At the trial, some weeks later, Spickles got seven years in the State Prison; the two who actually assisted him in his enterprises, received a sentence of five years; while the remaining two were let off with only one year. The chief of the Nautifelers Club, who was the author and finisher of all the schemes, both of pleasure and plunder, preserved his self-possession through the trial; but by the time he was shut up for seven long years, he began to wish that he had followed the course in life which Matt Randolph had marked out for himself.
Thad Glovering trained the party on board of the La Motte, in the management of the vessel; and at the end of a couple of weeks, they left Beech Hill, to undertake a cruise without his aid. They were very much pleased with what they saw of the institution; and they left the school much wiser, morally and intellectually, than when they came there.
On the following Saturday morning at daylight, Dory and his class were on board of the Goldwing for an entire day of sailing, and were going to Plattsburg. The sloop had been provisioned for the cruise; and the party were in a high state of enthusiasm, for it had been promised them a week before. Dory had rigged out the flying jib-boom, and put all the "kites" on board, so that the sloop could make the best of a light wind.
At four o'clock in the morning, when the party were ready to sail, there was scarcely a breath of air. Thad had taught them all there was to learn about a gaff-topsail, and they had worked the parts and methods over in their own minds. But when they came to apply their knowledge, they found that practice was quite different from theory.
"Bend on the gaff-topsail-halyards," said Dory, after the mainsail had been set.
This place had been assigned to Archie Pinkler; while Con Bunker was stationed at the tack, and Syl Peckman at the sheet. Dory had put all the running-rigging in place for handling the extra sails, but Archie did not know where to find the halyard. Both ends of this rope were made fast at the rail, on the port-side of the mast.
"You will always find the halyards there, Archie; and it is not necessary for you to learn about any other rigging connected with the gaff-topsail at present, though you can't help picking up all the other parts as they are brought into use. Now overhaul the halyards, and see that they are not foul, so that you can hoist the sail without any hitch."