“The Professor not here!” I heard the big man say; “that’s a great disappointment!”

Then they all started up the wharf toward the house.  The men of the band had scrambled ashore, and they headed the procession,—­ still playing “Sweet Marie” with loud blasts.  Then came Mr. Snider, accompanied by the big man (he was the Hon. J. Harvey Bowditch) and by Deacon Chick.  Behind him were the people from Lanesport, two by two, some of them carrying baskets, and most of them in their Sunday clothes.  At the end were some men from the steamboat with armfuls of camp-stools.

Captain Bannister was not there.  I had watched all the men as they came ashore, and I asked one of the crew of the “May Queen” about him.  He had never heard of such a man, he said.  So I decided to go up to the house, hear what was going to happen, and then go back to Lanesport on the steamboat.  It would leave, so the man told me, at twelve o’clock sharp, and get to Lanesport about one.  I would be in time to meet Ed and Jimmy, Mr. Daddles and the rest, and find out if they had had better luck at Big Duck Island.

Mr. Snider had a great amount of trouble in getting the people placed as he wished them.  The band was in one corner of the garden playing “Razzle Dazzle” in very lively fashion.  This helped make the occasion gay, but it also made it hard for anyone to hear what was being said.  Mr. Snider’s smooth remarks, as he teetered about, the Hon. J. Harvey Bowditch’s stentorian bellowings, and Deacon Chick’s confidential whispers were all drowned out by the music.  Some of the men wanted to inspect the barn, and the premises generally, and one or two of the women had shown a desire to look into the kitchen.  They had to be headed off by Mr. Snider, who gave them all a smile, a clammy hand-shake, and a patting on the shoulder, as he rounded them up on the camp-stools near the platform.  Then he and Mr. Bowditch and the Deacon mounted the stand.  There was a table with a pitcher of water and a glass, and Mr. Snider took his place behind it.

But when he smiled, and opened his mouth to speak, the band seized upon that moment to burst into music again.  Their choice this tune was “Daisy Bell,”—­

    “Daisy!  Daisy! 
    Give me my answer true!”

they blared forth, with their full strength.  Mr. Snider turned toward them and tried to maintain his smile, while the Hon. Mr. Bowditch, and Deacon Chick waved their hands furiously at the leader.

The leader, however, was quite unconscious of their efforts, as his back was turned toward them.  He was a short, very stout man, stuffed into a scarlet coat.  He stood up to lead, and instead of waving a wand, played a cornet.  This he moved about in the air, swaying his head and the upper part of his body in time with the music.  His face was deep red, and it seemed as if he might burst if it were not for blowing into the cornet.  The tune went on, defiantly, in spite of all the hand-wavings from Bowditch and Chick.