Then came the ceremony of crowning the Queen of May, in the person of Mary Weston, which was performed in the most gallant style by Frank Sedley.  Another dance succeeded, and then came the feast.  A great many good things were eaten, a great many fine things said, and a great many patriotic and complimentary toasts were drank.  The band played “Hail Columbia,” “Yankee Doodle,” and many other spirited tunes, and Mr. Walker was very much astonished, as well as amused, to hear some of the boys make speeches, flowery and fine, which had evidently been prepared for the occasion, when they were “called up” by the toasts.

After the feast was over, the party divided itself into little knots for social recreation.  Frank and Mary Weston took a walk on the beach, and the rest of the boys and girls climbed over the rocks, amused themselves in the swing which Uncle Ben had put up, or wandered in the grove.  Boys and girls always enjoy themselves at such seasons, and my young readers need not be told that they all had a “first-rate time.”

I do not mean all; for two members of the Zephyr Club had wandered away from the rest of the party to the north side of the island.  They were concealed from view by a large rock; but if any one had observed them, he could not have failed to see that they were exceptions to the general rule—­that they were not happy.  The two boys were Charles Hardy and Tim Bunker.  Frank had been pained to notice that an unnatural intimacy had been growing up between them for several days; and he had already begun to fear that it was in the heart of Tim to lead his weak-minded associate astray.

“Now, let’s see how much there is in it,” said Tim.

“I am afraid to open it,” replied Charles, as he glanced nervously over the rocks.

“Git out!”

“I am doing wrong, Tim; I feel it here.”  And Charles placed his hand upon his heart.

“Humph!” sneered Tim.  “Give it to me, and I will open it.”

“We ought not to open it,” replied Charles, putting his hand into his pocket, and again glancing over the top of the rocks.  “Besides, Tim, you promised to be a good boy when we let you into the club.”

“I mean to have a good time.  We might have had if you fellows hadn’t given away all that money.”

“I didn’t do it.”

“I know you didn’t, but the rest on ’em did; so it’s all the same.  They are a set of canting pups, and for my part I’m tired on ’em.  Frank Sedley don’t lord it over me much longer, you better believe!  And you are a fool if you let him snub you as he does every day.”

“I don’t mean to,” answered Charles.  “I believe the fellows all hate me, or they would have made me coxswain before this time.”

“Of course they would.  They hate you, Charley:  I heard Frank Sedley say as much as that the other day.”

“He did?”

“Of course he did.”

“I wouldn’t have thought that of him,” said Charles, his eye kindling with anger.