CHAPTER XXV.

TOM TOPOVER IN THE ASCENDANT AGAIN.

The Lily was to make another excursion on the following Saturday; and Marian Dornwood and Lily Bristol were to be passengers, as well as their mothers. The principal had predicted the strong breeze which had prevailed during the first trip, but it was just what was desired for a trial trip. The schooner had proved herself to be a very able sea-boat, and had exceeded all expectations in regard to her speed. She was easily managed, and "filled the bill" in every respect.

She was entirely finished now; and, on the following Monday, all hands went to work in the shops again, in the afternoon. Some of the new scholars, who had shown more taste for work in iron and brass than in wood, were set to work with a file; for this was the first lesson given to the machinist. Among these was Tom Topover; and it was found, in a few days, that, after some experience, he was the best filer of the new-comers. His eye proved to be good, and the principal was much encouraged in regard to him.

Since the first vain efforts to get up a rebellion, he had behaved very well; and as he was not allowed to go beyond his depth, either in the schoolroom or the shop, he had appeared to be quite satisfied with his condition. Mr. Bentnick insisted that he was reformed and entirely reconstructed. Mr. Brookbine was of the same mind. But Captain Gildrock shook his head, and did not believe it, though he saw that the fellow was wonderfully improved.

"He gives us no trouble at all," said Mr. Jepson; "and he handles a file better than any new boy I have had."

"Intellectually, he is not much of a scholar, and he never will be brilliant in his studies; but he learns his lessons a good deal better than some of the brighter boys," added Mr. Bentnick; "I have great hopes of him."

"So have I," added the principal: "but he is one of the students who is almost sure to make a slip sooner or later, and it will not surprise me at any time, to find him getting up a conspiracy. The trouble is, that he has no high aim,—in fact, no aim at all. He is not yet trying to be any thing or any body. He is doing very well just now, simply because he is interested. He learns his lessons because he don't like to be a prisoner in his room. It will take but a little thing to throw him off his balance."

"I think he wants to be a machinist, and I reckon he has a fancy for running an engine," said Mr. Jepson.

"If you believe it, encourage him by all means. The first thing to be accomplished in his case, is to plant some kind of an ambition in his being. If he wants to be an engineer, the desire is capable of making a decent man of him; though I am afraid he will always be, to a greater or less degree, uncertain and unreliable."

Hardly a week passed without the appearance at the school of one or more visitors, for it was a rather novel institution. It had been written up in the newspapers, and been the subject of a discussion in an educational meeting. About the middle of the week after the trial trip of the Lily, half a dozen gentlemen came to Beech Hill, in the afternoon, but not particularly to see the workings of the institution. They were capitalists who desired to interest Captain Gildrock in an enterprise in which they were engaged. But when they got there, they were invited to inspect the workshops, and look over the grounds. They were pulled off to the Lily, which was exhibited as a specimen of the workmanship of the students.

They had been so much interested in what they saw, and so much absorbed in the business that had brought them to Beech Hill, that they remained till the supper-bell rang. They were invited to remain to tea, and accepted the invitation. Afterwards they went out to Beechwater to see the students in the barges, who still practised with the oars every evening. By this time the rowing was almost perfect, even among the new pupils.

It was getting dark when the crew of the Winooski came from the boat-house. In the walk, Tom Topover was observed to pick up something; but, as he did not say he had found any thing, no further notice was taken of the fact. He went to the dormitory with the others, and a keen observer might have seen that he was a good deal elated about something. But Tom was as cunning now as he had ever been, though that is not saying much. It was a low cunning, and Tom believed he was at least ten times as smart as anybody considered him to be.

Kidd Digfield and Pell Sankland went to work upon their examples in arithmetic, which related to a practical subject; and they were interested in them. While they were at work, Tom and Nim Splugger paid them a visit. Although the bond which bound them together was not as strong as it had been, it still existed; and they associated more with each other than with the other students, though they were quite intimate with Bent Fillwing and Jack Dumper, who were regarded as two of the hardest characters among the recruits.

"I am spoiling for a good time," said Tom Topover, as he seated himself on the bed in Kidd's room.

"What kind of a time are you spoiling for?—such a one as we had last Saturday?" asked Kidd, who had been so seasick, that he did not remember the trial trip with much satisfaction.

"I didn't get seasick, and I had a good time," replied Tom. "But the thing was a little too stiff for me. There was too much officer about the whole thing to suit me. But I should like to take a trip in the Lily, and have it on our own hook."

"Do you believe you could handle her?" asked Pell.

"I know I could. I have learned to steer, for I had one trick at the wheel, and I have stood at the helm on board of the Sylph."

"But the steering is only a small part of handling a boat," suggested Kidd. "A fellow has to know what is under water as well as above it."

"I could take that schooner up to Rouse's Point—and that is as far as I ever went—as well as Captain Randolph," persisted Tom, with a good deal more spring in his manner than he had displayed of late.

"I don't know but you could," added Kidd, turning to his slate.

"There isn't any fun in you, Kidd Digfield, since you got into this school. I believe you like it as well as Ash Burton and Sam Spottwood," added Tom, with no little disgust in his manner. "I tell you I am spoiling for a time, such a time as we used to have."

"What sort of a time?" asked Kidd, looking up at him.

"A regular out-and-out bender," chuckled Tom, showing more of his mysterious spring than before.

"I don't know what you want yet," replied Kidd. "Do you mean to get into some scrape?"

"I don't believe that if I got three miles from this concern, I should ever get back again," added Tom significantly.

"Do you want to run away?" asked Kidd, dropping his voice.

"That's about the color of it," answered the ex-chief, with a wink.

"I don't think I want to get away," replied Kidd, turning to his slate again.

"I don't say I shall run away, but I do say I am going on a time," continued Tom, in a whisper, as though the walls might have ears. "I must have some fun, even if I have to spend a week in the brig for it."

"What kind of a time? Why don't you say what you mean, and not beat about the bush all night," demanded Kidd, who was certainly filled with curiosity, even if the memory of past exploits with the Topovers did not influence him.

"And you will go to old Gildrock, and tell him all about it!" exclaimed Tom.

"That's too bad, Tom!" said Kidd, springing to his feet in his excitement. "Did you ever know me to do such a thing?"

"I never did; but you have become a little lamb, and the shepherd leads you with a silk thread. There is no knowing what you will do," muttered Tom.

"You ought to know that I won't do a mean thing," returned Kidd indignantly. "I don't believe in bucking against a stone wall as you do, but I am no more of a lamb than you are."

Kidd certainly was not very thoroughly reformed, or he would not have so indignantly repelled the charge of being a good boy. To be able to bear such scoffs and taunts was the next lesson he had to learn, and it was a great pity that he had not learned it sooner. But he could not bear to be reproached because he had behaved himself. This is the misfortune of any boy who has earned a bad reputation,—that he feels obliged to sustain his bad name.

"You never used to do mean things, but since you became a little lamb"—

"I am not a little lamb!" protested Kidd, more angry than he would have been if he had been called a thief. "I mean to get along as easy as I can, and I don't care about living on bread and butter and cold water. This is a free country, and every fellow that wants to do so can put his fingers into the fire."

"Do you want to have a little fun, Kidd Digfield? That's the question before the house just now, as the nobs say," continued Tom Topover, dropping his voice down to a confidential tone.

"It depends upon what sort of fun it is," replied Kidd. "If you mean the fun of being locked into your room for a week, and be fed on short rations, I don't want any fun."

"I don't mean that, or any thing of that kind," said the ex-chief, going to the door, and looking out into the hall to see if any listeners were near. "I mean some real out-and-out fun, like a sail by ourselves, a day or two at a hotel, spending the nights at the theatre, or some such place."

"I shouldn't object to something of that sort," replied Kidd; and Pell Sankland began to look as though he felt an interest in the subject of the conversation, for he put his slate on the table, and gave his attention to the conversation.

"Now you begin to act like yourself," added Tom approvingly.

"But what's the use of talking about such a time?" Kidd objected.

"It takes money, and a lot of it, to go to a hotel and the theatre. Besides, there are no theatres within twenty miles of Beech Hill."

"There is one in Burlington, another in Plattsburgh," returned Tom. "As to money, there will be enough of that."

"Enough of that? Do you mean that you have got any money?" demanded Kidd.

"I don't mean to say any thing about it," added the ex-chief, who seemed to be regaining his old sway over his companions. "All I've got to say is, that if you want to have some fun of the sort I have spoken of, just say the word, and don't ask any questions."

Kidd raised some objections, and so did Pell; but Nim Splugger appeared to have been taken into the confidence of the Topover in the beginning, for he treated all that was said as a matter of course. Tom called Kidd and Pell "little lambs" a few times; and this seemed to have more effect than any other arguments, albeit it was no argument at all. Kidd and Pell did not want to yield, but they were driven into submission by the raillery of Tom and Nim. At nine o'clock they had crept out of the dormitory, and found Bent Fillwing and Jack Dumper at the old wharf.