"Do you call that showing off a complimentary salute?" demanded Mad, with a sneer. "It's no use to talk any more about it: when you make the apology for insulting us we will give up the clothes."
The crews of both the Chesterfield boats applauded. The wind appeared to be freshening, or it had driven the boats farther out into the lake, where they felt it more. At any rate Mad's last remark indicated a desire to end the conference on the waves.
"I hope there will be no trouble," said Dory, as he glanced at the Gildrock again, though she was still a mile from the scene.
"There will be no talk at any rate," replied Mad. "We are going ashore now, and we will see you on the land if you like."
"You will not go ashore until you have given up those clothes," added Dory firmly.
"I'm not going to fool with you, as Wash did, and if you don't get out of our way we will sink you!" exclaimed the new commodore.
"I think you will have to understand a little more about handling a boat than you do now, before you can do that," replied Dory quietly, as he backed the Winooski a little way from the Racer.
With some difficulty Mad got his boat about so that it was headed to the shore, and the Dasher, with Jeff Monroe acting as coxswain, was trying to follow her example. The waves were very rude, and it looked as though the latter would be swamped before she got about. As soon as Dory saw that the Dasher had accomplished the feat, he repeated his former manœuvre, shoving the bow of the barge entirely around, in spite of all the efforts of her crew to prevent it.