"Give it to her, Vallington! In two minutes more we are safe!" I yelled through the tube.
"She is almost upon us!" said Bob, tremulously.
At that moment we heard the engine bell of the Champion ring, as the Adieno approached the narrow channel. Her wheels stopped, and she began to back vigorously.
"Give them three cheers!" I called to the students, as the pursuer backed out; and they were given with a will.
CHAPTER XXV.
IN WHICH ERNEST PILOTS THE ADIENO TO PARKVILLE.
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 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.