[All Aboard; or, Life on the Lake by Oliver Optic]@TWC D-Link bookAll Aboard; or, Life on the Lake CHAPTER IV 7/8
The hat was a tarpaulin, with the name of the club in gilt letters on the front, and upon the left breast of the frock was a butterfly, worked in colors. The Butterfly, like her rival, carried an American flag at the stern, and a blue silk fly, with the letter "B" on it, at the bow. "This is glorious, isn't it, Frank ?" said Tony, as he took his friend's hand and warmly pressed it. "First rate! There is fun before us this season; and if nothing happens to mar the harmony which now prevails, we shall enjoy ourselves even more than we did last summer." "Nothing can happen--can there ?" replied Tony, glancing involuntarily at Tim Bunker, who seemed to be so amazed at the good will that prevailed around him as to be incapable of saying anything. "I hope not; but, Tony, what about the race? Has your club voted on the question of the prize ?" "Yes." "What did you do ?" "What have you done, Frank ?" asked Tony.
There was not the slightest doubt as to his Yankee paternity. "We voted to accept the offer." "So did we, though our members were so afraid of doing something wrong, that George had to come into the meeting and argue the question with them.
We accepted the offer on condition that you did so." "Then it is all arranged." "Yes, except the time." "We shall leave that all to you." "We are ready now," replied Tony, with a smile. "Name the day, then." "Next Wednesday afternoon." "Very well." "Who shall be the judges? We have chosen your father for one." "And we shall choose Uncle Ben for another." "Let us choose the other together." "Agreed." The two clubs were then called to order, and Frank, at Tony's request, stated the business to them. "Please to nominate," said he. "Mr.Hyde, the schoolmaster," exclaimed a dozen voices. It was a unanimous vote, and the judges were all elected. "Now, Tony, let us have some fun." "We will try our fleet tactics a little more, if you like." "So I say." "We will go down the lake with the 'fraternal hug.'" "The what!" exclaimed Charles Hardy. "We call our present position the 'fraternal hug.'" "Hurrah for the fraternal hug!" shouted Charles, and all the boys laughed heartily. "Nothing bearish about it, I hope," added Fred Harper. "We have no bears," replied Frank, as he ordered out his starboard oars. Tony in like manner got out his larboard oars. "Now, Frank," said he, "as you are a veteran in the service, you shall be commodore, and command the allied squadron." A burst of laughter greeted this sally; but Frank was too modest to accept this double command, and would only do so when a vote had been passed, making him "commodore." Fenders--a couple of cushions, which Frank, in anticipation of this maneuver, had provided--were placed between the two boats to keep them from injuring each other, and the order was given to pull.
As but six oars were pulled in each boat, their progress was not very rapid.
No one, however, seemed to care for that.
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