"You are a brave fellow, Tony!" said Frank, warmly, as he grasped the wet hand of his friend.
"I am very wet and cold, whatever else I may be," replied Tony, trying to laugh, while his teeth chattered2 so that he could hardly speak.
"You had better go home; you will catch cold," continued Frank.
"We must wait for the fellows."
"No, you shall take six of the Zephyr's crew, and pull home as fast as you can, and we will wait for the rest."
"We can do no more good here; so we may as well go. Thank you for your offer, Frank, and I will accept it. If you like I will take Fred Harper to steer3 down, for I should like to pull an oar4 myself to warm up with."
"Certainly;" and Frank detailed5 six of his club, including Fred, who seated themselves in the Butterfly.
"I don't know about those rocks, Tony," said Fred, as he grasped the tiller ropes.
"The water is so high, that there is no danger, I will have an eye to the passage when we get to it," replied Tony, as he took his old place at the bow oar.
The Butterfly pushed off, and in a few moments after passed the dangerous rocks in safety. Her crew pulled with energy, and it is quite likely that they got warm before they reached the boat-house.
It was some time before the rest of the Butterfly's crew returned to the rocks where they had landed.
"Where's Tony?" asked one of them, a boy of fourteen, but so small in stature6 that his companions had nicknamed him "Little Paul," of whom we shall have more to say by and by.
"They have gone home; we sent six of our fellows with them. They were too wet and cold to stay here," replied Frank. "You can return in our boat."
"The gentleman wants to see Tony very much."
"Who is he?"
"His name is Walker; it would do your heart good to hear him speak of
Tony."
"I dare say; but Tony is worthy7 of all the praise that can be bestowed8 upon him. How is the lady?"
"She is nicely, and she thinks Tony is an angel. She declares that a dozen strong men could have done no more for them."
"She is right; you did all that could have been done by any persons. The Butterfly's first laurel is a glorious one, and I can congratulate you on the honors you have won."
"Thank you, Frank," said Little Paul, modestly. "I am sorry you were not with us to share the honors."
"We should have been, if it hadn't been for Tim Bunker," said Charles
Hardy9, a little sourly.
Tim had gone with the Butterfly, or Charles would not have dared to make such a remark.
"And if you had had your way, we shouldn't have come when we did," added
William Bright, smartly.
"What do you mean, Bill?"
"Didn't you protest against passing the rocks."
"I did, because it was directly in opposition10 to Captain Sedley's orders."
"Never mind, fellows," interposed Frank; "for my part, I am glad the Butterfly had it all to herself. She has just come out, and it will be a feather in her cap."
"But we saved the chaise," said Charles.
"We pulled it ashore11; it was safe enough where it was. The Butterfly saved the lives of the man and woman, and of the horse. They would have drowned, and all the glory consisted in saving them. Tony and his crew deserve all the credit, and I, for one, am happy to accord it to them."
"That's just like you, Frank!" exclaimed Little Paul. "I believe, if the two boats had changed places, you would have given us all the credit."
"You behaved nobly."
"Just as you would have done if you had been in Tony's place."
"We will talk that over some other time. We are ready to return when you are."
"I suppose there is nothing more to be done."
They were about to embark12, when they discovered a party of men approaching the place, several of them carrying ropes and poles.
"Hold on;" shouted Farmer Leeds, to whose house the boys had conducted the lady and gentleman. "We want your boat to get the chaise out of the river with."
"It is out now," replied Little Paul.
The boys waited till the party reached the river. A clump13 of trees had prevented them from seeing the chaise till they had got almost to the shore; and, as Little Paul expressed it afterwards, "they looked surprised enough, to see it high and dry upon the rocks."
"I must say one thing, Mr. Leeds," began Mr. Walker; "and that is, you have smart boys in this vicinity."
"Toler'ble," replied the farmer, with a smile.
"They are men in noble deeds."
"This boating business turns the boys into men; and though, in my opinion, it would be just as well to set 'em to work in the cornfields, there is no denying that it brings 'em out, and makes 'em smart."
"My wife would certainly have been drowned without their help."
"I daresay."
"But where is the little fellow that commanded the boat?" asked Mr.
Walker, scrutinizing14 the faces of the boys.
"He has gone home, sir; he was wet and cold."
"That is right; I am glad he has; I shall go and see him by and by. And these are the boys that brought the chaise ashore?"
"Yes, sir," replied Little Paul. "This is Frank Sedley, the coxswain of the Zephyr."
"Well, Master Sedley, I am under great obligations to you."
"Not at all to me, sir. Tony Weston saved you. We only pulled the chaise ashore."
"But you shall not be forgotten. The other boat is gone, you say?"
"Yes, sir. Tony Weston is the coxswain of the Butterfly."
"And a noble fellow he is, too. He will be a great man one of these days. It did my heart good to see how cool and collected he was; how skilfully15 he managed the boat, when it came down upon us like a race horse. He gave off his orders like a hero, and they were obeyed with a promptness and precision that would have been creditable to the crew of a man-of-war, after a three years' cruise. And then, when he ordered six of the boys to stay in the boat, and the rest to follow him into the water, it was really heroic. Over he went, with his crew after him, as though they had been so many ducks. And in the water, they worked with as much coolness and courage as though it had been their native element. I would give half my fortune to be the father of such a son."
"I would give all of mine," added Farmer Leeds. "You don't know half his worth yet. But there is nothing for us to do here; the men shall haul your chaise up to the house, and as we walk along I will tell you about Tony."
"Master Sedley, I shall see you again to-day or to-morrow. Tell Tony how highly I value his noble service, and tell him I shall call upon him this evening," said Mr. Walker, as he went away with Farmer Leeds.
"My father would be very happy to have you stop at his house while you remain in Rippleton," continued Frank, who was not sure that the farmhouse17 would accommodate him.
"As to that," interposed Farmer Leeds, "I can't offer you so grand a house as Captain Sedley's, but such as it is, you are welcome to it."
"Thank you, Master Sedley, for your hospitable18 invitation; but I think I will remain with my good friend here." And he departed with the farmer.
"All aboard!" said Frank, and the boys tumbled into the boat, and grasped their oars19.
The Zephyr pushed off, and her cheerful crew pulled merrily down the river. Frank was conscious that the organization of the boat clubs had been the means of accomplishing the good work which the crew of the Butterfly had just achieved. He was aware that some of the people in the vicinity had cherished strong objections to the clubs, and that Tony had had considerable difficulty in persuading the parents of his crew to allow their sons to join. The adventure at the bridge, he thought, would have a tendency to reconcile them, and to elevate and dignify20 boating. At any rate a good deed had been done, and the parents of those who had taken part in it could not but be proud of the laurels21 their sons had earned.
The Zephyr, under Frank's skilful16 pilotage passed the rocks in safety, though, as they darted22 through the narrow channel, he could see their sharp edges only a little way below the surface of the clear water.
They had scarcely entered the open lake before they perceived the Sylph, under full sail with a smashing breeze, close aboard of them.
"Frank!" shouted Captain Sedley, who was at the helm, while Uncle Ben was gazing at them with a very sorrowful face from the half deck.
"Ay, ay, sir!" replied Frank, as he laid the Zephyr's course towards the sailboat.
Though his father had only spoken his name, there was something in the tone which could not be misapprehended; but it did not occur to him, he was so engaged in thinking of the incidents at the bridge, that he had disobeyed his father's command in passing into the river.
As the Zephyr approached, the Sylph luffed, and came up into the wind, to wait for her. Frank brought his boat round under the stern of the sailboat, and "lay to" an oar's length from her.
"Frank," said his father, sternly, "I am surprised that you should venture among those rocks, when I have expressly forbidden you ever to go into the river."
"But, father, there was—"
"How could you do such a thing, after I had so carefully warned you—so positively23 interdicted24 it? Suppose your boat had been dashed in pieces," continued Captain Sedley, who, though deeply grieved at his son's apparent disobedience, was too indignant to hear an excuse; for such he supposed Frank was about to offer—one of those silly, frivolous25 excuses which boys sometimes seize upon to palliate their misconduct.
"I protested against it!" said Charles Hardy, rising from his seat.
"Shut up!" exclaimed Little Paul, his cheek glowing with indignation, as he pulled Charles back into his seat.
"I went to save life, father," replied Frank, almost choked by his emotions, a flood of tears springing in his eyes and well-nigh blinding him.
"To save life!" said Captain Sedley, touched by the reply, and far more by Frank's emotion.
He saw that he had spoken too quick—that his son had not passed the rocks without a good and sufficient reason.
"Yes, sir," replied Frank, struggling to master his feelings; and then he related all that had occurred at the bridge; how Tony had saved the lady and gentleman, and the horse; and how his crew had pulled the chaise ashore.
"You did right, Frank; forgive my hasty words," said Captain Sedley, with deep feeling.
"Good, my hearty26!" exclaimed Uncle Ben, clapping his hands.
A heavy load had been removed from the mind of the veteran, who had almost come to believe that Frank could do no wrong.
"Tony's a hero; and shiver my timbers, if he oughtn't to be president of the United States, when he's old enough," exclaimed Uncle Ben.
"He is a brave fellow. You have done well, both of you. However strict our orders are, no person should be a machine. Orders should be obeyed with judgment," continued Captain Sedley.
"That's a fact. I could tell a yarn27 about that," added Uncle Ben. "When
I was in the old Varsayles, bound round the Horn—"
"Another time we will hear your yarn, Ben," interposed Captain Sedley. "We will go over and see Tony now, and congratulate him on the honors the Butterfly has won. Haul in the gib sheet, Ben."
"Ready—pull!" said Frank.
"Who protested now, Master Charles Hardy?" asked Little Paul, as he good-naturedly punched the forward youth in the ribs28.
"Circumstances alter cases," replied Charles, sagely29, as he bent30 on his oar.
"Fact! but they altered them when the deed was done, not now, when you have found out that it was all right."
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1
zephyr
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| n.和风，微风 | |
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2
chattered
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| （人）喋喋不休( chatter的过去式 )； 唠叨； （牙齿）打战； （机器）震颤 | |
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3
steer
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| vt.驾驶，为…操舵；引导；vi.驾驶 | |
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4
oar
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| n.桨，橹，划手；v.划行 | |
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5
detailed
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| adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的 | |
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6
stature
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| n.（高度）水平，（高度）境界，身高，身材 | |
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7
worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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8
bestowed
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| 赠给，授予( bestow的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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9
hardy
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| adj.勇敢的，果断的，吃苦的；耐寒的 | |
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10
opposition
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| n.反对，敌对 | |
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11
ashore
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| adv.在(向)岸上，上岸 | |
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12
embark
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| vi.乘船，着手，从事，上飞机 | |
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13
clump
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| n.树丛，草丛；vi.用沉重的脚步行走 | |
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14
scrutinizing
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| v.仔细检查，详审( scrutinize的现在分词 ) | |
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15
skilfully
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| adv. (美skillfully)熟练地 | |
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16
skilful
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| (=skillful)adj.灵巧的，熟练的 | |
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17
farmhouse
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| n.农场住宅（尤指主要住房） | |
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18
hospitable
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| adj.好客的；宽容的；有利的，适宜的 | |
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19
oars
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| n.桨，橹( oar的名词复数 )；划手v.划（行）( oar的第三人称单数 ) | |
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20
dignify
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| vt.使有尊严；使崇高；给增光 | |
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21
laurels
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| n.桂冠，荣誉 | |
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22
darted
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| v.投掷，投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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23
positively
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| adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实 | |
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24
interdicted
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| v.禁止（行动）( interdict的过去式和过去分词 )；禁用；限制 | |
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25
frivolous
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| adj.轻薄的；轻率的 | |
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26
hearty
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| adj.热情友好的；衷心的；尽情的，纵情的 | |
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27
yarn
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| n.纱，纱线，纺线；奇闻漫谈，旅行轶事 | |
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28
ribs
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| n.肋骨( rib的名词复数 )；（船或屋顶等的）肋拱；肋骨状的东西；（织物的）凸条花纹 | |
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29
sagely
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| adv. 贤能地，贤明地 | |
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30
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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