Part 10 (1/2)

Frank and Charles, on their way to school, decided upon the boys whom they should invite to join the club; and in the course of the forenoon they were asked to a.s.semble on the beach, without being told the precise object of the meeting.

The boys' heads were so full of the club boat that it required a great deal of courage to enable them to study in school that day; but so closely had Captain Sedley connected the idea of improvement with the club, that they struggled hard, and succeeded in getting ”perfect lessons.”

CHAPTER VI

THE EMBARKATION

At half-past one the members of the embryo boat club were on the beach.

Those who were not informed before their arrival of the nature of the ”time” in store for them were in ecstasies when they beheld the beautiful boat reposing so lightly and gracefully on the tranquil bosom of the clear lake. None of them had ever seen such a fairy bark before, and it more than realized their idea of the airy and graceful craft of which they had read and thought.

Uncle Ben had not arrived yet; but he had evidently been there during the forenoon, for the boat had been taken from her moorings, and was now secured by a line attached to a stake driven in the sand.

The boys, as a matter of course, were very impatient to take their first lesson in rowing, and to skim over the gla.s.sy lake in the splendid barge before them.

”Where is Uncle Ben?” asked Charles, hardly able to control his impatience.

”He will be here soon; it is not two o'clock yet,” answered Frank.

”Don't be in a hurry, Charley,” added Tony, who had seated himself upon the sand, and considering the exciting circ.u.mstances of the day, demeaned himself like a philosopher.

”I am so anxious to get a peep at the inside of her,” replied Charles, as he took hold of the line that held the boat, and pulled her towards the sh.o.r.e. ”Don't you think he will be here before two o'clock?”

”I don't know. I wouldn't touch her, Charley,” said Frank.

”See how she shoots ahead! I scarcely pulled at all on the line.”

The light bark, under the impulse of Charles's gentle pull, darted to the sh.o.r.e, throwing her sharp bow entirely out of the water.

”Don't, Charley; you will sc.r.a.pe the paint from her keel on the sand,”

interposed Frank. ”She is built very lightly, and my father says she cost him four hundred dollars.”

”I won't hurt her. Just twig the cus.h.i.+oned seats in the stern, and see all the bra.s.s work round the sides! My eyes, how it s.h.i.+nes!” exclaimed Charles, holding up both hands with delight.

”Just see the oars!” added Fred Harper.

”And there are the flags rolled up in the stern,” said another boy.

”Won't we have a glorious time!” continued Charles, as he placed one foot on the bow of the boat.

”Don't get in, Charley; that isn't fair,” interposed Tony Weston.

”It won't do any harm;” and Charles stepped into the boat.

Half a dozen other boys, carried away by the excitement of the moment, followed his example, and jumped in after him. Charles led the way to the stern of the boat, walking over the seats, or, to speak technically, the ”thwarts.”

The light boat, which had been drawn far out of the water, and which now rested her keel upon the bottom, having no support upon the sides, rolling over on her gunnel, and tumbled the boys into the lake.

”There! Now see what you have done!” cried Tony, springing up, and pus.h.i.+ng the boat away from the sh.o.r.e.