Richard Grant

“ RICHARD GRANT AND FRIEND GET INTO AN AWFUL SCRAPE.
"Now, steady as she is," said Sandy Brimblecom, who lay upon the half-deck of the Greyhound, endeavoring to peer through the darkness of a cloudy night, which had settled deep and dense upon the Hudson, and obscured every object on the shore. "Steady as she is, Dick, and we shall go in all right."
"Ay, ay; steady it is," replied Richard Grant, who was at the helm.
"Port a little! Port a little!" added Sandy, a few moments after, as he discovered the entrance of a little inlet, which was the destination of the Greyhound. ”

“ As we use fictitious names, our sympathizing readers will not be able to recognize Colonel Richard Grant, commanding a brigade in the Army of the Potomac, at the present time; but, true to his country in her hour of peril, he has served with that gallant band of brave men from the commencement of the war.
If my young friends would conquer others; if they would be chosen of men to reign in the hearts of their fellow-beings, and thus guide the destinies of men and nations; if they would be chosen of God to do his work in earth and heaven,—they must first conquer themselves. ”

“ But Richard was fond of exciting adventures, and it was simply the love of fun which had prompted him to visit the garden of Mr. Batterman. I hope none of my young friends will think this even palliated his offence. If he did not have the motive which actuates the common thief, he was certainly more to blame than if he had needed or wanted the product of his theft. Stealing for fun cannot be any better than stealing from the love of gain, or to provide for one's necessities.
Richard Grant is the hero of this volume ”

“ Now, Grant, I am afraid you have come here with an intention to resist our wholesome regulations. If so, you must learn the meaning of "right about, face"—in its moral application, I mean. Your father has told me all about you, and given me explicit instructions to make a man of you. I understand your case perfectly. If you are disposed to observe the rules of the Institute, we shall treat you like a gentleman. The future is before you, young man, and you must choose for yourself."
"I intend to obey the rules, sir," said Richard, rather crest-fallen after what had happened. ”

“ Richard was so mortified and confused by these taunts that he wished the earth might open and hide him from the exulting gaze of his assailants. His blood boiled with shame and indignation, and more than ever before he realized that "the way of the transgressor is hard." His first impulse was to rush upon his dastardly foes, and crush them beneath the weight of his strong arm.
Most of the boys looked at each other with astonishment, wondering what could be meant by "watermelons," and walking in his sleep. ”

“ His "about face," therefore, was unexceptionable.
"Very well, Grant," said the drill master, in a satirical tone, and with a patronizing air.
"Your praise and your censure are all the same to me. Spare me both, if you please," replied Richard, with a dignity becoming the male heir of Woodville.
"No impudence, you puppy!" growled Nevers, his cheek flushed with anger. "If Gault wasn't here, I'd boot you."
"I will make an opportunity for you when he is not present. Do your duty like a decent fellow, if you can," answered Richard. ”

“ Jasper Funnel and two tall footmen had just illuminated, at the same time drawing the heavy curtains of crimson damask over the last flash of the setting sun, and the ruddy sea whose waves were rolling in blue and gold, between the bluffs of Land's End and the rocky Isles of Scilly.
"You cannot be a woman-hater, Dick?"
"No—far from it," replied Richard, as a soft expression stole over his manly face; "there can be no such thing in nature." ”

“ Richard shrugged his shoulders, and glanced round him with impatience.
"Let us look forward, my dear uncle," said he; "in this age of progress all men do; and of what account or avail can a dead ancestry be?"
Downie smiled faintly, and Lord Lamorna frowned in the act of decapitating an egg, for to his ears this sounded as rank heresy or treason against the state.
"By heavens! nephew Richard, you talk like a Red Republican. With these socialistic views of equality, and so forth, I fear you will never shine in the Upper House." ”

“ Gault succeeded in effecting a landing without disturbing the mutineers.
"Now, sir, we must lie down and crawl upon the ground till we get within hearing distance of them," whispered Richard.
"I will follow you, Grant," replied the instructor.
"We must move very slowly."
"There is plenty of time."
Richard led the way, crawling like a snake upon the grass, so slowly and so cautiously that not a particle of noise seemed to be made. Near the centre of the island there was a clump of trees, which had been dignified by the title of a grove. ”

“ But Richard did not lose his self-possession, and hastily threw off his clothes. Placing himself at the open window, he joined in the cry which Mr. Presby still continued, and hallooed as lustily as his neighbor in the adjoining room. The house was in a complete uproar, and presently he heard the voices of his father and uncle Obed at his door.
"Richard," said Mr. Grant.
"Sir," replied the young scapegrace.
"Open the door."
"They are not in here, father; they are out doors. One of them just jumped off the conservatory,—at least, I think he did."
"Did you see them?" asked uncle Obed. ”

“ Batterman flogged me. He had no business to do that."
"And so you would burn his barn?"
"I didn't burn it."
"It would have burned to the ground, if Mr. Presby and Ben had not put the fire out. I have let my friend expose you in his own way, because the trouble he has taken reveals to me your true character. You are worse than your dissolute companions. Richard, you have become a villain!"
Mr. Grant rose from his chair and walked away to hide the tears which this sad revelation of his son's character drew from his eyes.
"He is not so bad as he might be," interposed Mr. Presby. ”

“ Richard promptly obeyed this order, and though several of the boys held on to him as he rose, a terrible struggle ensued, in which the captured sentinel almost made good his mental boast; but they were too many for him, and his hands were tied behind him with a knapsack strap, in spite of his best exertions to shake them off.
"I told you he would be a hard customer," said one, who had not before spoken.
"Shut up, you ninny! You'll blow the whole of us. No fellow is to speak but—you know whom," said he with the assumed voice. ”

“ The principal handed him the letter, and with a glow of pride and satisfaction, Richard read the high commendation which was bestowed upon him. There was no allusion to the affair of the day, and the praise covered his general conduct since he had been at Tunbrook.
"I learn that you have been true to yourself, and true to the rules of the Institute, under peculiar trials. I sympathize with you. But you have won the respect and regard of all the good boys. You can afford to be disliked by the others." ”

“ You acknowledge the deception, and we will let the farce end here. You have become a thief and a midnight incendiary. I have been weak and indulgent towards you. My eyes are opened, and I shall pursue a different course."
Mr. Grant's lip trembled with emotion as he spoke. Mr. Presby and uncle Obed suddenly became very serious, and it was plain to the culprit that the farce had really ended.
"Richard, I knew you were wild, and even dissolute, but I did not think you would steal," added Mr. Grant, with deep feeling. ”

“ You intend to climb up yourself by pushing others down. We won't submit to it."
"What are you going to do?" coolly asked the prisoner.
"We are going to thrash you, as you deserve."
"You are brave fellows!" sneered Richard. "What you are afraid to do in the daylight, with fair play, you do by stealth and trickery in the night. You are a set of cowards, and if you will untie my hands I will whip the whole of you."
"That is very fine talk, Grant," said Kennedy, "but it don't amount to any thing."
"No talk is necessary to prove your cowardly meanness. Go on, and do your best. ”

“ I do not wish to expose him to danger. You can take care of yourself, it appears, if you get into trouble. Do you want some one with you?"
"I think it would be better."
"Mr. Gault shall accompany you, but you shall manage the matter yourself."
"Very well, sir. What shall I do for a boat?"
"You shall have one of the pontoon boats. It will be better than a skiff."
"Good! I didn't think of that," said Richard, with enthusiasm.
"Now, Grant, not a word must be said of the events of to-night."
It was after nine o'clock when this conference was finished, and the boys had retired. ”

“ If you use an expression of that kind again, you will be put under arrest, and spend the night in the guard house."
Richard's blood was beginning to boil, and he was tempted to pitch into the insolent instructor who dared to use language of that kind to the only son of the proprietor of Woodville. But he did not want to get into trouble the first day; besides, the words "arrest" and "guard house" had a very ominous sound to him.
"Can't I have my books? They are not cake," asked Richard.
"No, sir; you cannot. Such trash as that is not fit for boys to read. ”

“ He told none with his lips, but his manner was such as to assure the teacher that the affair in the grove had been nothing but friendly sport. Deception, or wilfully misleading another, for the accomplishment of a purpose, is, in our opinion, just as culpable a falsehood as gaining the same end by a lie expressed in words. But Richard had not come up to this standard.
At the close of the school session, Richard hastened to the grove, as did all the boys who were in the secret of the fight. Nevers was on the ground soon after him, and the arrangements for the fight were hastily completed. ”

“ We will get up a regular mutiny," said Nevers. "If we can get a hundred fellows to go with us, we shall make the old man cave in."
"Good, Nevers! Let all the fellows that will join meet under the big oak by the river, at five o'clock, or as soon as we get out of school. Let each fellow talk it round in a quiet way, but don't let the teachers hear a word."
"Will you be there, Grant?" asked Nevers.
"I don't know. I will see."
"Don't know?" said Nevers. "Don't you see all the fellows are in for it?"
"I will think of it," replied Richard, as he walked away. ”

“ I have no desire to—to marry; why you—yourself——"
"Don't cite me, Richard. You are only forty-three, if so much" (and here, for the information of our young lady readers, we may mention that Richard is not the hero of these pages) . "I am past seventy, yet I may marry yet, and do you all out of the title," added Lamorna, with a laugh like a cackle.
"My brother Dick is certainly the most listless of men," said Downie, as he selected some grapes with the embossed scissors, and filled his glass with chateau d'Yquem. ”

“ Richard climbed over with the same caution which his companion had used, and after following him for some distance, reached a patch of watermelons, which appeared to be the destination of this night expedition.
"Get down on the ground!" whispered Sandy, who had already prostrated himself. "You will blow the whole thing if you stand up there." ”

“ She pushed her chair back as though to rise, but at this moment there was a stir about the lighted doorway across the sward, and Grant came out. If he reached the pavilion before Richard found an excuse to retire his neck would pay the forfeit of his daring. He was thinking hard and fast. The girl sank back with a sigh of pleasure, her doubt of her companion momentarily forgotten in the joy of her lover’s return. ”

“ The boys wondered more than before at the singular proceedings of the coxswain, and Bailey so far overcame his respect for discipline again, as to suggest that they should have no time to practise with the oars, if they spent the precious moments in this stupid manner.
"Shut up, Bailey; I have more to lose in this race than you have," said Richard, rather curtly. "If the fellows don't believe in me for this business, I am willing to step one side, and let any other one take hold who thinks he can do it better than I can."
"Go ahead, Grant!" shouted the crew. ”

“ Nevers cast a look full of contempt at him when he uttered these words; but Richard, under the influence of the good angel which had taken possession of his soul, did not permit the look to ruffle him.
"I will do right, and feel right, this time, if I never did before," said he to himself.
"Nevers," added the principal, "your warrant as orderly sergeant is withdrawn; you are reduced to the ranks. You can go, now. Remove those stripes from your arms."
The sentence was a heavy blow to the bully. For a year he had been trying to obtain promotion. He wanted a commission. ”

“ We are going to give you the biggest licking you ever had in your life."
The prisoner thought this was rather doubtful; but as they could not be supposed to have any knowledge of the thrashing inflicted upon him by "Old Batterbones," he was willing to excuse any exaggerations of which they might be guilty. When the young ruffian spoke of flogging him, Richard could not help recalling the incident at the barn of the farmer on the Hudson. Then he was guilty, now he was innocent; and his feelings on the present occasion were as different from those of the former one as light is from darkness. ”