added Paul, with generous enthusiasm "You know I told you I would like to be in the steerage, for I have always been an officer."
"Allow me till to-night, if you please, to consider it, Mr. Lowington,"
replied Shuffles, as he grasped the hand of Paul.
"Certainly, if you desire it."
Shuffles was overwhelmed by the magnanimity of Paul and the kindness of the princ.i.p.al. At that moment he would have given everything to be such a young man as the second lieutenant; to be as good and true, as free from evil thoughts and evil purposes, as he was. A light had dawned upon the rebel and the plotter which he had never seen before. Goodness and truth had vindicated themselves, and overwhelmed the guilty one.
"Mr. Shuffles, I congratulate you on your promotion," said the chaplain, extending his hand.
"I cannot accept it, sir," replied the repentant malcontent "I would like to speak with you alone, Mr. Agneau."
The chaplain took him to his state room in the main cabin? and there, Shuffles, conquered and subdued by the kindness of his friends, confessed the terrible crime he had committed--that he had pushed Pelham overboard.
The chaplain was confounded at this confession, but still more so when the self-convicted conspirator revealed all the secrets of "The Chain."
Shuffles mentioned no names; he took all the guilt upon himself.
"I am astonished, my dear young friend," said the chaplain. "Is it possible the life you saved was imperilled by your own violent pa.s.sions?"
"It is true, sir," replied Shuffles, hardly able to control his feelings.
"Then I think you had better not accept the promotion that has been offered to you."
"I will not; I would jump overboard first. I am willing to be punished; I deserve it."
"Shuffles, you have almost atoned for your errors by confessing them; and your courageous conduct, after you had pushed Pelham into the sea, proves that you sincerely repented that act. Shall I tell Mr. Lowington what you have said?"
"Yes, sir; let him know me as I am; let him despise me as I deserve,"
replied Shuffles, wiping away a genuine tear of repentance.
Mr. Agneau talked to the penitent for two hours; and finally he prayed with him and for him. If never before, the moral condition of the culprit was now hopeful, and the chaplain labored earnestly and faithfully to give him right views of his relations to G.o.d and his fellow-beings.
"Paul," said Shuffles, when he met his generous and self-sacrificing friend in the waist, after the conference in the state room, "I am the meanest and vilest fellow on board."
"No, you are not!" exclaimed Paul.
"I would give the world to be like you."
"No, no! You wrong yourself, and overdo me."
"I have confessed all to the chaplain, and you will soon know me as I am, Paul. I will not take your place in the cabin. Your kindness and generosity have overcome me. You have convinced me that doing right is always the best way."
Paul did not know what to make of this remarkable confession; but, after supper, all hands were piped to muster again, the ship being off Kinsale Head, nearly becalmed. The chaplain had informed the princ.i.p.al of the substance of Shuffles" confession. Mr. Lowington laughed at "The Chain League," the signs and the pa.s.swords, and regarded the mutiny as a matter of little consequence. He did not believe that Shuffles or his followers, had really intended to take the ship. The project was too monstrous to be credible. The fact that the conspirator had attempted the life of his companion was a grave matter, and it was treated as such. Mr. Agneau was entirely confident of the sincerity of the culprit"s repentance. Shuffles had refused to take the proffered promotion, which was abundant evidence that he was in earnest.
The penitent was sent for, and repeated his confession to the princ.i.p.al.
He did not ask to be exempted from punishment; but he did ask to be forgiven. He was forgiven; but when the crew were piped to muster all the particulars of the intended mutiny were exposed to the astonished "outsiders." Paul understood it now. Mr. Lowington ridiculed the mutiny; but he spoke very seriously of the consequences of insubordination.
"Young gentlemen, Shuffles has not mentioned the name of a single student in connection with this silly conspiracy; he has asked to be excused from doing so. I grant his request, and I hope that all who have engaged in the affair are as sincerely sorry for their connection with it as he is. Under the circ.u.mstances, Shuffles will not be promoted.
Young gentlemen, you are dismissed."
"Shuffles was a good fellow to keep us in the dark," whispered Sanborn to Wilton.
"Keep still," replied Wilton. "We are lucky to get out of the sc.r.a.pe on any terms."
So thought all of them; and it was certainly magnanimous on the part of the chief conspirator to be willing to a.s.sume all the guilt, and suffer all the punishment. There was enough of good in Shuffles to save him from the evil of his nature.
"Paul, there is one more thing I must tell you," said Shuffles, that evening, while the ship lay becalmed off Kinsale. "You remember when I told you about the gambling in the steerage?"
"I do."
"I was deceiving you then. I only exposed the fellows in order to make trouble. I knew that the students would be closely watched, and the rules more strictly enforced, which would make them mad."
"What did you want to make them mad for?"
"So that they would join the League."
"Well, you did a good thing for the ship and for the fellows, if your motives were not good," replied Paul. "It was good out of evil, any way."
"I don"t think half so many fellows would have joined if Mr. Lowington hadn"t taken their money from them."
"Have you seen any gambling since?"
"Not a bit of it, Paul."
"I am glad to know that."
"One thing more; you know all the members of the League, Paul."
"I?"
"Yes? you have their names on the orders, for ten shillings each."
"So I have; but we will make a general affair of the presentation, and that will cover up the whole of them."
"Thank you, Paul. You despise me as much as I like and respect you."
"I don"t despise you, Shuffles. You have done wrong, but I respect you for undoing the evil you had meditated. We are all weak and erring, and we can"t afford to despise any one. On the contrary I like you," replied Paul, giving Shuffles his hand.
"You treat me better than I deserve, Paul; but if you are my friend, I shall be all the better for it; and I hope you will not be worse."
The end of the conspiracy had been reached. Before the ship came to anchor in the Cove, every boy on board had drawn his order on the princ.i.p.al for ten shillings, and the members of the League were veiled beneath the ma.s.s of names.
At sunrise, on Tuesday morning, the ship had a gentle breeze; and at three bells in the forenoon watch, she was off Roches Point, with the Union Jack at the foremast-head, as a signal for a pilot. On this exciting occasion, the studies and recitations were suspended to enable all the students to see the sh.o.r.es, and enjoy the scene. The pilot made his appearance, gave Mr. Lowington the latest Cork papers, and took charge of the ship. The honest Irishman was not a little surprised to find the vessel manned "wid nothing in the wide wurld but by"s;" but he found they were good seamen.
The Young America ran into the beautiful bay through the narrow opening, with Carlisle Fort on the starboard and Camden Fort on the port hand.
The students were intensely excited by the near view of the land, of the odd little steamers that: went whisking about, and the distant view of Queenstown, on the slope of the hill at the head of the bay. They were in Europe now.
"All hands to bring ship to anchor!" said the first lieutenant, when the ship was approaching the town.