Chapter 1

“The boy’s father is in some mosquito-ridden place in some forsaken part of the world.  And his son, my grandson, needs me.  Now I’m not willing to let you cause injury to his tender heart by letting you stand in the way of me sharing my life with him.”

“Do – not – threaten – me – Captain!  I’m not someone who you can force to jump to your orders anymore!”  With this statement both men glared at each other with determined threats in their eyes.

“Look you gully rat!” the captain insulted.  “I’m sailing to Cape Town in one month.  I’ll be gone for a spell, and I’ll be horn-swaggled if I…”

Crawford stood up and interrupted him. “I’m not a galley servant anymore Captain.  I have responsibilities and duties far beyond your social standing and I’m not as free as you to do as I please.”

A slow-burning rage started to heat up in Alexander’s heart.  His stare became harsh and seemed to pierce the dean’s armor of protection.  “See here Captain,” Crawford objected.  “I’m only an executive, hired to keep one hundred and twenty boys well-fed, well-ordered, well-educated, and well-disciplined.  That figure,” he continued, “interprets to one hundred and twenty fathers who pay king’s wages to place their sons in this school, and men whom I cannot afford to displease, and that includes your own son, who has his own ideas about how he wants his son raised and watched over!”

“You think you can hit a dirty blow like that to me, you ungrateful bilge slop!”  The dean stood firm. His closed mind reflected in every crease and line on his face.

Alexander to took on a tone less than pity, “You found your place in life all right, this graveyard is where the dead belong!”

“You can insult me to your little mind’s content, but the boy stays!”

“Men such as you…”  The captain began to say…

“Men like me what Captain?!”  The dean snapped, cutting Alexander’s sentence short. “Do you know how many mothers, grandmothers, and grandfathers I have to discourage from babying their kin?  I get dozens of sad, sob stories that would wrench any heart to tears.  But the fact of it is, your son has put his son in this school to become a man, and a man he shall become!”

The conversation was over!  And a seemingly longstanding friendship turned into what past positions would not have ever allowed.  Alexander walked toward the door and grabbed the handle. He turned around,  “I’ll get my grandson!”

“You can have your grandson when spring finals are over, and not before!”

Alexander opened the door and gave him a stare that promised action then slammed the door as he exited.  He left the academy with haste and threw himself into the awaiting carriage.  Without any loss of time he ordered the driver to take him to the house of an old acquaintance, hopeful that a long-awaited favor could be asked of him.