Isles of the Sea by Oliver Optic

"Don't you believe those youngsters have gone off on a lark, Mr. Lowington? " asked Judge Rodwood, after they had gone on shore at Funchal, on their arrival from Fayal in search of the missing steamer.

"I do not think so now, though such was my fear in the first of it," replied the principal.

They had been to the banker's, and ascertained all they could about the Ville d'Angers; and were now on their way to the office of the consul.

"I think it must be a great temptation to such young fellows as this O'Hara and Tom Speers," added the judge. "You say that the captain of the steamer has the absolute command of her."

"He has in the absence of any vice-principal; for it does not answer to place a landsman over a sailor at sea," replied Mr. Lowington. "But for all this, Capt. Fairfield, the instructor on board, would have influence enough to prevent the students from going off on a runaway excursion."

"Frisbone would prevent it, if the instructor could not; for he is a very decided man, and, if any thing is wrong, he does not mind cutting through any amount of red tape."

"As a rule, we have a stronger hold on these young men than mere force," continued Mr. Lowington. "Take your ward, for instance: he is ambitious to obtain promotion; and any thing in the shape of a lark would spoil all his chances. He was so interested in his future prospects in the Tritonia, that he has been running away from the vast fortune in store for him; and certainly he would not peril all his hopes by engaging in a runaway expedition."

"But he is under the orders of this O'Hara."

"And O'Hara is controlled by the same motives. My banker has inquired into the condition of the steamer, and ascertained that every thing was regular on board of her. The boat that brought the captain on shore lay at the landing-place two or three hours; and I am told that not a seaman got out of it. That looks like discipline, which would not prevail if the officers and crew were on a lark."

"No doubt you are correct, Mr. Lowington. But it seems very strange to me, that my ward should prefer the strict discipline of one of your vessels to the freedom which I came out here to give him; and I confess that I consider him ten times the man I supposed him to be when I left New York," said Judge Rodwood. "As I said before, the Marian belonged to Mr. Speers, senior, and I intended to turn her over to my ward. You see, the young fellow will have an income of over two hundred thousand dollars a year as soon as he is of age; and that will be in the course of six or eight months."

"Poor fellow! " said Mr. Lowington with a smile.

"As he is fond of the sea, I don't suppose he can spend his money any better than in running this steam-yacht."

"He is getting the right sort of experience now to enable him to handle her," added Mr. Lowington, as they entered a hotel, on their way to the consul's, to see if there were any familiar faces there.

There was one familiar face there, and it belonged to one David Gregory. He was staying at the hotel with his English friends. All three of them sat at a table in the public room, drinking a bottle of wine together; and the mutineer had already had enough to make him rather noisy. The principal immediately turned about so that the runaway did not see him, and led the way out of the hotel.

"What is the matter? " asked Judge Rodwood, when they were in the street. "You act like a man who sees a hard creditor in the distance."

"One of the young fellows you saw at the table drinking wine must have escaped from the Ville d'Angers when she was here," replied Mr. Lowington. "He was the first officer of the steamer, and the one who made the trouble of which we read in the English paper."

"And what are you going to do about it? " inquired the judge.

"I shall have him locked up on board of the American Prince. I see he has made friends here."

At the consul's, the requisite arrangements were made for the arrest of Gregory, and a couple of officers were sent for that purpose. It was necessary for the principal to go with them to identify the fugitive. The party walked into the room where the merry party were still drinking.

"I think I shall be compelled to break up your party, Gregory," said the principal in his mild way.