“Ready—­pull!” said Frank.

“Who protested now, Master Charles Hardy?” asked Little Paul, as he good-naturedly punched the forward youth in the ribs.

“Circumstances alter cases,” replied Charles, sagely, as he bent on his oar.

“Fact! but they altered them when the deed was done, not now, when you have found out that it was all right.”

CHAPTER VII.

Commodore Frank Sedley.

For a few days all Rippleton rang with the praises of Tony and his companions.  All the particulars of the affair at the bridge had been given in the Rippleton Mercury, and the editor was profuse in his commendations of the skill and courage of the Butterfly Boat Club; and he did not withhold from the Zephyr the credit which was justly due.  Tony was a hero, and his fame extended for many miles around.

Mr. Walker and his lady, who had been rescued from the river, visited Captain Sedley and the Weston family the next day.  I need not tell my young readers how earnest he was in the expression of his admiration and gratitude.  He was a wealthy merchant, and resided in a neighboring town.  Being as warm-hearted and generous as he was just and discriminating, it was quite natural that he should give his feelings expression in some substantial token of his gratitude.

Before he left Rippleton, a check for five hundred dollars was placed in the hands of George Weston, with directions to give four hundred of it to the Butterfly, and one hundred to the Zephyr.  In the division of the Butterfly’s share, Mr. Walker desired that one hundred dollars should be given to Tony, and twenty-five dollars apiece to the crew; consenting, however, to let the whole sum be common property if the club desired.

This liberality was certainly munificent, princely; but Mr. Walker’s wealth was quite sufficient to enable him to gratify his generous impulses.  Tony said he felt a little “ticklish” about taking it, at first; but George assured him that Mr. Walker would feel hurt if he did not, and he concluded to accept it.

“But what shall we do with it, George?” asked the young hero, who was not a little embarrassed by the possession of so much money.

“That is for you to decide.”

“What can we do with it?”

“It will buy heaps of candy,” suggested George, with a smile.

“Candy!” said Tony, contemptuously.

“You can make a fund of it if you like.”

“What for?”

“For any purpose you may wish.  By and by, you may want money for something.”

“What shall we do with it?”

“Put it in the Savings Bank.”

“But the next thing is, shall we divide it? or let it remain as the property of the club?  I suppose the fellows will all do just as I do.”

“Perhaps the money would do the parents of some of them a great deal of good.”