alf after the passage of The Sisters Channel, we
were off the bluff, within half a mile of the steamboat pier, which we
saw crowded with people. It was plain that we had succeeded in
creating an excitement, and not a few of us had some _delicacy_ about
landing in the presence of the multitude. The Champion still kept her
relative distance from us, and was now more than a mile beyond Cleaver
Island.

"Where shall we land?" I asked of Vallington through the tube, after
Bob and I had considered the matter a little.

"Wherever you please, commodore," replied our chief.

"What do you say, Bob?" I added, turning to my companion.

"Can't we land at the boat pier, in front of the Institute?"

"No; there isn't water enough to float the Adieno. In fact the only
safe place is the regular steamboat pier."

"I suppose my father is there, and I don't like to meet him just yet,"
replied Bob, earnestly.

"We can anchor within a few rods of the Institute pier, and land in
the Splash," I suggested.

"I like that better."

"But the Splash would have to go three or four times to land the
fellows, and the Champion would be upon us before we could all get
ashore," I added.

I stated the plan and the objections to Vallington.

"Let us face the music like men," said he, decidedly.

"I think that is the better way," I continued to Bob. "So far as we
have done wrong, let us acknowledge the corn, and take the
consequences."

Bob Hale assented, overcoming his modesty with an effort, and I headed
the Adieno for the steamboat pier. I think we all felt a little
bashful about landing in the presence of so many people. The students
were directed to make no noisy demonstrations of any kind, and to
repair directly to the school-room of the Institute, where Mr.
Parasyte would soon find us, and where we hoped to make a final
adjustment of all the difficulties.

As we approached the pier, the boat was "slowed down," and the fasts
got ready for landing; and other work was done as regularly and
properly as though we were all old steamboat men. At the regular time,
I stopped her wheels, and she ran her bow up gently to the wharf, and
the line was thrown ashore. A couple of turns of the wheels backward
brought the Adieno to a stand-still, and our cruise was ended.
Vallington let off steam, and we formed in a body, intending to march
ashore as compactly as possible, in order to feel the full force of
the bond of association.

With Vallington