Boat Club; or, The Bunkers of Rippleton

by Oliver Optic

  CHAPTER V

  THE CLUB BOAT

  For a fortnight the Bunkers did not venture to approach the residenceof Captain Sedley. The raft, which Uncle Ben had been instructed tobreak up, was removed some distance down the lake before he had time toexecute his orders. After a few days the memorable incident of the"Fourth" ceased to be talked about, and was finally forgotten.

  Two weeks passed away. Uncle Ben had been absent from home three days.He went to Boston with his employer, who returned without him. ToFrank's earnest inquiries as to where he was, his father only repliedthat he would return soon.

  It was after nine o'clock in the evening on the third day when hereturned. Frank teased him to tell where he had been all the time; butUncle Ben only looked strange and mysterious, and would not gratify hiscuriosity.

  Frank got up the next morning quite early, and walked over to the widowWeston's with Charles. On their return, a new object on the lakeattracted the attention of the latter.

  "Hello, Frank! what's that?" exclaimed he. "By gracious! it is a newboat!"

  "So it is; and what an odd-looking craft!"

  Both boys ran with all their might down to the little beach by the roadto get a nearer view of the strange boat.

  "My eyes! look at it!" ejaculated the wondering Charles.

  "What can it mean? It wasn't there last night," said Frank.

  "No; and it looks like the boats we read about in the fairy books. Ishouldn't wonder if she dropped down out of the clouds. Isn't she abeauty?"

  "That she is! And how long and slender she is!"

  "One, two, three--twelve places for the oars," cried Charles.

  "Uncle Ben knows something about her, I believe!" exclaimed Frank, as abeam of intelligence penetrated his mind.

  "Just twig the bow! 'Tis as sharp as a razor."

  "And there is her name on each side of it--Zephyr! What a pretty nameit is!"

  "So it is. That boat's a ripper, let me tell you!" said Charlesenthusiastically.

  "A what?" asked Captain Sedley, coming down from a thicket in the groveclose by, where he had been enjoying the astonishment of the boys.

  "O father!" exclaimed Frank, "whose is she? Where did she come from?What is she for?"

  "One question at a time, Frank. But before I answer any of them, let mesay a word to you, Charles. You said she was a 'ripper' just now."

  "That wasn't any harm, was it?"

  "Not a very elegant word, though. I will warrant you cannot find it inthe dictionary."

  "I merely meant that it was a very fine boat."

  "I presume you meant nothing wrong; but such expressions do not addanything to the force of language, and using them may induce a badhabit. If you associated with boys accustomed to use profanity, thisdesire to use strong words would lead you into the practice."

  "I never thought of that."

  "Just now you said, 'By gracious!' Such phrases are apt to induceprofanity, and are no addition whatever to the force of your remark."

  "I don't know that they are."

  "You were very much surprised at seeing this boat."

  "We were, indeed."

  "Frank, it is yours," added Captain Sedley, turning with a smile to hisson.

  "Mine, father!" exclaimed Frank, clapping his hands.

  "It is yours, and of course your friends will derive as much pleasurefrom its use as you will yourself."

  "But where did it come from, father?"

  "Two months ago, when the Bunkers first began to amuse themselves withthe raft, the idea of procuring it occurred to me. I saw that you andCharles both had a great desire to join in their sports. For obviousreasons I could not permit Frank to do so; but I immediately resolvedthat you should have the means of enjoying yourselves on the lake insafety and comfort, and I ordered this boat to be built."

  "Isn't she a beauty!" exclaimed Charles.

  "But, Charles, do you remember what you said a fortnight ago?"

  "No, sir."

  "When you were talking here on the evening before the Fourth of July?"

  "I said a great many things, I suppose, and some of them not quite sobright as they might have been," replied Charles, wondering whatweakness of his was now to be exposed.

  "Your remark was to the effect that boys who were obliged to mind theirparents were the losers for their obedience."

  "But I did not mean so, sir."

  "You meant some of it, Charles. You wanted to go on the raft, and youfelt at that moment as though it was a disagreeable duty to obey yourparents. But I think it was only a momentary feeling."

  "I am sure it was, sir."

  "Let this beautiful boat, then, convince you that obedience to yourparents is your duty, and ought to be your pleasure."

  "How came it here, father?" asked Frank. "I am completely mystified."

  "Uncle Ben has been in Boston the past three days, procuring itsoutfit; and yesterday it was brought up to the village on therailroad."

  "That's why you would not tell me where he was."

  "It is; I thought I would surprise you. Last night after dark Uncle Benand I rowed it up from the village."

  "Wasn't we surprised, though?" added Frank.

  "I'll bet we were," replied Charles.

  "What, Charles, more of your inelegant speeches?" said Captain Sedley.

  Charles blushed.

  "I didn't mean to; I will try and break myself of that habit."

  "Do; it is a foolish practice."

  "But, father, what shall we do with her? Has she got any sails?" askedFrank.

  "No, my son. It is what is called a club boat. It is pulled by twelveoars. In Boston, and a great many other places, a number of young menform themselves into a little society for the purpose of amusingthemselves with these boats. You perceive it is built very long,narrow, and sharp, so as to attain the greatest speed; and rowing it isa very healthy and pretty exercise, as well as the most excitingamusement."

  "I should think it would be; but, father, can't we get into it, so asto see what it is like?"

  "Not now. To-day is Wednesday, and this afternoon Uncle Ben shall giveyou your first lesson in rowing."

  "Can we row it alone?" asked Frank, looking perplexed as he saw thetwelve row-locks.

  "No, Frank; you must form a society, a club, as they do in the city.You must have thirteen boys; twelve to row, and one to steer."

  "Hurrah! won't that be fine!" exclaimed Charles with enthusiasm.

  "But, boys, you must be careful whom you invite to join the club. We donot want any bad boys--especially none of the Bunkers."

  "Not one of them," added Charles promptly.

  "Tony shall be one," said Frank.

  "Tony is a good boy," replied Captain Sedley.

  "Fred and Sam Harper," suggested Charles.

  "They are very well; but I shall leave the selection of the club toyou, boys," continued Captain Sedley. "I am going to have a boat-housebuilt by the side of the other for your boat, and in one end of it willbe a room for your meetings."

  "That will be nice!" ejaculated Charles. "Won't we have the fun!"

  "You must make a kind of constitution; that is, some regulations forthe government of the club."

  "You will make those for us, won't you, father?" said Frank.

  "No; I prefer that you should make them yourselves."

  "We don't know how."

  "I can tell you something about it. In the first place, you will want aclerk and a coxswain."

  "A what?" asked both boys together.

  "A coxswain. When you sail he steers the boat, and has the command. Heis, in fact, the captain. When you hold a meeting, he will be thechairman."

  "Who will be coxswain?" asked Charles, with a look of inquiry at Frank.

  "You will choose him by vote, as well as the clerk," answered CaptainSedley.

  "But the regulations, father?"

  "You must have no profanity, no lying, no vulgar language; and no boymust be permitted to neglect his school, or his duties at
home, onaccount of the boat."

  "We can fix all that," said Charles.

  "I intend that this club shall be a society for the promotion of yourmoral welfare, as well as a means of amusement. In your club-room I amgoing to place a library for your use; and next winter, when the lakeis frozen over, you can meet there for amusement and instruction."

  "That will be first-rate," added Charles.

  "What time shall we meet this afternoon, father?"

  "Two o'clock, say. Now go to your breakfasts, and get ready for school.Be careful and not let the pleasure you anticipate in the boatinterfere with your studies," said Captain Sedley, as the boys boundedaway to their respective homes.

  Frank and Charles, on their way to school, decided upon the boys whomthey should invite to join the club; and in the course of the forenoonthey were asked to assemble on the beach, without being told theprecise object of the meeting.

  The boys' heads were so full of the club boat that it required a greatdeal of courage to enable them to study in school that day; but soclosely had Captain Sedley connected the idea of improvement with theclub, that they struggled hard, and succeeded in getting "perfectlessons."