So strongly were the Zephyrs impressed with the necessity of not
permitting the club to interfere with home and school duties, that, at
the latter part of their first season, they had established a rule by
which any member who wilfully neglected his duties should be, for a
certain time, excluded from the club. And this rule was not a dead
letter. One Wednesday forenoon Charles Hardy had wasted his time in
school, and failed in his lessons. On his slate was found a drawing of a
club boat, manned by certain ill-looking caricatures, which explained
the cause of the defection. An excursion had been planned for that
afternoon, and when Charles presented himself at the boat-house, he was
politely informed that he could not go. In vain he pleaded; Fred Harper,
who was coxswain at the time, was very civil and very gentle, but he was
inflexible. And the culprit had the satisfaction of sitting upon a rock
on shore, and seeing what a fine time the fellows were having.

The effect was decidedly salutary, and another case of such discipline
did not again occur. The boys, zealous to keep their favorite sport in
good repute, adopted the regulation for the present year, in both clubs.
Without such precautions as these it was plain that boating would soon
become a nuisance, which neither parents nor teachers would tolerate.
Therefore the members of the clubs made it a point to keep their
"voyages," their plans and schemes, out of their minds at times when
their heads should be filled with, other matters. It was astonishing to
what an extent they succeeded; and boys would often be surprised to see
how well they can do, if they would only set about it earnestly and with
a determination to succeed.

The notable scheme which just now engrossed the attention of the
Butterflies was no less than the establishment of a "fleet of boats"