Owing to the resolution of Tom Blanchard, those who with himself had in the morning kept on the left side, slowly took their departure. Frank respected, and envied the little band; but that word deserter rung in his ears, and he remained.
After his choice was irrevocably fixed, he endeavoured to frame excuses for his conduct.
'It was no project of mine,' said he to himself; 'I have not been forbidden to take fire into the woods; I was a stranger to the rules of the school; who can blame me for what I had taken no share in?'
These considerations put an end to any farther effort, to take the right course, but did not restore his tranquility, or enable him to enter into the frolic, with as much relish as the others, who as soon as the five were out of sight, appeared to be relieved from all restraint, and immediately commenced their operations.
What was William Gardiner's dismay, when he found that he had omitted to put up a part of the direction for inflating the balloon.
'This is a pretty business, indeed,' said Albert Lawrence, 'to spoil all our fun, by such carelessness; what can you have done with it?'
'I don't know; it was on two pieces of paper, and only one of them is here. In my hurry this morning, to get the box safely into the cart, I must have left the other in my trunk.'
Frank at first rejoiced at this accident; but the disappointment evinced by his companions, excited his sympathy.