“What has happened?” he asked, anxiously. I told him the story of the morning’s adventures, though it took me half an hour to do so. “And Tommy sent you off--did he?” laughed the major. “Yes, sir--because I advised the captain not to let our fellows out of the cabin until we got rid of the Wimps; but if they had been let out, there would have been a fight with bayonets.” “I am very glad you didn’t let them out then; but Tommy is rather a difficult subject to manage,” continued the major, lightly. “I have to coax him a great deal, for he is bound to have his own way. If he is thwarted, it has a bad effect upon him. I sent you up to the island to keep the run of things there; but of course I did not expect you to oppose him.” “I did the best I could, sir.” “You did very well; but I am sorry Tommy sent you away, for I thought you might have some influence with him. Did he send you away too, Skotchley?” he added, turning to my companion. “No, sir; I came of my own accord,” replied the dignified student: but he did not think it necessary to add that he and Tommy had fallen out. “You think there will be a fight between the two sides up there?” continued the major. “Before the week is out there will be.” “Something must be done,” said the major, anxiously. I saw now that he was quite as much the victim of Tommy’s waywardness as the students of the Institute. CHAPTER XII. UP THE LAKE. Major Toppleton was absolutely afraid of his son. There was a rumor in Middleport--though I did not hear of it until after the events narrated had transpired--that his father had positively refused to permit Tommy to have his own way on one occasion, when the young gentleman insisted upon discharging a favorite servant of his mother. The major declined to yield, and stuck to his text. The result was, that Tommy, in his rage, ran away in the dead of winter, and was not found for two whole days, during which time he lived on the fat of the land at the Hitaca House, whither he had gone in the steamer. He refused to go home till his father promised to discharge the obnoxious servant, declaring that he would not live in the same house with the woman, and threatening to go to New York and ship as a common sailor. Undoubtedly it would have been better for the young gentleman if he had shipped as a common sailor, for in that capacity he would have ascertained how much of his own way he could enjoy. His father yielded, and Tommy, having conquered in this instance, had no trouble in maintaining his supremacy. The major was afraid he would run away, or do some other terrible thing; and the man who was the lord and master of all Middleport was the slave of his tyrannical son. This is not the only instance on record of the same thing.