THE BOY NIHILIST,
or,
Young America in Russia
By ALLAN ARNOLD.
CHAPTER I.
THE UNSUSPECTING TRAVELER.
The steamship Baltic was on the point of sailing from America to Europe.
The usual scenes were visible on the wharf–the rushing on board ofbelated freight and baggage–the crush of passengers and their friendson deck, or down in the cabins, where partings were being drunk in wine;the crowd of steerage passengers forward, trying to keep out of the wayof the sailors, and at the same time to salute or converse with theirfriends on the dock; the rattle and bustle all around; the blow of steamfrom the impatient boilers; the sharp, brisk orders of the juniorofficers; the rush of carriages with passengers, and the shouting ofdraymen anxious to get their loads aboard–all these sights and soundswere both felt and visible as a bright-looking young man, distinctlyAmerican to all appearances, alighted from a cab and walked up thesteamer's gang-plank, followed by a porter and the driver with trunksand parcels.
He was indeed a bright-looking youth, such as you will find in New Yorkoftener than anywhere else, and as he reached the deck his hand wasgrasped by several young and enthusiastic friends who had come aboard tosee him off.
This was William Barnwell, a young New Yorker, slightly over twenty-oneyears of age, who had recently inherited quite a fortune from a deceasedrelative, and he was now on the point of starting on a tour which heintended should encompass the globe.
He was now alone in the world, so far as relations were concerned,although he had a large circle of friends to whom he was greatlyattached, as they were to him.
From boyhood up he had always been an enthusiast in almost everything,but more especially in politics and revolution, as shown in nationalstruggles, and the pride of his life was the history of the AmericanRevolution, and the success of the patriots in that cause.
But outside of his being an enthusiast and a lover of liberty, he wasnot known, and had never taken any prominent part in any of the socialor political movements of the day, beyond sympathizing with thestruggles of the working men and women of the world in their strugglesto better themselves.
These facts were not only known to his friends, but to many menbelonging to the secret societies of Ireland, Germany, and Russia. Thatis to say, they knew him only as a bright young fellow, possessingbrains and pluck, together with enthusiasm, which, if rightly directed,would make him a valuable member of any secret organization having theliberty of the people at heart. But beyond this nothing particular wasknown of him.
His friends gathered around and wished him a prosperous voyage and ahappy return, and with refreshments and flowers they expressedthemselves as only New Yorkers do on such occasions.
And as he stood there on deck, surrounded by his friends, he lookedindeed like a representative American young gentleman.
He was light-complexioned, nearly six feet in height, and proportionedlike an athlete; bright, smart, and intelligent.
And while the excitement of "sailing-day" was at its height, and youngBarnwell was in the midst of his friends, a strange man approached andtapped him on the shoulder.
The young man turned to see who it was, but he did not know him.
"Can I speak a word with you?" the stranger asked, with a strong foreignaccent.
"Certainly. Excuse me a moment, my friends. I will join you presently,"said Barnwell, walking away with