During the conversation the boys had been walking toward the village, and, in a few moments, they reached the dock behind the post-office, where the two new boats lay.  One of them was a short, “dumpy,” sloop-rigged boat, with no deck or center-board, and the other was a beautifully-modeled schooner.

“What do you think of them?” inquired Harry, after they had regarded them several moments.

“Well,” answered Archie, “I have seen a good many boats like these in New York, but I don’t think they will do much here.  That schooner may show some fine sailing qualities, but that sloop will prove to be the slowest boat about the village; she is altogether too short.  Take it where the waves are long and regular, and she will do well enough but here in the river, where the waves are all chopped up, she can’t accomplish much.”

“That’s your private opinion, expressed here in this public manner, is it?” said a sneering voice.  “You have made a fine show of your ignorance.”

The boys turned, and saw Charles Morgan and several of the Rangers standing close by.

“If I didn’t know more about yachts than that,” continued Charles, “I’d go home and soak my head.”

This remark was greeted by the Rangers with a loud laugh; and Archie, who, like Frank, was a very peaceable fellow, said,

“Every one to his own way of thinking, you know.”

“Certainly,” answered Charles; “but, if I was as much of a blockhead as you are, I’d be careful to keep my thoughts to myself.”

Archie did not answer, for he knew it would only add fuel to the fire; for Charles’s actions indicated that he was bent on getting up a quarrel.  He had determined to make another attempt to “settle accounts” between himself and Frank.

“I’ll bet you fifty dollars,” said Charles, “that there are not half a dozen boats about the village that can beat that sloop.”

“I’m not in the habit of betting,” answered Archie; “but, if you will find a boat about the village that can’t beat her, I’ll eat your sloop.”

“You are green, indeed,” said Charles.  “Now, what do you suppose that sloop cost me?”

“Well,” answered Archie, thrusting his hands deep into his pockets, “I think ten dollars would foot the bill.”

Archie said this in so comical a manner that Frank and the others could not refrain from laughing outright.

Charles was angry in an instant, and, quick as thought, he sprang forward and seized Archie.  But he soon discovered that he had undertaken more than he could accomplish; for his antagonist, though considerably smaller than himself, was possessed of enormous strength, and was as active as a cat, and he glided like an eel from Charles’s grasp, and, seizing him by both wrists, held him fast.  After a few desperate, but ineffectual, attempts to free himself, Charles shouted to the Rangers, who had been bustling about in a state of considerable excitement, but very prudently keeping in the background,