Oliver Optic

“ IN WHICH PHIL IS BEWILDERED, AND THE MARIAN SAILS FOR CHICAGO.
"What next, Philip?" asked Marian, when I had seated myself in the standing-room.
"That boat will return next with Mr. Whippleton," I replied, picking up the rifle which I had left upon the cushion.
"I hope there will be no violence," she added, anxiously.
"I hope not; but what shall I do? Shall I let him rob your father of half the capital of the firm? Shall I let him rob his mother of nearly all she has in the world? If I don't strike when I have an opportunity, everything will be lost." ”

“ I enjoyed it, and though it may not be the highest ambition to be a cook, it is a very useful employment. There is an art about cooking; and as I fried the potatoes, I thought it required just as much science as it did to keep a set of books. If I had had Mrs. Whippleton's treasure safe in my possession, I should have been superlatively happy. I cooked all the potatoes I thought would be required for dinner, even giving Miss Collingsby credit for an unfashionably good appetite. ”

“ I rose, and requested him to go with me to the rear of the car.
"Speak quick, young man. Do you know this woman?" demanded the bustling official.
"No; but I will be responsible for her fare," I replied, with as much dignity as Mr. Collingsby could have assumed. "If she don't pay you when we get to Chicago, I will."
"Will you, indeed! That is very kind of you; but we don't do business in that way," laughed the conductor, with a glance which indicated how much he pitied my greenness. "She has money enough, and she didn't buy any ticket. It is only a trick to get rid of paying her fare." ”

“ I have a good deal more respect for the thief who steals your money, or the gentlemanly swindler who plunders you of it by the polite tricks of his art, than for these pretentious knaves who lie without uttering a word, and steal without lifting a finger.
Mrs. Whippleton continued, for an hour, to assure me that I was extraordinarily green, imparting a lesson on worldly wisdom, which, I am happy to say, at the age of twenty-eight, has been utterly wasted upon me. ”

“ I did not like the old lady's philosophy, though I have since learned that there are a great many people in the world who think it is no sin to cheat a railroad corporation out of a few dollars, more or less. I once heard a man, who pretended to be a gentleman, boasting that he evaded paying his fare in the train because the conductor did not call for it. I hold him to be a swindler, just as much as though he had been called upon for his ticket. When he got into the car, he virtually bargained with the railroad company to convey him a certain distance for a certain price. ”

“ You are a brave girl, Marian," I added, gazing at her with admiration.
"I was terribly frightened. I was afraid Mr. Whippleton would shoot you."
"I think he would; he did fire at me; but he was too tipsy to take aim."
"Whiskey has been our friend, this time."
"It is more apt to be our friend when our enemies drink it than when we drink it ourselves. That was a happy expedient of yours, to give Peter a dram in the eyes."
"Gorrificious!" exclaimed the cook. "Twan't happy for me, miss."
"Because you were doing wrong," said Marian. ”

“ If I continued to cover up Mr. Whippleton's error, I became a party to it. He was a bad man, and I could not fail to see my duty. I must inform Mr. Collingsby of what I had discovered. But though my duty was clear, my inclination rebelled. The junior partner had been kind and considerate; the senior, lofty and distant. It seemed almost like betraying my friend. While I was still considering the matter, Mr. Whippleton came in. I had not reached any conclusion, except that I would not be a party to the fraud by concealing it.
"Phil, do you know where Mr. Collingsby lives?" ”

“ I am afraid I could not sleep if I did lie down."
"You can at least rest yourself. You shall have the cabin all to yourself. We may not leave this lagoon before morning."
"Where will the rest of you sleep, if I take the cabin all to myself?"
"I shall sleep on deck. These cushions are as good a bed as I want."
"And Mr. Whippleton?"
"If we stay here, he will sleep on board of his own yacht. If not, he will probably stay at the helm."
"I am very tired, for it seems to me that I never endured so much in one day in my life before," she replied, rising, and going into the cabin. ”

“ He is old-fashioned, full of dignity and self-respect. He believes that the world and all the affairs of mankind move in deep-worn ruts. He follows only legitimate and recognized channels. He rejects anything that is strange and out of the common course, and for that reason your story would find no favor with him. I doubt whether he ever read a novel in his life. If you should take all the public officers in St. Louis to Chicago with you, and let them swear in court that you were the long-lost son of Edward and Louise Farringford, he would not believe them. ”

“ Mr. Whippleton had taken both tenders, and it seemed to me now that he had done so in order to prevent me from following him. He intended to leave his own with his yacht, and to return in that belonging to the Marian. I do not even now know that Miss Collingsby had not suggested his real purpose, for while I was vexing myself about the blunder I had made, the waters were rippled by a gentle breeze. I sprang forward and hauled up the anchor with a celerity that was worthy of the occasion. The mainsail was still up, and taking the helm, I ran the yacht up the lagoon. ”

“ Mr. Whippleton had come about, and at dark we were at the mouth of Chicago River again. I took in the jib, and he moored the boat near the lake. When we had put everything in order, he invited me to sail with him the next day.
"To-morrow will be Sunday," I suggested.
"What of it? The Florina sails just as well on Sunday as on any other day."
"I would rather not sail on Sunday. I want to go to church and to Sunday school."
"I didn't think that of you," replied the skipper, contemptuously. "I always sail Sundays, and I expect to race with Waterford to-morrow." ”

“ Collingsby pay his fare as well as me?"
"He did; I saw him give up his ticket."
"You are a green boy. His ticket! It was a free pass. His father is a great railroad man, and the whole family ride for nothing whenever they please. It is just as right that I should go free as he; and I can tell you, if I can get over the road for nothing, it is my duty to do so—a duty I owe to myself and to my son Charles. You must live and learn, young man; and when you can go over the road for nothing, don't waste twelve dollars." ”

“ The tender was rapidly approaching the yacht, and I went into the cabin, where I had another attack of coughing as soon as I heard Mr. Whippleton step upon the deck.
"Good evening, Miss Collingsby," said he, as he saw our fair passenger. "I hope you are very well. Where is your friend?"
"What friend?" she asked, in such a tone that I was afraid she would excite his suspicions before he came into the cabin.
"Why, Mr. Waterford, of course. Since you are to become his wife to-morrow morning, he ought to be the dearest friend on earth to you. ”

“ We were assured by those who had seen my grandfather that he was aware of the facts that were known to our friends in St. Louis. Mr. Lamar, whose acquaintance I had made in the midst of my mishaps, had seen Mr. Collingsby, and told him the whole story. The rich man laughed at it, and declared that it was a trick; that, if he was a poor man, Farringford would not trouble him. After this revelation my father refused to write again. He was sorely grieved and troubled, but he still had a sense of self-respect which would not permit him to grovel in the dust before any man. ”

“ An old pioneer, trapper, and hunter, Matt Rockwood, had picked me up, and for years had nursed me and cared for me in his rude log cabin, loving me devotedly, and watching over me with a woman's tenderness. For eleven years I remained in the field and forest, hardened by the rude life of the pioneer, working hard, and winning a large experience in dealing with the elements around me. A well-educated and refined gentleman, driven from the haunts of civilization by a fancied wrong, became our neighbor, and was my instructor, so that I obtained more than a common school education from him. ”

“ I was still in doubt whether the whiskey bottle would ultimately prove to be my friend or my foe. The skipper maintained his position at the helm till dinner was ready, and then was able to totter into the cabin, when Peter had taken his place. He did not come on deck when he had finished his meal; but Marian soon appeared, and said he had tumbled into one of the berths. He had taken his revolver with him.
"Can't you turn over, Philip?" said she, standing beside me. "I will cut your cords."
"No! Don't do that. Gorrificious! Mr. Whippleton will kill us all." ”

“ I picked it up, and promptly checked the operations of the angry skipper. I checked them rather suddenly. Mr. Waterford was at the stern of the boat; and as he raised his oar to give it another push, I gathered up all my strength, and made a desperate twitch at the rope.
As every one knows who has had anything to do with them, boats are wretchedly unsteady to a person in a standing position. Even an old sailor may find it impossible to maintain his perpendicularity when the boat is unexpectedly moved. ”

“ I continued; and I explained to her in full the financial operations of the junior partner.
"Do you expect to catch him, Philip?"
"I mean to do so."
"What can you do with him? He is a man, and you are but a boy—excuse me, a young man."
"I don't object to being called a boy, for I am one; but I think I am a match for Mr. Whippleton, physically."
"I think you are, after your battle with Mr. Waterford, who is larger than Mr. Whippleton. But what am I to do?"
"I don't know. I must not lose sight of the Florina."
"I don't want to stay all night in this boat," said she, timidly. ”

“ A man who has an ugly fit is the uglier for the rum he has drunk.
Mr. Whippleton had an ugly fit upon him when he came on board of the Marian. He was probably disappointed and vexed at my conduct, and having drank several glasses of whiskey, he was really so ugly as to make himself very uncomfortable. He filled away the yacht, and, taking the helm, began to rate me over again for my blunders. As we were, to the best of my knowledge and belief, bound to Chicago, I did not care much what he said, and I was willing he should waste his venom in any way he pleased. ”

“ I hoped they would not go, for I wanted to borrow the boat, and I applauded the young lady's firmness both for her own and my sake.
"Where is your sister?" asked Miss Collingsby.
"I don't know. She promised to be here an hour ago," replied Mr. Waterford. "Probably some friend has arrived, or something else has occurred to prevent her keeping her engagement. But here is Phil, your father's clerk. Won't you go if I take him?"
"I don't like to be the only lady," said she, looking upon the ground.
"We shall join Mr. Whippleton in a little while. ”

“ I always liked to take a sail. I had been with him a dozen times already, and had been promoted to the position of able seaman on board, for I had taken the helm, and actually worked the boat alone for hours at a time. I had been out with the junior partner in some pretty heavy blows, and enjoyed them too. In fact, I considered myself as competent to handle the Florina as I was to make out a trial balance. I looked into the theory of sailing a boat, and understanding the principles, I found the practice easy. ”

“ Whippleton," added Marian, courageously.
"Believe anything you please, Miss Collingsby. You will have all you want to do to think of yourself, without troubling your head about Phil. I have taught him to mind his own business, and I am going to repeat the lesson upon you. Go into the cabin!" ”

“ For my part, if there's anything in this world that I hate, it's mean folks," continued Mrs. Whippleton, glancing maliciously across the aisle at Mr. Collingsby. "That man's meaner'n gravel-stone chowder."
The old lady dropped her voice a little, as though she meant to be confidential on this point. ”

“ But the appearance of the conductor at the forward end of the car, taking up the tickets, changed the current of her thoughts, and she commenced a violent demonstration upon her bag, her pocket, and her bundles, in search of her ticket.
Most of the passengers produced their tickets, conscious, perhaps, how nervous it makes the "gentlemanly conductor" when compelled to wait for excited men or women to search through all their pockets, and all their portable effects, for the evidence that they had paid their fare. ”

“ Whippleton and Peter came on board.
"Gorrificious!" exclaimed the cook. "Are you going to sea without us, and carry off all the whiskey?"
I thought, from the movements of the negro, he was carrying off considerable of it; and the fumes of Mr. Whippleton's breath indicated that he had not entirely neglected the bottle. But it did not have a happy effect upon him, as it sometimes does, for he was decidedly ugly. I believe that liquor intensifies whatever emotions may prevail in the mind of the toper while under its influence. Joy is more joyous, grief is more grievous, under its sway ”

“ I will see."
"The false invoices cover about forty thousand dollars. My capital in the firm, and my share of the profits, will reimburse you for about thirty thousand. I will give you a deed of my lands for the balance, so that you will lose nothing by me."
"I have lost through you my confidence in mankind," replied Mr. Collingsby. "I have no desire to persecute you."
"I have given up every dollar I took with me. My yacht will bring a thousand dollars. You shall have that."
"I will take the boat at that price, and place the amount to your credit." ”

“ I suppose that neither Mr. Whippleton nor Florina will object to the transfer."
"Perhaps not. If any one has the right to object, I am the person," replied the skipper, in a low tone, though I heard what he said.
"You promised to provide me with company, or I should not have come," pouted Miss Collingsby, blushing.
"I hoped you would deem me sufficient company."
"Why, what impudence! I want the company of young ladies."
"But you don't object to my company—do you?"
"Certainly not, in your proper place, at the helm of the yacht." ”

“ Collingsby's house. Marian and I went in one carriage, while the officers, with Mr. Whippleton, occupied the other.
"I tremble when I think of meeting my father," said my fair companion.
"You need not. He will be too glad to see you safe and sound to find any fault with you."
"I have been very imprudent."
"I know you have; but you meant no wrong. You are fortunate to be able to return as you are, for Mr. Waterford is a bankrupt, and a mere adventurer."
"My father was right."
"Fathers are almost always right," I replied, as the carriage stopped before the house. ”

“ I replied. "'I was afraid Phil would give you some trouble when I saw you had him on board. But you fixed him handsomely. I saw him tip over the bow of the boat. If you hadn't got rid of him, I should have gone ashore and helped you. I'm glad it's all right. Why didn't you run up the river farther, and anchor near the Florina? I thought I wouldn't call upon you till I knew how the fawn was. If she is agreeable, we will run to St. Joseph in the morning, and have your business done before noon.'"
"The brute!" exclaimed Marian, indignantly. "This has cured me of all the romance I ever had. ”