CHAPTER XXV.
TOM TOPOVER IN THE ASCENDANT AGAIN.
The Lily was to make another excursion on the following Saturday; and Marian Dornwood and Lily Bristol were to be passengers, as well as their mothers. The principal had predicted the strong breeze which had prevailed during the first trip, but it was just what was desired for a trial trip. The schooner had proved herself to be a very able sea-boat, and had exceeded all expectations in regard to her speed. She was easily managed, and "filled the bill" in every respect.
She was entirely finished now; and, on the following Monday, all hands went to work in the shops again, in the afternoon. Some of the new scholars, who had shown more taste for work in iron and brass than in wood, were set to work with a file; for this was the first lesson given to the machinist. Among these was Tom Topover; and it was found, in a few days, that, after some experience, he was the best filer of the new-comers. His eye proved to be good, and the principal was much encouraged in regard to him.
Since the first vain efforts to get up a rebellion, he had behaved very well; and as he was not allowed to go beyond his depth, either in the schoolroom or the shop, he had appeared to be quite satisfied with his condition. Mr. Bentnick insisted that he was reformed and entirely reconstructed. Mr. Brookbine was of the same mind. But Captain Gildrock shook his head, and did not believe it, though he saw that the fellow was wonderfully improved.
"He gives us no trouble at all," said Mr. Jepson; "and he handles a file better than any new boy I have had."
"Intellectually, he is not much of a scholar, and he never will be brilliant in his studies; but he learns his lessons a good deal better than some of the brighter boys," added Mr. Bentnick; "I have great hopes of him."
"So have I," added the principal: "but he is one of the students who is almost sure to make a slip sooner or later, and it will not surprise me at any time, to find him getting up a conspiracy. The trouble is, that he has no high aim,—in fact, no aim at all. He is not yet trying to be any thing or any body. He is doing very well just now, simply because he is interested. He learns his lessons because he don't like to be a prisoner in his room. It will take but a little thing to throw him off his balance."
"I think he wants to be a machinist, and I reckon he has a fancy for running an engine," said Mr. Jepson.
"If you believe it, encourage him by all means. The first thing to be accomplished in his case, is to plant some kind of an ambition in his being. If he wants to be an engineer, the desire is capable of making a decent man of him; though I am afraid he will always be, to a greater or less degree, uncertain and unreliable."
Hardly a week passed without the appearance at the school of one or more visitors, for it was a rather novel institution. It had been written up in the newspapers, and been the subject of a discussion in an educational meeting. About the middle of the week after the trial trip of the Lily, half a dozen gentlemen came to Beech Hill, in the afternoon, but not particularly to see the workings of the institution. They were capitalists who desired to interest Captain Gildrock in an enterprise in which they were engaged. But when they got there, they were invited to inspect the workshops, and look over the grounds. They were pulled off to the Lily, which was exhibited as a specimen of the workmanship of the students.