CHAPTER XVIII.
WRECK OF THE BUTTERFLY.
The next day Mr. Walker arrived at Rippleton himself. The noble-heartedgentleman seemed to be in unusually good spirits, and the boys noticedthat he and Captain Sedley often exchanged significant glances. Theywere all satisfied that something was about to happen, but they couldnot imagine what.
Frank and Tony had been requested to invite their friends to assemble atZephyr Hall at nine o'clock, on Wednesday morning; so that when Mr.Walker entered the hall with Captain Sedley, the whole school, to thenumber of over seventy, were gathered there.
Charles Hardy was there with the rest; but he seemed to be a differentboy. He had lost that forwardness which had often rendered him adisagreeable companion. He had been forgiven; Mr. Walker had spoken tohim very kindly, and all his friends treated him as though nothing hadhappened; but for all this, he could not feel right. His sufferings werenot yet ended; repentance will not banish at once the remembrance offormer sin and error. There was a deep feeling of commiserationmanifested towards him by his associates. He was to them the returnedprodigal, and they would fain have killed the fatted calf in honor ofhis happy restoration.
The Zephyrs and the Butterflies wore their uniforms, and Mr. Walker wasso excited that all the boys were sure a good time was before them;though, as the boats had not yet been recovered, they were at a loss todetermine the nature of the sports to which they had been invited.
The Rovers still maintained themselves on the island. The rupturebetween Tim and Barney had evidently been healed; for both partiesseemed to mingle as though nothing had occurred to mar their harmoniousaction.
The boys at the boat-house were not kept long in suspense in relation totheir day's sport. Captain Sedley formed them into a procession, whenall had arrived, and, after appointing Fred Harper chief marshal,directed them to march down to Rippleton, cross the river, and halt uponthe other side till he came.
When they reached the place they found Uncle Ben there, and soon afterwere joined by Captain Sedley and Mr. Walker.
"Follow us," said the former, as he led the way down to a little inletof the lake, whose waters were nearly enclosed by the land.
"Hurrah!" shouted Fred Harper, suddenly, when he obtained a view of theinlet, and the cry was taken up by the whole party.
"The fleet! The fleet!" was passed from mouth to mouth; and unable tocontrol their excitement, they broke their ranks and ran with all theirmight down to the water's side.
Resting gracefully, like so many swans, on the bright waters of theinlet, lay five beautiful club boats. They were of different sizes, andfore and aft floated their flags to the gentle breeze.
I will not attempt to describe the wild delight of the boys when theybeheld the splendid boats. The bright vision of a fleet, which they hadso cheerfully abandoned to be enabled to do a good and generous deed,was realized. Here was the fleet, far surpassing in grandeur their mostmagnificent ideal.
Five boats! And the Zephyr and the Butterfly would make seven!
"You have done this!" exclaimed Frank, as Mr. Walker approached.
"Your father and I together did it. Now, boys, if you will form a ringwe will explain."
"Three cheers for Mr. Walker first," suggested Tony.
They were given, and three more for Captain Sedley.
"My lads, I heard all about your giving up the fleet to help Mr. Munroeout of trouble. It was noble--heroic, and I have since taken pains toinform myself as to the manner in which you conducted yourself after thebrave sacrifice. As far as I can learn, not a regret has been expressedat the mode in which your money was applied. Here is your reward," andhe pointed to the boats. "They are the gift of Captain Sedley andmyself. I am sorry that these Rovers have taken your other boats; but itenables us to observe the difference between good boys and bad boys.Nay, Master Hardy, you need not blush; for, though you have erred, youhave behaved heroically; you risked your life to escape from them; youare forgiven."
This speech was received with shouts of applause, and Charles Hardystepped forward with tears in his eyes to thank the kind gentleman forhis generosity towards him.
"Now, boys," said Captain Sedley, "we are going to recover the lostboats."
"Hurrah!" shouted all the boys.
"Two of these boats, you perceive, carry twelve oars each. The crew ofthe Zephyr will man the Bluebird."
The Zephyrs obeyed the order.
"The crew of the Butterfly will man the Rainbow," continued CaptainSedley.
The Butterflies seated themselves in the new boat.
"This is merely a temporary arrangement, and when we get the otherboats, we shall organize anew. We want practised oarsmen for our presentservice. While we are absent, Uncle Ben will instruct the rest of theboys in rowing."
Captain Sedley and Mr. Walker then seated themselves in the stern sheetsof the Bluebird.
"Now pull for Center Island," said the former. "Tony, you will followus."
The two boats darted out of the inlet, leaving Uncle Ben in charge ofthe "recruits."
The Lily and the Dart were eight-oar boats, while the Dip carried onlyfour, and was designed as a "tender" for the fleet. Uncle Ben assignedplaces to the boys, though there were about thirty left after the oarswere all manned. After an hour's drilling, he got the crews so theycould work together, and the boats were then employed in conveying therest of the party over to the boat-house. The others in their turn wereinstructed and before noon Uncle Ben had rendered them tolerablyproficient in the art of rowing.
When the Bluebird reached Center Island, Tim had just embarked in theButterfly, and Barney was preparing to do the same in the Zephyr. TheRovers were utterly confounded at this unexpected invasion of theirdomain, and hastily retreated from the beach.
William Bright, who was the coxswain of the Bluebird, ran her alongsidethe Zephyr, and took her in tow. In like manner they took possession ofthe Sylph and the "gondola," leaving the Rovers "alone in their glory,"with no means of escaping from the island. With the three boats in tow,they pulled for the beach.
"Now for the Butterfly," said Captain Sedley, as he placed the Sylph incharge of Uncle Ben, and directed William Bright to steer up the lake.
Away dashed the Bluebird. The excited crew had observed the Butterflyabout a mile off, pulling towards the river. Tim Bunker, at this safedistance, had paused to observe the movements of the invaders. He was asmuch confounded as Barney had been, and seemed to be at a loss what todo; but when he saw the Bluebird headed towards him, he ordered his crewto pull for the river.
"Steady, boys," said Captain Sedley, when they had approached within aquarter of a mile of the chase. "Probably they will run her ashore andleave her."
But Tim did not mean to do anything of the kind, and was running theButterfly directly for the river.
"They will dash her in pieces, I fear," continued the director, when heperceived Tim's intention. "Pull slowly--put her about, and perhaps theywill return."
The Bluebird came round; but Tim dashed madly on, heedless of the rocks.
"She strikes!" exclaimed Mr. Walker.
"Round again--quick!" added Captain Sedley. "They will all be drowned!She fills! There they go!"
The Butterfly had stove a hole in her bow; in an instant she was filledwith water, and, careening over, threw her crew into the lake, wherethey were struggling for life.
"Your boat is stove, Tony," said Captain Sedley to the coxswain of theButterfly, who had exchanged places with Fred Harper, for the chase.
"Never mind the boat; save the boys!" replied Tony.
"Bravo! my little hero!" exclaimed Mr. Walker.
In a few moments the Bluebird reached the scene of the disaster. TheButterfly was so light that she did not sink; and most of the Roverswere supporting themselves by holding on at her gunwale. Tim and two orthree more had swum ashore, and one would have been drowned, ifassistance had not reached him when it did.
The discomfited Rovers were rescued from their perilous situat
ion, andafter a severe reprimand, were landed at the nearest shore. Tim made hisescape; but probably none of them have since felt any inclination toimitate the freebooters.
The Butterfly was towed down to her house, and taken out of the water.It was found that two of her planks had been stove, and that the damagecould be easily repaired. Mr. Walker proposed sending to Boston for aboat-builder; but Captain Sedley was sure that Uncle Ben, with theassistance of the wheelwright, could repair her quite as well.
The Bluebird then returned to the beach, and the boys were dismissedtill three o'clock. The situation of the Rovers on the island was nextdiscussed by Captain Sedley and Mr. Walker, and it was decided that, asTim had escaped, it was not expedient to punish his companions, who wereless guilty. So Uncle Ben, with Frank and Tony, was sent off to bringthem ashore. Barney and his band were glad enough to get off. Theyfreely acknowledged that they had had enough of "camping out." It wasnot what they anticipated. Nearly all of them had taken severe colds,and since the rain on Monday night, which had spoiled their provisions,they had been nearly starved. Barney declared that they meant to returnthe boats that night, and if Captain Sedley would "let them off" thistime, they would never do such a thing again. Like Charles, they hadbeen punished enough, and with some good advice they were permitted todepart. How they made peace with their parents I cannot say; butprobably many of them "had to take it." As for Tim Bunker, he did notshow his face in Rippleton again, but made his way to Boston, where heshipped in a vessel bound for the East Indies; and everybody in town wasglad to get rid of him.
Thus ended the famous "camping out" of the Rovers. It was a verypleasant and romantic thing to think about; but the reality wassufficient to effect a radical cure, and convince them that"yellow-covered books" did not tell the truth.
At three o'clock the boys reassembled, and the crews were organized andofficers selected. By a unanimous vote, Frank Sedley was chosencommodore of the fleet. The next morning the Butterfly was repaired, andthe squadron made its first voyage round the lake.
But as the rest of the week was occupied in drilling, and the maneuverswere necessarily imperfect, I pass over the time till the Augustvacation, when the fleet made a grand excursion up Rippleton River.