Phil Gawner bolted from the room in hot haste, and the other rebels followed him. The rebellion seemed to be forgotten, for there was already something like rivalry existing between the two educational institutions on the opposite sides of the lake. The Chesterfield young gentlemen, when they came within hailing distance of the boys of Beech Hill, had taken occasion to manifest their contempt by words, signs, and other demonstrations. They called the industrial school "The Tinkers' Institute," and this term was exceedingly offensive to our boys.
But the beautiful steam yacht in which the "Tinkers" voyaged on the lake, and especially the magnificent twelve-oar barges in which they sported upon the waves, excited the envy of the "Kid-Glovers." Colonel Buckmill suddenly found his prestige slipping away from him. He had a variety of boats for the use of his students, though none of them were sailing craft. He was no sailor himself, and he had a mortal dread of sailboats.
As soon as he realized the state of feeling among his students, he hastened to New York, where he succeeded in finding a couple of barges like those which had been built for the Beech Hill school. He had purchased them at a large price, and they had arrived a few days before. Colonel Buckmill was a soldier and a gentleman, but he wished that Captain Gildrock had located his fanciful school, as he regarded it, a thousand miles from Lake Champlain.
"What's the matter now?" demanded Matt Randolph, when the rebels rushed out on the pier at which the two barges lay. "I thought you were going to deprive us of the pleasure of your company to-day."
"We have concluded to go with you, and keep you out of hot water," replied Lew.
"And keep yourselves out of hot water, which is more sensible," added the coxswain of the Gildrock, as he seated his crew in the boat.
"I thought you were not going for fear some one would see you and know that you belong to the B. H. I. S.," added Will Orwell, with a laugh.
"Up oars!" shouted Matt, when the crew of both boats were seated; and the order was repeated by Dory.
Ten oars in each boat went up to a perpendicular, with the flat side of the blades parallel with the thwarts. The coxswains looked them over to see that all were in proper position.