And before the half-hour which Charles had given them to reach the island had expired, their stock was entirely gone, their ammunition exhausted, their noisy patriotism evaporated, and they seated themselves on the gra.s.s to watch the approaching raft.
It had been a long and difficult pa.s.sage, but at last the Bunkers landed.
"h.e.l.lo, Tony," said Tim, as he leaped ash.o.r.e; "what are you doing here?"
"Been firing crackers," replied Tony.
"Got any more?"
"I haven"t."
"Who has?"
"None of us," replied Frank. "We have fired them all."
"You haven"t!" answered Tim with an oath.
"I tell you the truth; don"t I, Charley?"
"We had but six bunches, and we have fired them all," added Charles.
"I don"t believe it; you long-face fellers will lie twice as quick as one of us," said Tim, walking up to Frank.
"I have no more; I would not lie about it," protested Frank.
"Yes, yer would lie about it too. Now, just hand over some o" them crackers, or I"ll duck you in the lake."
Frank made no reply to this rude speech. He heartily wished himself off the island, and out of the company of the newcomers.
"Hit him, Tim!" cried one of the Bunkers.
"Hit him!" repeated the others.
"Want to fight?" said Tim, doubling up his fists, and a.s.suming a pugilistic att.i.tude.
"No, I don"t want to fight; I will not fight," replied Frank, retreating backward from the quarrelsome boy.
[Ill.u.s.tration: I don"t want to fight. _P._ 71.]
"Oh, you won"t fight, eh? Then, you"ll git licked," replied Tim, following him.
"I have not injured you; I don"t see why you should wish to fight with me."
"You lie! yer have. Didn"t yer tell me yer hadn"t got no more crackers?"
"I have not."
"Yes, yer have;" and Tim struck Frank a severe blow which made his lip bleed.
"Don"t do that again!" cried Tony Weston, his face flushed with indignation.
"What are you going to do about it?" said Tim, turning to Tony.
"I don"t want to fight, but I won"t see him abused in that shape."
"Never mind him, Tony," interposed Frank. "He didn"t hurt me much. Let us go over to the other side of the island."
"No, yer won"t!" said Tim Bunker, approaching Frank again, and giving him another blow in the face.
Tony Weston could bear no more; and springing upon the leader of the Bunkers, he struck him several times in rapid succession.
"Don"t, Tony, don"t," said Frank, trying to separate the combatants.
"Fair play!" cried the Bunkers.
Tony, though younger and lighter than his antagonist, pressed him so severely that he brought him to the ground before Frank and Charles could draw him off. Tim instantly leaped to his feet again.
"Come on!" said he.
"Don"t, Tony."
"Mind your own business!" said Tim to Frank as he renewed the a.s.sault upon him.
Frank tried to get away; and when Tony and Charles came to his a.s.sistance the other Bunkers attacked them, and the fight became general.
"Give it to "em," shouted Tim, as he struck his opponent several times on the head.
Frank saw that he had nothing to hope for unless he defended himself.
He had done his best to prevent the fight, and now he felt justified in resorting to necessary violence to save himself from further injury.
Suddenly springing upon his a.s.sailant, he bore him to the ground, and held him there. In the meantime Tony and Charles were getting the worst of it, when a loud shout arrested the attention of the combatants. They all suspended the strife.
"It is Uncle Ben," said Charles.
The Bunkers seemed to understand the character of the old sailor; and taking to their heels, they fled precipitately towards the other end of the island.
"What are you about, boys?" said Uncle Ben sternly, as he landed.
"We could not help it, Uncle Ben; indeed we could not," replied Frank, wiping his bleeding lip, and proceeding to tell the particulars of the whole affair.
"It was my fault; I ought not to have left you here alone. What will your father say?" said Uncle Ben, looking much troubled.
"He will not say anything; I am sure you are not to blame, Uncle Ben."
"Jump into the boat, and let us be off. These boys must be attended to."
Uncle Ben, instead of immediately following the boys into the boat, pushed off the raft from the sh.o.r.e, and attaching a line to it, made fast the other end to the boat.