"We must give her a wide berth," I replied.
"Why so? Her people will not know that it isn't all right with the Adieno."
"We are in no immediate1 danger; but suppose the captain of this boat should find means to get to Cannondale before the Champion does, he might engage her to go in pursuit of us."
"That would be jolly!" said Tom Rush. "We should have a glorious race!"
"But the chances are against us in a race," I[245] replied, confounded by the temerity2 of Tom in thinking of such a thing as contending with the steamboat men on their own ground.
"Not a bit of it, Ernest. The Adieno is the faster boat of the two—that has been tried a dozen times," added Tom, as much excited as though the race had actually commenced.
"We must not attempt to beard the lion in his den3."
"Why not? We might as well be hung for an old sheep as a lamb. We are in a scrape, and even Vallington thinks it is a bad one by this time. The more advantage we gain, the better terms we can make."
"I don't know about it, Tom. I feel as though we had carried this thing about far enough, and the sooner we get out of the scrape, the better it will be for us."
"Those are my sentiments. My father is part owner in this boat, and I think he will not enjoy the idea of our going off on a cruise in her," added Bob Hale.
"Pooh! we won't hurt her," replied Tom.[246]
"We don't intend to hurt her; but we are following a business just now that we don't know much about."
"Don't you know the lake, and don't Vallington know all about the engine?"
"Neither of us has had any experience."
"That's so," added Bob. "In my opinion breaking away is about played out. We have made up our minds that we can't have anything more to do with Mr. Parasyte, and we may as well return to Parkville, and go to work in a more reasonable way. We can send the circulars to our parents, and dig out of the difficulty the best way we can."
"I agree to that," I answered. Not that I cared for myself, for my "breaking away" was a much more serious matter than that of my fellow-students; but I thought it better for them to get out of the mud before they sank any deeper into the mire4.
"I am willing to do as the rest of the fellows do; but I don't want to be whipped round a stump5 when there is no need of it," continued[247] Tom. "If the Champion chases us, I go for keeping out of the way till we can retire from the field without any broken heads."
"So far I shall agree with you, Tom," I replied. "I am not in favor of surrendering, to be kicked and cuffed6 by these steamboat men, who are not exactly lambs in their dispositions7."
"What's the use of talking?" interposed Bob Hale. "The Champion is not after us, and it does not appear that she will be."
"It appears so to me," I answered. "I have no idea that the captain of the Adieno will stay on Pine Island all day. I found a way to get ashore8 this morning, and I think he will be able to do so."
"Perhaps he will."
"I am perfectly9 satisfied that he will reach the shore by one o'clock, if he has not already done so. No doubt he thinks his boat will be smashed to pieces, or blown up, if he does not recover her soon. He isn't going to sit down and bite his finger nails."
"He may not be able to get the Champion," replied Bob Hale, who evidently did not wish to[248] believe that there would be a contest for superiority between the two steamers.
"I don't profess10 to be a prophet, Bob, but I can see through a millstone when the hole is big enough. I will tell you just how I think it will be. The captain of the Adieno will make a raft, and get to Cannondale. Then he will take the Champion for Parkville, arriving about half past one. The boat does not start on her trip down the lake till five o'clock, and that will give her three hours and a half to spare. You may take my word for it, that time will be used in chasing us."
"Very likely you are right, Ernest; we shall see. It is twelve o'clock now, and we haven't much time to consider what we shall do," said Bob Hale, looking very serious; and it was evident now, if it had not been before, that he had strong objections to any steamboat enterprises.
"It's nearly dinner time," added Tom; "and I must go and see about the provender11."
Bob Hale went below to have a talk with Vallington, and the commissary left for the kitchen, to provide our noon rations12. I was left alone in the[249] wheel-house. I enjoyed my occupation very much; but the talk of my friends had filled me with doubts and fears, so that my situation was not so delightful13 as before. I could not help asking myself what was to come out of this scrape, and it seemed to me that it could result in nothing but defeat and disaster.
The Adieno was approaching The Sisters, at one of which there was a pier14, like that at Pine Island, which had been erected15 for the use of the scows employed in the transportation of the wood cut on the island. I knew that the water around it was deep enough for the steamer, for I had seen her land there. Between the two islands there was a channel not more than twenty rods wide, by which alone the wood pier could be reached.
The channel had barely depth enough in the middle to permit the passage of the Adieno; but as it was perfectly straight, and the water high in the lake, I considered myself competent to take her through. The boat minded her helm very prettily16, and there was no current in the channel to interfere17 with my calculations, so that I did not regard the[250] place as very difficult navigation. I had been through the channel twenty times in the Splash. The pier ran out from the island to the deep water, so that I had only to run the bow up to it, and make fast to the ring. The steamer would be safe here, and, being concealed18 between the islands, could only be seen from one point above and one below; and here we could have our dinner, and hold our important consultation19 without the danger of interruption.
I had another and stronger motive20 for entering this channel, and without which, perhaps, I might not have had the confidence to run even the slight risk which the navigation of the passage involved. It was so fully21 ground into my bones that the Champion would be after us about three o'clock, or as soon as she had landed her passengers at Parkville, that I wished to be fully prepared for any emergency. To the north of the "North Sister," and to the south of the "South Sister," the water was shoal for a mile in each direction, while the channel between the islands seemed to have been kept open by the strong south-west and north-east winds, as they forced[251] the waters through. At any rate, there was a channel with five feet of water in it, though I was not entirely22 certain in regard to the explanation of the fact.
The Champion was a larger boat, drawing one foot more water aft than the Adieno, and therefore could not pass through the channel, or come within half a mile of the wood pier. My idea was, that in this position we could not be approached by our anticipated pursuer, as we lay moored23 at the wharf24. If chased, I might be able to gain on the Champion by running through The Sisters Channel, which would enable me to come out two or three miles ahead of her on the opposite side, as she would be obliged to go a mile, north or south, to get round the shoal water.
I was so pleased with the calculation I had made, that I could not help wishing I was employed in a better cause than in fighting the battle of a parcel of runaway25 students,—it would have been so exciting to play the game of strategy in real earnest, and in a good cause. I plumed26 myself just then on being a great navigator, and a shrewd calcula[252]tor, and I wished to test my plans. It so happened, however, that they were tested, as the sequel will show.
The Adieno approached the narrow channel, which was just as clearly defined in my mind as though the bottom of the lake had been laid bare to me; for I had always been obliged to keep in the deep water even when I went through in the Splash. As the wind, though not so strong as it had been in the morning, still came fresh from the north-west, I hugged the weather side of the channel, and, with the boat at full speed, went on my course. I was just on the point of ringing one bell to slow down, when the steamer's wheels suddenly stopped.
"What are you about, Thornton?" shouted Vallington, rushing out of the engine-room to the forward deck, both excited and angry.
"I'm all right!" I replied, provoked at his singular conduct in stopping the boat at such a critical point.
"Where are you going? Do you want to run us all ashore?"
"I don't, but I think you do. Go ahead, or we[253] shall be aground in a moment," I added, as the Adieno was losing her headway, and we were not yet sheltered by the North Sister from the force of the wind.
"I'm not going any farther into this hole," replied he, sternly. "I think you are crazy, Thornton, to take the boat into such a place."
"I know what I am about," I answered, rather sharply; "and if you will take care of the engine, I will look out for the helm."
"You'll smash the boat all to pieces—going into a little, narrow, dirty channel at full speed."
"I know the channel as well as I know my own name. If you will go ahead, we shall be all right!" I shouted.
"I won't go ahead any farther into this hole," said he, decidedly.
"O, yes, go ahead," interposed Bob Hale. "Ernest knows what he is about."
"Perhaps he does; but I want to know what he is about too. I don't want the steamer smashed or injured."
It was of no use for me to say anything more,[254] and I held my tongue. The Adieno had now entirely lost her headway, and as the strong wind began to act on her top works, she drifted over to the lee side of the channel. She grated a moment on the bottom, and then stuck fast, hard aground, so far as I could judge.
"There! now do you see what you have done?" shouted Vallington, stamping his foot angrily upon the deck.
"I see what you have done," I replied, as calmly as I could; and that was not saying much, for I was very indignant at being charged with what was plainly his doing.
And there we were, hard and fast aground, with a tempest brewing27 between the general and the commodore.
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1
immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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temerity
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| n.鲁莽，冒失 | |
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3
den
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| n.兽穴；秘密地方；安静的小房间，私室 | |
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mire
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| n.泥沼，泥泞；v.使...陷于泥泞，使...陷入困境 | |
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stump
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| n.残株，烟蒂，讲演台；v.砍断，蹒跚而走 | |
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6
cuffed
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| v.掌打，拳打( cuff的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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7
dispositions
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| 安排( disposition的名词复数 )； 倾向； （财产、金钱的）处置； 气质 | |
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8
ashore
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| adv.在(向)岸上，上岸 | |
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9
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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10
profess
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| v.声称，冒称，以...为业，正式接受入教，表明信仰 | |
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11
provender
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| n.刍草；秣料 | |
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12
rations
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| 定量( ration的名词复数 )； 配给量； 正常量； 合理的量 | |
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13
delightful
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| adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的 | |
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14
pier
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| n.码头；桥墩，桥柱；[建]窗间壁，支柱 | |
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15
ERECTED
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| adj. 直立的，竖立的，笔直的 vt. 使 ... 直立，建立 | |
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16
prettily
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| adv.优美地；可爱地 | |
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17
interfere
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| v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰 | |
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18
concealed
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| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
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19
consultation
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| n.咨询；商量；商议；会议 | |
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20
motive
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| n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的 | |
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21
fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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23
moored
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| adj. 系泊的 动词moor的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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24
wharf
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| n.码头，停泊处 | |
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25
runaway
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| n.逃走的人，逃亡，亡命者；adj.逃亡的，逃走的 | |
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26
plumed
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| 饰有羽毛的 | |
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27
brewing
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| n. 酿造, 一次酿造的量 动词brew的现在分词形式 | |
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