As may be anticipated, Si was in trouble in more ways than one. He had borrowed money from Sidney Yates and from others, and this cash was all gone. Boardman was in the same fix, and the little they got out of the club receipts was only a drop in the bucket when it came to liquidating their debts.
On the Monday evening following the game, the Lakeports celebrated their victory in a becoming style. The clubroom was illuminated, and they had a garden party for their friends on Mr. Darrow's lawn, and the festivities were kept up until almost midnight.
During the week Mr. Rush took steps to have Si Voup and Boardman punished for what they had done to Joe and Fred. On hearing of this, Si Voup ran away and went on a visit to an uncle who lived in Boston. Boardman was found at his home, and broke down utterly when confronted.
"It wasn't my fault," he whined. "Si Voup put me up to it—Si and a young fellow named Dan Marcy."
"Marcy again!" mused Mr. Rush, and became more interested than ever. By coaxing and threatening he made Boardman tell his whole story, and then learned that Dan Marcy was stopping at a road-house to the east of the lake, at a place called Thompson's Corners.
"Did you ever hear that this Marcy took the sloop Sprite?" asked Mr. Rush.
"He never said so out-and-out," answered Boardman, "but I guess he did take the boat."
This was all Mr. Rush wanted to know, and he lost no time in calling on Mr. Shale and on Mr. Westmore. That afternoon the three men took a carriage and drove over to Thompson's Corners and to the road-house the catcher of the Excelsiors had mentioned.
As luck would have it, they found Dan Marcy on the porch of the house, half asleep in a chair. The fellow wanted to run away, but Mr. Shale collared him before he could do so.
"Not so fast, Marcy," said he, sternly.