I hastened back to the spot where I had left Waddie, and conducted him to a position near the open woods. I did not think it expedient to exhibit ourselves yet, and we waited an hour or more in our concealment. I could not see Waddie’s persecutors. They did not attempt any further pursuit. Probably they supposed we had started on foot for Centreport, and, doubtless, they deemed it proper to consider what steps were necessary to insure their own safety, for they knew very well that Colonel Wimpleton would turn out the whole town in pursuit of them as soon as he heard of the attempted outrage.
“By the great horn spoon!” exclaimed Waddie, who was becoming very impatient after an hour’s anxious waiting, “there they are, going off in my boat!”
“Good!” I replied. “They couldn’t do anything that would suit me better; that is, if they have not sunk or smashed the Belle.”
This thought gave me a severe pang, and I almost groaned as I thought of my beautiful craft ruined by these malignant wretches.
“No matter if they have, Wolf. My father will pay for making her as good as ever she was,” said Waddie.
“But I am engaged to go up the lake in her with a party on Monday morning.”
“We will pay all damages, so that you shall not lose a penny. But I’ll bet you won’t want to go up the lake next week in the Belle,” he added warmly.
I did not care to follow up the significance of this remark, for I had not much confidence in the fair-weather promises of the Wimpletons. I judged that he intended to do some great thing for me. Perhaps he only flattered himself that he meant to be magnanimous and generous. He was as impulsive in his loves as in his hates; and, though he adhered to the latter with extraordinary tenacity, the former cooled off very suddenly.
“Do you suppose those fellows know how to handle a boat?” I continued, as I saw Waddie’s sloop go out into the lake under full sail.
“I hope not,” replied he, with energy. “But I wish they were in your boat, instead of mine, for then they would go to the bottom if they upset her.”