“I hope he will not disappoint you.  I only mentioned him to show what a benefit the ship had been to him; for if it keeps him out of trouble even a single year, it is so far a blessing to him, to say nothing of his intellectual progress, which has been more than satisfactory.  The fact that there are gambling, and drinking and other vices on board, does not diminish my faith in the institution.”

“It certainly ought not to do so,” added Dr. Winstock, who was not so sanguine a reformer as the chaplain and was willing to wait till the medicine had time to produce an effect.  “Here is an evil:  we must meet it, and we needn’t stop to groan over it.  What’s to be done? that’s the question.”

“The officer of the watch must be required to visit every room during the first watch at least,” said the principal.

“But those who are disposed to gamble will find abundant opportunities to do so,” suggested the doctor.  “A couple of them up in the maintop, or even in the cross-trees, could shake props, ‘odd or even,’ and play other games of chance, without being seen.  I don’t think you have hit the nail on the head yet, Mr. Lowington.”

“The utmost vigilance we can use will not entirely prevent evil.  We depend upon moral influences, as well as discipline, for the prevention and cure of vice and error,” added the principal.

“I’m afraid a lecture on gambling wouldn’t do much, good while the means of play were still in the hands of the students.  It would influence some; but others are not to be influenced in any way:  a strong arm alone will meet their case.”

“We can take the props from them,” said Mr. Lowington.

“You must go a step farther than that; you must search the berths and lockers for cards, dice, or other gambling implements.  Even then you will not have struck at the root of the evil.”

“What is the root of the evil?” asked the principal.

“Money, sir!” replied the doctor, with unusual energy.

“That is said to be the root of all evil,” added Mr. Lowington, with a smile.

“Among boys, money does more injury than we can comprehend.  A college friend of mine was wholly spoiled by his allowance of money.  His purse was always full, which made him the prey of dissolute persons.  He always had the means of gratifying his appetites, and is now a sot, if he is living.  He began to drink, gamble, and dissipate generally, before he entered college:  he was expelled in a year.  Without money, as a boy, he would have been saved from a score of temptations.  Every boy on board this ship has a pocket full of sovereigns for his European expenses.  They are all young nabobs, and if you ever let them go ashore, you will have your hands full, Mr. Lowington.  They will drink beer and wine, visit bad places, gamble and carouse.  While they have plenty of money, you can hardly prevent them from being a nuisance to you and to themselves.”