CHAPTER XXII.
ORGANIZING THE SHIP'S COMPANY.
For the next week, Bates was the principal instructor of the students on board the Lily while they were employed in putting on the rigging. The short lines which had been on the wharf for a week were in demand, and the old man showed the boys how to make a few of the most useful knots. They were required to repeat the operations till they could make the knots without stopping to dream over them.
The old quartermaster was patient with them while they were attentive to their duty; and in a few days they could make a bowline hitch, tie a square knot, put a clove hitch on a stick, and some others. Then came a lesson in short and long splices, and then in parcelling and serving. Thus trained, the work of setting up the rigging proceeded rapidly; and in a couple of weeks the schooner was rigged and her sails bent.
It was a day of triumph at the school when she was completed, and ready to go forth on the lake. So great was the interest in her, that the Sylph was neglected on Saturdays and holidays. The Lily was large enough to accommodate the entire school of thirty-two; and immediately after breakfast, on the Saturday after she was finished, all hands were required to be on board of her.
Among the older pupils were two from New-York City, who had received a very fair nautical education on the yacht of the father of one of them. Matt Randolph knew all about a schooner; for such was the rig of his father's yacht, and he had sailed in her for several years. He had crossed the Atlantic one summer in her, and, from choice, had done duty as a foremast hand. Luke Bennington, his friend, had been with him enough to be very well informed on nautical subjects.
The students were expecting something unusual when they went on board of the schooner that morning. The first thing they were required to do was to tow the Lily out into the middle of Beechwater, which was done with the small boats.
When her anchor went down, Captain Gildrock opened the business of the day with a speech. As all hands wanted to sail in her, he proposed to organize a ship's company to man her.
"As on board of the Sylph, we shall do every thing by rule," said the principal. "We will divide the ship's company into two watches, and do every thing in nautical style. In the first place we want a captain and two mates. I shall appoint these. For captain, I name Matthew Randolph; for he has had more experience with schooners than any other student."
Not a few of the boys looked at Dory, as though they thought he ought to have been assigned to this position; but he looked serene, and there was no appearance of disappointment visible in his open face.
"For first officer, or mate, I appoint Luke Bennington, who has also had considerable experience in schooners. For second mate, or second officer, Oscar Chester. In merchant vessels, the first officer is called simply the mate. We shall need but two of these officers, one for each watch. Generally, the captain keeps no watch; and, by a certain nautical usage, the second mate is said to keep the captain's watch, which is the starboard."