CHAPTER III. DORY DORNWOOD ARGUES THE QUESTION.
"How did we do it, Dory?" asked Life Windham, utterly astonished at the result of the impromptu race, as were all the other members of the crew.
"We did it by minding our own business," replied the coxswain, as much pleased as though he had won a rich prize.
"Can't we give them three cheers, Dory?" inquired Ben Ludlow.
"No cheers, fellows," replied Dory, shaking his head to emphasize his decision.
"But the Gildrocks cheered when they got ahead of us," suggested Ben Ludlow.
"No matter if they did; it was bad taste, and they crowed before they were out of the woods."
"But I don't understand how it was that we happened to beat them," persisted Life Windham. "As you said, they have most of the older and stouter fellows in their crew."
"They ought to beat us every time," added Ned Bellows.
"Age and strength alone won't make the best rowers," replied Dory sagely. "Some of the fellows in the other boat are rather heavy and clumsy, and, without boasting, I believe they have not got the knack of rowing well yet."
"Do you think we have got the knack, Dory?" asked Phil Gawner.
"I think we have got it better than the fellows in the other boat, though we have a good deal to learn yet. You have more spring, elasticity, than the other fellows. But, fellows, we beat them by discipline. You grumble because I don't want you to talk and look behind you; but you obeyed orders, and that's what did the business."
"The first class fellows didn't talk or look behind them," said Life.
"They had no occasion to look behind them, for they could see our boat without," replied the coxswain. "When they saw us gaining on them they were excited, and in a little while they got demoralized. You couldn't see them, and you did your very best."
"Matt Randolph is making a speech at them," said Dick Short, laughing.
"He knows why he was beaten, and he is telling his crew about it," added Dory.
The coxswain of the Gildrock was certainly talking as though he "meant business," for his words and his gestures were very earnest. He and Dory had talked about the subject upon which Matt was at this moment eloquent. Both agreed that if all the oarsmen could be blindfolded they would do better in a race. It was the province of discipline to keep them unmindful of success or defeat.
"Stand by to lay on your oars!" called Dory suddenly, while his crew were still watching the gesticulations of Matt Randolph.
The crew of the Winooski, who had been pulling very leisurely for some minutes, gave attention to their officer at once.
"Oars!" added Dory: and, the moment he gave the word, the oars were levelled at right angles with the length of the boat, with the blades feathered.
All the crew looked at the coxswain, wondering what was coming, for they had taken a rest after the Gildrock was beaten, and were not in need of another. This was the usual position of the crew when the officer had anything to say, or any announcement to make.
"Now you may look behind you, if you wish," continued Dory, with a meaning smile.
Every rower believed there was something to be seen, or the permission would not have been given, and they all availed themselves of the opportunity.
"The kid-glovers afloat!" shouted Thad Glovering, in the bow.
"Gentility on the wave!" exclaimed Life Windham.
"The dudes in the spray!" added Jim Alburgh.
"The exquisites on a racket!" cried Nat Long.
"Dandies on the brine!" chuckled Ben Ludlow.
"Fresh-water brine," added Dory.
"They are pulling towards Sandy Beach," said Corny Minkfield.
All these sarcastic remarks were called forth by the appearance ahead of two barges, similar to those belonging to the Beech Hill school. They were very gaily painted, and, whatever their merits for speed and ability, they were quite as handsome as the Gildrock and Winooski.
"Twig the uniform!" exclaimed Ned Bellows.
"But that's only a boat uniform," replied Life Windham, who was one of the incipient rebels. "None of our fellows object to the uniform they wear on board of the Sylph."
The uniform of the Chesterfields—for there was no doubt as to the identity of the occupants of the barges—was blue flannel, trimmed with white. It was very fanciful, and rather a sensational costume.
"I suppose every one of them wears an eyeglass, and has a cane under his thwart," laughed Phil Gawner.
"And every one parts his hair in the middle, so as to keep the boats on an even keel," added Lick Milton.
"Anything more?" inquired Dory.
"I wonder if they row in kid gloves," said Ben Ludlow.
The boys seemed to have exhausted their terms applicable to the young gentlemen of the Collegiate Institute, and a silence followed. There could be no mistaking the sentiment of the crew of the Winooski. They were disposed to ridicule and lampoon the young gentlemen without mercy. Possibly there was some justification or palliation for the manifestation of this spirit, for the Chesterfields had applied offensive terms to them on several occasions.
"Now, fellows, I should like to have you hear me for a moment," said Dory, when the crew appeared to have exhausted their supply of taunts.
"All right, Dory: propel," answered Phil Gawner.
"Those boats seem to be going to Sandy Beach; but that is no reason why we should not go there also."
"Of course it isn't!" exclaimed Ben Ludlow. "We have as much right at Sandy Beach as they have, and if they want to prevent us from going there, there will be music in the air."
"It is not at all likely that they will try to prevent us from going there," added Dory. "Those fellows claim to be gentlemen, and Colonel Buckmill claims it for them."
"The proof of the pudding is in eating the bag," said Ben Ludlow.
"This is a baked pudding, and there isn't any bag," returned Dory. "If those fellows are gentlemen they have made some slips, to put it in the softest way we can. They have yelled at us, and called us 'tinkers,' which is not a gentlemanly way to do things."
"That's it; and we will give them some of the same sauce," said Phil Gawner, with a threatening shake of the head.
"That's the very thing we will not do!" exclaimed Dory, with very heavy emphasis. "If the Chesterfields behave in an ungentlemanly manner, there is not the slightest reason why we should do so."
"Do you mean to let them call us names?" demanded Lick Milton, with a great show of indignation.
"I am not responsible for what they do: only for what I do myself," answered the coxswain, with dignity enough for the principal of a high school.
"But we are not going to shut our mouths and let them insult us," protested Ben Ludlow.
"What do you mean by insulting you, Ben?" asked Dory quietly.
"They call us members of the 'Tinkers' Institute;' and that is an insult to the school to which we belong. For one, I won't stand it!"
"What do you intend to do about it?"
"I mean to pay them back in their own coin."
"Call them dudes, kid-glovers, exquisites, dandies, milksops, and anything else we can think of," added Ned Bellows.
"Will calling them all these names wipe out the insult?" asked the dignified coxswain; but it should be said, to his credit, that he was dignified only when he was discussing great moral questions as the officer in command of the barge.
"We shall get even with them in that way," answered Ben Ludlow.
"If one of them should steal your watch, Ben, it would make him a thief—would it not?"
"No doubt of that."
"Then you would steal his watch, and thus get even with him, would you?" continued Dory, pressing his point with vigor.
"I don't say that I would," replied Ben.
"You would certainly get even with him in that way. I should like to have you answer the question, Ben."
"I should serve him right if I did steal his watch after he had taken mine," replied the cornered oarsman.
"That don't answer the question, and, after what you say, I must take it for granted that you would steal his watch."
"I didn't say I would."
"If you did steal his watch, would you, or would you not be a thief?"
Ben Ludlow did not like to answer this question, and he was silent.
"Of course he would be a thief!" exclaimed Life Windham; and half a dozen others took this view of the question.
"If the owner of the watch should prosecute you, would the judge decide that taking the watch was not stealing because the owner of it had stolen your watch before you did it?"
"Stealing is stealing, of course," answered Ben Ludlow.
"Then you would both be thieves," added Dory clinching his argument.
"There is no getting away from that conclusion," said Ned Bellows; and the rest of the crew indorsed his opinion.
"I suppose one who calls names is a blackguard. When the students of the Collegiate Institute call us 'tinkers' 'greasy mechanics' or any other offensive names, they are blackguards," continued Dory.
"No doubt of that, the blackguards!" exclaimed Dick Short.
"Good! We proceed to call them 'dudes,' 'kid-glovers,' 'exquisites' and such terms, and straightway we become blackguards also."
"I don't think stealing and hitting back are the same thing," growled Ben Ludlow, who felt that he was thoroughly beaten in the argument.
"But what makes a thief or a blackguard on one side of the lake makes a thief or a blackguard on the other side," added Dory.
"Now, fellows, you have just won a victory by holding your tongues and minding your own business. I want you to obey orders, and win another victory in the same way."
"All right, Dory; we will obey orders, for you get us through every time when we do," said Corny Minkfield.
"But I think we ought to give them some if they are saucy to us," persisted Ben Ludlow.
"We will give them some—some instruction in gentlemanly behavior if they need it," replied Dory. "Give way!"
Ben Ludlow raised no farther objection, and the boat went ahead again in the direction of Sandy Beach.