"Oh, Ben! How could you do it?"
"You drove me to it. It is all your fault, Lawry; so you needn't whine about it. Don't make a fuss; here comes Taylor."
"I don't want to see him," said Lawry, moving toward the door.
"Don't go off; I'm going to take Taylor and his friends up the lake, to give them a sail."
"The boat is engaged to Mr. Sherwood, to-day."
"I can't help it; he will not have her to-day. Come, Lawry, be a man. I won't be as hard with you, I say, as you were with me. I don't ask you to be a deck-hand. You shall be the pilot still."
"No, I won't."
"Won't you?"
"I will not," said Lawry firmly, as he dried his tears. "The boat is engaged to Mr. Sherwood, and he has invited a party to go with him. They were to start at nine o'clock, and they will be down here soon."
"Can't help it. I promised to take Taylor and his friends out, and they are all here now. There are the stores for his party," replied Ben, as a couple of men brought a large basket on board, from the top of which protruded the necks of a demijohn and several bottles.