diff options
Diffstat (limited to '22433-8.txt')
| -rw-r--r-- | 22433-8.txt | 8299 |
1 files changed, 8299 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/22433-8.txt b/22433-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..fafb501 --- /dev/null +++ b/22433-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,8299 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Breaking Away, by Oliver Optic + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Breaking Away + or The Fortunes of a Student + +Author: Oliver Optic + +Illustrator: Kilburn + +Release Date: August 29, 2007 [EBook #22433] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BREAKING AWAY *** + + + + +Produced by David Edwards, Emmy and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from scans of public domain material produced by +Microsoft for their Live Search Books site.) + + + + + + + + + + + + [Illustration: BREAKING AWAY + AMERICAN + BOYS + SERIES] + + + + +THE STARRY FLAG SERIES, + +BY OLIVER OPTIC. + + * * * * * + + I. THE STARRY FLAG; OR, THE YOUNG FISHERMAN OF CAPE ANN. + + II. FREAKS OF FORTUNE; OR, HALF ROUND THE WORLD. + + III. BREAKING AWAY; OR, THE FORTUNES OF A STUDENT. + + IV. SEEK AND FIND; OR, THE ADVENTURES OF A SMART BOY. + + V. MAKE OR BREAK; OR, THE RICH MAN'S DAUGHTER. + + VI. DOWN THE RIVER; OR, BUCK BRADFORD AND HIS TYRANTS. + +[Illustration: THE REBELLION IN THE PARKVILLE LITERARY +INSTITUTE.--Page 30.] + + + + +BREAKING AWAY; + +OR, + +THE FORTUNES OF A STUDENT. + +BY + +OLIVER OPTIC, + + AUTHOR OF "YOUNG AMERICA ABROAD," "THE ARMY AND NAVY STORIES," + "THE WOODVILLE STORIES," "THE BOAT-CLUB STORIES," + "THE RIVERDALE STORIES," ETC. + + * * * * * + + BOSTON: + LOTHROP, LEE & SHEPARD CO. + + + + + Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1867, by + WILLIAM T. ADAMS, + In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the District + of Massachusetts. + + * * * * * + + COPYRIGHT, 1895, BY WILLIAM T. ADAMS. + _All rights reserved._ + + * * * * * + + BREAKING AWAY. + + + + + TO + + MY YOUNG FRIEND, + + _HARLAN H. BALLARD_, + + This Book + + IS AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED. + + + + +PREFACE. + + * * * * * + +"BREAKING AWAY" is the second of the series of stories published in +"OUR BOYS AND GIRLS," and the author had no reason to complain of the +reception accorded to it by his young friends, as it appeared in the +weekly issues of the Magazine; but, on the contrary, he finds renewed +occasion cordially to thank them for their continued appreciation of +his earnest efforts to please them. + +After an experience of more than twenty years as a teacher, the writer +did not expect his young friends to sympathize with the schoolmaster +of this story, for doubtless many of them have known and despised a +similar creature in real life. Mr. Parasyte is not a myth; but we are +grateful that an enlightened public sentiment is every year rendering +more and more odious the petty tyrant of the school-room, and we are +too happy to give this retreating personage a parting blow as he +retires from the scene of his fading glories. + +Rebellions, either in the school or in the state, are always dangerous +and demoralizing; but while we unequivocally condemn the tyrant in +our story, we cannot always approve the conduct of his pupils. One +evil gives birth to another; but even a righteous end cannot justify +immoral means, and we beg to remind our young and enthusiastic readers +that Ernest Thornton and his friends were compelled to acknowledge +that they had done wrong in many things, and that "Breaking Away" was +deemed a very doubtful expedient for the redress even of a real wrong. + +As it was impossible for Ernest to relate the whole of his eventful +history in one volume, Breaking Away will be immediately followed by a +sequel,--"Seek and Find,"--in which the hero will narrate his +adventures in seeking and finding his mother, of whose tender care he +was deprived from his earliest childhood. + + HARRISON SQUARE, MASS., + September 23, 1867. + + + + +CONTENTS. + + + CHAPTER I. PAGE + IN WHICH ERNEST THORNTON INTRODUCES HIMSELF. 11 + + CHAPTER II. + IN WHICH THERE IS TROUBLE IN THE PARKVILLE LIBERAL + INSTITUTE. 22 + + CHAPTER III. + IN WHICH ERNEST IS EXPELLED FROM THE PARKVILLE LIBERAL + INSTITUTE. 33 + + CHAPTER IV. + IN WHICH ERNEST SAILS THE SPLASH, AND TAKES A BATH. 44 + + CHAPTER V. + IN WHICH ERNEST DECLINES A PROPOSITION. 55 + + CHAPTER VI. + IN WHICH ERNEST FINDS HIS FELLOW-STUDENTS IN OPEN REBELLION. 66 + + CHAPTER VII. + IN WHICH ERNEST ATTENDS THE TRIAL OF BILL POODLES AND DICK + PEARL. 78 + + CHAPTER VIII. + IN WHICH ERNEST VANQUISHES THE SCHOOLMASTER. 89 + + CHAPTER IX. + IN WHICH ERNEST STRIKES A HEAVY BLOW, AND WINS ANOTHER + VICTORY. 100 + + CHAPTER X. + IN WHICH ERNEST HAS AN INTERVIEW WITH HIS UNCLE. 111 + + CHAPTER XI. + IN WHICH ERNEST IS DISOWNED AND CAST OUT. 122 + + CHAPTER XII. + IN WHICH ERNEST RAISES THE SPLASH, AND THERE IS A GENERAL + BREAKING AWAY AMONG THE STUDENTS. 132 + + CHAPTER XIII. + IN WHICH ERNEST IS CHOSEN COMMODORE OF THE FLEET. 144 + + CHAPTER XIV. + IN WHICH ERNEST IS WAITED UPON BY A DEPUTY SHERIFF. 155 + + CHAPTER XV. + IN WHICH ERNEST AND THE COMMISSARY VISIT CANNONDALE. 166 + + CHAPTER XVI. + IN WHICH ERNEST CONVEYS THE STUDENTS TO PINE ISLAND. 177 + + CHAPTER XVII. + IN WHICH ERNEST FINDS THERE IS TREASON IN THE CAMP. 188 + + CHAPTER XVIII. + IN WHICH ERNEST AND HIS COMPANIONS LAND AT CANNONDALE. 199 + + CHAPTER XIX. + IN WHICH ERNEST AND HIS FRIENDS ARE DISGUSTED WITH MR. + PARASYTE'S INGRATITUDE. 211 + + CHAPTER XX. + IN WHICH ERNEST TAKES THE WHEEL OF THE ADIENO. 222 + + CHAPTER XXI. + IN WHICH ERNEST CONTINUES TO ACT AS PILOT OF THE STEAMER. 233 + + CHAPTER XXII. + IN WHICH ERNEST PILOTS THE ADIENO TO "THE SISTERS." 244 + + CHAPTER XXIII. + IN WHICH ERNEST TAKES COMMAND OF THE EXPEDITION. 255 + + CHAPTER XXIV. + IN WHICH ERNEST ENGAGES IN AN EXCITING STEAMBOAT RACE. 266 + + CHAPTER XXV. + IN WHICH ERNEST PILOTS THE ADIENO TO PARKVILLE. 277 + + CHAPTER XXVI + IN WHICH ERNEST FINDS A CHANGE IN THE MANAGEMENT OF + THE INSTITUTE. 287 + + + + +BREAKING AWAY; + +OR, + +THE FORTUNES OF A STUDENT. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +IN WHICH ERNEST THORNTON INTRODUCES HIMSELF. + + +"Ernest Thornton!" called Mr. Parasyte, the principal of the Parkville +Liberal Institute, in a tone so stern and severe that it was +impossible to mistake his meaning, or not to understand that a tempest +was brewing. "Ernest Thornton!" + +As that was my name, I replied to the summons by rising, and +exhibiting my full length to all the boys assembled in the +school-room--about one hundred in number. + +"Ernest Thornton!" repeated Mr. Parasyte, not satisfied with the +demonstration I had made. + +"Sir!" I replied, in a round, full, square tone, which was intended to +convince the principal that I was ready to "face the music." + +"Ernest Thornton, I am informed that you have been engaged in a +fight," he continued, in a tone a little less sharp than that with +which he had pronounced my name; and I had the vanity to believe that +the square tone in which I had uttered the single word I had been +called upon to speak had produced a salutary impression upon him. + +"I haven't been engaged in any fight, sir," I replied, with all the +dignity becoming a boy of fourteen. + +"Sir! what do you mean by denying it?" added Mr. Parasyte, working +himself up into a magnificent mood, which was intended to crush me by +its very majesty--but it didn't. + +"I have not engaged in any fight, sir," I repeated, with as much +decision as the case seemed to require. + +"Didn't you strike William Poodles?" demanded he, fiercely. + +"Yes, sir, I did. Bill Poodles hit me in the head, and I knocked him +over in self-defence--that was all, sir." + +"Don't you call that a fight, sir?" said Mr. Parasyte, knitting his +brows, and looking savage enough to swallow me. + +"No, sir; I do not. I couldn't stand still and let him pound me." + +"You irritated him in the beginning, and provoked him to strike the +blow. I hold you responsible for the fight." + +"I had no intention to irritate him, and I did not wish to provoke +him." + +"I hold you responsible for the fight, Thornton," said the principal +again. + +I supposed he would, for Poodles was the son of a very wealthy and +aristocratic merchant in the city of New York, while I belonged to +what the principal regarded as an inferior order of society. At least +twenty boys in the Parkville Liberal Institute came upon the +recommendation of Poodle's father, while not a single one had been +lured into these classic shades by the influence of my family--if I +could be said to belong to any family. Besides, I was but a day +scholar, and my uncle paid only tuition bills for me, while most of +the pupils were boarders at the Institute. + +I am writing of events which took place years ago, but I have seen no +reason to change the opinion then formed, that Mr. Parasyte, the +principal, was a "toady" of the first water; that he was a +narrow-minded, partial man, in whom the principle of justice had never +been developed. He was a good teacher, an excellent teacher; by which +I mean only to say that he had a rare skill and tact for imparting +knowledge, the mere dry bones of art, science, and philosophy. He was +a capital scholar himself, and a capital teacher; but that is the most +that can be said of him. + +I have no hesitation in saying that his influence upon the boys was +bad, as that of every narrow-minded, partial, and unjust man must be; +and if I had any boys to send away to a boarding school, they should +go to a good and true man, even if I knew him to be, intellectually, +an inferior teacher, rather than to such a person as Mr. Parasyte. He +"toadied" to the rich boys, and oppressed the poorer ones. Poodles +was the most important boy in the school, and he was never punished +for his faults, which were not few, nor compelled to learn his +lessons, as other boys were. But I think Poodles hated the magnate of +the Parkville Liberal Institute as much as any other boy. + +Parkville is situated on Lake Adieno, a beautiful sheet of water, +twenty miles in length, in the very heart of the State of New York. +The town was a thriving place of four thousand inhabitants, at which a +steamboat stopped twice every day in her trip around the lake. The +academy was located at the western verge of the town, while my home +was about a mile beyond the eastern line of the village. + +I lived with my uncle, Amos Thornton. His residence was a vine-clad +cottage, built in the Swiss style, on the border of the lake, the lawn +in front of it extending down to the water's edge. My uncle was a +strange man. He had erected this cottage ten years before the time at +which my story opens, when I was a mere child. He had employed in the +beginning, before the house was completed, a man and his wife as +gardener and housekeeper, and they had been residents in the cottage +ever since. + +I said that my uncle was a strange man; and so he was. He hardly ever +spoke a word to any one, and never unless it was absolutely necessary +to do so. He was not one of the talking kind; and old Jerry, the +gardener, and old Betsey, the housekeeper, seemed to have been cast in +the same mould. I never heard them talking to each other, and they +certainly never spoke to me unless I asked them a question, and then +only in the briefest manner. + +I never knew what to make of my uncle Amos. He had a little room, +which he called his library, in one corner of the house, which could +be entered only by passing through his bedroom. In this apartment he +spent most of his time, though he went out to walk every day, while I +was at school; but, if he saw me coming, he always retreated to the +house. He was gloomy and misanthropic; he never went to church +himself, though he always compelled me to go, and also to attend the +Sunday school. He did not go into society, and had little or nothing +to do with, or to say to, the people of Parkville. He never troubled +them, and they were content to let him alone. + +As may well be supposed, my life at the cottage was not the +pleasantest that could be imagined. It was hardly a home, only a +stopping-place to me. It was gloom and silence there, and my uncle was +the lord of the silent land. Such a life was not to my taste, and I +envied the boys and girls of my acquaintance in Parkville, as I saw +them talking and laughing with their fathers and mothers, their +brothers and sisters, or gathered in the social circle around the +winter fire. It seemed to me that their cup of joy was full, while +mine was empty. I longed for friends and companions to share with me +the cares and the pleasures of life. + +Of myself I knew little or nothing. My memory hardly reached farther +back than the advent of my uncle at Lake Adieno, and all my early +associations were connected with the cottage and its surroundings. I +had a glimmering and indistinct idea of something before our coming to +Parkville. It seemed to me that I had once known a motherly lady with +a sweet and lovely expression on her face; and I had a faint +recollection of looking out upon a dreary waste of waters; but I could +not fix the idea distinctly in my mind. I supposed that the lady was +my mother. I made several vain efforts to induce my uncle to tell me +something about her; if he knew anything, he would not tell me. + +Old Jerry and his wife evidently had no knowledge whatever in regard +to me before my uncle brought me to Parkville. They could not tell me +anything, and my uncle would not. Though I was a boy of only fourteen, +this concealment of my birth and parentage troubled me. I was told +that my father was dead; and this was all the information I could +obtain. Where he had lived, when and where he died, I was not +permitted to know. If I asked a question, my uncle turned on his heel +and left me, with no reply. + +The vision of the motherly lady, distant and indistinct as it was, +haunted me like a familiar melody. If the person was my mother, why +should her very name be kept from me? If she was still living, why +could I not go to her? If she was dead, why might I not water the +green sod above her grave with my tears, and plant the sweetest +flowers by her tombstone? I was dissatisfied with my lot, and I was +determined, at no distant day, to wring from my silent uncle the +particulars of my early history. I was so eager to get this knowledge +that I was almost ready to take him by the throat, if need be, and +force out the truth from between his closed lips. + +I never had an opportunity to speak with him; but I could make the +opportunity. He took no notice of me; he avoided me; he seemed hardly +to be conscious of my existence. Yet he was not a hard man, in the +common sense of the word. He clothed me as well as the best boys in +the Institute. If I wanted anything for the table, old Jerry was +ordered to procure it. When I was ten years old a little row-boat was +furnished for me; but before I was fourteen I wanted something better, +and told my uncle so. He made me no reply; but on my next birthday a +splendid sail-boat floated on the lake before the house, which Jerry +said had been built for me. I told my silent lord that I was much +obliged to him for his very acceptable present, when I happened to +catch him on the lawn. He turned on his heel, and fled as though I had +stung him with the sting of ingratitude. + +If I wanted anything, I had only to mention it; and no one criticised +my conduct, whatever I did. I was free to go and come when I pleased; +and though in vacation I was absent three days at once in my boat, no +one asked me where I had been, or what I had done. Neither my uncle +nor his silent satellites ever expressed a fear that I might be +drowned in my voyages in night and storm on the lake; and I came to +the conclusion that no one would care if I were lost. + +I do not know how, under such a home government, I ever became a +decent fellow. I do not know why I am not now a pirate, a freebooter, +a pickpocket, or a nuisance to myself and the world in some other +capacity. I have come to believe since that my inherited good +qualities saved me under such an utter neglect of all home influences. +It is a marvel to me that I was not ruined before I was twenty-one; +and from the deepest depths of my heart I thank God for his mercy in +sparing me from the fate which generally and naturally overtakes such +a neglected child. + +At the age of twelve, after I had passed through the common school of +the town, I was admitted to the Parkville Liberal Institute, which I +wished to attend because a friend of mine in the town was there. My +uncle did not object--he never objected to anything. Without pride or +vanity I may say that I was a good scholar, and I took the highest +rank at the academy. When I was about twelve years old, some +instructions which I received in the Sunday school produced a strong +impression on my mind, and led me to take my stand for life. I tried +to be true to God and myself, to be just and manly in all things. +Whatever the world may sneeringly say of goodness and truth, I am sure +that I owe my popularity among the boys of the Parkville Liberal +Institute to these endeavors--not always successful--to do right. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +IN WHICH THERE IS TROUBLE IN THE PARKVILLE LIBERAL INSTITUTE. + + +I wish to say in the beginning, and once for all, that I did not set +myself up as a saint, or even as a model boy. I made no pretensions, +but I did try to be good and true. I felt that I had no one in this +world to rely upon for my future; everything depended upon myself +alone, and I realized the responsibility of building up my own +character. I do not mean to assert that I had all these ideas and +purposes clearly defined in my own mind; only that I had a simple +abstract desire to be good, and to do good, without knowing precisely +in what the being and the doing consisted. My notions, many of them, I +am now aware, were crude and undefined. + +I have observed that I was a favorite among the boys of the +Institute, a kind of leader and oracle among them, though I was not +fully conscious of the fact at the time. While I now think I owe the +greater portion of the esteem and regard in which I was held by my +companions to my desire to be good and true, I must acknowledge that +other circumstances had their influence upon them. I was the owner of +the best boat on Lake Adieno, and to the boys this was a matter of no +small consequence. There were half a dozen row-boats belonging to the +academy, but nothing that carried a sail. + +I always had money. I had only to ask my uncle for any sum I wanted, +and it was given me, without a question as to its intended use. I +mention the fact to his discredit, and it would have been a luxury to +me to have had him manifest interest enough in my welfare to refuse my +request. + +I was naturally enterprising and fearless, and was therefore foremost +in all feats of daring, in all trials of skill in athletic games. +Indeed, to sum up the estimate which was made of me by my associates +in school and the people of Parkville, I was "a smart boy." Perhaps +my vanity was tickled once or twice by hearing this appellation +applied to me; but I am sure I was not spoiled by the favor with which +I was regarded. + +Though I was not an unhappy boy, there was an aching void in my heart +which I could not fill, a longing for such a home as hundreds of my +young friends enjoyed; and I would gladly have exchanged the freedom +from restraint for which others envied me for the poorest home in the +town, where I could have been welcomed by a fond mother, where I could +have had a kind father to feel an interest in me. + +During the spring, summer, and autumn months, when the wind and +weather would permit, I went to school in my sail-boat. My course lay +along the shore, and if I was becalmed and likely to be tardy, I had +only to moor my craft, and take to the road. At the noon intermission, +therefore, my boat was available for use, and I always had a party. + +On the day that I was called up charged with fighting, the Splash--for +that was the suggestive name I had chosen for my trim little +craft--was lying at the boat pier on the lake in front of the +Institute building. The forenoon session of the school had just +closed, and I had gone to the boat to eat my dinner, which I always +carried in the stern locker. + +Before I had finished, Bill Poodles came down with an Arithmetic in +his hand. It was the dinner hour of the boarding students, and I +wondered that Bill was not in the refectory. Our class had a difficult +lesson in arithmetic that day, which I had worked out in the solitude +of my chamber at the cottage the preceding evening. The students had +been prohibited, under the most severe penalty, from assisting each +other; and it appeared that Bill had vainly applied to half a dozen of +his classmates for help: none of them dared to afford it. + +Bill Poodles was a disagreeable fellow, arrogant and "airy" as he was +lazy and stupid. I doubt whether he ever learned a difficult task +alone. The arithmetic lesson was a review of the principles which the +class had gone over, and consisted of a dozen examples, printed on a +slip of paper, to test the knowledge of the students; and it was +intimated that those who failed would be sent down into a lower class. +Bill dreaded anything like a degradation. He was proud, if he was +lazy. He knew that I had performed the examples, and while his +fellow-boarders were at dinner, he had stolen the opportunity to +appeal to me for the assistance he so much needed. + +Though Bill was a disagreeable fellow, and though, in common with a +majority of the students, I disliked him, I would willingly have +assisted him if the prohibition to do so had not been so emphatic. Mr. +Parasyte was so particular in the present instance, that the following +declaration had been printed on the examination paper, and each boy +was required to sign it:-- + +_"I declare upon my honor, that I have had no assistance whatever in +solving these examples, and that I have given none to others."_ + +Bill begged me to assist him. I reasoned with him, and told him he had +better fail in the review than forfeit his honor by subscribing to a +falsehood. He made light of my scruples; and then I told him I had +already signed my own paper, and would not falsify my statement. + +"Humph!" exclaimed he, with a sneer. "You hadn't given any one +assistance when you signed, but you can do it now, and it will be no +lie." + +I was indignant at the proposition, it was so mean and base; and I +expressed myself squarely in regard to it. I had finished my dinner, +and, closing the locker, stepped out of the boat upon the pier. Bill +followed me, begging and pleading till I was disgusted with him. I +told him then that I would not do what he asked if he teased me for a +month. He was angry, and used insulting language. I turned on my heel +to leave him. He interpreted this movement on my part as an act of +cowardice, and, coming up behind me, struck me a heavy blow on the +back of the head with his fist. He was on the point of following it up +with another, when, though he was eighteen years old, and half a foot +taller than I was, I hit him fairly in the eye, and knocked him over +backwards, off the pier, and into the lake. + +A madder fellow than Bill Poodles never floundered in shallow water. +The lake where he fell was not more than two or three feet deep, and +doubtless its soft bosom saved him from severe injury. He picked +himself up, and, dripping from his bath, rushed to the shore. He was +insane with passion. Seizing a large stone, he hurled it at me. I +moved towards him, with the intention of checking his demonstration, +when his valor was swallowed up in discretion, and he rushed towards +the school building. + +For this offence I was brought to the bar of Mr. Parasyte's uneven +justice. Poodles had told his own story after changing his drabbled +garments. It was unfortunate that there were no witnesses of the +affray, for the principal would sooner have doubted the evidence of +his own senses than the word of Bill Poodles, simply because it was +not politic for him to do so. My accuser declared that he had spoken +civilly and properly to me, and that I had insulted him. He had walked +up to me, and placed his hand upon my shoulder, simply to attract my +attention, when I had struck him a severe blow in the face, which had +knocked him over backwards into the lake. + +In answer to this charge, I told the truth exactly as it was. Bill +acknowledged that he had asked me some questions about the review +lesson, which I had declined to answer. He was sorry he had offended +so far, but was not angry at my refusal. He had determined to +sacrifice his dinner, and his play during the intermission, to enable +him to perform the examples. I persisted in the statement I had +already made, and refused to modify it in any manner. It was the +simple truth. + +"Ernest Thornton," said Mr. Parasyte, solemnly, "hitherto I have +regarded you with favor. I have looked upon you as a worthy and +deserving boy, and I confess my surprise and grief at the event of +to-day. Not content with the dastardly assault committed upon William +Poodles,--whose devotion to his duty and his studies has been +manifested by the sacrifice of his dinner,--you utter the most +barefaced falsehood which it was ever my misfortune to hear a boy +tell." + +"I have told the truth, sir!" I exclaimed, my cheek burning with +indignation. + +"Silence, sir! Such conduct and such a boy cannot be tolerated at the +Parkville Liberal Institute. But in consideration of your former good +conduct, I purpose to give you an opportunity to redeem your +character." + +"My character don't need any redeeming," I declared, stoutly. + +"I see you are in a very unhappy frame of mind, and I fear you are +incorrigible. But I must do my duty, and I proceed to pronounce your +sentence, which is, that you be expelled from the Parkville Liberal +Institute." + +"Bill Poodles is the biggest liar in the school!" shouted a daring +little fellow among my friends, who were astounded at the result of +the examination, and at the sentence. + +"That's so!" said another. + +"Yes!" "Yes!" "Yes!" shouted a dozen more. "Throw him over! Bill +Poodles is the liar!" + +Mr. Parasyte was appalled at this demonstration--a demonstration which +never could have occurred without the provocation of the grossest +injustice. The boys were well disciplined, and the order of the +Institute was generally unexceptionable. Such a flurry had never +before been known, and it was evident that the students intended to +take the law into their own hands. They acted upon the impulse of the +moment, and I judged that at least one half of them were engaged in +the demonstration. + +Poodles was a boy of no principle; he was notorious as a liar; and the +boys regarded it as an outrage upon themselves and upon me that he +should be believed, while my story appeared to have no weight +whatever. + +Mr. Parasyte trembled, not alone with rage, but with fear. The +startling event then transpiring threatened the peace, if not the very +existence, of the Parkville Liberal Institute. I folded my arms,--for +I felt my dignity,--and endeavored to be calm, though my bosom heaved +and bounded with emotion. + +"Boys--young gentlemen, I--" the principal began. + +"Throw him over! Put him out!" yelled the students, excited beyond +measure. + +"Young gentlemen!" shouted Mr. Parasyte. + +"Three cheers for Ernest Thornton!" hoarsely screamed Bob Hale, my +intimate friend and longtime "crony." + +They were given with an enthusiasm which bordered on infatuation. + +"Will you hear me, students?" cried Mr. Parasyte. + +"No!" "No!" "No!" "Throw him over!" "Put him out!" + +The scene was almost as unpleasant to me as to the principal, proud as +I was of the devotion of my friends. I did not wish to be vindicated +in such a way, and I was anxious to put a stop to such disorderly +proceedings. I raised my hand in an appealing gesture. + +"Fellow-students," said I; and the school-room was quiet. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +IN WHICH ERNEST IS EXPELLED FROM THE PARKVILLE LIBERAL INSTITUTE. + + +"Fellow-students," I continued, when the school-room was still enough +for me to be heard, "I am willing to submit to the rules of the +Institute, and even to the injustice of the principal. For my sake, as +well as for your own, behave like men." + +I folded my arms, and was silent again. I felt that it was better to +suffer than to resist, and such an exhibition of rowdyism was not to +my taste. I glanced at Mr. Parasyte, to intimate to him that he could +say what he pleased; and he took the hint. + +"Young gentlemen, this is a new experience to me. In twenty years as a +teacher, I have never been thus insulted." + +This was an imprudent remark. + +"Be fair, then!" shouted Bob Hale; and the cry was repeated by others, +until the scene of disorder promised to be renewed. + +I raised my hand, and shook my head, deprecating the conduct of the +boys. Once more they heeded, though it was evidently as a particular +favor to me, rather than because it was in keeping with their ideas of +right and justice. + +"I intend to be fair, young gentlemen," continued Mr. Parasyte; "that +is the whole study of my life. I am astonished and mortified at this +unlooked-for demonstration. I was about to make a further statement in +regard to Thornton, when you interrupted me. I told you that I +purposed to give him an opportunity to redeem his character. I intend +to do my duty on this painful occasion, though the walls of the +Parkville Liberal Institute should crumble above my head, and crush me +in the dust." + +"Let her crumble!" said a reckless youth, as Mr. Parasyte waxed +eloquent. + +"Will you be silent, or will you compel me to resort to that which I +abhor--to physical force?" + +Some of the boys glanced at each other with a meaning smile when this +remark was uttered; but I shook my head, to signify my disapprobation +of anything like resistance or tumult. + +"Thornton," added Mr. Parasyte, turning to me, "I have fairly and +impartially heard your story, and carefully weighed all your +statements. I have come to the conclusion, deliberately and without +prejudice, that you were the aggressor." + +"I was not, sir," I replied, as gently as I could speak, and yet as +firmly. + +"It appears that Poodles placed his hand upon your arm merely to +attract your attention; whereupon you struck him a severe blow in the +face, which caused him to reel and fall over backward into the lake," +said Mr. Parasyte, so pompously that I could not tell whether he +intended to "back out" of his position or not. + +"Poodles hit me in the head, and was on the point of repeating the +blow, when I knocked him over in self-defence." + +"It does not appear to me that Poodles, who is a remarkably +gentlemanly student, would have struck you for simply refusing to +assist him about his examples. Such a course would not be consistent +with the character of Poodles." + +"No, sir, I did not strike him at any time," protested Poodles. + +"I find it impossible to change my opinion of the merits of this case; +and for the good of the Parkville Liberal Institute, I must adhere to +the sentence I have already--with regret and sorrow--pronounced upon +you. But--" + +There were again strong signs of another outbreak among the pupils, +and I begged them to be silent. + +"The conduct of Thornton in this painful emergency merits and receives +my approbation. His love of order and his efforts to preserve proper +decorum in the school-room are worthy of the highest commendation," +continued Mr. Parasyte; "and I would gladly remit the penalty I have +imposed upon him without any conditions whatever; but I feel that such +a course, after the extraordinary events of this day, would be +subversive of the discipline and good order which have ever +characterized the Parkville Liberal Institute. I shall, however, +impose a merely nominal condition upon Thornton, his compliance with +which shall immediately restore him to the full enjoyment of his +rights and privileges as a member of this academy. I wish to be as +lenient as possible, and, as I observed, the penalty will be merely +nominal. + +"As the quarrel occurred when the parties were alone, so also may the +reparation be made in private; for after Thornton's magnanimous +behavior to-day, under these trying circumstances, I do not wish to +humiliate or mortify him. I wish that it were consistent with my ideas +of stern duty to impose no penalty." + +Mr. Parasyte had certainly retreated a long way from his original +position. I did not wish to be expelled, and I hailed with +satisfaction his manifestation of leniency; and rather than lose the +advantages of the school, I was willing to submit to the nominal +penalty at which he hinted, supposing it would be a deprivation of +some privilege. + +"I have not resisted your authority, sir; and I do not mean to do so +now," I replied, submissively; for, as the popular sentiment of the +students sustained me, I could afford to yield. + +"Your conduct since the quarrel is entirely satisfactory; I may say +that it merits my admiration." This was toadying to the boys, whom he +feared. "I have sentenced you to expulsion, the severest penalty known +in the discipline of the Parkville Liberal Institute; but, Thornton, I +propose to remit this penalty altogether on condition that, in +private, and at your own convenience, but within one week, you +apologize to Poodles for your conduct. I could not make the condition +any milder, I think." + +Mr. Parasyte smiled as though he had entirely forgiven me; as though +he had, in some mysterious manner, wiped out the stains of falsehood +upon my character. I bowed, but made no reply. I was sentenced to +expulsion; but the penalty was to be remitted on condition that I +would apologize to Poodles. + +Apologize to Poodles! For what? For his attack upon me, or for the +lies he had told about me? It was no more possible for me to apologize +for knocking him over when he assailed me than it would have been for +me to leap across Lake Adieno in the widest place. I did not wish to +deprive myself of the advantages of attending the Parkville Liberal +Institute; but if my remaining depended upon my humiliating myself +before Poodles, upon my declaring that what I had done was wrong, when +I believed it was right, I was no longer to be a student in the +academy. + +The exercises of the school proceeded as usual for a couple of hours, +and there were no further signs of insubordination among the boys. At +recess I purposely kept away from my more intimate friends, for I did +not wish to tell them what course I intended to pursue, fearful that +it would renew the disturbance. + +An hour before the close of the session, the boys were required to +bring in their examination papers in arithmetic. Every student, even +to Poodles, handed in solutions to all the problems, and Mr. Parasyte +and his assistants at once devoted themselves to the marking of them. +In half an hour the principal was ready to report the result. + +Half a dozen of the class had all the examples right, and I was one of +the number. Very much to my astonishment, Poodles also was announced +as one of the six; and when his name was mentioned, a score of the +students glanced at me. + +I did not understand it. I was quite satisfied that Poodles could not +do the problems himself, and it was certain that he had obtained +assistance from some one, though the declaration on the paper was duly +signed. He had found a friend less scrupulous than I had been. Some +one must have performed the examples for him; and as he had them all +correct, it was evident that one of the six, who alone had presented +perfect papers, must have afforded the assistance. After throwing out +Poodles and myself, there were but four left; and two of these, to my +certain knowledge, had joined in the demonstration in my favor: +indeed, they were my friends beyond the possibility of a doubt. +Between the other two I had no means of forming an opinion. + +During the afternoon Mr. Parasyte had been very uneasy and nervous. It +was plain to him that he ruled the boys by their free will, rather +than by his own power; and this was not a pleasant thing for a man +like him to know. Doubtless he felt that he had dropped the reins of +his team, which, though going very well just then, might take it into +its head to run away with him whenever it was convenient. Probably he +felt the necessity of doing something to reëstablish his authority, +and to obtain a stronger position than that he now occupied. If, with +the experience I have since acquired, I could have spoken to him, I +should have told him that justice and fairness alone would make him +strong as a disciplinarian. + +"Poodles," said Mr. Parasyte, just before the close of the session, "I +see that all your examples were correctly performed, and that you +signed the declaration on the paper." + +"Yes, sir," replied Poodles. + +"When did you perform them?" + +"I did all but two of them last night." + +"And when did you do those two?" continued the principal, mildly, but +with the air of a man who expects soon to make a triumphant point. + +"Between schools, at noon, while the students were at dinner and at +play." + +"Very well. You had them all done but two when you met Thornton to-day +noon?" + +"Yes, sir." + +"Thornton," added Mr. Parasyte, turning to me, "I have no disposition +to hurry you in the unsettled case of to-day, though the result of +Poodles's examination shows that he had no need of the assistance you +say he asked of you; but perhaps it would be better that you should +state distinctly whether or not you intend to apologize. It is quite +possible that there was a misunderstanding between you and Poodles, +which a mutual explanation might remove." + +"I do not think there was any misunderstanding," I replied. + +"If you wish to meet Poodles after school, I offer my services as a +friend to assist in the adjustment of the dispute." + +"I don't want to meet him," said Poodles. + +Mr. Parasyte actually rebuked him for this illiberal sentiment; and +while he was doing so, I added that I had no desire to meet Poodles, +as proposed. I now think I was wrong; but I had a feeling that the +principal intended to browbeat me into an acknowledgment. + +"Very well, Thornton; if you refuse to make peace, you must take the +consequences. Do you intend to apologize to Poodles, or not?" + +"I do not, sir," I replied, decidedly. + +"Then you are expelled from the Parkville Liberal Institute." + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +IN WHICH ERNEST SAILS THE SPLASH, AND TAKES A BATH. + + +Difficult as the task was, I had thus far kept cool; but my sentence +fell heavily upon me, and I could not help being angry, for I felt +that I had been treated unfairly and unjustly. Poodles's statement had +been accepted, and mine rejected; his word had been taken, while mine, +which ought at least to have passed for as much as his, was utterly +disregarded. + +I turned upon my heel and went to my seat. My movement was sharp and +abrupt, but I did not say anything. + +"Stop!" said Mr. Parasyte, who evidently believed that the moment had +come for him to vindicate his authority. + +I did not stop. + +"Stop, I say!" repeated the principal. + +I proceeded to pick up my books and papers, to enable me to comply +literally with my sentence. + +"Come here, Thornton." + +I took no notice of the order, but continued to pack up my things. + +"Do you hear me?" demanded Mr. Parasyte, in a loud and angry tone. + +"I do hear you, sir. I have been expelled, and I don't care about +listening to any more speeches." + +"If you don't come here, I'll bring you here," added the principal, +with emphasis. + +Somewhat to my surprise, but greatly to my satisfaction, the boys made +no demonstration in my favor. They seemed to think I was now in a mood +to fight my own battle, though they were doubtless ready to aid me if +I needed any help. Mr. Parasyte appeared to have begun in a way which +indicated that he intended to maintain his authority, even at the risk +of a personal encounter with me and the boys who had voluntarily +espoused my cause. + +Having packed up my books and papers, I took the bundle under my arm, +and deliberately walked out of the school-room. The principal ordered +me to stop; but as he had already sentenced me to expulsion, I could +see no reason why I should yield any further allegiance to the magnate +of the institution. He was very angry, which was certainly an +undignified frame of mind for a gentleman in his position; and I was +smarting under the wrong and injustice done to me. Mr. Parasyte +stopped to procure his hat, which gave me the advantage in point of +time, and I reached the little pier at which my boat was moored before +he overtook me. + +I hauled in the painter, and pushed off, hoisting the mainsail as the +boat receded from the wharf. Mr. Parasyte reached the pier while I was +thus engaged. + +"Stop, Thornton!" shouted he. + +"I would rather not stop any longer," I replied, running up the +foresail. + +"Will you come back, or I shall bring you back?" demanded he, +fiercely. + +"Neither, if you please." + +"If you wish to save trouble, you will come back," said he. + +"I'm not particular about saving trouble. If you have any business +with me, I will return." + +"I have business with you." + +"Will you please to tell me what it is?" + +"No, I will not." + +"Then you will excuse me if I go home," I added, as I hoisted the jib. + +There was only a very light breeze, and the Splash went off very +slowly. I took my seat at the helm, trying to keep as cool as +possible, though my bosom bounded with emotion. I was playing a +strange part, and I was not at home in it. I could not help feeling +that I was riding "a high horse;" but the injustice done me seemed to +warrant it. + +"Poodles, call the men," I heard Mr. Parasyte say to his flunky, and +saw him run off to execute the command. + +"Once more, Thornton, I ask you to come back," said the principal, +still standing on the pier, from which the Splash had receded not more +than a couple of rods. + +"If you have any business with me, sir, I will do so," I replied. "You +have expelled me from the school, and I don't think you have anything +more to do with me." + +"I want no words or arguments. It will be better for you to come +back." + +"Perhaps it will; but I shall not come." + +There was not breeze enough to enable me to make a mile an hour, and I +had some doubts in regard to the result, if Mr. Parasyte persisted. He +did persist, and presently Poodles returned with two men, who were +employed upon the school estate, and whose services were so often +required in the boats that they were good oarsmen. I comprehended the +principal's plan at once. He intended to chase me in the boat, and +bring me back by force. I was rather amused at the idea, and should +have been more so if there had been a fair sailing breeze. + +The Splash was the fastest boat on the lake, or, at least, faster than +any with which I had had an opportunity to measure paces. But it made +but little difference how fast she was, as long as there was hardly +wind enough to stiffen the mainsail. Mr. Parasyte ordered the men to +take their places on the thwarts, and ship their oars. I saw that a +little farther out from the shore there was a ripple on the water, and +putting one of my oars out at the stern, I sculled till I caught the +breeze, and the Splash went off at a little livelier pace. + +By this time all the boys had gathered on the bank of the lake to see +the fun, and it _was_ fun to them. I knew that their sympathies were +with me, and I only wished for a better breeze, that I might do +justice to myself and to my boat. But the chances for me were +improving as the Splash receded from the shore. Mr. Parasyte had taken +his place in the stern sheets of the row-boat, and was urging forward +the men at the oars, who were now pulling with all their might. I +could not conceal from myself the fact that they were gaining rapidly +upon me. Unless the wind increased, I should certainly be captured; +for the two men with the principal would ask no better sport than to +overhaul and roughly handle an unruly boy. + +But the wind continued to increase as I went farther out upon the +lake, and I soon had all that was necessary to enable me to keep a +"respectful distance" between the Splash and the row-boat. By this +time my anger had abated, and I had begun to enjoy the affair. With a +six-knot breeze I could have it all my own way. I could still see the +boys on the shore, watching the chase with the liveliest interest and +satisfaction. They were not silent observers, for an occasional cheer +or shout was borne to my ears over the lake, and I could see the +waving of hats, and the swinging of arms, with which my friends +encouraged me to persevere. + +Mr. Parasyte was resolute. He felt, doubtless, that the reputation of +the Parkville Liberal Institute, and his own reputation as a +disciplinarian, were at stake. The tumult in the school-room early in +the afternoon would weaken his power and influence over the boys, +unless its effects were counteracted by a triumph over me. Right or +wrong, he probably felt that he must put me down, or be sacrificed +himself; and he continued to urge his oarsmen forward, intent upon +capturing and subduing me. + +While I had the breeze I felt perfectly easy. I had stood out from the +shore with the wind on the beam, and there was nothing to prevent my +running before it directly to the cottage of my uncle. I was disposed +to tantalize my pursuer, and wear out his men. I knew that my silent +guardian would not thank me for leading Mr. Parasyte into his +presence, and I was willing to gratify him in this instance. Besides, +the students on the shore seemed to derive too much enjoyment from the +scene to have the sport cut short. Hauling aft the sheets, I stood +down the lake, close to the wind, until I had brought my pursuer +astern of me. I then brought the Splash up into the wind, and coolly +waited for the row-boat to come up within hailing distance. + +Mr. Parasyte, deceived by my position, thought his time had come. He +was much excited, and with renewed zeal pressed his oarsmen to +increase their efforts. When he had approached within a few rods of +me, I put up the helm, and dashed away again towards the pier. Again I +distanced him, and ran as near to the pier as I dared to go, fearful +that I might lose the wind under the lee of a bluff below the school +grounds. The boys hailed me with a cheer, which must have been +anything but soothing to the feelings of Mr. Parasyte. Then, "wing and +wing," I ran off before the wind; and, still unwilling to deprive my +friends of the excitement of witnessing the race, I again stood out +towards the middle of the lake. + +The principal could not give up the pursuit without abandoning the +high position he had taken, and subjecting himself to the derision of +the students. He followed me, therefore, and I led him over the same +course he had gone before. On my return I unfortunately ran in a +little too near the shore, and got under the lee of the bluff, which +nearly becalmed me. I realized that I had made a fatal blunder, and I +wished I had disappointed the boys, and continued on my course across +the lake, where the wind favored me. I tried to scull the Splash out +of the still water before Mr. Parasyte came up. + +"Pull with all your might, men!" said the principal, excitedly; and +they certainly did so. + +Seeing that he was upon me, I attempted to come about, and run off +before the wind; but I had lost my steerage-way. I suppose I was +somewhat "flurried" by the danger of my situation, and did not do as +well as I might have done. + +"Pull! Pull!" shouted Mr. Parasyte, nervously, as he steered the +row-boat. + +Thus urged, the men did pull better than I had ever known them to do +before. The principal of the Parkville Liberal Institute was no +boatman himself, and his calculations were miserably deficient, or +else his intentions were more vicious than I had given him credit for. +He was angry and excited; and as I looked at him, it seemed to me that +he did not know what he was about. The Splash lay broadside to him. +She was a beautiful craft, built light and graceful, rather than +strong and substantial. On the other hand, the row-boat was a solid, +sharp, ram-nosed craft, setting low in the water; and on it came at +the highest speed to which it could be urged by the powerful muscles +of the strong men at the oars. + +"Pull! Pull!" repeated Mr. Parasyte, fiercely, under the madness of +the excitement and the resentment caused by the hard chase I had led +him. + +"Down with your helm, or you will smash me!" I shouted, seeing that a +collision was inevitable. + +If Mr. Parasyte did not intend to run me down, my warning was too +late. The row-boat came upon me like a whirlwind, striking the Splash +on the beam, below her water-line, and staving in her side as though +she had been a card box. I do not know whether this was a part of the +principal's programme or not; but my boat was most effectually +smashed, and, being heavily ballasted, she went down like a rock. It +was hardly an instant after the shock before I felt her sinking +beneath me. The two men at the oars of the principal's boat, without +any order from Mr. Parasyte,--for he knew not what to do,--backed +water. I could swim like a fish; and as the Splash sank beneath me, I +struck out from the wreck, and was left like a waif floating upon the +glassy surface of the lake. + +[Illustration: ERNEST SAILS THE SPLASH AND TAKES A BATH. Page 54.] + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +IN WHICH ERNEST DECLINES A PROPOSITION. + + +The battle had been fought and lost to me. Mr. Parasyte, roused to the +highest pitch of anger and excitement, seemed to be determined to +overwhelm me. He was reckless and desperate. He had smashed my boat +apparently with as little compunction as he would snap a dead stick in +his fingers. He was thoroughly in earnest now; and it was fully +demonstrated that he intended to protect the discipline of the +Parkville Liberal Institute, even if it cost a human life for him to +do so. + +I was then "lying round loose" in the lake. I had no idea that I was +in any personal peril from the water; all that disturbed me was the +fact that I could not swim fast enough to keep out of the principal's +way. The treacherous breeze had deserted me in the midst of my +triumph, and consigned me to the tender mercies of my persecutor. + +I swam away from the boat which had been pursuing me, as though from +an instinct which prompted me to escape my oppressor; but Mr. +Parasyte, without giving any attention to my sinking craft, ordered +his men to pull again; and he steered towards me. Of course a few +strokes enabled him to overtake me. If I had had the means, I would +have resisted even then, and avoided capture; for I could easily have +swum ashore. But it would have been childish for me to hold out any +longer; and when one of the men held out his oar to me, I grasped it, +and was assisted into the boat. + +"Are you satisfied, Thornton?" said Mr. Parasyte, with a sneer, as I +shook myself like a water dog, and took my seat in the boat. + +"No, sir; I am not satisfied," I replied. + +"What are you going to do about it?" + +"I don't know about that; I will see in due time." + +"You will see in due time, I trust, that the discipline of the +Parkville Liberal Institute is not to be set at defiance with +impunity." + +"I have not set the discipline at defiance. I submitted myself, and +did what I could to make others do so. You can't say that I did +anything wrong while I was a member of the academy. You turned me out, +and I was going quietly and in order, when you began to browbeat me." + +"I ordered you to come to me, and you did not come. That was downright +disobedience." + +"It was after you had turned me out; and all I had to do was to go." + +"You were still on my premises, and were subject to my orders." + +"I don't think I was." + +"I shall not argue the matter with you. I am going to teach you the +duty of obedience." + +"Perhaps you will; but I don't believe you will," I replied, in a tone +of defiance. + +"We'll see." + +"There's another thing we'll see, while we are about it; and that is, +you will pay for smashing my boat." + +"Pay for it!" exclaimed he. + +"I think so." + +"I think not." + +"You will, if there is any law in the land." + +"Law!" ejaculated he; but his lips actually quivered with anger at the +idea of such an outrage upon his magnificent dignity, as being sued, +and compelled in a court of justice to pay for the boat he had +destroyed. + +"You had no right to run into my boat--no more right than I had to set +your house on fire." + +"We will see." + +He relapsed into a dignified silence; but he was thinking, I fancy, +how very pleasant it would be for him to pay three or four hundred +dollars for the Splash; not that he would care much for the money, but +it would make him appear so ridiculous in the eyes of the students. + +The men were pulling for the shore; but I observed that Mr. Parasyte +did not head the boat towards the pier, where the boys were waiting +our return. Probably he feared that they would attempt to resist his +mighty will, and deliver me from his hands. He intended, therefore, to +land farther down the lake, and convey me to the Institute buildings +by some unfrequented way. + +For my own part, I was not much disturbed by Mr. Parasyte's intentions +or movements. The only thing that really distressed me was the loss of +my boat; for the Splash had been one of my best and dearest friends. I +was a little sentimental in regard to her; and her destruction gave me +a pang of keen regret akin to anguish. I had cruised all over the lake +in her; had eaten and slept in her for a week at a time, and I +actually loved her. She was worthy to be loved, for she had served me +faithfully in storm and sunshine. It is quite likely that I had some +feelings of revenge towards the tyrant who had crushed her, and I was +thinking how he could be compelled to pay for the damage he had done. + +As soon as I had, in a measure, recovered my equanimity, I tried to +obtain the bearings of the spot where the Splash had disappeared +beneath the waters, so that, if I failed to obtain justice, I might +possibly recover my boat. If raised, she was in very bad condition; +for her side was stove in, and I feared she could not be repaired so +as to be as good as she was before. + +As the row-boat neared the shore, I made my preparations to escape +from my captor; for it was not my intention to be borne back in +triumph to the Institute, as a sacrifice to the violated discipline of +the establishment. When the boat touched the beach, I meant to jump +into the water, and thus pass the men, who were too powerful for me. I +changed my position so as to favor my purpose; but Mr. Parasyte had +been a schoolmaster too many years not to comprehend the thought which +was passing through my mind. He picked up the boat-hook, and it was +clear to me that he intended with this instrument to prevent my +escape. + +The boat was beached; but I saw no good chance to execute my purpose, +and was forced to wait till circumstances favored me. The spot where +we had put in was over two miles distant from the Institute by the +road, though not more than one by water. Mr. Parasyte directed one of +the men to go to a stable, near the shore, and procure a covered +carriage, compelling me to keep my seat in the stern of the boat near +him, while the messenger was absent. He still held the boat-hook in +his hand, with which he could fasten to me if I made any movement. + +When the vehicle came, the principal placed me on the back seat, and +took position himself at my side. One of the men was to drive, while +the other was directed to await his return, and then pull the boat +back. I was forced to acknowledge to myself that Mr. Parasyte's +strategy was excellent, and that I was completely baffled by it; but +as I was satisfied that my time would soon come, I was content to +submit, with what patience I could command, to the captivity from +which I could not escape. + +The vehicle was driven to the front door of the Institute; and the +boys, who were still on the shore of the lake, watching for the return +of the boat, did not have any notice of the arrival of the prisoner. I +was conducted to the hall of the principal's apartments first, and +then to a vacant chamber on the third floor. Mr. Parasyte performed +this duty himself, being unwilling to intrust my person to the care of +one his subordinate teachers. A suit of clothes belonging to a boy of +my own size was sent to me, and I was directed to put it on, while my +own dress was dried at the laundry fire. This was proper and humane, +and I did not object. + +When I had changed my clothing, Mr. Parasyte presented himself. By +this time he had thoroughly cooled off. He looked solemn and dignified +as he entered the little room, and seated himself in one of the two +chairs, which, with the bed, formed the furniture of the apartment. He +had probably considered the whole subject of his relations with me, +and was now prepared to give his final decision, to which I was also +prepared to listen. + +"Thornton," said he, with a kind of jerk in his voice. + +"Sir." + +"You have made more trouble in the Parkville Liberal Institute to-day +than all the other boys together have made since the establishment was +founded." + +"I didn't make it," I replied, promptly, intending to give him an +early assurance that I would not recede from the position I had +taken. + +"Yes, you did. You provoked a quarrel, and refused to apologize--a +very mild penalty for the offence you had committed." + +"I deny that I provoked a quarrel, sir." + +"That question has been settled, and we will not open it again. I have +shown the students, by my prompt pursuit of you when you set my +authority at defiance, that I intended to maintain the discipline of +this institution. I have taken you and brought you back. So far I am +satisfied, Thornton." + +"I am not. You have smashed my boat, and you must pay for her," I +added, calmly, but in the most uncompromising manner. + +"This is not a matter of dollars and cents with me. I would rather +have given a thousand dollars than had this trouble occur; and I would +give half that sum now to have it satisfactorily settled." + +Mr. Parasyte wiped his brow, for he was thrown into a violent +perspiration by the mental effort which this acknowledgment caused +him. It looked like "backing out." + +"Thornton, you are a very popular young man among the students; it +would be useless to deny it, if I were disposed to do so. You have +the sympathies of your companions, because Poodles is not popular." + +"The boys don't like Poodles simply because he is not a good fellow. +He is a liar and a cheat, and--" + +"Nothing more of that kind need be said. What I have done cannot be +undone." + +"Very well, sir; I have been expelled. Let me go; that's all I ask." + +"In due time you will have permission to go. I think I am, +technically, legally liable for the destruction of your boat," he +added, wiping his brow again; for it was hard work for him to say so +much. "But you have defied me, and the well-being of this institution +required that I should act promptly. I wish to make a proposition to +you." + +He paused and looked at me. I intimated that I was ready to hear him. + +"In about an hour the boys will assemble for evening prayers," he +continued, after rising from his chair and consulting his watch. "If +at that time you will apologize to me for your conduct, in their +presence, and before that time to Poodles, privately, I will restore +you to your rank and privileges in the Parkville Liberal Institute, +and--and pay you for your boat." + +"I will not do it, sir," I replied, without an instant's hesitation. + +Mr. Parasyte gave me a glance of mingled anger and mortification, and +turning on his heel, left the room, locking the door upon me. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +IN WHICH ERNEST FINDS HIS FELLOW-STUDENTS IN OPEN REBELLION. + + +To apologize to Poodles was to acknowledge that I had done wrong. Had +I done wrong so far as my fellow-student was concerned? Seriously and +earnestly I asked myself this question. No; I had told the truth in +regard to the affair exactly as it was, and it would be a lie for me +to apologize to Poodles. I could not and would not do it. I would be +cut to pieces, and have my limbs torn piecemeal from my body before I +would do it. + +As far as the principal was concerned, I felt that, provoked and +irritated by his tyranny and injustice, I had exhibited a proud and +defiant spirit, which was dangerous to the discipline of the school. I +was sorry that, when he called me back, I had not obeyed. While I was +in the school-room, or on the premises of the academy, I should have +yielded obedience, both in fact and in spirit; and I could not excuse +my defiant bearing by the plea that I had been expelled. I was +willing, after reflection, to apologize to Mr. Parasyte. + +He proposed to pay for my boat. This was a great concession on his +part, though it was called forth by the belief that he was legally +liable for its destruction. He was willing to do me justice in that +respect, if I would humiliate myself before Poodles, and publicly heal +the wound which the discipline of the Institute had received at my +hands. Even at that time it seemed to me to be noble and honorable to +acknowledge an error and atone for it; and I am quite sure, if I could +have felt that I had done wrong, I should have been glad to own it, +and to make the confession in the presence of the students. There was +a principle at stake, and something more than mere personal feeling. + +While I was debating with myself what I should do, Mr. Parasyte +appeared again. It was a matter of infinite importance to him. The +prosperity, if not the very existence, of his school depended upon +the issue of this affair; and he was naturally nervous and excited. +The students were in a state of incipient rebellion, as their conduct +in the afternoon indicated, and it was of the highest moment to the +Institute to have the matter amicably adjusted. + +On the one hand, if I apologized to Poodles and the principal, the +"powers that be" would be vindicated, and the authority of the master +fully established. On the other hand, if I declined to do so, and the +sentence of expulsion was carried out, the boys were in sympathy with +me, and the rebellion might break out afresh, and end in the total +dissolution of the establishment. Under these circumstances, it was +not strange that Mr. Parasyte desired to see me again. + +"I hope you have carefully considered your position, Thornton," said +he. + +"I have," I replied; "and I am willing to apologize to you, but not to +Poodles." + +"That is something gained," added he; and I could see his face +brighten up under the influence of a hope. + +"My manner was defiant, and my conduct disobedient. I am willing to +apologize to you for this, and to submit to such punishment as you +think proper to inflict." + +"That is very well; but it does not fully meet the difficulty. You +must also apologize to Poodles, which you are aware may be done in +private." + +"I cannot do it, sir, either in public or in private. Poodles was +wholly and entirely to blame." + +"I think not; when I settled the case it was closed up, and it must +not be opened again; at least not till some new testimony is obtained. +I cannot eat my own words." + +"You may obtain new testimony, if you desire," I suggested. + +"What?" + +"Poodles signed the declaration that he had performed the examples on +the papers without assistance." + +"He did. Have you any doubt that such is the case?" asked Mr. +Parasyte, though he must have been satisfied that Poodles did not work +out the examples. + +"I am entirely confident that he did not perform them. Mr. Parasyte," +I continued, earnestly, "I desire to stay at the Institute. It would +be very bad for me to be turned out, and I am willing to confess I +have done wrong. If you give Poodles the paper with the examination on +it, and he can perform one half of the examples, even now, without +help, I will apologize to him in public or in private." + +"That looks very fair, but it is not," replied the principal, rubbing +his head, as if to stimulate his ideas. + +"If Poodles can do the problems, I shall be willing to believe that I +am mistaken. In my opinion, he cannot perform a single one of them, +let alone the whole of them." + +"I object to this proceeding," said he, impatiently. "It will be +equivalent to my making a confession." + +The bell rang for the boys to assemble for the evening devotions. It +gave Mr. Parasyte a shock, for the business was still unsettled. I had +submitted to him a method by which he could ascertain the truth or +falsehood of Poodle's statements; but it involved an acknowledgment +that he, Mr. Parasyte, was in the wrong. He seemed to be afraid it +would be proved that he had made a blunder; that he had given an +unjust judgment. I was fully aware that the principal's position was a +difficult and painful one, and I was even disposed to sympathize with +him to a certain extent, though I was the victim of his partiality and +injustice. The perils and discomforts of his situation, however, had +been produced by his own hasty and unfair judgment; and it would have +been far better for him even to apologize to me. He would have lost +nothing with the boys by such a course; for never in my life did I +have so exalted an opinion of a schoolmaster, as when, conscious that +he had done wrong, he nobly and magnanimously acknowledged his error, +and begged the forgiveness of the boy whom he had unintentionally +misjudged. + +I feel bound to say, in this connection, and after a longer experience +of the world, that many schoolmasters, "armed with a little brief +authority," are the most contemptible of petty tyrants. Their +arrogance and oppression are intolerable; and I have often wondered, +that where such men have been planted, they have not produced more of +the evil fruit of strife and rebellion. Mr. Parasyte was one of this +class; and the fact that he was a splendid teacher did not help his +influence in the slightest degree. + +"There is the bell for evening prayers, Thornton, and it is necessary +for me to know instantly what you intend to do," said the principal. + +"I shall not apologize to Poodles; I will to you." + +"Think well of it." + +"I have done so. If Poodles can do one half the examples on the paper, +I will apologize." + +"I have decided that question, and shall not open it again." + +"I have nothing more to say, Mr. Parasyte," I replied, with becoming +dignity, as I braced myself for the consequences of the decision I had +made. + +"You are an obstinate and self-willed fellow!" exclaimed the +principal, irritated by the result. + +I made no reply. + +"The consequences be upon your own head." + +I bowed in silence. + +"You have lost your good character and your boat." + +I glanced out of the window, and saw the boys filing into the +school-room. + +"I shall explain this matter to your fellow-students, and tell them +what I proposed." + +"Do so," I answered. + +He could not help seeing that I was thoroughly in earnest, and that I +did not intend to yield any more than I had indicated. He was vexed, +annoyed, angry, and bolted out of the room, at last, in no proper +frame of mind to conduct the religious exercises of the hour. It was +quite dark now; and I lay down upon the bed, to think of what had +passed, and to conjecture the result of my conduct. How I sighed then +for some kind friend to advise me! How I wished that I had a father +who would tell me what to do, and fight my battle for me! How I longed +for a tender mother, into whose loving face I could gaze as I related +the sad experience of that eventful day! Perhaps she would bid me +apologize to Poodles, for the sake of saving my good name, and +retaining my connection with the school. If so, though it would be +weak and unworthy, I could humble myself for her sake. + +I felt that I had done right. I had made all the concession which +truth and justice required of me, and I was quite calm. I hardly +inquired why Mr. Parasyte was keeping me a prisoner in the Institute +after he had expelled me, or what he intended to do with me. About +nine o'clock my own clothes were brought back to me by one of the +servants; but the door was securely locked when he retired. + +A few minutes later, and before the sound of the servant's retreating +footsteps had ceased, I heard some one thrust a key into the door. It +did not fit, and a dozen others were tried in like manner, but with no +better success. I heard a whispered consultation; and then the door +began to strain, and crack, until the bolt yielded, and it flew open. +My sympathizing friends, the students, headed by Bob Hale, had broken +it down. + +"Come, Ernest," said Bob. "You needn't stay in here any longer. We +want you down stairs." + +"What are you going to do?" I asked, quietly, of my excited +deliverers. + +"There is no law or justice in this concern; and we are going to put +things to rights," replied Tom Rush, a good fellow, who had spent a +week's vacation with me circumnavigating Lake Adieno in the Splash. + +"You know I don't approve of any rows or riots," I added. + +"No row nor riot about it. We have taken possession of this +establishment, and we are going to straighten things out,--you can bet +your life on that." + +"Where is Mr. Parasyte?" + +"He has gone up to see your uncle. He told us, at evening prayers, +what an obstinate boy you were; how kind, and tender, and forgiving he +had been to you, and how he had exhausted good nature in trying to +bring you to a proper sense of duty." + +"Did he say that?" + +"He did, and much more. But come with us. The fellows have captured +the citadel, and we hold the school-room now, waiting for you." + +"I will go with you; but I don't want the fellows to make a +disturbance." + +"No disturbance at all, Ernest; but we have turned the assistant +teachers out, and mean to ascertain who is right and who is wrong in +this matter." + +The rebellion had actually broken out again; and the students, in the +most high-handed manner, had established a tribunal in the +school-room, to try the issue of my affair with the principal. I +followed Bob Hale, Tom Rush, and half a dozen others, who constituted +the committee to wait on me. They conducted me to the main +school-room, which was a large hall. At every door and window were +stationed two or three of the larger boys, with their hockies, bats, +and rulers as weapons, to defend the court, as they called it, from +any interruption. + +About two thirds of the students were there assembled; and though the +gathering was a riotous proceeding, the boys were in as good order as +during the sessions of the school. In an arm-chair, on the platform, +sat Henry Vallington, one of the oldest and most dignified students +of the Institute, who, it appeared, was to act as judge. Before him +were Bill Poodles and Dick Pearl,--the latter being one of the six +whose examples were all right,--arraigned for trial, and guarded by +four stout students. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +IN WHICH ERNEST ATTENDS THE TRIAL OF BILL POODLES AND DICK PEARL. + + +I confess that I was appalled at the boldness and daring of my +fellow-students, who had actually taken possession of the Parkville +Liberal Institute, and purposed to mete out justice to me and to Bill +Poodles. There was a certain kind of solemnity in the proceedings, +which was not without its effect upon me. My companions were +thoroughly in earnest, and the affair was not to be a farce. + +Mr. Parasyte, after prayer, had made a statement to the students in +regard to the unpleasant event of the day, in which he represented me +as a contumacious offender, one who desired to make all the trouble he +could; an obstinate, self-willed fellow, whose example was dangerous +to the general peace, and who had refused to be guided by reason and +common sense. He told the students that he had even offered to pay for +my boat--a concession on his part which had had no effect in softening +my obdurate nature. He appealed to them to sustain the discipline of +the Parkville Liberal Institute, which had always been celebrated as a +remarkably orderly and quiet establishment. He then added that he +should consult my uncle in regard to me, and be guided in some measure +by his judgment. + +The students heard him in silence; but Bob Hale assured me that it was +with compressed lips, and a fixed determination to carry out the plan +which had been agreed upon while the boys were watching the chase on +the lake, and which had not been modified by the wilful destruction of +the Splash. + +I glanced around at my fellow-students as I entered the hall; and +though they smiled as their gaze met mine, there was a look of +earnestness and determination which could not be mistaken. Henry +Vallington, the chairman, judge, or whatever the name of his office +was, had the reputation of being the steadiest boy in the school. It +was understood that he intended to become a minister. He was about +eighteen, and was nearly fitted to enter college. He never joined in +what were called the "scrapes" of the Institute, but devoted himself +with the closest attention to his studies. He was esteemed and +respected by all who knew him; and when I saw him presiding over this +irregular assemblage, I could not help regarding the affair as much +more serious than it had before seemed, even to me, the chief actor +therein. + +Poodles and Pearl, I learned, had been captured in their rooms, and +dragged by sheer force into the school-room, to be examined on the +charges to be preferred against them. Poodles looked timid and +terrified, while Pearl was dogged and resolute. + +"Thornton," said Henry Vallington, as my conductors paused before the +judge, "I have sent for you in order that we may ascertain the truth +of the charges brought against you by Mr. Parasyte. If you provoked +the quarrel to-day noon with Poodles, it is no more than fair and +right that you should make the apology required of you. If you did +not, we intend to stand by you. Have you anything to say?" + +"I wish to say, in the first place, that, guilty or innocent, I am +willing to submit to whatever penalty the principal imposes upon me." + +"That is very well for you, but it won't do for us," interposed the +judge. "If such gross injustice is done to one, it may be to another. +We act in self-defence." + +"I don't know what you intend to do; but I am opposed to any +disorderly conduct, and to any violation of the rules of the +Institute." + +"We know you are, Thornton; and you shall not be held responsible for +what we do to-night. If you are willing to tell us what you know about +this affair, all right. If not, we shall go on without you." + +"I am willing to tell the truth here, as I have done to-day. As there +seems to be some mistake in regard to what transpired between Mr. +Parasyte and myself, up stairs, I will state the facts as they +occurred. He agreed to pay for my boat on condition that I would +apologize, privately, to Poodles, and publicly to the principal. I +offered to apologize to Mr. Parasyte, but not to Poodles, who was the +aggressor in the beginning. I told him, if Poodles would perform half +the examples now, I would make the apology to him." + +"That's it!" shouted half a dozen boys. + +"Order!" interposed the judge, sternly. + +"I think that would be a good way to prove that Poodles did or did not +tell the truth, when he said he had performed the examples," +interposed Bob Hale. + +"Capital!" added Tom Rush. + +"I approve the method; but let us have no disorder," replied +Vallington. "Conduct Poodles to the blackboard." + +The custodians of the culprit promptly obeyed this order, and led him +to the blackboard, which was cleaned for immediate use. The +school-room was well lighted, and the expression on the faces of all +could be distinctly seen. + +"Poodles, we desire to have justice done to all," said Vallington, +when the culprit had taken his place at the blackboard. "You shall +have fair play in every respect. You shall have a chance to prove +that you were right, and Thornton wrong." + +"Well, I was right," replied Poodles. + +"Did you perform all the examples on your paper without any help?" + +"Of course I did." + +"Then of course you know how to perform them. Here is an examination +paper. If you can perform five of the ten examples you shall be +acquitted." + +"Perhaps I don't choose to do them," said Poodles, looking around for +some way to escape his fate. + +"Are you not willing that the truth should come out?" + +"I told the truth to-day." + +"All right, if you did. You surely will not object to _prove_ that you +did. You shall have fair play, I repeat." + +"Suppose I don't choose to do them?" asked Poodles, doubtfully. + +"Then we shall take it for granted that you did not do them, as you +declared on your paper." + +"You can take it for granted, then, if you like," answered Poodles, as +he dropped the chalk. + +"You refuse to perform the examples--do you?" demanded Vallington, +sternly. + +"Yes, I do." + +"Then you may take the consequences. Either you shall be expelled from +the Institute, or at least fifty of us will petition our parents to +take us from this school. We have done with you." + +Bill Poodles smiled, and was pleased to get off so easily; but I +noticed that Dick Pearl turned pale, and looked very much troubled. He +was a relative of Mr. Parasyte, and it was generally understood that +he was a free scholar, his parents being too poor to pay his board and +tuition. While he expected to be ducked in the lake, or subjected to +some personal indignity, after the manner in which boys usually treat +such cases, his courage was good. Now, it appeared that the boys +simply intended to have Poodles expelled, or to ask their parents and +guardians to remove them; and as most of the students were from +fourteen to eighteen years of age, they would probably have influence +enough to effect their design. + +"Pearl," said the judge, while the other culprit was apparently still +attempting to figure out the result of the trial. + +"I'm here," replied Pearl. + +"We are entirely satisfied that Poodles had some assistance in +performing his examples. It is believed that you gave him that +assistance. If you did, own up." + +"Who says I helped Poodles?" + +"I say so, for one," added the judge, sharply. + +"Can you prove it?" + +"I will answer that question after you have confessed or refused to +confess. You shall have fair play, as well as Poodles. If you wish to +put yourself right on the record, you can do so; if not, you shall +leave, or we will." + +Pearl looked troubled. He was under very great obligations to Mr. +Parasyte. If he denied that he had helped Poodles, and it was then +proved against him, the boys would insist that he should be expelled. +If he stood out, he must either be expelled or the Institute be broken +up. He did not appear willing to take such a responsibility. + +"You can do as you please, Pearl; but tell the truth, if you say +anything," continued Vallington. + +"I did help Poodles," said he, looking down at the floor. + +"How much did you help him?" + +"I lent him my examination paper, and he copied all the solutions upon +his own." + +"And after that you were willing to declare that you had not assisted +any one?" demanded the judge, with a look of supreme contempt on his +fine features. + +"I had not helped any one _when_ I signed my paper." + +"Humph!" exclaimed Vallington, with a withering sneer. "That is the +meanest kind of a lie." + +"I didn't mean to assist him; he teased me till I couldn't help +myself," pleaded Pearl. + +A further examination showed that Poodles had browbeaten and +threatened him; and we were disposed to palliate Pearl's offence, in +consideration of his poverty and his dependent position, after he had +confessed his error. + +"Are you willing to make this acknowledgment to Mr. Parasyte?" asked +the judge, in a tone of compassion. + +"I don't want to; but I will. I suppose he will send me home then," +replied the culprit. + +"We will do what we can for you," added the judge. + +Pearl had been a pretty good fellow among the boys, was generally +popular, and all were sorry for him. But his confession in a manner +absolved him, and the students heartily declared that they would stand +by him. + +"Our business is finished," said Vallington, "unless Poodles has +something more to say." + +Poodles had listened with consternation to the confession of Pearl, +and he now appeared to be dissatisfied with himself rather than with +the court. + +"I didn't think Dick Pearl would let on in that way," said he, casting +a reproachful glance at his fellow-culprit. + +"He has told the truth. If he had not confessed, we could have proved +that he helped you," added Vallington. "I have seen the six papers +that were all right myself. Pearl performed the third example in a +very peculiar and roundabout way; and Poodles had it in the same way, +while the other did it by the most direct method." + +"I suppose it's of no use to stand out now," said Poodles, timidly. + +"Will you confess now?" + +"I will, if it will do any good." + +"If you will tell the truth to Mr. Parasyte, that is all we want. The +fellows haven't anything against you. Will you do so?" + +"I will if you say I shall not be expelled," whined Poodles. + +"I can only say that we will not ask for your expulsion. I suppose +there is no danger of Mr. Parasyte expelling _you_," added the judge, +with a dry humor, appreciated by all the students. + +"Mr. Parasyte!" exclaimed one of the sentinels at the door. + +There was an attempt on the part of the principal to pull the door +open, but it was well secured upon the inside. + +"Let him in," said the judge. + +The door opened, and Mr. Parasyte entered the school-room. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +IN WHICH ERNEST VANQUISHES THE SCHOOLMASTER. + + +Mr. Parasyte had evidently obtained some information in regard to the +great rebellion before he entered the school-room; for though he +looked extremely troubled, he did not seem to be so much astonished as +might have been expected. He was admitted by order of the judge, and +took off his hat as he walked up the aisle to the platform, wiping +away the perspiration which gathered on his heated brow under the +severe mental struggles his position induced. + +"What does all this mean?" he demanded, with a sternness which we +could not help seeing was assumed. + +The boys were all orderly and quiet; the school room was as still as +during the regular sessions of the Institute. The sentinels, with +their bats and clubs, stood immovable at their stations, and the +scene produced its full impression upon the mind of the principal. As +he did not seem to be prepared to receive an answer to his question, +none was given; and Mr. Parasyte glanced uneasily around the room, +apparently seeking to obtain a better understanding of the scene. + +"What does all this _mean_?" demanded he, a second time. + +"It means, sir," replied Henry Vallington, "that the boys are +dissatisfied, and intend to have things set right." + +"Is this a proper way to express their dissatisfaction--to take +advantage of my absence to get up a riotous assembly?" + +"We have been perfectly orderly, sir," added the judge, in respectful +tones. + +"How came you here, Thornton?" continued the principal, as his gaze +rested on me. + +"We brought him here, sir," promptly interposed Vallington, anxious to +relieve me of any responsibility for my escape from my prison-chamber. + +"Vallington, I confess my astonishment at seeing you engaged in an +affair of this kind," said Mr. Parasyte, reproachfully; and he fixed +his gaze upon the judge, and again wiped the perspiration from his +forehead. "I have always regarded you as an orderly and well-behaved +boy." + +"I do not expect to forfeit my reputation as such by what I have done. +Mr. Parasyte, the boys are dissatisfied. We are not little children. +We have all reached the years of discretion, and we know the +difference between right and wrong, between justice and injustice." + +"Do you intend to read me a lecture?" demanded the principal, angrily. + +"No, sir; I had no such intention--only to state the facts." + +"But you are arraigning me, the principal of the Parkville Liberal +Institute," added Mr. Parasyte, measuring the judge from head to foot. + +"You may call it what you please, sir." + +"May I ask what you purpose to do?" continued the principal, in a +sneering tone, not unmingled with timidity. + +"Poodles," said the judge, turning to the lank toady, "stand up." + +He obeyed; and being now with the majority of the boys, I think he was +mean enough to enjoy the discomfiture of Mr. Parasyte, for there can +be no real respect or true sympathy in the relation of one flunky with +another. + +"Are you ready to tell the whole truth?" demanded Vallington. + +"I am," replied Poodles. + +"Perhaps you will be willing to inform Mr. Parasyte, in the beginning, +whether you do so of your own free will and accord, or not." + +"I do so of my own free will and accord." + +"Did you perform the examples on the examination paper without any +assistance?" + +"I did not." + +"How many did you do yourself?" + +"None of them." + +"Who struck the first blow in the affray on the pier with Thornton?" + +"I did," answered Poodles, with a silly leer. "Thornton told the facts +just exactly as they were." + +"You may sit down." + +Mr. Parasyte wiped his brow again. + +"Pearl," continued Vallington. + +This culprit, unlike his companion in guilt, looked sheepish and +crestfallen, as he slowly rose from his seat. He was not so base and +low-minded as Poodles, and he felt a genuine shame for the mean +conduct of which he had been guilty. + +"Have you anything to say, Pearl?" asked the judge. + +"I lent my paper to Poodles, who copied the solutions from it," +replied Pearl, with his glance fixed upon the floor. + +"That's all; you may sit down." + +Pearl seated himself; and if a pin had fallen to the floor then, it +might have been heard in the anxious silence that followed. Mr. +Parasyte's chest heaved with emotion. He wanted to storm, and scold, +and threaten, but seemed to be afraid to do so. + +"I have nothing more to say at present, Mr. Parasyte. In the name and +in behalf of the students, I have brought the facts to your notice," +said Vallington, breaking the impressive stillness, as the principal +did not seem disposed to do so. + +"After the riotous proceedings of this afternoon, I might have +expected this; but I did not," the principal began. "You appear to +have intimidated Poodles to such an extent that he has entirely +modified and reversed the statements he made this afternoon. He is a +weak-minded boy, and it was not difficult to do so." + +This remark roused the ire of Poodles, and it required a sharp +reprimand from the judge to repress his impertinence. + +"Pearl is a poor boy, upon whose fears you seem to have successfully +wrought. A confession from either of them, under the circumstances, is +not reliable. I do not countenance this meeting, or these proceedings. +I am not to be intimidated by your action. In regard to what you have +done, I have nothing to say; but I require you to separate, and go at +once to your rooms." + +"Will you be kind enough to inform us what you intend to do, Mr. +Parasyte?" said Vallington. + +"I am not to be taken to task by my pupils." + +"We do not intend to resort to any disorderly proceedings," added the +judge. "Poodles and Pearl, without compulsion, have acknowledged +their errors, and it has been fully proved that Thornton was not to +blame for the affair on the pier. We ask, therefore, that Thornton be +restored to his rank and privileges as a member of the Institute. If +this is not done, at least fifty of us will sign a paper urging our +parents and guardians to take us away from this school." + +"I will grant nothing under these circumstances--promise nothing," +replied the principal, doggedly. + +"We are in no haste. We leave the matter for your consideration, Mr. +Parasyte. We will all go to our rooms now." + +Vallington left the chair, and walked out of the school-room, followed +in good order by all the students who had taken part in these +irregular proceedings. I was going out with the rest, when Mr. +Parasyte intimated that he had something to say to me, and I remained. +When the boys had all gone, he invited me to accompany him to his +private office--a small apartment, opening from the main hall, near +the front door, in which he received callers, and sat in state when +not employed in the school-room. + +There is an old saying that "you must summer and winter" a man before +you know him. Mr. Parasyte was considered a tyrant; not a coarse and +brutal tyrant, but a refined and gentlemanly one, who cows you by his +polite impertinence. He seldom indulged in harsh speech, never in +personal violence--at least no instance of it was known to the +students. He indulged in sneers and polished browbeating. A boy was +never stupid--he lacked common intelligence; never a blockhead--his +perceptions were very dull. His polite epithets were more cutting than +good round invectives would have been. + +He had a will of his own; and he was obstinate, mulish, pig-headed. If +he had been surprised into declaring that black was white, then black +would continue to be white, in spite of positive demonstration to the +contrary. He was dogmatic to the last degree; and this is a fault to +which the schoolmaster is peculiarly liable. It required the event of +the day whereof I speak to enable us fully to comprehend Mr. Parasyte. +We had summered him before; now we were to winter him. + +What he had said in the school-room indicated that he intended to +regard the confessions of Poodles and Pearl as extorted from them by +intimidation, and that he purposed to persist in persecuting me. I had +no desire to be a martyr; but I did not see how I could help myself. + +"Thornton, I see you intend, if possible, to break up the Parkville +Liberal Institute," said he. + +"No, sir, I do not. I hadn't anything to do with what took place in +the school-room," I replied. + +"You did not seem to be a martyr there," sneered he. "The boys have +made a mistake; so have you. They don't know me; you don't. You got up +a quarrel this afternoon." + +"No, sir, I did not." + +"Don't contradict me," said he, sharply. "I say you got up a quarrel +this afternoon." + +"And I say I did not." + +"I am in no humor to trifle with you," said he, opening a desk, and +taking out a cowhide. + +I was willing to confess, when I saw that implement, that I had not +known him before. He was about to step down from refined to brutal +tyranny. + +"Poodles himself has confessed that he lied," I added, taking no +further notice of the cowhide. + +"Confessed!" exclaimed Mr. Parasyte, savagely. "The boys have either +bribed or frightened him into this confession. It will have no effect +upon me." + +"I have nothing to say, then," I answered, with dignity. "If you will +look into the case again, and require Poodles to do the examples, you +will see that you, and not the boys, have made a mistake." + +"Silence, sir! I don't intend to be addressed in that impudent way by +any student. I have attempted to suppress this rebellion by mild +means; but they have failed. I have been to see your uncle. As I +supposed he would, he has taken a proper view of the case. He does not +wish to have you expelled, and I revoke my sentence; but he desires to +have you reduced to subjection." + +My uncle had actually spoken, and taken sides with the tyrant. I was +astonished, but not intimidated. + +"I have drawn up a paper for you to sign, which shall be read to the +boys to-morrow morning. There it is." + +[Illustration: RESISTANCE TO TYRANNY.--Page 99.] + +I glanced at the document. It was an acknowledgment of all Mr. +Parasyte charged me with, and a promise to behave myself properly. I +refused to sign it. The principal rolled up his sleeves, and took the +cowhide in his hand. He looked cool and malignant. + +"Then I shall do as your uncle wishes me to do--reduce you to +subjection," said he. "Consider well what you are doing." + +"I have considered, sir. If you strike me with that cowhide, I shall +do the best I can to defend myself." + +"Do you threaten me?" demanded Mr. Parasyte, stepping towards me with +a jerk. + +"No, sir; but I will not submit to a blow, if it costs me my life." + +"Won't you? We'll see." + +He did see. He struck me. The blow cut my soul. I sprang upon him with +all the tiger in my nature let loose. I kicked, bit, scratched. I +clawed at his throat like a vampire, and, though severely belabored, I +finally wrenched the cowhide from his grasp, and hurled him back so +that he fell full length upon the floor. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +IN WHICH ERNEST STRIKES A HEAVY BLOW, AND WINS ANOTHER VICTORY. + + +I was astonished at my own prowess, as I stood, with heaving breast, +gazing at the prostrate form of the vanquished tyrant. I was a stout +young fellow, heavy enough and strong enough for a boy of fifteen; but +I did not regard myself as a match for a full-grown man. I suppose the +fury and impetuosity of the onslaught I made had given me the victory +before Mr. Parasyte was able to bring all his power to bear upon me. + +I was satisfied with what I had done, and did not care to do any more. +I wished to leave; but the principal had locked the door, and put the +key into his pocket. I glanced at the window, hoping to find a means +of egress in that direction, though it was at least ten feet above the +ground. But ten feet are nothing to a boy of spirit; and I was moving +towards the window, intending to take the leap, when Mr. Parasyte +sprang to his feet, and confronted me again. If ever a man wore the +expression of a demon, the principal of the Parkville Liberal +Institute did at that moment; and it was patent to me that, unless I +could effect my escape, my trials and troubles had but just commenced. + +I was more disposed to use strategy than force; for, in spite of the +victory I had won, I was fearful that the tyrant "carried too many +guns" for me. The malignity of his aspect was accompanied by an +expression of pain, as though he had been injured by his fall. This +was in my favor, if I was to be again compelled to break a lance with +him. + +"You villain!" gasped Mr. Parasyte, with one hand upon his side. "How +dare you resist?" + +"I have no fancy for being cut to pieces with a cowhide," I replied, +as coolly as I could, which, however, was not saying much. + +"Your uncle wished me to reduce you to subjection, and to flog you +till you came to your senses." + +"I am not very grateful to my uncle for his request; and I have to +say, that I will not be tamely flogged either by you or by him." + +"What do you mean to do?" demanded he, apparently astonished to find +me so resolute. + +"I mean to resist as long as I am flogged," I replied, twisting the +cowhide I still held in my hand. + +Saying this, I jumped upon the window-seat, and unfastened the sash. + +"Stop!" said he, moving towards me. + +"I know what you mean now; and if you come near me, I will hit you +over the head with the butt-end of this cowhide," I replied, raising +the sash. + +"I intend to reduce you to subjection at any hazard," he added. + +Without making reply, I attempted to get out of the window in such a +way that I could drop to the ground, or "hang off" with my hands. In +doing this, I laid myself open to the assault of the enemy, who was +prompt in perceiving his advantage, and in availing himself of it. +Seizing me by the collar with both hands, he dragged me back into the +office, and hurled me heavily upon the floor, at the same time +wrenching the cowhide from my grasp. I sprang to my feet with the +celerity of a wounded tiger; but the principal began to beat me with a +zeal corresponding to his malignity. + +A heavy round ruler on the desk, which had before attracted my +attention, was available as a weapon, and in the fury of my passion I +grasped it. Without thought or consideration except in my own defence, +I sprang upon the tyrant again, and dealt him several heavy blows with +the implement, until one was planted in such a place on his head that +it knocked him insensible upon the floor. Panting like a hunted deer +from the rage which filled my soul, and from the violence of my +exertions, I gazed upon the work I had done. Mr. Parasyte lay +motionless upon the floor. I took the key from his vest pocket, and +unlocked the door. + +In the hall I found several persons, including Mrs. Parasyte, and Mr. +Hardy, one of the assistant teachers. They had been sitting in the +parlor opposite the office, and had heard the noise of the desperate +struggle between the principal and myself. + +"What have you done!" exclaimed Mrs. Parasyte, greatly alarmed when +she saw her husband lying senseless upon the floor. + +"This is bad business," added Mr. Hardy, as he hastened to the +assistance of the principal. + +"Is he dead?" asked the wife, in tremulous tones. + +"No--O, no! But he has had a heavy blow on the temple," replied the +teacher. + +I assisted Mrs. Parasyte and Mr. Hardy in carrying my foe to his +chamber. I was alarmed myself. I feared that I had done more than I +intended to do. I went for the doctor at the lady's request; but +before my return Mr. Parasyte had come to his senses, and complained +of a severe sickness at his stomach. The physician carefully examined +him, and declared that his patient was not seriously injured. I need +not say that I was greatly relieved by this opinion. I left the room, +intending to depart from the house, though it was now nearly eleven +o'clock at night. Mr. Hardy followed me out into the hall, and wished +to know where I was going. + +"Home," I replied. + +"I'm afraid you have got into difficulty, Thornton," added he. + +"I can't help it if I have. I didn't mean to hurt him so badly; but it +was his own fault." + +"How did it happen?" + +I told him how it happened; but Mr. Hardy expressed no opinion on the +merits of the case. He knew, as well as I did, that Mr. Parasyte had +been wrong from the beginning; but being in a subordinate position, it +was not proper for him to condemn his principal. + +"The boys are in a riotous condition, and it is fortunate they do not +know of this affair. I hope you do not intend to inform them--at least +not to-night," he added. + +"No, sir, I do not. I have tried from the first to keep the peace. +Poodles confessed to Mr. Parasyte that he had lied about the affair on +the pier, but he refused to believe him. I am sorry there has been any +trouble; but I couldn't help it." + +Mr. Hardy was really troubled; but he could not say anything, and he +did not. He was a poor man, trying to earn the means to study a +profession by teaching, and a word or a look of sympathy to a rebel +like me would have cost him his situation. He was a just and a fair +man, and as such was loved and respected by all the students. Many of +the boys had often wished that he might be the principal of the +academy, instead of Mr. Parasyte, who had established and who still +owned the institution. + +There was nothing more to be said or done, and I left the academy for +home. I was sincerely sorry for what had happened. Even a quarrel in +which I had been the victor had no pleasant reflections for me. I +would have submitted to any punishment except the flogging, and borne +the injustice of it without a complaint; but I had been required to +confess that of which I was not guilty, and I could not do that. I +hated a lie of any kind, and I could not tell one to save myself from +the consequences of the tyrant's rage and injustice. + +I considered all the events of the day as I walked home, and came to +the conclusion that I was not to blame for the mischief that had been +done. If I had been haughty and disobedient, it was because I had been +treated badly. I certainly did not deserve flogging, and it would have +been impossible for me to submit to it. If I had been guilty, I could +have borne even that. + +My uncle had counselled Mr. Parasyte to reduce me to subjection; and +much I marvelled that he had found words to say so much. It was an +evidence of interest in me which he had never before manifested. It +was plain that, in the settlement of the difficulty, I must count upon +the opposition of my uncle, who had already espoused the principal's +side of the quarrel. But I did not make any rash resolves, preferring +to act as my sense of right and justice should dictate when the time +for action came. + +As I approached the cottage by the lake, I saw a light in my uncle's +library. My guardian sat up late at night, and rose early in the +morning. He did not sleep well, and he always looked pale and haggard. +He was a misanthrope in the worst sense of the word. He seemed to have +no friends, and to care for no one in the world--not even for himself. +Certainly he had no regard for me. + +Of his past history I knew nothing; but I had already concluded that +he had been subjected to some terrible disappointment or injustice. He +appeared to suffer all the time; and if he would have permitted it, +how gladly would I have assuaged his woe by my sympathy! He was cold +and forbidding, and would not permit me to speak a word to him. I had +once tried to make him tell me something about my father and mother; +but, with an expression of angry impatience upon his face, he had +turned and fled in disgust from me. + +I longed to know who and what my mother was; but my questions brought +no answer. One day, when my uncle was away, I had crept into his +library, and tried vainly to obtain some information from his books +and papers. He caught me in the room, and drove me out with a curse +upon his lips. After that a spring lock was put upon the door, the key +of which he carried in his pocket. + +On the present occasion I had nothing to expect from my uncle; but I +wished to see him, and tell him my story. I knew that he could talk; +for, during the preceding year, a man of thirty, elegantly dressed, +came to the cottage one afternoon, and walked with my uncle into the +grove by the lake. They had business together, and it was not of a +pleasant nature; for, prompted by curiosity, I rowed my skiff up to +the shore, to learn what I might of the stranger's purpose. I could +not understand a word that was said; but my uncle talked rapidly and +fiercely, and a violent altercation ensued, which I feared would end +in blows. The stranger did not come back to the cottage, and the +supper which Betsey had prepared for the guest was not needed. + +Learning from this that my uncle had a tongue, I asked him who the +stranger was. The answer was only a savage frown. He had no tongue for +me. Neither old Jerry nor his wife was any better informed than I was, +for both assured me they did not know the stranger. Satisfied, +therefore, that my uncle could talk, I was determined to see him +before I went to bed, though it was nearly midnight. Perhaps, also, I +was disposed to adopt this course, because my guardian had given such +bad advice to Mr. Parasyte. I was not insensible to the indulgence +with which I had ever been treated; and seeing that my silent uncle +wished to avoid me, I had generally favored him in doing so. It was +different now. He had given an order or a permission to have me +brutally punished, and I was determined to make him "face the music." + +I entered the house, and passing through my uncle's chamber, stood at +the door of the library, which was fastened by the spring lock. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +IN WHICH ERNEST HAS AN INTERVIEW WITH HIS UNCLE. + + +With my resolution still at the highest pitch of firmness, I knocked +at the library door. I expected a storm; it was hardly possible to +avoid one; but I hoped, if I could induce my stern and silent guardian +to speak or to listen, that I might make an impression upon him. There +was no answer to my knock, and I repeated it. Then I heard a stir in +the library, and my uncle opened the door. When he saw me, he was +about to close the door in my face, doubtless regarding my conduct in +knocking at his door as impudent in the highest degree. I was not +disposed to be shut out, and anticipating his purpose, I stepped +nimbly into the room. + +"Uncle Amos, I wish to speak with you for a few moments, if you will +be kind enough to hear me," I began, in tones as humble as the veriest +tyrant could have required. + +He sat down in his arm-chair, leaned his head upon his hand in such a +way as to cover his face, but made me no reply, either by word or by +sign. + +"I would not trouble you if it were not necessary to do so," I +continued. "Will you permit me to tell my story?" + +He removed his hand, and gave me an affirmative nod; but it was +evident to me that my presence was the occasion of positive suffering +to him. I knew of no reason why I should be personally disagreeable to +him, and it seemed to me that his aversion was caused wholly by a kind +of obstinacy, which I could not understand. + +"I have had a difficulty with Mr. Parasyte; but I was not to blame, as +I can prove by more than half the students in the academy," I +proceeded; and then I rehearsed all the particulars of my affray with +Poodles, on the pier, including the rebellion of the students, and the +confession of the guilty ones. + +My uncle may have heard me, and he may not; but he took not the least +notice of me, appearing to be absorbed in his own meditations during +the recital of my wrongs. + +"Mr. Parasyte called me into his private office, and informed me that +he had been to see you," I added. + +My uncle removed his hand from his face, glanced at me, nodded his +head, which was the first indication he had given that he was +conscious of my presence, after I began to relate my story. The look +that accompanied the nod was anything but a pleasant one. There was +something like malignant satisfaction in the glance that he bestowed +upon me. + +"Then you did request Mr. Parasyte to reduce me to subjection, as he +expressed it?" + +"I did," replied he, decidedly, as he again uncovered his face, and +nodded to emphasize his reply. + +This was hopeful, for I had at least got an answer out of him, though +the reply was cold-blooded and cruel. + +"Did you request him to flog me?" I demanded, a little excited by the +fact that my uncle was likely to prove as malignant as the +schoolmaster. + +"I did," he added; and his eyes seemed to glow like two coals of fire. + +It was not difficult now for me to understand the situation. My uncle +hated me,--why I knew not. I could not reconcile such a feeling with +the indulgence he had always extended to me. I could not see why, if +he hated me, as that fierce glare of his eyes indicated, he had always +allowed me to have my own way, had always given me money without +stint, and had permitted me to go and come when and as I pleased, and +rove at will over the broad and dangerous lake. + +I have since learned that this indulgence was perfectly consistent +with hatred, and that the judicious parent, who truly loves his son, +would deprive him of such unhealthy and dangerous indulgences. As he +hated me, so he let me have my own way. Had he loved me, he would have +restrained me; he would have inquired into my conduct when away from +home; and above all, he would not have allowed me to risk my life upon +the stormy lake as I did. + +"You _did_ request him to flog me, and without understanding the +merits of the case!" I replied, indignantly. + +He nodded again. + +"Uncle Amos, I have tried to do my duty faithfully at school, and to +be respectful and obedient to my teachers. This is the first time I +have had any trouble. I say, most solemnly, I was not to blame." + +"You were," said my uncle. + +"Will you hear the evidence in my favor?" + +"No." + +"You will not?" + +"No." + +"What would you have me do?" + +"Obey your teacher." + +"Mr. Parasyte ordered me to apologize to Poodles." + +"Do it then." + +"But Poodles confesses that I was not to blame." + +"No matter." + +"I cannot do it, uncle." + +"The master must make you do it," added my uncle, with a sneer. + +"He attempted to do so. He began to flog me, and I knocked him down," +I replied, quietly, but sullenly. + +My uncle sprang to his feet, and stared at me with an intensity which +would have made me quail if I had been guilty. + +"You struck him!" exclaimed he, trembling with emotion. + +"When he attempted a second time to flog me, I hit him on the head +with a heavy ruler, and he fell insensible upon the floor." + +My stern guardian rushed furiously across the room, foaming with +passion. + +"You villain!" gasped he, pausing before me. "You struck the master?" + +"I knocked him down, as I would any other man who insulted me with a +blow," I replied, firmly; for I intended to have my uncle understand +exactly how I felt. + +"You are an obstinate whelp!" ejaculated my guardian, who had +certainly found a tongue now. + +"All the students think I am right." + +"The students! What do I care what they think?" + +"They understand the case." + +"Humph!" sneered my uncle. + +"I see, sir, that I have nothing to expect from you," I continued. + +"No!" + +"I have only to say that Mr. Parasyte can't flog me. If I were guilty, +I would not resist; but I will fight as long as I have a breath left +against such injustice." + +"Very pretty! May I ask what you are going to do with yourself?" + +"I don't know yet; only, if I am not wanted here, I won't stay here. I +think I can take care of myself." + +"Do you consider this a proper return for all I have done for you?" +asked he, more calmly. + +"I don't know what you have done for me. I asked you once something +about my father and mother, and you did not answer me." + +"You have no father and mother," he replied, with visible emotion. +"You need not ask any questions, for I will not answer them." + +"Did they leave any property for me?" I asked, mildly; and I had +already concluded that they did, or my uncle would not have been so +lavish of his money upon me. + +"Property! What put that idea into your head?" demanded he; and he was +more agitated than the circumstances seemed to warrant. + +"I have no idea anything about it. I only asked the question." + +"It is enough for you to know that I am willing to take care of you, +and pay your expenses, however extravagant they may be, as long as you +behave properly." + +"I have always done so." + +"No, you haven't! You have resisted your teacher, knocked him down, +killed him for aught I know. You are a bad boy." + +It seemed just as though my uncle intended to drive me to desperation, +and compel me to commit some rash act. I could not see why he should +refuse to tell me anything about my father and mother. + +"I asked you whether my parents left any property for me. You did not +answer me," I continued. + +"I will answer no questions," replied he. + +"If they did, it is right that I should know it," I persisted. + +"If they did, you will know it when you are of age to receive it." + +"I would like to know whether you are supporting me out of your own +property or with my own." + +"It doesn't concern you to know, so long as you are supported." + +"Yes, it does, and I insist upon knowing." + +"I shall answer no questions," replied he, more troubled now than +angry. + +"If there is nothing belonging to me, I am very willing to go to work +and support myself. I don't wish to be a burden upon one who cares so +little for me as you do." + +"I did not say you were a burden. I have given you all you asked for, +and am willing to do so still." + +"I don't wish to have you do so, if what you give me does not belong +to me." + +"You are a foolish boy!" said he, impatiently. + +"You have hardly spoken to me before for a year; and you never said as +much to me as you have to-night before in all my lifetime." + +"It was not necessary to do so." + +"Uncle Amos, I am old enough now to be able to think for myself," I +continued, earnestly. "It is time for me to know who and what I am, +and I am going to find out if it is possible for me to do so." + +"It is not possible," said he, greatly agitated, though he struggled +to be calm. "What do you wish to know?" + +"About my parents." + +He walked the room for a moment with compressed lips, as if +considering whether he should tell me what I wanted to know. + +"If I have concealed anything from you, it was for your own good," +replied he, with a desperate effort. "Your father is dead; he died +eleven years ago." + +"And my mother?" I asked, eagerly. + +"She is a raving maniac in an insane asylum." + +This information came like a shock upon me, and I wept great tears of +grief. + +"I thank you, uncle Amos, for telling me so much, sad as it is. One +more question and I am satisfied. Did my father leave any property?" + +"No," said he. + +I fancied that this single word cost him a mightier effort than all he +had said before, though I could not see why it should. + +"Where is my mother now?" I asked. + +"You were to ask no more questions; and it is not best for you to know +where she is," he answered. "Now, Ernest, I wish you to make your +peace with Mr. Parasyte." + +"How make my peace with him?" + +"Do what he requires of you." + +"I cannot do that; and I will not." + +"If you persist you will ruin me," said my uncle, bitterly. + +"I don't understand you, uncle Amos." + +"Mr. Parasyte owes me a large sum of money." + +Here was the hole in that millstone! + +"His Institute is mortgaged to me. If there is trouble there, the +property will depreciate in value, and I shall be the loser." + +My uncle seemed to be ashamed of himself for having said so much, and +told me to go to bed. I retired from his presence with the feeling +that I must sacrifice myself or my guardian. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +IN WHICH ERNEST IS DISOWNED AND CAST OUT. + + +I was so nervous and excited after the stirring events of the day, +that I could not sleep when I went to bed, tired and almost exhausted +as I was. I had enough to think of, and that night has always seemed +to me like a new era in my existence. My father was dead; and my +mother, somewhere in the wide world, was an occupant of an insane +asylum. My uncle had told me I had no property, which was equivalent +to informing me that I must soon begin to earn my daily bread, unless +he chose to support me. + +I would not even then have objected to earning my own living; indeed, +there was something pleasurable and exciting in the idea of depending +upon myself for my food and raiment; but I was not satisfied with my +uncle's statements. I could see no reason why he should not tell me +where my father had lived and died, and where my mother was confined +as a lunatic. I meant to know all about these things in due time, for +it was my right to know. + +I could not help weeping when I thought of my mother, with her +darkened mind, shut out from the world and from me. What a joy she +would have been to me! What a comfort I might have been to her! My +father was dead, and she had no one to care for her. Was she in a +proper place? Was she kindly treated while overshadowed by her +terrible infirmity? I shuddered when I thought of her, for fear that +she might be in the hands of cruel persons. + +It seemed very strange to me that my uncle should spend money so +freely upon me if I had no expectations. Why should he wish to conceal +anything that related to my father and mother from me? Who was the +person that came to the cottage and quarrelled with him? I had reached +the years of discretion, and was able to think for myself. What my +uncle told me, and what he refused to tell me, taken in connection +with his conduct, his mode of life, and his misanthropic habits, +convinced me that there was something wrong. I intended to ascertain +what it was; and I was fully resolved, whether it was right or wrong, +to explore the library in search of any letters, legal documents, or +other papers which would throw some light on the mystery, now becoming +painfully oppressive to me. It was my duty, as a son, to assure myself +that my mother, in her helplessness, was kindly cared for. + +I went to sleep at last; and I did not wake the next morning till nine +o'clock, which was my uncle's usual breakfast hour. I took my morning +meal with him; but he did not speak a single word. After breakfast I +went down to the boat-house. I missed the Splash very much indeed; for +I wanted to take her, and sail away to some remote part of the lake, +and consider what I should do. Then it occurred to me that my +sail-boat might be raised and repaired; and I was getting into the +row-boat, with the intention of pulling out and finding the place +where the Splash had gone down, when my uncle made his appearance. + +"Ernest, have you considered what you mean to do?" said he. "Do you +intend to go to school?" + +"No, sir, I do not," I replied, promptly and decidedly. + +"Then I disown you, and cast you out," he added, turning on his heel +and walking back to the house. + +Was I becoming obstinate and self-willed? Was I refusing a reasonable +service? I sat down in the boat to think over it. It was not right +that I should apologize to Poodles, after he had confessed that the +evidence on which I had been condemned was a lie; and it was of no use +for me to return to the academy unless I could do so. + +Mr. Parasyte owed my uncle a large sum of money, secured by the estate +and good-will of the Institute. If I was driven from the school, a +majority of the boys would petition their parents to be taken from it +also, and the establishment would be seriously injured. There was +plainly an understanding between Mr. Parasyte and my uncle, or the +tyrant would not have made war upon me as he did. Should I sacrifice +myself in order to save my uncle's money, or to prevent the debt from +being imperilled? + +No! I could not; but I hoped my uncle would not lose his money, though +it would not be my fault if he did. I had just been "disowned and cast +out." The sentence hardly produced an impression upon me. I was not +banished from a happy home, where I had been folded in a mother's +love, and had lived in the light of a father's smile; only from the +home of coldness and silence; only from shelter and food, which I +could easily find elsewhere. + +I took the oars and pulled towards the bluff off which the Splash had +sunk. It seemed to me just then that I was breaking away from all my +early associations, from my home and my school, and pushing out on the +great ocean of life, as my boat was upon the lake. I must go out into +the world, and make for myself a name and a fortune. There was +something solemn and impressive in the thought, and I rested upon my +oars to follow out the idea. Breaking away! To me it was not going +away, it was _breaking_ away. There was no near and dear friend to bid +me God speed on my journey of life. As for my uncle, he would not +have cared if I had, at that moment, been forever buried beneath the +deep waters of the lake. + +I was awed and solemnized by the thought that I was alone in the +world. And looking up to the clear blue sky, I prayed that God would +help me to keep in the path of truth and duty. I really hoped that, if +I had done wrong, or was then doing wrong, I might be convicted of my +error. I prayed for light. I was afraid that I had been wilful and +wayward; but as I knew that I was right so far as Poodles was +concerned, I could not accuse myself of obstinacy in refusing to +apologize. On the whole, I was satisfied with myself, though willing +to acknowledge that in some things I had rather overdone the matter. + +Resuming the oars, I pulled towards the bluff. My course lay near the +shore until I had passed the northerly point of Parkville, where the +steamboat wharf extends a hundred feet out to the deep water of the +lake. Continuing beyond this long pier, I came in sight of the +Parkville Liberal Institute. As it was then the middle of the +forenoon, I did not expect to see any of the students; but, to my +surprise, I discovered large numbers of them on the grounds between +the buildings and the lake. They did not seem to be engaged in the +usual sports, but were gathered in groups on various parts of the +premises. Everything looked as though some important event had +transpired, which the boys were busily engaged in discussing. + +I was tempted to pull up towards the Institute, and ascertain what had +occurred, and why the students were not in the school-room, attending +to their studies; but I was fearful that my presence might do +mischief, and I reluctantly continued on my way to the bluff. As +nearly as I could interpret the signs, the boys were in a state of +rebellion, though it was possible that Mr. Parasyte was too ill to +attend to his duties, and in the present excited state of the school, +had deemed it best to give the boys a holiday. + +The bearings of the spot where the Splash sank had been carefully +noted, after my capture, by the principal and his men, and without +much difficulty I found the place. The bed of this part of the lake +was composed of gravel, washed down by the continual wearing away of +the bluff; and as the water was clear, I could see the bottom. The +Splash lay in about twenty-five feet of water--as I found by measuring +with a fish-line. She sat nearly upright on her keel, and the tops of +her masts were not more than a foot below the surface. + +How could I coax her to the top of the water? The Splash had been +father and mother to me, and I loved her. In my loneliness I wanted +her companionship. It did not look like an easy task to raise her; and +yet the most difficult things become easy when we hit upon the right +method of doing them. The Splash was ballasted with ten fifty-sixes, +each with a ring for lifting it. They were deposited on the bottom of +the boat, where I could remove a portion of them when I had a large +party to take out. I made up my mind, that with a long pole, having a +hook on the end of it, I could fasten to the rings of the fifty-sixes, +and raise them, one by one, to the surface; and when the ballast was +removed, the boat would rise of herself. + +Satisfied that this idea was a practical one, I started for Parkville +to procure the pole. As I took the oars, I discovered that one of the +Institute boats, which I had not before noticed, was pulling towards +me. At first I was startled, fearful that it might contain some of my +tyrant's minions, sent out to capture me, and carry me back to the +school. As the boat came nearer, however, I saw that it was filled +with my friends, prominent among whom were Bob Hale and Tom Rush; and +I lay upon my oars to await her coming. + +"Good morning, Ernest; I'm glad to see you," said Bob, as the +Institute boat ranged up alongside of mine. + +"What is the matter at the Institute? Don't school keep to-day?" I +asked, when I had returned the salutations of my friend. + +"There's big news there, Ernest, you'd better believe," replied Bob, +in an excited tone. + +"What is it? What has happened?" + +"There has been an awful row between Mr. Parasyte and Mr. Hardy, and +Mr. Hardy has been discharged--that's the first thing; and the fellows +won't stand it, anyhow." + +"What was it about?" + +"We don't know. Mr. Hardy opened the school as usual at nine o'clock; +but he didn't say a word to us about the troubles. A little after +nine, Mr. Parasyte came in, with a black eye and a broken head. He and +Mr. Hardy talked together a little while, and we saw that Parasyte was +as mad as a hop. They went into the recitation-room to have it out; +but in two or three minutes they returned, and Mr. Hardy said he was +going to leave; but he didn't tell the reason--just bade us good by. +If we had only known what the trouble was, we would have pitched +Parasyte out of the window." + +"Then Mr. Hardy has gone," I added. + +"Left, and at once. Then Mr. Parasyte made a speech, in which he told +us the school was in a state of rebellion; that Thornton had assaulted +him, and struck him on the head with a heavy ruler, and that he +intended to flog him till he apologized to Poodles, as his uncle +wished him to do. We didn't wait to hear any more. We gave a yell, and +rushed out of the school-room." + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +IN WHICH ERNEST RAISES THE SPLASH, AND THERE IS A GENERAL BREAKING +AWAY AMONG THE STUDENTS. + + +I listened, with astonishment and dismay, to the tale which Bob Hale +told me. I could not help asking myself to what extent I was +responsible for the troubles which overwhelmed the Parkville Liberal +Institute. I told Bob how I felt, and he ridiculed the idea of my +shouldering any portion of the blame. + +"Even the parson says you are not to blame, and that you have behaved +like a gentleman from the beginning," said he, alluding to Henry +Vallington, who, on account of his intended profession, often went by +the name of the "parson." + +"Can you imagine why Mr. Hardy was discharged?" I asked. + +"We don't know; but it is easy enough to see that he blamed Mr. +Parasyte, though he never said a word to the fellows. The idea of +staying at the Institute after Mr. Hardy goes is not to be thought +of," replied Bob, who, like myself, was a day scholar at the school. +"What did Parasyte mean when he said your uncle wished him to flog you +into subjection?" + +"He meant that; my uncle told him to do so," I replied, with shame and +mortification, not for myself, but for him who should have been my +guardian and protector. + +"Did he, though? Well, that was amiable of him," added Tom Rush. "He +and Parasyte will do to go together." + +"They do go together. I find that Mr. Parasyte owes my uncle a large +sum of money. I had no idea that they were even acquainted with each +other before," I continued. + +"Then I wonder that Parasyte made a row with you, if he owed your +uncle so much money." + +"I don't understand it; but I think Mr. Parasyte didn't expect any +trouble. He judged hastily between Poodles and me, and when he had +given his decision, he was too proud and too obstinate to alter it. I +suppose he was a little afraid after what he had done, and went to see +my uncle and ask for instructions." + +"But it was cold-blooded for your uncle to say what he did." + +"Probably Parasyte told his own story," I replied, willing to shield +my uncle as much as possible. + +"What did your uncle say to you when you went home?" asked Bob Hale, +full of interest and sympathy. + +"We had some words, and he disowned and cast me out--to use his own +expression." + +"Turned you out of house and home!" exclaimed Tom Rush. + +"That was what he meant." + +"Don't mind it, Ernest," interposed Bob. "You shall come to my house." + +"I can take care of myself, I think," was my reply, rather proudly +spoken. + +"Of course you can; but you shall have half my bed and half my dinner +as long as I have any." + +"Thank you, Bob." + +"We will talk that over another time, Ernest; for at present we have a +big job on our hands." + +"What is that?" + +"We'll tell you by and by. Parasyte says you assaulted him, and hit +him over the head with a big ruler. How was that, Ernest?" + +I told them what had occurred after we left the school-room, and gave +them all the particulars of my battle with the principal. + +"Served him right," was the verdict of the boys. "He didn't tell us +that he attempted to flog you; only that you pitched into him, +apparently without any cause or reason," added Tom Rush. + +"You all ran out of school," said I. "What is Mr. Parasyte going to do +about it?" + +"We don't know, and we don't care. He is a tyrant, and a toady; and +all but about a dozen of the fellows are going to quit the school." + +"But where are you going?" I asked, surprised at this decided step. + +"We have it all arranged, and are going to break away in a bunch. We +are getting things ready; but we want you, Ernest." + +"Why me?" + +"Because you are a good sailor, and know all about boats?" + +That was highly complimentary in a direction where I was peculiarly +weak--my love of boats and boating. Bob Hale then informed me that the +students were going into camp on their own hook this year. This was an +annual institution at the academy. Belonging to the Institute were +seven tents, large enough to accommodate all the boys and all the +teachers; and in the month of July the whole school camped out for one +or two weeks. This custom did more for the popularity of the Institute +than anything else, and without it, it was doubtful if the school +could have been kept together; for it was an offset to the dislike +with which a large majority of the boys regarded the principal. + +The students had begun to talk about camping out as soon as the spring +opened, and when the rebellion broke out, it immediately ran into this +channel. The camp during the preceding year had been in a piece of +woods ten miles east of Parkville; but the rebels had already decided +to establish it, at the present time, on Cleaver Island, two miles +north-west of the steamboat pier, and including an area of about +twenty acres, well covered with wood. + +I could not say that I approved of this scheme; but Bob Hale and Tom +Rush said the students had unanimously agreed to it. I was not in +favor of insubordination and rebellion. But the moral sense of the +boys had been outraged; Mr. Parasyte had resorted to the grossest +injustice, and they were determined to "break away" from him. Rather +reluctantly I consented to join the insurrection. I ought not to have +done so; but smarting as I then was under the injustice of my uncle +and the principal, I found an argument to satisfy myself with my +conduct. + +The Splash seemed to be necessary, in my estimation, for the success +of the enterprise, and my friends volunteered to assist me in raising +her. I went to Parkville, and procured a long spruce pole, to which +the blacksmith attached a hook. Without much difficulty the ballast +was hoisted out of the sunken craft, and obedient to the law of +gravitation, she came to the surface. We towed her to a bank of the +lake in the town, near the shop of a wheelwright, who promised to +have her repaired in a few hours. One of the ribs was snapped off, and +six of the "streaks" stove in. We hauled her up on the shore, and got +the water out of her; and the wheelwright went to work upon her at +once, assisted by his journeyman. + +I had regarded the Splash as a lost boat; and I was delighted with my +success in raising her, and with the prospect of having her again as +good as new; for the wheelwright assured me she was not materially +injured in her timbers. The result of this enterprise rather inflated +my spirits, and not without good reason; for, as I was now to take +care of myself, it had already occurred to me that I could make money +enough to support me by boating--for there were always residents and +strangers enough in the town who wanted to sail to afford me a good +business for at least three months in the year. + +"Now, Ernest," said Bob Hale, who had embarked with me in my row-boat, +"how shall we get the crowd, the tents, and the provisions over to +Cleaver Island?" + +"I don't think it is a very big job," I replied. + +"I do. Of course Parasyte will prevent us from going if he can," said +he. + +"Too many cooks will spoil the broth," I added. "You want a leader, or +captain, who shall manage the affair." + +"We will choose you." + +"No; I decline at the outset. I don't want the credit of being the +ringleader in this scrape after what has happened." + +"What do you say to the parson?" asked he. + +"Capital!" + +We consulted the students in the other boat, and they agreed to this +selection. Both boats then pulled to the pier at the Institute. As we +approached, all the rebels gathered around us. Bob Hale immediately +called them to order, and made a brief statement of the necessity of +the hour, and then nominated Henry Vallington as leader of the +enterprise. He was unanimously elected, and somewhat to my surprise he +accepted. + +"Fellow-students," said the parson, in accepting the position, "if I +didn't feel that every decent fellow in the Institute had been +outraged and insulted by the conduct of the principal, I wouldn't +have anything to do with such an affair as this. I want you all to +understand that I, for one, am going into this thing for a purpose, +and on principle." + +"So say we all of us!" shouted the boys. + +"Now, you must obey orders, and have no rioting or rows. We shall do +this thing in order." + +The boys were excited; but the parson told them to keep cool, and, +when the orders came, to execute them promptly, which they promised +with one voice to do. By this time I had a scheme arranged in my mind +for the conveyance of the forces to Cleaver Island, and the leader did +me the honor to appoint me master of transportation. I stated my plan +to Vallington and two or three of the more influential of the boys. It +was cordially approved. + +At half past twelve the dinner bell of the Institute rang, as usual; +and the boys, who had no idea of being deprived of their rations, +marched in to dinner in order; and I went home with Bob Hale, who had +invited me to dine with him. On our return, we learned that Mr. +Parasyte had made a stirring appeal to the students, in the +dining-room, to support the discipline of the school, and had +intimated that he intended to prosecute Thornton in the courts for the +assault upon him. I was rather startled at this intelligence, for a +court was an appalling affair to me. + +The boys heard in silence what the principal had to say, and left the +dining-room in as good order as usual. At quarter before two the +school-bell rang; but only about twenty obeyed the summons. I was on +the pier at this time, and shortly after I saw Mr. Parasyte coming +down to see the students. Deeming it best to keep out of his way, I +pulled over to the wheelwright's, to look after the Splash. An hour +later, Bob Hale, Henry Vallington, and Tom Rush joined me, saying that +Mr. Parasyte had been very gentle with the boys, and had used only +mild persuasions. Having failed in all, he had taken his horse and +gone away. This was favorable to our operations, and I advised the +parson to hasten back, and do the job at once. + +At four o'clock the Splash was finished, and a coat of paint put on +the new streaks. I got under way at once in her, taking my tender in +tow. Near the Institute lived a man who owned a large flat-boat, or +scow, used for bringing wood down the lake. Tom Rush had hired this +clumsy craft for a week. The three row-boats belonging to the +Institute had been manned by the boys, and were towing this scow down +to the pier, according to the plan I had suggested to the parson. When +the flat was near the pier, a signal was given, and the boys on shore +all rushed to the building in which the tents were stored. There were +enough of them to carry all the canvas, poles, and other materials at +one load, and the students rushed down to the pier with them at a +rapid pace, so that the work was accomplished before any of the +assistant teachers or laborers could interfere. + +The tents were tumbled into the scow, and all the boys not needed in +the row-boats embarked with the camp material. + +"All ready!" shouted Henry Vallington. + +"Give way!" I added to the oarsmen. + +[Illustration: OFF FOR THE ISLAND.--Page 143.] + +The long painter of the scow had been extended over, and fastened to, +the three boats. As the wind was fresh, I went to the head of this +line, attached a rope to the painter, and the procession of boats +straightened out and moved off, dragging the scow after them. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +IN WHICH ERNEST IS CHOSEN COMMODORE OF THE FLEET. + + +The procession of boats went off in good style, after the line was +straightened; but the flat-boat was large and heavy, and it required a +hard pull to put her in motion. The boys rowed well, and the wind was +fresh enough to enable the Splash to do her full share of the work. +The distance from the Institute to the island was two miles and a +half, and at the rate we moved, I calculated that it would take nearly +two hours to accomplish the voyage. + +The movements of the students had been so sudden and so well arranged, +that if any one saw them, there was not time to interfere before the +boats were off. When the scow was fairly in motion, I saw Mr. Gaule, +one of the teachers, and the two laborers on the estate, rushing down +to the pier, apparently intent upon doing something. + +"Come back, boys!" shouted Mr. Gaule. + +No one made any reply, or took any notice of him. + +"Come back, I say!" he cried again, but with no better result than +before. + +I was very glad that none of the boys made any insulting replies. They +were as silent and dignified as so many judges. We all knew very well +that Mr. Gaule had not force enough to attempt anything, and we did +not expect to be molested until the return of Mr. Parasyte. + +In something less than the two hours I had allowed for the passage, +the procession of boats reached Cleaver Island. I was perfectly +familiar with every foot of the shore, and I decided that the landing +should be effected on the western side, at a point of land which +extended out a short distance into the lake. The rowers landed and +carried the painter of the scow on shore, by which they pulled the +clumsy craft up to the bank. + +The tents, cooking utensils, and other camp furniture, were landed and +conveyed to the high ground in the southerly portion of the island. As +soon as this work was done, Henry Vallington intimated that he wished +all the boys to assemble near the point, for a "powwow," to consult +upon the state of affairs. The word was passed from mouth to mouth, +till all the rebels had gathered at the appointed place. + +"Now, fellows, we want to make arrangements for doing this business in +good order. When Mr. Parasyte gets back to the Institute, and finds +that we are gone, he will not be likely to take it as quietly as he +has all day. Our breaking away has really broken up the Parkville +Liberal Institute, and I shouldn't be surprised if its principal took +some decided steps. I haven't any idea what he will do, but in my +opinion he will do something." + +"What can he do?" asked Tom Rush. + +"He can do a great many things, and especially a great many foolish +things. I suppose, when we come down to the niceties of the matter, we +hadn't any right to take the boats or the tents. In fact, Mr. Parasyte +stands _in loco parentis_ to us." + +"In what?" asked one of the boys who did not study Latin. + +"In the place of our parents; and therefore has authority to do +anything which parents might do. I can't help saying that I have no +respect for Mr. Parasyte; that I despise him from the bottom of my +heart. He knows, just as well as we do, that Bill Poodles made the +trouble yesterday, and he persists in punishing Thornton for it. For +such a man I can have no respect." + +"So say we all!" shouted the boys. + +"There is no safety for any of us, if we permit such injustice. He may +take a miff at any of us any time. I hope that something good will +come out of this scrape; and I think that something will." + +I learned then, for the first time, that Vallington had drawn up a +paper, setting forth the grievances of the students, in which several +instances of Mr. Parasyte's injustice and partiality were related, and +concluding with a full history of the affair between Poodles and +myself. This paper had been signed by eighty-one of the students, and +the publisher of the Parkville Standard had engaged to print it on a +letter sheet, to be sent to the parents of the rebel scholars. + +"Mr. Hardy has been discharged. He was the best man in the +Institute--just and fair. I don't know anything about it; but I am +satisfied that he was sent away because he condemned Mr. Parasyte's +treatment of Thornton." + +"That was the reason," added Bob Hale. "Mr. Hardy saw Ernest last +night, after the row in the office." + +"I think we have the right of the case," continued Vallington, "though +I suppose we are wrong in breaking away; but, for one, I won't see a +fellow like Ernest Thornton browbeaten, and flogged, and ground down. +If Mr. Parasyte wants to grind down one, he must grind down the +whole." + +"I am very much obliged to you," I interposed; "but I want you to +understand that I don't ask any one to get himself into a scrape for +me." + +"When we protect you, Thornton, we protect ourselves. Your cause is +our own. We won't say anything more about that matter. We are here now +in a state of rebellion, and we must make the best of our situation. +When Mr. Parasyte will give us fair play, we will return to the +Institute." + +"We will," replied some of the boys; but I am free to say that they +hoped he would not give them fair play until they had spent a week or +more in camp. + +"Now, fellows, we will see how we stand, and make arrangements for the +future. We have boats and tents, and these are about all we have. We +have provisions enough for supper and breakfast. We must get a supply +of eatables to-night or in the morning. It will require money, but I +suppose all of you have some; at any rate, I told you to bring your +money with you, if you had any." + +Most of the boys had some funds, which had been saved from their +pocket money for a Fourth of July Celebration, planned months before. + +"We need some officers, and as I don't believe in one-man power, I +shall ask you to elect them. Please to nominate a treasurer." + +"George Weston!" shouted one of the students. + +"George Weston is nominated. All in favor of his election will +manifest it by raising the right hand." + +It was a unanimous vote, and the nominee was declared elected. + +"Now we want to raise the money, we need to buy provisions, fairly. If +any one will make a motion, it will be in order," added the chairman. + +The Parkville Debating Society, an association connected with the +Institute, had fully educated the students in parliamentary forms, and +they were entirely "at home" in the business before them. + +"I move you, Mr. Chairman, that each fellow be assessed fifty cents +for expenses," said one of the students. + +The motion was put and carried; and after Fred Mason had been elected +clerk, the treasurer was instructed to collect the assessments +forthwith. The next business was the selection of a commissary, and +Tom Rush was chosen to this important office. + +"Mr. Chairman, I nominate Ernest Thornton for commodore of our +squadron," said Bob Hale; and, though the nomination created some +merriment, on account of the high-sounding title of the officer, the +vote was unanimous. + +"I accept, Mr. Chairman; but I should prefer to be called simply the +boatman," I replied. + +"That won't do!" exclaimed Bob. "Ernest is to have charge of all the +boats, including the scow, and I am in favor of calling him +commodore." + +"We won't dispute about titles," laughed Vallington; "but the boats +are all under Thornton's charge. I advise the commissary to consult +with the commodore, immediately, in regard to procuring a supply of +provisions for the company." + +The rest of the business was soon completed. As an indication of the +spirit of the boys, it was voted that the place should be called "Camp +Fair Play." Vallington announced that six boys should be chosen each +day to do the cooking and serve out the provision; that a watch should +be kept around the camp night and day, to prevent a surprise from Mr. +Parasyte and his forces; and that all work should be fairly divided +among the students, with the exception of those who had been elected +to offices. The boys then separated; and those who had been detailed +to pitch the tents commenced their work. + +"Commodore," said Tom Rush, laughing at the title. + +"Mr. Commissary," I replied. + +"Good! We are even, except that you are a bigger officer than I am." + +"What can I do for you?" + +"About the provisions--how shall we get them?" + +"In the boats, of course," I replied. + +"Do you think it will be quite safe for us to go back to Parkville?" + +"We won't go there. It is only about six miles to Cannondale, on the +other side of the lake. I think we had better go to-night, for we +don't know what will happen to-morrow." + +"That's a capital idea! I was thinking how awkward it would be to +answer the questions that would be asked of us in Parkville. To-night +it is. How many of us shall go?" + +"Only you and I. The Splash will carry a good load. What are you going +to buy?" + +"We must live cheap," replied the commissary. + +"I think we will bring off hams, potatoes, and bread or crackers." + +"Those will be good feed. I advise you to make out a list of what you +will want." + +"I will do so." + +"But we need not buy everything we want. The lake is full of fish, and +I know just where to catch them." + +"That's first rate," added Tom, with enthusiasm. "But it will take a +heap of fish to feed all the fellows." + +"I have caught a boat-load of lake bass and salmon trout in a day. I +will agree to catch fish enough to feed the crowd for a week. But the +fellows will want something besides fish to eat. Potatoes are cheap, +and so are pork and bacon." + +"When shall we start?" + +"The sooner we go the better. We have no time to spare. There is a +good wind now, and we may not have it much longer. I will land you at +Cannondale in an hour; and if the breeze holds, we shall return by +nine o'clock." + +Tom Rush went to the treasurer to procure the funds he had collected, +and hastened down to the Splash; but before the commissary joined me, +a messenger came from Vallington to inform me that the lookouts on the +bluff at the southerly end of the island had discovered a boat pulling +towards the camp. I had a small spy-glass in one of the lockers of the +Splash, with which I repaired to the bluff, to ascertain who the +intended visitors could be. + +"I suppose that boat bodes trouble to the camp," said the leader. + +"I think it does, for it contains Mr. Parasyte and Deputy Sheriff +Greene," I replied, after examining the boat through the glass. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +IN WHICH ERNEST IS WAITED UPON BY A DEPUTY SHERIFF. + + +We had no means of knowing the object of Mr. Parasyte's visit to Camp +Fair Play--whether he was coming to make a treaty of peace, or to +declare and carry on the war. The boat in which he was approaching was +a hired one, rowed by the two men who worked for him. His force was +sufficient to do us a great deal of mischief; and the questions as to +what he would, and what he could do, were full of interest to us. Four +men are a formidable force to any number of boys; and the fact that +Sheriff Greene was one of the party added to the seriousness of the +visitation. + +"What can they do?" asked Vallington. "We can at least prepare for +possibilities." + +"They can take the boats from us," answered Bob Hale, "and leave us +here to be starved into submission." + +"It would be awkward to be obliged to return to the academy like +whipped puppies; but I suppose we could be starved into it." + +"We will look out for that," I added. + +"How can you help it?" + +"Leave that to me," I replied, as I hastened down to the +landing-place, where I summoned my boatmen for service. + +We took the three row-boats out of the water, and carried them some +distance from the shore, hiding them in the bushes. The Splash was too +large to be carried far; but we took her out of the water, and put her +high and dry on the island. A force of twenty students had been placed +under my command, and with a little engineering we made easy work even +of these heavy jobs. The rudder of the sail-boat was unshipped, and +concealed, so that she would be useless to the invaders, if they +attempted to carry her off. There was no fear that they would try to +tow the scow back to Parkville; for in doing this their punishment +would be too severe. + +Having accomplished my work, I returned to the headland where +Vallington had his headquarters, just as Mr. Parasyte's boat touched +the shore below. + +"We are all right now," I remarked to the leader. + +"The boats are secure--are they?" + +"They are." + +"Very well; then we are ready to receive our visitors. I will appoint +a committee of three to wait upon them and invite them to our +headquarters." + +Three students were detailed for this duty, and they descended the +bluff. Mr. Parasyte and the deputy sheriff followed them up the bank, +where Vallington was ready to receive them in state, supported by his +officers. The parson had instructed the rebels to treat our visitors +with the utmost politeness, and enjoined them not to insult or annoy +Mr. Parasyte. This was good advice, for some of the boys would have +been glad to duck him in the lake, or to subject him to other +indignities, now that they had the power to do so. + +The principal of the Parkville Liberal Institute had doubtless been +very angry when he returned to the school, and found that a "breaking +away" had taken place; but he had cooled off during his passage over +the lake, and now he looked troubled and anxious, rather than angry. +As he walked towards the spot where the officers of the camp stood, he +gazed curiously around him; but he said nothing. + +"Vallington, I am very much surprised to find you with this party," +were the first words he spoke, as he discovered our leader, standing +on his dignity, a little in advance of his supporters. + +"Considering the circumstances, Mr. Parasyte, I am not at all +surprised to find myself here," replied the parson. "If it were a mere +frolic for the love of mischief, I should not be here. I presume you +come on business, sir." + +"On business!" exclaimed the principal, apparently taken aback by the +remarks of Vallington. "I _did_ come on business." + +"You will oblige me by stating it, sir. I have been chosen the leader +of this company, and I represent the students here assembled." + +"My business is to order you back to the Institute," continued Mr. +Parasyte, becoming a little excited by the independent manner of our +leader. + +"In behalf of those whom I represent, I must decline to obey the +order--at least for the present." + +The eye of the deputy sheriff twinkled as he listened to these +speeches. He seemed to regard the affair as a big joke, and to +appreciate it accordingly. Though none of us had ever had any official +relations with him, we knew him as what all the people called "a good +fellow," witty, jovial, and never severe even in the discharge of his +duties. It is more than probable that he knew Mr. Parasyte as the boys +knew him, and despised him accordingly. At any rate, we judged from +the expression on his round face, that he was at heart on our side, +however his official position might compel him to act. + +"I am sorry, boys, that you have engaged in this rebellion, for it +will not be pleasant for me to compel obedience," continued Mr. +Parasyte, struggling to repress his anger. + +"I am sorry, also, that we have been compelled to take this unpleasant +stand," replied Vallington, with dignity. "If you are willing to hear +it, sir, I should like to state the position of the boys in this +matter. Perhaps the difficulty can be arranged; if it can, we will at +once return to the Institute." + +"If there are any real abuses, I am willing to correct them. I will +hear what you have to say." + +Vallington briefly rehearsed the grievances of the boys, and demanded +that Thornton should be restored to all his privileges, without +punishment, and that Mr. Hardy should be reëngaged. + +Mr. Parasyte turned red in the face, and bit his lips with anger and +vexation. + +"Are you the principal of the Parkville Liberal Institute, or am I?" +said he, when the parson had finished. + +"Neither of us, I think, as the matter now stands, sir." + +"I see that you are determined to defy me," added Mr. Parasyte. "You +ask me to restore Thornton without punishment of any kind. Are you +aware that he assaulted me with a deadly weapon?" + +"We are aware that he defended himself when assaulted." + +"Assaulted!" gasped Mr. Parasyte, astounded to hear his own act +called by such a name. "Are you aware of the powers which the law +lodges in the hands of the teacher?" + +"I am." + +"Thornton refused to obey me; and, at his uncle's request, I intended +to enforce obedience. It was my duty to do so." + +"May I inquire, Mr. Parasyte, in what Thornton refused to obey you?" +asked Vallington, in the gentlest of tones. + +"I required him to apologize to Poodles privately, and to me publicly. +He refused to do so." + +"I told Mr. Parasyte that I would apologize to him," I interposed, +addressing our leader. + +"That wasn't enough," replied the principal. + +"At the time, sir, you knew Poodles had confessed that he alone was to +blame for the affair on the pier. Thornton was innocent; and it had +been fairly proved to you that he was innocent. Poodles himself +assured you of the fact, and his evidence was fully confirmed by +Pearl. In the face of this overwhelming proof, you attempted to flog +Thornton into apologizing for that of which you knew he was not +guilty. No boy with a soul would submit to be flogged under such +circumstances. I would not, and I have no respect for any fellow that +would. No boy was ever yet flogged in the Institute, and it was an +outrage to attempt such a thing." + +Vallington was quite eloquent, and Mr. Parasyte actually quailed as he +poured out his feelings in well-chosen words, and with an emphasis +which forced their meaning home to the heart. The tyrant had gone too +far to recede. He did what weak, low-minded men always do under such +circumstances--he got furiously angry, and delivered himself in +abusive terms. He declared that Poodles and Pearl had been frightened +into their confession, and persisted in saying that I had caused the +quarrel on the pier. + +"But it is no use to reason with you. I am going to compel obedience +now. If you will not mind, I shall make you mind," foamed he, stamping +the ground in his rage. + +"We have nothing to say, sir, except that we shall defend ourselves +from assaults of all kinds," added Vallington. + +"Assaults! How dare you use that word to me! I am in the lawful +exercise of my authority as the principal of the Parkville Liberal +Institute. You were committed to my care by your parents, and I shall +do my duty by you. As to Thornton, his case shall be settled by the +court. Mr. Greene, you have a warrant for his arrest." + +"Yes, I have," replied the deputy sheriff, with a broad grin. + +"That's the boy," continued Mr. Parasyte, furiously, as he pointed to +me. + +My companions were evidently disconcerted, as I certainly was, by this +action of Mr. Parasyte. They had got up the rebellion on my account +directly, though indirectly on their own, and it would be a sad defeat +to have me carried off by an officer of the law. Mr. Greene walked up +to me, still wearing his smiling face. + +"Well, Ernest, I am sorry for you; but I suppose I must do my duty. I +have a warrant for your arrest." + +"I shall not resist," I replied. + +"You shall have fair play." + +"That's all I want." + +"I am sorry to take you away," he added, in a low tone; "for, between +you and me, I think the boys have the rights of the matter; but I +can't help serving the warrant." + +"Put him in irons, Mr. Greene. He is a violent fellow," said Mr. +Parasyte, savagely. + +"I shall not do that," replied the sheriff. "I can handle him without +any irons." + +"Mr. Greene," interposed Vallington, "will you allow me to look at +your warrant?" + +"Certainly, if you want to." + +"Don't do it, Mr. Greene!" shouted Mr. Parasyte. + +"Don't be so grouty, sir. The young gentleman may see it, if he wants +to do so," replied the sheriff, with a broad grin on his fat face, as +he handed the warrant to the parson. "I don't belong to your school, +Mr. Parasyte, and I suppose I can do as I please." + +The principal bit his lip again; and Vallington glanced at the legal +document. + +"This warrant speaks about 'our county of Adieno,'" said the leader. +"Are you aware, Mr. Greene, that this island is not in the county of +Adieno?" + +"No! Isn't it though?" laughed the sheriff. + +"It certainly is not," added Vallington, returning the warrant to the +sheriff. + +"What odds does that make?" demanded Mr. Parasyte, angrily. "The +offence was committed in Adieno county." + +"Well, I don't know," said the sheriff. "I don't want to do anything +that isn't lawful. It may be right to take him here; but I'm not sure, +you see." + +"That is absurd, Mr. Greene." + +"I haven't been a deputy sheriff but about six months, and I'm not +fully posted yet. We'll go back to Parkville, and if I find it's all +right, I'll come over and arrest Ernest to-morrow. That will be soon +enough." + +Mr. Greene seemed to be the happiest person on the island; and Mr. +Parasyte was so angry he could hardly contain himself. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +IN WHICH ERNEST AND THE COMMISSARY VISIT CANNONDALE. + + +Mr. Parasyte, angry as he was, had sense enough left to see that he +could accomplish nothing by remaining longer at Camp Fair Play. The +spirit of freedom that prevailed there was unsuitable to his +constitution. + +"'I go, but I return,'" said he, in the language of Catiline to the +Roman senate. + +"When you return we shall receive you with all due respect, Mr. +Parasyte," said Harry Vallington. + +Mr. Greene chuckled, and shook his fat sides with suppressed mirth; +and it was plain the principal had a very doubtful ally in the person +of the deputy sheriff. And the ill-mated pair walked towards the +landing, where we saw them embark, and leave the shore. + +"Mr. Parasyte has more pluck than I gave him credit for," said Bob +Hale, after we had silently watched the departure of the boat. "Isn't +it a pity a man who knows so much, and is such a good teacher, should +be a tyrant?" + +"He is intellectually great and morally little," added the parson, +with a savor of the cloth he was destined to wear. "He has always been +politic, and we have felt his tyranny only in little things, which are +all the more mean because they are small. He is now fully roused; he +is too obstinate to back out, even when he knows and feels that he is +in the wrong; and now he will lay policy aside. I tell you, fellows, +you must make up your minds for a hard battle, for Mr. Parasyte is in +earnest. He will leave no stone unturned to reduce us to subjection; +and if I mistake not, 'breaking away' will prove to be no joke. If any +of the students feel like giving up, now is the best time to take the +back track, for the farther we go the deeper in the mire we shall be. +If there are any who are sick of their bargain, they had better say so +now." + +"No!" "No!" "No!" shouted the boys, till the sound became a unanimous +voice. + +"I see you are all of one mind," continued Vallington. "I deem it +right to tell you now that, in my opinion, Mr. Parasyte is no +contemptible foe to deal with. He will make a good deal of trouble, if +he does not cause much anxiety, perhaps suffering, in our ranks." + +"What can he do?" asked one of the boys. + +"I don't know. He hasn't told me what he intends to do, and probably +he will not," replied our chief, facetiously. + +"Can't you guess?" asked another boy; and there seemed to be a general +desire to anticipate the terrible things the principal would attempt +in order to reduce the rebellious pupils to subjection. + +"I am no Yankee, and I can't guess. I can mention several things he +might do." + +"Tell us, if you please!" called out one of the more timid of the +boys. + +"Very likely he will attempt to starve us out by surrounding the +island with boats, and preventing us from obtaining provisions. He +must know that we have a very small stock of eatables on hand." + +"We will trust to our commodore to break his lines, if he blockades +our camp," laughed Tom Rush. + +"He may come with a force of men in the night, and take away the +boats." + +"You said we should keep a watch at night," suggested Fred Mason. + +"We hope the commodore will be able to protect his squadron," said Bob +Hale. + +"I shall do my best to insure the safety of the boats, or to run the +blockade, if one is established," I replied, with becoming modesty; +and in fact I was getting so excited over the prospect, that I rather +hoped there would be an attempt to blockade us, or to carry off the +boats, that I might have an opportunity to exercise my talent for +navigation and strategy. + +"And Mr. Parasyte may collect a force, and come over to capture the +whole of us. He can charge us with stealing his boats, or something of +that sort. He has already obtained a warrant for the arrest of +Thornton, and to have him taken away from us would be about the worst +thing that could happen," said Vallington. + +"We will not let them take him," interposed a belligerent student. + +"What will you do?" + +"Pitch the sheriff overboard," replied the spunky speaker. + +"That will not do," I added. "I hope no fellow will think of such a +thing as resisting an officer of the law." + +"No, that wouldn't do," continued Vallington. "If Mr. Greene could not +arrest Thornton because he was out of his county, Mr. Parasyte will +get a sheriff from the proper county to do the job." + +"That's so," said Bob Hale. "He will do his worst, you may depend upon +that." + +"I have an idea!" I shouted, under the inspiration of my new thought; +and it really seemed to me like a brilliant suggestion. + +"What is it?" demanded our leader. + +"Suppose we change our quarters?" + +"Where shall we go?" + +"To Pine Island. It is about seven miles from here, or nine miles and +a half from Parkville," I answered. + +"What shall we gain by moving?" asked Vallington, deeply interested in +my proposition. + +"Several things. We are now six miles from Cannondale, where we must +procure our provisions, while Pine Island is less than three." + +"That's a decided advantage, if we are to be starved out," added the +commissary. + +"It is so far from Parkville that our movements could not be observed +from the shore," I continued. "And Pine Island is at least four times +as large as Cleaver Island, which would make it four times as +difficult to blockade." + +"Pine Island! Pine Island!" shouted the rebels, in concert, as they +began to perceive the advantages of the proposed location. + +"If the fellows don't object to working a part or the whole of the +night, we might be in our new quarters before morning; and if we keep +a good lookout, we may stay there two or three days before Mr. +Parasyte finds out where we are." + +"Pine Island! Pine Island!" was the chorus which came from the throng +of boys, all of whom had gathered near the bluff. + +"Those in favor of moving to-night, say ay," continued Vallington. + +"Ay!" shouted the students, with one voice. + +"Those opposed, say no." + +There was not a dissenting voice. + +"It is a unanimous vote," added the leader. "Commodore Thornton, you +are charged with the execution of this order, and you will make your +preparations accordingly." + +"But what shall we do for provisions?" asked the commissary, troubled +about the proper administration of the affairs of his department. "We +must have something to eat before dinner-time to-morrow; and if we are +to keep out of sight, I don't see how we are to get anything." + +"Perhaps Commodore Thornton can afford us some information on that +subject," said Vallington. "Our safety and success depend mainly upon +the vulgar things which the stomach requires." + +"There is a good breeze now, General Vallington, and--" + +The students interrupted me with a hearty laugh at the new title I had +given to the parson. + +"A truce to titles," laughed our leader. + +"You call me commodore, and I think it is no more than fair that I +should give you your proper title." + +"But you were duly elected commodore of our squadron." + +"Mr. Chairman, I move that Henry Vallington be created +general-in-chief of all our forces, by sea and by land," I continued. + +"Second the motion," added Bob Hale. "I call upon the secretary to put +the question." + +The question was put by Fred Mason, and carried, unanimously. + +"I am very much obliged to you for the honor you have conferred upon +me; but we can hardly afford the time now to talk about titles. You +were going to say something about the breeze, Commodore Thornton." + +"I say that there is a good breeze now, General Vallington; and I +think, if the commissary is ready, we can reach Cannondale in the +Splash by nine o'clock. It is half past seven now," I replied, looking +at my watch. + +"The commissary is all ready," said Tom Rush. + +"What time shall you return?" asked the general. + +"By eleven or twelve. I think the fellows had better turn in, and +sleep till we return," I suggested. "There will be time enough then to +load the scow, and reach the island by daylight." + +The general approved of this idea, but was afraid the boys were too +much excited to sleep. I called those who had been detailed to serve +as boatmen to assist in putting the Splash into the water, and, with +Tom Rush alone, started for Cannondale. The breeze was fresh, and +before the time I had mentioned we landed at our destination. + +Since I had owned the Splash, I had spent all my vacations and +holidays, and indeed all my spare time every week day when boating was +practicable, on the lake. A spirit of adventure had prompted me to +make long trips, and I had sometimes spent half the night in my lonely +cruises. The darkness, therefore, was not an obstacle with me to the +navigation of those familiar waters. I knew every point, headland, +bay, and inlet, at midnight as well as noonday. + +Lake Adieno, though a fresh-water lake, was not always the smoothest +of navigation. Its shores were nearly level land, and there was +nothing to shelter it from the blasts when the wind blew; and, with +an uninterrupted reach of twenty miles from east to west, old Boreas +had room enough to kick up quite a heavy sea. In a strong north-west +or south-west wind, boating on the lake was no child's play. + +We landed at Cannondale, and secured the Splash at the steamboat pier. +For several years I had purchased the groceries for the cottage of my +uncle; and since I had owned the sail-boat, I had as often procured +them at Cannondale as at Parkville, and I was nearly as familiar with +the streets of the former as with those of the latter. + +We found a grocer and a provision-dealer, of whom Tom Rush purchased +the supplies we needed. Of the former the commissary purchased ten +kegs of crackers, and a variety of small stores, and of the latter +sixteen hams, twenty pounds of salt pork, and twelve bushels of +potatoes. At the baker's we obtained all the soft bread on hand--about +a hundred loaves. These articles amounted to more than the assessments +levied on the members, but Tom and I made up the balance. The +provision-dealer harnessed his horse and carted the stores down to the +pier; and, grateful for the patronage we had given him, and the cash +paid him, he asked no troublesome questions; and we simply told him +that the goods were for the school, which was then camping out. + +The Splash was loaded to her utmost capacity, and we decided to land +the stores at Pine Island before we returned to our companions. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +IN WHICH ERNEST CONVEYS THE STUDENTS TO PINE ISLAND. + + +We landed the provisions at Pine Island, and being still favored with +a fresh breeze, made a quick run over to Cleaver Island. It was bright +moonlight now, and very pleasant sailing on the lake. As we approached +the landing-place, I discovered a row-boat pulling round the point +below. My first thought was, that Mr. Parasyte was paying a second +visit to the camp, intent upon carrying out the threats he had +uttered. + +"Can you make her out, Ernest?" asked Tom. + +"It is a boat full of men or boys--I don't know which," I replied. "We +will run down to her, and see what she is." + +"It may be Parasyte." + +"Very likely it is," I added, heading the Splash towards the +intruder. + +"What shall we do if it is?" + +"I don't know that we can do anything but keep an eye upon him. I have +a great mind to serve him as he did me yesterday--run him down, and +sink his boat; but I won't do it." + +I decided, however, to give him a scare; and with all sail drawing +well, the Splash going through the water at a rapid rate, I ran +directly for the row-boat. When we came within a few feet of the +intruders, the fate that stared them in the face was too much for +their nerves. They sprang to their feet, and begged me not to run them +down. It was a startling scene for them; but at that moment I put the +helm up, and ran astern of the row-boat, just grazing her as we went +by. + +"Boat ahoy!" I shouted as I put the helm down, and the Splash came up +into the wind on the other side of the row-boat. + +"Don't run into us," said one of the boys in the boat, whose voice I +recognized as that of Bill Poodles; and by this time I had found that +Mr. Parasyte was not one of the party. + +"Who are you?" demanded Tom Rush. + +[Illustration: ARRIVAL OF THE RECRUITS.--Page 178.] + +"It's me," replied Poodles. + +"Who's _me_?" + +It was a disgrace to the Parkville Liberal Institute that any member +of the school should use such execrable grammar, and we were not quite +willing to believe that the party were fellow-students, with the +exception of Poodles, from whom nothing better in the shape of correct +speech was to be expected. + +"I'm Bill Poodles--don't you know me?" + +"Bill Poodles!" exclaimed Tom, in disgust. "What do you want here?" + +"We have come over to see you," said another in the boat, whose voice +was that of Dick Pearl. + +"Well, what do you want?" + +"We want to join you," answered Pearl. + +"I don't know that we want you. Have you any news from the shore?" +added Tom. + +"We can tell you all that has happened since you left. We ran away +after supper to join you," said Pearl. "If you will let us in, we will +do all we can to help you." + +"I don't know; I will speak to the general, and if he is willing, you +may join; but you can't go ashore till he gives you leave." + +Pearl, who seemed to be the leading spirit of the recruits, promised +to wait off the shore till Vallington had been informed of his +request, and his answer returned. The Splash filled away, and we +landed at the point where the scow lay. We found that our enterprising +general had not been idle during our absence. The tents had been +struck, and the materials put on board the flat-boat. Everything was +ready for the departure to Pine Island. + +The approach of the row-boat had been noticed by the vigilant +sentinels on the bluff, and the whole company had watched our +interview with the new comers. Tom Rush reported on the case to our +general, and it was necessary to act upon the request of the party for +admission to the camp. In this matter there was less unanimity than +had before been manifested, and several of the students were opposed +to granting the request. Bob Hale was the most earnest among them, and +declared that Bill Poodles, Dick Pearl, and the rest of the party +could not be trusted; they were mean fellows, and we should be better +off without them than with them. They were the "creatures" of Mr. +Parasyte, and they would make trouble if we admitted them. + +It would have been well for us if this advice had been heeded, as the +sequel will show; but it was not. Some of our best declaimers urged +that there was power in mere numbers; and the strength of an +harmonious union was yielded to this idea. The vote was in favor of +permitting the recruits to be received; but a very respectable +minority voted against it. Bob cheerfully surrendered the point, and +Poodles and his companions were invited to land. When they came on +shore, Vallington questioned them in regard to their intentions. They +all made fair promises, and assured the general they would be good and +faithful subjects. + +Tom Rush had reported on the provision question, and gladdened the +hearts of all the fellows when he stated what bountiful supplies of +ham, bread, potatoes, and coffee had been deposited on Pine Island for +the use of the party. + +"Now, we are all ready to move," said Vallington. "The boats are all +loaded, and we submit the rest of the job to the skill of Commodore +Thornton." + +"Move!" exclaimed Dick Pearl, and in the bright moonlight I saw him +glance anxiously at Poodles. + +"We have decided to break up our camp here and move to Pine Island." + +"Be you?" said Poodles. + +"We _be_," answered Vallington. + +"If we had known it, I don't know that we should have come," added +Pearl. + +"What possible difference can it make to you whether we camp at Pine +Island or at Cleaver Island?" + +"I don't know." + +"It is too late to back out now; you have found out where we are +going, and you must go with us, to help keep the secret," said our +general, decidedly. + +Pearl and Poodles looked at each other, and evidently wished to +consult together; but there was no opportunity. + +For my own part, I was not satisfied with their conduct, and I +determined to keep a close watch upon them; for it seemed to me, from +their appearance, that they intended to make mischief. I whispered my +suspicions to Vallington, who thought it was well enough to keep an +eye upon them; but he did not believe ten such fellows as they were +would attempt to interfere with the plans of the company. I assured +him Pearl was a smart fellow, and under his lead the party might make +trouble. + +As the wind was not only fresh, but fair for our passage to Pine +Island, I rigged one of the tent poles as a mast for the flat-boat, +intending to save the boys the hard labor of towing her seven miles. I +secured another pole across the mast for a yard, to which I bent on +the canvas of one of the tents for a sail. There was a heavy steering +oar in the boat, which answered the purpose of a rudder. Having +adjusted all this gear to my satisfaction, we pushed off, and I took +my station at the helm of the flat-boat, which was crowded with boys. + +I appointed Bob Hale, who had some experience as a boatman, to the +charge of the Splash, though, as a matter of prudence, I directed him +to set only the jib and mainsail. The row-boats were towed alongside +the scow. The sail fully answered all my expectations, and the old +"gundalow" actually made about three knots an hour under her new rig. +The students stretched themselves on the tents, and very likely some +of them went to sleep, for it was now two o'clock in the morning, and +most of them were tired out, and gaped fearfully. + +It was daylight when we ran into the little sheltered bay where we had +landed the goods from the Splash. It was quite chilly in the morning +air, and the fellows were glad of the exercise required to unload the +scow and pitch the tents. But in a couple of hours the work was done, +and the weary laborers were glad enough to stretch themselves on the +beds of pine foliage in the tents. All the boats were hauled into an +inlet, where they could not be seen by any passing craft on the lake, +and I felt that everything was safe. + +Everybody was worn out, and I think everybody went to sleep, even to +the sentinels, who were stationed where they could give notice of the +approach of any intruders. I was so exhausted myself that I should +have slept if I had known all the deputy sheriffs in the state had +been after me. And there we all lay till noon, buried in slumber. And +when we awoke there appeared to be no life anywhere but on the +island. The lake was calm and silent, and from the distant shores not +a sound came to disturb us. + +When the boys did wake they were wide awake, and immediately voted +that "breaking away" was a capital idea. It was then unanimously +resolved that it was time to have something to eat. The boys had had +some experience in the culinary art in previous campaigns, and we had +all the pots, kettles, and pans provided for such occasions. A fire +was made in the woods, near the centre of the island, where it was +hoped the smoke would not betray us, and potatoes and ham were soon +hissing in the pans. About twenty of the students were employed in +this work,--peeling potatoes, and preparing the pork and bacon,--while +only four of the most experienced were intrusted with the care of the +actual cooking. We had a big meal, though we had no knives and forks, +or plates. The company was divided into messes of ten each, there +being one large tin pan for each, from which the boys took the "grub" +with sharpened sticks or jackknives. We enjoyed it quite as much as +we did our dinners at the Institute. + +We passed a quiet day, without interruption from within or without. We +neither saw nor heard anything from Mr. Parasyte, and the Poodles +party behaved better than we had expected, so that we had learned to +trust them. The necessary work of the camp was all we could do, and +when night came we were glad to turn in at an early hour, for we had +not yet fully recovered from the fatigues of the previous day and +night. + +It was ordered by the general-in-chief that the watch during the night +should be relieved every two hours, and that three should be on duty +at once. A sufficient number of the company were detailed for this +purpose, and a tent apart from the rest assigned to them, that others +might not be disturbed when the watch was changed. How faithfully this +watch performed their duty we learned from the developments of the +next day. + +I turned out about five o'clock in the morning, intending to try my +hand at fishing with Bob Hale and Tom Rush. We went down to the inlet +where the squadron had been secured, to obtain one of the row-boats. + +There was not a boat there! + +Even the old scow had disappeared, and the Splash was nowhere to be +seen! + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +IN WHICH ERNEST FINDS THERE IS TREASON IN THE CAMP. + + +What had become of the boats? I was a commodore without a squadron, +and I felt so cheap that I would have sold out my commission for +sixpence, and thrown myself in. The boats had been carefully secured, +under my own direction, in the little inlet, and they could not have +drifted away, I looked at Bob Hale, and Bob Hale looked at me; but +neither of us could explain the disappearance of the fleet. + +"An enemy hath done this," I began, in Scripture phrase. + +"Of course it couldn't have been done by a friend," added Tom Rush. +"It's lucky we have a good stock of provisions on hand." + +"But the stock won't last forever," suggested Bob. + +"We are not going to be starved out in a week, or a year, for that +matter," I interposed. "We are not to be broken up by any such +accident as this." + +"The commodore is spunky," laughed Bob, who was always good-natured, +whatever happened. + +"I am not to be put down by any such expedient as this taking away the +boats. When I want to visit the main shore, I shall do so, boat or no +boat," I replied; for I already saw how I could counteract the +misfortune of the loss of our squadron. + +"Parasyte has snuffed us out, I suppose, and sent a party up here in +the night to take the boats," continued Bob Hale. "He means to starve +us out." + +"He will discover his mistake. But let us take a look round the +island; perhaps we may find out what has become of the boats;" and I +led the way to the nearest point, at which a sentinel had been +stationed. + +The student on watch there knew nothing of the absence of the boats. +There had been no alarm given at the guard tent. We walked around the +island without obtaining any information of the lost squadron. We +reported the mishap to Vallington, who was both surprised and +indignant. + +The occupants of the guard tent were all turned out, and those who had +been on watch during the night were examined; but none of them knew +anything about the boats. They had not heard any noise during the +night, or seen anything on the lake. The general then mustered the +company, and after stating what had occurred, called for any +information; but no one had any to give. + +"Where is Bill Poodles?" suddenly demanded Bob Hale, as he glanced +around among the students. + +"He is not here," replied Tom Rush, after he had scrutinized all the +faces. + +"And Dick Pearl?" + +"Not here." + +"Is any of the party that came off that night present?" demanded the +general. + +"No," answered several, after each fellow had looked his neighbor full +in the face. + +"That's what's the matter!" exclaimed Bob Hale. "Bill Poodles and the +rest of them have run away with the boats; and in my opinion that's +what they joined us for." + +A further examination convinced all present that this was the fact. It +looked as though Mr. Parasyte had sent off the ten boys who joined us +on the first night, to rob us of the boats. We remembered the dismay +with which Pearl and Poodles had listened to the announcement of our +intended removal from Cleaver Island, and were fully confirmed in our +view of the traitors' purpose. + +We found that the conspirators had all occupied the same tent, and one +of the fellows who slept with them now remembered that he had half +waked up, and heard Dick Pearl talking in a low tone to some one. +Vallington called up the sentinels again, and spoke pretty sharply to +them of their neglect of duty. + +"It would have been impossible for them to carry off the boats if you +had been awake; and now you have got us into a pretty scrape. We shall +have to back out, and march back to the Institute like whipped +puppies," said he, with becoming indignation. + +But the sentinels protested that they had kept awake all the time. + +"Tell that to a dead mule, and he would kick your brains out," replied +the general. "Who stood at the south station?" + +"I did from ten till twelve," answered Joe Slivers; "and I am sure no +boat went out of the cove during that time." + +"And who from twelve till two?" continued the general. + +No one answered. + +"Who was it--don't you know?" demanded Vallington, sternly. + +"I know," replied Ben Lyons. "It was Carl Dorner, for I had the north +station at the same time." + +"Carl Dorner!" exclaimed Bob Hale. "He was one of the Poodles party." + +"That accounts for it," added Vallington. "Who had the east station +from twelve till two?" + +"Mat Murray," replied Slivers. + +"He's another of the Poodles tribe," added Bob. "It's as clear as mud +now. We put traitors on guard, and we are sold out." + +"Ben Lyons, you had the north station from twelve till two," continued +the general. + +"I did; but I was nearly half a mile from the cove," replied the +sentinel. + +"And Carl Dorner and Mat Murray had the east and south stations at the +same time." + +"They did." + +"Who called the fellows that were to relieve you?" + +"I did," answered Lyons. + +"Didn't you miss Dorner and Murray?" + +"I didn't notice them; but I did see the three fellows who went on +guard at two o'clock. They started for their stations, and I turned +in, without thinking anything about Dorner and Murray." + +It further appeared that the two traitors had used some "shuffling" to +obtain the east and south stations. It was evident now that the +conspirators had executed their plan shortly after midnight, while +their associates were on guard at the two posts where their operations +could be seen or heard. The south station was on a point of land which +commanded a full view of the cove where the boats lay. From the east +station the lake in the direction of Parkville and Cannondale could be +seen. From the north station, which was considerably farther west +than either of the other posts, nothing could be seen on the south +side of the island. + +If the conspirators had gone to the eastward with the boats, they +could easily have kept out of sight of the sentinel at the north +station--the only true one on duty when the mischief was done--by +hugging the main south shore of the lake. If they had gone to the +westward, or farther away from Parkville,--which was not likely,--they +could not have been seen by Ben Lyons till they had gone at least a +mile. + +In the mud at the bottom of the cove we found a pole sticking up, +which the traitors had probably used in pushing the scow out into the +lake. This showed us in what manner they had gone to work; but I was +satisfied that they had not attempted to tow the scow any distance; it +would not have been possible for them to do so. It was comparatively +easy to move her with setting-poles, but they could have done nothing +with the unwieldy craft in the deep water. I therefore concluded that +they had merely pushed her out into the lake, and then turned her +adrift. It was probable that she had been driven ashore by the +north-west wind somewhere in the vicinity of Cannondale. + +What the conspirators had done with the Splash was not so clear to me, +for not one of them knew anything about the management of a sail-boat. +She had a pair of oars on board, and it was probable they had rowed +her, as they had the other boats. All the sentinels agreed in their +statements that the wind had blown pretty fresh in the night, and I +was not quite willing to believe that the ten faithless ones had +pulled the four boats the whole distance to Parkville, which was nine +miles, in the heavy sea that must have been caused by a brisk +north-west wind. They were not boatmen enough to undertake such a job, +or to carry it through if they did attempt it. + +Cannondale lay to the south-east of Pine Island, and with the +prevailing wind of the night, it was an easy matter to accomplish the +two miles which lay between them. After a great deal of thinking, +reasoning, and studying, I came to the conclusion that the Splash, +and perhaps two or three of the four row-boats,--for the conspirators +had added one to our original number,--were not farther off than +Cannondale. The wind was still fresh from the north-west, and the +traitors would hardly care to pull even a single boat eight miles. The +steamer, on her way to Parkville, would touch at Cannondale about one +o'clock, and I surmised that the deserters would return in her. + +I made up my mind, in view of these facts and suppositions, that it +would be advisable for some of our party to visit Cannondale before +one o'clock. Pine Island had sometimes been used as a picnic ground, +and the people had been conveyed thither in a steamer. Near the south +station, in the deepest water, there was a rude pier of logs built +out, for the convenience of landing the parties. This loose structure +suggested to me the means of reaching the main shore; and, without +waiting for breakfast, I "piped" away my boatmen, and proceeded to +build a raft. + +Placing three large logs in the water, we lashed them together, and +covered them with short pieces of board, from the ruins of an old +cook-house on the island. The job was finished when breakfast was +ready, about seven o'clock, including a mast and sail, the latter made +of the curtain of a tent. The preparations I had been making had a +wonderful effect in warming up the spirits of the boys, considerably +depressed by the prospective calamities which were supposed to lie in +the wake of the loss of our boats; and at least three quarters of them +applied to me for permission to join my expedition to the main shore. +I determined, however, to take but four with me, among whom were Bob +Hale and Tom Rush. + +As soon as we had eaten a hearty breakfast, we embarked, and hoisted +the sail on our clumsy craft. When she had passed out of the cove, she +took the breeze, and went off at a very satisfactory pace towards +Cannondale, plunging and rolling in the heavy sea like a ship in a +gale. With us as navigators, "the die was cast," for it would be +impossible to return to the island unless the wind changed, for the +raft would only go before it. + +The craft dived down and jumped up, and every wave swept completely +over it; but we had taken off our shoes and stockings, and rolled up +our trousers' legs, so that we suffered no inconvenience. The fresh +breeze carried us over in about half an hour, and the raft was thrown +high and dry on the beach, a quarter of a mile below the town. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +IN WHICH ERNEST AND HIS COMPANIONS LAND AT CANNONDALE. + + +We landed on the beach, put on our shoes and stockings, and walked +towards the village of Cannondale. It was still early in the +morning,--as people who lie abed till breakfast measure time,--and I +was quite confident that I should find the boats, if not the deserters +from our camp, at the town. The fact that none of the party were +boatmen assured me they could not have gone on to Parkville. The wind +must have brought them to Cannondale, and must have prevented them +from leaving it. + +We followed the beach from the point where we had landed until we came +to the steamboat pier, which was the usual landing-place for all +boats. + +On the further side of the wharf, sheltered from the wind and the +sea, was our entire squadron, with the exception of the flat-boat. + +"We are all right now," said Bob Hale; and we broke into a run, and +hastened over to the point where the boats were secured. + +"Where do you suppose the deserters are?" asked Tom Rush. + +"Probably, as they didn't sleep any last night, they have gone to bed +at the hotel," I replied. "It will be a good joke for them, when they +wake up, to find they have had their labor for their pains." + +On the steamboat wharf there was a building used for the storage of +goods. Just as I was about to go down the steps at the foot of which +the Splash lay, with the row-boats made fast to her, a lame man came +out of the warehouse, and hailed us. + +"What do you want?" he demanded, in no conciliatory tones. + +"I want this boat," I replied. + +"You can't have her," he added, decidedly. + +"Why not?" + +"Because you can't." + +"That doesn't seem to be a very good reason," I answered, descending +the steps, and jumping into the Splash. + +"Do you hear what I say?" demanded he, in savage tones. + +"I do; I am not deaf, and you speak loud enough to be heard," I added, +as I proceeded to remove the stops from the mainsail, preparatory to +hoisting the sail. + +"Are you going to mind what I say, or not?" he shouted, in loud tones. + +"I am not." + +"That boat's in my charge, and you can't have her." + +"I don't care whose charge she is in. The boat belongs to me, and I +intend to have her." + +"Who are you?" + +"It doesn't matter who I am; but I take it any one has a right to his +own property, wherever he finds it." + +"Can you prove that the boat is your property?" asked he, in a milder +tone. + +"I can, but I shall not take the trouble to do so," I replied, with +more impudence than discretion. + +"All I've got to say is, that you can't have that boat," added he, +angrily; and he came down the steps, and took position by my side in +the Splash. + +"Come aboard, fellows!" I called to my companions. + +"I suppose you claim these row-boats too--don't you?" said the lame +man, with a sneer. + +"I do not," I answered, concluding, under the circumstances, to go no +farther than the facts would warrant. "Those boats belong to the +Parkville Liberal Institute." + +"I know they do," growled the man, who seemed to be in doubt what to +do. + +"Hoist the jib, Tom. If you wish to land, sir, now is your time," I +suggested to the intruder, as I picked up the heavy oak tiller of the +Splash. + +"What are you going to do with that tiller?" continued he, fixing his +eye fiercely upon me. + +"I am going to steer the boat with it," I replied. "If you wish to go +with us, I shall not object to your company." + +I saw that the man only wished me to bully and threaten him a little, +to induce him to pitch into me, though it was plain he did not like +the looks of the heavy tiller in my hand. I refrained from provoking +him any further than to persist in claiming possession of my boat. + +"You say this boat is yours," said he, after a moment of deliberation. + +"I do; if you need any proof, I will now refer to Mr. Leman, the +grocer, and Mr. Irwin, the provision-dealer; and if you belong on this +wharf, you must have seen me land from her more than once." + +"I don't want to quarrel with you," he added. "I know the boat very +well, and very likely I've seen you in her; but I don't remember. I +live close to the shore beyond the village, and I was waked up in the +night--it was about one o'clock, I guess--by a lot of boys hollering. +I got up, and found all these boats heaved up on the beach, and the +boys trying to get 'em off. I helped 'em a while, and then brought the +boats round here, for they would all got stove to pieces there." + +The man talked very well now, and I met him in the same spirit. + +"The boys who got into the scrape ought to pay you for helping them +out," I replied. + +"I don't like to be turned out of my bed in the night to do such a job +for nothing." + +"You must make them pay you." + +"They said they would, or that the schoolmaster over to Parkville +would, for he sent them to look out for some boys who had run away." + +"Did they?" I replied, glancing significantly at Bob Hale, for this +acknowledgment implied that Mr. Parasyte had sent the deserters to do +the work they had accomplished. "But I don't see that we have anything +to do with the matter. If I were you, I would hold the other boats +till they paid me for my trouble." + +"I'll do that." + +"How much do they owe you?" asked Bob. + +"Well, I don't know; they ought to give me a couple of dollars, I +think," replied the man. + +We passed a few words among ourselves, and Tom handed the man two +dollars. + +"That's to pay for saving this boat," said Tom. "We ought not to pay +it, for our boat was stolen from us; but you must collect as much +more before you let the other boats go." + +"Thank ye," replied the man, with a broad grin, indicative of his +satisfaction, as he took the money. "I spoke rather sharp to you at +first, because I thought you were going to take the boats without +paying for the job I did. I didn't mean nothing by it, and I hope +you'll excuse it." + +"It is all right." + +"You can take the other boats too, if you like," continued the man, +magnanimously. + +We concluded that we did not want them. They were of no service to us, +for with a south-west wind, I could work the scow over to Parkville; +and I intended to go in search of her in the Splash. + +"Did the fellows that came in these boats say anything to you about +where they came from?" asked Bob Hale of the man. + +"They told me all about it; but I knew something about it yesterday, +for the schoolmaster came over here in the steamer, inquiring after +you. He said you went to the Cleaver first, and then left--he didn't +know where you was now." + +"Mr. Parasyte here!" exclaimed Tom Rush. + +"He's at the hotel, and he's going to find you and bring you back +to-day," added the man, with a laugh. "You have done the handsome +thing by me, and I don't mind telling you all about it." + +We could scarcely believe that this was the man who had been so intent +upon quarrelling with us; but it seemed he supposed we were the same +boys who had come in the boats, and intended to cheat him out of his +money for the job he had done. + +"What is he going to do?" asked Bob Hale, rather excited. + +"He has engaged the Adieno, and is going to look for you." + +"The Adieno!" ejaculated Tom Rush. + +The Adieno was a small steamer, owned in Parkville and Cannondale, +employed in towing, conveying pleasure parties, and other uses on the +lake. She was lying at the other side of the steamboat pier, and the +smoke was already rolling out of her smokestack. Our informant did not +precisely know in what manner Mr. Parasyte intended to proceed; and +we could not ascertain whether he intended to bring off our party by +force, or to resort to some milder means to break up the camp; but we +were very grateful for the information we had obtained. By this time +Mr. Parasyte had learned from the deserters where we were. + +Our new-made friend, who, I think, had learned to respect me for the +decision with which I had answered him, went up the steps. As he did +so, he repeated his offer to allow us to take the other boats, which +we again declined. + +"He's coming!" said our new ally, as he reached the cap-sill of the +wharf. + +"Who?" + +"The schoolmaster, and all them boys. Be in a hurry! He's close by." + +I ran the mainsail up, and cast off the fasts which secured the +Splash; but just as I had pushed off from the steps, Mr. Parasyte, +attended by the deserters, appeared on the wharf. The eyes of the +latter opened wide when they saw our party in the Splash, and it +appeared to be a great mystery to them how we happened to be on the +main shore, when they had left us on the island without a boat or +craft of any kind. We were behind the wharf and building, so that the +sails of the Splash did not get the wind, and I told a couple of my +companions to take the oars. + +"Stop, Thornton!" shouted Mr. Parasyte. + +"Hold on a minute, and let us hear what he has to say," said Bob Hale. + +We waited, looking up at the principal of the Parkville Liberal +Institute to hear what he had to communicate. Mr. Parasyte went down +the steps with the deserters, and they got into a couple of the +row-boats. + +"We are ready to hear anything you have to say," called Tom Rush. + +"I simply wish to know whether you intend to compel me to use extreme +measures," said Mr. Parasyte, as, by his direction, Dick Pearl pushed +the boat in which they stood towards the Splash. + +"We will return to the Institute when you comply with the terms stated +by Henry Vallington," replied Bob Hale, as the bow of the row-boat +came up to the stern of our craft. + +"Perhaps I did not clearly understand what that proposition was," said +Mr. Parasyte, as he turned and said something to Pearl which we could +not hear. + +Bob was going to restate the terms, when Pearl suddenly made fast the +painter of his boat to a ring in the stern of the Splash. + +"Only to hold her for a moment," said the principal, as he stepped +into the bow of the row-boat. + +We watched him closely. The other row-boat, in which six of the +deserters had taken their places, was also working up to the Splash. I +decided that we were getting into a scrape, and told my companions +with the oars to pull. They obeyed, and in a moment we caught the +stiff breeze; the Splash forged ahead, twitching the row-boat after +it. + +"Hold on tight, Pearl!" said Mr. Parasyte, savagely, now indicating +that he meant war, and not peace. + +I dragged the boat half a mile from the shore, and then, in tacking, +gave it such a sudden twitch as to throw Mr. Parasyte, who was still +standing, off his balance, and he went over the side into the angry +waters. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + +IN WHICH ERNEST AND HIS FRIENDS ARE DISGUSTED WITH MR. PARASYTE'S +INGRATITUDE. + + +It was very imprudent in Mr. Parasyte to stand up in a boat, while +being dragged through the water at such a rapid rate as the Splash was +going. I tried my best, before the accident, to detach the painter of +his boat; but Pearl had passed the rope through the ring, hauled it +back, and made it fast on the stem of his own craft. It was my +intention to cut it as soon as I came about, and I had taken out my +knife for the purpose. + +When the Splash tacked, the row-boat ran up to her stern, slacking the +painter. As this was a favorable moment for Mr. Parasyte, who was +determined to "board" us, he was on the point of stepping forward. As +soon as the sails of our craft caught the breeze, she darted off +again, straightening the painter, and giving the principal's boat +such a fierce jerk, that it not only upset Mr. Parasyte, but heeled +his boat over so that she half filled with water. + +"Help! Help!" shouted Mr. Parasyte, in tones which convinced us that +he fully appreciated the perils of his position. + +"Let go your painter, Dick Pearl!" I shouted. + +"I can't; we are half full of water," replied he. + +It was useless to argue the point, and with the knife I had open in my +hand, I severed the half-inch rope, and permitted the row-boat to go +adrift. There was a heavy sea for an inland lake, and the row-boat +made very bad weather of it, in her water-logged condition. + +"Don't leave us, Thornton," said Dick, with what self-command he had, +while Bill Poodles, who was with him, actually blubbered with terror. + +"Sit down and bale out your boat!" I called to them, as I put the +Splash about to save Mr. Parasyte. "Keep cool and you are all right. +Bale out your boat!" + +"We have no dipper." + +When my boat had come about, I ran her close to them, and tossed a +small bucket to Pearl, with which he went to work to free his boat +from water. The circumstances were by no means desperate, though Pearl +was the only fellow among them who appeared to have any +self-possession. + +"Help! Help!" shouted Mr. Parasyte, more feebly than before. + +"Go forward, Bob, with the boat-hook; and stand by, Tom, to help him. +Let him get hold of the boat-hook." + +I swept round in the Splash, till I threw her up into the wind with +Mr. Parasyte under the bow. Bob Hale extended the boat-hook to him, +which he promptly grasped, and with some difficulty we hauled him on +board. It was a warm day in June, and I did not think him any the +worse for the bath he had taken; but I was perfectly satisfied that he +would have been drowned if we had left him to be rescued by Pearl and +his party. We felt that we had done a good thing--that we had rendered +good for evil. + +For my own part, judging by what I should have felt in his situation, +I expected some conciliatory proposition from him; and we waited, +with no little interest and anxiety, till he had wiped his face and +neck, and adjusted his damp linen as well as he could. He had the +satisfaction of knowing that I, the rebel, who had resisted him, and +whom he regarded as the author of all the mischief, had saved his +life; and I am sure that it was a greater satisfaction to me than it +was to him. I ran the Splash up towards the deserters, who were still +employed in baling out their boat. + +Mr. Parasyte spoke at last. Though I knew he was a tyrant, though I +knew there was nothing that could be called noble in his nature, I did +not expect what followed. I supposed there was some impressible spot +in his heart which might have been reached through the act we had just +done. + +"So you meant to drown me--did you?" were the first words he said, and +in a tone so uncompromising that we saw at once there was nothing to +hope. + +I looked at Bob Hale, and Bob looked at me. Our surprise was mutual; +and as there was nothing that could be said, we said nothing. + +"You meant to drown me--did you?" repeated Mr. Parasyte, with more +emphasis than before. + +Bob and I looked at each other again. Grave as was the charge he +indirectly preferred against us, there was something so ludicrous in +the making of it by one whom we had just pulled out of the water, that +I could not help smiling. Mr. Parasyte saw that smile, and as he +always put the worst construction upon what was done by those not in +favor, he misinterpreted it, and tortured it into a sneer. + +"I say you meant to drown me; and you sneer at me." + +"We did not mean to drown you, sir," replied Tom Rush, respectfully. + +"Yes, you did! And now you are laughing at your wicked deed," he +replied, looking fiercely at me. + +"I was laughing, Mr. Parasyte, to think that one whom we have just +pulled out of the water should accuse us of attempting to drown him," +I replied. + +"That's what you meant to do; but you didn't dare to do it. You were +afraid of the consequences." + +"You are mistaken, sir; we had no such intentions," added Bob Hale, +with due deference. + +"Didn't you, or didn't Thornton, throw me over into the lake?" +demanded he, as if surprised that we should attempt to deny the +charge. + +"No, sir; I did not," I answered. + +"Didn't you turn your boat, and jerk the painter so as to throw me +into the water?" + +"I certainly changed the course of my boat, and that jerked the rope; +but I did not intend to throw you into the water." + +"Yes, you did! It is worse than folly for you to deny it!" replied he, +angrily. + +"If you had not been very careless, you could not have been thrown +out!" I added. + +"Don't tell me I was careless!" + +"People acquainted with boats don't often stand up in them in such a +sea as this, when they are towed." + +"Let me hear no more of your impudence." + +Discretion lay in silence, and we said no more. I ran the Splash up +alongside the boat, from which Pearl and his companions had by this +time dipped out all the water. + +"Here is your boat, Mr. Parasyte," said Bob Hale. "Will you get into +her, sir?" + +"No, I will not," he replied. + +"May I ask what you intend to do, sir?" I demanded, out of patience +with him, in his unreasoning malice. + +"You will take me to the shore." + +"I will not," I replied, bluntly. + +"You won't!" + +"No, sir." + +"We'll see," said he, rising to his feet. + +"Better sit down, sir, or you will be overboard again," interposed +Bob, as I drew the heavy tiller from its socket, intending to defend +myself from assault. + +The Splash lay with her sails shaking, and her position was a very +uneasy one. Mr. Parasyte concluded to sit down, simply because he +could not stand up, and I restored the tiller to the rudder. + +"If you don't choose to get into that boat, Mr. Parasyte, I will land +you at Cleaver Island," I added, as I filled away again, and headed +the Splash towards the point indicated. + +"Thornton, I want you to understand, that for all you have done you +shall be brought to a strict account," said the principal, sternly, +but vexed that he had failed to have his own way. + +"I am ready to face the music, sir." + +"No slang to me!" + +"Will you land on Cleaver Island, or will you get into that boat?" + +"I will get into the boat, but only that I may the sooner bring you to +justice," said he, desperately. + +I came about again, and ran alongside of Pearl's boat. Mr. Parasyte, +still dripping from his bath, embarked with his toadies. + +"The end is not yet," said he, shaking his head, as the Splash filled +away once more. "You will soon hear from me again." + +We made no reply; and I was profoundly grateful that his life had been +saved. My high hopes that what we had done for him might enable him to +yield with better grace, and thus end the "breaking away," were dashed +to the ground. With the wind on the beam, we ran by Cannondale, and +stood down the lake near the shore, in search of the flat-boat, +though it would be impossible for us to work her over to the island +with the wind from the north-west. + +"It is no use of talking any more," said Bob Hale, after a silence of +several minutes. "I can never go back to the Parkville Institute while +Mr. Parasyte is the principal of it. He is too mean a man for me to +sit under." + +"My sentiments exactly," replied Tom Rush. + +"I suppose I shall not go back, whoever is principal," I added. + +"Why not?" + +"I must take care of myself after this; and I can't afford to go to +school." + +"Perhaps your uncle will think better about it," suggested Tom. + +"He may, but I don't believe he will." + +"There's the flat-boat!" exclaimed one of our party forward. + +"I see her; when the wind hauls round to the southward or eastward, we +will come over, and work her back to the island," I replied. "She +looks comfortable where she is, and we will return to our party." + +In a short time the Splash reached the cove, where we found all our +company assembled to learn the news, for they had observed our +movements on the water. Vallington was much surprised when he learned +that Mr. Parasyte was the person who had fallen overboard, and been +rescued by the Splash. We told him what our persecutor intended to do +with the steamer, and a council was immediately called to decide upon +our proper course. + +"What shall we do?" asked our general. "That's the question." + +"I don't see that we can do anything," answered Bob Hale. + +"Perhaps it will be best for us to keep still, and let things take +their course," added Vallington. + +"But Mr. Parasyte will carry off our tents and provisions," I +interposed. "Can't we conceal our hams and other eatables." + +"There comes the steamer!" shouted one of the boys. + +"There isn't time now to do anything," continued Vallington. "I will +do the best I can for you, fellows." + +Some proposed one thing, and some another; but it was plain that, in +the multitude of advisers, nothing could be adopted which promised to +help our prospects; and it was finally voted to leave the course of +action entirely to our general, who had thus far proved himself worthy +of confidence. He was to be guided entirely by circumstances; and he +assured us he would be prompt to take advantage of any favorable +event. + +"Now, fellows, I want you all to keep together," said Vallington. +"Don't one of you wander away from the rest. Leave all the talking to +me--don't say a word to any one who comes in the steamer." + +Our whole company promised to obey these instructions to the letter, +and to be in readiness for any movement which might be ordered. The +steamer ran up to the rude pier, and made fast her bow-line to a +tree. + + + + +CHAPTER XX. + +IN WHICH ERNEST TAKES THE WHEEL OF THE ADIENO. + + +We watched with intense interest the proceedings of the men who came +off in the steamer. After the exhibition of meanness on the part of +Mr. Parasyte, it seemed that the rebellion was more serious than any +of us had supposed. We made up our minds, with Bob Hale, that it would +be impossible for us ever to be reconciled to him again. We felt as +though the Rubicon had been passed, and what had commenced as a mere +frolic was likely to end as a very grave affair. Though the boys +talked solemnly at first about their rights, and had "struck" to +vindicate a principle, they had no idea of the seriousness of their +proceedings. + +I shall not pretend to justify all that was done by our boys, or even +to acknowledge that "breaking away," under any circumstances, is +justifiable; but I do say, that such a man as the principal of the +Parkville Liberal Institute was not a fit person to instruct and +discipline young men. He was grossly unjust and partial; he was a +tyrant at heart, though for policy's sake he veiled his purposes; he +was low-minded and narrow in his views; and I am happy to say that he +was not a fair specimen of the teachers of our land. + +If the boys were wrong, he was so to a much greater degree, and his +position and his influence made him responsible for the mischief he +had driven the boys to perpetrate. It would have been better for them, +as a body, to submit until redress could be obtained in a better +way--as by the circular addressed to their parents, which was even +then in the hands of the printer. I palliate, I do not justify, the +conduct of the students. + +Matters had begun to assume a graver aspect. Mr. Parasyte had come +with a steamer, and with about a dozen men, as nearly as we could +judge, to accomplish some purpose not yet apparent to us. We were +curious to know whether we were to be driven like sheep on board of +the Adieno, or whether our persecutor intended to resort to strategy. +He had sent off his toadies to take our boats away; but he had started +them while we were upon Cleaver Island, and before we had laid in our +stock of provisions. This plan had failed. We were not long left in +doubt. + +Mr. Parasyte stepped on shore, followed by nine men, and then by the +ten deserters from our camp. The men had sticks, bits of rope, and +other articles in their hands. This looked like force, and we could +not help glancing anxiously at Vallington, to ascertain, if we might, +whether he intended to fight or to run away. We had no clubs or other +weapons, but the pile of sticks which we had gathered for fuel was +near. I saw the general glance at it; but I concluded that he did not +intend to give battle, unless it was in self-defence. + +As soon as the party under the lead of Mr. Parasyte had landed, the +man who was left on board as boat-keeper hauled in the plank, by Mr. +Parasyte's order, apparently to prevent the students from going on her +deck. I could not but smile at this precaution, for the Adieno lay in +such a position that the removal of the plank was no hinderance to +agile boys like the students, and we could go on board when we chose. + +Vallington stood on a stump near the path leading from the pier to the +interior of the island, and his forces were gathered behind him, +leaving the road open for the passage of the invaders. + +Mr. Parasyte marched solemnly up the path, closely followed by the men +and boys of his party. He looked uglier than I had ever seen him look +before. By this time he must have been convinced that the Institute +was ruined; that such a host of rebels could never be reduced to +subjection; and he appeared to be acting out of the malice of his +heart. But even then something was due to appearances, and he halted +opposite the stump on which our general stood. + +"Vallington!" said he, sharply and crustily. + +"Sir." + +"If you choose to go on board of that steamer, return to the +Institute, and submit to the punishment you deserve, it is not too +late for you to do so," continued Mr. Parasyte. + +"Do you allude to me alone?" + +"To all of you. I understand you to speak for the whole party." + +"We shall be happy to do so," replied our general; and I am sure he +spoke the sentiment of all the students. + +"I am glad to see you are returning to reason," added the principal; +but there was a look upon his face which showed how much pleasure he +expected to derive from the proposed punishment. + +"May I ask whether we are to be punished equally?" asked Vallington. + +"You are to be punished in proportion to your offences--the +ringleaders more, of course, than those who were simply led away by +the influence of their leaders." + +"And we are to be punished only for this breaking away?" + +Mr. Parasyte bit his lips. It is possible he had a hope of restoring +the Institute to its former condition. + +"I don't understand you," said he. + +"Is Thornton to be regarded as guilty only of breaking away, with the +rest of us?" + +"Thornton's affair is to be settled by itself," replied Mr. Parasyte. + +"Then I have nothing more to say, sir," added Vallington, with +becoming dignity. + +I interposed, and begged him not to consider me, but to make terms if +he could, and permit me to settle my own affair. Bob Hale and Tom Rush +protested; but no protest was needed to keep Vallington true to his +purpose. + +"You reject my terms, Vallington," said Mr. Parasyte. + +"I do, sir." + +"I wish to do what I can to end this unhappy disturbance, and I am +willing to say that the punishment shall be very mild--if you will +return to your duty." + +"You have treated one of our number with shameful injustice, Mr. +Parasyte. We can prove, and have proved, that he was not guilty of the +charge brought against him. If you will do him justice, and through +him all the rest of us, we will submit to such punishment as you think +proper for breaking away." + +"Thornton!" exclaimed Mr. Parasyte, with a malignant sneer. "Do you +expect me to receive the forced confession of Poodles and Pearl?" + +"The confession was not forced, sir." + +"Come here, Poodles," said the principal, sharply. + +Poodles stepped forward. + +"Did you make this confession?" demanded Mr. Parasyte, sternly. + +"I did--but I was afraid the fellows would kill me if I didn't do it," +whined the toady. + +"Do you hear that?" + +"I hear it, and do not wonder at anything he says," replied +Vallington. + +Pearl told the same story; but our general protested that no +compulsion had been used by the students; that two boys who were +charged with deception were not to be believed in preference to eighty +others. Vallington proposed that the case should be heard over again, +and Poodles required to perform the examples. The principal was +indignant, and refused all compromise. + +"Thornton is not only guilty, but this very day he attempted to drown +me in the lake," said he. "Do you think I can forgive him, without--" + +"We don't ask you to forgive him, and he does not ask it. We only wish +you to give him a fair trial." + +"I will hear no more about it!" replied Mr. Parasyte, impatiently. +"Will you return or not?" + +"We will not." + +"Very well. I wish every one here to understand that I have given you +an opportunity to return to your duty. You will not, and the +consequences be upon yourselves." + +Mr. Parasyte walked up the path, followed by his party. As Pearl and +Poodles passed us, a suggestion was made that we seize upon them, and +punish them for the falsehoods they had uttered, and the meanness of +which they had been guilty; but this proposition was promptly +negatived by Vallington. We wondered what the invaders intended to do, +and whether our general purposed to let them proceed without +opposition. He stood calm and apparently unmoved on the stump, +watching the enemy. + +The principal halted his forces at the point where our provisions and +cooking utensils were kept. Every eatable, and every utensil, even to +the wooden forks and spoons we had made, were seized and conveyed to +the steamer. It was now clear that the enemy did not mean to use +force, unless we attacked them. Mr. Parasyte intended to deprive us of +our food, and starve us into subjection. But he was not satisfied yet; +and when his party had deposited their burden on the deck of the +steamer, and the plank had again been hauled in, he marched them by us +once more. + +"We shall soon see how long you will be willing to stay here," said +our tyrant, as he walked by the stump. "As Thornton said to the man in +charge of the boats at Cannondale, this morning, I suppose I have a +right to my own property, wherever I find it." + +"We paid for the provisions with our own money," replied Vallington. + +Mr. Parasyte made no reply, but continued on his way up the hill +towards the tents. These also he meant to take from us; and then, or +in the course of the day, he probably expected us to surrender, +without conditions. The prospect did not look pleasant, for we were to +be without food or shelter on the island. I was thinking how to save +the Splash from capture, and I was about to suggest to Vallington that +it would be better for me to put off in her, when our general spoke +for himself. + +The invaders were busily employed in striking the tents, and rolling +up the canvas, about forty rods from where we stood. In a few moments +they would be ready to put them on board of the steamer. + +"Fellows," said Vallington, in a low and decided tone, "our time has +come! We will take possession of that steamer. I have no idea of being +starved into subjection. When I give the word, rush on board the best +way you can." + +"There's a man on her deck," said one of the boys; and we were all +appalled at the boldness of the venture. + +"Never mind him. Commodore Thornton, you will go to the wheel-house at +once, and take the helm." + +"Who will be engineer?" asked Tom Rush. + +"I will be that myself. Bob Hale, you will run the Splash out from +the shore, and come on board when we are clear of the pier; take two +good fellows with you. Are you all ready?" + +"All ready!" replied the boys; and the voices of some trembled. + +"Forward then!" shouted Vallington; and he leaped from the stump, and +ran down to the wharf, followed by the whole company. + +Bob Hale got into the Splash with two boys, and pushed her off. The +rest of us leaped over the bulwarks, scrambled up to the hurricane +deck, or rushed in at the gangway. Vallington cast off the bow-line +himself, just as I reached the wheel-house. + +"Back her!" I shouted; and the word was passed through the boys to +Vallington, who had now gone to the engine-room. + +We were not a moment too quick, for just as the steamer began to back +from the pier, the invaders, laden with canvas and poles, appeared on +the wharf. + +[Illustration: THE CAPTURE OF THE ADIENO.--Page 232.] + + + + +CHAPTER XXI. + +IN WHICH ERNEST CONTINUES TO ACT AS PILOT OF THE STEAMER. + + +When I reached the deck of the Adieno I met the person who was in +charge of the steamer. It was the lame man who had disputed my right +to the Splash in the morning, and to whom we had given two dollars. He +looked astonished at the sudden movement of the students, but he +offered no resistance; and, without waiting to hear what he had to +say, I ran up the ladder to the wheel-house, leaving Tom Rush to +settle all questions in dispute with him. + +My heart bounded with excitement as we carried out our desperate +enterprise, and I gave Henry Vallington credit for more daring and +courage than I had ever supposed him to possess. He seemed to me just +then to be a general indeed, and to be better fitted to fight his way +through an enemy's country than to become a parson. + +"Back her!" I shouted, almost beside myself with excitement, as I saw +Mr. Parasyte and his heavily-laden followers rushing down to the pier. + +My words were repeated by the boys on the forward deck, and Vallington +hastened to the engine-room. I heard the hissing steam as it rushed +through the cylinders, and without knowing what was going to happen +next,--whether or not the boiler would explode, and the deck be torn +up beneath me,--I waited in feverish anxiety for the result. Then I +heard the splash of the wheels; the crank turned, rumbled, and jarred +on its centre, but went over, and continued to turn. The Adieno moved, +and the motion sent a thrill through my whole being. It was fortunate +for us that she lay at the pier in such a position as to require no +special skill in handling her. The open lake was astern of her, with +clear sailing for two miles. + +I was not a steamboat man; I had never even steered any craft with a +wheel, and I did not feel at all at home. But I had often been up and +down the lake in this very steamer, and being of an inquiring mind, I +had carefully watched the steersman. It had always looked easy enough +to me, and I always believed I could do it as well as anybody else. I +tried to keep cool, and I think I looked cool to others; but I was +extremely nervous. I did not exactly know which way to turn the wheel. + +When I found there were no obstructions astern of the steamer, I +brought the flagstaff on the bow into range with the end of the +pier,--or rather I found them in range,--and with these to guide me, I +soon learned by experience which way to turn the wheel; and the moment +I got the hang of the thing, I had confidence enough to offer my +services to pilot any steamer all over the lake. The paddles kept +slapping the water, and the boat continued to back until she was a +quarter of a mile from the land, when I thought it was time to come +about, and go forward instead of backward. There were two bell-pulls +on the wheel-frame, and at a venture I pulled one of them. I did not +know whether Vallington understood the bells or not; but there was +only one thing to be done in this instance, and he did it--he stopped +the machinery. + +After pausing a moment for the steamer to lose her sternway, I rang +the other bell, intending to have her go ahead; but the engineer did +not heed my summons. A moment afterwards Vallington appeared on the +forward deck, wiping from his brow the perspiration, which indicated +that the engine-room was a hot place, or that his mental struggles +were very severe. + +"What was that last bell for?" he asked, hailing me in the +wheel-house. + +"To go ahead," I replied. + +"You haven't got the hang of the bells, commodore," said he, with a +smile; "but come down, and we will talk the matter over, and find out +what we are going to do." + +I went down to the forward deck, quite as anxious as any one else to +know what was to be done, for it seemed to me that we had "drawn an +elephant" as a prize. When I reached the deck, Vallington was writing +with his pencil, and handed me the paper as I joined him. + +"Here are your directions, Mr. Pilot," said he. + +"I know the lake, but I never had any experience in a steamer," I +replied, in self-defence, as I read the paper, on which was written:-- + +_"One bell--ahead, slowly. + +Two bells--stop. + +Three bells--back. + +Four bells--ahead, full speed."_ + +"There are two bell-pulls in the wheel-house," I added. + +"You pulled the right one the first time; the other is for the men to +shift the chain-box," he replied. "Now, fellows, what shall we do? is +the next question." + +Nobody seemed to know what we were to do; and all were quite willing +to leave the question with our bold general. + +"Where is the lame man who had charge of the steamer?" he asked. + +"I have fixed him," answered Tom Rush, with a significant smile. + +"How have you fixed him?" + +"I told him we should throw him overboard if he didn't keep quiet, +and gave him three dollars I picked up among the fellows." + +Tom was fit to be a member of the diplomatic corps--bully and bribe in +the same breath! Probably the lame man, who was only a deck hand, +employed but for that day, was not disposed to make any very active +opposition to our plans. At any rate, he sat on the chain-box as +contented as though everything was going on regularly on board of the +boat. Mr. Parasyte had pressed all hands into his service, even to the +captain and engineer, in bringing off the provisions and tents. I +suppose that it never occurred to the principal, or to the officers of +the boat, that a crowd of boys would attempt such a desperate +enterprise as the capture of the Adieno, or they would have taken some +precautions to avoid such an event. It is not strange that they did +not think of such a thing, for if it had been proposed to me +beforehand, I should as soon have thought of carrying off the island +as the steamer. + +Mr. Parasyte, the captain, and engineer stood on the edge of the pier. +The principal looked astonished and overwhelmed; the captain was +gesticulating violently to us; and the rest of the party looked like +so many statues. There was no remedy for their misfortune; they had no +boat, and could do nothing. Mr. Parasyte now had the same pleasant +prospect which he had spread out before us--that of staying on Pine +Island without food till some one came to his assistance. We hoped he +enjoyed it; and in the mean time we turned our attention to our own +immediate future. + +"Fellows, I am afraid we have got into a bad scrape," said Vallington, +again wiping his heated brow; and we could not help seeing that he did +not feel just right in view of what he had done. + +"All right; we will take our chances," replied one of the students; +and this was the prevailing sentiment. + +"Although I think we were right in the beginning, I am afraid we are +overdoing the matter. But what could we do?" continued our general, +with energy. "We couldn't stay on that island and be starved out. We +paid for the provisions with our own money, and they had no right to +take them from us." + +"No!" shouted the boys, indignantly. + +"Now we have the steamer; what shall we do with her?" + +"Let us go on a cruise," suggested Fred Mason. + +"I did not take possession of the boat with the intention of making +any use of her only to get away from the island while it was possible +to do so," replied Vallington. + +"O, let's have some fun in her, now we have got her," added Mason. + +"We are drifting over to Cannondale pretty rapidly, general," I +interposed. "We must go ahead, or we shall run ashore." + +"I don't exactly know what to do, or where to go," continued our +perplexed leader. + +"We must go ahead now, and settle that question by and by," I added. + +"Can you steer her, commodore?" he asked. + +"Certainly I can. I understand the wheel now, and I know all about the +lake. If you can manage the engine, I can take care of the steering." + +"My brother is an engineer on a Hudson River boat, and I have spent +many a day with him in the engine-room. I think I understand the +engine pretty well," he replied. + +"Let us go ahead then," said one of the impatient fellows. + +"We will start her again, commodore; and I wish you would take her to +some place where we can lie to, and decide upon our future course." + +"I will do so, general; but I don't think it will hurt those on the +island to wait a while," I answered. + +"Very well; we will go where you pilot us, commodore," added +Vallington, as he returned to the engine-room. + +Three of the students were sent down into the fire-room, after being +instructed in their duty by the general, who was careful to tell them +not to put too much wood in the furnaces. By this time the Splash had +come alongside, and was made fast to the stern. I invited Bob Hale and +Tom Rush to occupy the wheel-house with me, and I took my place at the +spokes. + +"What are we going to do?" asked Bob, who had not been present at the +conference on the forward deck. + +"That is not decided," replied Tom. "We are going to lie to +somewhere, and talk the matter over." + +"I don't know about this steaming it on the lake," added Bob, shaking +his head. "Suppose the boat should burst her boiler--where should we +be?" + +"No danger of that; Vallington knows all about engines, and the +commodore knows how to steer," said Tom, lightly. + +I struck one bell, after looking at the paper which Vallington had +given me, to make sure that I was right. In response to my signal, the +wheels began to turn, and the Adieno went "ahead slowly." I soon +brought her to bear on the helm, and finding I had the boat under +perfect control, I ventured to strike the four bells, which indicated +that she was to "go ahead, full speed." + +The steam was rather low in the boilers, and "full speed" I found was +not very rapid. The boat steered easily, and minded her helm so +promptly, that I soon became quite fascinated with my occupation. +There was something very exhilarating in the fact that I was directing +the course of what to me was an immense craft; and every time I moved +the wheel, and saw the bow veer in obedience to her helm, it afforded +me a thrill of delight, and I wholly forgot the enormity of the +enterprise in which our party were engaged. I was so pleased with my +employment that I came very near devoting my life to the business of +piloting a steamboat. + +I steered the Adieno to the northward, until she had passed clear of +Pine Island, when I put her head to the west, intending to run for a +couple of islands six miles down the lake, called "The Sisters." + + + + +CHAPTER XXII. + +IN WHICH ERNEST PILOTS THE ADIENO TO "THE SISTERS." + + +"There comes the Champion!" exclaimed Bob Hale, pointing to the +steamer that regularly made her trip round the lake every day, as she +came out from behind a point of land on the north shore, beyond which +she made a landing. + +"We must give her a wide berth," I replied. + +"Why so? Her people will not know that it isn't all right with the +Adieno." + +"We are in no immediate danger; but suppose the captain of this boat +should find means to get to Cannondale before the Champion does, he +might engage her to go in pursuit of us." + +"That would be jolly!" said Tom Rush. "We should have a glorious +race!" + +"But the chances are against us in a race," I replied, confounded by +the temerity of Tom in thinking of such a thing as contending with the +steamboat men on their own ground. + +"Not a bit of it, Ernest. The Adieno is the faster boat of the +two--that has been tried a dozen times," added Tom, as much excited as +though the race had actually commenced. + +"We must not attempt to beard the lion in his den." + +"Why not? We might as well be hung for an old sheep as a lamb. We are +in a scrape, and even Vallington thinks it is a bad one by this time. +The more advantage we gain, the better terms we can make." + +"I don't know about it, Tom. I feel as though we had carried this +thing about far enough, and the sooner we get out of the scrape, the +better it will be for us." + +"Those are my sentiments. My father is part owner in this boat, and I +think he will not enjoy the idea of our going off on a cruise in her," +added Bob Hale. + +"Pooh! we won't hurt her," replied Tom. + +"We don't intend to hurt her; but we are following a business just now +that we don't know much about." + +"Don't you know the lake, and don't Vallington know all about the +engine?" + +"Neither of us has had any experience." + +"That's so," added Bob. "In my opinion breaking away is about played +out. We have made up our minds that we can't have anything more to do +with Mr. Parasyte, and we may as well return to Parkville, and go to +work in a more reasonable way. We can send the circulars to our +parents, and dig out of the difficulty the best way we can." + +"I agree to that," I answered. Not that I cared for myself, for my +"breaking away" was a much more serious matter than that of my +fellow-students; but I thought it better for them to get out of the +mud before they sank any deeper into the mire. + +"I am willing to do as the rest of the fellows do; but I don't want to +be whipped round a stump when there is no need of it," continued Tom. +"If the Champion chases us, I go for keeping out of the way till we +can retire from the field without any broken heads." + +"So far I shall agree with you, Tom," I replied. "I am not in favor of +surrendering, to be kicked and cuffed by these steamboat men, who are +not exactly lambs in their dispositions." + +"What's the use of talking?" interposed Bob Hale. "The Champion is not +after us, and it does not appear that she will be." + +"It appears so to me," I answered. "I have no idea that the captain of +the Adieno will stay on Pine Island all day. I found a way to get +ashore this morning, and I think he will be able to do so." + +"Perhaps he will." + +"I am perfectly satisfied that he will reach the shore by one o'clock, +if he has not already done so. No doubt he thinks his boat will be +smashed to pieces, or blown up, if he does not recover her soon. He +isn't going to sit down and bite his finger nails." + +"He may not be able to get the Champion," replied Bob Hale, who +evidently did not wish to believe that there would be a contest for +superiority between the two steamers. + +"I don't profess to be a prophet, Bob, but I can see through a +millstone when the hole is big enough. I will tell you just how I +_think_ it will be. The captain of the Adieno will make a raft, and +get to Cannondale. Then he will take the Champion for Parkville, +arriving about half past one. The boat does not start on her trip down +the lake till five o'clock, and that will give her three hours and a +half to spare. You may take my word for it, that time will be used in +chasing us." + +"Very likely you are right, Ernest; we shall see. It is twelve o'clock +now, and we haven't much time to consider what we shall do," said Bob +Hale, looking very serious; and it was evident now, if it had not been +before, that he had strong objections to any steamboat enterprises. + +"It's nearly dinner time," added Tom; "and I must go and see about the +provender." + +Bob Hale went below to have a talk with Vallington, and the commissary +left for the kitchen, to provide our noon rations. I was left alone in +the wheel-house. I enjoyed my occupation very much; but the talk of +my friends had filled me with doubts and fears, so that my situation +was not so delightful as before. I could not help asking myself what +was to come out of this scrape, and it seemed to me that it could +result in nothing but defeat and disaster. + +The Adieno was approaching The Sisters, at one of which there was a +pier, like that at Pine Island, which had been erected for the use of +the scows employed in the transportation of the wood cut on the +island. I knew that the water around it was deep enough for the +steamer, for I had seen her land there. Between the two islands there +was a channel not more than twenty rods wide, by which alone the wood +pier could be reached. + +The channel had barely depth enough in the middle to permit the +passage of the Adieno; but as it was perfectly straight, and the water +high in the lake, I considered myself competent to take her through. +The boat minded her helm very prettily, and there was no current in +the channel to interfere with my calculations, so that I did not +regard the place as very difficult navigation. I had been through the +channel twenty times in the Splash. The pier ran out from the island +to the deep water, so that I had only to run the bow up to it, and +make fast to the ring. The steamer would be safe here, and, being +concealed between the islands, could only be seen from one point above +and one below; and here we could have our dinner, and hold our +important consultation without the danger of interruption. + +I had another and stronger motive for entering this channel, and +without which, perhaps, I might not have had the confidence to run +even the slight risk which the navigation of the passage involved. It +was so fully ground into my bones that the Champion would be after us +about three o'clock, or as soon as she had landed her passengers at +Parkville, that I wished to be fully prepared for any emergency. To +the north of the "North Sister," and to the south of the "South +Sister," the water was shoal for a mile in each direction, while the +channel between the islands seemed to have been kept open by the +strong south-west and north-east winds, as they forced the waters +through. At any rate, there was a channel with five feet of water in +it, though I was not entirely certain in regard to the explanation of +the fact. + +The Champion was a larger boat, drawing one foot more water aft than +the Adieno, and therefore could not pass through the channel, or come +within half a mile of the wood pier. My idea was, that in this +position we could not be approached by our anticipated pursuer, as we +lay moored at the wharf. If chased, I might be able to gain on the +Champion by running through The Sisters Channel, which would enable me +to come out two or three miles ahead of her on the opposite side, as +she would be obliged to go a mile, north or south, to get round the +shoal water. + +I was so pleased with the calculation I had made, that I could not +help wishing I was employed in a better cause than in fighting the +battle of a parcel of runaway students,--it would have been so +exciting to play the game of strategy in real earnest, and in a good +cause. I plumed myself just then on being a great navigator, and a +shrewd calculator, and I wished to test my plans. It so happened, +however, that they were tested, as the sequel will show. + +The Adieno approached the narrow channel, which was just as clearly +defined in my mind as though the bottom of the lake had been laid bare +to me; for I had always been obliged to keep in the deep water even +when I went through in the Splash. As the wind, though not so strong +as it had been in the morning, still came fresh from the north-west, I +hugged the weather side of the channel, and, with the boat at full +speed, went on my course. I was just on the point of ringing one bell +to slow down, when the steamer's wheels suddenly stopped. + +"What are you about, Thornton?" shouted Vallington, rushing out of the +engine-room to the forward deck, both excited and angry. + +"I'm all right!" I replied, provoked at his singular conduct in +stopping the boat at such a critical point. + +"Where are you going? Do you want to run us all ashore?" + +"_I_ don't, but I think _you_ do. Go ahead, or we shall be aground in +a moment," I added, as the Adieno was losing her headway, and we were +not yet sheltered by the North Sister from the force of the wind. + +"I'm not going any farther into this hole," replied he, sternly. "I +think you are crazy, Thornton, to take the boat into such a place." + +"I know what I am about," I answered, rather sharply; "and if you will +take care of the engine, I will look out for the helm." + +"You'll smash the boat all to pieces--going into a little, narrow, +dirty channel at full speed." + +"I know the channel as well as I know my own name. If you will go +ahead, we shall be all right!" I shouted. + +"I won't go ahead any farther into this hole," said he, decidedly. + +"O, yes, go ahead," interposed Bob Hale. "Ernest knows what he is +about." + +"Perhaps he does; but I want to know what he is about too. I don't +want the steamer smashed or injured." + +It was of no use for me to say anything more, and I held my tongue. +The Adieno had now entirely lost her headway, and as the strong wind +began to act on her top works, she drifted over to the lee side of the +channel. She grated a moment on the bottom, and then stuck fast, hard +aground, so far as I could judge. + +"There! now do you see what you have done?" shouted Vallington, +stamping his foot angrily upon the deck. + +"I see what _you_ have done," I replied, as calmly as I could; and +that was not saying much, for I was very indignant at being charged +with what was plainly his doing. + +And there we were, hard and fast aground, with a tempest brewing +between the general and the commodore. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII. + +IN WHICH ERNEST TAKES COMMAND OF THE EXPEDITION. + + +It was useless for me to remain any longer in the wheel-house, and I +descended by the forward ladder to the deck. I was indignant, but I +was determined to "face the music." The best of friends are liable to +"fall out" at times, and no better than Vallington and myself had ever +existed. He was burdened by the responsibility of the position he had +assumed, and perhaps did not feel just right about the course he had +taken. These things may have made him irritable. Though I had never +before known him to be unkind or uncourteous, he had certainly +"pitched into me," on the present occasion, in a manner which my +self-respect would not permit me to endure. + +I had been acting, in charge of the wheel, to the best of my ability; +and I was perfectly confident that nothing would have gone wrong with +the steamer if the engineer had not stopped the wheels. However I felt +on the general question of duty, I was quite satisfied that I had been +faithful to the interests of the expedition upon which we had +embarked; and I could not bear to be "snapped up," and treated like an +inferior in knowledge and skill, even by my chosen leader. I was +"chief of navigation," at least; and I felt that the general had +interfered with my part of the work. He accused me of causing the +mischief, when he had been the author of it himself; and this was so +plain to me that I could not help resenting it. + +Very likely my face was flushed with anger and excitement when I +confronted Vallington on the forward deck. If it was, his was not less +so, and there was a lively prospect of a "family quarrel." With my +strong consciousness that I had done right, or, at least, intended to +do right, so far as our expedition was concerned, I could have +afforded to refrain from heated expressions; and it would have been +better if I had done so. It is no reason, because one person gets +mad, that another should. It is more dignified, manly, and Christian +for one always to control his temper. Let the truth be spoken +forcibly, if need be, but kindly. + +"We are in for a pretty scrape now," said Vallington, sternly and +angrily, as I walked up to him. + +"It isn't my fault if we are," I answered, sharply. + +"Why do you say it isn't your fault, Thornton? Didn't you pilot the +steamer into this hole?" + +"I didn't pilot her aground. When you stopped her there were two or +three feet of water under her keel." + +"What did you bring her in here for? If I hadn't stopped her when I +did, you would have smashed her up." + +"Perhaps I should," I answered with a sneer, when I found it was +impossible to make any headway against the general's unreasonable +speech. + +"You were going at full speed; and it is lucky I happened to see the +shore and stop her when I did." + +"I have nothing more to say," I replied, seating myself on the rail of +the steamer. + +"I don't think there is much more to be said. Here we are, hard +aground; and anybody that has a mind to come after us can take us." + +I made no reply. Vallington went to the gangway and looked over into +the shallow water. Then he walked over to the other side, and I had no +doubt our situation looked hopeless to him. After he had walked about +a while, his anger abated; and perhaps he was conscious that he had +been too fast in expressing himself. + +"What's to be done? That's the next question," said he. + +"I suppose nothing can be done," replied Tom Rush, who was more +disappointed than any other fellow on board. "They say the Champion +will be down after us this afternoon. Perhaps she will drag us off, +and then our tyrants will treat us as they think proper." + +"You needn't disturb yourselves about the Champion," I interposed. +"She can't come within half a mile of us at least." + +"Is that so?" + +"That is so." + +"It doesn't make much difference whether she can or not. We must stay +here till some one helps us out of the scrape," added Vallington. "It +was stupid to come in here." + +"I don't think so," said Bob Hale, decidedly. + +"Here we are aground, anyhow." + +"Harry," continued Bob, gently and kindly, "I think Ernest was right +in what he said. If you hadn't stopped the engine, we should have gone +through well enough." + +Vallington bit his lips, and he and Bob walked aft together. They were +absent a few moments; and when he returned, the general's face wore a +different expression. + +"Thornton, I acknowledge that I was wrong," said he, extending his +hand to me. + +The boys standing around us immediately began to clap their hands in +token of their satisfaction. In matters of navigation they were more +willing to believe in me than in Vallington; and probably most of them +were satisfied that I had been in the right. + +"Don't say another word," I replied, jumping down from my seat, and +grasping his offered hand. + +"You will excuse my hasty language," he continued. + +"Certainly; and I ask the same favor of you," I replied. + +"I irritated you, commodore, by my unreasonable words, and I am +willing to bear all the blame." + +"You don't deserve it all." + +If Vallington had been less noble and manly, we might have had a bad +quarrel; as it was, our differences were promptly healed. + +"Now, what's to be done, commodore?" the general proceeded. "I have +got you into the scrape; but I hope you will be able to get out of +it." + +"I think I shall," I replied, confidently. + +"They say we are to be chased by the Champion this afternoon; but just +now we don't seem to be in condition to be chased even by a scow." + +"We are not very hard aground; we only drifted on the shoal bottom; +and if I mistake not, we can work her off. So far as the Champion is +concerned, I am satisfied she will be after us as soon as she has +landed her passengers at Parkville; but that will not be for a couple +of hours yet." + +"Then you really expect her." + +"I certainly do; and when we float again, I don't care how soon she +comes. I came into this place, which you call a hole, general, simply +to get ready for the Champion; for she draws too much water to pass +through this channel." + +"Well, that's a double proof that I have wronged you, and I am all the +more sorry for my unkindness." + +"Don't mention that again, Vallington," I replied, touched by his +magnanimity. + +"Fellows," said Vallington, turning to the boys, "I resign my +commission as general-in-chief of this expedition." + +"No, no!" shouted the students. + +"We are on the water now, and it is more proper that the commodore +should have the entire command. When we are on shore again, I will +resume my office. I will obey all the commodore's orders now, and the +rest of you will do the same." + +I protested, but the general insisted. We finally agreed to the +proposition, and for the time I became the commander of the +expedition. Our first business was to float the steamer. Vallington +went back to the engine-room, and I resumed my place at the wheel. I +rang to back her, and the paddles slapped the water furiously for a +time, but without producing any effect. The steamer had taken the +ground harder than I supposed. She had run her bow upon the gradual +slope of the bottom till the wheels were powerless to move her. + +The boys looked at one another in blank dismay, and seemed to feel +just as though the enemy were to "bag" them, as a sportsman does the +game he has brought down. I did not despair yet. From the wheel-house +I had surveyed the surroundings, and a plan had occurred to me by +which I hoped to work the Adieno out of her uncomfortable position. + +"No go," said Vallington, as we met together on the main deck. + +"Not yet; but we won't give it up. The bow had dug into the bottom +more than I supposed. We must carry a line ashore, and make fast to +one of those trees; then I think we can pull her off." + +Bob Hale, with two others, was sent ashore on the North Sister in the +Splash, carrying the end of a long rope. When he had secured it to a +large tree on the shore, I took the other end, the line passing +through a round hawse-hole forward, and conveyed it aft to the shaft. +After winding it four or five times round the shaft, I told the boys +to haul it taut; and about twenty of them laid hold of the rope to +"take in the slack," if we were fortunate enough to obtain any. + +"Bully for you," said Vallington, as he comprehended my arrangement. + +"If the rope don't break, something will come," I replied. + +I had been obliged to join several ropes, in order to form one long +enough; but having carefully avoided "granny knots," I hoped it would +hold. The bearing of the line was at the hawse-hole, near the bow of +the boat; and as the power was applied to the rope by turning the +wheel and shaft, the tendency was to haul the forward end of the boat +off the ground into the deeper water. + +"All ready now, Vallington," I continued, when the preparations were +completed. "Back her slowly." + +He started the engine, as I directed. + +"Haul taut on that rope!" I shouted to the boys at the line. + +The wheels turned, and the shaft revolved. The rope groaned and +strained. + +"Stop her!" I added to the engineer, afraid to risk the strain. "Run +aft the chain-box." + +My orders were obeyed; and as the boat floated at her stern, the +weight of the chain-box was sensibly felt. + +"Back her slowly again," I continued. + +Again the rope groaned and strained as though too much was expected of +it. + +"She starts!" cried the boys forward. "She is coming off!" + +I heard the keel scraping upon the bottom; and as the rope wound up, +the Adieno slid off into the deep water. + +"Hurrah!" shouted the boys. + +"Let go the rope!" I called to the boys aft. "Stop her, Vallington." + +I hastened up to the wheel-house, the better to work her. I found she +lay in good position to go ahead, and I shouted to Bob Hale to cast +off the rope from the tree, directing the boys on the forward deck to +haul it on board. I rang one bell, and the boat moved ahead slowly +towards the wood pier. The boys cheered lustily, and were overjoyed at +our good fortune in getting out of the scrape. In a few moments I ran +the bow of the steamer up to the pier, and she was made fast to the +ring. + +"Now we are all hunky-dory," said Tom Rush, who was rather given to +"expressions," and who was overjoyed to find there was still a chance +for an excitement. + +"Not quite," I added. + +"What's the matter now?" + +"We want some dinner." + +"You shall have it in half an hour." + +And while Tom was superintending the cooking, Vallington, Bob Hale, +and myself had a consultation in the wheel-house. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV. + +IN WHICH ERNEST ENGAGES IN AN EXCITING STEAMBOAT RACE. + + +"If you ask for my opinion," said Bob Hale, "I say we had better +return to Parkville at once, and not wait to be driven back." + +"It is easy enough for you to say that," replied Tom Rush, who had +joined us. "You live there, and all you have to do is to go home; but +what are the fellows who reside a hundred miles from there to do?" + +"They will not be any worse off there than they will be here. The +question is only between going back and being driven back," added Bob. + +"I suppose that we are to acknowledge that breaking away has been a +failure," said Vallington. + +"Not at all; I, for one, won't have any more to do with Mr. Parasyte," +answered Bob. "What do you say, Ernest?" + +"I probably shall not go back to the Institute, whatever happens," I +replied. "My breaking away is not from school only, but from all the +home I ever knew. I have been thrown out upon the world, to take care +of myself." + +For a moment my friends seemed to forget that we were in council to +determine what should be done for the rebels in their sympathy for me; +but I assured them I was not at all concerned about myself, and felt +abundantly able to make my way without any help. + +"But what an old humbug your uncle is!" said Tom. + +"He is a strange man. He seemed to have turned me out because I +displeased him in resisting Mr. Parasyte's injustice. He is afraid my +conduct will lessen the value of his mortgage on the Parkville Liberal +Institute." + +"I think Mr. Parasyte's conduct has lessened it," said Vallington. +"But all this is neither here nor there. What shall we do with this +steamer?" + +"Take her back to Parkville, and leave her there," answered Bob. + +"What are the fellows to do?" asked Tom. + +"Let them go back to the Institute, and lie back till something +happens." + +"I don't believe anything will happen this year," laughed Tom, who was +always light-hearted in any emergency. + +"Now, I think something will happen within a few days. I know that +certain persons in Parkville, who have long been dissatisfied with Mr. +Parasyte, intended to have a change months ago; and if I mistake not, +this affair of ours will bring matters to a head," said Bob. + +"What can they do? Mr. Parasyte is as obstinate as a mule, and owns +the Institute himself," added Vallington. + +"Not quite; my uncle will own the most of it if his note isn't paid," +I interposed. + +"I am not at liberty to tell even what I know, which is not much; but +I believe something will turn up which will put things right at the +Institute. All we have to do is to go back to Parkville and make our +peace with the steamboat folks the best way we can," continued Bob. + +We all agreed that the steamboat enterprise was a bad affair for us; +but we were just as unanimous in the opinion that we could not have +done otherwise than take her as we did. It was mean of her captain to +lend himself and his boat to such a man as Mr. Parasyte. We could not +stay on Pine Island without food and without shelter. But we hoped to +return the Adieno uninjured, and, through the powerful influence of +Bob Hale's father, who was the wealthiest man in the county, to escape +without any serious consequences. It was decided, therefore, to return +to Parkville just as soon as we had eaten our dinner. + +Tom Rush's cooks were either very dilatory, or they had not got the +hang of the steamer's kitchen, for we had to wait an hour for the +meal. We dined in the cabin, where we found everything we needed to +set the table; and in spite of the desperate condition of our affairs, +we enjoyed ourselves very much. Some one ventured to inquire if we +could not charter the Adieno for a week, and finish our breaking away +in her, it would be so pleasant to live on board, and cruise up and +down the beautiful lake. But it was satisfactorily shown that our +finances, however they might be improved by letters from home, would +not warrant such a piece of extravagance. + +This was the last day of the breaking away, at least on the lake and +in camp, and we were disposed to make the most of it. As soon as it +was announced that we were to return to Parkville, though some of the +students murmured, and wished to make a trip down the lake before we +went back, the plan was accepted, and the boys were disposed to +improve the remainder of the cruise. They persisted in enjoying it; +and before the boat left the wood pier, they were skylarking and +training as though the future would require no account to be rendered +of their past conduct. + +Vallington went to the engine-room, and directed the boys below to +start up the fires. With Bob Hale I went to the wheel-house; while Tom +Rush, as he had been directed by our chief, had all the dishes washed, +and everything put in order in the cabin and kitchen, for we wished to +leave the boat in as good condition in every respect as we found her. + +"Cast off the fasts!" I called to the boys on the forward deck, when +Vallington informed me that he had steam enough. + +"All clear!" replied those who were doing duty as deck hands. + +I rang to back her; and when the bow of the Adieno was clear of the +wharf, I started her forward slowly; and keeping her in the middle of +the channel, she passed in safety out into the broad lake. + +"We are too late; we ought to have gone before," said Bob, +impatiently. "There comes the Champion. I was certain she would be +after us--as certain as you were. What shall we do?" + +I headed the Adieno down the lake when I saw the Champion--that is, +away from Parkville. + +"We must take our chances; we can't do anything else," I replied to +Bob, as I threw the wheel over. + +"But you are not headed for Parkville." + +"Not yet; for I don't mean to be captured." + +"How can you help it?" + +"Perhaps I can't help it; but I can try." + +I notified Vallington through the speaking-tube that the Champion was +in sight, and headed towards us. + +"We mustn't let her overtake us, if we can help it. I will put on the +steam," he replied. + +"All right; I can keep out of her way," I answered. + +"Why not surrender?" said Bob, who stood at my side watching the +Champion. + +"Surrender!" I exclaimed. + +"Why not? What harm will it do?" + +"I have no idea of throwing myself into the hands of those steamboat +men. Don't you see the Champion is full of men?" + +"Do you suppose they would harm us?" + +"I do. No doubt Mr. Parasyte is on board, and he will give them +liberty to maul us as much as they please." + +"Perhaps you are right; I didn't think of Mr. Parasyte's being with +them." + +"Of course he is; and I think we can make better terms by fighting it +out. For my own part, I would run the steamer ashore and take to the +woods, rather than give myself up to Mr. Parasyte and such a gang as +he has now." + +Bob did not fully agree with me, though he thought we had better get +back to Parkville, if we could. This was not an easy matter, for the +Champion lay between us and our destination, and could cut us off if +we attempted to pass her. She could run up alongside of the Adieno, if +we attempted to dodge her, and throw her men on our decks. + +The Sisters lay near the middle of the lake, and the Champion must go +to the north or to the south of them. I made a blunder; I ought to +have waited at the end of the channel until our pursuer had reached +his most southern or most northern point in coming round the shoal, +and then gone off in the opposite direction; but even then he might +have put about, and headed us off. It was hard to decide what to do, +and I continued to go to the westward until the Champion, which had +chosen the southern passage, was due south of The Sisters, when I +stood away to the northward. + +But the pursuer "had me;" and finding it was useless to attempt to get +by her, I headed the boat down the lake again. The Champion then +crowded on all steam and chased us. This was exactly what I wished her +to do, and I led her five miles down the lake. + +"I don't know about it, Ernest," said Bob, shaking his head. "I think +she will catch us. This boat is the fastest, but we don't understand +her well enough to make her do her best." + +"I am afraid of that; but don't talk to me, if you please, now," I +replied. + +I led the Champion to the northward of an island at this point; and +here her captain made a blunder, which restored to me the advantage I +had lost before. When the Champion was well by the island, I turned +the Adieno to the southward, and went round the island, which +prevented our pursuer from cutting us off, and saving any of the +distance, as he might have done, in the open lake. + +"There, Bob, I have done it now, and I am satisfied," I said. "She +can't cut us off, and it will be a square race up the lake." + +"The Champion is gaining on us every moment," replied Bob. + +[Illustration: THE RACE BETWEEN THE ADIENO AND THE CHAMPION.--Page +275.] + +The other steamer was certainly overhauling us. The superior skill of +the men in charge of her gave them the advantage. I told Vallington of +the fact, and soon the roaring of the furnaces and the creaking of +the boat assured me he was in earnest. But in spite of his renewed +exertions, the Champion was gaining a little, and I was sure that she +would overtake us long before we could reach Parkville. I headed her +for The Sisters, therefore, determined to put in force the plan I had +devised before dinner. I ran directly for the channel, and the +Champion followed. + +The pursuer was almost upon us when we came within a quarter of a mile +of the end of the channel. Both boats were shaking and trembling under +the high pressure of steam, and every fellow on board the Adieno was +in a fever of excitement. + +"Crowd her, Vallington!" I shouted through the tube. + +"The Champion's bow is within ten feet of us!" exclaimed Bob. + +"Stop her, you villains!" cried the captain of the boat from the bow +of the Champion. + +"Give it to her, Vallington! In two minutes more we are safe!" I +yelled through the tube. + +"She is almost upon us!" said Bob, tremulously. + +At that moment we heard the engine bell of the Champion ring, as the +Adieno approached the narrow channel. Her wheels stopped, and she +began to back vigorously. + +"Give them three cheers!" I called to the students, as the pursuer +backed out; and they were given with a will. + + + + +CHAPTER XXV. + +IN WHICH ERNEST PILOTS THE ADIENO TO PARKVILLE. + + +The Champion could not pass through the narrow and shoal channel +between The Sisters, and my calculation had been correct. I was so +elated at the victory that I could not refrain from calling for the +cheers, though it was bad policy for us to crow over such rivals. A +moment before, the nerves of all on board of the Adieno had been +strained to their utmost tension by the exciting peril of the moment. +The bow of our pursuer had actually lapped over the stern of our +steamer, and we expected the captain of the Adieno, who stood on the +rail, holding on to an awning stanchion, would leap on board of us, +after he had bawled himself hoarse in ordering us to stop. + +The pilot of the Champion was evidently the coolest man in the +steamer, and he had run her to the very mouth of The Sisters +Channel; but he knew that she could not go through, and at the last +practicable instant, he had "stopped" and "backed," leaving the +victory with us. It was a tremendous relief when the pressure was +removed from our overstrained nerves; and never were cheers given +more enthusiastically, even madly, than those which saluted the +people of the Champion at the dawn of our triumph. + +The Adieno had entered the narrow channel, and I doubt not her +appalled captain on the deck of the other boat expected to see her +"take the ground" and be smashed to pieces. The moment I saw the +pursuer was backing out, I rang to stop her, and then to go ahead +slowly; for I had no more idea of smashing her than I had of smashing +my own head. + +"Silence, now!" I shouted to the boys on deck, who were still yelling +to the utmost capacity of their lungs; for I was afraid the noise +might drown the sound of the bell in the engine-room, in case I had +occasion to ring it. + +The students hushed up instantly. They had climbed upon the rails, +and secured other positions where they could obtain a view of our +discomfited pursuer; and a more excited and delighted set of fellows +never gathered on the deck of a steamer. + +"Have your eye on the Champion, Bob, and tell me what she does," said +I to my companion in the wheel-house; for I needed both of my own eyes +to keep the Adieno in the channel, where a slight mistake on my part +would have ruined all my plans, and perhaps the steamer in which we +sailed. + +"I will," replied he. + +"What is she doing?" + +"Nothing." + +"Don't she move?" + +"No--she hasn't started yet. They probably expect us to go ashore +before we get through the channel." + +"Well, the longer she waits there, the better for us, for she can't +come through," I added. + +The Adieno passed safely through the channel, and came out into the +broad lake beyond The Sisters. I rang to go ahead at full speed again, +for we had now a clear run to Parkville before us. + +"The Champion has started her wheels again, Ernest," said Bob Hale, +as I rang the bell; "she is backing out of the inlet into the open +lake." + +"All right--let her back. We have a good three miles the start of her, +and she can't catch us before we get to Parkville," I replied. + +I informed Vallington through the speaking tube in regard to the +situation, with which he was entirely satisfied. I asked him to keep +the boat moving at her best pace, assuring him, if he did so, that we +were perfectly safe from capture. In half an hour we passed Pine +Island, with the Champion, which did not appear to be straining +herself, fully three miles astern. I was afterwards told that the +captain of the Adieno held her back, fearing that if she crowded us +again, we should run ashore, burst the boiler, or otherwise damage his +steamer. + +In an hour and a half after the passage of The Sisters Channel, we +were off the bluff, within half a mile of the steamboat pier, which we +saw crowded with people. It was plain that we had succeeded in +creating an excitement, and not a few of us had some _delicacy_ about +landing in the presence of the multitude. The Champion still kept her +relative distance from us, and was now more than a mile beyond Cleaver +Island. + +"Where shall we land?" I asked of Vallington through the tube, after +Bob and I had considered the matter a little. + +"Wherever you please, commodore," replied our chief. + +"What do you say, Bob?" I added, turning to my companion. + +"Can't we land at the boat pier, in front of the Institute?" + +"No; there isn't water enough to float the Adieno. In fact the only +safe place is the regular steamboat pier." + +"I suppose my father is there, and I don't like to meet him just yet," +replied Bob, earnestly. + +"We can anchor within a few rods of the Institute pier, and land in +the Splash," I suggested. + +"I like that better." + +"But the Splash would have to go three or four times to land the +fellows, and the Champion would be upon us before we could all get +ashore," I added. + +I stated the plan and the objections to Vallington. + +"Let us face the music like men," said he, decidedly. + +"I think that is the better way," I continued to Bob. "So far as we +have done wrong, let us acknowledge the corn, and take the +consequences." + +Bob Hale assented, overcoming his modesty with an effort, and I headed +the Adieno for the steamboat pier. I think we all felt a little +bashful about landing in the presence of so many people. The students +were directed to make no noisy demonstrations of any kind, and to +repair directly to the school-room of the Institute, where Mr. +Parasyte would soon find us, and where we hoped to make a final +adjustment of all the difficulties. + +As we approached the pier, the boat was "slowed down," and the fasts +got ready for landing; and other work was done as regularly and +properly as though we were all old steamboat men. At the regular time, +I stopped her wheels, and she ran her bow up gently to the wharf, and +the line was thrown ashore. A couple of turns of the wheels backward +brought the Adieno to a stand-still, and our cruise was ended. +Vallington let off steam, and we formed in a body, intending to march +ashore as compactly as possible, in order to feel the full force of +the bond of association. + +With Vallington at the head of the procession, we landed. Some of the +crowd hooted at us, others laughed, and a few steamboat owners berated +us roundly. We heeded none of them, but made our way through the mob, +up the pier. Before we reached the street, it suddenly occurred to me +that I had left the Splash made fast to the stern of the steamer. I +had forgotten her in the exciting whirl of events. When I told Bob +Hale and Tom Rush that I must return for my boat, they volunteered to +accompany me. + +"Robert," said a stern voice, as we moved down the wharf. + +We halted, and Bob's father confronted him. + +"What does all this mean?" demanded Mr. Hale. "Are you one of those +who ran away with the steamer?" + +"I am, sir," replied Bob, squarely, but with due humility. + +Mr. Hale bit his lips with chagrin. Probably he had hoped that his son +was not one of the reckless fellows who had taken possession of the +Adieno. But Bob was a noble fellow, and seldom gave his father any +cause to complain of his conduct,--so seldom that he appeared to be +appalled at the magnitude of the present offence. + +"Robert was opposed to taking the steamer from the first," I +interposed, hoping to save him from some portion of his father's +displeasure. + +"I went with the rest of the fellows, and I am willing to bear my +share of the blame." + +"What does all this mean? What possessed you to do such a thing?" +asked Mr. Hale. + +"We could not endure the injustice of Mr. Parasyte any longer; that +was the beginning of it. And when he came in the steamer to Pine +Island, and took away our provisions, we ran off with the steamer +rather than be starved out," answered Bob. + +"What business had you on Pine Island?" + +"We have been breaking away." + +"Breaking away! I should think you had! Were you concerned in these +disgraceful proceedings, Robert?" + +"I was, sir. I am willing to own that I have done wrong." + +Mr. Hale's stern look softened down, and I ventured to ask him to take +a seat in my boat, and go over to the Institute, where he would have +an opportunity to hear the whole story of the "breaking away," and +judge for himself. During this conversation, a crowd had gathered +around us, curious to know what had happened; and the charge we made +against Mr. Parasyte was publicly proclaimed. Mr. Hale accepted my +invitation, and we shoved off from the Adieno just as the Champion +came up to the pier. + +"Stop them! Stop them!" shouted the captain of the Adieno, as I was +hoisting the jib. + +No one ventured to stop a boat in which Mr. Hale, the most important +person in the county, was seated. + +"We want those boys!" called the angry captain again. "They are the +ones who ran off with the boat." + +"Captain Woelkers," said Mr. Hale, mildly. + +"Ah, Mr. Hale!" exclaimed the captain, as he recognized the principal +owner of the steamer he commanded. + +"By whose authority did you take the Adieno to Pine Island to-day?" + +"Mr. Parasyte wanted her, and I let him have her," stammered the +captain. + +"Did you consult the agent?" + +"No, sir; he was not at home." + +"Do you generally leave your boat with steam up without an engineer?" + +"I never did before, but we needed every man to bring off the things +on the island," replied Captain Woelkers, his confusion crimsoning his +face. + +"It appears that you have used the boat without authority, and +permitted her to be taken from you by a parcel of boys. I will see you +at my house this evening. You may fill away, Ernest, if you are +ready." + +Mr. Hale did not say another word, and I ran the Splash over to the +Institute pier. I landed my passengers, and we all walked up to the +school-room, where the rebels had by this time assembled. + +"Henry Vallington, I am sorry to see you engaged in such a disgraceful +affair as this," said Mr. Hale, when he met our leader. + +"I am very glad you have come, sir, for I feel that we need counsel," +replied Vallington. "Perhaps you will not consider the affair so +disgraceful, after you have heard the whole truth." + +"Nothing can justify your conduct in running away with the steamer. It +is a miracle that you were not blown up, or sunk in the lake." + +Vallington handed our distinguished guest one of the circulars he had +procured at the printer's on his way up to the Institute, the "copy" +of which had been given out before the "breaking away." + + + + +CHAPTER XXVI. + +IN WHICH ERNEST FINDS A CHANGE IN THE MANAGEMENT OF THE INSTITUTE. + + +Mr. Hale put on his spectacles and read the circular, which had been +carefully prepared by several of the best scholars in the school; but +he was already familiar with the facts it contained. He knew that Mr. +Parasyte was a tyrant, and that he was very unpopular with the boys. +It was a fact that only a few of the students remained at the +Institute for any considerable length of time, and that its numbers +had never equalled its capacity. + +He had hardly finished reading the circular before Mr. Parasyte, +followed by Poodles, Pearl, and the rest of the deserters, entered the +hall. All of them had been passengers on the Champion, and of course +they didn't feel very good after being beaten by the Adieno. Mr. Hale +was evidently glad to see the principal of the academy, for he did +not seem to know what to do after he had finished the circular. + +"I am glad you have come, Mr. Parasyte," said he; "it seems these boys +have been running away with one of our steamers." + +"They have; and I hope you will punish the ringleaders as they +deserve," replied Mr. Parasyte, wiping his brow, as he was wont to do +when excited. + +"My son is one of them," added Mr. Hale, with a smile. + +"Not one of the ringleaders, sir--by no means. Thornton, Rush, and +Vallington are the leaders in this enterprise." + +"No more than myself, father. I have done as much as they have, and I +am willing to bear my share of the blame," said Bob. + +The boys clapped their hands at this interposition. Bob was not a +fellow to shirk when the time of settlement came. + +"My boy behaves like a man, and I honor him for that," replied Mr. +Hale, proudly; "but he shall be punished if the others are. Mr. +Parasyte, things seem to be at rather loose ends in the Institute just +now." + +"Yes, sir; I am sorry to say they are. One bad boy can stir up a +whirlwind of mischief," answered Mr. Parasyte, looking at me. + +"These boys seem to be pretty well agreed in this matter." + +"But this trouble has all been made by one boy--and that one is Ernest +Thornton. I expelled him once; but out of regard for his uncle, to +whom I am under great obligations, I reversed my sentence, and +endeavored to reduce him to proper subjection." + +"Have you seen this paper, Mr. Parasyte?" continued the visitor, +handing him the circular. "It seems to be signed by nearly all the +students in the Institute." + +Mr. Parasyte took the printed document, and proceeded to read it. When +he had gone far enough to comprehend the nature of the paper, he +turned red; and when he came to the long array of signatures, he +became very pale. + +"May I inquire the object of this paper?" demanded the principal, with +quivering lips. + +"I'm sure I don't know. I never saw or heard of it till I entered +this room," replied Mr. Hale "I see that it is addressed to the +parents of the students." + +"I need not say that the statements contained in this circular are, +without a single exception, infamous falsehoods and slanders. I think +you know me well enough, Mr. Hale, to understand that justice and +fairness have always characterized my dealings with my pupils." + +Mr. Hale did not so understand it. He knew that the reverse of this +statement was the truth. Mr. Parasyte then insisted on relating the +facts connected with the "breaking away." He told the story of my +misconduct, as he termed it, and embellished it with sundry flourishes +about his own impartiality and magnanimity. He said that after it had +been fairly proved that I had assaulted my schoolmate, in +consideration of my previous good conduct, he had only required that I +should apologize in private to the one I had injured. Forbearance +could extend no farther than this; but I had even refused to make this +slight reparation for the offence I had committed. Then I had openly +disobeyed and insulted him in the presence of the whole school. + +"Of course, after this," continued Mr. Parasyte, "I could do nothing +more for him. My gentleness was not appreciated; my leniency was +despised. My mistake was in treating him too kindly--in not resorting +to the strong arm in the beginning. Then, as I might have expected of +such an obdurate boy, I was subjected to a personal assault." + +"But all the boys seemed to be on his side," said the matter-of-fact +Mr. Hale. + +"Very true. Thornton keeps a boat, and almost any boy may be bought or +sold with a boat. He has sailed them on the lake, and won them by his +arts." + +"Isn't it possible that there was some mistake in the matter of the +quarrel between Thornton and Poodles?" + +"It is quite impossible that there should have been any mistake," +replied Mr. Parasyte, with a look of injured innocence. "I +investigated the matter very carefully and impartially." + +"I should really like to hear what the boys have to say about it," +added Mr. Hale. + +"It would be useless for you to talk with them, and it would be an +insult to me for you to do so. Do you doubt my word, Mr. Hale? Do you +think I have not told you the truth?" said the principal, rather +warmly. + +"But there may be some mistake." + +"I have said that it was quite impossible there should be any +mistake." + +"Have you any objections to my asking the boys a few questions, Mr. +Parasyte?" + +"Certainly I have. I am not willing to be arraigned and tried before +my own school." + +"O, very well!" exclaimed Mr. Hale, nodding his head significantly; +and without saying anything more, he left the school-room. + +The students felt that they had a friend in Mr. Hale, and even did not +fear a prosecution for running away with the steamer. We judged that +the captain of the Adieno would have to bear all the blame of that +occurrence. + +"What are these circulars for?" demanded Mr. Parasyte, when the +visitor had departed. "Vallington, as the ringleader in this +conspiracy, I call upon you for an answer." + +"Those whose names are signed to the paper intend to send them to +their parents." + +"They do--do they?" exclaimed the principal, with compressed lips. +"Are you aware that published slanders of this kind subject those who +utter them to a severe penalty?" + +"We can prove all we assert, and should be glad of an opportunity to +do so," replied Vallington, firmly. + +"There is not a word of truth in the paper," added Mr. Parasyte, +wiping his brow. + +He walked up and down the platform two or three times in silence. With +him the case was desperate. He knew not what to do. He had learned +that the students would not be browbeaten or bullied. + +"Scholars," said he, at last, "I think we are all too much fatigued +and excited to consider this difficult problem this afternoon. In +spite of the ill treatment I have received at your hands, I am still +your friend, as I have always been. By and by you will see that you +have done wrong. To-morrow morning, if you will meet at the usual +hour in the school-room, I shall have a proposition to make, which I +am confident will restore peace to the Parkville Liberal Institute. +You are dismissed now, for the day." + +Mr. Parasyte left the hall, and we held a meeting there on our own +account. If the principal did not know what to do, we were no better +off, and we finally separated without any fixed plans. We agreed to +meet in the school-room in the morning, though we all doubted whether +Mr. Parasyte would have any proposition to submit. The students +decided not to send the circulars to their parents until the next day. + +We wanted advice, and our hope was with Mr. Hale. At Vallington's +suggestion, half a dozen of us were appointed a committee to wait upon +him. He had expressed a desire to hear "the other side" of the case. +We went to Mr. Hale's house, and found there Mr. Hardy, the assistant +teacher, who had been discharged. We told our story, and related the +facts as they occurred. Mr. Hardy said nothing in our presence, and we +left him with Mr. Hale, who, we afterwards learned, had sent for him. + +Bob invited me to spend the night with him, and having no home now, I +was glad to accept. After supper, I was called into the library, and +questioned at great length by Mr. Hale and Mr. Hardy in regard to the +affairs of the Institute. While we were thus engaged, Bob was sent to +deliver several notes to prominent and wealthy men in the place. At +seven o'clock there were not less than half a dozen of the "heavy men" +of Parkville in the library. + +Of course Bob and I did not know what was going on, but we were +confident that the affairs of the Institute were under discussion. At +a later hour, Mr. Hale and another gentleman drove off, in a buggy, +towards the cottage of my uncle, where I heard one of them say they +were going. Bob and I went to bed, tired out, and did not ascertain +what had been done by the gentlemen who assembled that evening. + +At nine o'clock in the forenoon of the next day, the students were all +in their seats, in the school-room; but Mr. Parasyte did not appear. +It was reported that there were half a dozen gentlemen with him in his +office, and that my uncle Amos was one of them. I was astonished at +this intelligence. I subsequently heard that he was there on business, +and hardly spoke a word during a long and stormy interview between Mr. +Parasyte and his visitors. + +The clock on the school-house struck ten, and still Mr. Parasyte did +not come. It was deeply impressed upon our minds that something was +about to happen, and we waited with intense anxiety for the event. At +half past eleven o'clock, Mr. Parasyte entered the school-room. He +looked sad and subdued, and his coming was the signal for a breathless +silence among the boys. It was evident that he had a proposition to +make. + +"Young gentlemen, I appear before you now for the last time," said he. + +He paused, and his words made a tremendous sensation, though, I am +happy to say, there was no demonstration of any kind. We looked upon +him as a fallen man. + +"I have sold the Parkville Liberal Institute to a company composed of +the citizens of this town, who have made me an offer for the property, +so liberal that I could not afford to refuse it. Until about a week +ago, my relations with the students have been exceedingly pleasant. I +shall not allude to recent events. I take my leave with many regrets, +and I sincerely desire that prosperity and happiness may attend you in +the future. Good by." + +"Good by," replied a large number of the boys, and Mr. Parasyte bowed +and left the room. + +As he went out at one door, the "company" entered at another. Mr. Hale +went upon the platform, and repeated what Mr. Parasyte had told us, +that the Institute had been purchased by a number of the citizens of +Parkville, and in future its affairs would be managed by a board of +trustees, of which he had the honor to be chairman. The trustees had +just appointed Mr. Hardy as principal,--here he was interrupted by a +spontaneous burst of cheers,--and the school would be reorganized by +him in the afternoon. The "boarders" were requested to write to their +parents and guardians, informing them of the change. + +Mr. Hale dismissed the students, after he had assured them that the +domestic part of the establishment would remain as before. The boys +went out upon the play ground, and gave three rousing cheers for the +new company, trustees, and principal. I went home to dinner with Bob, +and learned that the purchase of the Institute had been contemplated +for some months, by prominent citizens, who were aware that the school +was badly managed. They acted, many of them, simply as business men, +for the interests of the town. The Institute was "running down," and +they had taken this step to build it up. They knew that Mr. Hardy was +a true man and a good teacher, and as he was popular among the boys, +he was promptly elected principal. + +Mr. Hale told Bob and me that the conduct of the students in "breaking +away" was strongly condemned by the gentlemen who had discussed the +affair, and he by no means approved of it himself; but the injustice +of Mr. Parasyte had provoked them to such a degree that the +misdemeanor was palliated, if not excused, and it was deemed best to +say nothing about it. The mortgage which my uncle held was paid, and +he had fled the instant the business was finished. + +Mr. Parasyte had long and obstinately refused to sell the property, +even for a third more than its actual value; but finally, convinced +that the Institute would not succeed under his administration, he had +yielded the point. The next day he left Parkville, with his family, +"bag and baggage;" and so disagreeable was he to me, that I hoped I +never should see his face again. + +In the afternoon we went to school, and Mr. Hardy appeared upon the +platform. We attempted to cheer him, but he silenced us. He made quite +a speech, in which, however, he did not allude to recent events, and +in half an hour the students were all at work on the old track. While +I was in school that afternoon for the last time, as I believed, I +received a note from my uncle. It was as brief as his speech. "If you +wish to return to your home, you may." This, with the signature, was +all it contained. I went home that night, but my uncle did not see +me--would not see me. + +I went to school as usual for several months, until the following +spring, when an event occurred which made me a wanderer on the earth; +which sent me to "SEEK AND FIND" the mother, for whom I longed and +prayed in my loneliness, and which shall be related in another story. + +Our rebellion at the Institute had been successful. We had driven the +tyrant from his throne, and seated another person in his place, who +was fit to teach and to rule. Mr. Hardy was, perhaps, more severe than +his predecessor, but he was just and fair. He had no favorites--at +least none who did not win their high place in his esteem by being +faithful and earnest in all things. Certainly he never gave the +students occasion even to think of such a doubtful expedient as +"BREAKING AWAY." + + + + +OLIVER OPTIC'S BOOKS + + +=The Blue and the Gray--Afloat.= By OLIVER OPTIC. Six volumes. +Illustrated. Beautiful binding in blue and gray, with emblematic dies. +Cloth. Any volume sold separately. Price per volume, $1.50. + + 1. Taken by the Enemy. + 2. Within the Enemy's Lines. + 3. On the Blockade. + 4. Stand by the Union + 5. Fighting for the Right. + 6. A Victorious Union. + + +=The Blue and the Gray--on Land.= + + 1. Brother against Brother. + 2. In the Saddle. + 3. A Lieutenant at Eighteen. + 4. On the Staff. + 5. At the Front. + 6. An Undivided Union. + + "There never has been a more interesting writer in the + field of juvenile literature than Mr. W. T. ADAMS, + who, under his well-known pseudonym, is known and + admired by every boy and girl in the country, and by + thousands who have long since passed the boundaries of + youth, yet who remember with pleasure the genial, + interesting pen that did so much to interest, + instruct, and entertain their younger years. 'The Blue + and the Gray' is a title that is sufficiently + indicative of the nature and spirit of the latest + series, while the name of OLIVER OPTIC is sufficient + warrant of the absorbing style of narrative. This + series is as bright and entertaining as any work that + Mr. ADAMS has yet put forth, and will be as eagerly + perused as any that has borne his name. It would not + be fair to the prospective reader to deprive him of + the zest which comes from the unexpected by entering + into a synopsis of the story. A word, however, should + be said in regard to the beauty and appropriateness of + the binding, which makes it a most attractive + volume."--_Boston Budget._ + + +=Woodville Stories.= By OLIVER OPTIC. Six volumes. Illustrated. Any +volume sold separately. Price per volume, $1.25. + + 1. =Rich and Humble=; OR, THE MISSION OF BERTHA GRANT. + 2. =In School and Out=; OR, THE CONQUEST OF RICHARD GRANT. + 3. =Watch and Wait=; OR, THE YOUNG FUGITIVES. + 4. =Work and Win=; OR, NODDY NEWMAN ON A CRUISE. + 5. =Hope and Have=; OR, FANNY GRANT AMONG THE INDIANS. + 6. =Haste and Waste=; OR, THE YOUNG PILOT OF LAKE CHAMPLAIN. + + "Though we are not so young as we once were, we + relished these stories almost as much as the boys and + girls for whom they were written. They were really + refreshing, even to us. There is much in them which is + calculated to inspire a generous, healthy ambition, + and to make distasteful all reading tending to + stimulate base desires."--_Fitchburg Reveille._ + + +=The Starry Flag Series.= By OLIVER OPTIC. In six volumes. +Illustrated. Any volume sold separately. Price per volume, $1.25. + + 1. =The Starry Flag=; OR, THE YOUNG FISHERMAN OF CAPE ANN. + 2. =Breaking Away=; OR, THE FORTUNES OF A STUDENT. + 3. =Seek and Find=; OR, THE ADVENTURES OF A SMART BOY. + 4. =Freaks of Fortune=; OR, HALF ROUND THE WORLD. + 5. =Make or Break=; OR, THE RICH MAN'S DAUGHTER. + 6. =Down the River=; OR, BUCK BRADFORD AND THE TYRANTS. + + "Mr. ADAMS, the celebrated and popular writer, + familiarly known as OLIVER OPTIC, seems to have + inexhaustible funds for weaving together the virtues + of life; and, notwithstanding he has written scores of + books, the same freshness and novelty run through them + all. Some people think the sensational element + predominates. Perhaps it does. But a book for young + people needs this, and so long as good sentiments are + inculcated such books ought to be read." + + LOTHROP, LEE & SHEPARD CO., Boston + + + + +OLIVER OPTIC'S BOOKS + +=The Great Western Series.= By OLIVER OPTIC. In six volumes. +Illustrated. Any volume sold separately. Price per volume, $1.25. + +1. =Going West=; OR, THE PERILS OF A POOR BOY. 2. =Out West=; OR, +ROUGHING IT ON THE GREAT LAKES. 3. =Lake Breezes=; OR, THE CRUISE OF +THE SYLVANIA. 4. =Going South=; OR, YACHTING ON THE ATLANTIC COAST. 5. +=Down South=; OR, YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 6. =Up the River=; OR, +YACHTING ON THE MISSISSIPPI. + + "This is the latest series of books issued by this + popular writer, and deals with life on the Great + Lakes, for which a careful study was made by the + author in a summer tour of the immense water sources + of America. The story, which carries the same hero + through the six books of the series, is always + entertaining, novel scenes and varied incidents giving + a constantly changing yet always attractive aspect to + the narrative. OLIVER OPTIC has written nothing + better." + + +=The Yacht Club Series.= By OLIVER OPTIC. In six volumes. Illustrated. +Any volume sold separately. Price per volume, $1.25. + + 1. =Little Bobtail=; OR, THE WRECK OF THE PENOBSCOT. + 2. =The Yacht Club=; OR, THE YOUNG BOAT BUILDERS. + 3. =Money-Maker=; OR, THE VICTORY OF THE BASILISK. + 4. =The Coming Wave=; OR, THE TREASURE OF HIGH ROCK. + 5. =The Dorcas Club=; OR, OUR GIRLS AFLOAT. + 6. =Ocean Born=; OR, THE CRUISE OF THE CLUBS. + + "The series has this peculiarity, that all of its + constituent volumes are independent of one another, + and therefore each story is complete in itself. OLIVER + OPTIC is, perhaps, the favorite author of the boys and + girls of this country, and he seems destined to enjoy + an endless popularity. He deserves his success, for he + makes very interesting stories, and inculcates none + but the best sentiments, and the 'Yacht Club' is no + exception to this rule."--_New Haven Journal and + Courier._ + + +=Onward and Upward Series.= By OLIVER OPTIC. In six volumes. +Illustrated. Any volume sold separately. Price per volume, $1.25. + + 1. =Field and Forest=; OR, THE FORTUNES OF A FARMER. + 2. =Plane and Plank=; OR, THE MISHAPS OF A MECHANIC. + 3. =Desk and Debit=; OR, THE CATASTROPHES OF A CLERK. + 4. =Cringle and Crosstree=; OR, THE SEA SWASHES OF A SAILOR. + 5. =Bivouac and Battle=; OR, THE STRUGGLES OF A SOLDIER. + 6. =Sea and Shore=; OR, THE TRAMPS OF A TRAVELLER. + + "Paul Farringford, the hero of these tales, is, like + most of this author's heroes, a young man of high + spirit, and of high aims and correct principles, + appearing in the different volumes as a farmer, a + captain, a bookkeeper, a soldier, a sailor, and a + traveller. In all of them the hero meets with very + exciting adventures, told in the graphic style for + which the author is famous." + + +=The Lake Shore Series.= By OLIVER OPTIC. In six volumes. Illustrated. +Any volume sold separately. Price per volume, $1.25. + + 1. =Through by Daylight=; OR, THE YOUNG ENGINEER OF THE LAKE + SHORE RAILROAD. + 2. =Lightning Express=; OR, THE RIVAL ACADEMIES. + 3. =On Time=; OR, THE YOUNG CAPTAIN OF THE UCAYGA STEAMER. + 4. =Switch Off=; OR, THE WAR OF THE STUDENTS. + 5. =Brake Up=; OR, THE YOUNG PEACEMAKERS. + 6. =Bear and Forbear=; OR, THE YOUNG SKIPPER OF LAKE UCAYGA. + + "OLIVER OPTIC is one of the most fascinating writers + for youth, and within one of the best to be found in + this or any past age. Troops of young people hang over + his vivid pages; and not one of them ever learned to + be mean, ignoble, cowardly, selfish, or to yield to + any vice from anything they ever read from his + pen."--_Providence Press._ + + =LOTHROP, LEE & SHEPARD CO., Boston= + + + +OLIVER OPTIC'S BOOKS + + +=Army and Navy Stories.= By OLIVER OPTIC. Six volumes. Illustrated. +Any volume sold separately. Price per volume, $1.25. + + 1. =The Soldier Boy=; OR, TOM SOMERS IN THE ARMY. + 2. =The Sailor Boy=; OR, JACK SOMERS IN THE NAVY. + 3. =The Young Lieutenant=; OR, ADVENTURES OF AN ARMY OFFICER. + 4. =The Yankee Middy=; OR, ADVENTURES OF A NAVY OFFICER. + 5. =Fighting Joe=; OR, THE FORTUNES OF A STAFF OFFICER. + 6. =Brave Old Salt=; OR, LIFE ON THE QUARTER DECK. + + "This series of six volumes recounts the adventures of + two brothers, Tom and Jack Somers, one in the army, + the other in the navy, in the great Civil War. The + romantic narratives of the fortunes and exploits of + the brothers are thrilling in the extreme. Historical + accuracy in the recital of the great events of that + period is strictly followed, and the result is, not + only a library of entertaining volumes, but also the + best history of the Civil War for young people ever + written." + + +=Boat Builders Series.= By OLIVER OPTIC. In six volumes. Illustrated. +Any volume sold separately. Price per volume, $1.25. + + 1. =All Adrift=; OR, THE GOLDWING CLUB. + 2. =Snug Harbor=; OR, THE CHAMPLAIN MECHANICS. + 3. =Square and Compasses=; OR, BUILDING THE HOUSE. + 4. =Stem to Stern=; OR, BUILDING THE BOAT. + 5. =All Taut=; OR, RIGGING THE BOAT. + 6. =Ready About=; OR, SAILING THE BOAT. + + "The series includes in six successive volumes the + whole art of boat building, boat rigging, boat + managing, and practical hints to make the ownership of + a boat pay. A great deal of useful information is + given in this =Boat Builders Series=, and in each book + a very interesting story is interwoven with the + information. Every reader will be interested at once + in Dory, the hero of 'All Adrift,' and one of the + characters retained in the subsequent volumes of the + series. His friends will not want to lose sight of + him, and every boy who makes his acquaintance in 'All + Adrift' will become his friend." + + +=Riverdale Story Books.= By OLIVER OPTIC. Twelve volumes. Illustrated. +Illuminated covers. Price: cloth, per set, $3.60; per volume, 30 +cents. + + =1. Little Merchant.= + =2. Young Voyagers.= + =3. Christmas Gift.= + =4. Dolly and I.= + =5. Uncle Ben.= + =6. Birthday Party.= + =7. Proud and Lazy.= + =8. Careless Kate.= + =9. Robinson Crusoe, Jr.= + =10. The Picnic Party.= + =11. The Gold Thimble.= + =12. The Do-Somethings.= + + +=Riverdale Story Books.= By OLIVER OPTIC. Six volumes. Illustrated. +Fancy cloth and colors. Price per volume, 30 cents. + + =1. Little Merchant.= + =2. Proud and Lazy.= + =3. Young Voyagers.= + =4. Careless Kate.= + =5. Dolly and I.= + =6. Robinson Crusoe, Jr.= + + +=Laura Lee Library.= By OLIVER OPTIC. Six volumes. Illustrated. Fancy +cloth and colors. Price per volume, 30 cents. + + =1. The Picnic Party.= + =2. The Gold Thimble.= + =3. The Do-Somethings.= + =4. Christmas Gift.= + =5. Uncle Ben.= + =6. Birthday Party.= + + These are bright short stories for younger children + who are unable to comprehend the =Starry Flag Series= + or the =Army and Navy Series=. But they all display + the author's talent for pleasing and interesting the + little folks. They are all fresh and original, + preaching no sermons, but inculcating good lessons. + + =LOTHROP, LEE & SHEPARD CO., Boston= + + + +OLIVER OPTIC'S BOOKS + + +=The Famous Boat Club Series.= By OLIVER OPTIC. Six volumes. +Illustrated. Any volume sold separately. Price per volume $1.25. + + 1. =The Boat Club;= OR, THE BUNKERS OF RIPPLETON. + 2. =All Aboard;= OR, LIFE ON THE LAKE. + 3. =Now or Never;= OR, THE ADVENTURES OF ROBBY BRIGHT.. + 4. =Try Again;= OR, THE TRIALS AND TRIUMPHS OF HARRY WEST. + 5. =Poor and Proud;= OR, THE FORTUNES OF KATY REDBURN. + 6. =Little by Little;= OR, THE CRUISE OF THE FLYAWAY. + + "This is the first series of books written for the + young by OLIVER OPTIC. It laid the foundation for his + fame as the first of authors in which the young + delight, and gained for him the title of the Prince of + Story Tellers. The six books are varied in incident + and plot, but all are entertaining and original." + + +=Young America Abroad:= A LIBRARY OF TRAVEL AND ADVENTURE IN FOREIGN +LANDS. By OLIVER OPTIC. Illustrated by NAST and others. First Series. +Six volumes. Any volume sold separately. Price per volume, $1.25. + + 1. =Outward Bound;= OR, YOUNG AMERICA AFLOAT. + 2. =Shamrock and Thistle;= OR, YOUNG AMERICA IN IRELAND AND SCOTLAND. + 3. =Red Cross;= OR, YOUNG AMERICA IN ENGLAND AND WALES. + 4. =Dikes and Ditches;= OR, YOUNG AMERICA IN HOLLAND AND BELGIUM. + 5. =Palace and Cottage;= OR, YOUNG AMERICA IN FRANCE AND SWITZERLAND. + 6. =Down the Rhine;= OR, YOUNG AMERICA IN GERMANY. + + "The story from its inception, and through the twelve + volumes (see Second Series), is a bewitching one, + while the information imparted concerning the + countries of Europe and the isles of the sea is not + only correct in every particular, but is told in a + captivating style. OLIVER OPTIC will continue to be + the boys' friend, and his pleasant books will continue + to be read by thousands of American boys. What a fine + holiday present either or both series of 'Young + America Abroad' would be for a young friend! It would + make a little library highly prized by the recipient, + and would not be an expensive one."--_Providence + Press._ + + +=Young America Abroad.= By OLIVER OPTIC. Second Series. Six volumes. +Illustrated. Any volume sold separately. Price per volume, $1.25. + + 1. =Up the Baltic;= OR, YOUNG AMERICA IN NORWAY, SWEDEN, AND DENMARK. + 2. =Northern Lands;= OR, YOUNG AMERICA IN RUSSIA AND PRUSSIA. + 3. =Cross and Crescent;= OR, YOUNG AMERICA IN TURKEY AND GREECE. + 4. =Sunny Shores;= OR, YOUNG AMERICA IN ITALY AND AUSTRIA. + 5. =Vine and Olive;= OR, YOUNG AMERICA IN SPAIN AND PORTUGAL. + 6. =Isles of the Sea;= OR, YOUNG AMERICA HOMEWARD BOUND. + + "OLIVER OPTIC is a _nom de plume_ that is known and + loved by almost every boy of intelligence in the land. + We have seen a highly intellectual and world-weary + man, a cynic whose heart was somewhat embittered by + its large experience of human nature, take up one of + OLIVER OPTIC'S books, and read it at a sitting, + neglecting his work in yielding to the fascination of + the pages. When a mature and exceedingly well-informed + mind, long despoiled of all its freshness, can thus + find pleasure in a book for boys, no additional words + of recommendation are needed."--_Sunday Times._ + + LOTHROP, LEE & SHEPARD CO., Boston + + + + +THE START IN LIFE SERIES + +By J. T. TROWBRIDGE + +Cloth Illustrated Price per volume, =$1.00= + + * * * * * + +[Illustration: A START IN LIFE] + + +_A Start in Life_: A STORY OF THE GENESEE COUNTRY. + + In this story the author recounts the hardships of a + young lad in his first endeavor to start out for + himself. It is a tale that is full of enthusiasm and + budding hopes. + + +_Biding His Time._ + + "It is full of spirit and adventure, and presents a + plucky hero who was willing to 'bide his time,' no + matter how great the expectations that he indulged in + from his uncle's vast wealth, which he did not in the + least covet."--_Boston Home Journal._ + + +_The Kelp-Gatherers_: A STORY OF THE MAINE COAST. + + A bright and readable story, with all the hints of + character and the vicissitudes of human life, in + depicting which the author is an acknowledged master. + + +_The Scarlet Tanager_, AND OTHER BIPEDS. + + Every new story which Mr. Trowbridge begins is + followed through successive chapters by thousands who + have read and re-read many times his preceding tales. + One of his greatest charms is his absolute + truthfulness. He does not depict little saints, or + incorrigible rascals, but just _boys_. + +_The Lottery Ticket._ + + "This is one of the many popular stories written by + this well-known author, whose name on the title-page + of a book makes it a welcome arrival to most of the + young people who read. The moral is always good, the + influence in the right direction, and the characters + so portrayed that the right is always rewarded and the + wrong fails to prosper."--_Dubuque, Iowa, Herald._ + +_The Adventures of David Vane and David Crane._ + + A strong, homely, humorous story of the everyday life + of American country-bred boys, by one who is + acknowledged to be the best living storyteller in his + peculiar vein. + + * * * * * + + _For sale by all booksellers, or sent, postpaid, on receipt of + price, by_ + LOTHROP, LEE & SHEPARD CO. + BOSTON + + + +The Tide-Mill Stories + +By J. T. TROWBRIDGE + + * * * * * + +_Six Volumes. Cloth. Illustrated. Price per volume, $1.25_ + + * * * * * + +=Phil and His Friends.= + + The hero is the son of a man who from drink got into + debt, and, after having given a paper to a creditor + authorizing him to keep the son as a security for his + claim, ran away, leaving poor Phil a bond slave. The + story involves a great many unexpected incidents, some + of which are painful and some comic. Phil manfully + works for a year cancelling his father's debt, and + then escapes. The characters are strongly drawn, and + the story is absorbingly interesting. + + +=The Tinkham Brothers' Tide-Mill.= + + "'The Tinkham Brothers' were the devoted sons of an + invalid mother. The story tells how they purchased a + tide-mill, which afterwards, by the ill-will and + obstinacy of neighbors, became a source of much + trouble to them. It tells also how, by discretion and + the exercise of a peaceable spirit, they at last + overcame all difficulties."--_Christian Observer, + Louisville, Ky._ + + +=The Satin-wood Box.= + + "Mr. Trowbridge has always a purpose in his writings, + and this time he has undertaken to show how very near + an innocent boy can come to the guilty edge and yet be + able by fortunate circumstances to rid himself of all + suspicion of evil. There is something winsome about + the hero; but he has a singular way of falling into + bad luck, although the careful reader will never feel + the least disposed to doubt his honesty."--_Syracuse + Standard._ + + +=The Little Master.= + + This is the story of a schoolmaster, his trials, + disappointments, and final victory. It will recall to + many a man his experience in teaching pupils, and in + managing their opinionated and self-willed parents. + The story has the charm which is always found in Mr. + Trowbridge's works. + + "Many a teacher could profit by reading of this plucky + little schoolmaster."--_Journal of Education._ + + +=His One Fault.= + + "As for the hero of this story 'His One Fault' was + absent-mindedness. He forgot to lock his uncle's + stable door, and the horse was stolen. In seeking to + recover the stolen horse, he unintentionally stole + another. In trying to restore the wrong horse to his + rightful owner, he was himself arrested. After no end + of comic and dolorous adventures, he surmounted all + his misfortunes by downright pluck and genuine good + feeling. It is a noble contribution to juvenile + literature."--_Woman's Journal._ + + +=Peter Budstone.= + + "Mr. J. T. Trowbridge's 'Peter Budstone' is another of + those altogether good and wholesome books for boys of + which it is hardly possible to speak too highly. This + author shows us convincingly how juvenile reading may + be made vivacious and interesting, and yet teach sound + and clean lessons. 'Peter Budstone' shows forcibly the + folly and crime of 'hazing.' It is the story of a + noble young fellow whose reason is irreparably + overthrown by the savage treatment he received from + some of his associates at college. It is a powerful + little book, and we wish every schoolboy and college + youth could read it."--_Philadelphia American._ + + * * * * * + +_Illustrated Catalogue sent free on application._ + + * * * * * + + Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Co., Boston + + + + +The Silver Medal Stories + +By J. T. TROWBRIDGE + + * * * * * + +_Six Volumes. Cloth. Illustrated. Price per volume, $1.25_ + + * * * * * + +=The Silver Medal=, AND OTHER STORIES. + + There were some schoolboys who had turned + housebreakers, and among their plunder was a silver + medal that had been given to one John Harris by the + Humane Society for rescuing from drowning a certain + Benton Barry. Now Benton Barry was one of the wretched + housebreakers. This is the summary of the opening + chapter. The story is intensely interesting in its + serious as well as its humorous parts. + + +=His Own Master.= + + "This is a book after the typical boy's own heart. Its + hero is a plucky young fellow, who, seeing no chance + for himself at home, determines to make his own way in + the world.... He sets out accordingly, trudges to the + far West, and finds the road to fortune an + unpleasantly rough one."--_Philadelphia Inquirer._ + + +=Bound in Honor.= + + This story is of a lad, who, though not guilty of any + bad action, has been an eye-witness of the conduct of + his comrades, and felt "Bound in Honor" not to tell. + + "A capital book in all respects, overflowing with all + sorts of fun and adventure; just the sort of book, in + short, that the young folks will be anxious to read + and re-read with as much continuous interest as the + most favored of their storybooks."--_Philadelphia + Leader._ + + +=The Pocket Rifle.= + + "A boy's story which will be read with avidity, as it + ought to be, it is so brightly and frankly written, + and with such evident knowledge of the temperaments + and habits, the friendships and enmities of + schoolboys."--_New York Mail._ + + "This is a capital story for boys. It teaches honesty, + integrity, and friendship, and how best they can be + promoted. It shows the danger of hasty judgment and + circumstantial evidence; that right-doing pays, and + dishonesty never."--_Chicago Inter-Ocean._ + + +=The Jolly Rover.= + + "This book will help to neutralize the ill effects of + any poison which children may have swallowed in the + way of sham-adventurous stories and wildly fictitious + tales. 'The Jolly Rover' runs away from home, and + meets life as it is, till he is glad enough to seek + again his father's house. Mr. Trowbridge has the power + of making an instructive story absorbing in its + interest, and of covering a moral so that it is easy + to take."--_Christian Intelligencer._ + + +=Young Joe=, AND OTHER BOYS. + + "Young Joe," who lived at Bass Cove, where he shot + wild ducks, took some to town for sale, and attracted + the attention of a portly gentleman fond of shooting. + This gentleman went duck shooting with Joe, and their + adventures were more amusing to the boy than to the + amateur sportsman. + + There are thirteen other short stories in the book + which will be sure to please the young folks. + + * * * * * + + _Complete Illustrated Catalogue sent free on application._ + + * * * * * + + Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Co., Boston + + + + +_PHILLIPS EXETER SERIES_ + +By A. T. DUDLEY + + Cloth, 12mo Illustrated by Charles Copeland Price per volume, =$1.25= + + * * * * * + +=FOLLOWING THE BALL= + +Here is an up-to-date story presenting American boarding-school life +and modern athletics. Football is an important feature, but it is a +story of character formation in which athletics play an important +part. + + "Mingled with the story of football is another and + higher endeavor, giving the book the best of moral + tone."--_Chicago Record-Herald._ + + +=MAKING THE NINE= + +The life presented is that of a real school, interesting, diversified, +and full of striking incidents. The athletics are technically correct, +while the characters are true and consistent types of American boyhood +and youth. + + "The story is healthful, for, while it exalts + athletics, it does not overlook the fact that studious + habits and noble character are imperative needs for + those who would win success in life."--_Herald and + Presbyter, Cincinnati._ + + +=IN THE LINE= + +Tells how a stalwart young student won his position as guard, and made +equally marked progress in the formation of character. + + "The book gives boys an interesting story, much + football information, and many lessons in true + manliness."--_Watchman, Boston._ + + +=WITH MASK AND MITT= + +While appealing to the natural normal tastes of boys for fun and +interest in the baseball, the book, without preaching, lays emphasis +on the building up of character. + + "No normal boy who is interested in our great national + game can fail to find interest and profit, too, in + this lively boarding-school story."--_Interior, + Chicago._ + + +[Illustration: THE GREAT YEAR] + +=THE GREAT YEAR= + +Three manly comrades, captains respectively of the baseball, football, +and track teams, help each other to achieve a "great year" of triple +victory over their traditional rival. + + "It is a fine, inspiring story for manly boys."--_N. + Y. Christian Advocate._ + + * * * * * + + For sale by all booksellers or sent postpaid on receipt of price + by the Publishers, + + LOTHROP, LEE & SHEPARD CO., BOSTON + + + + +THE BOY CRAFTSMAN + +=Practical and Profitable Ideas for a Boy's Leisure Hours= + +By A. NEELY HALL + + +Illustrated with over 400 diagrams and working drawings 8vo Price, +$2.00 + +[Illustration: The Boy Craftsman] + +Every real boy wishes to design and make things, but the questions of +materials and tools are often hard to pet around. Nearly all books on +the subject call for a greater outlay of money than is within the +means of many boys, or their parents wish to expend in such ways. In +this book a number of chapters give suggestions for carrying on a +small business that will bring a boy in money with which to buy tools +and materials necessary for making apparatus and articles described in +other chapters, while the ideas are so practical that many an +industrious boy can learn what he is best fitted for in his life work. +No work of its class is so completely up-to-date or so worthy in point +of thoroughness and avoidance of danger. The drawings are profuse and +excellent, and every feature of the book is first-class. It tells how +to make a boy's workshop, how to handle tools, and what can be made +with them; how to start a printing shop and conduct an amateur +newspaper, how to make photographs, build a log cabin, a canvas canoe, +a gymnasium, a miniature theatre, and many other things dear to the +soul of youth. + + We cannot imagine a more delightful present for a boy + than this book.--_Churchman, N. Y._ + + Every boy should have this book. It's a practical + book--it gets right next to the boy's heart and stays + there. He will have it near him all the time, and on + every page there is a lesson or something that will + stand the boy in good need. Beyond a doubt in its line + this is one of the cleverest books on the + market.--_Providence News._ + + If a boy has any sort of a mechanical turn of mind, + his parents should see that he has this book.--_Boston + Journal._ + + This is a book that will do boys good.--_Buffalo + Express._ + + The boy who will not find this book a mine of joy and + profit must be queerly constituted.--_Pittsburgh + Gazette._ + + Will be a delight to the boy mechanic.--_Watchman, + Boston._ + + An admirable book to give a boy.--_Newark News._ + + This book is the best yet offered for its large number + of practical and profitable ideas.--_Milwaukee Free + Press._ + + Parents ought to know of this book.--_New York Globe._ + + * * * * * + + For sale by all booksellers or sent postpaid on receipt of + price by the publishers, + + LOTHROP, LEE & SHEPARD CO., BOSTON + + + + +_Making of Our Nation Series_ + +_By WILLIAM C. SPRAGUE_ + + Large 12mo, Cloth Illustrated by A. B. Shute + Price per volume, $1.50 + + * * * * * + +=The Boy Courier of Napoleon= + +=A Story of the Louisiana Purchase= + +[Illustration: THE BOY COURIER OF NAPOLEON] + +William C. Sprague, the notably successful editor of "The American +Boy," has given for the first time the history of the Louisiana +Purchase in entertaining story form. The hero is introduced as a +French drummer boy in the great battle of Hohenlinden. He serves as a +valet to Napoleon and later is sent with secret messages to the French +in San Domingo and in Louisiana. After exciting adventures he +accomplishes his mission and is present at the lowering of the Spanish +flag, and later at that of the French and the raising of the Stars and +Stripes. + + "All boys and girls of our country who read this book + will be delighted with it, as well as benefited by the + historical knowledge contained in its + pages."--_Louisville, Ky., Times._ + + "An excellent book for boys, containing just enough + history to make them hunger for more. No praise of + this book can be too high."--_Town Topics, Cleveland, + O._ + + "This book is one to fascinate every intelligent + American boy."--_Buffalo Times._ + + +=The Boy Pathfinder= + +=A Story of the Oregon Trail= + +[Illustration: THE BOY PATHFINDER] + +This book has as its hero an actual character, George Shannon, a +Pennsylvania lad, who at seventeen left school to become one of the +Lewis and Clark expedition. He had narrow escapes, but persevered, and +the story of his wanderings, interwoven with excellent historical +information, makes the highest type of general reading for the young. + + "It is a thoroughly good story, full of action and + adventure and at the same time carrying a bit of real + history accurately recorded."--_Universalist Leader, + Boston._ + + "It is an excellent book for a boy to read."--_Newark, + N. J., Advertiser._ + + * * * * * + +_For sale by all booksellers or sent postpaid on receipt of price by +the publishers_ + + LOTHROP, LEE & SHEPARD CO., BOSTON + + + + +_Raymond Benson Series_ + +_By CLARENCE B. BURLEIGH_ + + Illustrated by L. J. Bridgman Large 12mo, Cloth + $1.50 per volume + + * * * * * + +=The Camp on Letter K= + +The story deals with two active boys in Aroostook County close to the +northeastern boundary of our country, and where smuggling across the +Canadian line has been prevalent. Equally ready in athletics, hunting, +or helping their families on the rich farms of that section, these +good chums have many exciting adventures, the most important of which +directly concerns the leading smugglers of the district, and an +important public service is rendered by the boys. + + "There is an atmosphere about the whole book that is + attractive to boys, and it will be read by them with + enthusiastic delight."--_Democrat and Chronicle, + Rochester, N. Y._ + + +=Raymond Benson at Krampton= + +Raymond Benson and his friend, Ned Grover, go to Krampton Academy, +which is no other than the noted school at New Hampton, N. H., where +Mr. Burleigh was fitted for college. We have had good books telling of +the larger and more aristocratic preparatory schools, but never before +one that so well told of life at a typical country academy of the sort +that have furnished the inspiration for so many successful men. + + "It is interesting from start to finish, and while + rousing and full of enthusiasm, is wholesome in + spirit, and teaches lessons of purity and justice and + manliness in real life."--_Herald & Presbyter._ + + +=The Kenton Pines= + +[Illustration: THE KENTON PINES] + +"Kenton College" is Bowdoin College, beautiful in its location and +famous in its history. Raymond's athletic abilities insure him +immediate and enduring prominence as a student, and the accounts of +athletic contests will stir the blood of any one. But the book is far +more than a tale of these things; it is a wonderful picture of life at +a smaller college, with all its fine hard work, "grinds," and +triumphs. It is a book that rings true on every manly question. + + "This book, like the other of the series, is of a very + high character, and should be an inspiration to all + boys contemplating a college career."--_Interior._ + + * * * * * + +_For sale at all booksellers or sent postpaid on receipt of price by +the publishers_ + + LOTHROP, LEE & SHEPARD CO., BOSTON + + + +BOOKS BY EVERETT T. TOMLINSON. + + * * * * * + +=THE WAR OF 1812 SERIES= + + +[Illustration: TECUMSEH'S YOUNG BRAVES] + + Six volumes Cloth Illustrated by A. E. + Shute Price per volume reduced to $1.25 + +No American writer for boys has ever occupied a higher position than +Dr. Tomlinson, and the "War of 1812 Series" covers a field attempted +by no other juvenile literature in a manner that has secured continued +popularity. + + =The Search for Andrew Field= + =The Boy Soldiers of 1812= + =The Boy Officers of 1812= + =Tecumseh's Young Braves= + =Guarding the Border= + =The Boys with Old Hickory= + + +=ST. LAWRENCE SERIES= + +=CRUISING IN THE ST. LAWRENCE= + + Being the third volume of the "St. Lawrence Series" Cloth + Illustrated Price $1.50 + +Our old friends, "Bob," "Ben," "Jock," and "Bert," having completed +their sophomore year at college, plan to spend the summer vacation +cruising on the noble St. Lawrence. Here they not only visit places of +historic interest, but also the Indian tribes encamped on the banks of +the river, and learn from them their customs, habits, and quaint +legends. + + +_=PREVIOUS VOLUMES=_ + + =CAMPING ON THE ST. LAWRENCE= + =Or, On the Trail of the Early Discoverers= + Cloth Illustrated $1.50 + + =THE HOUSE-BOAT ON THE ST. LAWRENCE= + =Or, Following Frontenac= + Cloth Illustrated $1.50 + +_=BY THE SAME AUTHOR=_ + + =STORIES OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION= + First and Second Series Cloth Illustrated $1.00 each + + * * * * * + + Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Co., Boston + + + + +PIGEON CAMP SERIES + +By MARTHA JAMES + + Illustrated Cloth Large 12mo =$1.25= + + * * * * * + +=JIMMIE SUTER= + +[Illustration: JIMMIE SUTER] + +Jimmie Suter is a sturdy, active, honest boy, whose father and mother +are very worthy people in moderate circumstances. What Jimmie lacks in +pocket money, however, he more than makes up in mechanical ingenuity +and other good qualities, and his best boy friend is the son of a rich +man, but not spoiled by the fact. They have royal times making and +sailing an ice-boat and doing many other things, and best of all they +organize the "S. F. B.," or Society for Feeding Birds, which spreads +far and wide and is productive of most enjoyable acquaintances besides +doing good service in the cause for which it was intended. Deeds of +kindness to a queer old neighbor bring an unexpected reward, and the +bright, wholesome book ends in a most pleasing manner. + + "Martha James seems to have a good kind of insight for + this juvenile literature, and in the course of an + interesting story drops many valuable suggestions + about the employment of a boy's time and his habits of + life outside of school."--_Syracuse Herald._ + + "In his kindness and thoughtfulness for both men and + animals, Jimmie is an ideal boy."--_The Watchman, + Boston._ + + "The happy, wholesome book closes in a thoroughly + satisfactory way."--_Chicago Inter-Ocean._ + + "The tone is simple and healthy, and the book will no + doubt find many young readers."--_The Churchman, + Milwaukee._ + + * * * * * + + For sale by all booksellers or sent postpaid on receipt of price + by the publishers, + + LOTHROP, LEE & SHEPARD CO., BOSTON + + + + +W. O. STODDARD'S BOOKS + + 12mo Cloth Price per volume, =$1.25= + +=DAN MONROE: A Story of Bunker Bill= Illustrated by W. F. Kennedy + +In this volume the hero is one whose name is found in several +trustworthy records as the drummer boy of the Lexington militia, his +closest friend, Nat Harrington, being the fifer. The Concord fight, +the Battle of Bunker Hill, and the arrival of Washington are +introduced as parts of a carefully preserved historical outline. + + +=LONG BRIDGE BOYS= Illustrated by I. B. Hazelton + +It tells the story of an actual attempt made by the Confederates of +Virginia, just prior to the outbreak of the Civil War, to seize the +city of Washington by force of arms, and make prisoners of President +Lincoln and other high government officials. + + +=AHEAD OF THE ARMY= Illustrated by C. Chase Emerson + +This is a lively narrative of the experiences of an American boy who +arrives in Mexico as the war with the United States is beginning. + + +=THE ERRAND BOY OF ANDREW JACKSON: A War Story of 1812= Illustrated by +Will Crawford + +This tale is of the War of 1812, and describes the events of the only +land campaign of 1812-1814 in which the Americans were entirely +successful. + + +=JACK MORGAN: A Boy of 1812= Illustrated by Will Crawford + +It is the adventures of a boy of the frontier during the great fight +that Harrison made on land, and Perry on the lakes for the security of +the border. + + +=THE NOANK'S LOG: A Privateer of the Revolution= Illustrated by Will +Crawford + +The further adventures of the plucky Guert Ten Eyck, as he fought King +George on land and sea. + + +=THE DESPATCH BOAT OF THE WHISTLE: A Story of Santiago= Illustrated by +Frank T. Merrill + +A breezy story of a newspaper despatch boat, in the war with Spain. + + +=GUERT TEN EYCK= Illustrated by Frank T. Merrill + +A hero story of real American girls and boys, in the American +Revolution. + + +=THE PARTNERS= Illustrated by Albert Scott Cox + +A capital story of a bright, go-ahead country girl and two boys who +helped her keep store. + + +=CHUCK PURDY: A New York Boy= Illustrated + +A delightful story of boy life in New York City. + + +=GID GRANGER: A Country Boy= Illustrated + +A capital story of American life. + + * * * * * + + For sale by all booksellers or sent postpaid on receipt of price by + the publishers, + + LOTHROP, LEE & SHEPARD CO., BOSTON + + + + +George Cary Eggleston's Juveniles + + +The Bale Marked Circle X + +A Blockade Running Adventure + +=Illustrated by C. Chase Emerson. 12mo, red cloth, illustrated cover, +$1.50.= + +Another of Mr. Eggleston's stirring books for youth. In it are told +the adventures of three boy soldiers in the Confederate Service who +are sent in a sloop on a secret voyage from Charleston to the Bahamas, +conveying a strange bale of cotton which holds important documents. +The boys pass through startling adventures: they run the blockade, +suffer shipwreck, and finally reach their destination after the +pluckiest kind of effort. + + +Camp Venture + +A Story of the Virginia Mountains + +=Illustrated by W. A. McCullough. 12mo, dark red cloth, illustrated +cover, $1.50.= + +The _Louisville Courier Journal_ says: "George Cary Eggleston has +written a decidedly good tale of pluck and adventure in 'Camp +Venture.' It will be of interest to young and old who enjoy an +exciting story, but there is also a great deal of instruction and +information in the book." + + +The Last of the Flatboats + +A Story of the Mississippi + +=Illustrated by Charlotte Harding. 12mo, green cloth, illustrated +cover, $1.50.= + +The _Brooklyn Eagle_ says: "Mr. George Cary Eggleston, the veteran +editor and author, has scored a double success in his new book, 'The +Last of the Flatboats,' which has just been published. Written +primarily as a story for young readers, it contains many things that +are of interest to older people. Altogether, it is a mighty good +story, and well worth reading." + + Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Co., Boston + + + + +_By Chaplain H. H. CLARK, U.S.N._ + + * * * * * + +THE ADMIRAL'S AID + +_A Story of Life in the New Navy_ + +12mo, blue cloth, illustrated by I. B. HAZELTON =$1.25= + +In this favorite author's two earlier books we learned somewhat of the +old navy. In this story it is the new navy, with all of its progress +and development, which engages our attention. But the hope of the new +navy is built upon the same qualities that have distinguished officers +and men from its beginning. These Chaplain Clark portrays, to the +delight of every reader, in this thrilling story. + + * * * * * + +JOE BENTLY, Naval Cadet + +12mo, blue cloth, illustrated by F. O. SMALL. =$1.25= + +In this story Joe Bently meets with many new and intensely interesting +adventures. + + * * * * * + +BOY LIFE IN THE UNITED STATES NAVY + +12mo, blue cloth, illustrated. =$1.25= + +The book is a true picture of a healthy, attractive life of the navy +that is little known to the general public, and full enough of +adventures to please all classes of readers. + + * * * * * + + Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Co., Boston + + + + +_YOUNG DEFENDER SERIES_ + +By ELBRIDGE S. BROOKS + + * * * * * + +[Illustration: IN DEFENCE OF THE FLAG] + +IN DEFENCE OF THE FLAG + +=A Boy's Adventures in Spain and Cuba in the War of 1898= + + Illustrated by W. F. STECHER 12mo Cloth $1.25 + +A story of action and adventure such as all healthy boys like, telling +of a plucky young American who defended his country's flag against +mobs in Spain and foemen in Cuba, and had many thrilling experiences. + + "Suffice it to say that he will be a lucky boy, with + many a thrill before him, who finds this book in his + Christmas stocking. Don is a hero after every boy's + heart."--_Boston Herald._ + + +WITH LAWTON AND ROBERTS + +=A Boy's Adventures in the Philippines and the Transvaal= + + Illustrated by C. CHASE EMERSON 12mo Cloth $1.25 + +The stirring adventures of a manly American boy who follows Lawton in +his last campaigns, and by a singular train of circumstances has +"moving accidents by flood and field," in two wars, with American +soldiers, Filipino insurrectos, Malay pirates, English troopers, and +Boer burghers. + + "Mr. Brooks presents vivid pictures of both wars, so + widely separated. His pages are full of the swift + moving incidents which boys love. Dull indeed must be + the young reader whose interest flags."--_Boston + Journal._ + + + +[Illustration: UNDER THE ALLIED FLAGS] + +UNDER THE ALLIED FLAGS + +=A Boy's Adventures in China During the Boxer Revolt= + + Illustrated by W. F. STECHER 12mo Cloth $1.25 + +The stirring story of an American boy's adventures in Tien Tsin and +Pekin, in the ranks of the International troops and as one of the +defenders of the beleaguered legations. Up-to-date, absorbing, and +full of healthy excitement. Characters who are in the stories "With +Lawton and Roberts" and "In Defence of the Flag" reappear in this +story. + + "Men and women, boys and girls, of all the mingled + nationalities that made this war in China so + picturesque, appear in the story and give it vigor, + variety, and unflagging interest."--_Cleveland World._ + + * * * * * + + For sale by all booksellers or sent postpaid on receipt of price + by the publishers, + + LOTHROP, LEE & SHEPARD CO., BOSTON + + * * * * * + +Transcriber's Notes: + +Punctuation normalised. + +Page 139, text missing was presumed. Original read: position, if I ... +f ... every dec ... fellow in the Institute had ... outraged ...nd ... + +Page 172, paragraph break inserted between the lines: + +"Ay!" shouted the students, with one voice. + +"Those opposed, say no." + +Page 231, missing text inserted. Original read "food or s... on the +island." + +Advertisement for "GUERT TEN EYCK", "America" changed to "American". +(in the American Revolution) + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Breaking Away, by Oliver Optic + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BREAKING AWAY *** + +***** This file should be named 22433-8.txt or 22433-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/2/4/3/22433/ + +Produced by David Edwards, Emmy and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from scans of public domain material produced by +Microsoft for their Live Search Books site.) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +http://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need, is critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at http://www.pglaf.org. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at +http://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at http://pglaf.org + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit http://pglaf.org + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. +To donate, please visit: http://pglaf.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart is the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + http://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. |