"If any one of them attempts to go forward, we can pitch him into the lake as quick as we can shift the helm of the Goldwing," replied Dory confidently.
"I see!" exclaimed Matt, laughing. "A pull sideways would heel the barge over so that the water would go over her gunwale."
"The two four-oar boats are coming!" shouted Dick Short, "Mr. Jepson is in one of them."
"Good! We may want some of those fellows before we get through with this business," replied the skipper.
"But what are you going to do with your game now that you have snared it, Dory?" asked Matt.
"I am going to put the Topovers ashore over here, and send the Gildrock home at once," answered Dory. "I should have told you about my plan, Matt, but I didn't believe in it myself until the last minute. I was sure you would laugh at it; and if I did not succeed in carrying it out I did not want you to have to bear any of the responsibility of its failure."
"I think I should have laughed at it; and I can't help doing so now," added Matt, suiting the action to the words.
With the whole length of the line out, the Gildrock towed better than Dory had expected she would. But the barge both pitched and rolled as it was dragged at an angle over the waves, and the Topovers in her had to hold on with both hands. With only half her usual crew, and these all in the stern sheets, the tow-line did not force her bow under, and she kept very nearly in her proper trim.
Finding that she went along very well, Dory headed the Goldwing for the little cove from which the cheers had come. By this time the Winooski had got into the smooth water, comparatively, under the lee of the shore. If Commodore Tom Topover wanted to do anything to assist his companions in the other boat, he was as fearful of coming about as he had been in the middle of the lake. As soon as he was under the shelter of the shore, he headed his craft to the south. But he might as well have chased the lightning as the Goldwing.
As the schooner approached the mouth of the cove she was saluted by a volley of noisy cheers. At the same time the bows of two boats came in sight.
"The Chesterfields! We are in for it now!" shouted Ben Ludlow.
The cheers the Beech Hill students had heard before had evidently been given by the Chesterfields, and not by a picnic party. Dory was not pleased to see them after the experience of the day before; and their last words had been threats of vengeance. The fresh paint could be seen on the bow of the Dasher where the injury done by the Winooski had been repaired.
The Dasher appeared to be the leading boat, and Mad Twinker had changed from the other barge, and became her coxswain. Wash Barker was not in either craft, and his place in the Racer was filled by Jeff Monroe, who had been active in the affair of the day before.
As soon as the Goldwing appeared off the point, dragging the Gildrock after her, the Chesterfields set up a yell, and it was plain that they identified the Beech Hill students who had so thoroughly humiliated them on the day before. Their lusty cheers indicated that they were ready to take the vengeance they had promised to obtain. Mad Twinker headed the Dasher for the Goldwing, and the Racer followed.
It seemed to be a holiday at the Chesterfield Collegiate Institute, and the boats' crews had evidently been practising in the cove all the morning. There was a marked improvement in their rowing; they had observed the excellent discipline that prevailed on board of the Winooski, and they had doubtless learned a lesson from what they had seen. After the Chesterfields had given the three cheers, which did not appear to mean anything, unless they were cheering their enemy, there was no whooping or yelling as at the former meeting of the boats.
"Those fellows promised to get even with us when we parted last night," said Dory, after they had observed the movements of the Chesterfields for a few minutes. "I suppose they are ready to begin now."
"If they do begin now they will have a nice time of it," added Matt.
"They will never forgive us for compelling them to give up our clothes before they were ready to do so," continued the skipper. "They are in better discipline, and behave better this morning than they did yesterday. But they don't seem to know anything at all about a boat, and they think they can overhaul the Goldwing without any difficulty."
"If we run up this cove they will have us on the hips," replied Matt. "There are twenty-six of them, while we are only nine, and if they catch us they can have it all their own way."
"You are right, Matt, and we will not go up the cove. We will go up to Rock Harbor, and we can land the Topovers long before they can pull that distance."
The skipper let off the sheets, and headed the schooner to the south. She was almost before the wind, and the yacht flew like a locomotive on her course. In a few minutes the barges were a mile astern of her. At the mouth of Rock Harbor the wind had a fair sweep, and the sea was almost as rough as it had been in the middle of the lake.
As the Goldwing approached the south side of the inlet, Dory rounded to very carefully, so as not to swamp the Gildrock, though the terrified Topovers were well shaken up in the manœuvre. Running into the cove just far enough to escape the heaviest of the waves, Dory directed his crew to haul on the tow-line, and bring the Gildrock within talking distance. Spilling the sail, he allowed the yacht to drift towards the shore.
"We intend to put you on shore here," shouted Dory to the occupants of the Gildrock.
"We can never get home from here," yelled Nim Splugger.
"That's your look out. You must go ashore, or we will spill you all out into the water by the beach," replied the skipper.
Nim made no reply, for he saw that his captors were in earnest. Dory directed Matt and Oscar to land them three or four at a time in the tender. He explained what he meant to do to the prisoners, and threatened them with a ducking if they resisted. They did not resist, for they felt that the skipper could have his own way with them. Matt landed them in two trips; but Nim Splugger showed fight when they were all on the beach. He attempted to hold on to the tender, but Oscar pitched him out of the boat into the water. The moment he was out of it, Matt shoved it from the shore, and they pulled back to the Goldwing.
It had taken some time to land the Topovers, and by the time the Gildrock had been properly rigged for towing, the two barges of the Chesterfields, which had followed the schooner, were within a quarter of a mile of the point where the marauders had been put on shore. They made a sweep into the harbor, so as to avoid the rough water.
"Help! help!" yelled the Topovers on the land, when they saw the barges approaching them.
It was not probable that the Chesterfields knew anything about the Topovers; but they could not help seeing that they had been at war with the Beach Hill students, and had been defeated. For this reason, doubtless they sympathized with the ruffians; at any rate they were the enemies of the Beech Hillers, and this fact made them allies.
Dory headed the Goldwing out into the lake. The skipper and the crew watched the movements of the Chesterfields with interest. Possibly the curiosity of the latter was excited by the scene they had witnessed, and they wished to inquire into its meaning. At any rate they pulled for the point where the Topovers had been landed, and the heavy sea prevented them from following the schooner out into the lake.
The Chesterfield barges made a landing farther up the harbor, and three of the marauders were taken into one boat, and four into the other. They did not remain at the shore a moment after they had picked up their passengers, but followed the yacht by the inside route. The crews of the Dasher and Racer had not seen the capture of the Gildrock with the lasso, and could not have known that the Winooski was making for the New York shore, a mile or more to the north of them. Their passengers told them their story, and no doubt they were anxious to see the battle for the other boat, if not to take a hand in it.
The presence of the Chesterfields had considerably disturbed the arrangements of Dory, who had intended to tackle the marauders in the other barge as soon as he could get rid of the prisoners. It had taken some time to dispose of them, and it was possible that Tom Topover had reached the shore by this time.
"There are the two four-oar boats," said Matt, when they were off the point north of Rock Harbor.
"I am glad to see them, for the coming of the Chesterfields at just this time has mixed things," replied Dory. "We must get rid of the Gildrock, for we can't do anything dragging her after us. We may have a lively time of it yet."
"We can't turn her adrift," added Matt.
"Of course not; but we can put four of our fellows into her and send her home," said Dory.
It was promptly decided to dispose of her in this manner, and Dory selected the three members of the old Goldwing club who were on board, making Thad Glovering the temporary coxswain. Ben Ludlow was added to the number. They objected to leaving the Goldwing just as the battle was coming on.
"There will be no fight if I can avoid one," argued the skipper. "Probably we shall pick up the Winooski in about the same way we did the Gildrock. You need not hurry home, and you can see from the boat all there is to be seen. But we must be in a hurry, for the job must be done before the Chesterfields can get down here to meddle with the affair."
The objections were overcome, and the four oarsmen were to take the Gildrock as soon as the Winooski could be seen. Tom Topover had got his craft into the smooth water, as compared with the open lake, of one of the numerous inlets when the Gildrock was captured. When last seen, his crew were laying on their oars watching the operations of the Goldwing.
The schooner was now approaching this inlet, and the next minute or two would inform the skipper where she was. About half an hour had elapsed since she lost her consort. Tom Topover might have gone to the aid of the rest of his party, and it was strange that he had not done so. The fact was that he had been jawing with Kidd Digfield more than half the time in regard to what they should do. The crew did not like the idea of going out into the rough water again.
"There's the Winooski!" shouted Thad Glovering, who was lying on the half deck at the heel of the bowsprit.
Dory instantly threw the schooner up into the wind, and Matt hauled in the Gildrock. Thad and his crew were hurried into her, and the Goldwing filled away again. The Winooski was coming out of the cove, and was just striking into the rough water. Dory gave the tiller to Matt, and went forward himself. He had the lasso ready, but he had his doubts about being able to use it again.
The skipper directed Matt to tack at the proper moment, and the Goldwing rushed on her course in a direction to intercept the Winooski. When Tom Topover saw the schooner approaching, he called Kidd Digfield to the tiller-lines, and, taking a boathook in his hand, went forward himself.
"That fellow means fight," said Oscar Chester.
"No doubt of it; he means it every time, and for that reason you had better have a boathook in your hand, and be on the forward deck with me," answered Dory, as he picked up his lasso. "Keep her off a little more, if you please, Matt."
The oarsmen of the Winooski showed a disposition to abandon their oars, for a collision seemed to be inevitable to them. Tom stood in the bow of the barge with his boathook poised ready to strike. Dory saw that it would be impossible for him to lasso the boat, and he removed the stove cover from his line.
"Luff a little, Matt," called Dory; and the schooner rounded in upon the barge. This movement seemed to be too much for Tom's nerves, and instead of striking with the boathook, he used it to fend off. The moment he bent over, Dory threw his line, not at the stem of the boat, but at the body of the Topover. The noose went over his head, and dropped down upon his shoulders.
"Keep her off!" shouted Dory.
The instant Tom felt the rope, he dropped the boathook and tried to seize hold of the bow of the barge. The Goldwing fell off, and dashed ahead on her course. Dory let off his line a few feet, and then took a turn with it over a cleat. Tom Topover suddenly felt a smart jerk, which was irresistible, and he was twitched out of the boat as a fish is twitched out of the water.
"Tom Topover suddenly felt a smart jerk, which was
irresistible."
—Page 168.
With Oscar's help, he was dragged alongside, and pulled on board of the yacht. It was found that he had the painter of the Winooski in his hands, which he had grasped in his effort to save himself. Matt had thrown the schooner up into the wind, and the painter was secured and made fast. The Winooski brought up at the stern of the Goldwing, captured by the aid of Tom Topover.
Commodore Topover was bewildered by the sharp practice of the skipper of the Goldwing. While he was expecting an assault in another direction, he had been suddenly dragged out of the Winooski into the water, and then on board of the schooner. The painter of the barge was made fast astern, and Dory relieved the prisoner from the noose with which he had been captured.
Kidd Digfield and his companions in the boat seemed to be almost as much astonished as the commodore. They were paralyzed by the unexpected onslaught, and the successor of Tom needed a little time to enable him to determine what to do. Both craft had come to a standstill, the sails of the Goldwing shaking in the wind.
Tom Topover was the first to recover his wits. He had been thoroughly ducked, but he had not been injured in the operation of taking him out of the Winooski. He looked about him, and it did not require much time to enable him to take in the situation. He was a prisoner in the hands of the students. He was in the same boat with Dory, who had knocked him over with a single blow of his fist; and the remembrance of this fact was the first idea that came to him.
Before Kidd had decided to do anything the wind had driven the barge astern of the schooner, and whirled her about. In this position there were only two things Tom's successor could do; one was to haul the boat alongside the yacht by the painter, board her, and fight it out; and the other was to cut the painter, and thus recover possession of the barge. But Tom Topover considered himself as still the commodore of the fleet, even in the misfortunes which had befallen it, and he proceeded to use his authority.
"Kidd Digfield!" called Tom, as soon as he comprehended the situation. "Haul in on the painter, and fetch her alongside!"
"I think your fellows had better not try to do that," interposed Dory.
"I give you two minutes to put me back in that boat," replied Tom, with a savage glance at the skipper.
"What if I don't do it?" asked Dory, laughing.
"I'll give you the biggest licking you ever had in your life. I'll pound you till you can't see out of your eyes," blustered Tom.
"You needn't wait two minutes before you begin, for I shall not put you into the boat," replied the skipper lightly. "Fill away, Matt, if you please."
Dory had seated himself in the standing-room opposite the place where he had deposited Tom when he hauled him on board. As Matt put the helm up, Tom made a spring at the skipper; but Dory was on his feet in an instant, warded off the blow of the Topover, and hit him square in the face. The yacht heeled over at this moment under the pressure of the wind, and Tom fell back into his seat.
"We won't have any fight in the boat," said Dory, picking up a reef pendant. "We will tie his hands behind him, and keep him quiet till we get rid of him."
"No you won't tie my hands behind me!" yelled Tom, boiling over with wrath.
Oscar Chester sprang upon him, and in spite of his struggles bore him down upon his back. Dory then assisted him, and between them they had no difficulty in putting the commodore in a position of non-interference.
"The fellows in the boat are hauling in on the painter," said Matt, when Dory and Oscar had disposed of the obstreperous prisoner.
"Let them haul on it," replied the skipper laughing. "They will have a nice time of it. Keep her away a little more, if you please."
Kidd had got hold of the painter, and Pell Sankland was trying to help him; but the former could not haul in enough of the line to afford him a chance to assist. The schooner had got under full headway, and there was considerable strain on the rope. Three of the Topovers had repaired to the bow while the other three were about in the middle of the barge. She was loaded by the head, and as soon as the Goldwing began to force her through the water at her own pace, the craft scooped up about half a barrel of water.
Kidd was sailor enough to see what the matter was, and he hastily retreated to the stern of the boat, followed by his companions. Not more than one of them at a time could get hold of the painter, and there was no danger that the marauders would haul the boat alongside the schooner. But Kidd soon went forward again, after he had stationed his crew as far aft as he could get them, and began to saw away with his knife at the painter.
Matt let off the sheets, and kept the Goldwing away several points at once. As he did so, Dory slacked off the painter as much as its length would permit. When the schooner straightened the line again, she did it with a violent jerk, at an angle with the length of the barge. The effect was to tip the boat until her gunwale at the bow went under, and she shipped another half barrel of water.
Kidd's nerves were not strong enough to stand this kind of treatment, and he dreaded what might come next. He retreated to the stern; but not till he had found that it would have taken him half an hour at least to saw off the painter with his dull jack-knife. He realized that there was nothing more he could do.
The four-oar boats were now within a short distance of the scene of the strife. The crews had laid upon their oars most of the time, watching the progress of the action. The Winooski had been taken, and the battle was finished. It only remained to dispose of the prisoners. Dory had given the order to head the schooner to the nearest land. The four-oar boats reached the point off which the yacht had just come up into the wind. Tom was handed into the boat with Mr. Jepson, who was greatly amused at the exploits of the boys. He was put ashore, but the reef pendant was removed from his arms only when he was safe on the beach.
The tender and the other four-oar boat landed the prisoners from the Winooski, who had concluded not to make any resistance. As the boats left the discomfited ruffians on the shore, Tom cast a large stone at one of them, and the rest proceeded to follow his example. But no harm was done, and the boats were soon out of the way of their missiles.
"Homeward bound!" shouted Dory, as soon as he had taken his crew from the tender on board.
Two oarsmen were taken from each of the small boats, for the remaining two could easily pull them across the lake with the wind, and transferred to the Winooski. Thad Glovering in the Gildrock was close by, for his party had no idea of leaving the scene while there was any fun in prospect. The whole squadron, consisting of the Goldwing and the four row-boats, were within talking distance of each other. The battle had been fought and won, and there was nothing to do but go home. The Gildrock was farthest out on the lake, and she led the way. All the fleet were in the smoother water of the cove.
"The Chesterfields!" shouted Oscar Chester, when the Goldwing was fairly under way. "They are just coming around the point; and they have half the Topovers on board."
"We need not bother our heads any more about the Chesterfields or the Topovers," replied Dory. "We have got our boats, and that was all I wanted."
"All right," added Oscar, as he settled himself in his seat.
But the skipper soon came to the conclusions that it was not all right. The Chesterfield barges had changed their course, and were headed for the four Beech Hill boats which had just started for home. The Dasher and the Racer were fully manned, while the Gildrock and Winooski had each only one-third of a crew.
"That's bad," said Dory, who began to be very anxious for the safety of the recaptured barges.
"I thought it might be," replied Oscar. "But I think we can give them enough of it to satisfy them in a very few minutes."
"Do you mean a fight?" asked the skipper.
"Not a hand-to-hand fight, but if either of those barges attempts to meddle with the Gildrock or the Winooski, I should run her down," answered Oscar, with a good deal of vim in his tones.
"I don't like to do anything of that kind," replied Dory, seriously. "When we smashed the Dasher yesterday, I did not intend to give her such a rap."
"I should say it would be for the Chesterfields and their new allies to elect whether you smash them or not. But they are making for the Gildrock, and of course they can easily take her from the four fellows in charge of her."
"Of course I don't mean to let them take her from our fellows," added Dory. "Keep her away; run for the Gildrock, if you please, Matt."
Thad Glovering pulled the stroke oar of the Gildrock, and he had already discovered the danger that menaced him in the approach of the Chesterfield barges. He was making his crew do their utmost; but the barge had been headed off by the enemy, who were not seen until they came around the point of land.
The improvement in the rowing of the Chesterfields was not very manifest. They had evidently being practising since they obtained their smashed barge from the builder who had repaired it, and it was just as plain that they had adopted the stroke of the Beach Hill barges.
"The Topovers are helping them," said Oscar, who watched the Dasher with the closest attention.
"I see they are," replied Dory; "and they are making very good headway."
A Topover had been placed on the thwart with each student as far as their number would permit. Mad Twinker was in charge of the head boat, and he was driving his crew to the limit of their power. But the Goldwing, even in the higher wind near the weather shore, could make two miles to the Dasher's one. Matt was directed to run close to the quarter of the Gildrock; and the schooner came up with her not a moment too soon, for in spite of Thad's best efforts, the Dasher was all ready to pounce upon her intended victim. The Racer had continued on her former course, and was making for the Winooski. It was clear that they intended to capture both boats. When they had done this probably the Chesterfields would be satisfied that they had got even with the Beech-Hillers for the humiliation of the day before.
The Goldwing was almost before the wind, and she was surging down upon the Dasher with tremendous speed and power. The Chesterfields did not look behind them, and they could not have failed to take notice of the Winooski's drill on the preceding day. Mad Twinker had no little nerve, but he was appalled at the rushing, surging, roaring approach of the Goldwing.
"Sheer off, or I shall run into you!" shouted Dory, on the half deck of the schooner. "If you meddle with the Gildrock I'll smash your boat."
Mad could stand it no longer, and he let go one tiller line, and pulled on the other with all his might. The Dasher whirled around in obedience to her helm. The Goldwing came about; Dory hove his long line to the Gildrock, and she was dragged out into the rough sea, out of the way of her assailant. But the Winooski was by this time in the same peril, and the schooner hastened to her assistance.
Wash Barker, the former coxswain of the Racer, had resigned his office partly because he declined to adopt a policy as vigorous as his followers desired. Probably his successor possessed the qualities which Wash lacked. Jeff Monroe had seen the Dasher cheated out of her prey, as he regarded it, and he knew he was sure to be condemned by his associates if he failed to capture the Winooski.
Nim Splugger was in the barge with him, and this worthy assured the coxswain that Dory would not dare to run into him. It was all bully in his opinion. The crew expressed their disapprobation in very emphatic terms at the weakness of Mad Twinker in allowing himself to be cheated out of his game.
The Goldwing had been obliged to beat up to the position of the Winooski, and her approach was not so appalling as when she neared the Dasher. But she had gone well to windward so as to get a good full, and she was making at least eight knots when she came within hailing distance of the Racer. Dory gave the same warning as before, and repeated it several times. But the Racer did not budge. Her crew were all ready to leap into the Winooski.
Dory had fully made up his mind to smash the Racer. A collision would certainly accomplish her destruction. It was probable that the Goldwing would bear the barge under her bottom, and thus go over her. The coxswain and all his crew were very ignorant in regard to the management of a boat, and could not realize the peril to which they were exposing themselves.
Probably most of the crew of the Racer could not swim, and, even if they could, some of them might be seriously injured if the schooner went over the barge. There was more than a possibility that one or more lives might be lost in the encounter. The skipper of the Goldwing shuddered when he thought of such a catastrophe. At the worst, the Chesterfields could only capture the Winooski; and that would not kill or hurt anyone. It was not a case of life and death; in fact it was nothing more than a frolic on the part of the Chesterfields.
In another instant the Goldwing would strike the Racer, and the calamity the skipper dreaded must come, either in whole or in part. If he "backed down," Oscar would laugh at him, and his other companions would rail at him for timidity. But Dory had the moral courage to brave any censure or sarcasm rather than expose the lives of the enemy.
"Down with the helm, Matt!" shouted he with startling energy.
Matt promptly obeyed, and the sails of the schooner shook in the wind.
"What did you do that for, Dory?" demanded Oscar Chester, utterly disgusted at the backing down of the skipper.
But there was no time to answer the question. Instead of striking the Racer, the Goldwing was struck by the barge on her broadside. But the blow came at an angle of about forty-five degrees, and the stem slid off by the stern. Still it was a hard rap, and the yacht shook under its force. Doubtless her side was dented and scraped, but she sustained no injury of any consequence.
"Keep your places, fellows!" yelled Jeff Monroe, as the rowers began to stand up and think how they should save themselves, for they thought the barge was smashed in the collision. "We are all right! Keep your places!"
The Racer was not injured, but she was thrown from her course, and brought up with her stern alongside the schooner. Two of her spoon oars were broken, and two more of them lost overboard, for all the starboard oars had been swept from the rowlocks by the contact with the yacht. The crew were in utter confusion, for their discipline was not proof against such a scene as that which had just transpired.
"Do you mean to drown us all?" demanded Jeff. "You have made a pretty mess of it."
"You act as though you intended to drown yourself and your crew," replied Dory, as he directed Matt to fill away again.
"We shall get even with you yet!" retorted Jeff angrily.
The barge had come about, so that she was now in the trough of the sea, though the waves were not heavy; but the motion served to increase the confusion on board of her. The crew obeyed the order of the coxswain to keep their seats for the simple reason that they could not stand up in the rolling craft. In a few minutes Jeff had brought something like order out of the snarl.
The discipline on board proved to be not more than skin deep, for about every one of the crew had something to say, and a general jaw ensued. Some of them blamed and scolded their coxswain, and hard words were used before the Goldwing was out of hearing distance. The first business, when the grumblers had "talked out," was to pick up the oars and the pieces; and, by the time this was done, the Winooski was out in the heaviest of the sea. The Goldwing stood off and on between the fleet she was protecting and the barges of the Chesterfields. The Dasher had gone to the assistance of the Racer.
"What under the canopy made you back down, Dory?" asked Oscar, in a more gentlemanly tone than he had used before when he alluded to the subject.
"If one of those fellows had been drowned, I should not have forgiven myself to my dying day," replied Dory.
"There was no danger of drowning any of them," added Oscar.
"I don't believe many of them can swim, and I think the Goldwing would have gone over the Racer. Some of them might have been disabled, so that they could not have swum, even if they had known how. In a word my conscience would not let me run into the barge when it came to the scratch. Though we may look upon the taking of any of our boats as a serious thing, after all it was only a frolic on the part of the Topovers and the Chesterfields. I could not risk killing or drowning a single one of them. That's the whole of it."
"It would not have been your fault if one of them had been drowned, or even half a dozen of them," replied Oscar.
"I think it would have been. If no one had been drowned or hurt in the collision, some people would have thought we were smart. If a single life had been lost, they would have said that the affair was nothing but a boys' frolic, and that we had no right to proceed to such an extreme measure as running into the barge half a mile from the shore," argued Dory. "Those fellows are not used to the water, and half a dozen of them might have been drowned. I am perfectly satisfied now with what I did."
"Though I was as much carried away by the excitement of the moment as any of you, and was in favor of running into the barge, I think you did just right, Dory," added Matt Randolph, convinced by the skipper's logic.
"On cool second thought, I am willing to admit that Dory was right," said Oscar, as he glanced at the Chesterfield fleet. "We saved the Winooski after all, and that was what we were fighting for."
"Those fellows have had enough of it for the present," chuckled Matt. "They are pulling for the point where we landed Tom Topover, and very likely they are going to pick him up."
"But we have no further business over here, and we will go home," said Dory; and Matt headed the Goldwing for the mouth of the river.
"The Chesterfields will never be content to leave things as they are now," suggested Oscar. "I know if I were one of them I should try to get even with you."
"By and by they will learn to row a boat in a sea, and know something about handling their craft; and then they will make a visit to Beech Hill," added Matt.
"I think we shall be able to take care of ourselves," replied Dory, shrugging his shoulders like a Frenchman.
"It looks as though they had formed an alliance with the Topovers, and I am confident that Tom will never be satisfied until he has had a fight with Dory and been thoroughly whipped," prophesied Oscar, who was sure that the skipper could do it "every time."
With the fresh breeze the four row-boats made good time across the lake, and were going into the river when the Goldwing dashed past them. This time Matt brought the schooner up to the wharf without getting aground; but at the V point, Dory gave him the bearings by which he steered through this bad place with the current, and was confident that his friend would never stick there again when he had any kind of fair play.
Captain Gildrock, with the instructors, were on the wharf when the Goldwing arrived. The news of the taking of the boats by the Topovers had been circulated in the town, and the principal was somewhat disturbed by the occurrence, not especially by the stealing of the barges, but more by his fears of what might result from a battle between the students and the marauders. When Bates, who had learned the particulars from Mr. Jepson, told him that Dory Dornwood was in command of the expedition which had gone out to recover the boats, he was somewhat relieved of his anxiety; for he had a great deal of confidence in the skipper's judgment and discretion, though there was no knowing what boys would do when they were excited.
"Where are the boats, Dornwood?" asked Captain Gildrock, as soon as the party landed.
"They are coming up the river, sir," replied Dory.
"And where are Tom Topover and his gang?"
"We left them on the other side of the lake." Dory proceeded, without any further questions, to make his report of the taking of the barges, and the means by which he had recovered possession of them. He stated the facts just as they were, without flourish or ornament, even to the intention they had of smashing the Racer by running into her.
"I am heartily rejoiced that you did not do anything of that kind!" exclaimed Captain Gildrock, with a considerable show of emotion for him. "Nothing could have justified you in resorting to such a desperate measure, unless it was to save life or honor. If one of those boys had lost his life, it would have been the ruin of the Beech Hill Industrial School; for popular opinion would have set against us, and we could not have stemmed the tide."
"I was terribly excited when I thought of doing it," pleaded Dory.
"You have done well, my lad; you have behaved splendidly; but the biggest and best thing you have done was to renounce a bad intention," added the principal, earnestly. "I cannot look upon this affair as anything more than a boys' racket, and I am exceedingly thankful that no catastrophe has come out of it."
"Should you excuse the Topovers for stealing the boat on the ground that it was nothing but a racket, a frolic, something done for the fun of it?" asked Matt Randolph very seriously.
"By no means; I would prosecute them for stealing the boats if it were likely to result in anything but a fine which their poor parents would have to pay," replied the captain. "No one should do wrong for the fun of it; but there is such a thing as exaggerating a serious matter beyond its proper proportions."
The arrival of the boats ended the conversation. Dinner was ready, and everything proceeded at the institution in its usual order. The rebels each dined alone in his room.
After dinner the students resumed their study of the plans for the boat-house and wharf. Some of them went over to the grove in the afternoon, but nothing more was seen of the Topovers that day. The lake was too rough to admit of the Chesterfields bringing them over in their barges. Probably the young gentlemen of the Collegiate Institute got enough of them before night.
The next morning the lake was smooth, and the two barges brought the marauders to the head of Porter's Bay. Some of the Beech Hill students were in the grove at the time, for it was a quiet place to work on the plans. Bolly Millweed spent the whole day there, seated on the shore where he could see the whole water front of the opposite side of the lake.
The other students were not deeply absorbed in their study of architecture, and they observed with interest the landing of the Topovers. The Chesterfields appeared to be on excellent terms with their allies, and quite a conference took place between them on the shore. Doubtless the Beech Hill students were the subjects of the conversation, for the Topovers frequently pointed in the direction of the estate, and seemed to be explaining the nature of the locality to their patrons.
Mad Twinker and Jeff Monroe walked up the hill to the centre of the grove, where they could see Beech Hill Lake and the school buildings. But the visitors soon returned to the other side of the lake, and the Topovers went to their homes. Most of the latter had been truants from school, and very likely many of them were punished for their misconduct either by their parents or their teachers.
Of course a great deal was said by the students at liberty about the rebels; but those who wore the uniform were emphatic in their condemnation of those who refused to put it on. The rebels were still required to stay in their rooms, and their meals were sent in to them. Each of them had been fitted by the tailor, and had taken his uniform to his own apartment.
The principal had sent word to them that, when they desired to return to their duties, all they had to do was to put on the uniform and take their places with their schoolmates. Although they were forbidden to communicate with one another or with the other members of the school, it is probable that each one knew what the others were doing.
The rebellion had not worked as they intended and expected. Lew Shoreham had been appointed the orator of the malcontents, and the battle was to be fought out with words in the schoolroom. This was not the principal's way of dealing with such cases. He gave the "jingo" element no chance at all.
On one of the first days of the school he detected a couple of students in the act of engaging in a fight. Investigation showed that there was no grievance between the parties, and the battle was to see which was "the best man." He locked them both up in the machine shop, and gave them two hours to ascertain which was the best man. With no one to witness the encounter they did not care to fight, and came out good friends.
The rebels could not help feeling that their enterprise had already "come to grief." Lew Shoreham's argument had been prepared, but it was unspoken, and was likely to remain so while its author pined in the solitude of his chamber. The malcontents could not confer together, for Bates would not allow any two of them to meet in the halls. Bart Cornwall tried to talk with Lick Milton in the next room, but the remorseless jailer threatened to put him in the black hole if he said another word; and he did not.
Each rebel, therefore, was compelled to think and act for himself. He could not lean on his leader or his companions. Life Windham was one of the most restless under his confinement. He liked to know what was going on, and he found himself shut out from the world and all that was in it. The principal had begun his announcement of the prizes for the best plans when the conspiracy broke out. Life concluded that he must have deferred the business till the rebellion was disposed of, and he wondered what he had said to the rest of the students about the refusal to wear the uniform.
Life fretted and worried over his situation until after dinner of the second day. Then he went over the whole subject of the uniform in his own mind. He thought he was abused and persecuted, but he could stand it no longer. Impulsively he put on the uniform which hung at the head of his bed. It was a good fit and he thought he looked well in it. He tried on the cap with the monogram in front. It was neat and plain, and the only objection he had to it was that it was part of the uniform.
He was so anxious to learn what was going on at the school, and what the principal had said about the rebels when they left, that he went out into the hall. Bates was on his feet the instant the door was opened. The old man smiled when he saw that Windham wore the uniform, and as the ex-rebel passed him, he saluted him as politely as though he had never been his prisoner.
The dormitory was located near the rocks, at a little distance from the lake, which could not be seen from its windows. Life Windham knew nothing at all about the stealing of the boats by the Topovers, and the lively scenes on the lake in the forenoon. It was after one o'clock, and the students ought to be in the shops. He went there, but they were deserted.
Life concluded that the principal had given the rest of the students a vacation as a reward of merit for not joining the rebellion. He walked to the lake. Seated in one of the four-oar boats, busily engaged in drawing on a large sheet of brown paper, he found Dory. As stroke-oarsman the ex-rebel sat next to the coxswain in the Winooski, and he was more intimate with him than with any other student. When Dory saw him getting into the boat, he rolled up his drawings, and put a rubber band around them.
"Hallo, Dory!" said Life, as he walked aft in the boat.
"Glad to see you, Life," replied the coxswain. "You look well in the new uniform."
"I couldn't stay in my room any longer, but I have not changed my opinion in regard to making us wear a uniform," added Life, who could not even now back wholly down. "But what are you doing? Why are the fellows not in the shops?"
"One question at a time. I am trying to make a plan for a boat-house. The principal gave the students three days to get up their plans, and they are to be handed in day after to-morrow morning."
"Did the principal offer the prizes?" asked Life, astonished that it had been done in the absence of the rebels.
"Of course he did; he had opened the subject before you left the schoolroom."
"But I thought he would put it off after one third of the whole school had left."
"He don't do things in that way," added Dory.
"But what are the conditions? Perhaps I am not too late, for I had some ideas about a plan."
"We are not allowed to speak to anyone about the plans," answered Dory. "Every fellow is put on his honor to say nothing to anyone about them."
"Then the eight fellows that object to being dressed like monkeys are to be shut out from the competition!" exclaimed Life indignantly. "That is about as unfair as anything can be."
"You had the same chance that the rest of us had, and you chose to stay in your room rather than hear the terms on which the prizes were to be given."
"We were standing up for a principle."
"Whew!" whistled Dory laughing. "The principle that you won't wear the colors of the Beech Hill Industrial School."
"The principle that we won't be punished for the sins of others," retorted Life smartly.
"You are wrong on the fact, as I have shown you before."
"It's no use to argue the point with you: if the principal had only been fair enough to hear what Lew Shoreham had to say, we should have been fully justified."
"He never argues the point with those who refuse to obey."
"No matter. Have you heard anything more from the Chesterfields?"
"We had a smart brush with them this forenoon," answered the coxswain; and he proceeded to tell the whole story of the encounter with the Topovers and their allies.
Life Windham listened with breathless interest. It was the liveliest affair of the whole season, and he had been shut up in his room. He was vexed and indignant that he had not been permitted to take a hand in the stirring enterprise. When he had finished the narrative Dory wanted to work on his plan, and Life left him. He found all the other students at liberty were engaged in the same way.
Life had to spend the afternoon by himself. Late in the day he saw Bob Swanton come out of the dormitory with the uniform on. He was just beginning to ask himself if he had not been a traitor to the "cause," and to the rebels engaged in it. He was glad to see one of them. Life was pleased to have a companion, and they talked over the situation.
"Not the least notice seems to have been taken of us," said Swanton.
"Not the slightest," added Life. "Why, the principal did not even say a single word about us after we left the schoolroom, and has not mentioned us in any way."
"He is the oddest principal I ever heard of. I suppose he will let the fellows stay in their rooms all winter," continued Bob Swanton, who had pluck enough to fight, but not enough to be ignored.
"I have come to the conclusion that Lew Shoreham ought to have made his argument when the order to put on the uniform was given," said Life, rather sheepishly; "for the principal was certainly ready to hear all the fellows had to say at that time. Lew didn't say a word about punishing us for the sins of others then."
"I asked him why he did not, and he said he had not thought of it at that time."
But the supper-bell ended the discussion, and the two ex-rebels went to the house with the other students. Captain Gildrock saw them, but he made no remark of any kind about their return to duty, or the fact that they wore the uniform. The rest of the students seemed to be glad to see them, but they would not allude to the rebellion.
The next morning. Harry Franklin and Phil Gawner appeared in uniform; and at night only Lew Shoreham remained a prisoner. The next morning the plans for the prizes were to be handed in, and when the school had assembled, quite a number of the students had rolls of drawings in their hands; but many of them had nothing to show for their three days' study of architecture and engineering.
At the appointed hour the principal came in and took his place on the platform. A moment later Lew Shoreham entered in full uniform, with the cap in his hand.
"May I be permitted to make an explanation?" said the last of the rebels, rising in his seat.
"In my private office at the close of the school," replied Captain Gildrock.
That was not what the chief rebel wanted.
"I wish to protest——"
"Take your seat, Shoreham!" interposed the principal very sternly.
The last of the rebels obeyed, and did not appear to be at all angry or indignant. Possibly he was about to protest in order to save appearances. Most of the students smiled as they saw the young orator deprived of his only chance to plead the cause to which he had been a martyr for the last three days.
Captain Gildrock repeated the terms on which the prizes were to be given, so that there should be no mistake in regard to them. The ex-rebels listened, though the subject had little interest in the competition, for they had ruled themselves out of it. Not the remotest allusion was made to their misconduct.
"I have invited three gentlemen to spend a few days with me," continued the principal. "One of them is an architect, another is a civil engineer, and the third is a salesman in a hardware store in Boston. They will form the committee to award the prizes for the best plans. They will arrive this forenoon, and as soon as they come to a decision, I shall inform you of the result."
The captain then instructed Mr. Darlingby to receive the plans and make sure that there was no distinguishing mark on any of them except the character on the envelope containing the name of the competitor. He was to retain the envelopes and lock them up in the safe. As a further precaution he was required to paste a piece of paper over the character on the plans so that even this could not be seen by the committee.
The principal then left the schoolroom, declining even to see the rolls of drawings. As soon as he had gone, sixteen plans were presented. This was a greater number than the principal had expected. Mr. Darlingby carried out the instructions given him, and sent the drawings to the mansion house. The studies of the classes proceeded as usual during the forenoon.
The three gentlemen who were expected appeared at dinner, and the students regarded them with interest. In the afternoon they visited the shops and inspected the tools and machinery. The first class were now at work as carpenters, and the second as machinists.
"As soon as we have decided on the plans, all the students will be carpenters for a time," said Captain Gildrock, who explained his plans with considerable enthusiasm to the visitors. "I intend that the students shall do almost all the work of building the new boat-house, though I shall have laborers enough to do the lifting and digging."
"You have excellent tools and machinery in every department," suggested Mr. Plint, the architect.
"Good tools do a great deal towards making good workmen," replied the principal. "Every student has been instructed how to keep his tools in good order. Of course there is a difference in them so far as skill is concerned, but everyone can grind a chisel or plane-iron."
"One of the boys invented a piece of apparatus by which any desired bevel can be given to a tool at the grindstone," interposed Mr. Jepson, as he exhibited the machine to the visitors.
It was simply an iron plate, taken from a useless invention, and set at the edge of the stone. It could be adjusted at any angle for a long or a short bevel. Some of the work done with it was shown, and the guests said it was as true as could be done by the manufacturers. On a bench near the grindstone, which was turned by steam, were oil-stones of two kinds, one rather coarse and the other fine. Lew Shoreham was putting a chisel in order at one of them.
"That is the inventor of the grinding apparatus," said Mr. Jepson.
Shoreham was a lion for the time, and the visitors were introduced to him. He was highly commended for his inventive power. When he had finished whetting the chisel, Mr. Plint examined it, and declared that it was sharp enough to shave with.
Thus far about all the work done by the students had been in fitting up the shops, though each one had made a dressing-case for his room. In the middle and at each end of the carpenters' shop was a case containing forty-nine small drawers, which had been made by Corny Minkfield, Steve Baxter and Ned Bellows, who were reckoned the best workmen in the second class. They were natural mechanics, though they were rather low in scholarship.
"But do they like to work?" asked Mr. Bridges, the civil engineer.
"They would work here from the time they get out of bed in the morning till dark if we would let them," replied Mr. Brookbine. "I don't know that they are particularly fond of the hard work of sawing and planing, though we do most of it by machinery. But in every job there is a great deal of variety; and this makes even the hard work easy. The boys are all the time studying out how to do it, and this affords them a sort of excitement which amounts to fascination."
"What are those trap-doors at the end of each bench?" asked Mr. Ritchie, the salesman.
"Those are a device of one of the boys," replied the master carpenter. "Captain Gildrock rightly insists that the shops shall be kept as neat as the parlor in the house. Formerly the shavings had to be taken up and put into barrels, which were conveyed to the engine-room, under the machine shop."
Mr. Brookbine pulled a small cord under the bench, which opened one of the trap-doors. Slipping the cord into a slot, a knot held the cover in place. Each student was provided with a long and a short handled dust brush, which were hung up at each end of the bench. He was required frequently to sweep his chips and shavings down the trap.
"Phil Gawner is the author of this device. He has also projected a wooden railroad, by which the shavings can be received into cars under the traps, and conveyed to the furnace-room. The boys are not mechanics enough yet to build the cars; but probably it will be done one of these days."
"What sort of a machine is that?" asked Mr. Flint, pointing to a piece of apparatus that hung upon the wall.
It was a square piece of plank eighteen inches across, in which a quarter of a circle had been cut out at one corner. In the middle of it another square piece of plank had been fastened, and on each side of the quarter circle were two wooden screws.
"That is an invention of Jim Alburgh. I call it an invention, though others may have used the same thing, for it is original with this student," replied Mr. Brookbine. "You see the frames containing the printed regulations of the school. The boys made these frames. They had a great deal of difficulty in holding the parts securely while they nailed the corners. Jim devised this apparatus. The two parts, when mitred, are screwed up in this thing, and held together as firmly as though they had grown into the position."
Some pieces of plain turning were shown to the visitors, but not much time had been devoted to the lathes. In this part of the shop were observed the same tendency to "improve things," and the same skill in remedying defects, inventing apparatus to secure facility or correctness in the work. One fellow had devised a plan to prevent a band from running off the speed-wheels; another had arranged a shelf to hold his tools while he was at work; and a third had adjusted a marker on his rest with which he could lay out the distances on his wood.
"The boys seem to be as much interested as though they were engaged in a game of base ball," said Mr. Bridges.
"They would leave a game of base ball any time to work in the shops," replied Captain Gildrock. "Of course Mr. Brookbine and Mr. Jepson have to adapt the work to the students, and see that there is variety enough in it to keep their minds active. If they set them to sawing, planing, filing or boring iron, simply to learn how to do these things, they would soon get disgusted. They want to 'make something;' and while they are doing so, they don't mind the strain on the bones and muscles. I don't know how they will take to framing the new building, for that is hard labor, and spruce timber is hard to work."
"With good tools in good order they will do very well; and building the house is a big thing for boys to do," added the master carpenter. "By the way, we have no framing tools."
"You are not a drummer, Mr. Ritchie, but I dare say you will take an order when you return," added the principal, laughing.
"Always ready to sell goods," replied the salesman. "I have no samples of the goods you want," added Mr. Ritchie.
"All our tools and machinery came from Wilkinson's, and I am willing to buy without seeing a sample," continued Captain Gildrock.
The shipmaster had made the acquaintance of John Ritchie while purchasing the tools and machinery for the school. He was a model salesman, and the captain had taken a great fancy to him. He had invited him to spend his vacation at Beech Hill, and as an excuse for paying his travelling expenses, he had invited him to serve on the committee to award the prizes.
"What tools do we need, Mr. Brookbine?" asked the principal. "I thought you gave me lists of all that would be wanted."
"When I did so I had no idea that the boys would ever have occasion to frame a building. The first things we want are a steel square and compasses for each student, for I intend to have the boys lay out the work as well as do it; that is, after the general plan for framing the house is arranged. Everyone must learn to use the square and compass."
"Square and compasses," added the captain, laughing. "We use a compass on board of a vessel."
"You are right, captain; the dividers are properly compasses, and they ought always to be called so to distinguish them from the marine instrument, but many carpenters use the word in the singular form. The square and compasses, with a set of framing chisels and a few more heavy mallets than we have, will be all the different articles we shall need."
Captain Gildrock gave the order at once, and Mr. Ritchie wrote it down. After a survey of the schoolroom and the dormitory, the visitors were taken to the lake. Bates pulled them over to the grove and they carefully looked over the shores on both sides in preparation for the examination of the plans. The next morning they engaged in their work upon the plans submitted. The master carpenter and the master machinist were added to the committee at the request of the visitors. The following day was Saturday, and a grand excursion around Lake Champlain was arranged for the guests.
After breakfast the students put on their steamer uniform, and took their stations on board of the Sylph. The visitors were greatly amused as well as delighted when they saw the students in their places on board. The attentive scholar of the schoolroom, the inventor in the workshops had become a cook, a waiter, a pilot, or a deck hand. Mr. Plint insisted that it was all decidedly funny.
They looked with wonder at Oscar Chester at the wheel in the pilot-house, where he had the helm alone. But he knew what he was about, though Dory Dornwood, the first pilot, kept a close watch upon the movements of the steam yacht. The dinner was not only elaborate but excellent; and the visitors returned to Beech Hill deeply impressed by what they had seen.
On Monday morning they were ready to report on the plans.