"Give way, my lads, with all your might!" said the officer of the nearer boat, speaking with great energy, as though he meant to take a hand in the business on board of the Goldwing. "Are you coming down, Dory Dornwood?" demanded Pearl, as he stopped on the forward deck of the schooner. "I think I will come down," replied Dory, who had made up his mind not to run the risk of being shot; but he was satisfied that one of the boats would be alongside the Goldwing before he could reach the deck. "But it isn't so easy to get down as it was to come up," he added, making it as an excuse for the slow movement in coming down to the deck. Dory descended with the utmost caution. He had gained time enough to enable the starboard boat to reach the schooner, and this was all he expected to accomplish by going aloft. "Come, hurry up, Dory!" shouted the skipper, when he was about half way to the deck. Dory immediately changed his movement, and began to ascend again. "What are you about, you young cub? Are you going back again?" cried Pearl. "You told me to hurry up," pleaded Dory, wishing to gain all the time he could. "You are a natural fool! Come down, or I'll--do what I said I would," added Pearl, as he glanced at the nearer boat, which was not fifty feet from the schooner. "All right! I will be with you in a moment," answered Dory, as he descended to the deck with a reasonable degree of celerity. But the boat was alongside the Goldwing as soon as he reached the forward deck. The officer leaped on deck without waiting for any ceremony. Pearl dropped into a seat in the forward part of the standing-room. He evidently realized that he had lost the game he had been playing. "Which is Theodore Dornwood?" asked the officer as he came on board. "There he is, on the forward deck," replied Pearl. "He is the most obstinate young cub that ever floated on Lake Champlain. You can take him with you as quick as you please. I don't want any thing more of him." "What in the world is going on aboard this boat?" asked the officer, as he looked from Pearl to Dory, and then from Dory to Pearl, unable to understand the appearance of things on board. "What have you got cooped up in that cuddy?" "I thought you wanted Dory Dornwood. Why don't you take him, and not waste any more of your time and mine?" said Pearl impatiently. "Captain Gildrock wants to see you very much, Theodore, and there is a place in my boat for you." "I don't care about going in your boat, and I shall not go on board of the Sylph if I can help myself," replied Dory stoutly. "There he is again!" exclaimed Pearl, as he glanced at the boat that contained Captain Gildrock. "He is a mule, a sulky dog. If you want him, I will pitch him into your boat for you, and make an end of this business."