Square and Compasses; Or, Building the House

by Oliver Optic

Bolingbroke Millweed was earnest and critical in his survey of these rocks, though hardly another of the party paid any attention to them. Probably most of them thought it was the most unsuitable place on the lake for the boat-house and wharf, though it was nearer to the mansion and schoolroom than the present wharf, where the barges were moored.

The two boats pulled with a gentle stroke around the lake, stopping at several points for a more careful survey. If any one had any brilliant ideas he was as silent as Beech Hill itself, at the head of the lake. This was the name of the elevation in the rear of the schoolroom, and the estate, the lake, and the institution had been called after it.

Beech Hill Lake extended north and south within a quarter of a mile of Porter's Bay, an inlet of Lake Champlain. Between the little lake and the bay there was a beautiful grove, which was one of the most delightful resorts on the shipmaster's estate. He had intended to build a bridge across the creek, back of Beech Hill; but an attempt had been made to rob his house by a couple of New York burglars, who had landed at the head of the bay, and crossed the lake in a boat which had formerly been kept on the other side.

The idea of constructing: a bridge had been given up after this attempt, but a small pier had been built near the inlet of the creek, for convenience in landing from boats at the grove. The barges went to this little wharf, and the crews landed, and separated, each to pursue his studies by himself. All of them made a careful examination of the west shore of the lake.

When he had finished his survey, Dory Dornwood seated himself under a tree not far from the pier. He did not seem to think he had any talent for architecture or civil engineering, and he had not a very strong hope of winning either of the prizes. The fact that he was the founder's nephew would not affect the matter in any way, for each competitor was to put only a word or character on his work, which was also to be written on an envelope containing his name. The examiners, whoever they were, were not to know whose plan they were considering.

While Dory was contemplating the shores of the lake, and making up his mind in regard to the best place for the wharf, he heard voices in the direction of the pier. Looking that way, he saw a squad of boys on the little wharf. Their attention was fixed upon the two barges, which they were examining with interest, not to say enthusiasm.

Genverres had its proportion of bad boys as well as good ones, and Dory recognized these visitors to the grove as belonging to the former class. He had not been in the town long enough to have any acquaintance with them, and hardly knew them by sight; but his uncle had pointed out a couple of them whom he suspected of stealing fruit from his garden. In fact he had suffered so much from the depredations of fruit-thieves, that he had taken extensive and expensive precautions to keep them out of his grounds.

The captain had built a fence ten feet high from the main road to the creek; the latter being considered a sufficient barrier on the west side of the estate. The grove could easily be reached, but the grounds on the east side of Beech Hill Lake were now well protected. Dory saw that the leading spirit of the squad of visitors was Tom Topover, a reckless young rascal of sixteen or seventeen, who had made himself a terror to the farmers on the outskirts of the town, as well as to many peaceable citizens in the village.

The presence of the "Topovers," as they had come to be called, after their leader, boded no good to the boats, for the squad were free-and-easy fellows, who had no more regard for the rights of property than they had for the cleanliness of their faces and their garments. Dory Dornwood knew how easy it was to get up a quarrel with this class of young ruffians, and he did not think it was wise to go near them; but he thought it was best to show himself, so that they might not be tempted to meddle with the barges by the supposition that they were not seen. He began to walk about where he could not fail to be observed by the visitors.

Dory looked all around him through the grove, but he could see only a few of the other students. Doubtless they were all absorbed in the study of the plan and location, for not a sound could be heard except the dashing of the water against the rocks in the creek above the lake.