All Aboard or Life on the Lake Part 32

The little Dip, which had a picked crew for the occasion, darted away up the lake, leaving the rest of the fleet to follow.

"Form a line!" shouted Frank, and the boats backed out from their positions, and in a moment had obeyed the order.

"Ready--pull;" and the fleet moved slowly and grandly up the lake.

The boys were in high spirits. There was something inspiring in the operations of the squadron that would have moved a more steady mind than that of a boy of twelve. Every moment was a revelation of the power that dwelt in them, of the beauty of order, of the grace of harmonious action. As in the great world, a single intractable spirit might have produced a heap of confusion, and it was the purpose of the organization to bring each into harmony with the whole.

The fleet reached the mouth of the river. Tony had placed buoys on the dangerous rocks each side of the channel, so that the boats, by approaching it in the right direction, could easily pa.s.s through in safety.

The Dip had been provided with a large number of these buoys. They were pieces of board, part of them painted red, and part blue, with a line and weight attached to each. Near the dangerous rock or shoal one of these buoys was to be located, which would be kept in place by the weight. The c.o.xswains had written instructions from the commodore to keep red ones on the starboard side, and blue on the port side, going up the river, and _vice versa_ coming down.

The Zephyr took position near the rocks to see that every boat approached the channel in the right direction, as, if they did not, they would be sure to strike. By these extraordinary precautions, the fleet pa.s.sed through in safety, and three stunning cheers announced that the pa.s.sage had been effected.

"Here we are, Charley," said Frank, as the Zephyr pulled ahead of the other boats.

"All safe, thanks to the skill and prudence of our commodore," replied Charles; and the reader will be struck with the modesty of his language.

"Where is Tony? I don't see him."

"Round the bend, I guess; but here are his buoys all along."

"Signal man, hoist the blue," continued the commodore; and the fleet followed in single line.

"Here's the bridge; I fancy Tony knows the soundings here," said Charles.

"Ay, there is the rock on which Mr. Walker's chaise hung. It is almost out of water, now."

"Did you hear what Mr. Walker said when some one asked him why he did not sue the town?"

"No; what was it?"

"He said it was the luckiest day of his life when he pitched off the bridge."

"Indeed!"

"He has thought so much better of humanity since, and it introduced him to Tony Weston, whom he calls a hero in embryo."

"Mr. Walker is a nice man--a whole-souled man."

"That he is! How many men would have done for us what he did? And I, in particular, have reason to be grateful to him," said Charles, with a sigh. "I shall never forget him and your father, wherever my lot is cast."

"That is manly of you, Charley. But I am sure they have been abundantly rewarded by your devotion to duty since."

"I have tried to do right."

"You have done well; everybody says so."

"I cannot soon forget what a fool I was to believe Tim's wicked lies. I suppose I wanted to believe them, or I should not."

"It is a great pity we ever let Tim into the club; but we meant right; we meant to reform him. Where do you suppose he is now?"

"Somewhere near the Cape of Good Hope."

"My father thinks he has got enough of the sea by this time."

"I dare say. Didn't you ever feel a desire to go to sea, Frank?"

"No; not lately."

"Nor I; Tim Bunker lent me the Red Corsair of the Caribbean Sea, just before that sc.r.a.pe, and I thought then that I should like to take a voyage."

"My father will not let me read such books; and since he has told me what they are, and what their influence is, I don't want to read them."

"There's Tony, with the red flag hoisted."

The red flag had been agreed upon as the signal to stop the fleet, when the navigation was very hazardous, or impracticable.

"Cease--rowing!" said Charles.

Frank ordered his signal man to hoist the red in the flag boat.

"Can't we go any farther than this?" asked Charles.

"I don't know; we are not more than a mile above the bridge."

"Here comes the Dip."

"Well, Tony, what's the matter?" said the commodore, as the tender approached.

"I haven't found a clear channel yet. The bed of the river is covered with rocks," replied Tony, as the Dip came alongside the Zephyr.

"Then we must call this the head of navigation," added Frank, with a laugh, though he was not a little disappointed to find the cruise up so soon.

"Perhaps not; there is water enough, but the twelve-oar boats are so long they can hardly dodge the rocks. The Lily and the Dart can get through very well."

"Have you sounded clear across?"

"I haven't had time to examine very thoroughly yet. If you let the boats lay off I will look farther."

"Very well; I will go with you in the Dart," replied the commodore, as he ordered up a white and a blue flag, which was the signal for the Dart to close up.

The signal was obeyed, and Frank followed the Dip. After half an hour's search, a clear channel was found close to the land; so close that the oars could not be used, and a party was sent on sh.o.r.e to drag them through with ropes.

The line was formed again, and the squadron slowly followed the Dip as she examined the river. For the next mile there were no obstructions.

"Twelve o'clock!" shouted Fred Harper from the Bluebird.

"Dinner time, then," replied Frank. "Here is a beautiful grove, and we will land and dine. Hoist the orange"--the signal to land.