitewashed the space between decks of the fever-stricken vessel. The medicines and supplies put on board of the ship by the steamer were so well used that the sick immediately began to improve; and now all are doing well. They have all been removed to the quarantine hospital, where the small-pox patients are convalescent.

"Undoubtedly the careful nursing of the sick by this self-sacrificing gentleman and the ladies saved the lives of many, if not all, of the sick. Certainly the heroic exertions of the young gentlemen of the school-ship saved the vessel and her freight of human beings; and they deserve the highest praise. Mr. Frisbone, as the agent of the principal of the academy squadron, has libelled the Castle William for salvage; and we learn that negotiations for an amicable adjustment of the amount are in progress. The owners of the steamer, by their attorney, have already put in their claim for the Ville d'Angers, subject to reasonable salvage.

"We regret to add that there has been some trouble about the discipline among the young officers of the steamer. The first and third officers of the steamer, appointed by the senior vice-principal in charge of one of the vessels of the academy squadron, were mutinous, and refused to do duty, attempting to incite others of the crew to follow their example. Possibly it was a boyish frolic; but the young captain promptly caused the arrest of the two offenders, and has kept them prisoners in their state-rooms up to the present time. But all the rest of the ship's company yield a willing obedience to the authority of the captain.

"We regard Capt. O'Hara, for such is his name, as a rather remarkable young gentleman. Mr. Frisbone assures our informant that he is a thorough seaman, having served before the mast, and worked his way up to fourth lieutenant of the vessel to which he is attached. He was born in Italy, of an Irish father formerly in the English consular service, and an Italian mother. He is twenty years of age, and speaks Italian and French as fluently as he does English. Though there is an instructor, as well as two adult forward officers, attached to the ship, she is under the entire management of her youthful commander."

This was the principal portion of the article which Mr. Fluxion read, to which the party gave the most undivided attention. Of course it was gratifying to the professional pride of the principal; and both of the vice-principals congratulated themselves upon their own discretion in appointing O'Hara to the command of the steamer, though it was not foreseen that he would make such an extended cruise in her.

"I am sorry to learn that there has been trouble on board of the steamer," said Mr. Lowington, when the account of the voyage had been partly digested.

"But O'Hara seems to have made an end of the mutiny at once," replied Mr. Fluxion.

"He is a very decided fellow," added Mr. Pelham. "He is a peaceable and well-disposed young man; but he would fight his way through any thing if the occasion required."

"This paper says the first and third officers were insubordinate," continued the principal anxiously. "Who were these officers?"