by Oliver Optic
CHAPTER III.
ALL ABOARD!
The club had taken their seats in the boat, and were waiting the ordersof the coxswain to haul her out of her berth, when Captain Sedley madehis appearance.
"You are short-handed, Frank," said he, as he observed Tony's vacantseat.
"Yes, sir; but we have elected a member to fill that place," repliedFrank, as he jumped out of the boat, and hastened to inform his fatherof what the club had done.
The members all felt a deep interest in the result of this conference;and though this was the first excursion of the season, they forgot forthe time the pleasure before them in their desire to know whether the"director" would approve their action in relation to the new member andthe prize.
Frank and his father entered the club-room together.
"Now, my son, what have you done?" asked Captain Sedley.
"We have discussed both questions to the best of our ability," repliedFrank, with some hesitation.
"Well, what was the result?"
"We have elected Tim to fill Tony's place."
"Indeed!"
"We have; and we await your sanction to our doings."
"Did you think I would sanction such a choice as that?"
"I didn't know. We have fairly considered the matter; have faithfullyexamined both sides of the question. If we have done wrong, you know,father, that you have a veto upon our doings."
Captain Sedley smiled at the matter-of-fact, business-like earnestnessof his son. He felt quite as much interest in the action of the boys asthey did to learn his opinion of it.
"Tim is a very bad boy," said he.
"He _was_; but he has solemnly promised to amend, and become a goodboy," answered Frank, warmly.
"Not much dependence can be placed upon the promises of such boys asTim."
"But if no one encourages him to become better, he will not be likely toimprove much, especially when everybody despises and shuns him."
"There is danger that he may corrupt the rest of the club."
"He must obey the requirements of the constitution, or he cannot longcontinue to be a member."
"You are right, Frank; I approve your action in this matter, but Ishould like to know the grounds upon which you admitted him."
Frank gave him a brief synopsis of the debate, and the anxious fatherexpressed himself well pleased with the liberal views of the club.
"Men might be oftener reformed in the great world, if people would onlygive them a chance to be respectable, as you have done with Tim," saidCaptain Sedley. "But what have you done about the prize?"
"We have voted to accept the offer of the gentlemen," answered Frank,rather doubtfully, as he looked earnestly into the face of his father,to discover the effect of his intelligence.
"I hope you looked on both sides of this question, as well as theother."
"We did, father."
Frank stated the different opinions that had been expressed by themembers during the debate, and the fact that they had informally given aunanimous vote against it. Captain Sedley was much amused by thenarration, in spite of the disappointment he felt at the ill success ofhis efforts to make the boys reason for themselves.
"I think your view is correct, Frank; though I am aware that many matureminds would arrive at a different conclusion. As you say, the envy andill will which the contest may excite are the evils most to be dreaded."
"Then you approve our decision?"
"I do."
Frank felt as happy at that moment as though he had been a general ofdivision, and had won a great victory. The consciousness of havingarrived, unaided by mature minds, at a correct conclusion, was a triumphin itself. He had exercised his thought, and it had borne him to a rightjudgment. He was proud of his achievement, and hastened back to the boatwith the intelligence of the approval.
"What does he say?" asked half a dozen of the members.
"Let us get off first, and then we will talk about it," replied Frank."Bowman, let go the painter; cast off the stern lines, there. Now, backher--steady."
"Tell us about it, Frank," said Charles Hardy, as the Zephyr glidedclear of the boat-house, out upon the deep waters of the lake.
"Ready--up!" continued Frank, and the eleven oars were poisedperpendicularly in the air.
"Down!"
The members had already begun to feel the inspiration of their favoriteamusement, and there appeared to have been nothing lost by the season ofinactivity which had passed away. They were as prompt and as perfect inthe drill as though they had practised it every day during the winter.Although it was a moment of excitement, there was no undue haste; everymember seemed to be perfectly cool.
"Ready--pull!"
And the broad blades dipped in the water, and bent before the vigorousarms of the youthful oarsmen.
"Starboard oars, cease rowing--back!" continued the coxswain, withadmirable dignity and self-possession; and the Zephyr, acted upon bythis maneuver, came about as though upon a pivot, without going eitherbackward or forward.
"Starboard oars, steady--pull!" and the rowers indicated by this commandcaught the stroke, and the light bark shot ahead, with her wonted speed,in the direction of Rippleton village.
"Zephyr, ahoy!" shouted some one from the shore.
"Tim Bunker--ain't it?" asked Charles.
"Yes."
"Humph! he needn't hail us like that. I was sure your father would neverpermit him to join the club," continued Charles, who fancied that heread in Frank's expression the disapproval of his father.
"You are in the wrong, Charley."
"Am I?"
"You are; my father cordially approved our action. Now, Zephyrs, I amgoing up to Flat Rock to take him aboard; and I hope every fellow willtreat him well--just as though he had never done anything out of theway. What do you say?"
"We will," they replied, with one voice.
"And then, if he does not walk straight, it will not be our fault. Treathim as though he was the best fellow among us. Let nothing tempt us toforget it."
Frank headed the boat towards the rock in the grove, and in a moment thebow touched it.
Without waiting for an invitation, Tim jumped into the boat, and tookthe vacant seat. Frank did not much like this forwardness: it was alittle too "brazen" to comport with his ideas of true penitence. But hedid not care to humble the "Bunker;" so he said nothing that would woundhis feelings.
"We are glad to see you, Tim; the club has this day elected you amember, and our director has approved the vote," said Frank.
"Has he?" replied Tim, with a broad grin.
"And, if you like, we will go up to the boat-house, where you may signthe constitution."
"Yes, I'll sign it," answered Tim, more as though it would be conferringa favor on the club than as a duty he owed to his new friends.
Frank gave the necessary orders to get the boat under way again. Timhandled his oar with considerable skill, and before they reached theboat-house, he had learned to time his stroke with that of hiscompanions.
When they landed, Captain Sedley took Tim apart with him, and verykindly told him what would be expected of him in his new relation,urging him to be true to his good resolution, and assuring him that heshould never want for substantial encouragement so long as he perseveredin well doing. Tim hung his head down while he listened to this kindadvice; his answers were short, but they were all satisfactory, so faras words could be taken as the index of his intentions.
Frank then read the constitution, and the new member listened to it withattention. The stringent provisions of the sixth article, which forbadeswearing, indecent language, and other boyish vices, brought a scarcelyvisible smile to his lips, and excited a doubt as to the success of theexperiment in the mind of the director.
"Now, Tim, you can sign it," said Frank.
"It's pretty strict--ain't it?" added Tim, with one of his peculiargrins, as he took the pen that was handed to him. "You know I ain't usedto being quite so strained up as you fellers, and I may
kinder breakthrough afore I know it."
"If you do, you shall be judged kindly and charitably," said CaptainSedley.
"Well. I'll sign it."
But it was not quite so easy a thing for Tim to sign; at least, toperform the mechanical part of the act, for he had been to school butlittle, and good penmanship was not one of his accomplishments. However,he succeeded in getting over the form, though it would have puzzled thesecretary to read it, if he had not known what it was.
"Now, Zephyrs, Tim is one of us," said Frank.
"He hasn't got any uniform," suggested Charles.
"He shall have one," replied Captain Sedley, as he wrote an order on Mr.Burlap, the tailor, to supply him with a uniform.
"All aboard!" shouted Frank. "We will pull up the lake, and see how theButterfly gets along. They have been practising for a fortnight, andthey ought to be able to row pretty well by this time."
"With Uncle Ben to show them how," added Fred Harper.
Again the Zephyrs were in their seats, and the boat was backed out intothe lake. The flags were unrolled, and put in their places. The gracefulbarge was nicely trimmed, so as to rest exactly square in the water, andeverything was ready for a sharp pull. The weather was cool, and theboys required some pretty vigorous exercise to keep them warm.
The various commands were given and executed with the usual precision,only that Tim, who was not thoroughly "broken in," made some blunders,though, considering his short service, his proficiency was decidedlycreditable.
The Zephyr darted away like an arrow, and the slow, measured, musicalstroke of the oars was pleasant and exciting to the rowers.
"You haven't told us about the other matter yet, Frank," said Charles,as the boat skimmed along over the little waves of the lake.
"Let us know about it," added Fred.
"About what?" asked Tim Bunker, whose modesty in his new position didnot seem to cause him much trouble.
"We are to have a race with the Butterfly, when Tony gets things to hismind," replied Frank.
"That'll be fun! Are ye going to put up anything?"
"Put up anything?"
"Yes; what's going to be the stakes?"
"I don't know what you mean, Tim."
"When they race horses, each man bets on his own."
"We are not going to bet; that would be contrary to the constitution."
"Would it? I didn't hear nothing about betting."
"Article second says that one of the objects of the association shall bethe acquiring of good habits in general; and I am sure betting is a verybad habit."
"Well, I s'pose it is."
"But several gentlemen of Rippleton have subscribed fifty dollars as aprize to the winner of the race," added Frank; "just as they give medalsin school, you know."
"Well, of course you will win."
"I don't know."
"You are used to your boat, and them fellers ain't."
"We can't tell yet; perhaps the Butterfly will prove to be a faster boatthan the Zephyr, and some of Tony's members are a good deal larger andstouter than ours. I think the chances are about equal."
"I think likely. What are you going to do with the money if you win?"
"I don't know; we haven't thought of that yet," replied Frank, notparticularly pleased with the question.
"Divide it among the fellers, I s'pose."
"I think not; we had better apply it to some useful purpose,--that is,if we win it,--such as enlarging our library, buying some philosophicalinstruments--"
"What's them?"
"An air pump, and other apparatus of the kind."
Tim did not comprehend the nature of the mystical implements any betterthan before; but as his mind was fixed upon something else, he did notdemand further explanation.
"Fifty dollars," said he; "how much will that be apiece. Thirteen intofifty; can any of you fellers cipher that up in your heads?"
"Three and eleven thirteenths dollars each," said William Bright, whopulled the next oar forward of Tim. "Three dollars and eighty-fivecents--isn't it?"
"Eighty-four and a fraction," replied Fred, with schoolboy accuracy.
"A feller could have a good time on that, I'll bet," ejaculated Tim.
"And many a poor man would like it to buy bread for his family," addedFrank. "But there is the Butterfly!"
Tim Bunker dropped his oar at this announcement, and was on the point ofrising to get a better view of the Zephyr's rival, when the handle ofWilliam Bright's oar gave him a smart rap in the back.
"Mind out!" said Tim. "Don't you know any better than to hit a feller inthat way?"
"Cease--rowing!" called Frank, as he saw Tim's first involuntarilydouble up, and his eye flash with anger.
"It was your fault, Tim, and you must not blame him," added thecoxswain, mildly, but firmly.
"My fault!" and Tim added an expression which I cannot put upon my page.
"Such language as that is contrary to the constitution," continuedFrank. "You stopped rowing without orders."
"What if I did!"
"You should not have done so. No member can do, or cease to do, withoutorders; that's our discipline."
Tim cooled off in a moment, made a surly apology for his rudeness, andthe Zephyr continued on her course.