As soon as the Goldwing appeared off the point, dragging the Gildrock after her, the Chesterfields set up a yell, and it was plain that they identified the Beech Hill students who had so thoroughly humiliated them on the day before. Their lusty cheers indicated that they were ready to take the vengeance they had promised to obtain. Mad Twinker headed the Dasher for the Goldwing, and the Racer followed.
It seemed to be a holiday at the Chesterfield Collegiate Institute, and the boats' crews had evidently been practising in the cove all the morning. There was a marked improvement in their rowing; they had observed the excellent discipline that prevailed on board of the Winooski, and they had doubtless learned a lesson from what they had seen. After the Chesterfields had given the three cheers, which did not appear to mean anything, unless they were cheering their enemy, there was no whooping or yelling as at the former meeting of the boats.
"Those fellows promised to get even with us when we parted last night," said Dory, after they had observed the movements of the Chesterfields for a few minutes. "I suppose they are ready to begin now."
"If they do begin now they will have a nice time of it," added Matt.
"They will never forgive us for compelling them to give up our clothes before they were ready to do so," continued the skipper. "They are in better discipline, and behave better this morning than they did yesterday. But they don't seem to know anything at all about a boat, and they think they can overhaul the Goldwing without any difficulty."
"If we run up this cove they will have us on the hips," replied Matt. "There are twenty-six of them, while we are only nine, and if they catch us they can have it all their own way."
"You are right, Matt, and we will not go up the cove. We will go up to Rock Harbor, and we can land the Topovers long before they can pull that distance."
The skipper let off the sheets, and headed the schooner to the south. She was almost before the wind, and the yacht flew like a locomotive on her course. In a few minutes the barges were a mile astern of her. At the mouth of Rock Harbor the wind had a fair sweep, and the sea was almost as rough as it had been in the middle of the lake.
As the Goldwing approached the south side of the inlet, Dory rounded to very carefully, so as not to swamp the Gildrock, though the terrified Topovers were well shaken up in the manœuvre. Running into the cove just far enough to escape the heaviest of the waves, Dory directed his crew to haul on the tow-line, and bring the Gildrock within talking distance. Spilling the sail, he allowed the yacht to drift towards the shore.
"We intend to put you on shore here," shouted Dory to the occupants of the Gildrock.