“If there is any danger of a disagreement of this kind, it is time the two crews were mingled, so that they may learn a new lesson in discipline.”
“There has always been a good deal of rivalry and some hard feeling among the different vessels of the squadron, sir,” continued O’Hara; and it is probable that the boy knew more about this matter than the man, and the junior vice-principal, who had been a student in the institution, understood it better than the senior.
“I can conceive of no disagreement among officers and seamen while on duty. You are to be in command of the steamer, Mr. O’Hara; and if any one from the Josephine refuses to obey your orders, or makes trouble on board, you will promptly report it to me; and, if the offender is an officer, he shall take the lowest number in the ship,” replied the stern disciplinarian, with the feeling, that, if there were any such insubordination in the vessel, he would like to get hold of it.
“But the vessels may be separated again, as they have been before,” suggested O’Hara, who was certainly very much opposed to having any of the Josephine’s officers under his command.
“We are not likely to be separated again: we have had one hard storm, and we are not in much danger of having another before we get to Madeira, which will be in three or four days at the most.”
“I will do the best I can, sir,” replied O’Hara, touching his cap to the senior.
“I don’t like to have the students serve as firemen,” continued Mr. Fluxion. “Possibly I may be able to find a crew of firemen for the steamer.”
“How will it be possible for you to find a crew of firemen here in mid-ocean?” asked Mr. Pelham, smiling with incredulity.
“The Josephine has not been without an adventure any more than the Tritonia,” replied Mr. Fluxion. “Yesterday morning at daylight we picked up a boat in which were six men. They are all Frenchmen and Italians; and say their steamer was sunk in a collision with another vessel in the night. Most of the crew and passengers got on board of the other vessel, and they took a boat to go to her; but it was upset in the heavy sea. They righted the boat, and all but one of them succeeded in getting into it again; but the other vessel was out of sight in the fog then, and they were unable to find her. This is the story they tell; and I have no doubt it is true. Very likely they belonged to the Ville d’Angers.”
“If they did, how was it possible for you to have picked them up?” asked Mr. Pelham.