"It won't do any harm;" and Charles stepped into the boat.
Half a dozen other boys, carried away by the excitement of the moment, followed his example, and jumped in after him. Charles led the way to the stern of the boat, walking over the seats, or, to speak technically, the "thwarts."
The light boat, which had been drawn far out of the water, and which now rested her keel upon the bottom, having no support upon the sides, rolling over on her gunnel, and tumbled the boys into the lake.
"There! Now see what you have done!" cried Tony, springing up, and pushing the boat away from the shore.
"Avast, there! What are you about?" exclaimed Uncle Ben, hobbling down to the beach as fast as his legs would carry him.
"You are too bad, Charley!" said Frank. "You will spoil all our fun by your impatience."
"I didn't think she would upset so easily," replied Charles.
"You ought not to have meddled with her."
"That you hadn't, youngster," said Uncle Ben. "Don't you know a boat can't stand alone when the keel is on the sand?"
The old sailor spoke pretty sternly, and Charles was abashed by his reproof.