“The Wimps are always picking upon us, and doing us mischief whenever they can. They have torn up our track once, and we haven’t paid them off for that.” “You sunk all their boats for that; and I think you are about even.” “Not quite; but if they will let us alone, we won’t meddle with them. We have hired the Horse Shoe for the week, and we mean to have it. We have the legal right to the island, and we are ready to fight for possession.” “I think it is all nonsense to quarrel for nothing.” “We shall have the fun of licking them.” “Or the fun of being licked,” I suggested. “No danger of that. We have one hundred and fifteen students now, and I was told that the Wimps had fallen off to less than a hundred,” chuckled Faxon. “The tables may be turned by and by, when the colonel’s plans are in operation.” “What plans?” asked my companion, anxiously. “You did not suppose Colonel Wimpleton would permit this railroad scheme to go on without doing something to offset it--did you?” I replied; and I had received some positive information from my father, the night before, on this interesting topic. “What can he do? He can’t build a railroad on his side of the lake.” “No; but at this moment Waddie Wimpleton is the president of a corporation.” “What corporation?” “A steamboat company.” “Is that so?” “My father was over at Centreport yesterday, and found out all about it.” “But what have the Wimps to do with it?” “The colonel is building a magnificent little steamer at Hitaca. She is to be very long and narrow, and good for fifteen to eighteen miles an hour. The Institute fellows on the other side are to own and manage her, just as you do the railroad.” “That is news, certainly,” said Faxon, musing, and apparently not at all pleased with the plan. “They say Major Toppleton has bought up the steamers which now run on the lake, and means to take them off between Ucayga and Middleport as soon as the Lake Shore Railroad is completed.” “Of course; what’s the use of having the boats after the road is finished? We are to run a LIGHTNING EXPRESS twice a day then, and I think it is very good-natured of the major to buy up the boats, and thus save the owners from loss.” “Perhaps it is; but is it good-natured for him to deprive the Centreporters of the means of getting to Ucayga, as he will when the boats are taken off?” “They can go by the railroad, the same as others,” laughed Faxon. “They can, but they won’t. Do you think Colonel Wimpleton would come over here and ride in these cars? He would hang himself first.” “Then he can hang himself, if he likes. The Middleporters wouldn’t cry if he did.” “But he intends neither to hang himself nor to ride on the Lake Shore Railroad. Of course you can’t blame him for kicking against the movements of the major.” “See here, Wolf; are you a Wimp or a Top?” demanded Faxon, coloring a little, as we looked into each other’s face. “Why do you ask that question?” I inquired, quietly.