CENTRE ISLAND

Frank Sedley was very much disturbed by the events of the forenoon. His conscience a.s.sured him, however, that he had done nothing wrong. He had not tried to provoke a quarrel with the Bunkers, and the unpleasant occurrences of the past hour were wholly owing to their misfortune in getting aground. He would not have been justified, he felt, in leaving Tony at the mercy of his relentless foes.

Fred Harper had done wrong in replying to the taunt of Tim, and this would make a case for the decision of their Director.

"We must keep away from them hereafter," said he, as the Zephyr came about, and the crew gave way again.

"That will be the best way," added Tony.

"So I think," said Charles; "we shall be all the time getting into sc.r.a.pes if we go near them."

"We can go near them without meddling," interposed Fred Harper.

"But, Fred, you remember what made all the fuss."

"It was my fault, I know."

"I don't want to be hard with you while I am c.o.xswain; but if any member says or does anything while we are on the lake to get us into a sc.r.a.pe, I shall consider it my duty to land him immediately at the boat-house. What do you say to that?"

No boy spoke for a moment; but at last Tony said,--

"That would be perfectly fair."

"I want to have it understood," continued Frank. "My father will not let us come out alone again if we are likely to have such a time as this has been."

"Why need you tell him anything about it, Frank?" asked Charles.

"Because it is right that he should know it. Suppose we should conceal it, and then he should find it out?"

"That would only make a bad matter worse," replied Tony.

"For one, I am satisfied to have any fellow that tries to get us into a sc.r.a.pe put ash.o.r.e," said Fred Harper.

"So am I," added Tony.

All the rest of the club expressed themselves willing to comply with this arrangement.

"Now, be careful, all of you," continued Frank, "and we shall have no more trouble."

"But while the Bunkers are on the lake, we can't help meeting them,"

said Sam Harper.

"We need not say anything to them."

"But that would not be civil."

"We can answer them kindly if they say anything to us," replied Phil Barker.

"They won't forget the smash-up," suggested Mark Leman.

"We can easily keep out of their way," added Fred.

"Where are you going now, Frank?" asked Charles Hardy.

"Isn't it almost twelve?" inquired the c.o.xswain.

"Half-past eleven," returned Fred Harper, who carried a watch. "You said you had a plan, Frank."

"I was thinking of asking Mrs. Weston and Mary to take a sail with us."

"Good!" replied half a dozen voices.

"We will take them over to the island."

The proposition was agreed to, and Frank steered the boat into the little cove near the widow Weston's cottage.

"Tony and Charles shall be a committee to go and invite them," said Frank, as the bow of the Zephyr touched the land.

The two jumped ash.o.r.e to discharge the duty a.s.signed them.

"Where's the Thunderbolt?" asked Fred, rising from his seat.

"There she goes over to the north sh.o.r.e."

"Putting in to repair damages."

"Where do you suppose Tim got the money to buy that boat with?" asked Fred, looking seriously at Frank.

"I don't know," replied the latter; but a gleam of intelligence penetrated his mind. "I hadn't thought of it before."

"I don't know either, but I can guess," said Fred.

"You might guess wrong."

"Fifteen dollars is a great deal of money for a boy like him to have.

His father works in one of the mills at Rippleton."

"Here comes Tony with his sister!"

"Where is your mother, Tony?"

"She couldn't go, but she said Mary might."

"Stop a moment, Tony, and we will bring the stern round by that rock,"

said Frank. "Stern all! Give way! Way enough! That will do; now pull on the larboard and back the starboard oars. Give way!"

The stern of the Zephyr came up to the rock, and the gallant c.o.xswain a.s.sisted Mary to a seat by his side. Tony and Charles resumed their places at the oars.