saying, "If any of you think I am yielding too much, why, I am only
joking."

"Now, Tim, that point being settled, I repeat that our mishap was caused
by you, though we don't blame you for it. You meant to do your best, but
you didn't go to work in the right way."

"What's the reason I didn't?"

"You broke up the stroke."

"The fellers ought to have pulled faster, then, so as to keep up with
me; if they had, we should have done well enough."

"That is not the way. The coxswain is to judge how fast you may pull
with safety."

"Just as you like. All I wanted was to win the race."

"I understand you; but we can do nothing if the discipline of the club
is not observed."

"I didn't know about that."

"Let us understand one another for the future. You must regulate your
stroke by the motion of my body. You are to see nothing but me; and
whatever happens, you must obey orders."

"Let's try it again. I will do as you say," replied Tim, with a great
deal more gentleness than he had before shown.

"Ready--pull!" said Frank. And away darted the Zephyr up the lake.

Tim pulled very steadily now, and showed a disposition to do as the
others did, and to obey orders. Frank was pleased with the result of the
conference, and began to entertain strong hopes of the ultimate
reformation of the Bunker.

But the race was lost; the Butterfly was almost at the head of the lake.

"There's a chance for the Butterflies to crow over us," said Tim, after
a silence of several moments.

"There is to be no crowing. If we had beaten them, I should not have
permitted a word to be spoken that would create a hard feeling in the
minds of any of them," replied Frank. "And I know that Tony is exactly
of my mind."

"It is no great credit to them to have beaten us under these
circumstances," added Fred.

"Each club must be responsible for its own discipline. No excuses are to
be pleaded. Good order and good regulations will prevent such accidents
as just befell us."

"That is what discipline is for," said William Bright.

"Exactly so. Don't you remember what Mr. Hyde told me when I tried to
excuse myself for not having my sums done with the plea that I had no
pencil?" asked Charles Hardy. "He said it was as much a part of our duty
to be ready for our work as it was to do it after we were ready."

"That's good logic," put in Fred. "If the engine companies did not keep
their machines in good working order, of course they would render