The boat was due at four, and the tents were to be down and ready at the landing. So as soon as dinner was over every one went to work.

Jonas made a great rattling of pots, pans, and plates, as he packed them away in barrels and boxes.

"No more use for them until next summer, and there's no knowin' who of us will be alive to use 'em then!" exclaimed Jonas, with a wise shake of the head.

"That's so," said Friday solemnly.

"'Tain't noways likely that the same crowd will get together again. Somebody'll be missing. They are a fine set o' fellows, take 'em all around. Some o' them are as good as you'd find anywhere.--Here, Freit, lend a hand on this 'ere box. No, roll that barrel down to the beach; I'll see to this."

While they were thus engaged, the boys were packing their valises, and trying to decide what to take and what to leave.

"I've got rocks enough to stock a cabinet, and only one valise, that was full when I came," said Joe, kneeling before said valise, with his arms full of "specimens."

"To ballast a ship, you'd better say," added Ben, laughing. "What do you want that rubbish for?" and he pulled over the precious collection in a contemptuous way.

"Hands off, Vandal! Avaunt! You'll smash that infant star-fish!" cried Joe. "I've tramped miles and risked my neck getting these together, and now you call them rubbish! Avaunt, I say!"

"Tents down!" called Mr. Andrews, passing along, and seeing some of the tents still standing.

"Yes, sir," answered Joe, placing the "rubbish," as Ben called it, in an old jacket, and tying the bundle with fish-line. "There, I'm all right; I'll take this in my hands. There'll be room enough in my trunk when we get back to school."

Ben laughed, and said, "You'll have your labour for your pains. You'll throw the whole lot over the back-yard fence, or your mother or sisters will for you, before many weeks."

"Nay, nay! You haven't half looked at the things; or, worse still, are no judge, boy. Mr. Bernard said they were good specimens."

"All right--carry them home; but if your folks are like mine the things will disappear. I got a lot of snakes once, the prettiest fellows you ever saw, and had them in a wire box; but no one would go near my room to clear it up, and because I wouldn't throw them away, my sisters hired a fellow to drop the box in the pond. Wasn't I angry?"

"That's different; I don't much blame them," said Joe. "Nobody will bother my collection. There, my luggage is ready."

"So is mine," said Ralph, who had been sitting on his valise outside, listening to the conversation. "Where's Dave?"

"Oh, he went to the shore long ago. There he stands with his spy-glass, watching for the steamboat, as if it would be the most welcome sight in the world; and he doesn't want to leave any more than we do.--Now, down with the tent! Pull up those stakes, boys. Mine are up. Down she goes! Let's write our names on the canvas; perhaps we shall get the same tent next year."

"Oh, doesn't the place look forsaken?" groaned Joe, as he saw the tents, one after another, rolled up and carried by the boys to the beach, where the baggage was piled.

"I see the smoke!" cried Dave.

A chorus of groans from the crowd answered this announcement.

"Hush, raven! don't croak. Don't bring your bad news here. Get down from your watch-tower, and let's have a game of leap-frog, and forget the steamboat," said Ned.

There were boys enough answering this summons to make the leaping process long and tiresome; and by the time a dozen boys had gone the length of the row, they were glad to unbend their backs and throw themselves on the grass to rest.

Nearer and nearer came the boat, and no spy-glass was needed to tell the party that it was coming for them. Straight toward the island it steamed, and it was only a question of minutes when the motion would cease and the anchor drop.

Another chorus of groans from the waiting crowd was the only greeting extended even when the band began to play. Unmindful of the cool reception, the boat swung around as near to the rocks as possible, and the great wheels ceased to revolve.

"All ready there!" shouted the captain, hat in hand.

"All ready," was the answer.

The small boats belonging to the school were already laden with baggage, and the boys began to row across with the load. The larger boats belonging to the steamer were soon............