THE "GOLDWING" AT SANDY POINT.
Dory Dornwood had been to the point before, and had met Paul Bristol
there. Of course, the son of toil had never associated with the
Chesterfields on anything like an equality, and he had no especial
interest in them or their affairs. In the quarrels between the two
schools he had been entirely neutral, for the reason that he had not
been called upon to take part in any of the battles, and his opinion of
the merits of either side was of no consequence.
Dory gave the resident of the point his hand, as he came on board of the
"Goldwing," and was glad to see him. Possibly the skipper was willing to
have a friend in this particular locality, though he knew that Paul had
no influence with the gentlemanly students of the institute.
"I picked up your boat over by Scotch Bonnet," said Dory. "It was just
going on the rocks, and I thought it would have a hard time there. I
knew from the direction of the wind that it must have come from this
region, and I was afraid some one had been upset in her, for there was
only one oar in the boat."
"No one was upset in her, though the 'Dragon' is not inclined to stay
right side up when the sea is heavy," replied Paul. "I am more thankful
to you than I can tell for bringing her back at just this time. If you
are willing to hear me, I should like to tell you how she happened to
get adrift, and why I am so glad to get her back."
"I am in no hurry, and I am ready to hear anything you wish to say to
me," replied Dory, as he invited Paul to take a seat in the
standing-room.
There were five other Beech Hill students in the boat, and they seemed
to be as willing to hear the story as the skipper was. All of them
judged by the manner of the Sandy-Pointer that he had something of
interest and importance to tell. Paul gave his account of the trouble
between Lily and Walk Billcord without exaggeration or embellishment,
though he did not do justice, in his modesty, to his own prowess in the
battles with the magnate and his son.
The narrative was exciting enough to secure the closest attention of
his auditors; and, when it was finished, all of them had some questions
to ask, and most of them some comments to make. As they were not
prejudiced in favor of the major or his son, they agreed that the son of
toil had served them right. Dory said he should have been very sorry to
strike a man of the age of Major Billcord, but he did not see how he
could have helped doing so under the circumstances.
"And he has ordered you to remove the cottage at less than a day's
notice?" continued the skipper.
"He has, and at a time when my boat had gone adrift, and I had no way to
move a single thing which we could not carry two miles in our hands.
That is the reason why I was so glad to see the 'Dragon' coming back to
the point," replied Paul, looking at the skipper of the "Goldwing" with
the deepest interest. "But the water is rather rough this afternoon out
on the lake, and I am afraid I can't do much towards moving my mother
and sister and all the furniture in that flatboat."
"Then you mean to leave the cottage to be pitched into the lake?" added
Dory.
"I don't see that we can do anything else," replied Paul blankly. "It is
about a quarter of a mile through the woods to the road, and Major
Billcord will not allow a tree to be cut down. I could not move it if I
had a hundred men to help me. I might take it to pieces, if I had time
enough to do the job; but we have little time, and not much money."
"Suppose we go on shore and take a look at the cottage," suggested Dory,
who seemed to be doing some heavy thinking, though he did not hint that
he knew of any remedy for the misfortunes of the Bristols. The tender
was brought up to the gangway, and Dory went ashore in it, accompanied
by Tuck Prince, while Paul took the "Dragon" back.
The skipper walked up to the cottage, and Paul introduced him to his
mother and sister. Dory had never seen Lily Bristol before, but he was
perfectly willing to agree with the "speech of people," that she was the
prettiest girl in the State of New York, and possibly in the State of
Vermont. But she looked very sad, and so did her mother, and Dory said
nothing to them about the mandate of the magnate.
The visitor looked at the house, and got its approximate dimensions in
his mind. He examined the foundations of the structure, and the land
upon which it lay. He was thinking, but he said nothing.
"Of course, Major Billcord knows very well that we cannot move the
cottage without making a pathway for it through the grove," said Paul,
who had observed the expression on Dory's face with the utmost interest.
But he had not expected that the skipper of the "Goldwing" could do
anything about moving the dwelling: the most he had hoped was that the
visitor would volunteer to assist in the transportation of the
furniture, or a portion of it, to some safe place, if such could be
found. But Dory was provokingly silent, and did not hint at anything.
When he had completed his examination of the premises, he walked towards
the end of the point again.
"I suppose you will agree with me that not a thing can be done," said
Paul as he followed the skipper; and he began to be very much
discouraged at the prospect.
"I don't know whether anything can be done or not," replied Dory,
musing. "I can't do anything myself, for I don't feel at liberty to act
without the knowledge of my uncle, Captain Gildrock," replied Dory. "If
you could move the cottage, have you any other place to put it?"
"Not a place. My mother owns a house, but not a foot of land in the
wide universe," answered Paul gloomily.
"It is not very easy to think of any plan for moving the building when
we haven't any idea of what is to be done with it," added Dory,
surveying with his eye the ground between the cottage and the water of
the lake.
"I didn't suppose you could do anything for us in that way," continued
Paul. "I thought we might save some of our furniture in the 'Dragon.'"
"You couldn't even get a bureau on board of her," replied Dory, glancing
at the flatboat. "If you laid it across the gunwales, it would upset
her. But I have an idea, though it may not amount to much. What are your
mother and sister going to do? I take it they will not stay here to see
the Chesterfields destroy your cottage and its contents?"
"No; they will leave in the morning; but there is no place under the sun
for them to go. We have no relations, and hardly any friends," answered
Paul very sadly.
"As I said before, I can't do anything without orders in a case like
this. I am very sorry for you. If the situation were what my uncle
defines as an emergency, I should be permitted to do what is required
to save life or property. But there is nearly a whole day's leeway in
this case," continued the skipper.
"I didn't know but you might carry some of our things over to the other
side in the 'Goldwing,' Paul hinted very timidly.
"I might be able to take some of them; but the schooner would not hold
one-half of the goods. I hope to do something better than that, though I
can't promise anything. So far as the furniture is concerned, I don't
think you need to worry about that, for there will be time enough to
remove it to-morrow morning," said Dory.
"Plenty of time, if I have any help," added Paul.
Dory hoped he should be able to do something better than this; and the
words had given Paul a strong hope, though he wished the skipper would
speak out plainly, and say what he thought of doing.
"It is now about five o'clock," continued Dory, looking at his watch.
"We have plenty of time, and I have something to propose. I can't do
anything without my uncle's knowledge, but I should like to have your
mother and sister go over to Beech Hill in the 'Goldwing;' and you too,
Paul, if you don't think it necessary to remain here and look out for
the cottage."
"What should they go over there for?" asked the son of toil.
"To tell my uncle your story. If Captain Gildrock decides that nothing
can be done for you, I will bring your mother and sister back before
dark. Then I will take a cargo of your goods to any place you say in
this part of the lake. That is all I feel at liberty to do under the
present circumstances," added Dory. "But I am pretty sure that something
more will be done for you."
"I will speak to my mother about it," replied Paul. "Will you come with
me, Dory?"
The skipper followed him to the cottage, and Paul stated the case to his
mother. She was willing to do anything her son thought best. She did not
think it was necessary for Lily to go if Paul was to remain in charge of
the house; but Dory thought she was a part of the story, and anticipated
some hard questions from his uncle which she could answer better than
any other person. Mrs. Bristol yielded the point, and in a few minutes
they were ready for the trip.
The ladies were seated in the standing-room, and the Beech-Hillers were
as polite as so many dancing-masters, "tinkers" though they were. A
short distance from the shore the wind was still fresh; and in half an
hour the "Goldwing" was in Beechwater, as the principal of the school
generally called the lake.
Without waiting to moor the schooner, which he left in charge of Tuck
Prince, Dory pulled the ladies to the new boat-house in the tender. They
landed at the steps, and the skipper conducted them to Captain
Gildrock's library. They were pleasantly welcomed by the principal,
though they were entire strangers to him.
Dory stated that he had brought Mrs. Bristol and Miss Lily from Sandy
Point, and he wished his uncle to hear the story they had to tell. He
hinted that the visitors had better confine themselves to the facts in
the case, without any comments; and, as Lily had been the principal and
first actor in the drama, he thought she had better open the narrative.
Possibly Dory thought an account of the opening proceedings from the
lips of so pretty a girl as Lily might have more influence with his
bachelor uncle. The captain smiled graciously, and bowed encouragingly
to the fair maiden. She began in a very straightforward way with the
narrative, and Dory was glad the occasion permitted him to gaze at her
without staring.
When she had completed her narrative, there was but little more for her
mother to say. The principal asked a few questions, and then he was in
possession of all the facts. He knew all about Major Billcord, and he
had no difficulty in believing the simple and unadorned statement to
which he had listened. Very likely he was as indignant as any Christian
man would have been at the outrage of the magnate and his son, but he
did not express himself in this direction.
When Mrs. Bristol and Lily had said all they had to say, the captain
looked at Dory to see if he had anything to offer. Dory was not slow to
take a hint, and he made quite an energetic speech of considerable
length, setting forth his views of the situation.