Dory Dornwood had been in command of the steamer for the three months at the close of the last season of navigation, and every Saturday he exercised his ship's company in as long cruises us the length of Lake Champlain would permit. Sometimes the principal was on board, and sometimes he was not. If he had anything to say, he said it to Captain Dory Dornwood; and the discipline was as perfect as though the steamer had been in the navy.
In the beginning of Captain Dornwood's administration there had been considerable difficulty. Boys from the country, or even from the city, were not very prompt to see the necessity of obeying orders without asking any questions. But as this was one of the principal lessons the steam yacht was to impart to the pupils, there was no relaxation of the discipline to accommodate those who were dilatory or rebellious.
If an officer was in the slightest degree disobedient to those above him in rank, he was "broken" as soon as the case was proved to the satisfaction of the principal. If the delinquent was a seaman, under-steward, or fireman, he was relieved from further duty on board, and required to stay on shore under the eye of the instructors, or of Bates, the old salt, who obeyed orders as though they were all written down in the constitution of the State.
As this was the severest punishment that could be inflicted upon any of the students, it soon had its effect. Before the season closed, the ship's company were as obedient to the new officers as they had ever been when Captain Gildrock was in command. More than this, Dory was very popular in the school; he was not unreasonable, snobbish, or tyrannical, and never did violence to the self-respect of any of his shipmates. After they had learned the trick of doing it, it was a pleasure to obey orders.
The students assembled in the boat-house, and all eyes were fixed upon Captain Dornwood, who was to have command of the expedition to Sandy Point, for the operations on shore as well as those on board of the Sylph.
"Perhaps I ought to call for volunteers for the work of to-night, for some of you may not want to sit up so late as the business in hand may require," the captain began, with a cheerful smile on his handsome face, for his good looks had certainly improved in the last two years.
"All night if you like!" shouted Bob Swanton.
"The principal instructed me to say that the early bell will not be rung to-morrow morning," continued Dory. "There will be a good deal of hard work to be done, including some lifting, though there are enough of us to make the task easy. These are the hardships of the trip; and if any student prefers to stay at the school, he will be permitted to do so. If there are any such they will please step forward."