SQUARE AND COMPASSES

OR

BUILDING THE HOUSE

BY

OLIVER OPTIC

AUTHOR OF "YOUNG AMERICA ABROAD," "THE GREAT WESTERN SERIES," "THE ARMY AND NAVY SERIES," "THE WOODVILLE SERIES," "THE STARRY FLAG SERIES," "THE BOAT-CLUB STORIES," "THE ONWARD AND UPWARD SERIES," "THE YACHT-CLUB SERIES," "THE LAKE-SHORE SERIES," "THE RIVERDALE SERIES," "ALL ADRIFT," "SNUG HARBOR," ETC., ETC.

With Illustrations

BOSTON LEE AND SHEPARD PUBLISHERS NEW YORK CHARLES T. DILLINGHAM

[Pg ii]

Copyright, 1884, By Lee and Shepard.

All Rights Reserved.

SQUARE AND COMPASSES.

[Pg iii]

TO

MY YOUNG FRIEND,

ROBERT M. BAKER,

THIS BOOK

IS AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED.

[Pg v]

PREFACE.

"Square and Compasses" is the third volume of "The Boat-Builder Series." All the characters connected with the Beech Hill Industrial School who were presented in the preceding story will appear in the present issue. In addition to these, the students of another educational institution, on the other side of the lake, are introduced, as well as a gang of ruffianly young marauders residing in the vicinity of the Champlain mechanics.

These additions to the acting force of the story are made, not merely for the sake of the incidents and adventures to which their appearance gives rise, but for the contrast between well-behaved mechanics and ill-behaved gentlemen, and between boys well-trained and those not trained at all, as in the example of the Topovers.

It is true that the writer regards a reasonable amount of exciting incident and adventure as necessary to hold the attention of his readers, but he has never been satisfied to present only these. While naked didactic pages covering the duties of young people are usually skipped or favored with only a hasty glance, the moral[Pg vi] quality of the actions and speech of a favorite character may produce a deep impression on the mind and heart of the reader. What the Good Samaritan or the Unjust Steward said and did, convey lessons which simple precepts may fail to impart. The moral of the writer's stories is in the words and actions of the characters, and the contrast between the lives of the good and those of the bad.

The author adheres to the rule he has followed for the lifetime of a generation: never to present bad characters in such a light as to win the admiration and sympathy of the reader; and he still believes in the old-fashioned practice of rewarding the good and punishing the evil in the story.

As in the last volume, it is a part of the writer's purpose to interest young people in the mechanic arts, and to illustrate the results of good discipline. He is a firm believer in Industrial Schools, whether public or private, and is satisfied that our country has reached a stage in its development when more attention than ever before must be given to practical agriculture and the mechanic arts. He sincerely hopes the present series will do something to promote the cultivation of a taste in this direction, as well as to afford moral instruction and innocent amusement.

Dorchester, Mass., Aug. 20, 1884.

[Pg vii]

CONTENTS.

[Pg 9]

SQUARE AND COMPASSES;

OR,

BUILDING THE HOUSE.

CHAPTER I. SOME INDICATIONS OF A REBELLION.

"What's the use of wearing a uniform? We are not soldiers, and you are not going to make soldiers of us, Captain Gildrock," said Ben Ludlow, when the principal of the Beech Hill Industrial School announced, at the close of the afternoon session, that the students would be required to wear a peculiar dress. "I don't believe in being dressed up like a monkey on a hand organ."

"You can't always tell the monkey by the dress he wears, and some boys insist upon being monkeys in whatever garb they appear," added the principal; for he encouraged them to express their opinions in a gentlemanly manner on all subjects.[Pg 10] "Soldiers are not the only class that wear uniforms. They are worn in the navy as well as in the army. I think I have heard no objection from anyone to the sailor rig worn on board of the Sylph."

"I think it is all right when we are on board of the steamer; but who wants to go about Genverres dressed up so that everybody will stop on the sidewalk to look at him?" replied Ben, who spoke confidently, as though he thought he had a first-rate argument.

"As those who have opinions are expected to express them, I must say I think Ludlow is right?" interposed Mr. Brookbine, the master-carpenter. "I believe that, for plain republicans, we are getting altogether too much uniform into our daily life. Why, all the conductors on the steam and horse cars, all the telegraph boys, all the letter-carriers, all the policemen, and in some cities even all the gas men, have to wear uniforms."

"It seems to me very proper that all you have mentioned should wear uniforms," quietly returned the principal.

"I don't think so," answered the carpenter stoutly. "It looks a little too much like the fuss and feathers of monarchical countries for our[Pg 11] democratic institutions. I couldn't help laughing when I saw one of the porters of the Bank of England dressed out like a lord high admiral, or Sir Peter Teazle in the play."

"Now you argue against the extravagance of uniforms, and not against uniforms themselves," retorted the principal. "I am in favor of uniforms, but not of ridiculous uniforms. Should you be willing to give your ticket or money to anyone on the train that chose to ask for it, Mr. Brookbine?"

"I don't think I should," laughed the master-carpenter, as he saw the point of the argument. "In fact I remember a case, before uniforms came into fashion, where a smart chap went through a car, and collected several dollars and a handful of tickets, and then left the train, before the conductor put in an appearance. I will give it up on conductors."

"Not many years ago a villain got into a house in one of our large cities, on the plea that he was a gas man; before he left it he had committed a murder. Then the newspapers said the employés of the gas company ought to wear uniforms, so that people could tell whom to admit to their houses. I believe it is now the fashion in that[Pg 12] city to wear them. A shrewd boy in Burlington collected a dollar and a half from a lady in the absence of her husband, by delivering her a bogus telegraph despatch."

"I never thought of the matter in this light before, captain," added Mr. Brookbine. "If uniforms are of any use, I don't object to them, certainly."

"But we are not telegraph boys, gas men, or conductors," Ben Ludlow objected.

"No, you are not; but the other day two of our students went into a saloon in Genverres, and each of them drank a glass of lager beer. I don't believe they would have done it if they had worn the uniform of the Beech Hill Industrial School."

This statement produced a decided sensation among the students, and they thought they understood the object which the uniform was expected to accomplish.

"I don't allow any boy to use intoxicating drinks while under my control. If I can't prevent it, I will expel the pupil; for I will not have his ruin on my conscience. I expect every student to have a proper regard for the credit and honor of this school, and conduct himself, wherever he may be,[Pg 13] in such a manner as to cast no discredit or dishonor upon it."

Captain Gildrock spoke with more feeling than usual, and his remarks made a deep impression upon the students. They promptly applauded what he had said, thus indicating that they would respect the good name of the institution. The principal did not check their demonstration on the present occasion, and he seemed to be pleased with it.

"The students of the Chesterfield Collegiate Institute, on the other side of the lake, don't wear any uniform," suggested Ben Ludlow, who realized that he had been thoroughly beaten in the argument. "Colonel Buckmill, the principal of the Institute, says that gentlemen, such as his pupils are, don't need uniforms."

"Of course Colonel Buckmill has a perfect right to his own opinion on this subject, as I have to mine," replied Captain Gildrock. "The Chesterfields will wear no uniform, but the Beech Hill students will wear a uniform. I think we need not argue the question any more. The uniform is ready, and you will put it on in the morning. It is merely a plain suit of blue, with our initials on the cap."

[Pg 14]

Some of the boys did not like the idea of a uniform. Something had been said about it before, and the topic had been discussed in the boats. A few thought it interfered with their independence. It would enable every person in the city to know them at sight.

If they got into mischief, or visited improper places, the uniform would betray them. The principal knew that two of them had drank beer in a saloon: he did not say what further information he had on this subject, and the students were not disposed to prolong the discussion in this direction.

Though they did not like to face the beer question, the boys were disposed to be a little sullen over the new order. They had not been in the school long enough to attain a very high state of discipline, and most of them had wills of their own. A large proportion of them had been in the habit of having their own way, and, to them, wearing a uniform was about the same thing as being placed under guard all the time.

"One thing more," interposed the principal, as the students were about to leave the shop. "As I announced on the day the school was opened, I intend to offer a prize for the best plan of a [Pg 15]boat-house, to be erected by the students on the border of Beech Hill Lake. I shall submit the offer the first thing to-morrow morning, after you have put on your uniforms."

The boys had been very much interested in the proposed new house; not so much on account of the accommodations it was to furnish them, as because they were to build the house themselves. Not a few of them had already considered plans for the structure, and the prizes would introduce a new element of excitement. But somehow the announcement fell rather coldly, and some of the pupils were more inclined to get up a rebellion against the new uniform than to compete for the prize.

Captain Gildrock left the shop, and went to the house. He could not help seeing that there was a spirit of disaffection among the students. They did not like the uniform, but the principal regarded it as a necessity, for he believed it would correct some tendencies to rowdyism he had observed among the boys, and especially that it would deter them from entering any disreputable places.

The boys went to the dressing-room, removed their overalls and jumpers, and attended to their[Pg 16] ablutions. Little knots of them conversed in low tones about the uniform; but a considerable number of them were sure to be loyal to the principal, and they were careful not to allow their remarks to be heard by such pupils.

The two twelve-oar barges, which had been provided by the principal and brought up to the lake two weeks before, had not yet become an old story. During the past fortnight the two crews had practised nearly every day with the oars, and had made excellent progress.

The two coxswains, Matt Randolph of the Gildrock, and Dory Dornwood of the Winooski, had a conference after every trip in the boats in order to determine what more was to be done for the improvement of the rowing. Captain Gildrock and Luke Bennington often made suggestions to them, but all instruction and discipline in the boats was left to the coxswains. The principal never gave an order except through the proper officer.

The instruction in swimming had been continued on every suitable day, and, as the boys were deeply interested in this amusement, they soon became very expert in the art. The timid ones obtained the necessary confidence, and the shallow waters of Beech Hill Lake were abandoned for[Pg 17] those of Champlain itself. The boating and swimming were now combined, and an excursion to Sandy Beach had been arranged for the day.

"Hurry up, fellows; we haven't any too much time, for it is a four-mile pull to Sandy Beach," said Matt Randolph, when he saw that the crew of his boat were thinking of something besides the excursion.

"I don't know that I care about going," replied Lew Shoreham, with a cross-grained look.

"Don't care about going?" exclaimed the coxswain of the Gildrock. "What has come over you fellows?"

"I don't like the idea of being dressed up like a monkey," answered Lew, apparently fanning his discontent.

"And all because a couple of fellows took a glass of beer each," added Bob Swanton.

"I should like to know how many fellows ever took any beer since they joined the school," continued Lew Shoreham. "I never drank any for one."

"I never tasted beer in my life," said Phil Gawner.

"I never tasted it but once in my life, and then it made me as sick as a horse," added Lick Milton.

[Pg 18]

Several others gave their testimony to the same effect, or declared that they had drank none since they joined the school.

"I see you are trying to get up a rebellion," said Matt Randolph. "I have drank lager beer a few times in New York, but not a drop since I came to this school. I don't object to the uniform, and I think the regulation requiring it is a very reasonable one. But I am not going to jaw about it now. All the Gildrocks to the boat."

"All the Winooskis to the boat," added Dory Dornwood.

About two thirds of the students followed the coxswains to the lake. It looked as though the other third intended to rebel at once, for they remained in the dressing-room after the others had gone.

[Pg 19]

CHAPTER II. AN IMPROMPTU RACE BETWEEN THE BEECH HILL BARGES.

"Here are eight of us, and not one of the eight has touched any beer since he joined the school," said Lew Shoreham, after the majority of the boys had gone, and he had got the bearings of the question under discussion.

"I am in favor of standing out, for one," added Tom Ridley. "I am willing to do my duty and obey all the rules, but I am not going to be rigged out like a state-prison bird when I haven't done anything out of the way."

"It looks like punishing the whole crowd for the sins of the two fellows who drank the beer," continued Harry Franklin.

"If the captain knows who the fellows are, why don't he put them into uniform, and not make black sheep of the whole of us?"

"I don't believe in doing anything in a hurry," interposed Bart Cornwall. "If we are going to[Pg 20] stand out, we want to know what we are about before we begin."

"That's my idea," added Bob Swanton. "Let us understand what we are going to do before we begin."

"Perhaps we had better talk it over among ourselves before we do anything," mused Lew Shoreham. "There is time enough before to-morrow morning."

"That's the idea," Life Windham chimed in. "The worst we can do is to refuse to wear the uniform; and we can't refuse before the clothes are given to us."

"By the way, did you fellows hear that the Chesterfield students have two barges like ours?" inquired Phil Gawner.

"I know they have, for I saw the kid-glovers out in them," replied Lick Milton.

"When did you see them, Lick?" asked Lew Shoreham.

"Day before yesterday. They were pulling in the barges near the shore."

"The rest of the fellows will go off without us if we don't hurry up," added Bart Cornwall. "Sandy Beach is not far from the Chesterfield Institute."

[Pg 21]

Phil Gawner bolted from the room in hot haste, and the other rebels followed him. The rebellion seemed to be forgotten, for there was already something like rivalry existing between the two educational institutions on the opposite sides of the lake. The Chesterfield young gentlemen, when they came within hailing distance of the boys of Beech Hill, had taken occasion to manifest their contempt by words, signs, and other demonstrations. They called the industrial school "The Tinkers' Institute," and this term was exceedingly offensive to our boys.

But the beautiful steam yacht in which the "Tinkers" voyaged on the lake, and especially the magnificent twelve-oar barges in which they sported upon the waves, excited the envy of the "Kid-Glovers." Colonel Buckmill suddenly found his prestige slipping away from him. He had a variety of boats for the use of his students, though none of them were sailing craft. He was no sailor himself, and he had a mortal dread of sailboats.

As soon as he realized the state of feeling among his students, he hastened to New York, where he succeeded in finding a couple of barges like those which had been built for the Beech Hill school. He had purchased them at a large price, and they[Pg 22] had arrived a few days before. Colonel Buckmill was a soldier and a gentleman, but he wished that Captain Gildrock had located his fanciful school, as he regarded it, a thousand miles from Lake Champlain.

"What's the matter now?" demanded Matt Randolph, when the rebels rushed out on the pier at which the two barges lay. "I thought you were going to deprive us of the pleasure of your company to-day."

"We have concluded to go with you, and keep you out of hot water," replied Lew.

"And keep yourselves out of hot water, which is more sensible," added the coxswain of the Gildrock, as he seated his crew in the boat.

"I thought you were not going for fear some one would see you and know that you belong to the B. H. I. S.," added Will Orwell, with a laugh.

"Up oars!" shouted Matt, when the crew of both boats were seated; and the order was repeated by Dory.

Ten oars in each boat went up to a perpendicular, with the flat side of the blades parallel with the thwarts. The coxswains looked them over to see that all were in proper position.

"Shove off!" continued the coxswains.

[Pg 23]

The bow oarsmen shoved off the head of each barge, and the stroke oarsmen used their boathooks until the boats were clear of the pier. Then the bowmen coiled up the painters, and the after oarsmen took care of the stern lines. When they had done this duty, they elevated their oars without any orders.

"Let fall!" said Matt and Dory, when the boats were clear of the pier. The crews had been so well trained that the twenty-four oars struck the water at the same instant; but the loom, or part near the handle, of the oars was not allowed to fall upon the rail, or into the rowlocks. They are put in proper position after they are dropped.

"Give way—together!" said Matt and Dory, when they had seen that each oarsman was ready for the pull.

All the rowers caught the stroke the first time trying, but it had taken a great deal of practice to enable them to do so. The boys pulled a very even, uniform, and steady stroke. All the oars were raised to the same height above the water, and sunk to the same depth beneath its surface.

The barges were not mere fancy craft, built for speed, and for nothing else. Considering their great size they were very light, but they were[Pg 24] strongly built. They were constructed after a beautiful model, yet at the same time they were good sea boats, able and safe. As the students were liable to be caught on the other side of the lake in rough weather, Captain Gildrock considered staunch boats as necessary on Lake Champlain as on the ocean. The short, choppy sea of the fresh-water lakes is more trying to any kind of a craft than the long waves of the Atlantic.

The two barges darted down the lake as though they had been shot from a gun. It was a cool day, with the wind fresh from the northwest, and the crews were in just the right condition to do their best at the oars. Since their recent defeat in the race, the first class had been working hard to improve in rowing, and Matt Randolph had succeeded in imparting his own enthusiasm to his crew. But nothing was said about another race, for the first class meant to be sure before they risked another trial. Dory Dornwood saw what the machinists—as they sometimes called the higher class—were about, and he did not go to sleep.