the Rangers, he continued, "Come on, boys! We can have things all
our own way now. We'll see if--"

"Hold on!" shouted William Johnson. "Here comes Frank. Now you had
better take yourself off in a hurry."

Charles's hostile demonstrations ceased in an instant; and, hastily
whispering a few words to the Rangers, they disappeared.

In a few moments, Frank, accompanied by George and Harry, arrived,
and the boys, in a few words, explained to them what had just
happened.

"I hope," said Frank, "that Charley will see, before long, how
unreasonably he acts. He makes himself, and every one around him,
uncomfortable."

"Well," said James Porter, "all I have got to say is that those
fellows who go with him are very foolish. However, we can't help it.
But, come," he added, "we were trying to find some pleasant way of
spending the Fourth."

"Let's have a picnic on Strawberry Island," said one.

"We want something exciting," said another "Let's have a boat-race."

"Come, Frank," said Ben. Lake, "let's hear what you have got to say.
Suggest something."

"Well," answered Frank, who was always ready with some plan for
amusement, "I have been thinking, for two or three days, of something
which, I believe, will afford us a great deal of sport. In the first
place, I suppose, we are all willing to pass part of the day on the
river?"

"Yes, of course," answered the boys.

"The next thing," continued Frank, "is to ascertain how many
sail-boats we can raise."

"I'll bring mine."

"And mine," called out several voices.

"Oh, that's no way to do business," exclaimed William Johnson, who
always liked to see things go off in order. "Let all those who have
boats hold up their hands."

Sixteen hands came up, and Frank said,

"We shall be gone all day, and, of course, we want plenty of
provisions."

"Of course."

"Well, then, what I thought of proposing is this: Let us take three or
four of the swiftest sailing-boats, and give the provisions into their
charge, and call them smugglers, and let the other boats play the part
of revenue-cutters, or a blockading squadron, and let the smugglers
try to land the provisions on Strawberry Island, without being
caught."

"That's capital!" shouted several.

"It's better than shooting game, at this time of year," said one.

"Yes, and being scolded all day by that tyrant," observed another, who
had belonged to the Regulators.

"It will take some time to make all our arrangements,"