“That was a slip of the tongue.”

The Bunker tried to laugh it off, and declared that he was so used to that form of expression he could not leave it off at once.  This was regarded as a great concession by all.

“Very well; if you will promise to do your best to obey the rules, we will say no more about it.”

“Of course I will,” replied Tim, with a laugh, which was equivalent to 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 no service at the fire.  You remember Smith’s factory was burnt because ’No. 2’s’ suction hose leaked, and the ‘tub’ couldn’t be worked.”