“One of them told me about it in confidence. I shouldn’t have said anything to you, if you lived on our side now.”
“I won’t say anything.”
I was not likely to think anything more about it, and still less to meddle with the affair.
“We are tired of this thing on our side of the lake,” continued Dick. “If we had twenty fellows that would serve Waddie as you did to-day, when he pitched into you, we might make a decent fellow of him after a while. For my own part, I don’t mean to take a word of lip from him. If he insults me, I shall give him as good as he sends. Indeed, I have done so once or twice, and he hates me like poison for it.”
“I don’t think you make anything by using hard words.”
“What do you do, Wolf?”
“I don’t think that abusive language does me any harm, and I mean to be good-natured, whatever happens; though, when it comes to hitting me in the face, and giving me a bloody nose, I can’t quite stand that, and I defend myself as vigorously as I know how. I think a fellow can be a gentleman without putting his neck under anybody’s heel.”
I landed Dick Bayard at Centreport, and stood over to the other side of the lake. I moored the Belle in a little bay not far from my father’s house, and went home to report my good fortune.
CHAPTER IV.
IN THE PICNIC GROVE.
Of course I thought of but little except my boat after she came into my possession, and before the day closed I had exhibited her to all who felt an interest in such matters. My father was delighted with her, and congratulated me on the bargain I had made. Tom Walton declared that the Belle was the finest craft on the lake. Before night, so thoroughly had my boat been talked up in Middleport, I had a party engaged for the next day, to visit the fishing-grounds.