Seeing Jack shortly afterward, Dick told his friend what he had learned and added: 

“The Riverton police would simply keep a watch against strangers, but the doctor evidently thinks that some of our own Hilltoppers need watching, and he has, therefore, taken this means of doing it.

“I am sorry that he has had to,” said Jack, “but after all the doctor appears to be living up to his name.  We must find out who the fellows were, Dick, for the sake of the decent boys of the Academy, not that I care so much about my boat.”

“We will do it, Jack,” said Percival shortly.

CHAPTER V

AN ALARM IN THE NIGHT

The day passed as usual, Percival saying no more about trying to discover the miscreants who had sought to injure Jack’s boat, and Jack being too busy to think of it.

That evening they had visitors from a fine house in the neighborhood, the owner of which, quite a wealthy man, complimented Dr. Wise on the good character of the boys, adding in rather a pompous manner: 

“I must say, Doctor, that since you have been encamped on the river I have had nothing to complain of on account of your boys.  Most boarding school boys are inclined to be mischievous, and to cause a good deal of annoyance to persons living in the neighborhood, but I must say-----”

“The Academy is not an ordinary boarding school, Mr. Vanderdonk, and
the character of the young gentlemen in my charge-----”

“I beg your pardon, sir, but your pronunciation of my name shows that you do not quite understand the way it is divided.  It is Van der Donk, with an equal emphasis upon each syllable, not Vanderdonk, with the accent on the first.  I am most particular about the pronunciation of the name, which is that of one of the earliest settlers of the Hudson valley, and a very distinguished one, I may say.  I am exceedingly proud of my origin, pardonably so, perhaps, but still most proud.”

“Dr. Wise does not care anything about genealogy, Father,” spoke up Miss Margaret, daughter of the proud descendant of the Van der Donks, “and you should not have spoken of the Academy boys as boarding school boys.  They attend a military Academy, the fame of which is as great as that of your ancestors.  Everybody along the Hudson valley knows the Hilltop boys and any young gentleman might be proud to be one of them.”

Miss Margaret was a very pretty girl, a bit spoiled, perhaps, but the idol of her father and the puzzle of her mother, who wished her to be a young lady of society, and was greatly grieved because she preferred doing something by which she could earn her living if necessary.

“Far from saying anything against the character of the Hilltop boys, my dear,” said the father, “I must say that I find them a very fine set of young gentlemen.  Why, we have not had our lawn tramped over by them, nor our fruit trees pilfered, nor have we suffered from any annoyances which boarding school boys are prone to commit upon neighbors.  I am really-----”