CHAPTER V.
A SUDDEN DISAPPEARANCE.
While Professor Mapps was giving his lecture,or his “talk” as he preferred to call it, in thegrand saloon of the steamer, quite a number of boatswere pulling around the steamer, and the other vesselsof the squadron, some of them containing boatmenlooking for a job, and others, people who were curiousto see the ship and her consorts. The several craftwere not men–of–war or merchantmen; and theyseemed to excite a great deal of curiosity. Not a fewof the boats came up to the gangway, their occupantsasking permission to go on board; but they werepolitely refused by the officers in charge.
Some of the boats carried lateen, or leg–of–muttonsails, which are used more than any other on theMediterranean. A long yard, or spar, is slung at anangle of forty–five degrees, on a short mast, so thatone–fourth of the spar is below and the rest above themast. The sail is triangular, except that the partnearest to the tack is squared off. It is attached to thelong yard on the hypothenuse side. On the largercraft, the sail is hauled out on the long spar, sliding onhanks, or rings. It is a picturesque rig; and some ofthe students who had a taste for boating were anxiousto try their skill in handling a sail of this kind.
One of these feluccas, with two gentlemen in thestern, seemed to be more persistent than the othersto obtain admission for its occupants on board of thePrince. Her huge sail was brailed up, and she hadtaken a berth at the gangway of the steamer. Peaks,the adult boatswain of the ship, obeyed his orders tothe letter, and would not permit any one to put footon the deck. One of the gentlemen who came offin her had ascended the accommodation steps, andinsisted upon holding a parley with Peaks; but as theold salt understood only a few words of Spanish, andthe stranger did not speak English, they did not getahead very well. The boatswain resolutely but good–naturedlyrefused to let the visitor pass him, or to disturbthe lecture by sending to the saloon for some oneto act as interpreter. The gentleman obstinatelydeclined to give up his point, whatever it was, andremained at the gangway till the students were dismissedfrom the exercise.
When the lecture was finished, Mr. Lowington cameout of the saloon; and, as he passed the gangway,Peaks touched his cap, and informed him that a Spaniardon the steps insisted upon coming on board.
“I don’t understand his lingo, and can’t tell what heis driving at,” added Peaks.
“Somebody that wishes to visit the ship, probably,”replied the principal.
“I have turned back more than fifty, but this onewon’t be turned back,” continued Peaks, as Mr. Lowingtonstepped up to the gangway.
As soon as the Spanish gentleman saw him, he raisedhis hat, and addressed him in the politest terms, beggingpardon for the intrusion. The principal invitedhim to come on board, and then immediately directedthe people of the Josephine and Tritonia to return totheir vessels. While the Tritonias were piping over theside, Mr. Lowington gave his attention to the visitor.
“Have you a student in your ship by the name ofEnrique Raimundo?” asked the Spanish gentleman,after he had properly introduced the subject of hisvisit.
Mr. Lowington spoke Spanish, having learned itwhen he was on duty as a naval officer in the Mediterranean;but, as he had been out of practice for manyyears, he was not as fluent in the language as formerly.But he understood the question, and so did Raimundo,who happened to pass behind the principal, in companywith Scott, at this interesting moment. Possibly hisheart rose to his throat, as he heard his name mentioned;at any rate, after the history he had narratedto Scott, he could not help being greatly disturbed bythe inquiry of the stranger. But he had the presenceof mind to refrain from any demonstration, and wentover the side into the cutter with his companions. Ifhis handsome olive face was paler than usual, no onenoticed the fact.
Mr. Lowington was a prudent man in the managementof the affairs of the students under his care.When he heard the inquiry for the second master ofthe Tritonia, whom he knew to be a Spaniard, he atonce concluded that the visitor was a friend or a relativeof the young man. But it was no part of his policyto deliver over his pupils to their friends and relativeswithout fully understanding what he was doing. Personsclaiming such relations might lead the studentsastray. They might be the agents of some of hisrogues on board, who had resorted to this expedient toobtain a vacation on shore.
“Are you a relative of Raimundo?” was the firstquestion the principal proposed to the stranger.
“No, I am not; but”—
Mr. Lowington failed to understand the rest of thereply made by the gentleman, for here his Spanish wasat fault. The visitor was not a relative of Raimundo.If he had answered in the affirmative, the principalwould have directed the Tritonia’s boats to remain, sothat the visitor could see the young man, if upon furtherexplanation it was proper for him to do so. If thegentleman was not a relative, it was not advisable todisturb the routine of the squadron to oblige him. Hecould see Raimundo the next day, when he went onshore. The boats of the Josephine and the Tritoniawere therefore permitted to return without any delay.
“_No hablo mucho Español_” (I do not speak muchSpanish), said Mr. Lowington, laughing; “_y no comprendo_”(and I do not understand).
He then with the utmost politeness, as required in allintercourse with Spanish gentlemen, invited the visitorinto the grand saloon, and sent for Professor Badois,the instructor in modern languages, to assist at theinterview. The gentleman proved to be Don FranciscoCastro, an _abogado_, or lawyer, who represented DonAlejandro, the lawful guardian of Enrique Raimundo.He claimed the body of his client’s ward, the secondmaster of the Tritonia. Even Professor Badois hadsome difficulty in comprehending the legal terms usedby the _abogado_; but so much was made clear to theprincipal.
“I don’t understand this business,” said he. “Ireceived the young man from Manuel Raimundo, hisuncle in New York, who has always paid his tuitionfees; and I hold myself responsible to him for thesafe keeping of my pupil.”
“Ah, but you are in Spain, and the young man is aSpaniard, subject to Spanish law,” added Don Francisco,with a bland smile. “All the evidence will bepresented to you, and you will be fully justified in givingup the young man.”
Mr. Lowington was very much disturbed. He knewnothing of the circumstances of the case beyond whatthe lawyer told him; and he was very much perplexedby the situation. He called Dr. Winstock, who spokeSpanish even more fluently than Professor Badois, andasked his advice.
“If Don Alejandro is the lawful guardian of Raimundo,how happens the young man to be a resident ofNew York?” asked the surgeon, after the case hadbeen fully explained to him.
The lawyer shrugged his shoulders, but smiled asblandly as ever.
“Don Manuel, the uncle of the boy, stole him fromhis guardian when he left his native land,” said DonFrancisco. “You see, the young man has a fortune offive million _reales_; and no doubt Don Manuel wants toget this money or a part of it.”
“But Manuel Raimundo is one of the richest wine–merchantsof New York,” protested the principal.
The subject was discussed for half an hour longer.Don Francisco said he had sent agents to New York toobtain possession of the boy, and had kept the run ofthe squadron from the day the ward of his client hadentered as a student. He had taken no action before,because he had been assured that the vessels wouldvisit Spain, where there would be no legal difficulties inthe way of securing his client’s ward. The lawyermade a very plain case of it, and was entirely fair inevery thing he proposed. He would not take Raimundoout of the vessel by force unless compelled todo so. The whole matter would be settled in theproper court, and the young man should have the bestcounsel in Spain.
“Very well, Don Francisco. I am much obliged toyou for the courtesy with which you have managed yourcase so far,” said Mr. Lowington. “I will employcounsel to–morrow to look up the matter in the interestof my pupil.”
“But the young man,—what is to be done with himin the mean time?” asked the lawyer.
“He will be safe on board of the Tritonia.”
“Pardon me, sir; but I have been looking for theboy too many years to let him slip through my fingersnow,” interposed Don Francisco earnestly, but withhis constant smile. “If he hears that I am lookingfor him, he will keep out of my way, as he has done forseveral years.”
“Do you wish to make a prisoner of him?” inquiredthe principal.
“No, no! By no means,—no prison! He shallhave the best room in my house; but I must not losesight of him.”
“That would be taking possession of the young manwithout regard to any thing I may wish to do for him.I do not like that arrangement,” added Mr. Lowington.
The courteous _abogado_ seemed to be troubled. Hedid not wish to do any thing that would not be satisfactoryto the “distinguished officer” before him; but,after considerable friendly argument, he proposed aplan which was accepted by the principal. The personwho had come off in the boat with him was an _alguacil_,or constable, who had been empowered to arrest DonAlejandro’s ward. Would the principal allow thisofficial to remain on board of the vessel with Raimundo,and keep an eye on him all the time? Mr. Lowingtondid not object to this arrangement. Hewould go with Don Francisco to the Tritonia, wherethe situation could be explained to Raimundo, and the_alguacil_ should occupy a state–room with his charge, ifhe desired. The principal treated his guest with distinguishedconsideration; and the first cutter was loweredto convey him to the Tritonia. Dr. Winstockaccompanied the party; the twelve oars of the firstcutter dropped into the water with mechanical precision,to the great admiration of the Spanish gentlemen;and the boat darted off from the ship’s side.
In a moment the cutter was alongside the Tritonia,and the party went on board of her. Most of theofficers were on the quarter–deck, and Mr. Lowingtonlooked among them for the second master. All handsraised their caps to the principal as soon as he appearedon the deck.
“Captain Wainwright, I wish to see Mr. Raimundo,”said he to the young commander. “Send for him, ifyou please.”
“Mr. Raimundo,” repeated the captain, touching hiscap. “Mr. Richards, pass the word for Mr. Raimundo.”
The first master, who had been designated, went tolook for the young Spaniard. His name was repeatedall over the deck, and through the cabin and steerage;but Raimundo did not respond to the call. A vigoroussearch was made in every part of the vessel; yet thesecond master was still missing. Don Francisco’sconstant courtesy seemed to be somewhat shaken.Inquiries were made of all the other officers in regardto the second master. They had seen him on the deckafter the return of the boats from the Prince. Scotthad left him in the cabin, half an hour before; but hehad not the least idea what had become of him. DonFrancisco spoke French and Italian; and he examinedO’Hara in the latter, and several other officers in theformer language.
Mr. Lowington explained that he had sent no oneto the Tritonia to inform Raimundo that he was wanted;and the _alguacil_, who had remained in the felucca allthe time till he took his place in the first cutter, assuredthe lawyer that no one had gone from the steamer tothe schooner after all the boats left.
The principal and the vice–principal were as muchperplexed as the lawyer. None of them could alterthe fact that Raimundo was missing; and they wereutterly unable to account for his mysterious disappearance.All of them were confident that the absenteewould soon be found; and the _abogado_ returned to theshore, leaving the _alguacil_ in the Tritonia to continuethe search.