IN WHICH ERNEST IS CHOSEN COMMODORE OF THE FLEET.
The procession of boats went off in good style, after the line was
straightened; but the flat-boat was large and heavy, and it required a
hard pull to put her in motion. The boys rowed well, and the wind was
fresh enough to enable the Splash to do her full share of the work.
The distance from the Institute to the island was two miles and a
half, and at the rate we moved, I calculated that it would take nearly
two hours to accomplish the voyage.
The movements of the students had been so sudden and so well arranged,
that if any one saw them, there was not time to interfere before the
boats were off. When the scow was fairly in motion, I saw Mr. Gaule,
one of the teachers, and the two laborers on the estate, rushing down
to the pier, apparently intent upon doing something.
"Come back, boys!" shouted Mr. Gaule.
No one made any reply, or took any notice of him.
"Come back, I say!" he cried again, but with no better result than
before.
I was very glad that none of the boys made any insulting replies. They
were as silent and dignified as so many judges. We all knew very well
that Mr. Gaule had not force enough to attempt anything, and we did
not expect to be molested until the return of Mr. Parasyte.
In something less than the two hours I had allowed for the passage,
the procession of boats reached Cleaver Island. I was perfectly
familiar with every foot of the shore, and I decided that the landing
should be effected on the western side, at a point of land which
extended out a short distance into the lake. The rowers landed and
carried the painter of the scow on shore, by which they pulled the
clumsy craft up to the bank.
The tents, cooking utensils, and other camp furniture, were landed and
conveyed to the high ground in the southerly portion of the island. As
soon as this work was done, Henry Vallington intimated that he wished
all the boys to assemble near the point, for a "powwow," to consult
upon the state of affairs. The word was passed from mouth to mouth,
till all the rebels had gathered at the appointed place.
"Now, fellows, we want to make arrangements for doing this business in
good order. When Mr. Parasyte gets back to the Institute, and finds
that we are gone, he will not be likely to take it as quietly as he
has all day. Our breaking away has really broken up the Parkville
Liberal Institute, and I shouldn't be surprised if its principal took
some decided steps. I haven't any idea what he will do, but in my
opinion he will do something."
"What can he do?" asked Tom Rush.
"He can do a great many things, and especially a great many foolish
things. I suppose, when we come down to the niceties of the matter, we
hadn't any right to take the boats or the tents. In fact, Mr. Parasyte
stands _in loco parentis_ to us."
"In what?" asked one of the boys who did not study Latin.
"In the place of our parents; and therefore has authority to do
anything which parents might do. I can't help saying that I have no
respect for Mr. Parasyte; that I despise him from the bottom of my
heart. He knows, just as well as we do, that Bill Poodles made the
trouble yesterday, and he persists in punishing Thornton for it. For
such a man I can have no respect."
"So say we all!" shouted the boys.
"There is no safety for any of us, if we permit such injustice. He may
take a miff at any of us any time. I hope that something good will
come out of this scrape; and I think that something will."
I learned then, for the first time, that Vallington had drawn up a
paper, setting forth the grievances of the students, in which several
instances of Mr. Parasyte's injustice and partiality were related, and
concluding with a full history of the affair between Poodles and
myself. This paper had been signed by eighty-one of the students, and
the publisher of the Parkville Standard had engaged to print it on a
letter sheet, to be sent to the parents of the rebel scholars.
"Mr. Hardy has been discharged. He was the best man in the
Institute--just and fair. I don't know anything about it; but I am
satisfied that he was sent away because he condemned Mr. Parasyte's
treatment of Thornton."
"That was the reason," added Bob Hale. "Mr. Hardy saw Ernest last
night, after the row in the office."
"I think we have the right of the case," continued Vallington, "though
I suppose we are wrong in breaking away; but, for one, I won't see a
fellow like Ernest Thornton browbeaten, and flogged, and ground down.
If Mr. Parasyte wants to grind down one, he must grind down the
whole."
"I am very much obliged to you," I interposed; "but I want you to
understand that I don't ask any one to get himself into a scrape for
me."
"When we protect you, Thornton, we protect ourselves. Your cause is
our own. We won't say anything more about that matter. We are here now
in a state of rebellion, and we must make the best of our situation.
When Mr. Parasyte will give us fair play, we will return to the
Institute."
"We will," replied some of the boys; but I am free to say that they
hoped he would not give them fair play until they had spent a week or
more in camp.
"Now, fellows, we will see how we stand, and make arrangements for the
future. We have boats and tents, and these are about all we have. We
have provisions enough for supper and breakfast. We must get a supply
of eatables to-night or in the morning. It will require money, but I
suppose all of you have some; at any rate, I told you to bring your
money with you, if you had any."
Most of the boys had some funds, which had been saved from their
pocket money for a Fourth of July Celebration, planned months before.
"We need some officers, and as I don't believe in one-man power, I
shall ask you to elect them. Please to nominate a treasurer."
"George Weston!" shouted one of the students.
"George Weston is nominated. All in favor of his election will
manifest it by raising the right hand."
It was a unanimous vote, and the nominee was declared elected.
"Now we want to raise the money, we need to buy provisions, fairly. If
any one will make a motion, it will be in order," added the chairman.
The Parkville Debating Society, an association connected with the
Institute, had fully educated the students in parliamentary forms, and
they were entirely "at home" in the business before them.
"I move you, Mr. Chairman, that each fellow be assessed fifty cents
for expenses," said one of the students.
The motion was put and carried; and after Fred Mason had been elected
clerk, the treasurer was instructed to collect the assessments
forthwith. The next business was the selection of a commissary, and
Tom Rush was chosen to this important office.
"Mr. Chairman, I nominate Ernest Thornton for commodore of our
squadron," said Bob Hale; and, though the nomination created some
merriment, on account of the high-sounding title of the officer, the
vote was unanimous.
"I accept, Mr. Chairman; but I should prefer to be called simply the
boatman," I replied.
"That won't do!" exclaimed Bob. "Ernest is to have charge of all the
boats, including the scow, and I am in favor of calling him
commodore."
"We won't dispute about titles," laughed Vallington; "but the boats
are all under Thornton's charge. I advise the commissary to consult
with the commodore, immediately, in regard to procuring a supply of
provisions for the company."
The rest of the business was soon completed. As an indication of the
spirit of the boys, it was voted that the place should be called "Camp
Fair Play." Vallington announced that six boys should be chosen each
day to do the cooking and serve out the provision; that a watch should
be kept around the camp night and day, to prevent a surprise from Mr.
Parasyte and his forces; and that all work should be fairly divided
among the students, with the exception of those who had been elected
to offices. The boys then separated; and those who had been detailed
to pitch the tents commenced their work.
"Commodore," said Tom Rush, laughing at the title.
"Mr. Commissary," I replied.
"Good! We are even, except that you are a bigger officer than I am."
"What can I do for you?"
"About the provisions--how shall we get them?"
"In the boats, of course," I replied.
"Do you think it will be quite safe for us to go back to Parkville?"
"We won't go there. It is only about six miles to Cannondale, on the
other side of the lake. I think we had better go to-night, for we
don't know what will happen to-morrow."
"That's a capital idea! I was thinking how awkward it would be to
answer the questions that would be asked of us in Parkville. To-night
it is. How many of us shall go?"
"Only you and I. The Splash will carry a good load. What are you going
to buy?"
"We must live cheap," replied the commissary.
"I think we will bring off hams, potatoes, and bread or crackers."
"Those will be good feed. I advise you to make out a list of what you
will want."
"I will do so."
"But we need not buy everything we want. The lake is full of fish, and
I know just where to catch them."
"That's first rate," added Tom, with enthusiasm. "But it will take a
heap of fish to feed all the fellows."
"I have caught a boat-load of lake bass and salmon trout in a day. I
will agree to catch fish enough to feed the crowd for a week. But the
fellows will want something besides fish to eat. Potatoes are cheap,
and so are pork and bacon."
"When shall we start?"
"The sooner we go the better. We have no time to spare. There is a
good wind now, and we may not have it much longer. I will land you at
Cannondale in an hour; and if the breeze holds, we shall return by
nine o'clock."
Tom Rush went to the treasurer to procure the funds he had collected,
and hastened down to the Splash; but before the commissary joined me,
a messenger came from Vallington to inform me that the lookouts on the
bluff at the southerly end of the island had discovered a boat pulling
towards the camp. I had a small spy-glass in one of the lockers of the
Splash, with which I repaired to the bluff, to ascertain who the
intended visitors could be.
"I suppose that boat bodes trouble to the camp," said the leader.
"I think it does, for it contains Mr. Parasyte and Deputy Sheriff
Greene," I replied, after examining the boat through the glass.