Captain Ringgold regarded himself as an educator, though a learned and skilful professor was employed for the teaching in detail. As has been suggested several times before, he had theories on this subject of which he desired to make a practical application. He wanted to develop the boys, and make good and useful men of them. In keeping them well employed he kept the old maxim in mind that the gentleman in black, with horns, hoofs, and a caudal appendage, "finds some work for idle hands to do."
It was not hard labor, but occupation, upon which he depended to improve the bodies and the minds of his charge. Though he insisted that the boys should be modest and respectful, he did not accept the idea which prevails in England, France, and some other countries of Europe, that young people should practically be zeroes till they were of age. He believed that they should be developed as rapidly as their nature and temperament would permit. They could only obtain this freedom of mind by learning to depend upon themselves.
The several adventures in which some or all of the young men had been engaged, especially Louis Belgrave, who had really become a man all at once, as it were, when his troubles with his rascally step-father began, had contributed to the kind of development the commander had in mind. The trip to Tangier had assured him that the boys were competent to handle the Maud skilfully and with a fair measure of science.
Captain Ringgold was absolutely proud of his success in reforming the life and manners of Scott Fencelowe, and he had talked with Uncle Moses and Dr. Hawkes a great deal about the improvement which had been made in his character. He had really lived much of his time on board of a yacht, and had made an accomplished boatman of himself. When he boasted of the races he had won with the Seahound and other boats, the commander was incredulous; but he had no difficulty in believing all the stories he had told at the present time.
On the cruise of the Maud to Tangier he had proved that he had pluck and skill; for he had sailed the little steamer exceedingly well, and shown that he possessed ingenuity of a high order, or the Pacha would certainly have captured the party, and thrown the two alleged culprits into a prison.
The Guardian-Mother was not ready to sail from Gibraltar. She had to take in coal in the early morning, and attend to certain custom-house formalities. Ali-Noury Pacha, judging from what he had casually dropped in his stormy interview with the commander, had evidently expected to be received as a "distinguished Moor" on board of the Guardian-Mother, and even seemed to think he had made an impression upon the susceptibilities of Mr. Woolridge's lovely daughter.
His eyes had certainly been opened by the plain speech of the captain, and he could not conceal the disappointment he felt. He did not seem to be aware that the Guardian-Mother had three times run away from him and his steamer; or to be able to deduce the simple truth from the hurried departure of the ship on these occasions. He was filled with wrath and the desire for revenge. The commander had "spoken out" to him only when it had become absolutely necessary to do so.
He was capable of making a great deal of trouble, and he appeared to have influence enough to do almost anything he pleased. Captain Ringgold believed it would save him and the people on board the ship a great deal of annoyance if the two alleged culprits were out of the way, and he promptly decided to put them in a safe place. He had spoken to Uncle Moses and Mrs. Belgrave and with Mr. and Mrs. Woolridge about the matter, and none of them raised any objection. All of them had so much confidence in the wisdom and discretion of the commander that they were ready to follow his advice in almost everything.
The bunkers had all been filled up with coal, water and an abundant supply of provisions had been put on board of the Maud, and the captain and the officers had thoroughly inspected the craft in her hull, as Mr. Shafter and Mr. Sentrick had the machinery. She was said to be in perfect order in every respect. She was built of the best quality of steel. In the little pilot-house, at the request of Captain Scott, a broad table had been put in which folded up over the divan.
He had been supplied with an extra compass, though there were two on board, a sextant, a parallel ruler, dividers, and all the small implements he required in working out the course after he had obtained the latitude and longitude. He had studied navigation at the high school where he lived, near the water, and had practised it in his yacht with a borrowed sextant. He was now completely equipped, and the pilot-house had become a sort of paradise to him.