Isles of the Sea by Oliver Optic

Capt. O'Hara went on shore as soon as the Ville d'Angers dropped her anchor in the harbor of Funchal. After considerable inquiry he found the agent of the principal, and was very much surprised to learn that the fleet had sailed for the Canary Islands, leaving no instructions for him. The agent, or banker, knew nothing whatever of the intentions of Mr. Lowington, nor even where the academy squadron was going from the Canaries.

When the fleet sailed from Funchal, Mr. Lowington and the vice-principals had no doubt whatever that the absent students would return to the Madeiras by the mail-steamer which would arrive the last of the month. For this reason the principal had not thought to leave any instructions for O'Hara. They were all confident they should find the party domiciled at a hotel on their arrival from the Canaries, or on board of the packet, if the fleet arrived before her. The problem was simple enough; and there appeared to be no chance for a failure to connect.

O'Hara was on shore a couple of hours in his search for the banker, and in looking up what information he could obtain in regard to the fleet. As soon as the island of Porto Santo was seen from the fore-top of the steamer, Gregory and Clinch began to be very nervous about the prospect ahead. They feared that the Josephine was still at Funchal, in spite of Gregory's theory to the contrary. Whatever disposition was made of the rest of the ship's company of the steamer, they were sure they should be handed over to the senior vice-principal on board of the schooner. They would at once be sent into the steerage of the vessel; and this they regarded as the worst fate that could possibly befall them.

Since they had the liberty of the steamer, they had been planning all sorts of wild expeditions with the "sprigs," who had the highest opinion of the enterprise of Gregory. They did not care for Clinch; but they would rather take him than lose his companion in rebellion. They all desired to see the island of Madeira; and they were willing to stay there a month or more in the springtime. After this, though their plans were not yet clearly defined, they intended to visit other islands of the Atlantic, and then go to the United States. Gregory was at home there, and would be of service to them.

"All this is very nice," said Gregory, after the land had been reported; "but it will be all up with me as soon as we get to Funchal. I shall be sent on board of the vessel to which I belong; and that will be the last you will see of me."

"Nonsense! " exclaimed his British cousin. "We are to get you out of this in some way."

"How are you to get me out of it? That's the question," replied Gregory. "It is not so easy a thing as you seem to imagine."

"I don't know just how: I had not considered that. We can't very well make the plan till we see the situation."

"There is no situation about it, Phil. After the vessel comes to anchor, I shall be sent on board of the Josephine, and that will be the end of it."

"Don't croak, Dave! " protested Sir Philip, with some impatience in his manner. "The health officer will have to see you and Clinch when he visits the ship, just as they do in those bloody ports up the Mediterranean, where I spent my last vacation. After that, we can fix things all right."

"I don't believe you can," added Gregory dubiously. "If we wait till that time, it will be all up with me."

"Not at all! I will tell you just how I will do it now, for I am beginning to get an idea," continued the Briton. "You are about my size, and don't look very unlike me. I shall pretend I have an ague, or a cold in the head, or something of that kind. After I have said good-by to the ladies and others, I will conceal myself in some part of the vessel. Then you will put on my mackintosh, cap, and muffler. You will cover your face, so that they will not know it is not I, and get into the boat, which we will have at the steps of the gangway beforehand. It shall be a shore-boat, and no one will know any thing about the little trick."

Sir Philip Grayner rubbed his hands as though he was delighted with the ingenuity of the plan he had devised, and he thought it was very "clever."

"What will you do? " asked Gregory, who thought the plan might work.

"When you have had time to put yourself into a safe place, I will show myself. Of course they will be surprised to see me; and I shall be obliged to confess that I have played a bit of a Yankee trick upon them."

"Then they will know I have gone."

"No matter if they do, after you are secure on shore. But very likely they will find that you have gone before I show myself. I can get the boatman to come back to the ship after he has landed you, and then I can say that I have come on board again after something I had left in my state-room; and I can leave something there to make it seem all right. Of course you will take all my luggage with you when you go on shore."

"Perhaps that will all work very well, so far as I am concerned; but how about Clinch? " asked Gregory.

"Oh, bother about Clinch! " exclaimed the Briton. "We don't want him any way. He will spoil the whole thing; and this will be a good plan to get rid of him."

"But he has stood by me in all this business; and I can't desert him," answered Gregory. "It would be mean for me to do that."