“Then, as the acting principal, I may be carted all over the ocean at the pleasure of this boy!” exclaimed the professor. “I may not even protest when he chooses to depart from the course of any boyish enterprise that happens to excite his imagination.”
“That is precisely the situation,” replied the senior vice-principal, with a smile. “The boy will be held responsible for the management of the vessel; and, if he depart from the prescribed course without sufficient reason for doing so, he would be punished for it. If he took the vessel out upon such a boyish expedition as you describe, he would certainly lose his place as commander.”
“But the boy is placed over the man: I am ignored, though I am old enough to be the boy’s father,” protested the professor.
“The boy has no authority over you, any more than you have over him, in nautical matters. The sailor is placed over the landsman. But you forget, Mr. Primback, that this is an exceptional case. The accidental absence of the vice-principal in charge caused all the difficulty. This is a thing that is not likely to happen again. A sudden squall rendered it impossible for him to return to his vessel.”
“Am I to understand that you approve the conduct of this boy, sir?” demanded the professor.
“If he had obeyed your orders, he might have been compelled to abandon Mr. Frisbone and the two ladies to their fate, to say nothing of the duty of saving the steamer. I do approve the conduct of Capt. Wainwright; and I think he deserves nothing but praise and commendation for what he has done. I am sure the principal will take the same view of the matter,” replied Mr. Fluxion.
“Then I am to be snubbed by this boy?”
“I understand you to say that he has been courteous and polite to you.”
“I have no fault to find with his manner; only with his refusal to obey me.”
“Then I think nothing more need be said about the matter. If you had confined yourself to your own duties, there would have been no trouble.”