“O, no! I told him where you were going, and that the Wimps were bound to the same place. He was very glad you had obtained permission of the owner to use the island.” “Then it is all right--is it, Wolf?” added Tommy, with an apparent feeling of relief. “I didn’t know but my governor sent you here as a spy. If he did, you can return as fast as you came.” Perhaps, according to Tommy’s interpretation of my mission, I might be a spy. I had really been sent to act as a check upon the students, who were very jealous of any interference when they were on camp duty, or any other military service. The steamer sped on its way, and as the deep water was between the Horse Shoe and the Shooter, we had to round the southern point of the former in order to reach the landing-place. The Wimpleton boats still lay off the South Shoe, and Captain Underwood said they were in the channel through which he must pass. “Can’t you get to the landing without going near them?” I asked privately of the captain, though I knew the navigation of the lake as well as he did. “I can go to the north of the Horse Shoe, and come down the channel in that way,” he replied. “These fellows are spoiling for a fight, and I am afraid there will be some broken heads before the day is finished. If you can prevent a row, it will be better to do it.” “Very well,” said he, ringing the bell to stop her, just as he was entering the channel between the Horse Shoe and the South Shoe. “What’s that for?” demanded Major Tommy from the forward deck. “Don’t you think we had better go in at the northward of the island?” inquired Captain Underwood, with the utmost deference. “No, sir! I don’t think so!” replied Tommy, warmly. “Are you going the other way because those boats are here? Go ahead, sir! Run them down, if they don’t get out of the way!” Captain Underwood felt obliged to obey this imperative order. If he had refused to do so, it is quite likely he would have been compelled to return to the skippership of a canal boat, from which he had been promoted to his present more dignified and lucrative position. “Don’t run them down, captain,” I ventured to say, in a low tone, as the master rang the bell to go ahead again. “It is hard work to please that boy without getting into trouble,” added the captain. “The good book says no man can serve two masters, but I have to serve two.” “Blow the whistle, captain!” I suggested.