by Oliver Optic
CHAPTER IV.
IN WHICH ERNEST SAILS THE SPLASH, AND TAKES A BATH.
Difficult as the task was, I had thus far kept cool; but my sentencefell heavily upon me, and I could not help being angry, for I feltthat I had been treated unfairly and unjustly. Poodles's statement hadbeen accepted, and mine rejected; his word had been taken, while mine,which ought at least to have passed for as much as his, was utterlydisregarded.
I turned upon my heel and went to my seat. My movement was sharp andabrupt, but I did not say anything.
"Stop!" said Mr. Parasyte, who evidently believed that the moment hadcome for him to vindicate his authority.
I did not stop.
"Stop, I say!" repeated the principal.
I proceeded to pick up my books and papers, to enable me to complyliterally with my sentence.
"Come here, Thornton."
I took no notice of the order, but continued to pack up my things.
"Do you hear me?" demanded Mr. Parasyte, in a loud and angry tone.
"I do hear you, sir. I have been expelled, and I don't care aboutlistening to any more speeches."
"If you don't come here, I'll bring you here," added the principal,with emphasis.
Somewhat to my surprise, but greatly to my satisfaction, the boys madeno demonstration in my favor. They seemed to think I was now in a moodto fight my own battle, though they were doubtless ready to aid me ifI needed any help. Mr. Parasyte appeared to have begun in a way whichindicated that he intended to maintain his authority, even at the riskof a personal encounter with me and the boys who had voluntarilyespoused my cause.
Having packed up my books and papers, I took the bundle under my arm,and deliberately walked out of the school-room. The principal orderedme to stop; but as he had already sentenced me to expulsion, I couldsee no reason why I should yield any further allegiance to the magnateof the institution. He was very angry, which was certainly anundignified frame of mind for a gentleman in his position; and I wassmarting under the wrong and injustice done to me. Mr. Parasytestopped to procure his hat, which gave me the advantage in point oftime, and I reached the little pier at which my boat was moored beforehe overtook me.
I hauled in the painter, and pushed off, hoisting the mainsail as theboat receded from the wharf. Mr. Parasyte reached the pier while I wasthus engaged.
"Stop, Thornton!" shouted he.
"I would rather not stop any longer," I replied, running up theforesail.
"Will you come back, or I shall bring you back?" demanded he,fiercely.
"Neither, if you please."
"If you wish to save trouble, you will come back," said he.
"I'm not particular about saving trouble. If you have any businesswith me, I will return."
"I have business with you."
"Will you please to tell me what it is?"
"No, I will not."
"Then you will excuse me if I go home," I added, as I hoisted the jib.
There was only a very light breeze, and the Splash went off veryslowly. I took my seat at the helm, trying to keep as cool aspossible, though my bosom bounded with emotion. I was playing astrange part, and I was not at home in it. I could not help feelingthat I was riding "a high horse;" but the injustice done me seemed towarrant it.
"Poodles, call the men," I heard Mr. Parasyte say to his flunky, andsaw him run off to execute the command.
"Once more, Thornton, I ask you to come back," said the principal,still standing on the pier, from which the Splash had receded not morethan a couple of rods.
"If you have any business with me, sir, I will do so," I replied. "Youhave expelled me from the school, and I don't think you have anythingmore to do with me."
"I want no words or arguments. It will be better for you to comeback."
"Perhaps it will; but I shall not come."
There was not breeze enough to enable me to make a mile an hour, and Ihad some doubts in regard to the result, if Mr. Parasyte persisted. Hedid persist, and presently Poodles returned with two men, who wereemployed upon the school estate, and whose services were so oftenrequired in the boats that they were good oarsmen. I comprehended theprincipal's plan at once. He intended to chase me in the boat, andbring me back by force. I was rather amused at the idea, and shouldhave been more so if there had been a fair sailing breeze.
The Splash was the fastest boat on the lake, or, at least, faster thanany with which I had had an opportunity to measure paces. But it madebut little difference how fast she was, as long as there was hardlywind enough to stiffen the mainsail. Mr. Parasyte ordered the men totake their places on the thwarts, and ship their oars. I saw that alittle farther out from the shore there was a ripple on the water, andputting one of my oars out at the stern, I sculled till I caught thebreeze, and the Splash went off at a little livelier pace.
By this time all the boys had gathered on the bank of the lake to seethe fun, and it _was_ fun to them. I knew that their sympathies werewith me, and I only wished for a better breeze, that I might dojustice to myself and to my boat. But the chances for me wereimproving as the Splash receded from the shore. Mr. Parasyte had takenhis place in the stern sheets of the row-boat, and was urging forwardthe men at the oars, who were now pulling with all their might. Icould not conceal from myself the fact that they were gaining rapidlyupon me. Unless the wind increased, I should certainly be captured;for the two men with the principal would ask no better sport than tooverhaul and roughly handle an unruly boy.
But the wind continued to increase as I went farther out upon thelake, and I soon had all that was necessary to enable me to keep a"respectful distance" between the Splash and the row-boat. By thistime my anger had abated, and I had begun to enjoy the affair. With asix-knot breeze I could have it all my own way. I could still see theboys on the shore, watching the chase with the liveliest interest andsatisfaction. They were not silent observers, for an occasional cheeror shout was borne to my ears over the lake, and I could see thewaving of hats, and the swinging of arms, with which my friendsencouraged me to persevere.
Mr. Parasyte was resolute. He felt, doubtless, that the reputation ofthe Parkville Liberal Institute, and his own reputation as adisciplinarian, were at stake. The tumult in the school-room early inthe afternoon would weaken his power and influence over the boys,unless its effects were counteracted by a triumph over me. Right orwrong, he probably felt that he must put me down, or be sacrificedhimself; and he continued to urge his oarsmen forward, intent uponcapturing and subduing me.
While I had the breeze I felt perfectly easy. I had stood out from theshore with the wind on the beam, and there was nothing to prevent myrunning before it directly to the cottage of my uncle. I was disposedto tantalize my pursuer, and wear out his men. I knew that my silentguardian would not thank me for leading Mr. Parasyte into hispresence, and I was willing to gratify him in this instance. Besides,the students on the shore seemed to derive too much enjoyment from thescene to have the sport cut short. Hauling aft the sheets, I stooddown the lake, close to the wind, until I had brought my pursuerastern of me. I then brought the Splash up into the wind, and coollywaited for the row-boat to come up within hailing distance.
Mr. Parasyte, deceived by my position, thought his time had come. Hewas much excited, and with renewed zeal pressed his oarsmen toincrease their efforts. When he had approached within a few rods ofme, I put up the helm, and dashed away again towards the pier. Again Idistanced him, and ran as near to the pier as I dared to go, fearfulthat I might lose the wind under the lee of a bluff below the schoolgrounds. The boys hailed me with a cheer, which must have beenanything but soothing to the feelings of Mr. Parasyte. Then, "wing andwing," I ran off before the wind; and, still unwilling to deprive myfriends of the excitement of witnessing the race, I again stood outtowards the middle of the lake.
The principal could not give up the pursuit without abandoning thehigh position he had taken, and subjecting himself to the derision ofthe students. He followed me, therefore, and I led him over the
samecourse he had gone before. On my return I unfortunately ran in alittle too near the shore, and got under the lee of the bluff, whichnearly becalmed me. I realized that I had made a fatal blunder, and Iwished I had disappointed the boys, and continued on my course acrossthe lake, where the wind favored me. I tried to scull the Splash outof the still water before Mr. Parasyte came up.
"Pull with all your might, men!" said the principal, excitedly; andthey certainly did so.
Seeing that he was upon me, I attempted to come about, and run offbefore the wind; but I had lost my steerage-way. I suppose I wassomewhat "flurried" by the danger of my situation, and did not do aswell as I might have done.
"Pull! Pull!" shouted Mr. Parasyte, nervously, as he steered therow-boat.
Thus urged, the men did pull better than I had ever known them to dobefore. The principal of the Parkville Liberal Institute was noboatman himself, and his calculations were miserably deficient, orelse his intentions were more vicious than I had given him credit for.He was angry and excited; and as I looked at him, it seemed to me thathe did not know what he was about. The Splash lay broadside to him.She was a beautiful craft, built light and graceful, rather thanstrong and substantial. On the other hand, the row-boat was a solid,sharp, ram-nosed craft, setting low in the water; and on it came atthe highest speed to which it could be urged by the powerful musclesof the strong men at the oars.
"Pull! Pull!" repeated Mr. Parasyte, fiercely, under the madness ofthe excitement and the resentment caused by the hard chase I had ledhim.
"Down with your helm, or you will smash me!" I shouted, seeing that acollision was inevitable.
If Mr. Parasyte did not intend to run me down, my warning was toolate. The row-boat came upon me like a whirlwind, striking the Splashon the beam, below her water-line, and staving in her side as thoughshe had been a card box. I do not know whether this was a part of theprincipal's programme or not; but my boat was most effectuallysmashed, and, being heavily ballasted, she went down like a rock. Itwas hardly an instant after the shock before I felt her sinkingbeneath me. The two men at the oars of the principal's boat, withoutany order from Mr. Parasyte,--for he knew not what to do,--backedwater. I could swim like a fish; and as the Splash sank beneath me, Istruck out from the wreck, and was left like a waif floating upon theglassy surface of the lake.
ERNEST SAILS THE SPLASH AND TAKES A BATH. Page 54.]