CHAPTER VIII. THE CHESTERFIELDS SURRENDER THEIR BANNERS.
Commodore Mad Twinker did not seem to have much confidence in the position he had taken. He felt that he had been beaten in the argument, but in the face of his crew he could not abandon the ground he had taken. Of course he knew that the Chesterfields had no right to retain the garments they had brought from the shore; but it seemed to be quite impossible to "give in" to the Beech Hill party, and acknowledge that it was wrong to apply epithets to them.
"The Gildrock is coming, Dory," said Life Windham, in a low tone, for the coxswain had not observed the approach of his consort.
Dory cast a glance in the direction from which the other barge was coming. She had apparently just made her way out of Sandy Beach Cove, and the crew were pulling a quick stroke, as though they thought something was the matter with the Winooski. The plucky coxswain was not particularly pleased at the prospect of a re-enforcement; for, though Matt Randolph was a splendid fellow, he feared that he might be more inclined to fight than to compromise.
But if Dory intended to recover the clothing of his crew, the present situation looked more like a fight than a compromise. The Chesterfields refused to admit that the reproachful epithets were insulting, and demanded an apology for his neglect to answer the challenge to race with them. The coxswain, fearful that he might appear to be too stiff, went over the matter again.
"When we came near you we gave you a complimentary salute," added Dory.
"A complimentary salute!" exclaimed Mad Twinker. "When was that, and what was it?"
"We tossed oars."
"Tossed oars? Where did you toss them?" asked the commodore; and it was plain enough now that the Chesterfields did not understand the manœuvre.
"We raised them to a perpendicular; and this is the highest honor one boat can pay to another. We should not have tossed oars to you if we had intended to insult you," replied Dory with spirit.
"Do you call that showing off a complimentary salute?" demanded Mad, with a sneer. "It's no use to talk any more about it: when you make the apology for insulting us we will give up the clothes."
The crews of both the Chesterfield boats applauded. The wind appeared to be freshening, or it had driven the boats farther out into the lake, where they felt it more. At any rate Mad's last remark indicated a desire to end the conference on the waves.
"I hope there will be no trouble," said Dory, as he glanced at the Gildrock again, though she was still a mile from the scene.
"There will be no talk at any rate," replied Mad. "We are going ashore now, and we will see you on the land if you like."
"You will not go ashore until you have given up those clothes," added Dory firmly.
"I'm not going to fool with you, as Wash did, and if you don't get out of our way we will sink you!" exclaimed the new commodore.
"I think you will have to understand a little more about handling a boat than you do now, before you can do that," replied Dory quietly, as he backed the Winooski a little way from the Racer.
With some difficulty Mad got his boat about so that it was headed to the shore, and the Dasher, with Jeff Monroe acting as coxswain, was trying to follow her example. The waves were very rude, and it looked as though the latter would be swamped before she got about. As soon as Dory saw that the Dasher had accomplished the feat, he repeated his former manœuvre, shoving the bow of the barge entirely around, in spite of all the efforts of her crew to prevent it.
Mad Twinker ordered his oarsmen to beat off the assailants with their oars; but the moment the boat got into the trough of the sea, the bow oarsmen were utterly unable to stand up. In swinging around, the Winooski brought up against the side of the Racer, and two of the latter's oars were snapped in twain in the collision. But Dory drew back before any further damage was done, though the Chesterfield boat had only seven oars left.
By this time the Racer had nearly come about, and Dory gave her a shove which sent her back to her former position in the trough of the sea. Mad Twinker was downright mad in fact, as well as in name, when he found himself beaten. But the Winooski kept out of his reach, and he was utterly powerless. Her coxswain did not have the least difficulty in swinging her around as he wished, in the smart sea.
The wind was blowing the boats farther out into the lake every moment, and the white-caps had a terrific aspect to the inexperienced boatmen. Mad brought his barge about again. Placing one of his oarless crew at the tiller lines, he crawled forward himself, and took a position in the bow. Arming himself with the boathook he directed his rowers to give way.
This time Dory did not wait till the Racer was headed to the shore, but darted upon her just as she came out of the trough of the sea. He called to Thad Glovering to boat his oar, and look out for his head, for Mad evidently intended to hit anyone who came within reach of his weapon.
"Oars!" shouted Dory with energy. "Stern all!"
But in spite of his care he struck the Racer harder than he intended, and a lively snapping of cedar boards was heard. The sound created a panic among the crew; they all stopped rowing, and looked behind them to see what had happened. About three feet of the bow of the boat was stove in, and the water was pouring in through the break.
"There! Do you see what you have done?" yelled Mad Twinker, appalled at the disaster to the Dasher.
"Will you give up those clothes, or will you take another rap?" called Dory sharply.
"Another rap! Do you mean to drown us all?" cried Mad.
"I mean to have our clothes!" answered Dory.
"Let them have the clothes!" yelled one of the terrified crew.
"Let them have them! We can't do anything more," added another.
Mad said nothing more, but he picked up such of the clothes as were within his reach, and held them out in the direction of the Winooski. His crew followed his example, and Dory ran the barge near enough to receive them.
"That's all there are in this boat," said Mad Twinker.
"If you all move a little farther aft, the water won't run into your boat," said Dory in a quiet tone. "Here are five oars that belong to your boats. I have no further business with you to-day, unless we find some of our clothes are missing; and we wish you good evening."
"We shall have further business with you, and you won't see the end of this affair for one while," growled Mad Twinker, as he crawled to the stern-sheets of his barge.
While this scene was transpiring, the Dasher had succeeded in getting about, and her crew were pulling for the shore, though they lay upon their oars when they saw the catastrophe to her consort. Dory followed the other barge without any delay, and was soon in position to "ram" the bow, as he had that of the Racer; but the Dashers decided not to be wrecked, as their consort had been. Jeff Monroe shouted that they would give up the clothes and they were delivered. The Winooski went to the shore, and the crew clothed themselves. None of the clothes were missing, and the coxswain was glad he had no further demand to make upon the Chesterfields. Before the boys were half clothed the Gildrock joined them.
"What in the world have you fellows been about?" asked Matt Randolph. "We thought you were in a row out there with the Chesterfields, and we were hurrying up to help you out."
"We were in a row, and we have smashed in the bow of one of their boats," replied Dory. "Our fellows have behaved first-rate, and I think we have come out of the scrape with clean hands."
"Not if you have smashed one of their boats," added Matt seriously.
"Captain Gildrock must settle that question; and I suppose Colonel Buckmill will have something to say about it," answered Dory, as he proceeded to relate in detail what had happened at Sandy Beach.
The event was discussed with no little excitement for a considerable time. Beech Hill was very indignant at the conduct of the Chesterfields, and heartily delighted that they had been beaten in the end. But all felt, as Mad Twinker had suggested, that they had not seen the end of the affair yet, and it was voted that a state of war existed between the two institutions on opposite sides of the lake; and perhaps it was a happy circumstance that four miles of fresh water lay between them.
"I say, Dory, I don't quite understand how it was that you beat us so awfully in that little scrub race we had," said the coxswain of the Gildrock. "I was sure we could whip you every time when we came out of the river."
"I knew that you had been giving your crew a little private training," replied Dory, laughing, as they walked down to the barges. "I know just why you were beaten; and I think you had better wait till you get out of the woods before you do any crowing next time. The three cheers you gave were rather cutting to our fellows."
"I was confident we could pass you every time; and your crew were taking it very easy. We gave the cheers to stir you up, and give us a chance to beat you when you were doing your best," Matt explained. "But how did you give us such an awful waxing?"
"Simply by minding our own business: that's all I know about it. Our fellows row first-rate, and they are in splendid discipline. Your crew got demoralized when they saw us gaining on them, and they couldn't do anything more. It was as easy to beat them then as it is to go to sleep when you can't keep awake."
Matt did not understand the cause of his defeat much better than before. He said he had been training his crew, and trying to find out what the matter was.
The barges returned to Beech Hill, and after they were secured, there was nothing talked about but the encounter with the Chesterfields. As in duty bound, Dory reported the affair, with full details, to the principal.
"I am afraid this is rather serious business, Dory," said Captain Gildrock. "It looks like a standing quarrel between our school and the Institute, and it may lead to disagreeable consequences. Of course the students on the other side will have their own story to tell, and probably I shall hear from Colonel Buckmill, who will claim damages for the injury done the barge."
"We had to recover our clothes, or come home without our shirts," pleaded Dory.
"I have no doubt you have told the story correctly as you understand it, but almost always there are two sides to any story. You appear to have acted with prudence and forbearance, and I have no fault to find with you," added Captain Gildrock. "We will wait and see what comes of the affair."
It may as well be said here that nothing came of it, and Colonel Buckmill was not informed in regard to the collision. The Racer was rowed to Westport that evening, and the next morning she had been repaired, and was in as good condition as ever. But the Chesterfields nursed their wrath, and vowed vengeance for the humiliation to which they had been subjected.