"Nothing bearish about it, I hope," added Fred Harper.

"We have no bears," replied Frank, as he ordered out his starboard oars.

Tony in like manner got out his larboard oars.

"Now, Frank," said he, "as you are a veteran in the service, you shall
be commodore, and command the allied squadron."

A burst of laughter greeted this sally; but Frank was too modest to
accept this double command, and would only do so when a vote had been
passed, making him "commodore."

Fenders--a couple of cushions, which Frank, in anticipation of this
maneuver, had provided--were placed between the two boats to keep them
from injuring each other, and the order was given to pull. As but six
oars were pulled in each boat, their progress was not very rapid. No
one, however, seemed to care for that. The joining of the two boats in
the "fraternal hug" was emblematic of the union that subsisted in the
hearts of their crews, and all the members of each club seemed better
satisfied with this symbolical expression of their feelings than though
they had won a victory over the other.

When they came abreast of the Zephyr's boat-house, they discovered that
Uncle Ben was on board the Sylph, which lay moored at a short distance
from the shore.

Bang! went the cannon which the veteran had again rigged on the bow of
the sail-boat.