It was no wonder that the boys felt cheerful. It was a beautiful morning; there was breeze enough stirring to send the Swallow along at a lively pace, the motion was exhilarating, and even the “landlubbers” forgot their fears, and really enjoyed the sail. Tom, especially, was in his element. He walked up and down the deck, with his hands in his pockets, now and then looking up at the sails, to see that the boy at the wheel kept them full; and, more to show his authority than any thing else, he finally set two of the watch at work cleaning lamps, others he sent into the hold to sweep up the crumbs that had been scattered about, and the rest he ordered to wash down the deck. Some of the boys grumbled at this but the majority, including Johnny Harding, lent prompt and willing obedience to all his commands; and, in a short time, the sloop’s deck presented a scene of neatness and order that would have surprised her lawful captain, could he have seen her at that moment. Of course, such a state of affairs had its effect upon Tom. Every thing was going on smoothly, and gradually his old idea, of one day becoming a trader, took possession of his mind, and, just then, the first mate thought it was the “very business he had always wanted to go into.” He never had cared a cent about becoming a farmer, or a general in the regular army, for he had always known that he was “cut out” for a trader; and he resolved that, as soon as the cruise was ended, and he could get out of the military academy, he would go to work at something, and earn money enough to buy a sloop like the Swallow.
After the crew had performed the work assigned them, they assembled on deck; and now, for the first time, some of them began to believe that the voyage, if it should be a long one, would prove to be rather tiresome. They were too far from shore to see what was going on there, and, although some of them were, for a time, interested in the novelty of their situation, they soon grew tired of having nothing to do, and, stretching themselves out on deck, they prepared to make up for the sleep they had lost the night before, leaving their two officers and the boy at the wheel to take care of the vessel. During Tom’s watch, nothing occurred to relieve the monotony of the voyage. About ten o’clock, the Swallow passed the headlands at the entrance of Buzzard’s Bay, and the first mate, in obedience to the captain’s command, ordered the boy at the wheel to “hold her exactly south.” At noon, the port watch made another meal on codfish and crackers, after which the captain and second mate were called up to take charge of the deck. At one o’clock, they passed the Elizabeth Islands, and then Johnny, who had remained on deck, thought it high time to speak.
“Captain,” said he, “how long do you intend to hold this course?”
“Until we reach Nantucket!” answered Rich, in a tone of voice which implied that he thought his third mate very inquisitive.
“Well, if that is the case,” continued Johnny, “you had better put the crew on half-rations. The voyage will be a long one, and our provisions won’t hold out.”
“I’d like to know what’s the reason!” exclaimed Captain Rich, angrily. “Now, Harding, if you know so much about navigation, perhaps you will be kind enough to tell me where we will bring up.”
“According to my way of thinking,” replied Johnny, his good nature not in the least ruffled by the other’s sneering tones, “if you hold this course long enough, you will find yourself somewhere in the West Indies; and, after you lose sight of that shore there,” pointing to one of the islands they had just passed, “you won’t see land again until you get there, either.”
“That’s just all you know about it. But you needn’t talk to me, for, as long as I am master of this vessel, I intend to do as I please.”
“All right,” replied the third mate, as he turned to go below; “if the others can stand it, I know I can.”
This conversation had been carried on in a low tone, and none of the crew had overheard it. No doubt this was fortunate for Rich, for, had any of the deserters been aware that they were sailing as straight out to sea as they could go, the captain might have discovered that he could not “do as he pleased,” even though he was the commander of the vessel. During the whole of that afternoon, Rich kept a sharp lookout for the shores of Nantucket, but the only land to be seen was the island they had passed soon after dinner, and which was gradually sinking below the horizon, as the sloop left it farther and farther behind. When the port watch was called that night, the island was shut out from their view by a dense fog, and a hasty glance at the binnacle showed the third mate that the captain had not changed his course.