Part 19 (1/2)

CHAPTER XVII.

DORY DORNWOOD DECIDES TO ”FACE THE MUSIC.”

”I'm not going back to Plattsburgh!” exclaimed Corny Minkfield. ”My mother will want to know what has become of me by this time.”

”What are you going to do, Corny?” asked Dory in the gentlest of tones.

”I am going back to Burlington,” answered Corny.

”All right! I don't object,” added Dory, as he headed the boat for Plattsburgh.

Thad laughed, and Nat and d.i.c.k smiled. Corny talked and acted as though he ”owned things;” and the others were rather pleased to see him taken down a peg when he was in this mood.

”You promised to take us back to Burlington, Dory; and now you are going to drag us back to Plattsburgh,” growled Corny.

”But you don't want to sail all over the lake with a thief. If I go to Burlington now, I shall be running away from the officers. I must go to Plattsburgh, and face the music.”

”Hurrah for Dory!” shouted Thad. ”Is that the way a thief does it?”

”Hurrah for Dory!” added d.i.c.k Short. ”That isn't the way a thief does it.”

”But I want to go home. I don't want my mother to worry about me,” added Corny.

”You called me a thief just now, and I can't run away from the place where they accuse me. I will put you ash.o.r.e at the light-house, or on Colchester Point.”

”You might as well put me ash.o.r.e on Stave Island. I want to go back to Burlington.”

”We are bound to Plattsburgh now; and I shall not stop to rest until I have seen the men that charge me with stealing that money,” replied Dory very decidedly.

”The man that charges you is in that steamer, and you run away from him,” retorted Corny.

”The Missisquoi is hard and fast aground. If I give myself up to him, I shall only have to stay on board of her all day; for he may not get off.

I may be in Plattsburgh before he is.”

Corny grumbled a while longer, but the skipper took no further notice of him. The course of the Goldwing carried her within a short distance of the stern of the Missisquoi. Captain Vesey and Pearl had tugged at the poles until they saw that it was useless to attempt to get the steamer off in that way.

Pearl was plainly disgusted with the situation. The bow of the boat was as far out of water as when the schooner pa.s.sed her before, and the efforts with the poles had not started her a hair. When the enterprising extra pilot of the steamer saw the Goldwing coming, he hastened to the stern.

”Come alongside, Dory Dornwood! I will make it as easy as I can for you when we get to Plattsburgh. Take me on board,” shouted Pearl.

”I am going to Plattsburgh to face the music,” replied Dory.

”Take me with you!” called Pearl.

”I don't want you,” answered Dory.

”I can get you off, and make it all right with you.”