CHAPTER XXVII. THE INTERVIEW BETWEEN THE TWO PRINCIPALS.
As the Sylph and the tow had been in motion all the time during the battle on the caisson, they were within a few rods of the point. Tom Topover wanted Oscar Chester to put him on board of the Racer, but the request was denied. The second pilot also refused to unbind him and his companions when he landed them, for he would incur no risk.
The tow-lines had been adjusted, and the steamer was again making her way up the river when the boat returned. Tom used a great deal of bad language when he found himself standing on the point with his arms tied behind him and Oscar wanted to thrash him, as he was confident he could, but he obeyed his orders to the letter.
The two barges were half a mile from the point. They had come together, and the crew of the Dasher were baling her out. By keeping the crew well astern, the ragged holes in the bow were raised above the water line. The Topovers who had been on board of her were transferred to the Racer. The Chesterfields were a sorry crowd, and as they had no further use for their allies, the Racer conveyed them to the point.
Of course Tom's bonds were removed then, and as the Racer started for the other side of the lake the Topovers took up the line of march for Genverres. When the Sylph reached the first bend in the river, the Dasher, pulling only half her oars, had begun her voyage across the lake. The Racer kept close to her, but she seemed to get along very well, though very slowly.
"I don't believe those fellows will feel like coming over here again very soon," said Oscar in the pilot-house.
"I don't know about that," replied Dory Dornwood. "This is the third time they have got the worst of it; but I have no idea that they will ever be satisfied until they get even with us."
"That is just what I think," added Captain Glovering, who was seated in the pilot-house. "But I don't believe they will want to attack us on the water again."
"If we hadn't had those pike-poles we could not have done a thing, and it was only an accident that they happened to be on the caisson," continued Oscar.
"I don't think so; we should have found some other way to meet them," answered Captain Glovering. "When they have had as much experience on the lake as we have, they may be able to do something."
"But the Topovers are madder than the Chesterfields, and they are our neighbors," suggested Oscar. "I believe we shall hear from them again soon. Tom swore he would fix us yet, and if he ever caught me alone he would pound me till I couldn't see out of my eyes. I only hope he will meet me alone."
"Let him alone; don't get into any quarrel with him," said Dory, in his quiet way.
"I shall not seek any quarrel with him, and I will do the best I can to avoid a fight; but if I get into one in a natural way, I shall try to be a muscular Christian."
"The Topovers are more likely to steal our boats in the night, to turn the Goldwing adrift, or something of that sort, than to make an open attack upon us," argued the captain.
"My uncle would prosecute them if it were not for making their parents pay their fines," said the first pilot.
When the Sylph reached the creek, the real difficulty of the trip began. The first officer and his party were still on the caisson; but the captain put a dozen more of the ship's company on board of it. They were to use the pikes to crowd the tow away from the shore and the shoal water when it could not be done by means of the double tow lines.
Oscar, who as second pilot had made a careful study of the depth of water in the creek as well as the lakes, was sent on board; and the special charge of the tow-lines was given to him. Slacking one or the other of these proved to be sufficient until the caisson reached the V-point. In spite of the tow-lines the tow dragged on the bottom, and a good deal of vigorous work had to be done with the pike-poles.
The passage through Beech Hill Lake was observed by the instructors, and all the servants from the house and garden, until the steamer went into the creek above. Some hard work had to be done with the pike-poles before the caisson was moored at the stone wharf, but before supper time the Sylph was at her wharf.
Captain Gildrock had been detained in Burlington by the affairs of the bank until the last train; but he arrived early in the evening. Captain Glovering reported to him at once, giving a full account of the encounter with the Chesterfields and Topovers. The principal was sorry to hear this story of contention with the students from the other side and the marauders of his own side. He approved the action of Captain Glovering, even to the staving of the boat, for it was done in defence of the property entrusted to his care, as well as in protecting the persons of the ship's company. If he intended to do anything about it, he kept his own counsel.
Unlike the commanding officer of the Beech Hillers, Commodore Twinker did not report his proceedings to the principal of his school. On the contrary, he tried to conceal them, and the shattered Dasher was rowed to the boat-builder in Westport for repairs. Her crew kept her under the high bank of the lake when they passed the institute buildings.
But it so happened that the principal had been over to Burlington on a steamer, and saw the Dasher when she came into Westport. He inquired into the matter, and the students told a story to suit themselves; but the main feature of the narrative was that they had been grossly insulted by both the principal and the "Tinkers" of the Beech Hill School. The Chesterfields had been told by Captain Gildrock that they were not gentlemen, and were not fit to associate with his pupils. The crew of the Winooski had treated them with contempt, and run into their boat.
Colonel Buckmill was indignant, and on Monday he went over to Beech Hill. He stated his business in a gentlemanly manner, dwelling mainly on the charge of the captain that the Chesterfields were not fit company for the Beech Hill students. Captain Gildrock admitted that he had said so, and still held to that opinion. He was as gentlemanly as his visitor, but his views were very decided. He went over the three encounters with the Chesterfields and their allies, and sent for Dory Dornwood to explain the first meeting of the crews of the barges.
Colonel Buckmill "got a flea in his ear," but his own views of "greasy mechanics" were not very different from those of his pupils. Though he did not say so in so many words, he thought the students of the Chesterfield Collegiate Institution were entitled to a good deal of deference from boys "picked up in the streets." The captain did not see it in this light, and the two principals did not get ahead any better than their pupils.
"While my boys behave themselves like gentlemen, I expect them to be treated as such," replied Captain Gildrock. "I expect them to defend themselves if attacked; but if they go out of their way to invite an attack, I will take the boats away from them, and not allow them to leave the school grounds until they learn better. Your students have been the aggressors in every instance."
"Silence is sometimes more insulting than speech, than even offensive speech," replied the colonel proudly.
"Your views differ very essentially from mine, Colonel Buckmill, and it is hardly worth while to attempt to reconcile them," continued Captain Gildrock. "You are on one side of the lake and I am on the other, and there is not the least occasion for any collision between us, or between our students. If your boys will let mine alone, I will agree to keep the peace."
"But I expect my young gentlemen to be treated with respect, even on the lake," insisted the colonel.
"When one of our barges met your boats, our boys tossed oars, which is the highest token of respect in a boat; but your students did not even know what it meant, and greeted ours with offensive epithets. But not a word in retaliation came from the mouth of a Beech Hill student. After that our boys very carefully avoided yours. The attack last Saturday was entirely unprovoked."
"But it grew out of former occurrences," reasoned Colonel Buckmill.
"I have explained the nature of the first meeting. I have my remedy in the courts if these outrages are repeated," added Captain Gildrock.
"In the courts!" exclaimed the visitor, rising to his feet in astonishment and indignation. "Do I understand you that you intend to prosecute my young gentlemen?"
"If the principal of their school justifies them in their conduct and declines to control them, I shall certainly protect my boys from insult and assault in the best way I can," answered the captain decidedly.
"These affairs are nothing but the frolics of young gentlemen, and it would be outrageous to take them into the courts," added the colonel, more moderately. "Your students have nearly ruined one of our boats, and I could make a just claim for damages."
"I hope you will make it," said the captain, laughing.
"I do not desire to settle such frolics in that way."
"I think nothing more need be said, Colonel Buckmill. Your boys have a perfect right to navigate these waters. My boys have thus far proved that they are able to take care of themselves; but I dislike these collisions. I only ask you to do what I will do myself; my boys shall not meddle with yours; and the least you can do is to require yours not to meddle with mine. I should be glad to establish friendly relations between the students of the two schools—"
"None of my young men are tinkers," interposed the colonel with a sneer.
"But they have formed an alliance with the Topovers, the scallawags of Genverres. No matter about that. I see that friendly relations between the schools are impossible, and we can only agree to disagree. I shall be sorry to seek my remedy in the courts. Therefore I hope you will control your boys."
"I expected some allowance would be made for the irregularities of young gentlemen, all of whom come from the best families in the States," said Colonel Buckmill, rising to take his leave. "I was mistaken, and I will do the best I can to prevent any further collision."
"That is all I can possibly ask; and if you do that, I shall hope that friendly relations—not socially, but on the lake as boatmen—may yet be established between our students, though some of mine may have the oil of the turning-lathe upon their skirts."
Colonel Buckmill departed no better satisfied than when he came. As a matter of fact, he had little expectation of being able to control his young gentlemen while they were on their excursions upon the lake. He was not a disciplinarian, and he had little skill in managing boys. The interview between the two principals hardly promised anything hopeful or peaceful in the future.
During the week the Sylph towed up to Beech Hill several rafts of lumber, and a week after the arrival of the caisson Mr. Brookbine was ready to begin the framing of the boat-house.