CHAPTER XXI. THE ORATOR OF THE REBELS OBTAINS A HEARING.
The students gathered in the schoolroom as usual on Monday morning. There was no little excitement, even among those who had no interest in the prizes, for it had been announced that the awards would be made at this time. So closely had every student who had any ideas in regard to the plan or location kept them to himself, that no one could even make a guess as to who would get the prizes.
"We have found some merit in all the plans," said Mr. Plint, who was the chairman of the committee. "We agreed that it was a tremendous undertaking for young gentlemen under twenty to plan a wharf and a building, and it was hardly to be expected that a single one of their efforts would be acceptable. But all have had the benefit of the thought and study the subject has given them, and the unsuccessful ones may reap a harvest in the future from it of a thousandfold more value than the prizes.
"We are unanimous in our conclusion, and we come to the award without any doubt or hesitation. It is no discredit to the students to say that the plans to which the prizes were awarded were the only ones which were practicable. In some the building was twice as large as necessary, with a large portion of the space within it wasted. In others it would cost a million dollars to carry out the ideas of the competitor.
"In one it would be impossible for the steamer to come up to the wharf without backing on a stern-line. One did not put a single window in his building, even for the hall; and another supplied no stairs by which the second story could be reached. In one instance, the dressing-rooms could only be reached by going up stairs, and passing through the hall.
"But some of the plans which contain the greatest defects also include some of the most meritorious features. The successful plan for the boat-house and the one for the wharf and location are admirably fitted to each other. The committee visited the locality, and carefully examined the natural structure of the land and the depth of water. The fortunate competitor has taken advantage of the formation of the shore for the wharf and the docks for the row-boats; but it would be impossible to erect the buildings according to most of the plans."
"Was the plan for the building that fitted this location best selected for that reason, sir?" asked Ben Ludlow.
"A pertinent question, young gentleman," replied Mr. Plint, with a smile. "The committee awarded the prize for the building before they considered or even looked at the plans for the wharf and location. We decided upon the merits of the plan for the boat-house so that its fitness for the locality might not influence us. I need not say anything more, except to repeat that all the plans, in spite of the defects that may be found in them, contain much that is creditable to amateur architects and engineers."
As he finished his remarks, he handed two rolls of drawings to the principal. The students gazed at them eagerly, but there was nothing about them which enabled any student to determine to whom they belonged. A kind of buff wrapping-paper was provided for rough drawings, and, as all the scholars had used this article, the rolls were just alike.
"I am satisfied that the committee have acted with the utmost fairness, though I have not been present at any of their sessions," said Captain Gildrock.
"I wish to say for myself and Mr. Jepson, that we have not the remotest suspicion to whom the prizes have been awarded," interposed Mr. Brookbine. "The handwriting of the boys is so nearly the same thing that it gave us no clew to the winner."
"If any student has any objections to make to the fairness of this transaction, now is the time, and the only time there will be, to make them," added the principal.
At this remark Lew Shoreham rose from his seat, and the boys wondered if he intended to deliver the oration he had prepared as a protest against a uniform.
"I am sorry to feel obliged to object—not, I beg to say, in the most emphatic manner,—to the fairness of the committee," the last of the rebels began, pluming himself for a speech which promised, as usual, to be of considerable length. "Our honored principal was kind enough to say the 'fairness of this transaction,' from which I infer that the whole subject of the plans and prizes is included."
"Certainly," added the principal rather brusquely, as though he understood what was coming. "But you must confine yourself to the subject now before the school."
"That is my intention," replied Shoreham, with a polite bow to the head of the school. "The objection I feel compelled to make is, that nearly one third of the school—eight out of twenty-six, to speak with mathematical accuracy—have been shut out from the competition."
Mr. Bridges had to stuff half his pocket handkerchief into his mouth to ward off an outburst of laughter at the high-flown speech of the speaker, and the other members of the committee were equally amused, though their risibles were more controllable.
"Eight of the students of this useful institution, some of whom had ideas in the sublime science of architecture, and in the equally important subject of civil engineering, were prevented from embodying those ideas in the form of plans, and presenting them for consideration in this competition," Shoreham proceeded, evidently believing that he had produced a sensation in the committee.
"What prevented them from competing for the prizes, Shoreham?" asked the matter-of-fact principal, who had not a great stock of patience under the infliction of a high-flown speech.
"The eight students alluded to unfortunately differed from the authority of the school, and from a majority of their fellow-students, in a matter relating to the discipline of the institution. They were sentenced to confinement in their several apartments. While they were thus compulsorily absent from the usual assemblage of the students"—
Mr. Bridges could stand it no longer; the handkerchief failed as a preventive, and he had to indulge in a fit of audible laughter, in which the other members of the committee politely joined.
"This was a solemn and important matter to the students alluded to," continued Shoreham, with the utmost seriousness, for he could not tell, for the life of him, what the fat civil engineer was laughing at. "It involved their rights and privileges. While they were thus excluded, by authority which they were too loyal to disregard"—
"And Bates was too vigilant to permit them to disregard," the principal, now as much amused as his guests, interjected.
"Without introducing any unnecessary details, I need only say that the eight students, whose deportment was usually unobjectionable, and who habitually discharged with fidelity their obligations to the institution and its respected founder, were excluded, by authority, from the particular assemblage of the pupils in which the prizes were offered for the plan and location. The other students were forbidden to speak with any persons in regard to the plans, and the eight were unable to obtain the terms of the offer, and were thus circumstantially shut out from the competition. For myself and the other students who were thus unjustly excluded, I wish to protest against the award about to be made, and to suggest that the offer be repeated, so that the eight may have the opportunity to stand on the same footing as their fellow-students."
"As I am charged with injustice and unfairness, I should like to have the committee settle this question," said Captain Gildrock, who appeared to be in an unusual mood for him, for he was laughing as merrily as the stout civil engineer. "I will agree to abide by your decision, gentlemen."
"For myself and my associates whom I represent, I assent to this magnanimous proposition," replied Shoreham.
From motives of delicacy the committee objected to deciding the matter, but, at the request of the captain, they finally consented, regarding the whole business as a farce rather than a matter of serious importance. The students were rather impatient, for they wanted to know to whom the prizes had been awarded, and most of the rebels were satisfied that they had been in the wrong.
Shoreham had already stated the question, and the chairman, declaring that they understood it perfectly, declined to allow Shoreham to make another speech.
"You were shut up in your room, and could not find out the terms of the offer; that's the whole thing in a nutshell, isn't it?" said Mr. Bridges, turning to the orator of the rebels.
"The question you ask, sir, naturally and logically involves the reason why we were confined to our apartments," replied Shoreham,—and this seemed to be the place where the oration could be properly introduced.
"Dry up, Lew!" called Windham, in a whisper loud enough to be heard by all in the room, calling forth a burst of laughter.
"If we were properly and justly incarcerated"—
Mr. Bridges exploded again.
"Never mind that, Mr. Shoreham," interposed the chairman of the committee.
"No rogue e'er felt the halter draw
With good opinion of the law,"
chuckled the civil engineer.
"We were acting on principle, sir," said Shoreham warmly.
"Exactly so!" exclaimed the jolly Mr. Bridges. "Let me tell you of a terrible outrage inflicted on one of my neighbors in a small town in another State. His name was on the voting-list, but when the day of election came, he was not allowed to vote. He was robbed of the dearest right of an American citizen. He was ruthlessly debarred from constitutionally expressing his choice for a governor of the State. Wasn't it awful?"
"I should say that it was an outrage, as you called it in the beginning. But why was he debarred from his right?" asked the orator.
"He was shut up in the house of correction," laughed the fat committee-man.
"Oh, for some crime!" exclaimed the representative of the rebels.
"That depends upon how you look at it. He did not regard that for which he was shut up as a crime; in fact, he was acting on principle," chuckled the jolly disputant. "He claimed that it was right to sell liquor, though the law of the State made it a crime. At any rate, his business was such that he could not leave, even to vote. His case was just like yours, only a great deal worse, Mr. Shoreham."
The students indulged in a round of hearty applause, and the orator found it utterly impossible to meet the argument contained in this parallel case. He subsided. Captain Gildrock was satisfied with the decision of the committee, and so were all the students, with the possible exception of Shoreham. The papers that covered the characters on the two rolls were removed by Mr. Darlingby, and the same one appeared on both of them.
"Both prizes have been awarded to the same student, I see," said the principal, while the instructor went for the envelopes.
The character was the Greek letter Beta, and the two envelopes, thus indorsed, were handed to the principal. There was intense excitement when he opened them.
"Bolingbroke Millweed," Captain Gildrock read from the enclosures of both, and a round of applause followed.