“That steamer won’t be here for an hour,” growled the commander of the battalion. “Father said it might be late; but he didn’t understand exactly what was up.” “The Wimps are coming,” shouted an officer in the line. “They are five miles off,” replied Faxon, as he looked up the lake. “I want to be on the island when they come.” “So do I,” replied Tommy, casting an anxious glance at the approaching enemy. “Can’t you help us out, Wolf?” asked the major, jumping on the foot-board of the engine. Of course I was well pleased to be called upon in the emergency, for it was manifesting a great deal of confidence to ask advice of a boy who was not a member of the battalion. The Toppletonians had the legal right to use the Horse Shoe; and it seemed to me that, if they had possession of the island when the Wimpletonians arrived, the anticipated fight, at least as a brutal struggle, might be averted. Both bodies were armed with small muskets, having bayonets upon them; and though they were not allowed any ammunition, they might make the combat more dangerous than they intended. The interests of peace, therefore, appeared to require that our battalion should be transported to the island without delay. “I hope you are not going to get up a fight over there,” I ventured to say. “Of course we are not, if the Wimps let us alone,” replied Tommy. “If they don’t let us alone, it will be the worse for them. I want to get over there before they do, and that steamer, confound it, won’t be here this hour.” “If I were you, Tommy, I would send one company over to the island, and take possession of it, leaving the baggage and tents to be carried over when the steamer comes.” “How can I send one company over?” snapped Tommy. “We haven’t a boat, or even a mudscow.” “There comes the ferry-boat,” I replied, pointing to a sloop-rigged craft which was now approaching the shore from Ruoara, on the other side and above the island. “That’s the idea!” exclaimed Tommy, as he leaped down from the cab, and ran with a speed entirely beneath the dignity of the major of a battalion to the ferry pier. In three minutes more he had made a trade with the ferryman to land as many of the force as his boat would accommodate on the Horse Shoe. The craft was one peculiar to the lakes in that region. It was an ordinary sloop, though rather longer than similar vessels are built; but the stern was open just above the water-line, so that teams could be driven on board. It depended upon the wind as its propelling agent, though it was provided with a pair of steamboat wheels, with a horse-power machine to turn them, which could be used when the wind was not available.