The students gathered in the schoolroom as usual on Monday morning. There was no little excitement, even among those who had no interest in the prizes, for it had been announced that the awards would be made at this time. So closely had every student who had any ideas in regard to the plan or location kept them to himself, that no one could even make a guess as to who would get the prizes.
"We have found some merit in all the plans," said Mr. Plint, who was the chairman of the committee. "We agreed that it was a tremendous undertaking for young gentlemen under twenty to plan a wharf and a building, and it was hardly to be expected that a single one of their efforts would be acceptable. But all have had the benefit of the thought and study the subject has given them, and the unsuccessful ones may reap a harvest in the future from it of a thousandfold more value than the prizes.
"We are unanimous in our conclusion, and we come to the award without any doubt or hesitation. It is no discredit to the students to say that the plans to which the prizes were awarded were the only ones which were practicable. In some the building was twice as large as necessary, with a large portion of the space within it wasted. In others it would cost a million dollars to carry out the ideas of the competitor.
"In one it would be impossible for the steamer to come up to the wharf without backing on a stern-line. One did not put a single window in his building, even for the hall; and another supplied no stairs by which the second story could be reached. In one instance, the dressing-rooms could only be reached by going up stairs, and passing through the hall.
"But some of the plans which contain the greatest defects also include some of the most meritorious features. The successful plan for the boat-house and the one for the wharf and location are admirably fitted to each other. The committee visited the locality, and carefully examined the natural structure of the land and the depth of water. The fortunate competitor has taken advantage of the formation of the shore for the wharf and the docks for the row-boats; but it would be impossible to erect the buildings according to most of the plans."
"Was the plan for the building that fitted this location best selected for that reason, sir?" asked Ben Ludlow.
"A pertinent question, young gentleman," replied Mr. Plint, with a smile. "The committee awarded the prize for the building before they considered or even looked at the plans for the wharf and location. We decided upon the merits of the plan for the boat-house so that its fitness for the locality might not influence us. I need not say anything more, except to repeat that all the plans, in spite of the defects that may be found in them, contain much that is creditable to amateur architects and engineers."
As he finished his remarks, he handed two rolls of drawings to the principal. The students gazed at them eagerly, but there was nothing about them which enabled any student to determine to whom they belonged. A kind of buff wrapping-paper was provided for rough drawings, and, as all the scholars had used this article, the rolls were just alike.
"I am satisfied that the committee have acted with the utmost fairness, though I have not been present at any of their sessions," said Captain Gildrock.
"I wish to say for myself and Mr. Jepson, that we have not the remotest suspicion to whom the prizes have been awarded," interposed Mr. Brookbine. "The handwriting of the boys is so nearly the same thing that it gave us no clew to the winner."
"If any student has any objections to make to the fairness of this transaction, now is the time, and the only time there will be, to make them," added the principal.
At this remark Lew Shoreham rose from his seat, and the boys wondered if he intended to deliver the oration he had prepared as a protest against a uniform.
"I am sorry to feel obliged to object—not, I beg to say, in the most emphatic manner,—to the fairness of the committee," the last of the rebels began, pluming himself for a speech which promised, as usual, to be of considerable length. "Our honored principal was kind enough to say the 'fairness of this transaction,' from which I infer that the whole subject of the plans and prizes is included."
"Certainly," added the principal rather brusquely, as though he understood what was coming. "But you must confine yourself to the subject now before the school."
"That is my intention," replied Shoreham, with a polite bow to the head of the school. "The objection I feel compelled to make is, that nearly one third of the school—eight out of twenty-six, to speak with mathematical accuracy—have been shut out from the competition."
Mr. Bridges had to stuff half his pocket handkerchief into his mouth to ward off an outburst of laughter at the high-flown speech of the speaker, and the other members of the committee were equally amused, though their risibles were more controllable.
"Eight of the students of this useful institution, some of whom had ideas in the sublime science of architecture, and in the equally important subject of civil engineering, were prevented from embodying those ideas in the form of plans, and presenting them for consideration in this competition," Shoreham proceeded, evidently believing that he had produced a sensation in the committee.
"What prevented them from competing for the prizes, Shoreham?" asked the matter-of-fact principal, who had not a great stock of patience under the infliction of a high-flown speech.
"The eight students alluded to unfortunately differed from the authority of the school, and from a majority of their fellow-students, in a matter relating to the discipline of the institution. They were sentenced to confinement in their several apartments. While they were thus compulsorily absent from the usual assemblage of the students"—
Mr. Bridges could stand it no longer; the handkerchief failed as a preventive, and he had to indulge in a fit of audible laughter, in which the other members of the committee politely joined.
"This was a solemn and important matter to the students alluded to," continued Shoreham, with the utmost seriousness, for he could not tell, for the life of him, what the fat civil engineer was laughing at. "It involved their rights and privileges. While they were thus excluded, by authority which they were too loyal to disregard"—
"And Bates was too vigilant to permit them to disregard," the principal, now as much amused as his guests, interjected.
"Without introducing any unnecessary details, I need only say that the eight students, whose deportment was usually unobjectionable, and who habitually discharged with fidelity their obligations to the institution and its respected founder, were excluded, by authority, from the particular assemblage of the pupils in which the prizes were offered for the plan and location. The other students were forbidden to speak with any persons in regard to the plans, and the eight were unable to obtain the terms of the offer, and were thus circumstantially shut out from the competition. For myself and the other students who were thus unjustly excluded, I wish to protest against the award about to be made, and to suggest that the offer be repeated, so that the eight may have the opportunity to stand on the same footing as their fellow-students."
"As I am charged with injustice and unfairness, I should like to have the committee settle this question," said Captain Gildrock, who appeared to be in an unusual mood for him, for he was laughing as merrily as the stout civil engineer. "I will agree to abide by your decision, gentlemen."
"For myself and my associates whom I represent, I assent to this magnanimous proposition," replied Shoreham.
From motives of delicacy the committee objected to deciding the matter, but, at the request of the captain, they finally consented, regarding the whole business as a farce rather than a matter of serious importance. The students were rather impatient, for they wanted to know to whom the prizes had been awarded, and most of the rebels were satisfied that they had been in the wrong.
Shoreham had already stated the question, and the chairman, declaring that they understood it perfectly, declined to allow Shoreham to make another speech.
"You were shut up in your room, and could not find out the terms of the offer; that's the whole thing in a nutshell, isn't it?" said Mr. Bridges, turning to the orator of the rebels.
"The question you ask, sir, naturally and logically involves the reason why we were confined to our apartments," replied Shoreham,—and this seemed to be the place where the oration could be properly introduced.
"Dry up, Lew!" called Windham, in a whisper loud enough to be heard by all in the room, calling forth a burst of laughter.
"If we were properly and justly incarcerated"—
Mr. Bridges exploded again.
"Never mind that, Mr. Shoreham," interposed the chairman of the committee.
chuckled the civil engineer.
"We were acting on principle, sir," said Shoreham warmly.
"Exactly so!" exclaimed the jolly Mr. Bridges. "Let me tell you of a terrible outrage inflicted on one of my neighbors in a small town in another State. His name was on the voting-list, but when the day of election came, he was not allowed to vote. He was robbed of the dearest right of an American citizen. He was ruthlessly debarred from constitutionally expressing his choice for a governor of the State. Wasn't it awful?"
"I should say that it was an outrage, as you called it in the beginning. But why was he debarred from his right?" asked the orator.
"He was shut up in the house of correction," laughed the fat committee-man.
"Oh, for some crime!" exclaimed the representative of the rebels.
"That depends upon how you look at it. He did not regard that for which he was shut up as a crime; in fact, he was acting on principle," chuckled the jolly disputant. "He claimed that it was right to sell liquor, though the law of the State made it a crime. At any rate, his business was such that he could not leave, even to vote. His case was just like yours, only a great deal worse, Mr. Shoreham."
The students indulged in a round of hearty applause, and the orator found it utterly impossible to meet the argument contained in this parallel case. He subsided. Captain Gildrock was satisfied with the decision of the committee, and so were all the students, with the possible exception of Shoreham. The papers that covered the characters on the two rolls were removed by Mr. Darlingby, and the same one appeared on both of them.
"Both prizes have been awarded to the same student, I see," said the principal, while the instructor went for the envelopes.
The character was the Greek letter Beta, and the two envelopes, thus indorsed, were handed to the principal. There was intense excitement when he opened them.
"Bolingbroke Millweed," Captain Gildrock read from the enclosures of both, and a round of applause followed.
Bolingbroke Millweed was a good scholar and a fair mechanic, but both instructors and students were astonished when both prizes were awarded to him. He had formerly been a "swell," but he had entirely recovered from the malady which made him such. Only a few weeks before he was too proud to work with his hands.
His pride, or rather vanity, had kept down his manhood, and made of him what the genuine boy called a "donkey." His father had become the "head of the family," at home, and introduced a new order of things. The two sons were in the Beech Hill School, and the two girls were not only earning their own living, but were doing a great deal towards the support of the family.
The new order of things had placed Bolly, as everyone called him, on his own proper level. It had developed faculties which had been dormant, and made him a useful as well as a sensible young man. The result of the competition proved that he had talent of a high order, and that the industrial school was bringing it out.
Bolly was fairly popular among his associates, though there was nothing magnetic about him. He was not likely to become a leader among men, but Mr. Plint thought he had the right kind of ability to make a good architect. The practical education he was now receiving was exactly what he needed. While he was learning to draw, he was also obtaining a knowledge of practical carpentry and work in metals, as well as an insight into other trades.
The boys had given the successful competitor a liberal demonstration of applause, which proved that they had no ill-will or jealousy; of if they had, they were ashamed to manifest it. The excitement had been intense, and it did not seem to moderate after the prizes had been awarded. The students wanted to know all about the plans and the location, and how the wharf was to be built.
Captain Gildrock took from his pocket a couple of fifty-dollar bills, and laid them on the desk, and Bolly was called to the platform. Another round of applause greeted him, and the principal did not object to it. The victor was formally introduced to each of the visitors, who took him by the hand and congratulated him upon his success. Mr. Bridges said he could not help laughing when he thought of the triumphant architect doing duty as third fireman in the hold of the Sylph.
"If this boy should happen to become an architect in the future, do you suppose that what he learns in the fireroom of the steamer will be any disadvantage to him?" said the principal.
"On the contrary, I think what he learns in any capacity will be of immense value to him," replied the civil engineer earnestly. "In fact, it would be worth all it cost in any calling."
"I noticed that this young gentleman's brother was first cook," added Mr. Plint. "I have often had to get up designs and make drawings for hotels, prisons, insane asylums, and other buildings in which a kitchen was a very important apartment. Now, I am sure, if I had ever been a cook I should have been better fitted to manage the details of such a department."
"An eminent surgeon told me he was sorry he had not learned to be a carpenter or a machinist after he graduated from college, for a knowledge of these arts would make him a better surgeon," Mr. Bridges remarked.
"Now, Millweed," continued the principal, "the students want to know all about your plans,"—and this observation was greeted with a clapping of hands. "I propose that you shall tell them yourself, and explain your plans in full." This remark was applauded. "There is a large, clean blackboard behind you, and you may do it in your own way."
"I am no orator, as Brutus is," replied Bolly, blushing.
"Brutus Shoreham!" exclaimed one of the boys, and all the assembly laughed; and from that time the last of the rebels was called Brutus by the students oftener than anything else.
"I am afraid I can't speak well enough to make myself understood," said Bolly, as he looked nervously at the blackboard and then at the students.
"You need not declaim it; only tell what your plans are, just as you would explain them to one of your companions over in the grove," added Captain Gildrock, encouragingly.
"I will try, sir. Shall I explain the building, or the location first," asked Bolly.
"Suit yourself, Millweed."
"Then I will begin with the location," replied the successful competitor, as he took a crayon and turned to the blackboard, where he rapidly sketched the shore-line of the northeast corner of Beech Hill Lake.
This part of the lake formed a considerable bay, abreast of which was the school building and shops, while the dormitory was near the rocks at the foot of Beech Hill. About one third of the way across the lake was a low peninsula, whose surface was nearly flat, and not more than three feet above the usual level of the lake. This point projected out into the lake about ten rods, and formed the western shore of the bay,—called by the boys Hornet Bay, on account of a quarrel some of them had had with insects of that name, in which the hornets got the better of them.
"This is Chowder Point," Bolly began, indicating with the pointer the projection of rocks, which had formerly been much used for picnic purposes. "This is the location I have chosen for the boat-house."
"Why didn't you put it on the other side of the lake?" asked one of the students, who thought it was too far from the old wharf.
"Chowder Point is just the same distance from the shop and schoolroom as the old wharf, and only half the distance from the dormitory," replied Bolly, with patient dignity.
"And about the same distance from the mansion-house," added the principal. "I must ask the students not to interrupt the speaker, and not to ask any more questions until he has finished his explanation."
While the captain was making this remark, Bolly dashed off a parallelogram, rather more than twice as long as it was wide. It covered the end of Chowder Point, the extremity of which extended a short distance outside of it.
"This figure represents the location of the boat-house," continued Bolly, using the pointer. "You observe that about one third of the building is on the land, or rocks, and the rest of it is over the water."
"But where does the wharf come in?" asked an excited student.
"No questions!" interposed the principal. "You need not answer it, Millweed."
"I shall come to the wharf in a few minutes," replied Bolly. "The main building, represented by this parallelogram, is to be ninety-one feet long by thirty-one feet wide,—rather narrow for the length, you will say; but the proportions will be improved a little before I finish."
The speaker took the crayon and marked off the docks for the barges. They opened at the south end of the structure, into Hornet Bay. He had made the inner ends of the two docks something in shape of the bows of the boats, so that the idea could be better obtained by the listeners.
"These docks are fifty-four feet long, and nine feet wide. The space between them is a platform six feet wide. Next to the walls of the building on each side is a platform three feet wide. You will see that I am giving you the plan of the building as well as the location; but this seems to be the most natural way to do it."
Bolly then drew a section of the structure, looking at the south end of it. At the lower part on each side four feet were added to the breadth of the house, increasing it to forty feet, with the allowance for the thickness of the sides. But this addition was only one fourth of the whole height of the house. It had a slanting roof, making the addition what used to be called a "lean-to."
The excitement of the boys increased as Bolly advanced with his plans, and they wondered what this narrow strip on each side of the building could mean. They wanted to ask questions, and it was hard work for them to keep from bursting out into a volley of inquiries. The amateur architect drew a great many lines across this narrow addition, which tended to throw some light on the mystery. But the added strips looked very like a couple of ladders.
"These are the dressing-rooms," Bolly proceeded, when he had finished this part of the drawing. "There are forty of them, as required in the terms, and each of them is four feet by three. From each a door opens to the outside platforms on the docks."
At this point the students took it all in, and a round of applause greeted this feature, which the boys thought was an admirable one. The oarsmen could come out of the dressing-rooms in which they had put on their uniforms, and step directly into the barges.
"These additions to the sides are only six feet high at the eaves and seven at the walls. The lower story of the boat-house is twelve feet high. This leaves five feet of space above the roof of the lean-to,—that's what my father calls the L of his house. In this space are to be ten windows on each side. There are also four windows over the doors at the end of the boat-house by which the barges are to be admitted."
"I think your building will be well lighted, Mr. Millweed," interposed Mr. Plint, thinking the speaker appeared to have some doubts on this point.
"Thank you, sir," replied Bolly, much gratified at the architect's approval. "Six feet from the inner ends of the docks will be a fence, with a gate opposite each platform," continued the speaker, indicating it by a dotted line. "The dressing-rooms end at this fence. Then there is a passage-way ten feet wide across the house. At the shore end of it is the principal entrance."
Bolly then divided the space on the plan north of this passage-way into four parts, and said they were the two storerooms, the sailroom, and the paint shop. Against the sides at this end of the structure he made two more additions, wider than the others. The one on the shore side was for the stairs to the hall; the other was for one of the four-oar boats; and a third was run along the water part of the north end for the other. Bolly explained these features of the plan at some length.
"The wide passageway through the building from the main entrance to the water side of the building leads to the wharf," continued the speaker, pointing to it on his drawing. "You will observe that the great doors on the water side are in the middle of the tip end of Chowder Point. The rock extends only four feet outside of it.
"The wharf is to be in the form of the letter T," Bolly proceeded, drawing this pier in the place where his plan located it. "The cross part, or top of the T, is to be sixty feet from the boat-house, and is to be reached by a wooden bridge ten feet wide, with a single span of fifty-six feet. The landing part of the wharf is a huge caisson, or box, sixty feet long by twelve feet wide, which is to be built at the shore, floated to the place where it is to be located, and sunk with rocks; and the bottom of the lake at this place is almost parallel with the surface of the water."
The students were filled with wonder by these last details.
Bolingbroke finished his explanation without any flourish, and when he had done he stopped, which all orators are not able to do. He was about to take his seat when the volley of questions was discharged at him; and the principal was obliged to interpose so that the inquiries could be dealt with one at a time.
"You need not answer any question, Millweed, unless you are willing to do so," he added.
"I am perfectly willing," said Bolly. "I suppose they have all found some objections to my plans, and I should rather like to hear them. Very likely some of the fellows will put questions that I cannot answer, and I don't believe I shall be able to get over all the objections that will be made."
"I should like to know what the three corners of the boat-house that are over the water are to rest upon," said Will Orwell, when a system of conducting the discussion had been arranged.
"The bottom of the lake is flat rock like the shore. As the water is only from four to four and a half feet deep where the corners come, it will be easy enough to set stone posts on the bottom, not only at the corners, but in as many places as may be necessary," replied the architect.
"Such posts would weigh at least a ton apiece, and I should like to know how we are to handle them," added Will Orwell. "One corner is over sixty feet from the shore, and we have nothing to stand on."
This was just the kind of question the principal liked to have come before the boys, for it assisted in developing their ingenuity, their ability to devise expedients for overcoming difficulties.
"I could mention several ways of doing it," replied Bolly, with a confident smile; "but I will name only the one I thought to be the best for our case. We are to build a caisson, or box, sixty by twelve for the wharf, if my plan is adopted. I propose to build this box first, and use it as a sort of scow or stage in the erection of the boat-house. We need not make the sides more than four feet high at first. We can put some timbers across it, on which a derrick can be placed."
"Excellent!" exclaimed the fat civil engineer.
"But how will you get the stone posts from the quarry to the derrick," continued Will. "We have no vessel in which they can be carried."
"With the timbers to be used in raising the wharf to the required height, we can make a raft on which two or three of the posts can be floated at a time. It can be towed by the Sylph," answered Bolly, who had evidently been over all these details.
"But you can't set these posts under water. If they don't happen to stand plumb, I don't see how you can help yourself," suggested Luke Bennington.
"But we can help ourselves, even if we have to ask the principal to send to Boston or New York for a submarine diver who knows how to lay stone," said Bolly. "I should be willing to take the job of setting the posts plumb without any outside assistance except the stone-cutters at the quarry. The bottom is nearly level, and we can obtain the exact pitch by measuring. We can cut a flat rock to fit the bottom."
"There is still another way," interposed Mr. Bridges.
"I have thought of a coffer-dam," added Bolly, glancing at the visitor.
"Exactly so; that is what I was thinking about," laughed the civil engineer.
"What's a coffer-dam?" demanded Dave Winslow.
"There are several ways to make one," answered Bolly. "We could make an island by filling in earth: then dig out a hole in it the same as we should for a foundation on shore. Another way is to sink a wooden or iron caisson, or box, to the bottom, where it would have to be puddled with clay. Then it would be necessary to pump out the water. When this is done we should have a chance to set the posts just as we should do it on shore."
"It seems to me you don't hit on the easiest and simplest way of doing the job," interposed Mr. Brookbine. "How high will the posts of the boat-house be, Bolly?"
"About thirty feet."
"Very well; rest the posts on the bottom of the pond, where they will have a good foundation," added the master carpenter. "If you take a stick of timber and set it up endways in deep water, one half of it will be below the surface; and in four feet of depth nearly the whole weight of the stick would rest on the bottom. It seems to me this is the simplest way to do it!"
The boys looked at Bolly, and their expression seemed to say, "We have got you now!" But the amateur architect smiled as confidently as ever.
"That plan would do very well in Florida or the West Indies," he replied; whereat the corpulent civil engineer laughed out loud.
"Why not in Vermont?" demanded the carpenter, wondering what Mr. Bridges was laughing at.
"We sometimes have the thermometer twenty degrees below zero, and under the new boat-house the water may freeze to the bottom. When the ice expands, it will be likely to give three corners of the boat-house a lift which the fourth will not get on the solid rock shore. If all the posts were in the water it would be better."
Mr. Brookbine laughed with the civil engineer then, and admitted that he had not thought of the ice.
"But I think it would cost more to stand the posts, thirty feet high, on the ends in the water than it would to build the caissons for coffer-dams," added Mr. Bridges. "I suppose you will raise the building in sections, but you must have something to hold on to in the water, and sink the ends of the posts to the bottom."
"Now, Millweed, you have mentioned several ways of managing the posts in the water, I wish to ask which of these ways you think is the best one," said Captain Gildrock.
"The stone posts," replied Bolly promptly. "With only about four feet of water I think there will be no difficulty in chinking them up at the bottom."
For an hour longer the boys continued to ask questions, and Bolly was not caught in anything, though it is probable that the architect or civil engineer could easily have tripped him up if they had chosen to do so. But the principal announced the suspension of the school for the rest of the forenoon, in order to convey the visitors to Whitehall in the steamer.
Captain Gildrock took up the two fifty-dollar bills he had laid upon the desk, and turned to the successful competitor, who had been requested to remain on the platform.
"As I said in the beginning, I cannot allow the money obtained for the plans to be fooled away, for one of the most important lessons an American boy ought to learn is how to take care of and use money, as well as how to earn it. What do you intend to do with the hundred dollars, Millweed?" asked the principal.
"I shall give it to my father," replied Bolly without any hesitation.
"That is an excellent use to make of it, and I hand it over to you without asking any more questions," added the principal, suiting the action to the words.
A round of applause saluted Bolly again. He had gone up a hundred degrees in the estimation of his companions, who had been unable to corner him with their questions. The order was given for the boys to put on their steamer uniform, and take their stations on board of the Sylph. Bates had already got up steam, and a plentiful supply of provisions had been put on board. In half an hour the steam yacht departed, and everything on board of her went along in as good order as though she had been a regular packet on the lake. The passengers were to dine on board, and cooks and stewards went to work in their departments at once.
The excursion was a very pleasant one, and the guests spent most of the time on the way up in talking with the boys in regard to what they had learned at the school. They were delighted with the institution, and Mr. Bridges declared that the States could not do better than to establish such schools in place of some of those in which Greek and Latin were the principal branches taught.
Mr. Plint pointed out to the principal a few details in which he thought Bolly's plan could be improved, and after making these alterations he intended to erect the building at once.
"But you do not expect those boys to do all the work?" suggested Mr. Ritchie.
"I expect them to do nearly the whole of it. When I return I shall set the quarrymen to getting out the stone posts. I shall go to Burlington at once, for Brookbine is arranging the plan for framing the building, and will give me a list of the lumber needed, and purchase it. The boys will tow it down in rafts, though I shall employ a number of laborers, for I don't wish to let the boys injure themselves."
"But it will take a long time to put up and finish the building," added Mr. Bridges.
"I don't expect to have it completed until next spring. We shall finish the outside by December, and make a winter's job of the inside work."
At Whitehall the visitors, except Mr. Ritchie, took their leave of the boys, and went on shore, promising to come again the next season. The students gave them three cheers as they landed, and then the Sylph began her homeward trip. As she passed Sandy Beach Cove, the barges of the Chesterfields were seen pulling out from the shore. It was soon evident that they wished to speak with those on board of the steamer. Oscar Chester, the second pilot, at the request of the principal, rang to stop her, and the Dasher came up to the forward gangway.
"I should like to speak to the coxswains of the barges," said Mad Twinker, who appeared to be the commodore of the fleet.
"I am the coxswain of the Gildrock," replied Matt Randolph, at a nod from the principal.
"We have two boats like yours, and we have been learning to row," said Mad Twinker. "We think we can pull pretty well now, though there is room for improvement, we grant. We desire to extend to you a friendly invitation to row with us for a suitable prize."
"Young man," interposed Captain Gildrock, "I cannot allow the Beech Hill students to row with you at present."
"Why not, sir?" asked Mad Twinker, apparently astonished at this interference.
"Although they are likely to become mechanics, most of them, I wish them to be gentlemen at the same time, and I am rather careful with whom I allow them to associate."
"But we claim to be gentlemen, sir," exclaimed Mad, indignantly.
"The claim is not admitted. When our boys first saw you the other day you called them 'members of the Tinkers' Institute,' 'chip-makers,' 'greasers,' and many other offensive epithets. You stole their clothes while they were in the water, and since that you attempted with your associates, the Topovers, to steal our boats. When you have learned to be true gentlemen, I will withdraw all objection. Go ahead, pilot!"
The commodore of the barge fleet wanted to discuss the matter, but the Sylph steamed away before he had a chance to get in a word. Ben Ludlow thought they were even with the Chesterfields then, and in half an hour the boys were looking over the site of the boat-house and wharf.
Mr. Brookbine had been hard at work over the plan of the building in getting the amount of timber required for the frame. Captain Gildrock had assured him that no material change would be made in the drawing of Bolly. They might alter the arrangement of the store-rooms, and use a portion of the immense vestibule on the second floor for a library, or committee-room.
Bolly had suggested a gallery or balcony on the water side of the second story, which might be added, but none of these changes would affect the frame. When the captain had returned from Whitehall the master carpenter gave him the list of timber required for the frame.
The granite quarry in the rear of Beech Hill was owned by the shipmaster, and about all the building-stone used in Genverres was taken from it. The owner did not care to be bothered with it, and a quarryman managed it, paying so much a cubic foot for all the stone taken out of it.
Thirteen stone posts would be required for the water-foundations of the boat-house, and Captain Gildrock rode to the quarryman's house at once to order them. Early the next morning the principal went to Burlington, and ordered the lumber. Before breakfast, Bolly, assisted by the other students, staked out the building. The approximate positions of the foundation posts were indicated by mooring sticks with stones in the bay. But the lessons went on as usual, and the boating and swimming exercises were not interrupted.
The boys were full of enthusiasm, and were impatient for the actual work of the house to begin. The more they considered the plan which had been adopted the better they liked it. All the plans which had been offered for the prizes were returned to the makers of them; but quite a number of the competitors destroyed them as soon as they got hold of them, and no one but themselves and the committee ever knew what blunders they had made. Yet a few of them were not ashamed to exhibit their work.
Not a single one of them had selected the location chosen by Bolly Millweed. Some of them had bridged the lake, and put the boat-house over in the grove, but most of them had placed it near the old wharf. One admitted that he had made the structure two hundred feet long, with dressing-rooms ten feet square.
For a week the principal said nothing about the new building, except that he had ordered the lumber. The boys knew that the quarryman was at work with all his force on the foundations, and they were nearly ready. At the close of the school on Friday, about a week after the adoption of the plans, the principal took his place on the platform.
"To-morrow will be our usual day for a steamer trip, but I will change the programme a little," said he. "We shall go to Burlington and tow the wharf-caisson, or box, up to the quarry. I concluded to have this affair constructed by a bridge-builder at Burlington, for it was rather too heavy a job for boys to manage."
The boys manifested their satisfaction at the announcement by applause. It would be fun to tow the caisson up the lake, and get it through the creek, to the quarry. But why was it going to the quarry?
"We shall load the thirteen stone posts upon it, and bring them down all at once," replied the principal in answer to this question. "It is built of tun timber, and the sticks needed to raise it to the proper height as a wharf will be placed inside of it."
"Tun timber; what is that?" asked Ben Ludlow.
"It is a name given to timber a foot square or more."
"How about the slant for the bottom?" asked Bolly, with some anxiety on his face, for he was afraid his idea in its construction had not been carried out.
"I had it built in accordance with the sketch you gave me. If you look at the chart, boys," continued Captain Gildrock, pointing to it on the wall, "you will see that the water suddenly shoals six feet at the distance of forty feet from Chowder Point. In other words there is a step of that height in the rock, such a one as you may see just beyond the dormitory in the side of Beech Hill. Bolly has located the wharf outside of this step, where he found ten feet of water."
"But the bottom slants off six inches in twelve feet," added Bolly.
"And I had the bottom of the caisson built to fit this slant," continued the principal.
"That's all I wanted to know," said Bolly, satisfied that his intention had been carried out.
School was dismissed, but after dinner the usual work in the shop was done. The boys were making as many tool-boxes as there were students, for they would be needed while they were at work on the boat-house. An hour earlier than usual on her Saturday trips the Sylph started for Burlington, for it might take all day to get the caisson up to the quarry. But there was no change made in the organization of the ship's company, and everything went on as usual.
They found the caisson in the water just below the city, where it had been built, and the boys gave three cheers when they saw it. Bolly was an "idler;" that is, his watch was not on duty in the fire-room. He leaped from the gangway as the steamer came alongside of the structure, and inspected it with the greatest gravity and dignity. In answer to the question of the principal he declared that the caisson was all right in every respect.
After the boys had examined the caisson, all hands were called and assembled on the forward deck. The principal had a letter in his hand which had been handed to him since the arrival of the Sylph. He informed the students that he had intended to remain on board during the trip, but some bank business of the greatest importance required him to remain in the city till afternoon. He should return to Beech Hill on the train, and expected to be there by the time the steamer reached the river.
The principal was the captain of the steamer, and he had always been on board during the Saturday trips. He sometimes sent Dory Dornwood away in her, with Mr. Jepson in charge of the engine, a gardener doing duty as fireman, and Bates as deck hand; but she had never come out of the river with her regular ship's company on board in the absence of the captain. The students jumped to the conclusion that Dory would be made captain on the present occasion.
"The organization of the ship's company will remain just as it is," said Captain Gildrock. "You have learned to obey your officers even if you think you know more than they do; and this was a very valuable lesson to learn."
"It's Captain Dory Dornwood now, I suppose," suggested Life Windham, as all hands glanced at the first pilot.
"Not at all," replied the principal. "On sea steamers they don't have pilots, for the captain navigates the vessel. The pilots on river and lake steamers are a sort of independent officials. In our plan the first pilot is the fourth in rank, and if the captain should be lost overboard, he would not succeed to the command. The first officer is next to the captain, and he takes charge of the steamer in the absence of the captain."
"Thad Glovering!" exclaimed half a dozen students in the same breath.
"Glovering will be the captain in my absence, and you will respect and obey him accordingly," added the principal. "Captain Glovering, you will tow the caisson to the quarry, and I must leave at once."
"Three cheers for Captain Glovering!" called Ben Ludlow; and they were given.
Captain Gildrock went on shore, and disappeared at once. Some of the first-class students did not like it very well to have a second-class fellow put in as captain over them; but they were too well disciplined to find any fault.
"Of course Dory will have to show him how to do it," said Bob Swanton.
"The captain can ask the advice of anyone he likes, but he can do as he pleases," added Corny Minkfield, rather smartly.
But Thad did not ask anybody's advice just then. In spite of some gentle sarcasm uttered by the older boys, the new captain soon showed that he knew what he was about. The large hawser by which the caisson was to be towed lay on the top of the timbers with which it was loaded, the upper ones serving as a deck. It had been made fast to a huge pin in the centre of one end, indicating that the box was to be towed by a single line.
There were also big cleats at the four corners of the structure, placed there for the stays to the derrick. The new captain directed the second officer to take two hawsers and make one fast to each of the corner cleats. Will Orwell obeyed the order, and the other ends of the hawsers were sent on board the Sylph. They were carefully secured to cleats in the stern of the steamer.
"Go ahead, if you please, pilot," said Thad, when all was ready.
The propeller was put in motion, but it required a little time to start the heavy tow. When it did start, it butted against the corner of the wharf. The first-class students thought the time of the new captain's defeat had come.
"Stop her!" shouted Thad, as soon as he discovered the nature of the difficulty. "Cast off the port tow-line, Mr. Orwell!"
"Port line clear, sir," reported the second officer, now doing duty as first.
"Go ahead, Mr. Pilot!"
Dory at the wheel rang the bell, and the propeller began to turn again. As soon as he got steerage way, he headed the steamer away from the shore. The starboard line was now doing all the work, and exercised all its force on that side of the caisson. Of course it hauled the tow away from the wharf. But the captain stopped her as soon as the box was clear of the obstruction. The port line was made fast again, and care was taken to see that both tow-ropes were of the same length.
The first class were willing to admit that the getting under way had been well managed, and they were magnanimous enough to give the new captain the credit he deserved. The Sylph tugged away at her heavy burden, and the log showed, when the steamer was off Rock Dunder, that she was making about three knots. There was nothing more to be done with the tow, though the rate of speed was soon increased to four knots.
It was a monotonous trip, but everything was in the usual order on board. Dinner was served at the proper time, and at three o' clock the Sylph was approaching the mouth of the river. When she was within half a mile of it the second pilot, who was on duty, reported that the barges of the Chesterfields were coming out of the stream.
"I am sorry for that," said Dory Dornwood, as he went into the pilot-house to take a look at the approach of the boats.
"So am I," replied Oscar Chester. "I wish you were in command instead of Thad Glovering."
"Thad will do very well," answered Dory.
"Those fellows can't let us alone if they try. What's that? They have passengers in the stern sheets."
Dory took a spy glass from the brackets and glanced at the barges.
"They have eight of the Topovers with them."
"You will see most of that crowd on board the caisson before long," said Oscar. "They will cut the tow-lines or cast them off if they can."
At this moment Captain Glovering entered the pilot-house.
The feeling which had grown up between the Beech Hill and the Chesterfield students was not hatred, enmity, or even ill will. When they first met near Sandy Beach neither party could have had anything against the other. No traditional hatred had been handed down, for both institutions were new.
The Chesterfield Collegiate Institute was established only a year before, and was intended to be a very high-toned establishment, judged by the society standard. The boys were generally the sons of rich men or merchants, with a standing in the world; and Colonel Buckmill catered for this class. Everything about the school was genteel, and the boys had been taught to "feel their oats."
In accordance with their education they naturally looked down upon farmers, mechanics, and small shopkeepers. They were gentlemen, and the sons of gentlemen, the principal said, and he treated them as such. Out of this feeling on the part of the students had come the bad conduct of the Chesterfields at their first meeting with the Beech Hillers. They expected, and probably received from the country people in their immediate vicinity, a certain degree of deference, for the institute was a good customer to all who had anything to sell.
Doubtless the possession of the new boats had excited them to a degree which made them somewhat reckless when they were away from the influences that surrounded them at the school. But even in the offensive epithets they had applied to the students from the other side of the lake, they meant no evil. When they were treated with the contempt of silence they felt like great men who had been neglected, and they wanted to make themselves felt.
But they had been beaten with their own weapons, and the desire to humiliate their school-neighbors was increased. They wanted to get the Beech Hillers into some sort of a scrape, to annoy them all they could, and though the Topovers were not at all after their style, they were glad to make friends with them for the time, in order to accomplish their purpose.
It looked as though the Chesterfields had come across the lake for the purpose of doing mischief to their conquerors in the two former contests. They could hardly have come to give the Topovers a pleasure excursion in their elegant barges, and their presence in the boats made it appear that they meant mischief.
It must be acknowledged that the Beech Hill students generally enjoyed these meetings with the enemy, as they regarded the Chesterfields, for the contests with them were full of excitement and fun. But on the present occasion they were too full of building, too much interested in the enterprise of moving the timber from Burlington to the quarry, to care for a battle with the young gentlemen from the other side.
Most of the students wished that Dory Dornwood were in command of the steamer, for he had twice proved that he was more than a match in skill for the Chesterfields. As it was, Captain Thad Glovering was the autocrat of the occasion. All hands must obey his orders, even if they led to the most disastrous failure. Mr. Jepson was the only adult on board; and in his present capacity of chief engineer of the steamer, he was as much under the orders of the captain as any of the boys. He simply minded his own business, and did his best to instruct his two assistants in the structure and management of the engine, hoping the time would soon come when he could be relieved from his somewhat disagreeable position.
Captain Glovering saw that the Chesterfields were making for the caisson with all the speed of their boats. They would not attempt to meddle with the steamer, but they could put the Topovers on the caisson, and the first thing they would do would be to cast off the hawsers. They were cutting across the shoal water, and would come out in time to intercept the tow.
"What do you think of it now, Dory?" asked Oscar Chester, in the pilot-house.
"Of course those fellows mean to pay off the old score if they can," replied the first pilot. "I doubt if we are ever on good terms with the Chesterfields, as I wish we could be."
"I suppose they don't feel any better towards us after what the principal said to them when they hailed the steamer, and wanted to get up a race. They are the sons of the magnates of the land, and it was rough for Captain Gildrock to tell them they were not gentlemen, and that he would not allow us to associate with them for that reason," added Oscar, chuckling, for all hands had enjoyed the snubbing which the principal had given them.
"My uncle told them the simple truth, though it was hard for them to digest," replied Dory, as he glanced at the two barges.
"Don't you think you ought to have a talk with Thad Glovering, Dory?" asked Oscar, after he had watched the approaching barges for a moment. "He don't seem to be doing anything, and in ten minutes more we shall have to pick up the tow."
"If Captain Glovering asks my advice, I shall give it to him; but not without. I have no more right to meddle with his business than any other fellow," replied Dory, very decidedly. "If I were in his place I should not want every fellow putting his finger in my pie. He is responsible for the steamer and the tow; and in my opinion Thad knows what he is about."
Captain Glovering was on the hurricane deck, watching the approach of the boats. He did not seem to be at all nervous or uneasy in regard to the situation. The Sylph was just beginning to round in so as to strike the channel. On the other side of it the water was only from one to three feet deep, and the caisson would make a wide sweep in coming about.
"If the tow should get adrift here it would ground in shoal water," said Dory, as he glanced again at the approaching barges.
"Captain Glovering has just called Will Orwell, and he means to do something. It is time something was done," replied Oscar.
The acting first officer had come on the hurricane deck, and the captain was apparently giving him some orders. Will hastened to the forward deck again. All hands were called; and this summons included all who were not actually on duty in the engine and firerooms or the pilot-house, for the work of the cooks and stewards was finished for that day.
Will selected eight of them and sent them to the stern of the steamer. It was evident that something was to be done, and the students wondered what it was. The captain was not asleep, and it was clear that he was conscious of the perils of the tow. Thad had observed with admiration the conduct of Dory in the former engagements with the Chesterfields and Topovers, and he had strictly obeyed every order without asking a question. He was glad of the present opportunity to distinguish himself, and he hoped to give a good account of himself.
"Mr. Pilot, I wish you would hug the port side of the channel, and get the tow as far as possible from the shoal water," said Captain Glovering, entering the pilot-house as soon as he had given his orders to the first officer. "I wish to stop her as soon as possible."
"I have been doing that, Captain Glovering," replied Dory. "It will be safe to stop her as soon as you give the order."
"Thank you," added the captain, with more politeness than is usual on board of vessels.
Captain Glovering hastened to the stern of the hurricane deck where he could see the tow. Will and his eight hands were on the rail ready to do the duty intrusted to them. The captain called to the pilot to stop her. The order was promptly obeyed, but the headway of the Sylph kept her at the same relative distance from the caisson. Then a few strokes back were called for. The first officer had put fenders over the stern; but the captain did not allow the tow to come in contact with the steamer.
As soon as the caisson was near enough, Will and his party leaped on board of it. The captain had given the order to go ahead before they did so. The steamer straightened the tow-lines, and in a few moments everything was moving on as before. The wind was light from the northwest, and Dory hugged the weather side of the channel; but the Sylph was still half a mile from the nearest point of land at the entrance of the river.
"The captain has done something, but I haven't the least idea what it is," said Oscar, as the tow-lines began to stretch.
"Neither have I, for I have not even looked behind me to see what he was about," replied the first pilot, who never neglected his own duty to attend to other people's business.
"He has put the first officer and eight of the fellows on board of the caisson," added Oscar. "But there are thirty-five fellows in the barges, and the captain don't expect to beat them off with only nine of ours. I wonder he did not send the whole crowd except what are needed to work the steamer."
"Don't be in a hurry to criticise, Oscar," laughed Dory, without even looking out at the rear windows of the pilot-house to see what the captain was about.
"Does Thad Glovering expect nine of our fellows to whip four times their number?" demanded the second pilot, who was evidently beginning to be somewhat excited. "We are not going more than three knots now, and the Chesterfields can have it all their own way. Our fellows can't do anything on the caisson when the barges pour in twenty or thirty fellows upon them; and the Topovers are fighting men."
"Keep cool, Oscar," said Dory, smiling.
"Do you know what the captain's plan is, Dory?" asked the second pilot nervously.
"I do not; I have not the first idea in regard to it," answered Dory. "But I think you had better go astern where you can see what is going on. If there is going to be a fight Captain Glovering will certainly want you; and you may have a chance to tackle Tom Topover."
"I should like the chance," said Oscar, as he left the pilot-house.
By this time the barges were within a few rods of the caisson. One was bearing down upon the stern, and the other upon the starboard side of it. Mad Twinker, who was leading in the Dasher, was evidently the commodore of the squadron, for he gave orders to Jeff Monroe in the Racer. He clearly had a plan, and intended to capture the caisson, or at least to set it adrift.
In the bow of the commodore's barge was Tom Topover and Nim Splugger, ready to leap on board of the expected prize. In the Racer, Kidd Digfield and Pell Sankland occupied the corresponding positions. The other Topovers were seated in the rear of their leaders, and were to follow them in the boarding exploit.
When the barges were within fifty feet of the caisson the captain's plan was suddenly developed. On the top of the timber were a dozen long pike-poles, which Captain Gildrock had ordered at Burlington. Each one was armed with a sharp spike in one end. They were to be used in raising the building, and in managing the caisson in the narrow creek.
At the word from Will Orwell, each of the nine students picked up a pike, and poised it in the direction of the approaching barges.