at the earliest dawn of day the captain and marcus stole quietly from the cabin, closing the door carefully that the boys might sleep undisturbed. "i don't want to miss a mite of the fun i've got planned out, marcus. i tell you i feel like a boy myself this morning."
they kept very quiet, fearing that ralph and ben might appear too soon upon the scene. after a while they saw jonas emerge from his tent with a fishing-rod over his shoulder. intent on business only, thinking about the breakfast he was to prepare, he had gone nearly out to the end of the point of rocks at the side of the beach, before he discovered the fishing-smack anchored within speaking distance. the captain had already stepped into his boat, and with a few strokes of the oars he reached the rocks where jonas stood rubbing his eyes to make sure he was not dreaming.
"well, i never! where did you come from all of a sudden?" was jonas's greeting.
"hush! don't talk loud. i've got a couple of passengers i don't want waked up."
"who are you, anyhow?" asked jonas, his curiosity getting the better of any politeness he might have used.
"i am captain dare of the una."
"you are the fellow that carried off two of our boys," exclaimed jonas, with a sudden increase of interest.
"they took passage with me," said the captain with dignity. "is the head-master over yonder?"
"mr. bernard? yes, asleep still."
"i want to see him."
"about the boys?"
"yes."
"all right. how glad he'll be!"
"go call him then, but don't let any one else know,--that's a good fellow."
"i'll do it; but just tell me one thing. have you got those chaps aboard?"
captain dare nodded and laughed. without waiting to hear more, jonas rushed over the rocks, and made his way to mr. bernard's tent. the teacher was a light sleeper, and in camp he was ready at any time for a summons, so he lifted the flap of the tent at once in answer to jonas's rap, and saw the cook making motions of secrecy. he beckoned him inside, and jonas began, almost breathless after his run--"the una is anchored off here, and the captain wants to see you before the others get astir."
mr. bernard uttered an exclamation of surprise and delight, and without waiting to ask any more questions, hastily donned his clothes and hurried after the messenger, leaving little max asleep in the tent. jonas led the way to the point of rocks, and there in the boat sat the captain.
"captain dare!" exclaimed mr. bernard.
"yes, sir, that's my name."
"i am mr. bernard."
the two men shook hands most cordially.
"he's all right! i'll risk him!" was the mental exclamation as the captain's twinkling eyes surveyed the teacher from head to foot. "i've got two of your boys in my cabin yonder, mr. bernard."
"alive and well?" asked the teacher eagerly.
"yes, alive and well. better boys, too, than when you saw them last, mr. bernard."
"god be praised! this gives me joy," was the fervent response.
"and, mr. bernard, they've had pretty heavy punishment. i really hope you'll call it enough and forgive 'em. they are ashamed and sorry, i know. i'll answer for that."
the teacher's eyes were moist, and he took off his glasses to wipe them as he said, "may i go on board with you?"
"that's just what i want. i told those chaps you'd forgive 'em; but they said i didn't know you, and you'd never trust 'em again. you may, though. i'll answer for 'em you may--both on 'em. you'll never catch either of 'em in a lie again."
"are the boys expecting me?"
"bless you, sir, no; they don't know no more about it than your boys up yonder asleep in their tents. no, it's all a surprise;" and the old captain chuckled with delight.
"say nothing about this, jonas, and keep quiet, so the boys will sleep till we get our arrangements made."
"all right, sir; i've got my fish to catch yet," answered jonas, baiting his hook.
"never mind those fish--that's slow work. i'll send my man ashore with mackerel and cod enough to last you a while."
the teacher seated himself in the boat, and captain dare pulled quickly back to the vessel.
"marcus, pick out some of the no. 1 mackerel and the best cod and hake, and pull over where that fellow is waiting," said the captain, as he stepped on the deck of the una; then turning to his guest, he said gleefully, "those boys are still asleep, i reckon, but there they are safe and well down in my cabin," and he opened the door a little to look in. "yes, sound asleep, the young rascals; won't they be surprised! i said i'd go out of my way to do 'em a favour to pay 'em for learnin' me that hymn tune, but they hadn't no idea what i meant to do."
the door moved by sliding, and when the captain pushed it open ralph opened his eyes.
was he dreaming, or was that mr. bernard's face looking down upon him, full of kindness and forgiveness?
no, it was no dream. mr. bernard was coming down the steps, and ralph sprang from the berth to meet him, knowing before a word had been spoken that he was forgiven.
just then ben opened his eyes, and sleepily looked around.
what was that? mr. bernard with his arm around ralph's shoulder.
surely he was still asleep, and still in dreamland.
"o ben, he forgives us--he has come for us," cried ralph with quivering lips. "isn't it too good to believe?"
mr. bernard held out his other hand to ben, and drew him to his side.
"where are we, mr. bernard, that we found you?" asked ralph with a puzzled look.
"ask your good captain. he has gone out of his course, in the kindness of his heart, to do us all a favour."
"no favour at all," said the captain earnestly, waving his hand in token of disclaiming any obligation on their part,--"no favour at all. i like to see things get righted, and i like to have a hand in doing it.--besides, didn't you two chaps teach me that chant that's going to help me through many a long night at the helm?"
"you will allow us to feel thankful to you, captain, if we keep quiet about it, won't you?" asked the teacher laughing. "we have been anxiously watching for your vessel ever since we heard from you.
"heard from us! when?" asked the captain with a puzzled look.
"we heard by the vessel you hailed the night before the storm."
"well, now, where did you see her?"
"on the rocks just off the lighthouse."
"what! cast away?"
"yes: she went on the rocks the night of the storm; but the crew were saved, all but one man. they have been over at the lighthouse, waiting to see the last of the wreck, after rescuing all the cargo they could."
the captain turned to the boys, and said: "that was an escape for you. if we had had our way, you would have been on that wreck too. how little we know what's best for us! i'd rather not have the ordering of things if i could. i'd be sure to make a mess of things. god knows best, and that's true every time."
"it was fortunate indeed," added mr. bernard. "but we have been more anxious than ever, since captain melrose reported you."
"we didn't think you would care," said ralph with a flushed face.
"why, ralph, have you been in my school all this time and know me no better than that? there has been no time since the trouble began that i would not have received you gladly if i had known you to be honestly sorry for your fault. you know me better now, i hope."
ralph put his hand in the outstretched palm of the teacher, and said, "yes, mr. bernard, i could never be afraid of you again; but i mean with all my heart never to do anything again that i shall be ashamed to tell you."
"god grant you his help to keep this resolution. we need his help, my boy; you know that."
"yes, i know. i am very sure that i do."
"and you, ben?" asked the teacher, turning to the other boy, who had kept in the background,--"you mean to be honest and true, too."
"yes, sir, i mean to be true like joe chester; and i think you are very good to give us another chance. it is what neither of us expected. we thought our days at your school were over."
"not yet, i hope,--not till you are ready for college.--now, how shall we tell your friends you have come?"
"don't any of them know it?" asked the boys quickly. "i have been wondering that we heard no noise."
"no, indeed, no one knows it; but they will soon be astir, and then there will be noise enough, for camp-life has not quieted them down at all.--captain dare, if my boys spy the una they will make an attack upon us that will frighten you, unless you are used to war-whoops."
"i'm not easily scared at a noise," said the captain laughing.
"joe chester would make nothing of swimming across here," said ben.
"no, indeed, and in his delight at your return he would be sure to do something rash," added mr. bernard.
"how can he be glad to have us back?" asked ralph with reddening face. "i am sure i am ashamed to see him, i treated him so shabbily."
"you may be sure he remembers nothing against you. he has been your warmest friend in camp, and most anxious for your welfare. if i had been ever so harshly inclined toward you, i should have been won by his intercession in your behalf. he was sure all the time that you regretted your course."
"joe is a good fellow, and he judged me by himself," answered ralph warmly, "and that was more than i deserved."
"joe is a noble boy, true to the very core; but we must decide quickly how to manage your return to camp."
before they had proceeded further, however, the question decided itself.
