"The principal says it is useless to worry about anything. We do the best we can with the boat; and if she spills us into the fluid, all we have to do is to get out if we can." "I think I can stand it as well as any of the rest of the fellows can, and I don't mean to worry," returned Paul. "I never was out on the lake when it was anything near as rough as it is to-day, and it looks dangerous to me." "If you don't feel right about it, we will put you ashore," added the coxswain. "I am not scared; I can stand it as well as the rest of you. I was only asking about it for information," continued Paul. "I don't believe you are scared; if you had pluck enough to stand up against Walk Billcord and his father, I don't believe you will mind a little ripple on the lake like this," replied Dick, laughing. "You said it was dangerous." "Well, an ox-team is dangerous if you let the beasts run off a precipice. It is dangerous to go to bed, for the house may burn up before morning." "We don't think we are in any more danger here, Paul, than we are every hour of the day on shore," added Dory. "Dick could upset the boat, and spill us all into the drink, if he did not understand his business and attend to it." "All right; I am satisfied," replied the son of toil. "But I thought you were going up to Sandy Point." "So we are; but the direct course would be about southwest, and that would put us into the trough of the sea and keep us rolling the gunwale under all the time," replied Dick. "The principal don't allow the fellows to be reckless. There comes the Sylph out of the river, and Captain Gildrock is on board of her. If he should see me letting the barge wallow about in the trough of the sea, when there is no need of it, he would give me fits." "We could go direct to Sandy Point, though at a little risk. We should take in a good deal of water, and it would be uncomfortable," said Dory. "In a small boat in a blow, or in a squall, the safe way is to keep her head up to the sea." "The other boats are following us." "The coxswain of each can do as he pleases; but the fellows all know there is no fun in being knocked about in the trough of a smart sea," added the coxswain. "Do you expect to find any one at the point when we get there, Paul?" "No; it isn't twelve o'clock yet. The Chesterfields are in school from eight to one, and then go to dinner. They won't get away from the house before two," replied Paul. "I don't believe any one at the school has any idea of what was done at the point last night." "I should like to be where I could see them when they get to the point, and find that the cottage is missing," added Dick, chuckling. "Major Billcord will be the maddest man in the State of New York when he finds it is gone." "Of course he will be. He don't care anything about the land over there, and all he wanted was to punish us for resisting his saintly son."