CHAPTER VII UNDER WAY FOR MARBLEHEAD

Immediately after reveille next morning, the boys were surprised to hear the boatswain’s call followed by the command to “stand by to set sail.” The boatswain’s mates “got busy” very quickly and could be seen sending their boys to different parts of the deck,--some to the bowsprit to remove the jib stops, some to the fore boom to release the foresail, and the others to the parts of the ship to which they belonged.

After the fore and main sails had been set, all hands were ordered forward to the windlass and began hauling up the anchor. It was hot work, and there was not room enough for all the boys to get on to the job at the same time; but Dick managed to get on among the first, while Tom and Chippie were in the outside ring who stood ready to jump in and “spell” their comrades. Then,--after the anchor had been broken from the ground,--came the manning of the halyards,--first the main, then the fore, and then the jumbo and the jib halyards.

As the head sails ran up, they were filled by a light northwest breeze which somewhat tempered the heat. The night had been very warm, and the boys were all glad to get up on deck and very much interested in the prospect of sailing; the reef-points beat a cheerful tattoo on the canvas, as it quietly slatted back and forth, while the ship’s bow headed westward to pass through the gut into the outer harbor. Once outside, she settled down to a long leg on the port tack, and then the anchor was hoisted up and lifted over the rail.

While this was going on, Jack Perkins was active in seeing that the boatswain’s orders were carried out. The mate stood on the quarter-deck giving his commands, while the boatswain repeated them forward with the musical accompaniment of his call. Jack not only had his own division to look after, but it was his business also to see that the other B. M.’s were on their jobs, and that every scout of every division was doing his allotted work.

This was the first time that the crew had performed this particular manœuvre, and it was not surprising that there was a hitch here and there. Some small boys would stand looking on while the others were hauling on the halyards, but on inquiry it was found that they were under the impression that only the “huskies” were considered worthy of this work. This idea was quickly dispelled, however; and, before the mainsail was finally set, every available boy was on the halyards, each one contributing his share of the pull, however small it might be. Other boys who hesitated were mostly green hands who had not caught the spirit of acting together, while one of the little fellows was found in the jib-net admiring the view, and another curled up on the day bunk reading a book. Altogether it was a good opportunity for Mr. Miller to distinguish the wool-gatherers from the workers, but he felt sure that it was only practice that was needed to get this crew pulling together in true and shipshape style.

By this time it was 7:45, and there was just time to scrub decks and then wash up before breakfast. It was a pleasant thing to hear the trill of the boatswain’s call as the mess cooks scrambled down to set the tables; and better still to sit down to breakfast after the early morning’s work.

The breeze was not strong but held out steadily while the routine work was going on, and also through “quarters” and “mast.” At “quarters” the “lucky bag” was brought out for the first time and was found to contain a jumper, a couple of towels, and a lanyard and knife. Mr. Miller explained the principle of the “lucky bag” as follows:

“The master-at-arms will pick up everything that he finds lying about the decks and put it in the ‘lucky bag’; they may remain in the bag at the discretion of the sea scout master until he decides to open it at ‘quarters.’ At this time articles lost may be claimed by those who have missed them, but a penalty may be imposed upon the owner before the lost article is returned to him. As this is the first time the ‘lucky bag’ has been opened on this cruise, no penalties will be exacted on the return of these articles. The Sea Scouts are warned that in the future they will be expected to be shipshape in their habits, and that articles left carelessly lying about will not be returned to their owners until due penalty in the shape of extra duty has been paid.

“But there is another matter to which I must call your attention at the present time. It is one thing to approve of discipline in theory and quite another to submit to it in practice. Most of you boys are familiar with stories of good seamanship, but very few of you have ever experienced before this cruise the training which made such seamanship possible. Almost everybody is naturally lazy, and doing things on time is irksome and disagreeable to lazy people. ‘Oh, I guess to-morrow’ll do as well’, or ‘All right, I’ll be there in a few minutes’--these are the common expressions of lazy lubbers who have not yet learnt to like the promptness and alertness which good seamanship requires. I warn you boys of this now, at the beginning of the cruise, because I know the temptation comes to almost every one, and you might as well give up the idea of being Sea Scouts unless you are morally strong enough to clear all such lazy stuff out of the way. Orders must be carried out on the run and on the jump, and _there is no room for a grouch on board of this ship_.

“Since this cruise started, I have seen some boys hanging back and doing their work in a poor-spirited way; I did not always blame them, because I knew they were acting from ignorance and did not yet know the absolute necessity on board ship of a prompt and cheerful spirit. But, after this, I shall expect all hands to put their best foot foremost and to show that they have in them the making of good sailors and Sea Scouts.

“Those who are not able to live up to this standard will loaf their way along until they drop out,--maybe at the next port we make. They will not come on another cruise and they will have missed all the training as well as all the fun and enjoyment that comes from putting your heart into your work and doing what you have to do with all your might.”

While Mr. Miller was talking, you could see some of the boys here and there straighten up in sympathy with his words. Tom and Chippie, especially, looked at one another significantly and hoped that Dick was taking it all in as eagerly as they were. But they were disappointed, for the grouchy look on Dick’s face had not cleared away.

The instruction that morning was “Knots and Splices”, “Boxing the Compass”, “Ship’s Rigs”, and “Chart-work with the Captain.” Tom liked the chart-work best and found no difficulty in remembering the symbols for lights, buoys, shoals, etc., and felt as if he were on a cruise within a cruise, exploring the waters of some foreign land. Chippie felt most at home with his knots and splices, because it was less like studying than any of the other subjects; and both boys were surprised to find how much they had to learn about ship’s rigs. Dick, on the other hand, did not seem to take much interest in anything, and if there had been any motion of the sea he would have been suspected of being seasick.

About ten o’clock the breeze died down while they were still a good distance from Marblehead. It was hot, but as there was no swell on the water, everybody felt comfortable in spite of the heat. The boys had begun to feel at home in their new surroundings, and were too much absorbed in the interest of their work, as each division passed from one instructor to the next, to mind the discomfort of the heat.

As there was no particular hurry in getting to Marblehead, which was their destination for that day, the Captain decided not to use the launch to tow the ship unless it should become necessary toward the afternoon. So the _Bright Wing_ lay with her sails flapping quite lazily, and with the jaws of the main gaff creaking and snarling, as it swayed from side to side, until eleven o’clock; when the bugle sounded “retreat from drill”, and there was nothing more but play and good fun until dinner time.

After dinner a change in the weather set in, in the form of gathering clouds toward the northwest, which at first were scarcely noticeable; while the ship’s band--in the form of a good Victrola--played some lively airs, in which the boys often joined in chorus. By about three o’clock the wind was blowing in light but sudden gusts and the clouds in the northwest had gathered thickly, with streamers extending overhead, indicative of more wind.

Jack climbed up into the crosstrees to take a good look at the sky and reported to the Captain, when he came down, that there was smoke in the direction of Marblehead, but he could not make out whether it was at Marblehead itself or beyond. Pretty soon the smoke became quite perceptible on deck as the wind increased to a fresh breeze.

The Captain sent word to the Chairman; and, as soon as he came on deck, he noticed the cloud of smoke which was now quite conspicuous in the northwestern sky, and stretching like a long streamer over the sea.

“There may be something for us to do when we get to Marblehead,” said he to Mr. Miller, who was standing by. “It must be a big fire to cause so much smoke as that.”

For the next half-hour the _Bright Wing_ bounded along in a spanking breeze, and every boy on board felt the new exhilaration and life of the wind and motion. It did not take them long to get into port, and they dropped anchor in Marblehead harbor at about a quarter of four. The boys were all at their places for lowering the sails; but, once lowered, they were ordered to make them only temporarily secure with the stops, without careful furling, in view of the Chairman’s haste to get ashore and on to the scene of the fire as quickly as possible. It was decided to leave one of the four sections on board to finish the furling and make all fast, and then to follow the rest of the company; these got into the boats as soon as they could be lowered, and headed for the nearest wharf.

Dick appeared to have got over his grouch during the day, and his section was the first to leave the ship.