CHAPTER VII.
FERNANDO'S FRIEND GETS HIM INTO A SERIOUS SCRAPE.
In due time Fernando and Sukey were entered in the college. They weretransferred to more comfortable quarters than the wretched inn of Mrs.Mahone. Terrence superintended everything and was, in truth, the goodangel of the boys. He had a warm heart, was a genuine friend, and wouldhave shed his last drop of blood for them; but Terrence was, after all,a young scamp, whose dearest friend was not free from a practical joke.His jokes often became serious affairs and involved himself as well asfriends in trouble, though he never intended anything unpleasant.
Fernando had been in college but a few months, and was already makingexcellent progress, when one day Terrence came to his room and said:
"Me frind, d'ye want to see a bit of good society?"
Laying down a heavy mathematical work, Fernando smilingly answered:
"I don't know, Terrence; I've hardly time for society."
"What's the need of worryin' yer brains out over Latin, Greek andastronomy, when there's my amount of fun to be had? Come; a little miteof society will brighten up yer ideas. Now listen to me, lad. There'sgoin' to be a big ball given at the mayor's, and d'ye remimber thedarlint little craythur ye met on the street that day?"
Remember her? of course Fernando remembered her. She had scarcely beenout of his mind day or night since he had seen her. She had been theangel of his dreams, the princess of countless air castles; but he hadnever indulged a hope that he might see her again.
"Will she be at the ball, Terrence?"
"To be sure. It's mesilf as heard it, and thin if ye'll look over theBaltimore papers, ye'll see her name Morgianna Lane, the daughter ofCaptain Felix Lane of Mariana, whose entree into society is to be theninth, chaperoned by Madame Barnhart."
Terrence Malone evinced a wonderful ability at picking up information onany question that took his fancy. He had a bold way of insinuatinghimself into people's affections, for no one could dislike thelight-hearted, merry Irishman.
"Now there is no need for ye to say ye won't go, because ye will," saidTerrence. "It's a grand occasion to be sure. One of his majesty's shipso' war is in port, and some of the officers from her will be there,every alderman in the town, some congressmen and ex-President Jeffersonwill be there."
Fernando looked at him in amazement and, after a moment, he said:
"Terrence, if the ball is to be such a grand affair, please to inform mehow we are to gain admission."
"Now, me boy, lave that to me. Will ye go?"
"Yes."
"And ye don't mind it if it's a thrifle of an adventure, do yez?"
"No."
"That's it. I always said ye was a lad after me own heart; but,Fernando, don't yez say one word to Sukey. He's too slow and careful. Hemight make trouble with us and upset all our plans."
At first, Fernando, who hated anything like deceit, opposed secresy; buthis Irish friend brought so many excellent arguments to bear, that hevirtually carried his point.
"Terrence, I fear I will make an awkward figure in a ball room!"declared Fernando. "I am not accustomed to such things."
"A glass or two of champagne will do it for ye."
"But I never danced in my life."
"I'll teach ye mesilf, and, bedad, ye'll be as foine a terpechorianartist be the toime, as will be at the ball."
The last objection swept away, Fernando began secretly to take lessonsin the waltz, cotillon and other dances of the day.
Whatever may be said against Terrence, one thing is quite certain, hewas no bad dancing master, and Fernando was an apt pupil. Somehow, therewas a spice of adventure in the escapade, which seemed to thrillFernando with pleasure, and he entered into it with a zeal that wasremarkable.
The English man-of-war in the harbor was the _Xenophon_, CaptainConkerall commander. The captain had some acquaintances and friends inBaltimore, and this event transpired before the war spirit became sostrong that English officers dared not venture on shore. The captain andhis officers were of course invited to the ball.
The day of the ball, the captain came ashore and was snugly quartered atthe Baltimore House, getting ready for the affair.
The captain was in his room talking with some citizens of Baltimore anda congressman; a decanter and glasses were on a sideboard, and thecaptain's face was somewhat flushed, when there entered a neat,well-dressed young gentleman, whose language and features were slightlyHibernian.
"I beg pardon, gintlemen, but this is Captain Conkerall? Sure I make nomistake, for the very bearin' tells me he is a son of Neptune."
As the captain was in full uniform, of course there was no trouble aboutrecognizing him. The captain rose and, taking the hand of the young man,tried hard to remember where he had seen him before.
"Sure, ye don't remember me. I am Lord Kildee, the son of the ould baronof Kildee Castle, who was a schoolmate of yer father."
The captain, delighted at having so noted an acquaintance, took greatpleasure in introducing a scion of such a noble family as Kildee. Onewould have thought, from Captain Conkerall's manner, that he had been onintimate terms with the house of Kildee all his life, while in realityhe had never until that moment known that there lived such a being asthe Lord of Kildee. Wine and vanity work wonders, and the captain feltgreat pride in being recognized at Baltimore by Lord Kildee, whosefather was, as the new acquaintance assured him, a member of thehouse of lords.
The visiting aldermen of the town and the congressman were introduced tothe Lord Kildee, who had the air of a genuine nobleman, with just enoughof the rich brogue to entitle him to the name of Irishman.
Would his lordship have a glass of wine with them. To be sure he would.
Captain Conkerall, who was expected to be the lion of the evening,indulged rather freely, and the more he indulged the more he had adesire to.
At last the congressman rose to make a speech. He was rather unsteady onhis legs, but exceedingly eloquent on the question of Jefferson'sembargo act. He thought it an outrage designed to foster the unfortunateestrangement between the mother country and America. He, as aFederalist, had opposed Jefferson and Jeffersonianism.
How much longer his harangue might have lasted, no one could have told,but the captain was warned that the hour for the ball was drawing near,and he gently insinuated that the speech be deferred for an after-dinnertalk. Just as the captain's guests were on the point of retiring, LordKildee, by a gentle hint, suggested that if he had an invitation hewould be glad to meet them at the ball. Of course so noted a person asLord Kildee could not be neglected, and, as one of the invitationcommittee was present, he issued a ticket at once. Then the captain andhis lordship were left alone.
His lordship hinted that he had much to say to the captain inconfidence, having just come from the fleet of Vice Admiral Berkeley.Over their wine, he informed the captain that he was on intimate termswith the vice admiral and that the captain of the _Xenophon_ was downfor an early promotion. Captain Conkerall was delighted. He drank deepto the health of Vice Admiral Berkeley, Lord Kildee and himself. By thistime, the captain was ready to drink to the health of anybody. The LordKildee, strange to say, imbibed very little, and soon the captain wasinsensible on the floor, while his lordship was as sober as a judge.
"Faith, it's a dacint bit of work," he said, eyeing the prostratecaptain. "Now to the rest of the plan."
Lord Kildee was none other than the rollicking Irish student TerrenceMalone. In a few moments, he had divested the captain of his coat,trousers and vest, which, with his chapeau, he rolled up in a neatbundle and hurried away to his friend Fernando Stevens. The hour waslate, and Fernando had almost given up going to the ball, when Terrencebolted into his room, his cheeks aglow with excitement.
"Here, me lad, don the royal robes at once. Begorra, it's noblemen weare goin' to be to-night!"
"What does this mean, Terrence?" Fernando asked, as Malone unrolled thebundle containing the elegant uniform of a British officer.
"Divil a ques
tion need ye be askin'; put on the uniform; it will fit yeto an exactness."
In vain Fernando expostulated; his friend forced him into compliance,and, almost before he knew it, he was encased in a British uniform, anda handsome looking officer he made. Terrence then gave him a drink athis bottle to "steady his nerves," and told him that it was one of the"divil's own toimes" they would have.
Fernando, despite all his staid qualities and Puritanic instincts, lovedan adventure which promised fun, and finally entered into the schemewith a zest second only to his friend. The very idea of playing a prankon the captain of a man-of-war was enough to induce him to engage inalmost any enterprise. They managed to escape the house without beingdetected by Sukey, who was puzzling his brain over deep questions inphilosophy, and hastened down the street to a carriage which Terrenceengaged to take them to the mayor's.
There was a ticket of admission in the captain's vest, which Fernandoused, and Lord Kildee had one for himself.
As Terrence contemplated his young friend, whom the uniform fitted asneatly as if he had grown in it, he declared that he was perfection.
Arrived at the door, Fernando, whose brain was in a whirl, found himselfsuddenly hurried up a flight of marble steps to the great vestibulewhere there was a flood of subdued light. The wine made him bold,reckless, and when he was introduced as Lieutenant Smither, of hismajesty's vice admiral's flag-ship, he half believed he was that personand, assuming what he supposed to be the manner and carriage of so highan official, received the bows and smiles of the fair ladies assembledwith the grace of a veteran seaman.
There were a few officers from the _Xenophon_ present, among them aLieutenant Matson, who was dividing his time between a very pretty girland asking why Captain Conkerall was so late.
Fernando played his part remarkably well, considering that he was new inthe role. Whenever he was in danger of "making a bad break," LordKildee, who was the lion of the hour, was at hand to aid him, and withconsummate grace and ease helped him through the worst difficulties. Afew glasses of champagne made Fernando bolder.
At last he met that beautiful creature whom he had seen alight from thecarriage and was introduced to Miss Morgianna Lane. Morgianna, young asshe was, detected the deception. Fernando talked without reserve on anyand every topic. Those he knew the least about, he discussed with mostfluency, until he bid fair to become the centre of attraction.
When they were alone, Morgianna, with one of her sweetest smiles, said:
"I don't believe you are an Englishman."
"I'll be honest with you, Miss Lane," said he. "I am not."
"Who are you?"
"If you will keep my secret, I will tell you all." Morgianna, as fond ofmischief as Terrence, agreed to do so, and he told her everything. Shelaughed until the tears coursed down her pretty cheeks. She said it wasa good joke and as soon as she got home, she would tell her papa and hewould, she knew, enjoy it.
"But you must not drink any more wine," she added. "It affects yourhead." Fernando admitted that he was not used to it, and he promised todesist. After waltzing for an hour with her and getting a tender squeezeof the hand, he restored her to an affable old lady who acted asMorgianna's chaperon, and then Fernando retired to new conquests, hishead in a whirl and his heart in a flutter.
Lord Kildee soon had him under his care and introduced him to somefriends, among them Lieutenant Matson, who had early in the evening madeso many unsuccessful attempts to attract Miss Lane's favorable noticethat Fernando had come to regard him as a dangerous rival. Despite theinjunction of the fair Morgianna, he found himself half unconsciouslyquaffing three or four glasses to the good health of somebody; he reallydid not know whether it was King George or President Jefferson.
Fernando, naturally witty, soon ingratiated himself into this welloccupied clique, and he dosed them with glory to their heart's content.He resolved at once to enter into their humor, and as the wine mountedup to his brain, he gradually found his acquaintance and politicsextending to every country and political creed.
"Did you know Thomas Matson of his majesty's ship _Spit-Fire?"_ askedthe lieutenant.
"Tom Matson!" cried Fernando. "Indeed I did sir, and do still! and thereis not a man in the British navy I am prouder of knowing." Of course hehad never heard of Thomas Matson until this moment.
"You don't say, sir?" said the lieutenant in astonishment. "Has he anychance of promotion, sir?"
"Promotion!" cried Fernando, in well-feigned astonishment. "Why, haveyou not heard that he is already in command of a ship? You cannotpossibly have heard from him lately, or you would have known that!"
"That's true, sir; I have not heard from him since he quitted the _BlackCloud_ in the South, I think they said for his health; but how did heget the step?"
"Why, as to the promotion, that was remarkable enough," said Fernando,quaffing off a tumbler of champagne to aid his inventive faculties; butFernando, despite his native shrewdness and wonderful inventive powers,was liable to get into trouble. He knew as little about a ship as alandlubber might be supposed to know, and his companion saw at once thathe would make a mess of the story, so he came to his rescue by informingthe assembly that a fine vocalist at the other end of the room was goingto sing, and asked that the story be deferred until after the song. Theyall hurried away save Fernando, who, overcome by too deep potations,sank upon a sofa temporarily unconscious.
He was roused from his stupor by his companion shaking him and saying:
"Fernando, me boy, it's a divil's own mess ye are makin' of this! Wakeup and get out!"
He roused himself and looked about. The room they were in was a smallapartment off the great saloon, and through the half-open folding-door,he could see that the festivities still continued. The music and gayforms of dancers reminded him where he was.
"Fernando, we've played this game jist as long as we can, successfully;we had better go."
"I am ready," and Fernando got up and started diagonally across theroom, stepping with his feet very wide apart. The pretended Lord Kildeetook his arm, and they got to the door, where Fernando missed hisfooting and went tumbling down the steps in a very undignified manner.His lordship, Kildee, having imbibed rather freely himself, kept himcompany, and for a few seconds they remained at the bottom of theflight, dividing their time between studying astronomy and the laws ofgravitation.
Fernando had badly smashed the captain's chapeau and one fine plume wasgone. They had not gone far before they ran upon a watchman, whothreatened to run them in; but the police of those days were assusceptible to a bribe as they are to-day, and after donating liberallyto the cause of justice and protection, they were taken to their roomsinstead of the calaboose.
Young Stevens had no definite recollection of how he ever got to bed;but he awoke next morning with a wretched headache and found himself ina red coat, with the epaulets and gold lace of an officer. By degrees,the whole thing came back to him.
Terrence came in a few moments later, a smile on his face, as heremarked they were in "the divil's own scrape."
"Why?" asked Fernando.
"We should have taken the clothes back to the captain."
Fernando, who was in total ignorance of the manner in which the uniformwas procured, asked:
"How did you get them?"
Terrence told him the whole story, and Fernando, despite his wretchedheadache, laughed until the tears coursed down his cheeks.
"That's not all, me foine boy. The whole thing is out. The papersprinted this morning are full of it. They say the captain was seen justbefore daylight goin' down the street to his boat with a sheet wrappedabout him."
Again the youngsters roared. It was such a madcap frolic as students,utterly reckless of consequences, might engage in; but, after all, itwas a serious affair. The clothes had to be returned; then theperpetrators of the outrage would be known at the college, and theymight be expelled from the institution in disgrace.
The clothes were returned. That was a point of honor which Fernandoinsis
ted upon, as he would neither agree to steal or wear stolen goods.For a day or two he was indisposed, and good, honest Sukey was afraidhis friend was "going to be real sick." On the evening of the second dayafter their madcap frolic, Fernando told Sukey all about it and askedhis advice. After the tall young westerner had heard him through,he said:
"Well, Fernando, I am sorry you were in the game at all; but you are init, and now the best thing is to go to the college and make a cleanbreast of it to the president. It's your first, you know, and then afellow just from the woods like us is liable to stumble into badscrapes. Make a clean breast of it and keep out of such games inthe future."
This was really the best advice that could have been given, andFernando, after consulting Terrence, decided to follow it. Consequentlythey all three presented themselves to the president of the faculty and,in the best way they could, laid the story before him. Terrence broughtall the pathos and eloquence which he naturally possessed to the aid ofhis friend and got both of them off pretty well.
The old professor was one of the best-hearted men in the world, and whenhe came to contemplate the lonely condition of the boys so far fromhome, he forgave them freely, and Fernando went out of his presenceresolved never to be guilty of another unseemly trick again.
"Now, if that divil's own ship the _Xenophon_ would only lave port, I'dfale better," remarked Terrence as they wended their way to theirrooms. Fernando could not see any harm the _Xenophon_ could do them.The president of the college had forgiven them, and surely they need notcare for the ship.
The students entered ardently into their studies, and Fernando tried toforget everything about the mayor's ball save the beautiful face ofMorgianna Lane. She was the only sweet picture in that wild dream, andhe would not have forgotten her for the world. Time wore slowly on. Aweek had passed, and all the papers in the country were nagging thecaptain about going to his vessel in a winding sheet. A wag wrote someverses which must have been galling to the pride of the haughty Briton.
At last it leaked out that two students had played the trick on CaptainConkerall. A newspaper reporter came to see Fernando, who gave him atruthful history of the affair.
"You've played the divil now," said Terrence, when he read the interviewin the next issue of the _Baltimore Sun_.
"Why?"
"Never moind, Fernando, I'll not desert ye, and if my one comes to yeabout satisfaction, or inything of the kind, and asks you to mintionyour frind, sind thim to Terrence Malone, and he will make thearrangements, that's all."
Fernando had no more idea what he meant than if he had addressed him inHindoo, and he gave the matter little or no further thought. He was inhis room poring over his books the second day after the interview, whenthere came a rap at his door.
"Come in!" he cried in his broad, western fashion.
The door opened, and, to his surprise, a young English officer enteredthe apartment.
"Is this Mr. Fernando Stevens?" he asked politely.
"It is."
"I am the bearer of a message from Lieutenant Matson."
"Pray who is Lieutenant Matson?"
"Of his majesty's ship the _Xenophon_."
Fernando thought he must be mistaken, as he had not the leastrecollection of ever hearing of Lieutenant Matson; but the ensignassured him that he was the person with whom the lieutenant had to deal,and then asked if he could refer him to some friend with whom thebusiness might be arranged. Then the youthful American rememberedTerrence Malone's strange instructions and sent the ensign at once tothe young Irishman.
Just how Terrence would settle the matter, he did not know; but he whohad such remarkable ability for getting one into a scrape could surelydevise some means to get him out, and Fernando was perfectly willing totrust him. So, deeming the matter wholly settled, he sat down to hisbooks once more, and had actually forgotten the officer, when Terrencebolted into the room his face expressive of anxiety.
"It's all arranged, me boy. Ye did right in lavin' it to me. The youngBritisher and I have made all arrangements."
"Arrangements? what arrangements?" asked Fernando with guilelessinnocence.
"Arrangements for the meeting, to be sure."
"What meeting?"
"Meeting with Lieutenant Matson."
Throwing down his book, Fernando started up impatiently said:
"I don't want to meet the infernal lieutenant. I thought you had settledit."
"So I did, and right dacintly, too. Now what weapons do ye want?"
"Weapons!" cried Fernando, the truth at last beginning to dawn upon him."Great Heavens! Terrence, do you mean a duel?"
"Certainly, me frind, nothin' ilse. There's no way to get out of it,honorably."
Fernando reeled as if he had been struck a blow. He had read of duels,but, in the solitude of his western home on the farm, he had never knownof any. They were the bloody inventions of more polite civilization.One had been fought between two trappers at a trading post, not overforty miles away, in which rifles at thirty paces were used, and bothmen were killed. The preacher had said it was murder. Fernando wasbrave; but he shrank from a duel, and it was not until his pride hadbeen appealed to, that he determined to fight. Then Terrence assured himthe lieutenant's friend was waiting; all that was wanting wasthe weapons.
"I must talk with Sukey."
Sukey was sent for, and when the tall, lanky fellow entered theapartment, Fernando told him all.
"Don't you be in the game, Fernando. Let me tell you, don't you be init," Sukey answered.
But he was informed that he must, or be forever disgraced. Besides, hisenemy was a hated Briton, whom their country was almost on the verge ofwar with, and it would not be a bad thing to kill him in advance.
"Well, if you must be in the game, Fernando, fight with hatchets. Youknow you used to throw a hatchet twenty steps and split a pumpkin everytime. Fight with hatchets."
It was a novel mode of dueling; but Terrence took the proposition to thelieutenant's friend. The Briton said his friend was a gentlemen,willing to fight with any of the weapons which civilized gentlemenused, and if Mr. Stevens would not consent to the same, the lieutenantwould publish him as a barbarian and a coward. Pistols were settled onas a compromise, and Terrence went away to settle the finalarrangements. He returned with a smile on his face and, rubbing hishands, said:
"Cheer up, me boy, it's all settled."
"What? won't we fight?"
"Yes, it's settled that you will fight."
For a long time, Fernando was silent, and then he said:
"When will it take place, Terrence?"
"To-morrow morning at sunrise."
Fernando did not go to school that day. Sukey was enjoined to keep thematter a secret, and he went to his classroom as if nothing unusual wereabout to happen. Fernando spent the day in writing letters to be senthome in case he should not survive the affair which, after all, hebelieved to be disgraceful. Dueling he thought little better thanmurder; but he was in for it and determined not to show the whitefeather. Don't blame Fernando, for he lived in a barbarous age, when the"code of honor" was thought to be honorable. His chief remorse was forhis madcap, drunken freak, which had been the provocation for theevent, and yet, when he came to think of the ludicrousness of hisadventures, he smiled.
More than once on that gloomy day he thought of Morgianna, whom inreality he loved at first sight. Would he ever see her again, or was sheonly the evening star, which had risen on the last hours of hisexistence? When Sukey returned, he held a long interview with him andgave him a bundle of letters and papers to send home if--he could notfinish the sentence.
"Ain't there no way to get out of it, Fernando?" asked Sukey, his drollface comical even in distress.
"Not honorably."
"Well, now that you're in the game, just shoot that infernalEnglishman's head right off his shoulders, that's my advice. I've readlots about duels, and it all depends on who is quickest at the trigger.Take good aim and don't let him get a second the advantage of you."
They went to bed early, and Fernando slept soundly. It was Terrence whoawoke them and said it would not do to be late. He had engaged a sailorcalled Luff Williams to take them in his boat to the spot, a long sandybeach behind a high promontory some five or six miles from the city. Thespot was quite secluded, and Terrence declared it a love of a place forsuch little affairs.
"What are ye thinkin' of, Fernando?" asked Terrence, when the boat withthe three young men was under way.
"I'm thinking, sir, if I were to kill him, what I must do after."
"Right, my boy; nothing like it; but 1811 will settle all for ye. Idon't believe, now that America is on the verge of war with the British,that my one will make much of a row for killin' the murdherin' baste.Are ye a good shot?"
"I am with a rifle; but I never could do anything to speak of with apistol."
"I don't moind that. Ye've a good eye; never take it off him afteryou're on the ground; follow him everywhere. I knew a fellow in Irelandwho always shot his man that way. Look without winkin'; it's fatal at ashort distance--a very good thing to learn, when ye've a littlespare time."
As they came in sight of the beach where the duel was to be fought, theyperceived, a few hundred yards off, a group of persons standing on thesands, whom they recognized as their opponents.
"Fernando," said Terrence, grasping his arm firmly, as if to instillinto him some of his own hope and confidence, "Fernando, although you'reonly a boy, I've no fear of your courage; but this Lieutenant Matson isa famous duelist, and he will try to shake your nerve. Now remember thatye take everything that happens quite with an air of indifference;don't let him think he has iny advantage over ye, and you'll see how thetables will be turned in your favor."
"Trust me, Terrence, I'll not disgrace you," Stevens answered.
"You are twelve minutes late, Mr. Malone," said the ensign, who acted asthe lieutenant's second; "but we shall all be able to get back tobreakfast--those that will care to eat."
Not to be outdone, Terrence said:
"All will be at supper; but your friend will be where he is eaten,rather than eats."
"Don't be too sure; the lieutenant has killed his sixth man in affairslike this."
The remark was of course intended for Fernando's ears. Sukey heard itand said:
"Fernando, that's a lie; don't you believe it. Aim at his plaguy head,and you can hit it. You used to snuff a candle that distance."
Fernando smiled while he kept his eye on the lieutenant. That smile andthat eternal stare disconcerted the English officer, and he turned alittle pale. There was something about the imperturbable youth whichmade him dread the meeting. Fernando was strangely, unnaturally calm.Ten minutes more, and he might be in eternity.