"Do they put their own fingers into the pitch and the tar?" inquired the lady, with a curl of the lip which indicated her horror.
"Certainly; but we think pitch and tar are not half so defiling as evil thoughts and bad manners."
"They are very, _very_ disagreeable. The odor of tar and pitch is intolerable."
"I say, I wish to know what the fellows do."
"We are accustomed to the odor of them," continued the principal. "To some people the scent of musk, and even otto of roses, is not pleasant; and, for my part, I rather enjoy that of tar and pitch."
"That is very, _very_ singular. But Clyde desires to know what the young gentlemen do," added the lady, glancing at her son, behind whom stood the man in livery, as though he were the boy's exclusive property.
"They have a regular routine of study," replied Mr. Lowington, addressing the lady, and declining even to glance at the original inquirer, for the rudeness of Mr. Clyde in interrupting the conversation seemed to merit a rebuke. "They attend to the studies usually pursued in the highest class of academies, including the modern languages and navigation, the latter being a speciality in the course."
"I don't care what they study," said Clyde. "What do they do in the ship?"
"We prepare boys for college, and beyond that pursue a regular college course, so far as our facilities will permit. Our students have the advantage of travel; for, in the present cruise, we shall visit all the principal nations of Europe."
"Clyde desires to know what the boys do in the ship," added the lady.
"They learn good manners, for the first thing, madam. There are fifteen officers in this vessel, and nine in each of the others. They are all students, who take their rank according to their merit. The best scholar in each is the captain, and so on."
"Does the captain manage the ship?" asked Clyde.
"I should like to be the captain," exclaimed the young gentleman.
"Do you think you could manage the ship?" asked his mother, with a smile which expressed the pride she felt in the towering ambition of her son.
"Clyde is very fond of the sea; indeed, he worries me sadly by his adventurous spirit," said his mother.
"I think it would do him good to go to sea," added the principal, rather dryly.