"Not if you have smashed one of their boats," added Matt seriously.
"Captain Gildrock must settle that question; and I suppose Colonel Buckmill will have something to say about it," answered Dory, as he proceeded to relate in detail what had happened at Sandy Beach.
The event was discussed with no little excitement for a considerable time. Beech Hill was very indignant at the conduct of the Chesterfields, and heartily delighted that they had been beaten in the end. But all felt, as Mad Twinker had suggested, that they had not seen the end of the affair yet, and it was voted that a state of war existed between the two institutions on opposite sides of the lake; and perhaps it was a happy circumstance that four miles of fresh water lay between them.
"I say, Dory, I don't quite understand how it was that you beat us so awfully in that little scrub race we had," said the coxswain of the Gildrock. "I was sure we could whip you every time when we came out of the river."
"I knew that you had been giving your crew a little private training," replied Dory, laughing, as they walked down to the barges. "I know just why you were beaten; and I think you had better wait till you get out of the woods before you do any crowing next time. The three cheers you gave were rather cutting to our fellows."
"I was confident we could pass you every time; and your crew were taking it very easy. We gave the cheers to stir you up, and give us a chance to beat you when you were doing your best," Matt explained. "But how did you give us such an awful waxing?"
"Simply by minding our own business: that's all I know about it. Our fellows row first-rate, and they are in splendid discipline. Your crew got demoralized when they saw us gaining on them, and they couldn't do anything more. It was as easy to beat them then as it is to go to sleep when you can't keep awake."
Matt did not understand the cause of his defeat much better than before. He said he had been training his crew, and trying to find out what the matter was.
The barges returned to Beech Hill, and after they were secured, there was nothing talked about but the encounter with the Chesterfields. As in duty bound, Dory reported the affair, with full details, to the principal.