So it would have been once," he said, bitterly.
"But you backed the Parrett's boat all along," said Riddell.

"Oh, that.
If that's all that puzzled you it's easily explained.

Perhaps if you were doing a thing like that in the dark, expecting to be caught out every moment, you might make a mistake too." "Then you meant to cut _our_ lines ?" asked the captain, seeing the whole mystery explained at last.
"Of course I did; and so I should have done if the rudders hadn't been shifted, and Parrett's put into the schoolhouse boat." He took a few more turns, and then continued, "You may fancy what a pleasant state of mind I've been in since.

I daresay you'll be glad to hear I've been miserable day and night." "I'm very sorry for you," said Riddell, so sympathetically that the unhappy boy started.
"You wouldn't be if you knew it was all to spite you.

I was as bad as Silk in that, though it was his idea about cutting the lines.