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[278] 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[279] 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, er[280]nest," 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.[281]
"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."[282]
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[283] 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[284] 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[285] 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.[286]
"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."
