"I don't like to say 'I told you so,' Jack, but I did," exclaimed Percival."If anything happens, the fault will be all theirs."

At that moment Colonel Bull, on the bank, blew a tremendous blast ona bugle to call the boats in, and Herring obeyed, knowing that hewould be cut short of many of his privileges if he did not.

As it was the two boys narrowly escaped an upset, and Merritt wasdeathly pale and shaking like a man with the ague when at last theygot ashore, none too soon.

The river was black with foam, and it was no place for a little boatwith the wind blowing sharply down from the mountains.

"You should have come in with the others," said the colonel sharplywhen the two bullies landed. "If you take another such risk you willbe prohibited from going on the river at all. As it is, you willnot go out again to-day."

Herring knew that there was no appeal from this decision, as thecolonel was the physical instructor as well as drillmaster, and thedoctor never disputed his word in cases which were so palpably justas in this instance.

"Pete wanted to show off," chuckled Billy Manners, "and got come upwith. He can't bully the colonel if he can bully the small boys."