“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,” said William, “and I move that we adjourn to our house, where we can hold our meeting in order.”

This was readily assented to, and William led the way, followed by all the boys, who were highly delighted at Frank’s plan of spending the Fourth.

George Butler was speedily chosen president of the meeting, and, in less than half an hour, their arrangements were completed.