"We have; and we await your sanction to our doings."
"Did you think I would sanction such a choice as that?"
"I didn"t know. We have fairly considered the matter; have faithfully examined both sides of the question. If we have done wrong, you know, father, that you have a veto upon our doings."
Captain Sedley smiled at the matter-of-fact, business-like earnestness of his son. He felt quite as much interest in the action of the boys as they did to learn his opinion of it.
"Tim is a very bad boy," said he.
"He _was_; but he has solemnly promised to amend, and become a good boy," answered Frank, warmly.
"Not much dependence can be placed upon the promises of such boys as Tim."
"But if no one encourages him to become better, he will not be likely to improve much, especially when everybody despises and shuns him."
"There is danger that he may corrupt the rest of the club."
"He must obey the requirements of the const.i.tution, or he cannot long continue to be a member."
"You are right, Frank; I approve your action in this matter, but I should like to know the grounds upon which you admitted him."
Frank gave him a brief synopsis of the debate, and the anxious father expressed himself well pleased with the liberal views of the club.
"Men might be oftener reformed in the great world, if people would only give them a chance to be respectable, as you have done with Tim," said Captain Sedley. "But what have you done about the prize?"
"We have voted to accept the offer of the gentlemen," answered Frank, rather doubtfully, as he looked earnestly into the face of his father, to discover the effect of his intelligence.
"I hope you looked on both sides of this question, as well as the other."
"We did, father."
Frank stated the different opinions that had been expressed by the members during the debate, and the fact that they had informally given a unanimous vote against it. Captain Sedley was much amused by the narration, in spite of the disappointment he felt at the ill success of his efforts to make the boys reason for themselves.
"I think your view is correct, Frank; though I am aware that many mature minds would arrive at a different conclusion. As you say, the envy and ill will which the contest may excite are the evils most to be dreaded."
"Then you approve our decision?"
"I do."
Frank felt as happy at that moment as though he had been a general of division, and had won a great victory. The consciousness of having arrived, unaided by mature minds, at a correct conclusion, was a triumph in itself. He had exercised his thought, and it had borne him to a right judgment. He was proud of his achievement, and hastened back to the boat with the intelligence of the approval.
"What does he say?" asked half a dozen of the members.
"Let us get off first, and then we will talk about it," replied Frank.
"Bowman, let go the painter; cast off the stern lines, there. Now, back her--steady."
"Tell us about it, Frank," said Charles Hardy, as the Zephyr glided clear of the boat-house, out upon the deep waters of the lake.
"Ready--up!" continued Frank, and the eleven oars were poised perpendicularly in the air.
"Down!"
The members had already begun to feel the inspiration of their favorite amus.e.m.e.nt, and there appeared to have been nothing lost by the season of inactivity which had pa.s.sed away. They were as prompt and as perfect in the drill as though they had practised it every day during the winter.
Although it was a moment of excitement, there was no undue haste; every member seemed to be perfectly cool.
"Ready--pull!"
And the broad blades dipped in the water, and bent before the vigorous arms of the youthful oarsmen.
"Starboard oars, cease rowing--back!" continued the c.o.xswain, with admirable dignity and self-possession; and the Zephyr, acted upon by this maneuver, came about as though upon a pivot, without going either backward or forward.
"Starboard oars, steady--pull!" and the rowers indicated by this command caught the stroke, and the light bark shot ahead, with her wonted speed, in the direction of Rippleton village.
"Zephyr, ahoy!" shouted some one from the sh.o.r.e.
"Tim Bunker--ain"t it?" asked Charles.
"Yes."
"Humph! he needn"t hail us like that. I was sure your father would never permit him to join the club," continued Charles, who fancied that he read in Frank"s expression the disapproval of his father.
"You are in the wrong, Charley."
"Am I?"
"You are; my father cordially approved our action. Now, Zephyrs, I am going up to Flat Rock to take him aboard; and I hope every fellow will treat him well--just as though he had never done anything out of the way. What do you say?"
"We will," they replied, with one voice.
"And then, if he does not walk straight, it will not be our fault. Treat him as though he was the best fellow among us. Let nothing tempt us to forget it."
Frank headed the boat towards the rock in the grove, and in a moment the bow touched it.
Without waiting for an invitation, Tim jumped into the boat, and took the vacant seat. Frank did not much like this forwardness: it was a little too "brazen" to comport with his ideas of true penitence. But he did not care to humble the "Bunker;" so he said nothing that would wound his feelings.
"We are glad to see you, Tim; the club has this day elected you a member, and our director has approved the vote," said Frank.
"Has he?" replied Tim, with a broad grin.
"And, if you like, we will go up to the boat-house, where you may sign the const.i.tution."
"Yes, I"ll sign it," answered Tim, more as though it would be conferring a favor on the club than as a duty he owed to his new friends.
Frank gave the necessary orders to get the boat under way again. Tim handled his oar with considerable skill, and before they reached the boat-house, he had learned to time his stroke with that of his companions.
When they landed, Captain Sedley took Tim apart with him, and very kindly told him what would be expected of him in his new relation, urging him to be true to his good resolution, and a.s.suring him that he should never want for substantial encouragement so long as he persevered in well doing. Tim hung his head down while he listened to this kind advice; his answers were short, but they were all satisfactory, so far as words could be taken as the index of his intentions.
Frank then read the const.i.tution, and the new member listened to it with attention. The stringent provisions of the sixth article, which forbade swearing, indecent language, and other boyish vices, brought a scarcely visible smile to his lips, and excited a doubt as to the success of the experiment in the mind of the director.