Down the Rhine; Or, Young America in Germany by Oliver Optic (best book club books for discussion .txt) 📕

bay, and in a few moments she was slightly sheltered by the shore to the eastward. This friendly relief enabled him to keep her away a little, and run for the head of the bay, where he perceived an opening, which looked like the mouth of a river.

No longer cramped by the helm and the sheet, the boat flew on her course, and Shuffles presently satisfied himself that the opening he saw was really the mouth of a stream. He realized that the battle had been fought and won, but he said nothing to his fellow voyagers, who were silent and anxious. On sped the boat, and as the waves became less furious, he gave her more sheet, and she darted into the still waters of the river, which was not more than a hundred feet wide, and with banks high enough to afford perfect protection to the storm-shaken craft. As she rushed into the quiet stream, Shuffles let go the sheet, and the boat gradually lost her headway. Putting the helm down, he ran her gently upon the shore, and the grating of her keel upon the gravelly bank was sweet music to the ears of the voyagers.

"You are all right now," said Shuffles, as he rose from his seat in the stern sheets.

Almost for the first time since he boarded the sailboat, he looked into the face of the young lady. Her clothing was thoroughly drenched by the spray, and her face was moist as though she were a mermaid just emerged from the depths of the ocean. But even in her present plight Shuffles saw that she was a very pretty girl. She was shivering with cold, and it was necessary to do something for her comfort.

"We are really safe," replied the lady, with a grateful smile. "We owe our lives to you, sir."

"We are exceedingly grateful to you for your service," added the young man.

"I am very glad to have had an opportunity to serve you," replied Shuffles, addressing his words to the young lady.

"I shall remember you, and be grateful to you as long as I live," continued the lady, warmly, as she bestowed upon him an earnest look, which a skilful observer would have interpreted as one of admiration.

"But where are we?" asked the young man.

"I don't know, except that we must be ten or a dozen miles to the eastward of Friedrichshafen," answered Shuffles.

"What shall we do?" asked his male companion.

"There are probably houses not far distant. You had better go on shore, and when you see one, let us know it."

"Perhaps you would prefer to go," suggested the young man, glancing at the lady.

"Having worked hard in the boat, I prefer to rest a little while," replied Shuffles.

"Go, Sir William," added the lady, reproachfully.

Sir William! Captain Shuffles was rather taken aback to find he had been sending a young baronet to look for a house; but then he regarded himself as the peer of any baronet, and he did not apologize.

Sir William leaped over the bow of the boat to the shore, and climbed up the bank. He cast a glance back at the companions of his voyage, and then disappeared.

"I think you must be a sailor, sir," said the young lady, when her friend had gone.

"I am, miss. I am; at least I ought to be, since I am the captain of a ship."

"A captain—and so young! O, I know what you are!" exclaimed she. "You belong to the American Academy Ship."

"I do."

"But I did not see you at the emperor's ball in Paris."

"No. I was absent on duty."

"I had the pleasure of dancing with a captain on that occasion."

"I was appointed on the first of this month," explained Shuffles.

"I know your uniform very well; and I am glad to see you. I am sure you are worthy of your high position."

"Thank you, miss. You are very kind."

"I should have been at the bottom of Lake Constance at this moment, if you had been less gallant and skilful."

"Perhaps not," replied Shuffles, wondering all the time who the young lady was.

The hail of Sir William from the bank above interrupted the conversation. The boat had grounded a rod from the bank of the stream, and Shuffles gallantly bore the fair passenger to the shore in his arms. Assisting her up the bank, the party soon reached a cottage a short distance from the mouth of the river. The young nobleman imperiously ordered great fires and refreshments. He spoke German fluently, and his commands were promptly obeyed. The rain now poured down in floods, and the party congratulated themselves upon escaping this added discomfort.

 

CHAPTER XV.

LADY FEODORA AND SIR WILLIAM.

Hour after hour the storm-beaten party sat before a blazing fire in the cottage of the German peasant. Their clothing was dry, and they were quite comfortable. The only thing that disturbed them was the anxiety of their friends at Friedrichshafen. Possibly something else disturbed the young baronet, for the lady, ingenuous enough to talk and act as she felt, seemed to be delighted with her gallant preserver. After they entered the house, Shuffles heard Sir William call her Lady Feodora. She also belonged to the nobility, and he soon learned that she was the youngest daughter of the Earl of Blankville. Sir William's father was dead, and though only eighteen, he was a baronet. They were travelling with their friends.

Lady Feodora declared that she adored sailors, and Sir William was afraid she spoke only the truth. They had been affianced by their parents; but the young lady did not seem to feel a very deep interest in the baronet; and on the other hand, she did seem to feel a deep interest in the commander of the Young America. His courage, skill, and energy had made a deep impression upon her; and the signal service he had rendered called forth all her gratitude. She was only sixteen, and perhaps had not judgment enough to see that it was perilous to cast pleasant glances at a young American tar, and might disturb the calculations of her prudent parents.

The wind howled, and the rain poured all night long; but the party were in comfortable circumstances. They were too thankful to have escaped the perils of the storm to complain of the rudeness of their quarters. It was not possible to go to their friends either by water or by land, till the tempest had abated, and they were disposed to make the best of their situation.

"I was not aware that they had such heavy storms on these fresh-water lakes," said Shuffles, after they had partaken of the simple fare set before them by their host.

"Nor I," replied Lady Feodora. "If I had, I should not have gone so far in an open boat. We went across the lake to Romanshorn, but Sir William said he knew all about a boat."

"So I do, under ordinary circumstances," replied the baronet, rather nettled at the implied censure.

"It was a very savage storm," added Shuffles.

"I never saw anything like it, even in the Channel," said Feodora. "But you seemed to handle the boat just as easily as though the wind came only in zephyrs."

She bestowed another glance of admiration upon the modest tar, who explained that he had always been used to boats from his childhood, and he felt more at home on the deck of a ship than he did in the parlor of his father's house. They talked of the perils of the day till midnight. A bed had been provided for the lady, but the two young gentlemen lay on the floor before the fire. In the morning the clouds broke away, and the sun rose bright and clear. The calm that follows the storm prevailed upon the lake. The party ate their simple breakfast, and Sir William paid liberally for their accommodations at the cottage.

The manner of reaching Friedrichshafen was thoroughly discussed. They could go to Lindau, and take the steamer, or proceed in the sail-boat. Sir William proposed to take Feodora with him, while Shuffles sailed the boat back alone. The lady protested. She was not afraid to sail back in the boat, if the captain would manage it; and this arrangement was finally agreed upon, though the baronet was not at all pleased with it. They embarked, and a little breeze came to their aid; but it was eleven o'clock when they reached their destination.

"I do not know at what hotel our ship's company is stopping," said Shuffles, as they landed.

"My friends are at the Deutschen Haus; and you must come there with us," replied Lady Feodora. "My father and mother are there, and they will be delighted to see you."

"Perhaps our people are there," added Shuffles.

They walked to the hotel named, and found that the American party was there. As they approached the house, an elderly lady and gentleman rushed down from the veranda, and grasped Feodora in their arms at the same moment. They were her parents, and wept tears of joy over her safe return.

"We thought you were lost," said the fond mother.

"I have sent boats in every direction to look for you," added the father. "Mr. Lowington, the principal of the Marine Academy, who is here with his students, assured me you were safe."

"I am safe, father, thanks to Captain Shuffles," replied Feodora, turning to the young commander.

"His Lordship, the Earl of Blankville," interposed Sir William, introducing the hero of the day.

The gentleman grasped the hand of Shuffles, and expressed his gratitude in the warmest terms.

"We have heard part of the story, and we watched the boat till it disappeared in the distance," added his lordship. "It was a terrible hour for us all."

"Worse than death," sighed the countess, as she pressed her daughter to her heart again.

"Mr. Lowington assured us that the young man who had so daringly thrown himself into the boat would certainly take her to the shore. But we could only hope, rather than believe."

"It was a heavy blow," said Shuffles.

"It was fearful!" exclaimed the earl, with a shudder, as he thought of the anxiety and terror they had endured. "I owe you an everlasting debt of gratitude."

"I only did what the occasion seemed to require of me, and I am as thankful as any one can be, that I succeeded in getting the boat to the shore," answered Shuffles.

"It was remarkably fortunate that you were at hand, for I don't believe there is another person on the continent of Europe who could have managed the matter so cleverly."

"Really, I think your lordship over-estimates my services."

By this time Mr. Lowington and the young America's party came out to welcome Shuffles. They astonished him by giving three rousing cheers, and the captain was again on the top of the wave of popularity. Mr. Lowington said he was satisfied, at the time of it, that he would take the boat to the shore, and save both of his passengers, so great was his confidence in Shuffles. The earl acknowledged that his prediction had been fully verified.

"You had a rough time, Shuffles," said the principal.

"Rather, sir;" and the affair was discussed at length.

"We have seen the town; but we cannot leave by train for Ulm till two this afternoon. If there is anything here you wish to see, you must improve your time," added Mr. Lowington.

"What is there to be seen?"

"Nothing but the Château of the King of Würtemberg, and some old buildings. But Mr. Mapps is about to give a lecture, from which you shall be excused if you desire it."

"No, sir; I think I will hear the lecture," replied the captain, as he followed the principal into the coffee-room, where all the students had collected.

Lord Blankville's party had been informed of the lecture, and desired to attend. Shuffles had hardly seated himself when they entered the room. Lady Feodora had hastily made her toilet; but she looked like a queen, and the captain could hardly believe she was the same person. Those who had