by Oliver Optic
CHAPTER XXV.
IN WHICH ERNEST PILOTS THE ADIENO TO PARKVILLE.
The Champion could not pass through the narrow and shoal channelbetween The Sisters, and my calculation had been correct. I was soelated at the victory that I could not refrain from calling for thecheers, though it was bad policy for us to crow over such rivals. Amoment before, the nerves of all on board of the Adieno had beenstrained to their utmost tension by the exciting peril of the moment.The bow of our pursuer had actually lapped over the stern of oursteamer, and we expected the captain of the Adieno, who stood on therail, holding on to an awning stanchion, would leap on board of us,after he had bawled himself hoarse in ordering us to stop.
The pilot of the Champion was evidently the coolest man in thesteamer, and he had run her to the very mouth of The SistersChannel; but he knew that she could not go through, and at the lastpracticable instant, he had "stopped" and "backed," leaving thevictory with us. It was a tremendous relief when the pressure wasremoved from our overstrained nerves; and never were cheers givenmore enthusiastically, even madly, than those which saluted thepeople of the Champion at the dawn of our triumph.
The Adieno had entered the narrow channel, and I doubt not herappalled captain on the deck of the other boat expected to see her"take the ground" and be smashed to pieces. The moment I saw thepursuer was backing out, I rang to stop her, and then to go aheadslowly; for I had no more idea of smashing her than I had of smashingmy own head.
"Silence, now!" I shouted to the boys on deck, who were still yellingto the utmost capacity of their lungs; for I was afraid the noisemight drown the sound of the bell in the engine-room, in case I hadoccasion to ring it.
The students hushed up instantly. They had climbed upon the rails,and secured other positions where they could obtain a view of ourdiscomfited pursuer; and a more excited and delighted set of fellowsnever gathered on the deck of a steamer.
"Have your eye on the Champion, Bob, and tell me what she does," saidI to my companion in the wheel-house; for I needed both of my own eyesto keep the Adieno in the channel, where a slight mistake on my partwould have ruined all my plans, and perhaps the steamer in which wesailed.
"I will," replied he.
"What is she doing?"
"Nothing."
"Don't she move?"
"No--she hasn't started yet. They probably expect us to go ashorebefore we get through the channel."
"Well, the longer she waits there, the better for us, for she can'tcome through," I added.
The Adieno passed safely through the channel, and came out into thebroad lake beyond The Sisters. I rang to go ahead at full speed again,for we had now a clear run to Parkville before us.
"The Champion has started her wheels again, Ernest," said Bob Hale,as I rang the bell; "she is backing out of the inlet into the openlake."
"All right--let her back. We have a good three miles the start of her,and she can't catch us before we get to Parkville," I replied.
I informed Vallington through the speaking tube in regard to thesituation, with which he was entirely satisfied. I asked him to keepthe boat moving at her best pace, assuring him, if he did so, that wewere perfectly safe from capture. In half an hour we passed PineIsland, with the Champion, which did not appear to be strainingherself, fully three miles astern. I was afterwards told that thecaptain of the Adieno held her back, fearing that if she crowded usagain, we should run ashore, burst the boiler, or otherwise damage hissteamer.
In an hour and a half after the passage of The Sisters Channel, wewere off the bluff, within half a mile of the steamboat pier, which wesaw crowded with people. It was plain that we had succeeded increating an excitement, and not a few of us had some _delicacy_ aboutlanding in the presence of the multitude. The Champion still kept herrelative distance from us, and was now more than a mile beyond CleaverIsland.
"Where shall we land?" I asked of Vallington through the tube, afterBob and I had considered the matter a little.
"Wherever you please, commodore," replied our chief.
"What do you say, Bob?" I added, turning to my companion.
"Can't we land at the boat pier, in front of the Institute?"
"No; there isn't water enough to float the Adieno. In fact the onlysafe place is the regular steamboat pier."
"I suppose my father is there, and I don't like to meet him just yet,"replied Bob, earnestly.
"We can anchor within a few rods of the Institute pier, and land inthe Splash," I suggested.
"I like that better."
"But the Splash would have to go three or four times to land thefellows, and the Champion would be upon us before we could all getashore," I added.
I stated the plan and the objections to Vallington.
"Let us face the music like men," said he, decidedly.
"I think that is the better way," I continued to Bob. "So far as wehave done wrong, let us acknowledge the corn, and take theconsequences."
Bob Hale assented, overcoming his modesty with an effort, and I headedthe Adieno for the steamboat pier. I think we all felt a littlebashful about landing in the presence of so many people. The studentswere directed to make no noisy demonstrations of any kind, and torepair directly to the school-room of the Institute, where Mr.Parasyte would soon find us, and where we hoped to make a finaladjustment of all the difficulties.
As we approached the pier, the boat was "slowed down," and the fastsgot ready for landing; and other work was done as regularly andproperly as though we were all old steamboat men. At the regular time,I stopped her wheels, and she ran her bow up gently to the wharf, andthe line was thrown ashore. A couple of turns of the wheels backwardbrought the Adieno to a stand-still, and our cruise was ended.Vallington let off steam, and we formed in a body, intending to marchashore as compactly as possible, in order to feel the full force ofthe bond of association.
With Vallington at the head of the procession, we landed. Some of thecrowd hooted at us, others laughed, and a few steamboat owners beratedus roundly. We heeded none of them, but made our way through the mob,up the pier. Before we reached the street, it suddenly occurred to methat I had left the Splash made fast to the stern of the steamer. Ihad forgotten her in the exciting whirl of events. When I told BobHale and Tom Rush that I must return for my boat, they volunteered toaccompany me.
"Robert," said a stern voice, as we moved down the wharf.
We halted, and Bob's father confronted him.
"What does all this mean?" demanded Mr. Hale. "Are you one of thosewho ran away with the steamer?"
"I am, sir," replied Bob, squarely, but with due humility.
Mr. Hale bit his lips with chagrin. Probably he had hoped that his sonwas not one of the reckless fellows who had taken possession of theAdieno. But Bob was a noble fellow, and seldom gave his father anycause to complain of his conduct,--so seldom that he appeared to beappalled at the magnitude of the present offence.
"Robert was opposed to taking the steamer from the first," Iinterposed, hoping to save him from some portion of his father'sdispleasure.
"I went with the rest of the fellows, and I am willing to bear myshare of the blame."
"What does all this mean? What possessed you to do such a thing?"asked Mr. Hale.
"We could not endure the injustice of Mr. Parasyte any longer; thatwas the beginning of it. And when he came in the steamer to PineIsland, and took away our provisions, we ran off with the steamerrather than be starved out," answered Bob.
"What business had you on Pine Island?"
"We have been breaking away."
"Breaking away! I should think you had! Were you concerned in thesedisgraceful proceedings, Robert?"
"I was, sir. I am willing to own that I have done wrong."
Mr. Hale's stern look softened down, and I ventured to ask him to takea seat in my boat, and go over to the Institute, where he would havean opportunity to hear the whole story of the "breaking away," andjudge for himself. During this conversation, a crowd had gatheredaround us, c
urious to know what had happened; and the charge we madeagainst Mr. Parasyte was publicly proclaimed. Mr. Hale accepted myinvitation, and we shoved off from the Adieno just as the Championcame up to the pier.
"Stop them! Stop them!" shouted the captain of the Adieno, as I washoisting the jib.
No one ventured to stop a boat in which Mr. Hale, the most importantperson in the county, was seated.
"We want those boys!" called the angry captain again. "They are theones who ran off with the boat."
"Captain Woelkers," said Mr. Hale, mildly.
"Ah, Mr. Hale!" exclaimed the captain, as he recognized the principalowner of the steamer he commanded.
"By whose authority did you take the Adieno to Pine Island to-day?"
"Mr. Parasyte wanted her, and I let him have her," stammered thecaptain.
"Did you consult the agent?"
"No, sir; he was not at home."
"Do you generally leave your boat with steam up without an engineer?"
"I never did before, but we needed every man to bring off the thingson the island," replied Captain Woelkers, his confusion crimsoning hisface.
"It appears that you have used the boat without authority, andpermitted her to be taken from you by a parcel of boys. I will see youat my house this evening. You may fill away, Ernest, if you areready."
Mr. Hale did not say another word, and I ran the Splash over to theInstitute pier. I landed my passengers, and we all walked up to theschool-room, where the rebels had by this time assembled.
"Henry Vallington, I am sorry to see you engaged in such a disgracefulaffair as this," said Mr. Hale, when he met our leader.
"I am very glad you have come, sir, for I feel that we need counsel,"replied Vallington. "Perhaps you will not consider the affair sodisgraceful, after you have heard the whole truth."
"Nothing can justify your conduct in running away with the steamer. Itis a miracle that you were not blown up, or sunk in the lake."
Vallington handed our distinguished guest one of the circulars he hadprocured at the printer's on his way up to the Institute, the "copy"of which had been given out before the "breaking away."