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diff --git a/12728-0.txt b/12728-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..8c30db0 --- /dev/null +++ b/12728-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,7150 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 12728 *** + +The High School Boys' Canoe Club +or +Dick & Co.'s Rivals on Lake Pleasant + +By H. Irving Hancock + + + + +CONTENTS + +CHAPTERS + I. The "Splendid" War Canoe + II. "RIP" Tries Out His Bargain + III. Buying Fuel for a Bonfire? + IV. Hiram Pries a Secret Loose + V. Birch Bark Merchants + VI. Meeting the Fate of Greenhorns + VII. "Danny Grin" is Silent + VIII. What an Expert Can Do + IX. Dick Trembles at His Nerve + X. Putting Up a Big Scheme + XI. All Ready to Race, But----- + XII. Susie Discomfits a Boor + XIII. The Ripley Heir Tries Coaxing + XIV. The Liar has a Lie Ready + XV. At the Greatest of Feasts + XVI. A Scalp-Hunting Disappointment + XVII. The Good Word by Wire +XVIII. "Won't Win Against a Mudscow" + XIX. What Ailed Gridley? + XX. "Dinky-Rat Hot Sail!" + XXI. Nature Has a Dismal Streak + XXII. Fred is Grateful---One Second! +XXIII. Trentville, The Awesome + XIV. Conclusion + + + + +CHAPTER I + +THE "SPLENDID" WAR CANOE + + +"It's the wreck of one of the grandest enterprises ever conceived +by the human mind!" complained Colonel W.P. Grundy, in a voice +broken with emotion. + +A group of small boys grinned, though they offered no audible +comment. + +"Such defeats often---usually, in fact---come to those who try +to educate the masses and bring popular intelligence to a higher +level," was the colonel's declaration, as he wiped away a real +or imaginary tear. + +On a nearby lot stood a large show tent, so grayed and frayed, +so altogether dingy as to suggest that it had seen some summers +of service ere it became briefly the property of Colonel Grundy. + +Near the entrance to the tent a temporary platform had been built +of the board seats taken from the interior of the tent. + +Near the platform stood a grim-visaged deputy sheriff, conversing +with an auctioneer on whose face the grin had become chronic. + +Some distance from the tent stood a group of perhaps forty men +of the town of Gridley. + +"The whole outfit of junk won't bring five hundred dollars," predicted +one of these men. "How much did you say the judgments total?" + +"Seventeen thousand four hundred dollars," replied another. "But +the man who attached the show has a claim for only six hundred +and forty dollars, so he may get most of his money." + +Here the auctioneer stopped talking with the deputy sheriff long +enough to go over to the platform, pick up a bell and ring it +vigorously. A few more stragglers came up, most of them boys +without any money in their pockets. + +Off at one side of the lot six boys stood by themselves, talking +in low tones, casting frequent, earnest glances toward the platform. + +These youngsters were Dick Prescott, Dave Darrin, Greg Holmes, +Tom Reade, Dan Dalzell and Harry Hazelton. Collectively they +were known in the boydom of Gridley as Dick & Co. + +Our readers are already familiar with every one of these lads, +having first been introduced to them in the "_Grammar School Boys +Series_," with its four volumes, "_The Grammar School Boys of +Gridley_," "_The Grammar School Boys Snowbound_," "_The Grammar +School Boys in the Woods_" and "_The Grammar School Boys in Summer +Athletics_." The varied and stirring exploits of Dick & Co., +as told in these books, stamped the six chums as American boys +of the best sort. + +Then, in "_The High School Freshmen_," the first volume of the +"_High School Boys Series_," our readers went further into the +history of Dick & Co., and saw how even freshmen may impress their +personalities on the life and sports of a high school. The pranks, +the fights, the victories and achievements of that first year +in high school had done much to shape the characters and mould +the minds of all six of our boys. + +The present narrative deals with all that happened in the vacation +after Dick Prescott and his friends had finished their freshman +year. The summer now lay before them for whatever might come +to them in the way of work and pleasure. Though none of the six +yet knew it, the summer was destined to bring to them the fullest +measure of wonder and excitement. + +And now let us get back to Dick & Co., that we may see just what +befell them. + +"Pshaw! There comes Fred Ripley," exclaimed Harry Hazelton. + +"And he probably has a few ten dollar bills in his pockets," remarked +Greg Holmes, rather enviously. "He will buy something." + +Fred Ripley, as readers of "The High School Freshmen" remember, +was the son of a wealthy local lawyer, and a bitter enemy to Dick +Prescott and his friends. + +"Fred just came here to buy something and then look at us with +his superior smile," grunted Hazelton. "What do you say if we +all walk away before the bidding begins?" + +"Then Rip would grin," returned Tom Reade. "He'd know just why +we went away. I came here to see what's going to happen, and I +won't be chased away from here by Fred Ripley." + +"Let's see if Fred can have any real fun with us," proposed Dick, +with a quiet smile. + +"He can have fun enough with us, if he guesses why we are really +here," Dave Darrin uttered resentfully. "Ripley seems to think +that money is made and supplied to him just in order that he may +rub gall and wormwood into those whom he doesn't like!" + +Fred kept well away from Dick & Co., though the six boys saw that +he occasionally sent a covert look in their direction. + +"Time to begin," said the deputy sheriff, after glancing at his +watch. + +Up to the platform jumped the auctioneer, bell in hand. Holding +it with both hands he again rang vigorously for a full minute. +The net result was to bring one shabby-looking man, two grammar +school boys without a cent of money, and three children of not +over four years of age into the lot. + +"Ladies and gentlemen," began the auctioneer, in his glib tones, +"we are presenting to-day a most unusual opportunity. Prizes +will be distributed to many enterprising people of Gridley, though +these prizes are all so valuable that I trust none of them will +go for the traditional 'song.' It is seldom, indeed, in any community, +however favored it may be in general, that such a diversified +lot of excellent things is put under the hammer for purchase by +discriminating buyers! As you all know, Colonel W.P. Grundy's +Great & Colossal Indian Exposition & Aboriginal Life Delineations +has met with one of the too-common disasters of the road. This +great show enterprise must now be sold out in its entirety." + +After an impressive pause, the silence was broken by a sob. Those +in the crowd who were curious enough to turn, beheld the colonel +with a handkerchief to his eyes, his shoulders heaving. Somehow +the colonel's noisy grief failed to excite the sympathy of those +assembled. It was suspected that the wrecked showman was playing +for sympathy. + +"Such a wealth of treasures is here offered," continued the auctioneer, +"that for the first time in my career I confess myself unable +to decide which article or lot to lay before you first." + +"You said that last week at Templeton," laughed a man in the crowd. +"Go on!" + +Whereupon the auctioneer once more addressed his hearers in a +burst of vocal fireworks. + +"I wonder what Prescott and his mucker friends are here to bid +on?" Fred Ripley was asking himself. "Whatever it is, if it's +nothing that I want for myself I'll bid it up as high against +them as I can. For, of course, they've pooled their funds for +whatever they want to get. They can't put in more than a quarter +apiece, so a dollar and a half is all I have to beat. I'll wager +they already suspect that I'm here just to make things come higher +for them. I hope they do suspect!" + +It was just after the Fourth of July. The summer sun shone fiercely +down upon the assemblage. + +"Perhaps, first of all," announced the auctioneer, after pausing +to take breath, "it will be the proper thing to do to offer the +tent itself. At this point, however, I will say that the foreclosing +creditor of the show himself bids two hundred dollars on the tent. +No bid, unless it be more than two hundred dollars, can be accepted. +Come, now, friends, here is a fine opportunity for a shrewd business +man. One need not be a showman, or have any personal need of +a tent, in order to become a bidder. Whoever buys this tent to-day +will be able to realize handsomely on his investment by selling +this big-top tent in turn to some showman in need of a tent. +Who will start the bidding at three hundred dollars?" + +No one started it. After the auctioneer had talked for five minutes +without getting a "rise" out of any Gridley citizen, he mournfully +declared the tent to be outside of the sale. + +"Has anyone here any choice as to what he wants me to offer next?" +questioned the salesman of the afternoon. + +There was no response. + +"Come, come, gentlemen!" rebuked the auctioneer. "Don't let the +July sun bake your intellects, or the first cool day that comes +along will find you all filled with unavailing regrets. Hasn't +some one a choice as to what should be offered next?" + +Still receiving no reply, he heaved a sigh, then added: + +"I see that we shall have to start action in some way. Therefore +we'll bring out something that is action personified, with grace +mingled. Bring out the ponies. Gentlemen, I am now going to +offer you your choice of eight of the handsomest ponies you ever-----" + +"But there are forty ponies and thirty-two good wagon horses," +piped up a business man in the audience. + +"There were," corrected the auctioneer, mournfully. "But most +of the live stock was rented. Colonel Grundy had hoped to buy +the stock gradually out of the receipts of the show. All that +he owned in the way of live stock consisted of eight ponies. +And here they come! Beauties, aren't they?" + +Despite the heat of the day it was as though a frost had settled +down over the scene. Many of the men present were butchers, grocers +or others who had hoped to pick up cheap horses to be used in +their business. + +"Ponies are no good in this town," cried one man. "Lead 'em away. +Come on, neighbors." + +"Wait, wait!" urged the auctioneer. "There are some bargains +yet to come that will interest you all. Since we have the ponies +on the spot let us begin to run them off. It will teach you all +how to bid quickly when you see wonderful bargains bought up under +your noses!" + +The bidding, however, was lax at first. A stable boy mounted +one of the little animals, riding about at reckless pace. + +"Now, start the bidding!" + +After five minutes talking an opening bid of five dollars for +the pony had been made and this had been advanced to seven. + +With all the zeal at his command the auctioneer drove the bidding +along. It reached fourteen dollars, and there stopped. At last +the pony was knocked down to a man who thought he could use the +animal in a very light delivery wagon. + +"Now, gentlemen, wake up!" begged the auctioneer. "Let us have +some bidding worthy of the fair name of Gridley for good judgment +in business matters. Lead the roan pony forth." + +Undoubtedly the first pony had been a fair bargain at fourteen +dollars. The bidding on the second animal began at ten dollars, +going quickly to eighteen. From that point the offers traveled +slowly until twenty-six dollars had been named. At this price +the pony was sold. + +From that time on the ponies were "knocked down" rather briskly, +though the highest-priced one of the first seven brought only +thirty-one dollars. + +Now came the eighth. + +"You see what this animal is for yourselves, gentlemen," declared +the auctioneer. "We don't need to have this sleek little animal's +paces shown. We are in a hurry to get through. Who opens with +twenty dollars?" + +"He is a handsome little animal, isn't he?" exclaimed Dick Prescott, +crowding forward and gazing at the pony with glistening eyes. + +"I wish I had the money to buy him," whispered Dave Darrin. + +"Maybe I couldn't use that kind of a cut-down horse!" glowed Tom +Reade, while Harry and Dan looked on longingly. + +"That's what the muckers are here after!" thought Fred Ripley, +who had been watching them closely. "Now, no matter how much +money they may think they have, I'll show them how easy it is +for a fellow of my financial standing to step in and get the chestnut +pony away from them!" + +"Who starts the bidding with twenty dollars?" demanded the auctioneer. + +"Ten," finally responded a man in the crowd. + +"Thank you. But, gentlemen, ten dollars is a shame for a beautiful +animal like this. Who makes it twenty? Start it right up now!" + +Presently the bidding had reached sixteen dollars. Dick and his +chums had crowded still closer to the pony, looking on with lively +interest. + +"Here's where I sting Prescott and his crew!" muttered Fred Ripley +under his breath. Then, aloud, he called: + +"Twenty!" + +"Thank you," smiled the auctioneer, nodding in Ripley's direction. +"Here is a young man of sound judgment and a good idea of money +values, as his manner and his whole appearance testify." + +"Someone hold Rip, or he'll burst," laughed Greg Holmes in Dick's +ear. + +But Fred thought the chums were conferring as to how far they +could go with what means the six of them might have at hand. + +"They will get going soon," thought Fred gleefully. + +Just then Dick Prescott piped up: + +"Twenty-two!" + +"Twenty-two? Thank you," bowed the auctioneer. "Another young +gentleman of the finest judgment. Who says twenty-five?" + +"Twenty-three," offered Fred. + +"Twenty-five," called Prescott promptly. + +An instant after Dick had made this bid he felt heartily ashamed +of himself. He hadn't intended to buy the pony, and didn't have +the money. He had obeyed a sudden instinct to tease Fred Ripley, +but now Dick wished he hadn't done it. + +"Twenty-six!" called young Ripley. + +The auctioneer looked at Prescott, but the latter, already abashed +at his own conduct, made no further offer. + +"Twenty-eight!" called a man in the crowd, who knew that the wealthy +lawyer's son usually got whatever he wanted very badly. This +new bidder thought he saw a chance to get the pony, then later +to force Fred to pay a still higher price for the animal. + +"Thirty!" called Ripley, with a sidelong glance at Dick & Co. + +"Did I hear you offer thirty-five?" queried the auctioneer, singling +out Dick Prescott. + +But Dick remained mute. However, in the next instant Greg Holmes, +ere Prescott could stop him, blurted out with: + +"Thirty-two!" + +"Thirty-four!" called Ripley briskly. + +Greg opened his mouth, but Dick nudged him. "Don't bid, Greg. +You'd feel cheap if you had to take the pony and couldn't produce +the money," Dick admonished him. + +"Thirty-five!" called the man who had raised the bidding before. + +"Thirty-six," from Ripley. + +"Thirty-eight!" called the man. + +"Thirty-nine!" offered Fred, though he was beginning to perspire +freely. + +"Forty!" promptly offered the man. + +"Forty-one!" said Fred. + +And there it hung. After three minutes more of hard work on the +auctioneer's part the pony went to Ripley at forty-one dollars. + +"I don't know what my father will say to me for this," groaned +the lawyer's son. "But, anyway, Prescott and his crew didn't +get the chestnut pony, and this is the last piece of live stock, +so there's none left for them." + +He cast a triumphant look in the direction of those whom he termed +"the mucker boys." + +"Rip was bidding to keep us from getting a look-in!" whispered +Tom Reade gleefully. + +"That was what I thought," nodded Dick Prescott. "That was why +I threw in a couple of bids---just to make him pay for his meanness. +But I'm sorry I did it." + +"Step up and pay your money!" ordered the auctioneer. "Don't +keep us waiting all day." + +"Won't a deposit do?" demanded Fred, coming forward. + +"Yes; we'll take fifteen dollars, and hold your purchase until +one hour after the sale closes," replied the auctioneer. "Then, +if you don't come along fast with the remainder, your deposit +will be forfeited." + +"I'll raise the money all right," drawled Ripley, with an important +air, as he passed up three five dollar bills. "Give me a receipt +for this, please." + +"You've money enough there to pay it all," said the auctioneer. + +"Yes; but I may bid on something else," Fred replied. + +"Good luck to you," laughed the auctioneer. + +Presently along came a miscellaneous lot of the weapons that had +been used by cowboys and Indians connected with the show. The +auctioneer tried to close these out in one lot, but there were +no bids. + +Several of the younger men did brisk, but not high bidding for +the rifles. These were disposed of. + +Then tomahawks were offered for sale, singly. The first ones +offered went at an average of twenty-five cents each. At last +Dan Dalzell secured one for a nickel, paid his money and proudly +tucked his purchase under his arm. + +"Bring out the grand war canoe!" called the auctioneer at last. + +Now every drop of blood in Dick Prescott's body tingled. His +chums, too, were equally aroused. It was this that they had hope +of securing---if it went off at a price next to nothing! + +So intensely interested were the six young high school athletes +in the proceedings now that each one steeled himself to prevent +betraying the fact. All were aware that Fred Ripley's malicious +eyes were watching them. If he suspected that they wanted the +canoe he could put the bidding up to a figure that would make +their wishes impossible of fulfillment. + +Dick yawned. He looked intensely bored. + +"Come along," proposed Dave in an audible voice. "There's nothing +here we can get." + +"Yes; it's getting tedious," hinted Tom Reade. + +Dalzell and Hazelton also appeared to lose all interest in the +auction. + +"I was in hopes they'd want that canoe," muttered Fred Ripley, +feeling as though he had been cheated out of a great pleasure. +"As it happens I know all about that canoe. Wow! Wouldn't they +groan if they put up all their money for the canoe---_and then +found out_!" + +Just then the canoe was brought out. It was bolstered up on a +long truck, drawn by a pair of horses. Twenty-eight feet long, +slender and of graceful lines, this canoe, with its oiled birch +bark glistening in the sun, was a thing of beauty. It was one +of the genuine articles that the show had carried---of real Indian +model and workmanship. + +"Gaze upon it, gentlemen!" cried the auctioneer enthusiastically. +"Did you ever see the like of this grand war canoe? History +in every line of it! Picture to yourselves the bygone days in +which such a canoe, filled with painted braves, stole along in +the shadows fringing the bank of some noble stream. Portray to +your own minds such a marauding band stealing down stream upon +some settlement, there to fall upon our hardy pioneers and put +them to the death!" + +"I'm glad I'm living now, instead of in those days," called a +man from the crowd, raising a laugh. + +"Gentlemen, before you are through," suggested the auctioneer, +"one of you will be the proud and happy possessor of this magnificent +war canoe. It is a priceless gem, especially when considered +in the light of good old American history. Now, who will start +the bidding? Who will say, clearly and distinctly, thirty dollars?" + +"We're not brave enough in these days!" called a voice from the +crowd. + +"That's right, friends---have fun with me," retorted the perspiring +auctioneer. "But don't let this valuable, beautiful trophy get +away from you." + +Yet, though the auctioneer labored for a full five minutes he +couldn't raise a bid. + +"Take it away! Take it back!" ordered the auctioneer wearily. +"I was in hopes it would appeal to the artistic sense of this +town, but it doesn't! Take it away." + +"If no one else wants it," drawled Dick Prescott, "I'll offer +two dollars." + +"Thank you for good intentions, anyway," replied the salesman +on the platform. "Two dollars I'm bid. Who says ten? Now, do +wake up, friends!" + +But the bidding lagged. + +"This beautiful war canoe!" cried the auctioneer desperately. +"It was the pride of the show. A real Indian canoe, equipped +with gunwale seats and six Indian paddles. And only two dollars +offered. Gentlemen, do I hear three? No! Last call! It's +pitiful---two dollars!" + +Dick Prescott and all his friends were now in the seventh heaven of +prospective delight. It seemed unreal, that they could get this +treasure for any such sum. + +"If I must do it, I must," groaned the auctioneer. "Two I'm offered. +Does anyone say more. Make it four! No? Make it three! No? +Last call! Going, going-----" + +In another instant the big war canoe would have been knocked down +to young Prescott at two dollars. Dick was "all on edge," though +he strove to conceal the fact. + +"At two dollars, then!" groaned the auctioneer. "Two dollars! +All right, then. Going, going-----" + +Just then the word "gone" would have been uttered, and the canoe +gone to Dick & Co. + +"Three dollars!" called Fred Ripley. + +There was a pause, while the auctioneer exhorted the crowd to +wake up. + +"Four," said young Prescott, at last, but he spoke with pretended +indifference. + +"Five," chimed in a man who now seemed to take an interest. The +bidding now went up slowly, a dollar at a time, with these three +bidders, until twelve dollars was reached. Then the man dropped +out. Dick was outwardly calm, though his chums shivered, for +they knew that their combined capital did not reach the amount +now being offered. + +"I'm afraid that canoe is going to Dick's head," whispered Harry +Hazelton anxiously to Tom Reade. + +"Let him alone," retorted Tom in a low voice. "It's one of Dick +Prescott's good points that he generally knows what he's doing." + +"But we have only-----" + +"Never mind if we're worth a million, or only a single dollar," +interrupted Reade impatiently. "Watch the battle between our +leader and Rip, the Mean!" + +Now the bidding became slower, fifty cents at a time being offered, +bids coming only when the auctioneer threatened to "knock down." + +"I don't want to get this confounded canoe fastened onto me," +grumbled Fred Ripley to himself. "I want to stick Prescott and +his crowd for all I can, but I must look out that I don't get +stung. I know better than to want that canoe, no matter how good +it _looks_!" + +"Sixteen," said Dick at last, feeling more desperate inwardly +than his face showed. + +"Sixteen-fifty," from Ripley. + +"Seventeen," offered Dick, after a pause. + +"Seventeen-fifty," announced Fred, after another long bait. + +"Eighteen!" followed up young Prescott. He was in a cold perspiration +now, lest the fight be forced too far. + +To his astonishment, Fred Ripley, an ugly sneer on his face, turned +his back on the bidding. + +"Are you through, gentlemen?" demanded the auctioneer, after a +keen look in the direction of the lawyer's son. + +"I am," Ripley growled over his shoulder. + +"I am offered eighteen! Eighteen! Eighteen! Who says nineteen? +Make it eighteen-fifty! Who says eighteen-fifty? Eighteen and +a quarter! Are you through, gentlemen? Then going, going---gone! +Sold to Master Prescott at eighteen dollars. Young man, I congratulate +you. Walk right up and pay your money! All, or a deposit?" + +Dick, who had been collecting loose change from his chums, now +came forward. + +"I'll pay a deposit of seven dollars," he announced. + +"Hand it here, then. Seven dollars; thank you. Here's your receipt. +Now, remember, Prescott, you have until the end of one hour after +the sale closes. Then, if you're not here with the other eleven +dollars, you must expect to forfeit this deposit." + +"I know," Dick nodded. + +Then he hurried off to his chums. + +"Come along," he said, with desperate energy, as he led them away +from the field. On the sidewalk he halted. + +"We've got it, fellows!" he exulted. "We've got it! Hooray!" + +"Yes; we've got it, if we've got eleven dollars more---which we +haven't," Greg remarked. + +"We've eleven dollars more to raise," Prescott went on hurriedly. +"Roughly, that's two dollars apiece. We must hustle, too." + +"No hustle for mine," yawned Dan Dalzell. "I'll just step down +to my bank and get the money. Will two dollars be enough, Dick?" + +"Stop that talk," ordered Dave Darrin, getting a grip on Dan's +shirt collar. "If you don't, I'll thrash you! Dick has a scheme. +Out with it, old chap!" + +"The scheme is simple enough," said Prescott hurriedly. "We must +each get two dollars, and get it like lightning. That will come +to a dollar over the amount we need, but we shall need the extra +dollar, anyway. So hustle! Borrow the money from anyone who'll +let you have it. Offer to work the money out at any time---any +old kind of work. The only point is to come running back with +the money. Get it in any honest way that you can, and don't one +of you dare to fail, or we'll lose our deposit money and our canoe. +Start!" + +Nor did Prescott lose any time himself, but raced down the street, +turned into Main Street and ran on until he came to the little +cross street on which stood the bookstore conducted by his father +and mother. + +"Mercy, Dick! What makes you run so?" asked Mrs. Prescott. Dick +was rejoicing to discover that there was, at this moment, no customer +in the store. + +"Mother," replied her son, "I want to borrow three dollars this +minute. I'll be responsible for it---I'll pay it back. Please +let me have it---in a hurry!" + +Then, briefly, he poured out the story. Mrs. Prescott's hand +had already traveled toward the cash register. + +"We're very short of money just now, my boy. Try to earn this +and pay it back quickly. You know, trade is slow in the summer +time, and we have several bills to meet." + +"Yes, I'll pay it back, mother, at the first chance---and I'll +make the chance---somehow," promised young Prescott. "Thank you." + +The money in his hand, Dick raced back to the lot where the show +tent still stood. + +He was back before any of the others and waited impatiently. +Dave Darrin came up ten minutes later. + +"Did you get it?" asked Dick anxiously. + +"Yes," replied Dave laconically, pushing two one dollar bills +into Dick's hand. + +One by one the other boys arrived. Each had managed to round +up his part of the assessment. + +With thirteen dollars in his hand, Dick went up to the auctioneer's +clerk. + +"I am ready to pay the other eleven dollars on the canoe," Prescott +announced, speaking as calmly as possible. + +"All right," agreed the clerk. "But you'll have to find some +man you can trust to take the bill of sale. We can't pass title +to a minor." + +"Why didn't you tell me that before?" Dick demanded. + +"That's all right. It wasn't necessary before, but it is now. +Just find some man who will treat you all right and give you +the canoe. Then we'll take the money and make out the bill of +sale to him." + +Fred Ripley now sauntered up, offering his money. He was given +the same directions for finding a man to whom title could pass. + +Dick looked about him. Then across the lot, and over on the further +side of the street he saw his father. + +Dick returned quickly to the lot with Mr. Prescott, explaining +the situation. The bookseller listened gravely, but offered no +objections. He stepped over, paid the money for Dick, then said: + +"I must be going. Turn the canoe over to my son." + +"Yes, sir," replied the auctioneer's clerk. "Men, haul out the +truck that has the canoe on." + +Mr. Prescott had already walked away. Dick and his chums greeted +the coming of truck and canoe with a wild whoop. Then they piled +up on the truck to inspect their treasure. + +Fred Ripley, returning with Mr. Dodge, a local banker, saw the +six youngsters climbing up to look at their purchase. A broad, +malicious grin appeared on Ripley's face. + +"Sold! sold!" gasped Dave Darrin. Then his face flushed with anger. +For the canoe, which looked well enough on exhibition, proved +to have three bad holes in her hull, which had been carefully +concealed by the manner in which the craft had been propped up +on the truck. + +The great war canoe looked worthless---certain to sink in less than +sixty seconds if launched! + + + + +CHAPTER II + +"RIP" TRIES OUT HIS BARGAIN + + +Had a meaner trick ever been played on boys with whom it was so +hard to raise money? + +"Ha, ha, ha!" chuckled Fred Ripley, so loudly that the dismayed, +angry boys could not fail to hear him. + +"You sneak! You knew it all the time!" flared Dave Darrin, gazing +down in disgust at the lawyer's son. + +"Maybe I did know," Fred admitted, yet speaking to Mr. Dodge. +"You see, one of my father's clerks served the papers which attached +the show." + +There was no help for Dick & Co. They had parted with their money +and their "property" had been turned over to them. + +It is an ancient principle of law that the buyer must beware. +The auctioneer had been most careful not to represent the canoe +as being fit for service. He had offered it as an historical +curiosity! + +Dick & Co. looked at the canoe anxiously. + +"What shall we do with it?" asked Dave Darrin moodily. + +"Make a bonfire of it?" asked Danny Grin. + +"Might as well," Greg nodded. + +"No, sir!" Dick interrupted. "Tom, what do you say? You're one +of the really handy boys. Can't this canoe be patched up, mended +and put in commission?" + +"It might be done," Tom answered slowly. + +The other five stood regarding him with eager interest. + +"But we'd have to get an Indian here to show us how to do it." + +"Where are the Indians that were here with the show?" asked Harry +Hazelton. + +"They went away as soon as the show was attached," Dick answered. +"Probably they're hundreds of miles from here now. They were +only hired out to the show by their white manager, and they've +gone to another job. Besides, they were only show Indians, +and probably they've forgotten all they ever knew about +canoe-building---if they ever did know anything." + +"Then I don't see but that we're just as badly off as ever," sighed +Greg. "We're out eighteen dollars and the fine canoe that we +expected would provide us with so much fun." + +"The paddles look all right, anyway," spoke up Harry Hazelton, +lifting one out of the canoe and looking it over critically. + +"Oh, yes, the paddles are all right, and the river is close at +hand," spoke Dave Darrin vengefully. "All we need is a canoe +that will float." + +"If it were a cedar canoe we might patch it easily enough," Prescott +declared. "But I've heard that there is so much 'science' to +making or mending a birch bark canoe that an amateur always makes +the job worse." + +"Haw, haw, haw!" came boisterously from Fred Ripley. He and Mr. +Dodge were now standing before the table of the auctioneer's clerk. +Fred was paying down the remaining twenty-six dollars on the +price he had bid for the handsome chestnut pony. + +"Yes, you're laughing at us, you contemptible Rip!" scowled Dave, +though he spoke under his breath. "You can afford to lose money, +for you always know where to get more. You knew this canoe was +worthless, and you deliberately bid it up on us---you scoundrel!" + +"Shall we make Colonel Grundy a present of this canoe?" suggested +Danny Grin dolefully. + +"The poor old man hasn't money enough to get the canoe away from +here, even if he wanted to," replied Dick, in a voice of sympathy. + +"But how did the show folks manage to use this canoe?" asked Tom +Reade. + +"They didn't, except on a truck in a street parade, I imagine," +Dick replied. "And that must be how the holes came to be in the +bottom. The sun got in its work on the bark and oil, and blistered +the body of the canoe so that it broke or wore away in spots. +Oh, dear!" + +The sale was over, but a few odds and ends remained. Fred Ripley, +having now paid the whole of his forty-one dollars through Mr. +Dodge, ordered his handsome new purchase led out. + +A man came out, holding the pony's halter. He walked slowly, +the pony moving contentedly after him. + +"A fine little animal!" glowed Fred, stroking the glossy coat. + +"He---er---looks rather old, doesn't he?" ventured Mr. Dodge. + +"Not so very old," Fred answered airily. "There is a lot of life +and vim left in this little fellow. And he can show speed, too, +or I'm all wrong." + +Then Fred's eye roved toward the pile of stuff on which no one +had bid. + +"There's a good saddle," suggested Ripley. "The real western +kind," nodded the auctioneer. + +It looked the part. + +"I'll give you two dollars for the saddle," Fred offered. + +"You'll pay ten if you get that saddle," replied the red-faced +auctioneer. + +"Put it up and let us see how the bids will run," proposed Ripley. + +"The sale is closed. Anything that is sold now will go at private +sale," retorted the auctioneer. + +"Oh, come now!" protested Ripley. "I'd like to trade with you." + +"You can, if you produce the price. At least, your friend can. +I can't deal with you, for you're a minor." + +Fred tried vainly to persuade the auctioneer to lower the price +of the saddle, but finally concluded to pay ten dollars for it +and two dollars for a bridle. A worn saddle cloth was "thrown +in" for good measure. Ripley handed the money to the auctioneer's +clerk. + +"Saddle up," directed Fred, tossing a quarter to the man who held +the pony's bridle. + +Though flushed with his bargain, Fred was also feeling rather +solemn. He had parted with nearly all of the sixty dollars his +father had handed him that morning as his summer's spending money. +He was beginning to wonder if his pony would really take the +place of all the fun he had planned for his summer vacation. + +"Here is your mount, sir," called the man who had done the saddling. +"Now, let's see what kind of a horseman you are." + +"As good as you'll find around Gridley," declared Fred complacently. + +Putting a foot into the left stirrup, he vaulted lightly to the +animal's back. + +"He has a treasure, and we're stung," muttered Dave Darrin in +a low voice. "Those that have plenty of money and can afford +to lose don't often lose!" + +Before starting off Fred, glancing over at Dick & Co. standing +dolefully on the truck, brayed insolently: + +"Haw, haw, haw!" + +Dave clenched his fists, but knew that he could do nothing without +making himself ridiculous. + +"Get up, Prince!" ordered young Ripley, bringing one hand smartly +against the animal's flank. + +"He's going to call his pony 'Prince,'" whispered Danny Grin. + +"It looks like an appropriate name," nodded Dick wistfully. + +For some reason the pony didn't seem inclined to start. Fred +dug his heels against the animal's side and moved away at a walk. + +"A-a-a-ah!" murmured a crowd of small boys enviously. + +"Now, show a little speed, Prince," ordered Fred, digging his +heels in hard. + +The pony broke into a trot. Someone passed Ripley a switch, with +which he dealt his animal a stinging blow. Away went pony and +rider at a slow canter. + +"Fine gait this little fellow has," exulted Fred, while cheers +went up from the small boys. + +Suddenly the animal slowed down to a walk. Fred applied two sharp +cuts with the switch, again starting his mount. Fred turned +and came cantering back toward the group, feeling mightily proud +of himself. + +Suddenly the pony stopped, trembling in every limb. + +"Get off, young man!" called someone. "Your pony is going to +fall!" + +Fred got off, feeling rather peculiar. He wished that the six +fellow high school boys over on the truck would move off. + +Mr. Dodge hurried over to the young man, looking very much concerned. + +"Fred," murmured the banker, "for all his fine looks I'm afraid +there is something wrong with your pony." + +"What is it?" asked Fred, looking, as he felt, vastly troubled. + +At that moment an automobile stopped out in the road. + +"Beg your pardon, Mr. Dodge," called the chauffeur, "but are you +going to want me soon?" + +"I want you at once," called back the banker, adding in a lower +voice to Fred: + +"Flannery, my new chauffeur, was a coachman for many years. He's +a fine judge of horseflesh." + +Flannery came up, an inquiring look on his face. + +"I want you to look this pony over and tell me just what you think +of him," directed the banker. + +Flannery went over the pony's "lines" with the air of an expert, +as, indeed, he was. + +"Fine-looking little beast," said Flannery. "He has been well +fed and groomed." + +Then he looked into the pony's mouth, examining the teeth with +great care. + +"Used to be a nice animal once," decided Flannery, "but he was +that a long time ago. He's about twenty-five or twenty-six years +old." + +"_What_!" exploded young Ripley, growing very red in the face. + +"Thinking of buying him, sir?" asked the chauffeur respectfully." + +"I've already bought him," confessed Fred ruefully. + +Flannery whistled softly. Then he took the pony by the bridle, +dragging him along over the ground at a trot, the crowd making +way for him. + +"Wind-broken," announced the ex-coachman, leading the trembling +animal back. "Bad case, too." + +"A veterinary can cure that," Fred declared, speaking more airily +than his feelings warranted. + +"Hm!" replied Flannery dryly. "You find the veterinary, Master +Fred, and I'll show the gentleman how to make his fortune if he +can cure wind-broken horses." + +"Then what good is the pony?" demanded Fred in exasperation. + +"Well, the hide ought to fetch three dollars, and there are a +good many pounds of soap fat in him," replied Flannery slowly. + +"And is that all the good there is in this pony?" cried Ripley. +He felt like screaming. + +"It's all the good I can see in him, sir," replied Flannery. + +"Then I won't take this pony," young Ripley declared, flushing +hotly. "It's a downright swindle. Here, my man, hand my money +back and take your old soap box." + +"Not to-day," declared the auctioneer briefly. He and his clerk +were now preparing to depart. + +"You'd better!" warned Fred. + +"I won't." + +"Then I'll have you arrested." + +"Try it." + +"Run and get a policeman," Fred ordered, turning to a crowd of +small boys. + +"All right," smiled the auctioneer. "If you'll be quick about +it I'll wait for your policeman." + +But Mr. Dodge, who had shaken his head toward three boys who had +shown signs of being willing to run for a policeman, now led young +Ripley to one side. + +"No use making any fuss about it, I'm afraid, Fred. You saw the +pony when it was offered for sale, didn't you?" + +"Yes." + +"And you didn't ask to have him run? You didn't demand the privilege +of trying him yourself?" + +"No, sir." + +"What representations did the auctioneer make about the pony?" +pressed Mr. Dodge. + +"Why, he said the pony was a fine-looking animal-----" + +"And that's no lie," responded Mr. Dodge gravely. "What else?" + +"That's the only representation that I did make," broke in the +auctioneer, who had strolled slowly over to them. "I also said +that the pony showed all of his good points." + +"I'm afraid you'll have to swallow your loss, Fred," suggested +the banker. "I'm sorry that I had even an innocent part in this +trade." + +"Trade?" screamed Fred, now losing all control of himself. "It +wasn't a trade at all! It's piracy! It's highway robbery! It +was a barefaced swindle, and this swindler" + +Fred glared at the auctioneer. + +"Go slowly, young man," advised the salesman of the afternoon. + +"You're a swindler, and a mean one, taking downright advantage +of other folks," stormed young Ripley. "But you won't get away +with this swindle. My father is a lawyer---the best lawyer in +the place---and he'll give you good reason to shiver!" + +"All right, young man. Send your father after me---if he'll take +the case. But I'm going down to see him, anyway, for I must give +him an accounting of the money taken in this afternoon. Come +along, Edson," to his clerk. + +Very red in the face, Fred Ripley stood with his fists clenched, +trying to avoid the eyes of the many grinning men and boys gathered +around him. + +Dick & Co. had gotten down from the truck. They did not join +in the fun-making at the enemy's expense, though naturally they +did not feel very sorry for young Ripley. + +"Will you ride your pony home, sir?" asked the man who had done +the saddling. + +"No," said Fred shortly. He felt tempted to tell the man to lead +the worthless animal away and shoot it. Then he changed his mind. + +"Take this half dollar," he said, "and take the pony down and +leave it in our stable." + +For another thought had just occurred to Fred Ripley. If he +kept a close mouth, and watched his chance, he hoped that he +might yet be able to make some sort of "trade" with the pony +as an asset. + + + + +CHAPTER III + +BUYING FUEL FOR A BONFIRE? + + +"Well, what are we going to do with our magnificent war canoe?" +asked Greg Holmes dolefully. "Does the bonfire idea go?" + +"It doesn't," Dick retorted. "Although we don't know anything +about such a job, and though it is supposed to need a sure enough +expert to do it, we're at least going to try the thing out and +see if we can't make this canoe float, and carry us safely, at +that!" + +"We'd better decide how to get it away from here, anyway," proposed +Tom Reade. "We haven't any lease of this lot." + +Over near the road a group of men and boys were laughing heartily. +It was at the lawyer's son that their mirth was directed. As +for Dick & Co., the Gridley crowd felt only sympathy. The proceedings +of the afternoon had but emphasized the old idea that at an auction +sale one must either use great judgment or take his chances. + +"Say," called Dick, "there goes the very man we ought to ask for +advice. Harry, will you run over and ask Hiram Driggs to come +here?" + +Hazelton, nodding, hurried away at full speed. "Hiram Driggs +is an awfully high-priced man," sighed Tom Reade. + +"Perhaps his mere advice won't come high," young Prescott answered. +"If it does, we'll begin right by telling him that we have no +money---that we've nothing in fact but a birchbark white elephant +on our hands." + +Driggs came over promptly, his keen, shrewd eyes twinkling. + +"So you boys have been buying away from my shop, and have been +'stung,' eh!" queried Driggs, a short, rather stout man, of about +forty. + +"Robbed, I'd call it," replied Dave Darrin. + +"Same thing, at a horse trade or an auction sale," hinted Hiram +dryly as he got up on the truck. "Let's have a look at your steam +yacht." + +For a few moments Driggs looked the canoe over in grim silence. + +"Whew!" was time final comment. + +"Pretty bad, isn't it?" Dick inquired. + +"Well, for my part, I'd sooner buy a real wreck," Driggs announced. +"This may be an auctioneer's idea of honor. What was his name?" + +"The auctioneer's name? Caswell," Dick answered. + +"I'll make a note of that name," said Driggs, drawing out notebook +and pencil, "and keep away from any auction that has a man named +Caswell on the quarter-deck. Now, boys, what do you want to know +about this canoe that your eyes don't tell you?" + +"About how much would it cost us to fix her?" asked Prescott. + +"Thirty dollars---maybe thirty-two," said Driggs, after another +casual look at the canoe. + +"Let's announce the bonfire for to-night," urged Greg. + +"We haven't any such sum of money, Mr. Driggs," Dick went on. + +"Too bad, boys, for you'd probably have a lot of fun in this craft. +If you want to sell it, maybe I could allow you four dollars +for the craft as she stands." + +"We'd hate to part with the canoe," Dick continued. + +"I know, I know," remarked Driggs sympathetically. "It was wanting +a boat badly when I was a boy that drove me into the boat business. +But I didn't have to handle birch bark then, or my first craft +would have sunk me. Say, boys, great joke how young Ripley got +stung so badly, wasn't it?" + +"I know about how he feels," remarked Dick. + +"Yes, of course," smiled Driggs. "But you boys are entitled to +some honest sympathy. I don't imagine young Ripley will get much +sympathy, will he?" + +"Not a heap," Greg Holmes answered. + +"Well," resumed Driggs, "I ain't a mite sorry for the boy and +his make-believe pony. But I wish I could help you with your +boat, for I know you haven't any loose money to throw around like +young Rip." + +Driggs dug his hands deep into his pockets and wrinkled his brow +in thought. + +At last he looked up hopefully. + +"I'll tell you what I've been thinking about, boys. The town +will be laughing at young Ripley to-morrow. But Rip, he'll be +passing the laugh around on you young fellers, too. Now, I don't +mind Rip's troubles; but it's different with you boys, and I know +how it stings to part with all the money you could scrape together. +Now, let's look this job over. I could say about thirty dollars +for this job. It will cost twenty, and the other ten dollars +would be profit, interest on my investment in my shop and so forth. +Now, I'll let this job go at just the cost---twenty dollars, +and throw off the profit and trimmings. Yes---to you young fellows---I'll +call the job twenty dollars." + +"That's kind of you," said Dick, with a grateful sigh. "But we +want to be honest with you, Mr. Drigg---Twenty dollars, or five, +or a hundred---it would be all the same to us. We haven't the +money." + +"Not so fast," returned Driggs, his eyes twinkling. "I'll give +you credit, and treat the debt as a matter of honor between us." + +"But I don't know how we'd pay you back," Dick went on. "As it +is, we've borrowed a good bit of money that we've got to pay back." + +"Exactly," agreed Driggs, "and you want to pay the other money +back before you pay me. Yes; I'll take the job at cost---twenty +dollars, and I'll throw in the use of one of my teams and trucks +to come up here and get the canoe." + +"But I'm afraid, sir, that we'd be a very long time paying you." + +"No, you won't," Driggs disputed. "I don't allow long time bills, +but I'll show you a way to pay me back fairly early, if you boys +have the energy---and I believe you have. Now, you see, first +off, boys, we'll need a lot of birch bark. I haven't any in stock, +and the kind that is sound and good for canoe building is scarce +these days. Now, first off, you'll have to range the woods for +bark. Do you know where to find it?" + +"Yes," Dick nodded. "Over on that place they call Katson's Hill." + +"But that's about eleven miles from here," objected Driggs. + +"I know it is," Prescott answered. "But the point is that Katson's +Hill is wild land. No tax assessor knows who is the owner of +that land, and it wouldn't bring enough money to make it worth +while to sell it at a sheriff's sale. So a number of farmers +turn their cattle in there and use it for free grazing ground. +As no owner can be found for the land we won't have to pay for +the birch bark that we cut there." + +"That's so," Driggs acknowledged. "But it's an awful distance, +and over some mighty rough bits of road. You'll be about dead +after you've packed a load of birch bark in from Katson's Hill." + +"That wouldn't be anything, compared with having to do without +our canoe," Dick returned. + +"Maybe not," Driggs conceded. "Now, boys, is there much of that +birch bark on Katson's Hill?" + +"There must be several shiploads," Dave Darrin replied. + +"Good enough. Then, see here. I'll take this job at twenty dollars, +if you boys will get the birch bark. After you've brought in +enough to patch the canoe then you can bring in enough more to +amount to twenty dollars. Is that a go?" + +"It's wonderfully kind of you," Dick answered gratefully. + +"Not much it isn't," Driggs grinned, "and it will make that young +Ripley cub feel mighty sore and cheap when he finds that he was +the only one who got 'skinned' at this auction. But before you +get through cutting and hauling birch bark you may think I'm a +pretty hard taskmaster. I'll call it a go, if you boys will." + +"We'll pay our full debt, Mr. Driggs, and pay you a load of thanks +besides." + +"All right," nodded Driggs, jumping down off the truck, in haste +to get away from the embarrassment of being thanked. "Some of +you just hang around here until my man, Jim Snowden, gets up here +with the truck. After Jim starts away with your war canoe then +you can leave the rest to me, except cutting and hauling several +loads of birch bark to square up matters." + +Driggs beat a hasty retreat now. When he had gone the members +of Dick & Co. exchanged glances. Then Holmes began to dance +his best idea of a jig. + +"We'll have that bonfire at eight o'clock tonight, Greg," Dick +reminded him with a smile. + +"Will you?" demanded Greg, scowling fiercely. "If any of you +fellows have any matches, then just keep away from that canoe, +or I'll fight. We can't afford to take any risks. Whoop!" + +"Whoop!" answered Harry Hazelton, standing on his head. + +"Whoop!" echoed Dave Darrin, giving Danny Grin a playful punch +that sent Dalzell sprawling. + +They were as happy a lot of boys as one could wish to see. They +were to have their canoe and all the sport that that meant. It +was to be a safe craft---as good as new! For Hiram Driggs was +a dependable and skilful boat builder. + +"Hey, too bad you fellows got stung so fearfully," cried a grammar +school boy in passing. "I'm mighty sorry." + +"Thank you," Dick answered. "But we're going to have the canoe +repaired. We'll be having lots of fun in the war canoe after +a few days." + +"How you going to get her fixed?" asked the other boy. + +"Hiram Driggs has taken the job, and you know what he can do with +boats." + +"Whee! I'm glad on you're going to have the canoe fixed all right," +nodded the other boy, and passed on. + +Forty-five minutes after Driggs' departure Jim Snowden came up +with the truck. With the help of the boys he loaded the canoe +from the other truck, then started away. + +By this time the news had spread to other boys that Dick & Co. +would soon have their war canoe afloat in fine order---that Hiram +Driggs stood sponsor for the prediction. + +That evening Fred Ripley had a somewhat unpleasant talk with his +father. + +"You've no business with pocket money," said Squire Ripley sternly. +"You have no idea of the value of it." + +"I thought I had made a good bargain," said Fred sullenly. + +"So does every fool who parts with his money as easily as you +do," returned the lawyer. "Well, enjoy yourself, my boy. If +you'd rather have that paralyzed pony than the money I gave you +to enjoy the summer with, I suppose you're entitled to your choice, +though I don't like your judgment." + +"Of course," suggested Fred, "since I've met with misfortune you +won't be too hard on me. You'll let me have a little more money, +so I won't have to go through the summer like a mucker." + +"I'll give you no more spending money this summer," retorted the +lawyer, adding, grimly: "If I did, you'd probably go and buy a +cart to match your horse." + +In fact Fred felt so uncomfortable at home that, just after dark, +he started up Main Street. + +"Where's your horse, Fred?" called Bert Dodge. "Why are you walking +when you own one of the best steeds that ever came out of Arabia?" + +"Shut up, won't you?" demanded Fred sulkily. + +Bert chuckled for a while before he went on: + +"Of course, I'm sorry for you, Fred, but it's all so funny that +I can't help laughing." + +"Oh, yes, it must be awfully funny," replied young Ripley testily. + +"But you can afford it," said Bert. "You can get more money from +your father." + +"I suppose so," Ripley assented, not caring to repeat his interview +with his father. "Anyway, I'm glad that Dick Prescott and the +rest of his crowd got fooled as badly as I did. And they can't +get any more money this summer." + +"I guess they must have gotten some already," Bert rejoined. +"Didn't you hear the news about that canoe?" + +"What news?" asked Fred quickly. + +"Why, they've engaged Hiram Driggs to put the canoe in good order." + +"Where did they get the money?" asked Fred, his brow darkening. + +"I don't know," was Bert's rejoinder. "But they must be able +to raise money all right, for Driggs has the canoe down at his +yard, and he has promised it to them in a few days." + +This news came like a slap in the face to the lawyer's son. He +remained with Bert for another hour, but all the time Fred brooded +over the fact that Dick & Co. were to have their canoe after all. + +"At that, I don't know that they will have their canoe," Fred +remarked darkly to himself as he started homeward. + +Shortly after midnight Fred Ripley sneaked away from his home, +turning his face in the direction of Hiram Driggs' boatyard. + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +HIRAM PRIES A SECRET LOOSE + + +When he left home Fred Ripley had no clearly defined idea as to +what he meant to do. + +However, he had in one pocket a keen-bladed pocket knife. Well +wrapped in paper a short but sharp-edged chisel rested in one +of the side pockets of his coat. + +At the outset his only purpose was to do irreparable mischief +to the war canoe. The means of accomplishing that purpose he +must decide upon when he reached the boatyard. + +How dark it was, and how hot! Late as the hour was the baking +heat of the day did not seem to have left the ground. Fred walked +along rapidly, fanning his perspiring face with his straw hat. + +"They'll have their war canoe in the water in a few days, will +they?" the lawyer's son muttered. "Humph!" + +Through the side streets he went, keeping a sharp lookout. Conscious +of the fact that he was bent on an unworthy errand, Fred did not +care to be recognized abroad at this unusual hour. + +In a few minutes he had reached the boatyard. This was surrounded +by a high board fence, and the gate was locked. + +"It won't do to get over the fence," young Ripley decided. "I +might be seen and watched. But I know a way." + +At one corner of the yard the fence ran almost, though not quite +to the bank of the river. + +Keeping well within the shadow of the fence, young Ripley hastened +toward this point. + +Here the amount of space was not sufficient for him to step around +the end of the fence. However, by grasping it on both sides Fred +could swing himself around it and into the boatyard. He did so +with ease, then halted, peering cautiously about the yard. + +"No one here," the lawyer's son decided at last. "Whew! I wouldn't +dare even to stumble over a tramp taking a nap here. This is +ticklish business, or it would be if I were caught here. Now, +where is the canoe?" + +Early in the evening the moon had shone, but now the stars gave +all the light there was to be had. It was so close in the yard +that Fred soon pulled off his jacket, carrying it or his arm. + +Nowhere in the open yard was the canoe to be seen. There were +three semi-open sheds. Into each of these in turn Ripley peered. +The canoe was nowhere to be found. + +"I'm a fool to lose my sleep and take all the risk for this!" +grunted the boy, halting and staring moodily about him in his +great disappointment. He now glared angrily at a large building, +two-thirds boathouse and one-third boat-building shop. + +"Hiram Driggs had the canoe taken in there!" muttered the boy. +"Just my luck. I couldn't get into that building unless I broke +a window---and I don't dare do that." + +Still determined to get at the canoe, if possible, Fred stole +down to the inclined platform from which boats were carried to +the water. But the water-front entrance to the boathouse also +proved to be locked. + +"There's no show for me here," grunted the young prowler. "I +wonder if any of the windows have been left unlocked." + +His good sense told him that it would be a serious matter indeed +to raise a window and enter the building---if he were caught. + +But Fred, after a few moments of strained listening, decided to +take the chance. At any hazard that he dared take he must get +to the war canoe and put it out of commission for all time. + +He tried three of the windows. All of them proved to be locked. + +"I'm going to have some more of my usual luck," groaned young +Ripley. "I wonder why it is that I always have such poor luck +when I have my heart most set on doing a thing?" + +He was slipping along to the fourth window when he heard a sound +that almost caused his heart to stop beating. + +Merely the sound of footsteps pausing by the gate to the boatyard---that +was all, for a moment. But Fred cowered in acute dread. + +"Who's in there?" called a steady voice, that filled Fred Ripley +with consternation, He knew that voice! It belonged to a member +of the Gridley police force. + +"Talk about your tough luck!" shivered Fred. "This is the limit! +Now, I'm in for it." + +For a few moments he crouched close to the boathouse nearly paralyzed +with fright. His consternation increased when a sound over by +the fence indicated that the policeman was trying to mount that +barrier. + +Now, Fred's courage returned, or enough of it to enable him to +try to escape. Bending low, he turned and ran swiftly, almost +noiselessly. His speed astonished even himself. He gained the +corner of the fence by which he had entered the yard. Taking +a firm hold, he swung himself around the fence and out of sight +just as the policeman's head showed over the top of it. + +Fortunately for the fugitive, the policeman, in climbing the fence, +had made noise enough to drown the slight sounds produced by Ripley's +frenzied flight. + +His first thought being of burglars, the policeman drew his revolver +as soon as his feet touched the ground inside the yard. With +his left hand he held an electric pocket flash lamp, whose rays +he flashed into the dark places. + +Fred did not stop until he found himself safely within the grounds +of his home. There he halted, fanning himself with his hat and +taking long breaths. If discovered by anyone he could easily +claim that he had found the night too hot to sleep inside and +had come outdoors for air. + +The next morning, about ten o'clock, Hiram Driggs, who had already +been visited by Dick & Co., on their way to Katson's Hill, was +called upon by Policeman Curtis of the Gridley force. Curtis, +being off duty, was in citizen's clothes. + +"Did you miss anything out of the plant this morning, Mr. Driggs?" +inquired the guardian of life and property. + +"Nothing that I know of," Driggs answered. "Why?" + +"I thought I heard burglars about here last night, while on duty," +the policeman explained. "I came up over the fence, and looked +about the place, but couldn't find anything. Yes, I did, too, +though. I'll talk about that in a moment. You see, I went off +duty at one o'clock this morning, so I didn't spend much time +here. I'm on house reserve duty to-day. Now, for what I found +here. I didn't find a living soul in the yard, but on the ground, +near one of the open sheds, I came upon a chisel wrapped in a +newspaper. I hid it, then, but I'll show it to you now. Maybe +it belongs to the shop, and if so I've no business with it. But, +if you don't recognize the chisel as yours, then I'll take it +up to the station house and turn it over to the chief." + +"After all that stretch o' talk," smiled Driggs, "you ought to +show me a whole case full of chisels." + +"I hid it over here," Curtis explained, going over to one of the +open sheds. "I tucked it in under this packing case. Here it +is, now, just where I left it. Do you recognize it as yours?" + +From the newspaper wrapping Driggs took the small but keen-edged +implement. He regarded it curiously. Then he turned the paper +over slowly. + +"Do you recognize it?" persisted the policeman. + +"Mebbe," said Driggs. "I guess you can leave it here. But, in +case any question should come up about it in the future, suppose +you write your autograph on the handle of the chisel." + +Driggs passed over his fountain pen, the policeman obligingly +obeying the request for his signature on the wood. + +"Now, just for good measure, write your name across the top of +the newspaper, too," Driggs proposed. Curtis did so. + +"You seem to attach a good deal of importance to this find," hinted +the policeman. + +"Mebbe," assented Driggs indifferently. "Mebbe not. But you +and I will both know this paper and the chisel again, if we see +it, won't we?" + +"We ought to," nodded the policeman. "But you don't consider +the matter as important enough, then, to interest the police?" + +"I wouldn't think o' bothering the police force about a trifling +little matter like this," returned Driggs carelessly. + +Just as soon, however, as the policeman had gone, Driggs darted +into his private office. There he took up the telephone receiver +and asked for Lawyer Ripley's residence number. + +"Is Master Fred at home!" he inquired, when a servant of the Ripley +household answered the telephone. Fred was at home, the servant +replied, and then summoned Fred to the telephone. + +"Well, who is it, and what is it?" asked Fred crossly. + +"Hiram Driggs," responded the boat builder dryly. "That's 'who +is it.' As to 'what is it,' if you'll take a quick run over to +my office at the boatyard I'll tell you the rest of it." + +"What on earth can you want to see me about?" Fred demanded. + +Even over the wire, the note of dismay in Ripley's voice was plainly +evident to Driggs, who chuckled. + +"I can't tell you, over the wire, all that I want to see you about," +Driggs replied. "You'd better come over here at once. I can +promise you that it's something interesting." + +"I---I don't believe I can come over to-day," Fred answered hesitatingly. +"The weather is too hot." + +"Mebbe the weather will get hotter, if you don't come," Hiram +Driggs responded calmly. + +"That's a joke, eh?" queried Fred. "Ha, ha, ha!" + +"Depends upon the feller's sense of humor," Driggs declared. +"Well, you're coming over, aren't you?" + +"Ye-es, I'll come," Fred assented falteringly, for his guilty +conscience made a coward of him. "You're a fine fellow, Mr. Driggs, +and I'm glad to oblige anyone like you. I'll be right over." + +"Thanks, ever so much, for the compliment," drawled Driggs in +his most genial tone. "Such a compliment is especially appreciated +when it comes from a young gentleman of your stripe. Good-bye." + +That word "stripe" caused Fred Ripley to have a disagreeable chill. +He remembered that "stripes" are an important part of the design +on a convict's suit of state-furnished clothes. + +"But he needn't think he can prove anything against me," Fred +muttered to himself, as he started down the street. "Of course, +I know I lost that chisel last night, and Driggs may have found +it in his boatyard. But he can't prove that the chisel belongs +to me, or to our house. There are lots more chisels just like +that one. If Driggs tries to bluff me he'll find that I'm altogether +too cool for him!" + +Nevertheless, it was an anxious young man who walked into the +boat builder's office a few minutes later. Hiram Driggs, smiling +broadly, held out his hand, which Fred took. + +"Sorry I wasn't here when you called last night," said Driggs +affably. + +"I don't know what you mean," Fred rejoined promptly. "I didn't +call at your house last night." + +"Oh, no," Driggs replied. "I meant when you called here." + +"I didn't call here, either." + +"Ever see this before?" asked Driggs, holding up the chisel. + +"Never," lied Fred. + +"That's curious," said Driggs musingly. "Officer Curtis, the +man on this beat, found the chisel here, and it was wrapped up +in part of this newspaper." + +Driggs brought forth from one of the drawers of his desk the newspaper +in question. + +"What has that scrap of paper to do with it?" asked Fred, speaking +as coolly as he could. + +"Why," explained Driggs, turning the paper over, "here's the mail +sticker on this side, with your father's printed name and address +pasted on it just as it came through the post-office." + +Fred gasped audibly this time. Driggs surveyed his face with +a keen, tantalizing gaze. + +"Mebbe 'twas your father, then, who was in the yard last night, +and who refused to answer the policeman's hail," suggested the +boat builder. "I'd better go up to his office and show him these +things and ask him, I guess." + +"But I don't believe my father will know anything about it," spoke +young Ripley huskily. + +"Then your father will want to know something about it," Driggs +went on. "He's a man of an inquiring turn of mind. Let's run +up to his office together and ask him." + +"No, no, no!" urged Fred, his face growing paler. + +"Then why were you here last night?" + +"I wasn't here," protested the boy. + +"Perhaps I can tell you why you were here," Driggs went on, never +losing his affable smile. "You don't like Dick Prescott, and +you don't like his boy friends. Prescott has been too many for +you on more than one occasion. But that is no reason why you +should enter my yard after midnight. That is no reason why you +should want to do harm to a war canoe or to any other property +that happens to be in my yard. I really don't know whether you're +to be blamed for being a glib liar, Ripley. You've never given +yourself much practice at telling the truth, you know. But I +have this to say: If anything happens to that canoe, or to anything +else here, I shall make it my business to get hold of Officer +Curtis, and he and I will drop in and show your father this chisel, +and this piece of paper that it was wrapped in. As you will see, +Curtis has written his signature on the paper and on the handle +of the chisel, so that he may identify them again at any time. +Now, Ripley, I won't look for you to pay this yard any more visits +except in a proper way and during regular business hours. Good +morning!" + +Hiram Driggs held out his hand as smilingly as ever, and Fred +took it in a flabby grasp, feeling as though he were going to +faint. Then without a word Ripley slunk out of the office, while +Driggs gazed after him still smiling. + +"The mean scoundrel!" panted Fred, as he hurried away, his knees +trembling under him. "There isn't a meaner fellow in town than +Hiram Driggs, and some day he'll go and tell my father just for +spite. I know he will! Now, I've got to find some good way +to account for that paper and chisel I'll put in the day thinking +up my story." + + + + +CHAPTER V + +BIRCH BARK MERCHANTS + + +Away over on Katson's Hill six high school boys, stripped to their +undershirts and trousers, were toiling hard, drenched in perspiration +and with hands considerably the worse for their hard work. + +"What we're finding out is that it's one thing to strip bark for +fun, and quite another thing to take it off in pieces large enough +for a boat-builder," Dick Prescott declared. + +"It isn't as fast work as I thought it would be, either," Dave +Darrin declared, running his knife slowly down the trunk of a +young birch. + +"What we need is to bring a grindstone along with us," Tom Reade +grunted, as he examined the edge of the largest blade in his jackknife. +"I simply can't cut with this knife any more." + +"I couldn't cut with a fine razor," declared Greg Holmes. "Look +at the blisters on my hands from the cutting I've already done." + +"Never mind your aches and pains," comforted Dave Darrin. "We're +doing this to pay charges on our canoe, and Hiram Driggs has been +mighty kind about the whole business. Think of the fun we're +going to have when that canoe is launched; Now, fellows, Hiram +Driggs has been mighty good to us, so I want to propose a plan +for your approval. Whenever Driggs tells us that we've cut and +hauled enough birch bark to pay him, then we must come out here +and get still a few more loads, to pay him in good measure and +show that we appreciate his kindness. Never mind how much our +backs ache or our hands smart. Do you agree?" + +"I'll fight any fellow in the crowd who doesn't agree," announced +Tom Reade. + +"You can't get up a fight with me on that score," retorted Greg. +The others also quickly assented to Dave's plan. + +By and by the youngsters halted for half an hour to eat the luncheons +they had brought with them. Then they went at their work again. + +At half-past three o'clock in the afternoon they tied up in bundles +as much of the bark as each boy could carry, then started homeward. + +"We ought to get home in time for supper," Dick declared hopefully. + +It was about eight o'clock in the evening when they reached Greg's +gate. The return was harder than they had expected. The road +seemed to be twice as rough as it had been in the morning; they +were utterly fagged, and discovered that even a load of birch +bark can weigh a good deal under certain circumstances. + +"Pile it up in the back of the yard," Greg suggested, "and we'll +take it around to Mr. Driggs in the morning." + +"Then we can hardly get back to Katson's Hill to-morrow, if we +wait until the boatyard opens at eight o'clock," said Dave. "We +ought to start for the hill before six, as we did this morning." + +"We'll none of us feel like going to Katson's Hill early to-morrow +morning," smiled Dick wearily. "Fellows, I guess we'll have +to put in twice as much time, and go every other day. I'm afraid +it's going to be a little too much for us to do everyday." + +So this was agreed upon, though rather reluctantly, for Dick & +Co. were anxious to repay Driggs at the earliest date. + +Not one of the six boys appeared on Main Street that evening. +Each of them, after eating supper, crept away to bed to ease +the aching of his muscles in slumber. + +The next morning they met at Greg's gate shortly after seven o'clock. + +"The loads will seem lighter to-day," laughed Dick. + +"But to-morrow---oh, me, oh, my!" groaned Reade, making a comical +face. + +"It's the 'White Man's Burden,' you know," Dick laughed. + +"What is?" Dave inquired. + +"Debt---and its consequences." + +"My father has a horror of debt," Tom announced. + +"Well, I guess the black side of debt shows only when one doesn't +intend to make an effort to pay it," Dick suggested. "The whole +business world, so we were taught at high school, rests on a foundation +of debt. The man who doesn't contract debts bigger than he can +pay, won't find much horror in owing money. We owe Hiram Driggs +twenty dollars, or rather we're going to owe it. But the bark +we're going to take in to him to-day is going to pay a part of +that debt. A few days more of tramping, blistered hands and aching +backs, and we'll be well out of debt and have the rest of the +summer for that great old canoe!" + +"Let's make an early start with the bark," proposed Tom. "I want +to see if the stuff feels as heavy as it did late yesterday afternoon." + +"Humph! My load doesn't seem to weigh more than seven ounces," +Darrin declared, as he shouldered one of the piles of bark. + +"Lighter than air this morning," quoth Tom, "and only a short +haul at that." + +When Hiram Driggs reached his boatyard at eight o'clock he found +Dick & Co. waiting for him. + +"Well, well, well, boys!" Mr. Driggs called cheerily. "So you +didn't back out." + +"Did you think we would, sir?" Dick inquired. + +"No; I knew you boys wouldn't back out. And I don't believe you +threw away any bark on the way home, just to lighten your loads." + +Hiram went about the yard starting the day's work for his men, +then came back to the boys. + +"Now, just bring the bark over to the platform and we'll look +it over and sort it," suggested the boat builder. + +Dick & Co. carried their loads over to the platform, where they +cut the lashings. + +"We'll make three heaps of the stuff," Driggs proposed. "One +heap will be the worthless stuff that has to be thrown away. +Another heap will be for the pieces that are good but small; they'll +do for patches. The third heap will be the whole, sound strips. +Mebbe I'd better do all the sorting myself." + +So the boys stood by, watching Driggs as he sorted the bundles +of bark with the speed of a man who knows just what he wants. +A quantity of the bark went on to the "worthless" heap, yet there +was a goodly amount in each of the other piles by the time that +the boat builder was through sorting it. + +"You've done first rate, boys," he announced at last. "Is there +much more of that bark on Katson's Hill?" + +"We ought to be able to bring in fifty times as much bark as we've +brought already," Dick answered. + +"I wish you would," Driggs retorted. + +"And give up the whole of our summer vacation?" Danny Grin asked +anxiously. + +"Well, there is that side to it, after all," Driggs admitted quickly. +"It must be a tough job on your backs, too. But, boys, I wouldn't +mind having a lot of this stuff, for birch bark canoes are coming +into favor again. The only trouble is that birch bark is hard +to get, these days, and costs a lot to boot. So it makes birchbark +canoes come pretty high. At the same time, there are plenty +of wealthy folks who would pay me well for a birch-bark canoe. +Now, I know that you boys, owning a canoe that will soon be in +the water, won't be anxious to give up your whole summer to doing +jobs for me. But couldn't you bring in a lot more bark if you +had a team of horses and a good-sized wagon?" + +"Of course we could," Dick nodded. "But we haven't any horses +or a wagon." + +"I was thinking," Driggs went on slowly. "I can spare my gray +team and the big green wagon. Any of you boys know how to drive?" + +"All of us do," Dick answered, "though I guess Tom could handle +a team better than any of the rest of us." + +"Then suppose you take my team out at six o'clock to-morrow morning?" +Driggs suggested. "I'll have to charge you four dollars a day +for it, but I'll take it in bark as payment. With the wagon you'll +be able to bring in a lot more bark than you could without a wagon." + +"It's a fine idea, sir," glowed Dick, "and you're mighty kind +to us." + +"Not especially kind," smiled the boat builder. "I can use a +lot of this bark in my business, and I'm glad to get it on as +reasonable a basis as you boys can bring it to me. You see, it's +lucky that Katson's Hill is wild and distant land. If we had +a land owner to deal with he'd make us pay high for the privilege +of stripping the bark." + +"But why couldn't you send your own workmen out to cut the bark?" +Dick asked. "They've as much right on Katson's Hill as we have." + +"Oh, yes; I could do that," Driggs assented. "And I could make +a little more money that way, mebbe. But would it be square business, +after you young men have trusted me with your business secret +as to where bark can be had for nothing?" + +That was a ruggedly honest way of putting it that impressed Dick +& Co. + +"I'll tell you what you---might do, Mr. Driggs," hinted Tom Reade. +"You might lend us a grindstone, if you have one to spare. Then +we can sharpen our knives right on the spot and cut bark faster." + +"You can have the grindstone," Driggs assented. "And I'll do +better than that. I can spare half a dozen knives from the shop +that are better than anything you carry in your pockets. Oh, +we'll rush this business along fast." + +Six utterly happy high school boys reported at Hiram Driggs' stable +at six o'clock the next morning. They harnessed the horses, put +the grindstone in the wagon and all climbed aboard. Two seats +held them all, and there was room for a load of bark, besides, +several times as large as Dick & Co. could carry on their backs. + +Work went lightly that day! The shop knives cut far better than +pocket knives could do, and the stone was at hand for sharpening. +Six laughing and not very tired boys piled aboard the wagon that +afternoon, with what looked like a "mountain" of prime birch bark +roped on. + +For seven more working days Dick & Co. toiled faithfully, at the +end of which time they discovered that they had about "cleaned" +Katson's Hill of all the really desirable bark. + +"Your canoe will be dry enough to launch in the morning," said +Driggs, as he received the last load at his stable. "Come down +any time after eight o'clock and we'll put it in the water." + +Were Dick & Co. on hand the next morning? + +Dan Dalzell was the last of the six boys to reach post outside +the locked gate of the yard, and he was there no later than twenty-one +minutes past seven. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +MEETING THE FATE OF GREENHORNS + + +At five minutes before eight Hiram Driggs arrived, keys in hand. + +"I see you're on time," he smiled, unlocking the gate and throwing +it open. "Now come in and we'll run your canoe out on the river +float." + +Even in the dim light of the boathouse Dick & Co. could see the +sides of the canoe glisten with their coating of pitch and oil +that lay outside the bark. The war canoe looked like a bran-new +craft! + +"Do you like her?" queried Driggs, with a smile of pride in the +work of his yard. + +"Like her?" echoed Dick, a choking feeling in his throat. "Mr. +Driggs, we can't talk---yet!" + +"Get hold," ordered the boat builder. "Carry her gently." + +Gently? Dick & Co. lifted their beloved treasure as though the +canoe carried a cargo of eggs. + +Out into the morning sun they carried her, letting her down with +the stern right at the water's edge. + +"O-o-o-oh!" It would be hard to say which one of Dick & Co. started +that murmur of intense admiration. + +"Now, if you can take your eyes off that canoe long enough," proposed +Driggs, after all hands, the builder included, had feasted their +eyes for a few minutes upon the canoe, "come into the office and +we'll attend to a little business." + +Not quite comprehending, the high school boys followed Driggs, +who seated himself at his desk, picking up a sheet of paper. + +"Prescott, I take it you're the business manager of this crowd," +the boat builder went on. "Now, look over these figures with +me, and see if everything is straight. Here are the different +loads of bark you've brought in. I figure them up at $122.60. +See if you make it the same?" + +"Of course I do," nodded Dick, not even looking at the figures. + +"Careless of you, not to watch another man's figuring," remarked +Hiram Driggs. "Now, then, the bark you've brought in comes to +just what I've stated. Against that is a charge for the team +and wagon, eight days at four dollars a day---thirty-two dollars. +Twenty dollars for fixing your canoe. Total charges, fifty-two +dollars. Balance due you for bark, seventy dollars and sixty +cents. That's straight, isn't it?" + +"I---I don't understand," faltered Dick Prescott. + +"Then see if this will help you to understand," proposed Driggs, +drawing a roll of bills from his pocket and laying down the money. +Here you are, seventy dollars and sixty cents." + +"But we didn't propose to sell you any bark," Dick protested. +"All we expected to do was to bring you in good measure to pay +you for all your kindness to us." + +"Kindness to you boys?" demanded Driggs, his shrewd eyes twinkling. +"I hope I may go through life being as profitably kind to others. +Boys, the bark you've sold me will enable me to make up several +canoes at a fine, fat profit. Take your pay for the goods you've +delivered!" + +Dick glanced at his chums, who looked rather dumbfounded. Then +he picked up the bills with an uneasy feeling. + +"Thank you, then," young Prescott continued. "But there is one +little point overlooked, Mr. Driggs. You did the canoe for us +at cost, though your price to any other customer would have been +thirty dollars." + +"Oh, we'll let it go at that," Driggs suggested readily. "I'm +coming out finely on the deal." + +"We won't let it go at that, if you please, sir," Dick Prescott +retorted firmly. + +Dick placed a ten dollar bill on the desk, adding: + +"That makes the full thirty dollars for the repairing of the canoe." + +"I don't want to take it," said Driggs gruffly. + +"Then we won't take any of this money for the bark," insisted +Dick, putting the rest of the money back on the table. + +"If you corner me like that," muttered Driggs, "I'll have to take +your ten dollars. Now put the rest of the money back in your +pocket, and divide it among your crowd whenever you're ready. +Wait a minute until I make out a receipt for repairing the canoe. +I'll put the receipt in your name, Prescott." + +Driggs wrote rapidly, then reached for another paper. + +"And now," he laughed, "since you're so mighty particular about +being exact in business, you may as well sign a receipt for the +money paid you for the bark." + +Signatures were quickly given. + +"Now, I reckon you boys want to get out to your canoe," the builder +hinted. + +"Yes, but we can't take Dick with us," Tom declared. "Not with +all that money belonging to the company in his pocket. Dick, +before you step into the canoe you'd better leave the money with +Mr. Driggs, if he'll oblige us by taking care of it." + +Driggs dropped the money in an envelope, putting the latter in +his safe. + +"Call and get it when you're going away," he said. + +"Some day, when we recover, Mr. Driggs," said Dick earnestly, +"we're going to come in and try to thank you as we should." + +"If you do," retorted the boat builder gruffly, "I'll throw you +all out. Our present business deal is completed, and the papers +all signed. Git!" + +Driggs followed them out to show them how to launch the canoe +with the least trouble. + +"Have any of you boys ever handled a paddle before?" inquired +Hiram Driggs. + +"Oh, yes; in small cedar canoes," Dave answered. + +"All of you?" + +"Yes, sir." + +"Then you ought to get along all right in this craft. But be +careful at first, and don't try any frolicking when you're aboard. +Remember, a canoe isn't a craft that can be handled with roughness. +Don't anyone try to 'rock the boat,' either. In a canoe everyone +has to sit steadily and attend strictly to business." + +"A war canoe! Isn't it great?" chuckled Dan, as he started to +help himself to a seat. + +But Tom grabbed him by the coat collar, pulling him back. + +"First of all, Danny Grin, shed that coat. Then ask Dick which +seat you're going to have. He's the big chief of our tribe of +Indians." + +"Better all of you leave your coats here," suggested Driggs. +"You can get 'em when you come back. And you can keep the canoe +here without charge, so you'll have a safe place for it. Some +fellows, you know, might envy you so that they might try to destroy +the canoe if you left it in a place that isn't locked up at night." + +When the boys were ready, in their shirt sleeves, Dick assigned +Dave Darrin to the bow seat. The others were placed, while Prescott +himself took the stern seat, from which the steering paddle must +be wielded. + +"All ready, everyone," Dick called. "Dave, you set the stroke, +and give us a slow, easy one. We mustn't do any swift paddling +until we've had a good deal of practice. Shove off, Dave." + +Darrin pushed his paddle against the float, Dick doing likewise +at the stern. Large as it was, the canoe glided smoothly across +the water. + +"Now, give us the slow stroke, Dave!" Dick called. + +Soon the others caught the trick of paddling in unison. Each +had his own side of the craft on which to paddle. Dick, alone, +as steersman, paddled on either side at will, according as he +wished to guide the boat. + +"You're doing finely," called Hiram Driggs. + +"Let's hit up the speed a bit," urged Dan Dalzell. + +"We won't be in too big a hurry about that," Dick counseled. +"Let us get the knack of this thing by degrees." + +"Whee! When we do get to going fast I'll wager there is a lot +of fine old speed in this birch-bark tub!" chuckled Tom Reade. + +Dick now headed the canoe up the river. For half a mile or more +they glided along on a nearly straight course. + +To say that these Gridley high school boys were happy would be +putting it rather mildly. There was exhilaration in every move +of this noble sport. Nor was it at all like work. The canoe +seemed to require but very little power to send her skimming over +the water. + +At last Dick guided the canoe in an easy, graceful turn, heading +down the river once more. + +"Now, you can try just a little faster stroke, Dave," Dick suggested. +"And make it just a bit heavier on the stroke, fellows, but don't +imagine that we're going to try any racing speed." + +"Hurrah!" + +"Zip!" + +"Wow!" + +It was great sport! Just the small increase in the stroke sent +the handsome big war canoe fairly spinning down the river. + +"I never dreamed it would be like this!" cried Dave Darrin, in +ecstasy. "Fellows, I don't believe there is any fun in the world +equal to canoeing in a real canoe." + +"It beats all the little cedar contraptions that some folks call +canoes!" Tom Reade declared. + +"I am almost beginning to think," announced Danny Grin, "that +I'd rather go on canoeing than go home for my dinner." + +"That idea would last until about half-past twelve," chuckled +Reade. "This is glorious fun, all right, but dinner has its +place, too. As for me, I want to get my dinner strictly on time." + +"Glutton!" taunted Greg Holmes. + +"Don't you believe it," Reade retorted. "I want my dinner right +on time so that I can get back for a longer afternoon in the canoe." + +"Fellows," announced Dave Darrin solemnly, "we've got to form +a canoe club." + +"Humph!" retorted Greg Holmes. "We don't want to belong to any +club where the other fellows have only the fourteen or sixteen +foot cedar canoes." + +"We don't have to," Dave explained. "We'll limit the membership +to those who own war canoes like this one. In other words, we'll +be the whole club." + +"What's the need of our forming a club?" asked Greg Holmes. "We're +as good as being a club already. We're always together in everything, +aren't we?" + +"Still, it won't do any harm to have a regular club name for the +summer," Dick Prescott suggested. + +"What would we call the club?" asked Hazelton. + +"Why not call it the Gridley High School Canoe Club?" Dick demanded. + +"Best name possible," Tom agreed. + +"Some of the other high school fellows might get sore at us, though," +Tom hinted. "They might say we had no right to take the high +school name." + +"We won't take it for ourselves only," Dick smiled. "We'll keep +the club membership open to any set of six fellows who will own +and run a war canoe. We'll keep the membership as open as possible +to the high school fellows." + +"Humph! And then Fred Ripley, Bert Dodge and a few others with +plenty of cash would get a canoe and insist on coming in and spoiling +the club." + +"They might," Dick assented, "but I don't believe they would. +Fred Ripley, Bert Dodge and a few others of their kind in the +Gridley High School wouldn't spend five cents to join anything +we're in." + +Toot! toot! sounded a whistle shrilly behind them. + +Dick turned carefully to glance at the bend above them. + +"Steam launch, with an excursion party," he informed the others. +"I think I see Laura Bentley and Belle Meade in the bow waving +handkerchiefs at us." + +Dan Dalzell turned abruptly around. Harry Hazelton did the same. + +"Look out!" cried Greg, as he shifted swiftly to steady the craft. + +Just then Tom Reade turned, too. His added weight sent the canoe +careening. There was a quick scramble to right the craft. + +Flop! The canoe's port rail was under water. She filled and +sank, carrying a lot of excited high school boys down at the same +time. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +"DANNY GRIN" IS SILENT + + +Dick Prescott sank into the water not more than two or three feet. +Then his head showed above the surface of the river. He struck +out vigorously, looking about him. + +"The canoe is done for!" he gasped. + +Too-oot! too-oot! too-oot! The steam launch was now speeding +to the scene, its whistle screeching at a rate calculated to inform +everyone in Gridley of another river disaster. + +Up came Greg, then Dave. Tom Reade's head appeared down stream. +Harry Hazelton bobbed up not six feet from Dick. Hazelton blew +out a mouthful of water, then called: + +"Everyone up, Dick?" + +"All but Dan." + +"What-----" + +"I guess he's all right. Danny Grin is a good swimmer, you know." + +Half a dozen river craft were now heading their way, but the launch +was the only power boat in sight. + +Five members of Dick & Co. now got close together. + +"We've got to go down after Danny Grin," Reade declared. "You +fellows watch, and I'll get as close to bottom as I can." + +Tom sank. To the anxious boys he seemed to be gone for an age. +He came up alone. + +"Did you see Dan?" Dick faltered. "Not a glimpse of him," returned +Tom despairingly. + +"See the canoe?" + +"No." + +"Then you couldn't have gone down in the right place," Dick argued. + +"I'll try it, fellows!" exclaimed Darrin. Down went Dave. He +soon came up, treading water. As soon as he had blown out a mouthful +of water he exclaimed: + +"I found Dan, but I couldn't stay under long enough. He went +down with the canoe. He's lying in it now." + +"Look out, there! We'll pick you up," called a voice from the +launch, which now darted toward the boys. A bell for half speed, +then another for "stop" sounded, and the hull of the launch divided +the frightened swimmers. + +"Let me get aboard!" cried Dick, taking a few lusty over-hand +strokes. + +Willing hands hauled him into the launch at the bow, while girls' +cries and anxious questions filled the air. + +"What's the matter?" + +"Who-----" + +But Dick waited to answer no one. Standing in the bow of the +launch, he pointed his hands, then dived into the river. + +While he was below the surface of the water the other canoeists +swam alongside, helping themselves aboard. + +"Oh, Dave!" cried Laura Bentley. "What's wrong?" + +"Dan Dalzell hasn't come up," Darrin choked. "Here, clear the +way. I'm going down after Dick." + +He was gone like a flash. Seconds ticked by while a score of +pale faces watched over the side of the launch. + +Then, at last, up shot Dave. He was followed almost instantly +by Dick, his arms wrapped around the motionless form of Dan Dalzell. + +"Get close and we'll haul you in!" called Tom Reade, a boat-hook +in his hand. + +"Is Dan drowned!" demanded a dozen voices. + +"Don't ask questions now!" cried Tom Reade impatiently, without +looking about him. "Keep quiet! It's a time for work." + +Abashed, the questioners became silent. Tom caught the boat-hook +through the collar of Dan's flannel shirt. With the aid of the +launch's helmsman Reade drew Dan in and got him aboard. Young +Dalzell's eyes were closed, nor did he speak. + +Then Dick and Dave were pulled aboard the launch. + +"Dan didn't seem to be able to free himself," Darrin explained +breathlessly. "His foot was wedged under a cleat in the canoe." + +"Carry Dan aft," ordered Dick, while he was still clambering over +the rail. "Lay him face down." + +Then, drenched as he was, Dick hastened aft, where he directed +others how to pat Dan on the back and to work his arms. + +"We've got to get that water off his lungs," Dick explained. +"Don't stop working for a moment. I wish we had a barrel to roll +him on!" + +"We will have soon," replied the launch's helmsman, rushing back +to his post and ringing the bell. Thus recalled to his post, +the engineer turned on the speed. + +The craft made swiftly for Hiram Driggs' float. A few moments +later it ran alongside. + +Warned by the whistle, Driggs and two of his workmen came running +out to the float. + +"Get a barrel as quickly as you can!" shouted young Prescott. + +By the time Dalzell had been hustled ashore the barrel was in +readiness. Dan received an energetic rolling. Three or four +little gushes of water issued from his mouth. + +"Keep up the good work," ordered Dick feverishly. "We'll bring +him around soon." + +When they saw that no more water was coming from Dalzell's mouth +the workers placed him in a sitting position, then began to pump-handle +his arms vigorously. + +A tremor ran through the body of Danny Grin. + +"Hurrah!" cried Dick. "He's going to open his eyes!" + +This Dan did a few moments later. "Keep on working his arms," +commanded Prescott. + +"Quit!" begged Dalzell in a faint whisper. "You're hurting me." + +"Good enough!" chuckled Dick. "Keep on at his arms until he can +talk a whole lot more." + +"But isn't it cruel?" asked a girl. + +"No," rejoined Tom Reade, turning to her. "Did you ever bring +a drowning man to?" + +"Never, of course." + +"Then let our Dick have his way. He generally knows what he's +about. No rudeness intended you understand," Reade added, smiling. + +"This lad's all right, now," declared Hiram Driggs. "Help him +to his feet and walk him about a bit until he gets the whole trick +of breathing again. Dalzell, didn't you know any better than +to try to swallow the whole river and ruin my business?" + +A faint grin parted Dan's lips. + +"Oh, I'm so thankful," sighed Laura Bentley. "Dick, I was afraid +there would be but five of you left when I saw Dan being hoisted +aboard!" + +Soon Dalzell was able to laugh nervously. Then a scowl darkened +his face. + +"I'm the prize idiot of Gridley!" he muttered faintly. + +"What's the matter now?" Dave Darrin demanded. + +"The canoe is lost, and it's all my fault," moaned Dalzell. "Oh, +dear! Oh, dear!" + +"Bother the canoe!" cried Dick impatiently. "We're lucky enough +that no lives have been lost." + +"But I---I turned and upset the craft," wailed Dan. + +"There were others of us," said Greg sheepishly. "If we had had +the sense of babies none of us would have turned, and there wouldn't +have been any accident." + +"This is no time to talk about canoe etiquette," Prescott declared. +"Let us be thankful that we're all here. We'll wait until Dan +is himself again before we do any talking." + +"I'm all right," protested Dan Dalzell. + +"Yes; I believe you are," Driggs nodded. + +"'T' any rate, you won't die now of that dose of river water." + +"Party ready to come back aboard the launch?" called the helmsman. + +"Oh, don't hurry us, just now!" appealed Laura Bentley, going +over to him quietly. "We're all so interested and concerned in +what is going on over here." + +So the helmsman waited, grumbling quietly to himself. + +Some twenty of the high school girls had chartered the launch +for a morning ride up the river. Dainty enough the girls looked +in their cool summer finery. They formed a bright picture as +they stood grouped about Dick & Co. and the other male members +of the party. + +"You fellows can say all you want to," mumbled Dan, "but the canoe +is gone for good and all! We won't have any more fun in it this +summer." + +"Was that what ailed you, Dan?" teased Darrin. "You felt so badly +over the loss of the canoe that you tried to stay on the bottom +of the river with it?" + +"My foot was caught, and I couldn't get it loose," Dan explained. +"I was trying to free myself, like mad, you may be sure, when +all at once I didn't know anything more. You fellows must have +had a job prying my foot loose." + +"It was something of a job," Dick smiled, "especially as our time +was so limited down there at the bottom with you. The river +must be twenty feet deep at that point." + +"All of that," affirmed Hiram Driggs. + +By this time the high school girls had divided into little groups, +each group with a member of Dick & Co. all to itself. The girls +were engaging in that rather senseless though altogether charming +hero worship so dear to the heart of the average schoolboy. + +"What caused the accident?" inquired one girl. + +"Gallantry," smiled Greg. "We were all so anxious to see you +girls that we all turned at the same time. We made the canoe +heel, and then it filled and went down. But you can't blame us, +can you?" + +"But you've lost your fine big canoe," cried Laura Bentley, looking +as though her pretty eyes were about to fill with tears. + +"Yes," Dick admitted, "and, of course, it's too bad. But a lot +of other worse things might have happened, and I guess we'll get +over our loss some way." + +"But that canoe meant so much for your summer fun," Laura went +on. "Oh, it's too bad!" + +"Maybe the canoe isn't lost," suggested Hiram Driggs. + +"What do you mean, Mr. Driggs?" cried Laura, turning to him quickly. + +"Is there any way of bringing the canoe up again?" asked Belle +Meade eagerly. + +"There may be," Driggs replied quietly. "I'm going to have a +try at it anyway." + +"All aboard that are going back to the dock," called the helmsman +of the launch, who was also her owner. + +Laura turned upon him with flashing eyes. + +"I don't believe there is anyone going," she said. "We wouldn't +leave here anyway, while there's a chance that the high school +boys can get their canoe back to the surface of the water. You +needn't wait, Mr. Morton. When we're ready we can walk the rest +of the way." + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +WHAT AN EXPERT CAN DO + + +"I don't say that I can surely raise the canoe," Mr. Driggs made +haste to state, "or that it will be worth the trouble if we do +raise it. That canoe may have sunk on river-bottom rocks, and +she may be badly staved by this time. But I've sent one of my +men to fire the scow engine, and I'm going out to see what can +be done in the matter." + +"And may we wait here?" asked Laura Bentley, full of eagerness. + +"Certainly, young ladies." + +"Oh, that's just fine of you, Mr. Driggs," cried Belle Meade. + +Smoke soon began to pour out of the short funnel of the working +engine on the boatyard scow. It was a clumsy-looking craft---a +mere floating platform, with engine, propeller, tiller and a derrick +arrangement, but it had done a lot of good work at and about the +boatyard. + +"You want to get aboard the scow now, boys," called Mr. Driggs. +"If we do anything real out yonder I'll have need of some willing +muscle." + +"Can't some of the girls go, too?" called a feminine voice. "We're +all dreadfully anxious, you know." + +Hiram pursed up his mouth, as though reluctant. Then he proposed, +grudgingly: + +"A committee of two girls might go, if they're sure they'll keep +out of the way when we're working. Just two! Which of the young +ladies ought we to take, Mr. Prescott?" + +"Why, I believe Miss Bentley and Miss Meade will be as satisfactory +a committee as can be chosen," Dick smiled. + +Some of the girls frowned their disappointment at being left out, +but others clapped their hands. Laura and Belle stepped on the +scow's platform. + +"I wouldn't try to go, if I were you, Dan," urged. Dick, as young +Dalzell stepped forward to board the scow. + +"I'm all right," Dan insisted. + +"Sure you're all right?" questioned Hiram Driggs, eyeing Danny +Grin's wobbly figure. + +"Of course I am," Dan protested, though he spoke rather weakly. + +"Then there's a more important job for you," declared Mr. Driggs. +"Stay here on the float with the rest of the young ladies, and +explain to them just what you see us doing out yonder." + +There was the sound of finality about the boat builder's voice, +kindly as it was. + +"Cast off," ordered Driggs, taking the tiller. "Tune up that +engine and give us some headway." + +Clara Marshall was thoughtful enough to run back and get a chair, +which she brought down to the float and placed behind Dalzell. + +"Sit down," she urged. + +"Thank you," said Dan gratefully, "but I didn't need a chair." + +Nevertheless the high school girls persuaded him to be seated. + +"I---I wasn't drowned, you know," Dan protested as he sat down. + +"No; but you got a little water into your lungs," responded one +of the girls. "I heard Mr. Driggs tell Dick Prescott that, as +nearly as they could guess, you opened your mouth a trifle just +before Dick and Dave reached you and freed you from that awful +trap. Mr. Driggs said that if you had been under water two minutes +longer there would have been a different story to tell." + +"I wonder how long I was under water?" mused Dan. + +"Long enough to drown, Danny Grin," replied Clara Marshall gravely. + +Meanwhile the scow was making slow headway out into the river +and slightly up stream. + +"Dick, don't you think this canoeing is going to prove too dangerous +a sport for you boys?" asked Laura, regarding him with anxious +eyes. + +"Not when we get so that we know how to behave ourselves in a +canoe, Laura," young Prescott answered. + +"Yet, no matter how skilful you become, some unexpected accident +may happen at any moment," she urged. + +"You wouldn't have us be mollycoddles, would you?" asked Dick +in surprise. + +"Certainly not," replied Laura with emphasis. + +"Yet you would advise us to avoid everything that may have some +touch of danger in it." + +"I wouldn't advise that, either," Laura contended with sweet +seriousness. "But-----" + +"You'd like to see us play football some day, wouldn't you?" + +"I certainly hope you'll make the high school eleven." + +"Football is undoubtedly more dangerous than canoeing," Dick claimed. + +"It seems too bad that boys' best sports should be so dangerous, +doesn't it?" questioned young Miss Bentley. + +"I can't agree with you," Dick answered quietly. "It takes danger, +and the ability to meet it, to form a boy's character into a man's." + +"Then you believe in being foolhardy, as a matter of training?" +asked Laura, with a swift flash of her eyes. + +"By no means," Prescott rejoined. "Foolhardy means just what +the word implies, and only a fool will be foolhardy. If we had +been trying to upset the canoe, as a matter of sport, that would +have been the work of young fools." + +It was not difficult to locate the spot where the canoe had gone +down. The river's current was not swift, and the paddles now +floated not very far below the spot where the cherished craft +of Dick & Co. had gone down. + +"Do you want the services of some expert divers, Mr. Driggs?" +asked Dave, turning from a brief chat with Belle Meade. + +"Not you boys," retorted the boat builder. "You youngsters have +been fooling enough with the river bottom for one day." + +"Then how do you expect to get hold of the canoe, sir?" asked +Tom Reade. + +"We'll grapple with tackle," replied Driggs, going toward an equipment +box that stood on the forward end of the scow. "We'll use the +same kind of tackle that we've sometimes dragged the bottom with +when looking for drowned people." + +Laura Bentley slivered slightly at his words. Driggs' keen eyes +noted the fact, and thereafter he was careful not to mention drowned +people in her hearing. + +The tackle was soon rigged. Tom Reade and Harry Hazelton, who +possessed the keenest interest in things mechanical, aided the +boat builder under his direction. + +Back and forth over the spot the scow moved, while the grapples +were frequently shifted and recast. + +"Stop the engine," called Driggs. "We've hooked into something!" + +Laura turned somewhat pale for a moment; Belle, too, looked uneasy. +The same thought had crossed both girls' minds. What if the +tackle had caught the body of some drowned man? + +"We'll shift about here a bit," Driggs proposed, nodding to the +engineer to stand by ready to stop or start the engine on quick +signal. + +Before long the grappling hook of another line was caught; + +"The two lines are about twelve feet apart," Driggs announced. +"My idea is that we've caught onto two cross braces of the canoe. +If so we'll have it up in a jiffy." + +Both lines were now made fast to the derrick, in such a way that +there would be an even haul on both lines. Belting was now connected +between the engine and a windlass. + +"Haul away, very slowly," Driggs ordered. + +Up came the lines, an inch at a time. Belle and Laura could not +resist the temptation to go to the edge of the scow and peer over. + +"I see something coming up," cried Belle at last. + +"It's the canoe," said Tom Reade, trying to speak carelessly, +though there was a ring of exultation in his voice. + +Nearer and nearer to the surface of the water came the canoe. + +"Now, watch for my hand signal all the time," called Driggs. +"I don't want to get the middle part of the canoe more than an +inch above the surface." + +When the point of the canoe's prow rose above the surface of the +water a cheer went up from the scow that carried the news instantly +back to the landing float. + +Danny Grin stood up, waving his hat and cheering hoarsely, while +the girls who surrounded him waved handkerchiefs and parasols. + +Then the gunwale appeared just above water along the whole length. + +"It will be a hard job to bail her out now," Dave declared. + +"Not so hard that it will worry you any," Driggs smiled. + +He dragged a pump over, allowing its flexible pipe to rest down +into the water in the canoe. + +"Now, some of you youngsters get hold of the pump handles," Driggs +ordered. + +Five high school boys got hold with a will. Gradually, as the +water was emptied out of her the canoe rose higher and higher +in the water. + +There was no cheering, now, from the boys on the scow. They were +using all their breath working the pump, while Driggs carefully +directed the bottom of the flexible tubing. + +"There!" declared Driggs at last. "Barring a little moisture, +your canoe is as dry as ever it was, boys. I can't see a sign +of a leak anywhere, either. But don't make a practice of tipping +it over every day, for I can't afford to leave my work to help +you out. There's your canoe, and she's all right." + +Dick got hold of the painter at the bow, while Driggs released +the grappling tackle. + +What a cheer went up from the scow, and what a busy scene there +was on the float as the young women jumped up and down in their +glee over the good fortune of Dick & Co. + +"Now, we'll cruise down and get the paddles," Driggs proposed. + +"As soon as we pick up a couple of them, Dick and I can take the +canoe and get the rest," Dave suggested. + +"You cannot, while the young ladies are with us," Hiram Driggs +contradicted. "Do you want to scare them to death by having another +upset?" + +Laura shot a grateful glance at kindly Hiram Driggs. The scow +moved forward, cruising among the paddles until all of them had +been recovered. + +"Now, Mr. Driggs, won't you stop a moment?" asked young Prescott. +"It will be a bit humiliating to be towed into dock. Wait, and +let us get into the canoe. We'd rather take it ashore under +our own power." + +Laura hoped Hiram Driggs would veto the idea, but he didn't. + +The canoe was brought alongside, and five boys stepped carefully +into it, seating themselves. + +"Room for one young lady in here, if we can find a fair way of +drawing lots between them," suggested Dick playfully. + +"They won't step into the canoe, just now, if I can prevent them," +Driggs declared flatly. "You boys want just a few minutes' more +practice at your new game before you risk the lives of these girls." + +"You're right, I'm afraid, Mr. Driggs," Dick Prescott admitted +with a smile. "But, before long, we hope to take out as many +of the high school girls as care to step into this fine old war +canoe." + +"I hope you won't forget that," Belle Meade flashed at him smilingly. + +"We won't," Dave promised her. "And you and Laura shall have +the first invitation." + +"I shall be ready," Laura replied, "just as soon as you boys feel +that you can take proper care of us in the canoe." + +"You'll have to do your own share of taking care," Tom Reade responded. +"About all a passenger has to learn in a canoe is to take a seat +right in the middle of the canoe, and to keep to that place without +moving about." + +Dick & Co., minus Danny Grin, now paddled off, reaching the float +some moments before the scow got in. + +"Young ladies," said Dick, as he stepped to the float, "I don't +know how many of you will care about going out in our canoe, but +we wish to invite all who would like it to try a trip within the +next few days. Four boys and two girls can go out at a time, +and in case of mishap that would leave two good swimmers to look +after each girl. We shall be glad if you will permit us to invite +you in couples." + +Despite the accident of the morning the invitation was greeted +with enthusiasm. + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +DICK TREMBLES AT HIS NERVE + + +Hiram Driggs refused to accept any money for his trouble in raising +the canoe. + +"I won't charge you anything, unless upsetting your craft becomes +a troublesome habit," the boat builder declared. "Remember, I'm +a big winner on our birch bark trade." + +Within the next four days all of the girls invited had been able +to take a trip up the river and back. + +By this time Dick & Co. had fully acquired the mastery of their +canoe. They had had no more upsets, for "Big Chief Prescott," +of this new Gridley tribe of young Indians, had succeeded in putting +through some rules governing their conduct when the chums were +out in their canoe. One of these rules was that no one should +change his position in the craft except the steersman at the stern. +Others would not look about at a hail unless informed by the +steersman that they might do so. + +Not by any means did Dick do all the steering of the craft. Each +of his chums had a frequent turn at it, and at the other positions +in the canoe, until all were expert at any part of the work. + +"But there is one big drawback about having this canoe," Greg +remarked one day. + +"What's that?" asked Dave. + +"There are no canoes to race with." + +"There are up at Lake Pleasant," Dick replied. + +"But we can't take the canoe up there," Tom Reade objected. "It's +twenty-four miles from Gridley." + +"Couldn't we walk there and carry the canoe on our shoulders?" +suggested Dave. + +While they were discussing this, the canoe lay on the float., +whence they were soon to take it into the boathouse. + +"We can try it now," suggested Dick. + +Getting a good hold, Dick & Co. raised the war canoe to their +several shoulders. They found they could accomplish the feat, +though it wasn't an easy one. + +"We'll have to give up that idea," Tom remarked rather mournfully. +"Without a doubt we could carry the canoe to Lake Pleasant, if +we had time enough. But I don't believe we could make five miles +a day with it. So to get the canoe up to Lake Pleasant on our +shoulders, and then back again would take over two weeks." + +Dick was unusually thoughtful as the boys strolled from Driggs' +yard up to Main Street. Lake Pleasant was a fine place to visit +in summer. He knew that, for he had been there on one occasion. + +On one side of the lake were two hotels, each with roomy recreation +grounds, with piers and plenty of boats. On this same side there +were four or five boarding houses for people of more moderate +means. + +Boating was the one great pastime at Lake Pleasant. Indeed, a +canoe club had been started there by young men of means, and the +boathouse stood at the water's edge on the Hotel Pleasant grounds. + +Then, too, there may have been another reason for Dick's desire +to go to Lake Pleasant. The following week Dr. and Mrs. Bentley +were going to take charge of a party of Gridley high school girls, +at Lake Pleasant, and Laura and Belle Meade would be of the number. + +"We'd cut a fine dash at Lake Pleasant," Dave Darrin laughed. +"Which hotel would we honor with our patronage? Terms, from +fourteen to twenty-five dollars a week. We've about enough money +to stay at one of the hotels for about two hours, or at a boarding +house for about nine hours. When shall we start---and how shall +we get there with our canoe?" + +"We have about fifty dollars in our treasury, from the birch bark +business," Dick mused aloud, "but that won't help us any, will it?" + +"Why, how much would it cost to have the canoe taken up there +on a wagon Danny Grin asked. + +"Not less than fifteen dollars each way," Dick replied. + +"We'll give it up," said Tom. "There's nothing in the Lake Pleasant +idea for us." + +"I hadn't any idea we could do anything else but give it up," +Dave observed, though he spoke rather gloomily. + +Dick was still thinking hard, though he could think of no plan +that would enable them to make a trip to Lake Pleasant and remain +there for some days. + +It was a Saturday afternoon. It had been a hot day, yet out on +the water, busy with their sport, and acquiring a deep coating +of sunburn, the boys had not noticed the heat especially. Now +they mopped their faces as they strolled almost listlessly along +the street. + +"I want to go to Lake Pleasant," grumbled Danny Grin. + +"Going to-night, or to-morrow morning?" teased Greg. + +"If I had an automobile I'd start after supper," Dalzell informed +them. + +"But not having a car you'll wait till you're grown up and have +begun to earn money of your own," laughed Harry Hazelton. + +"What do you say, Dick?" asked Dan Dalzell anxiously. + +"I say that I'm going to put in a few days or a fortnight at Lake +Pleasant if I can possibly find the way," Dick retorted, with +a sudden energy that was quite out of keeping with the heat of +the afternoon. + +"Hurray!" from Danny Grin. + +"That's what I call the right talk," added Darrin. + +"How will the rest of us get along with the canoe while you're +gone?" questioned Tom Reade. + +"You don't suppose I'd go to Lake Pleasant without the rest of +the crowd?" Dick retorted rather scornfully. + +"Then you're going to take us all with you, and the canoe, too?" +Tom demanded, betraying more interest. + +"If I can find the way to do it, or if any of you fellows can," +was young Prescott's answer. + +That started another eager volley of talk. Yet soon all of them +save Dick looked quite hopeless. + +The railroad ran only within eight miles of the lake. From the +railway station the rest of the journey was usually made by automobile +stages, while baggage went up on automobile trucks. Charges were +high on this automobile line up into the hills. To send the canoe +by rail, and then transfer it to an automobile truck would cost +more than to transport it direct from Gridley to the lake by wagon. + +"We can talk about it all we want," sighed Tom, "but I don't see +the telephone poles on the golden road to Lake Pleasant." + +"We've got to find the way if we can," Dick retorted firmly. +"Let's all set about it at once." + +"When do we start?" teased Tom. + +"Monday morning early," laughed Dave. "And this is late Saturday +afternoon." + +Dan Dalzell was not in his usually jovial spirits. His heart +was as much set on going as was Dick's, but Dan now felt that +the pleasure jaunt was simply impossible. + +"Let's meet on Main Street after supper," Dick proposed. "Perhaps +by that time we'll have found an idea or two." + +"If we can find a pocketbook or two lying in the Main Street gutter, +that will be something more practical than finding ideas," Tom +replied with a doleful shake of his head. "But perhaps we'll +really find the pocketbooks. Such things are told of in story +books, anyway, you know." + +"If we find any pocketbooks," smiled Dick, "our first concern +after that will be to find the owners of them. So that stunt +wouldn't do us much good, even if it happened." + +Then the boys separated and went to their respective homes for +supper. But Dick Prescott did not eat as much as usual. He was +too preoccupied. He knew to a penny the amount that was in the +treasury of their little canoe club, for Mr. Prescott was holding +the money subject to his son's call. Certainly the money in the +treasury wouldn't bring about a vacation at Lake Pleasant. + +Just as soon as the meal was over Dick went out, strolling back +to Main Street. + +"'Lo, Dick!" + +Prescott turned to recognize and nod to a barefooted boy, rather +frayed as to attire. Mart Heckler had been two classes below +him when Prescott had attended Central Grammar School. Now Mart +was waiting for the fall to enter the last grade at Central, which +was also to be his last year at school. Mart's parents were poor, +and this lad, in another year, must join the army of toilers. + +"You must be having a lot of fun this vacation, Dick," remarked +Mart rather wistfully. "Lot of fun in that war canoe, isn't there?" + +"Yes; there is, Mart. If we see you down at the float one of +these days we'll ask you out for a little ride." + +"Will you?" asked Mart, his eyes snapping. "Fine! Now that you +fellows have your canoe I don't suppose you'll be trying to go +away anywhere this summer. Too much fun at home, eh?" + +"I don't know about that," said young Prescott wistfully. "Just +now we're planning to try to take the canoe up to Lake Pleasant +for a while." + +"Bully place, the lake," said Mart approvingly. "I'm going up +there Monday. Going to be gone for a couple of days." + +"How are you going to get there?" Dick asked with interest. + +"You know my Uncle Billy, don't you?" asked Mart. "He's the teamster, +you know. He's going to Lake Pleasant to get a load of furniture +that the installment folks are taking back from a new boarding +house up there. He said I could go up with him. We'll carry +our food, and sleep over Monday night in the wagon." + +Dick halted suddenly, trembling with eagerness. He began to feel +that he had scented a way of getting the canoe up to the lake +in the hills! + + + + +CHAPTER X + +PUTTING UP A BIG SCHEME + + +"Your uncle will be at his regular stand to-night, won't he?" queried +Dick Prescott. + +"I expect so," Mart agreed. "What's the matter? Do you want +to go along with us? I guess Uncle Billy would be willing." + +At this moment Dick heard a group of younger boys laughing as +they strolled along the street. + +Following their glances, Dick saw in the street what is commonly +known in small towns as the "hoss wagon"---a vehicle built for +the purpose of removing dead horses. + +"There goes Fred Ripley's bargain!" chuckled one of the boys. + +At that moment Fred Ripley himself turned the corner into Main +Street. + +"And there's Rip himself," laughed another boy. "Hey, Rip! How's +horse flesh?" + +But Fred, flushing angrily, hurried along. "What's up?" asked +young Prescott as the group of boys came along. + +"Haven't you heard about Fred's pony?" asked one of the crowd. + +"I know he bought a pony," Dick answered. + +"Yes; but Squire Ripley had a veterinary go down to the Ripley +stable this afternoon, and look the pony over," volunteered the +ready informant. "Vet said that the pony would be worth a dollar +or two for his hide, but wouldn't be worth anything alive. So +Squire Ripley ordered the pony shot, and that cart is taking the +poor beast away." + +"Is your canoe going to be a winner?" asked another boy. + +"We expect so," Dick nodded. + +"Great joke on Rip, isn't it?" grinned another. + +"I can't say that his misfortune makes me especially happy," Prescott +answered gravely. + +"Well, I'm glad he was 'stung' on his pony," continued the other +boy. "Rip is no good!" + +"There is an old saying to the effect that, if we got our just +deserts we'd all of us be more or less unhappy," smiled Dick. + +"Rip won't be so chesty with us smaller boys," predicted another +grammar school boy. "If he tries it on, all we've got to do is +to ask him, 'How's horse flesh, Rip?'" + +In spite of himself Dick could not help laughing at the thought +of the mortification of the lawyer's son when he should be teased +on so tender a point. Then Dick asked: + +"Mart, is your uncle at his stand now?" + +"I reckon he is," nodded Heckler. + +"Let's go over there and see him." + +"You're going to try to take the ride with us, then?" asked Mart. + +"I think so." + +"Bully!" glowed Mart, who, like most of the younger boys of Gridley, +was a great admirer of the leader of Dick & Co. + +Billy Heckler, a man of thirty, was, indeed, to be found at his +stand. + +"Dick wants to go up to Lake Pleasant with us on Monday," Mart +began, but Dick quickly added: + +"I understand, Mr. Heckler, that you're going up to the lake without +a load." + +"Yes," nodded the truckman. + +"Then it struck me that perhaps I could arrange with you to take +up our canoe and some bedding, and also let the fellows ride on +the wagon." + +"How many of you are there?" inquired Billy Heckler. + +"The usual six," Dick smiled. "If you can do it, how much would +you charge us?" + +"Fifteen dollars," replied the driver, after a few moments' thought. + +Dick's face showed his disappointment at the answer. + +"I'm afraid that puts us out of it, then," he said quietly. "I +had hoped that, as you are going up without a load, anyway, you +might be willing to take our outfit up for a few dollars. It +would be that much to the good for you, wouldn't it?" + +"Hardly," Billy replied. "Carrying a load takes more out of a +team than an empty wagon does. You can see that, can't you?" + +"Ye-es," Dick nodded thoughtfully. "But, you see, we're only +boys, and we can't talk money quite like men yet." + +"Some men can't do anything with money except talk about it," +Billy Heckler grinned. "Well, I'd like to oblige you boys. What's +your offer, then?" + +"We don't feel that we could pay more than five dollars," Dick +answered promptly. + +"No money in that," replied Billy Heckler, picking up a piece +of wood and whittling. + +"No; I'm afraid there isn't," Dick admitted. "I guess our crowd +will have to content itself with staying at home and using the +canoe on the river." + +"The river is a good place," Heckler argued. "Why aren't you +all content to stay at home and use your canoe on the river?" + +"Because," smiled young Prescott, "I suppose it's human nature +to want to get away somewhere in the summer. Then we understand +that there are other crew canoes on Lake Pleasant. Of course, +now we've spent a few days in the canoe, we believe we're real +canoe racers." + +"If you could call it ten dollars," Heckler proposed after a few +minutes, "that might-----" + +"The crowd hasn't money enough," Dick replied. "You see, we've +got to get the canoe back, too. Then we'll have to use money +to feed ourselves up there. I don't see how we can go if we have +to spend more than five dollars to get there." + +Billy Heckler started to shake his head, but Mart, getting behind +Dick, made vigorous signals. + +"We-ell, I suppose I can do it," agreed Heckler at last. "There's +nothing in the job, but I can remember that I used to be a boy +myself. We'll call it a deal, then, shall we?" + +"I'll have to see the other fellows first," Prescott answered. +"I'll hustle, though. The fellows will all have to get permission +at home, too, you know." + +"Let me know any time before six to-morrow night," proposed Billy. +"It must be understood, though, that if I get a paying freight +order to haul to the lake between now and starting time, then +my deal with you must be off." + +"Of course," Dick agreed. "And thank you, Mr. Heckler. Now, +I'll hustle away and see the other fellows." + +Dick sped promptly away. When he reached Main Street he found +the other fellows there. Dick gleefully detailed the semi-arrangement +that he had made. + +"Great!" cried Dave. + +"Grand, if we can all square matters at home," Tom Reade nodded. +"Well, fellows, you all know what we've got to do now. We'll +meet again at this same place. All do your prettiest coaxing +at home. It spoils the whole thing if anyone of us gets held +up from the trip. Did you hear about Rip's pony, Dick?" + +"Yes." + +"Served him ri---" began Greg Holmes, but stopped suddenly. + +For Fred Ripley, turning the corner, saw Dick & Co., and carefully +walked around them to avoid having to pass through the little +crowd. + +"Speaking of angels-----!" said Dave Darrin dryly. + +"Don't tease him, Darry," urged Dick in a very low voice. + +But Fred heard all their remarks. His fists clenched as he walked +on with heightened color. + +"It's just meat to them to see me so badly sold on the pony, and +to know that my father ordered the animal shot and carted away!" +muttered young Ripley fiercely. "Of course the whole town knows +of it by this time. Prescott's muckers and a few others will +be in high glee over my misfortune, but, anyway, I'll have the +sympathy of all the decent people in Gridley!" + +Fred's ears must have burned that night, however, for the majority +of the Gridley boys were laughing over his poor trade in horse +flesh. + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +ALL READY TO RACE, BUT----- + + +On the landing stage at the Hotel Pleasant a group of girls stood +on the following Tuesday morning. + +"Wouldn't Dick and Dave and the rest of their crowd enjoy this +lake if they were here with their canoe?" asked Laura Bentley. + +"Yes," agreed Belle Meade. "And very likely they'd win some more +laurels for Gridley High School, too. Preston High School has +a six-paddle canoe here now, and Trentville High School will send +a canoe crew here in a few days. Oh, how I wish the boys could +manage to get here with their war canoe!" + +"It seems too bad, doesn't it," remarked Clara Marshall, "that +some of the nicest boys in our high school are so poor that they +can't do the ordinary things they would like to do?" + +"Some of the boys in Dick & Co. won't be poor when they've been +out of school ten years," Laura predicted, with a glowing face. + +"I don't believe any of them will be poor by that time," agreed +Clara. "But it must hurt them a good deal, just now, not to have +more money." + +"I wish they could be here now," sighed Laura. + +"You want to see Gridley High School win more laurels in sports +and athletics?" asked another girl. + +"Yes," assented Miss Bentley, "and I'd like to see the boys here, +anyway, whether they won a canoe race or not." + +"There's a crew canoe putting off from the other side now!" announced +Belle Meade. + +"That's probably Preston High School," said Laura. + +"Have the Preston boys a war canoe, too?" asked one of the girls, +shading her eyes with her hand, and staring hard at the canoe +across the lake, some three quarters of a mile away. + +"Someone at the hotel said the Preston boys have a cedar and canvas +canoe," Laura replied. + +"That's a birch-bark canoe over yonder," declared the girl who +was studying the distant craft so intently. "I can tell by the +way the sun shines on the wet places along the sides of the canoe." + +The other girls were now looking eagerly. "Wait a moment," begged +Clara, and, turning, sped lightly to the boathouse near by. She +returned with a telescope. + +"Hurry!" begged Laura Bentley as Clara started to focus the telescope. + +"You take it," proposed Clara generously, passing the glass to +Laura. + +Laura soon had the telescope focused. + +"Hurrah, girls!" she cried. "That's the war canoe from Gridley, +and Dick & Co. are in it." + +She passed the glass to Belle Meade, who took an eager peep through +it. + +"Hurrah! Gridley High School! Hurrah!" chorused the other girls. + +Their voices must have traveled across the water, for Prescott, +at the stern of the war canoe, suddenly gave a couple of strokes +with his wet, flashing paddle, that swung the prow around, driving +the canoe straight in the direction of the landing float. + +"Hurrah! Gridley High School! Hurrah!" called the girls again, +giving the high school yell of the girls of that institution of +learning. + +In answer a series of whoops came over the water. + +"They're coming at racing speed!" cried Laura. + +"Which shows how devoted the boys of our high school are to the +young ladies," laughed Belle. + +Within a few minutes the canoe was quite close, and coming on +swiftly. From the young paddlers went up the vocal volley: + +"T-E-R-R-O-R-S-! Wa-ar! Fam-ine! Pesti-i-lence! That's us! +That's us! G-R-I-D-L-E-Y-----H.S.! Rah! rah! rah! Gri-dley!" + +"Hurrah! Gridley! Hurrah!" answered the girls. + +"Whoop! Wow! wow! _Whoo-oo-oo-oop_! Indians! Cut-throats! +Lunch-robbers! Bad, bad, bad! Speed Club! Glee Club! Canoe +Club---Gridley H.S.!" volleyed back Dick & Co. + +It was the first time that they had let out their canoe yell in +public. They performed it lustily, with zest and pride. + +"Splendid!" cried some of the girls, clapping their hands. Though +it was not quite plain whether they referred to the new yell, +or to the skilful manner in which the boys now brought their craft +in. At a single "Ugh!" from Prescott they ceased paddling. Dick, +with two or three turns of his own paddle, brought the canoe in +gently against the float. Now Dave and Dick held the canoe to +the float with their paddles while the other young Indians, one +at a time, stepped out. Those who had landed now bent over, holding +the gunwale gently while Dave, first, and then Dick, stepped to +the float. + +"Up with it, braves! Out with it!" cried Dick. The canoe, grasped +by twelve hands, was drawn up on to the float, where its wet hull +lay glistening in the bright July sunlight. + +"You never told us you were coming up here!" cried Laura Bentley, +half reproachfully. + +"If you're bored at seeing us," proposed Dick, smilingly, "we'll +launch our bark and speed away again." + +"Of course we're not bored," protested Belle Meade. "But why +couldn't you tell us you were coming?" + +"We weren't sure of it until late Sunday afternoon," Dave assured +her. "Some of us had to do some coaxing at home before we got +permission." + +"How did you get that big canoe here?" Clara Marshall asked. + +"Don't you see the gasoline engine and the folded white wings +inside the canoe?" asked Tom Reade gravely. "We can use it either +as a canoe or as an airship." + +Three or four of the girls, Clara at their head, stepped forward +to look for engine and "wings," then stepped back, laughing. + +"You're such a fibber, Tom Reade!" declared Susie Sharp. + +"A falsifier?" demanded Tom indignantly. "Nothing like it, Miss +Susie! The worst you can say of me is that I have the imagination +of an inventor." + +"Tweedledum and tweedledee!" laughed Clara. + +"It does seem good to see you boys up here," Belle went on with +enthusiasm. "How long are you going to stay?" + +"In other words, how soon are you going to be rid of us?" asked +Danny Grin. + +"Are you speaking for yourself, Mr. Dalzell?" Belle returned tartly. +"I inquired more particularly about the others." + +Dan quite enjoyed the laugh on himself, though he replied quickly: + +"The others have to go home when I do. They had to promise that +they would do so." + +"We have been camping at Lake Pleasant for two days," Dick explained. +"We came up herewith our canoe and camping outfit on Billy Heckler's +wagon. We brought along Harry's bull-dog to watch the camp. +As to how long we'll stay, that depends." + +"Depends upon what?" Clara asked. + +"On how long our funds hold out," Prescott explained, with a frank +smile. "You see, all our Wall Street investments have turned +out badly." + +"I'm truly sorry to hear that young men of your tender age should +have been drawn into the snares of Wall Street," retorted Clara +dryly. + +"So, having had some disappointments in high finance," Prescott +went on, "we can stay only as long as our _dog fund_ lasts." + +"Dog fund?" asked Susie Sharp, looking bewildered. + +"Dick is talking about the money we made in bark," Greg Holmes +explained readily. + +"Then you really expect to be here a fortnight?" Laura asked. + +"Yes; if we don't develop too healthy appetites and eat up our +funds before the fortnight is over," Dick assented. + +"Oh, you mustn't do that," urged Belle. + +"Mustn't do what?" Dave asked. + +"Don't eat up your funds too quickly," Belle explained. + +"Even if you do," suggested Susie Sharp, teasingly, "you won't +need to hurry home. We girls know where there are several fine +fields of farm truck that can be robbed late at night. Potatoes, +corn, watermelons-----" + +"It's really very nice of you girls to offer to rob the farmers' +fields to find provender for us," returned Greg. "But I am afraid +that we boys have been too honestly brought up to allow ourselves +to become receivers of stolen-----" + +"Greg Holmes!" Susie Sharp interrupted, her face turning very +red. + +"No; it's nice of you, of course," Greg went on tantalizingly, +"but we'd rather have a short vacation, that we can tell the whole +truth about when we go home." + +"You boys may starve, if you like," retorted Susie, with a toss +of her head. "I'm through with trying to help you out." + +"You know, Susie," Danny Grin went on maliciously, "farmers' fields +are often guarded by dogs. Just think how you would feel, trying +to climb a tree on a dark night, with a bulldog's teeth just two +inches from the heels of your shoes." + +"Who are up here, in the way of canoe folks?" Dick asked Laura. + +She told him about the Preston High School boys and the coming +crew from Trentville High School. + +"We ought to be able to get up some good races," remarked Dave. + +"You'll disgrace Gridley High School, though, unless you drop +Danny Grin and Greg Holmes," retorted Susie. + +"Now, don't be too hard on us, Miss Sharp," tantalized Greg, "just +because we tried to dissuade you from committing a crime with +the otherwise laudable intention of feeding us when our money +runs out." + +"If you will only leave Greg and Dan out," proposed Clara, "you +may call on any two of us girls that you want to take their places +in the canoe on race days." + +"Whew!" muttered Dick suddenly. + +"What's wrong?" demanded Belle. + +"Don't mind Prescott," urged Tom Reade. "Just as we left shore +on the other side someone threw a stone into the lake and raised +a succession of ripples, which rocked the canoe a bit. So---well, +you've all heard of sea sickness, haven't you?" + +"We might feel worse than sea sick," Dick went on, "if we had +raced, and then suddenly remembered that we have no authorization +from Gridley High School to represent the school in sporting events." + +Tom's face fell instantly. Dave Darrin, too, looked suddenly +very serious. + +"What's the matter?" asked Laura anxiously. + +"Why, you see," Dick went on, "although we are sure enough Gridley +High School boys, we haven't gone through the simple little formality +of getting our canoe club recognized by the High School Athletic +Council." + +"You can race just the same, can't you?" asked Susie Sharp, looking +much concerned. + +"We may race all we wish, and no one will stop us-----" + +"Then it's all right," said Susie, with an air of conviction. + +"But we simply cannot race in the name of Gridley High School." + +"Oh, but that's too bad!" cried Clara. + +"You can write to someone in the Council and secure the necessary +authorization, can't you?" asked Laura. + +"Yes, we can write; but it's another matter to get action by the +Council in time," Dick responded. "You see, it's the vacation +season. There are seven members of the Athletic Council and I +believe that all seven of the members are at present away from +Gridley. Likely as not they are in seven different states, and +the secretary may not even know where most of them are." + +Eight Gridley High School girls suddenly looked anxious. They +had been rejoicing in the prospect of "rooting" for a victorious +Gridley crew here at Lake Pleasant. Now the whole thing seemed +to have fallen flat. + +"The thing to do---though it doesn't look very promising---is +to-----" began Tom Reade, then came to dead stop. + +"How provoking you can be, when you want to, Tom," pouted Clara. +"Why don't you go on?" + +"Because I found myself stuck fast in a new quagmire of thought," +Reade confessed humbly. "What I was about to say is that the +first thing to do is to write to Mr. William Howgate, secretary +of the Gridley High School Athletic Council of the Alumni Association. +But that was where the thought came in and stabbed me with a +question mark. Mr. Howgate is out of town. Does anyone here +know his address?" + +Fourteen Gridley faces looked blank until Dick at last remarked: + +"I suppose a letter sent to his address in Gridley would reach +him. It would be forwarded." + +"Thank goodness for one quick-witted boy in Gridley High School!" +uttered Belle. "Of course a letter would be forwarded." + +"And there isn't any time to be lost, either," urged Susie. "Girls, +we'll take Dick right up to the hotel now, and sit and watch him +while he writes and mails that letter." + +"Right!" came a prompt chorus. + +"Come along, boys," added Susie, as the girls started away with +their willing captive. + +"Let Dave go," spoke up Tom. "Some of us must stay behind and +stand by our canoe. It's valuable---to us!" + +So Darrin was shoved forward. He and Prescott had walked a few +yards when the latter stopped in sudden dismay. + +"What's the matter?" asked Clara. + +"We are dressed all right for our own camp," Dick replied, glancing +down at his flannel shirt, old trousers and well-worn pair of +canvas "sneakers" on his feet. "We didn't feel out of place in +the canoe, either. But the hotel is a fashionable place, and +we can't go up in this sort of rig, to discredit you girls. For +that matter, just think how smart you all look yourselves, dressed +in the daintiest of summer frocks. While we look like---well, +I won't say the word." + +"If our Gridley boys are ashamed to be seen with us just because +they're in rough camp attire," said Laura gently, "then we haven't +as much reason to be proud of them as we thought we had." + +"I'm answered," Dick admitted humbly. "Lead on, then. We'll +take comfort from our company, and hold our heads as high as we +can." + +On to the wide hotel porch, where many well-dressed people sat, +the girls conducted the two delegates from the canoe club. However, +none of the guests on the porch paid any particular attention +to Dick and Dave. Both campers and canoers were common enough +at this summer resort. + +It was Clara who led the way into a parlor, in one corner of which +there was a writing desk. Dick seated himself at the desk, and +after a moment's thought began to write, then promptly became +absorbed in his task. Dave and the girls seated themselves at +a little distance, chatting in low tones. + +There were other guests of the Hotel Pleasant in the parlor, while +still others passed in or out from time to time. + +One young man, quite fashionably dressed, stepped into the parlor, +looked about him, then started as his glance fell on Dick and Dave. + +It was Fred Ripley. + +"Hello!" muttered Ripley in a voice just loud enough to carry, +as he stood looking at Dick and Dave. "I thought I saw, out in +the grounds, a sign that read: 'No tramps, beggars or peddlers +allowed on these grounds or in the hotel.'" + +Dick's fingers trembled so that he dropped the pen, though he +tried to conceal his feelings. + +Dave Darrin's fists clenched tightly, though he had the good sense +to realize that to start a fight in the parlor was out of the +question. + +Ripley's remark had been loud enough to attract the attention +of nearly every person in the big room toward Dick and Dave. + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +SUSIE DISCOMFITS A BOOR + + +Laura Bentley bit her lips. She flushed, then started to rise, +but Susie Sharp gently pushed her back into her seat, then crossed +to an electric button in the frame of a window. + +A bell-boy promptly answered Susie's ring. + +"Will you kindly ask the manager to come here at once?" asked +Susie. + +As it happened, the manager was no further away than the corridor. +He came in quickly, bowing. + +"Mr. Wright," asked Susie coldly, nodding toward Fred Ripley, +who stood leaning over a chair, smiling insolently, "will you +kindly have this objectionable person removed? He is annoying +our guests." + +In a twinkling Fred's insolent smile vanished. Susie's request +had not been voiced in a loud tone, but it had been heard by perhaps +twenty-five strangers in the parlor. + +Ripley's face paled, briefly, then became fiery red. He stood +erect, stammered inarticulately, then looked as though he were +furtively seeking some hiding place. + +"I think, Miss Sharp," replied the hotel manager, with another +bow, "that the young man is on the point of leaving, and that +the services of a porter will not be needed." + +Fred tried to look unconcerned; he fished mentally for something +smart to say. For once, however, his self assurance had utterly +deserted him. + +"Oh---well!" he muttered, then turned and left the parlor in the +midst of a deep silence that completed his utter humiliation. + +"Mr. Wright," said Laura, "I want you to know Mr. Darrin, one +of our most popular high school boys in Gridley. Dick, can't +you come over here a moment? Mr. Wright, Mr. Prescott. Our two +friends, Mr. Wright, have brought up a racing canoe. They are +camping across the lake. We hope they will arrange for races +with the Preston and Trentville High School Canoe Clubs." + +"I am most glad to meet your friends," said the manager, shaking +hands with Dick and Dave. "Two of the Preston High School young +men are stopping here in the house, and the others are over at +the Lakeview House. I hope, Mr. Prescott, that we shall be able +to have some fine high school races. It will increase the gayety +of the season here." + +"Thank you," said Dick. "But I am afraid, sir, that we have been +worse than neglectful---stupid. + +"How so?" asked Mr. Wright, his manner quickly putting both rather +shabby-looking boys wholly at their ease. + +"Why, sir," Prescott explained, "we had never thought, until this +morning, to secure authorization from the Athletic Council of +our school to represent Gridley High School. I am now engaged +in writing a letter asking for that authorization." + +"Let me take a hand in this," begged Mr. Wright. "Is your letter +at all of a private nature?" + +"Not in the least, sir." + +"May I see it?" + +"Certainly, Mr. Wright." + +The hotel manager followed Dick to the writing desk, where he +glanced over the letter. + +"I have only one suggestion to make," said the manager. "Why +not ask the secretary, Mr. Howgate, to send his answer by telegraph +to this hotel, collect?" + +"That would be all right," agreed Dick frankly, "if his answer +isn't too long, or if he doesn't have to send more than one telegram. +We are not exactly overburdened with funds, Mr. Wright." + +"That doesn't cut any figure at all," replied the hotel manager +in a voice so low that none but Prescott heard him. "Any telegrams +sent here for you will be paid for by the hotel. There will be +no expense to you, Mr. Prescott." + +"I'm afraid I don't understand why you should do this, Mr. Wright," +said Dick, looking at the other attentively. + +"Purely a matter of business, my boy," the hotel manager beamed +down at him. "Such racing as I hope to have here on Lake Pleasant +constitutes a summer season attraction. Arrange a schedule of +races, and you may be sure that both hotels will advertise the +fact. It will be enough to draw a lot of young people here, and +this hotel thrives by the number of guests that it entertains. +So will you do me the favor of asking your Mr. Howgate to telegraph +his answer---collect---addressing it here?" + +That began to look like something that Prescott could understand. +He called Dave over to him and told his chum what was being discussed. + +"Fine!" glowed Darrin. "Thank you, Mr. Wright." + +So Dick made the suggested addition to the letter. After he addressed +an envelope and had sealed it the manager took the letter away +to mail. Then he returned to say, with a tactfulness that won +the hearts of the eight Gridley High School girls: + +"Mr. Prescott, you and your friends will oblige me if you will +make this hotel your headquarters when you are on this side of +the lake. We shall always be delighted to see you here." + +Thanking the manager for his courtesy, Dick and Dave accompanied +Laura to the porch; where they were introduced to some of the +other guests. Then the two boys and the girls started down to +the lakeside once more. + +"Mr. Wright was very kind," murmured Dick gratefully. + +"He never fails in courtesy toward anyone," replied Laura. "You +boys will come over every day, won't you? We must have a picnic +or two." + +"And you must all visit our camp." Dick urged. "It isn't much +of a place, but the welcome will be of the real Gridley kind. +If you dare take the risk, we'll even offer you a camp meal." + +"The farmers' gardens are in danger, after all, then," laughed +Susie. "If you are going to deplete your larders to entertain +us, we girls will surely rob the farmers to make up for what we +eat." + +Susie's face had grown so grave that Prescott could not help regarding +her quizzically. + +"I mean just what to say about robbing the farmers, don't I, girls?" +Susie asked. + +"Yes," agreed Laura Bentley promptly. She had no idea what was +passing in her friend's head, but she knew Susie well enough to +feel sure that the latter was planning nothing very wicked. + +"Can't we take you out, two at a time?" proposed Dick, as the +young people neared the float. + +"Now?" inquired Laura. + +"Yes; since 'now' is always the best time for doing things," Prescott +replied. + +In no time at all the plan had been agreed to. Clara and Susie +went out for the first ride in the canoe, Tom Reade taking command, +while Dick and Dave remained on the float. + +Two at a time the girls were taken out on the water. This consumed +nearly two hours of time altogether, but it was thoroughly enjoyed +by every member of the party. + +But at last it came close, indeed, to the luncheon hour. + +"Now, when are you coming over to that picnic in our camp?" Dick +asked in an outburst of hospitality. + +"At what time of the day?" Laura inquired. + +"If your mother and Mrs. Meade will come along as chaperons," +Dick answered, "night would be the best time." + +"Why at night?" + +"Because, then, you wouldn't be able to see the shabby aspect +of our camp so plainly." + +"It would be very jolly to go over and have a picnic meal by the +campfire," Belle agreed. "Yet, in that case, we would want to +reach your place by half-past four or so in the afternoon." + +"Why?" + +"So that we girls may have the fun of helping prepare a famous +feast," Miss Meade went on. "Boys, if we come, we shall pass +luncheon by and bring keen appetites for that evening feast. +What is the principal item on the bill of fare of your camp?" + +"Canned goods," replied Tom Reade. + +"Don't you believe him," Dick interjected quickly. "Lake trout, +bass and perch. This lake is well stocked, and we have already +found one splendid fishing hole. We got up at five this morning +and caught so many fish in half an hour that we threw some of +them back into the water because we had no ice." + +"Will your mothers come, if we have it in the evening?" asked +Dick looking at Laura and Belle. + +"Surely," nodded Laura quickly. + +"And we'll greatly enjoy it," Dick went on, "if Dr. Bentley will +also come. Is your father here, Miss Meade?" + +"I'm sorry to say that he isn't," Belle answered. "A real picnic, +in real woods, beside real water, would appeal to him strongly." + +"But we haven't fixed upon the date," cried Susie impatiently. + +"How would to-morrow night do?" Dick suggested. + +"Famously," Laura replied. "Now, boys, you catch the fish to-morrow +afternoon, and don't bother so much about the other things to +eat. We won't have any canned stuff in our famous feast. We +girls will bring all the garden stuff." + +"And will steal it from the farmers, at that," added Susie teasingly. + +"Yes, you will!" mocked Danny Grin good-humoredly. + +"I give you our word that we'll steal everything that we bring +in the garden line," Susie declared vigorously. + +"Then you'll arrange it with the farmer in advance," Greg laughed. + +"I give you our word that we won't do that, either," laughed Laura, +coming to her friend's support, though she had no idea what was +passing in Susie's busy little head. + +"There goes the luncheon bell!" cried Dick reproachfully. "We're +keeping you girls away from your meal. Come on, fellows. Into +the canoe with you." + +"But you'll be back here to-morrow morning?" pressed Miss Bentley. + +"Yes; at what time?" + +"Ten o'clock." + +"You'll find us here punctually." + +Dick & Co. paddled back to their camp feeling that they were having +a most jolly time, with all the real fun yet to come. + +Dick did not think it worth while to go over to the hotel again +that day, to see if a telegram had come. He was certain that +the letter would not find Mr. Howgate earlier than the next day, +in any event. + +But at ten o'clock the next morning Dick & Co., having put the +best possible aspect on their attire, paddled gently in alongside +the float of the Hotel Pleasant. + +Even before they had landed, Fred Ripley, who was stopping with +his father and mother at the Lakeview House, alighted from an +automobile runabout in the woods some two hundred yards from the +lakeside camp of Dick & Co. + +"Those muckers are away," Fred told himself, as he watched the +war canoe go in at the hotel float. "Now, if I have half as much +ingenuity as I sometimes think I have, I believe I can cut short +their stay here by rendering that cheap crowd homeless---and foodless!" + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +THE RIPLEY HEIR TRIES COAXING + + +Fred studied the now distant canoe, then glanced carefully about +the camp. + +He knew that any sign of his presence, observed by Dick & Co., +would be sure to result in the swift return of the canoe, with +its load of six indignant boys. + +Nor did young Ripley dare to risk discovery as the perpetrator +of the outrage he was now planning. He feared his father's certain +wrath. + +"There are screens of bushes behind which I can operate," Ripley +decided. "I am glad of the bushes, for, if I use care, not a +living soul can see me. Now, for some swift work." + +It did not take Ripley long to discover where the boys' food supply +was stored. + +"These fellows act like boobs!" muttered Fred in disgust. "Here +they go away and leave everything exposed. If they didn't have +an enemy in the world, even then some tramp could come along and +clean out the camp. Humph! Two tramps, if they wanted to work +for a little while, could carry away all the food there is here. +What a lot of poor, penniless muckers Prescott and his friends +are!" + +Again Fred studied the lay of the land, then drew off his coat +and flung it aside. + +"Now, to work!" he said to himself gleefully. + +First of all, he got the food supplies all together. Most of this +stuff was in the form of canned goods. Ripley gathered it up in +one big pile. + +Then he stepped over to the tent, from which, at several points +and angles he looked carefully over to the hotel landing float +on the other side of Lake Pleasant. + +"They can't see, from the hotel, whether the tent is down or up," +Fred determined. "So here goes!" + +Opening the largest blade of his pocketknife, Fred cut one of +the guy-ropes. He passed around the tent, cutting each one in +turn, until the canvas shelter fell over in a white mass. + +"Won't they be sore, though?" laughed Fred maliciously, as he +started to carry off the camp supplies. + +Gr-r-r-r-r! Gr-r-r-r! + +Just as Fred was straightening up to start off with his load for +a bush-screen near the lake front, Ripley heard that ominous growl. +There was also the sound of something moving through the bushes. + +As Fred turned his face blanched. + +"Harry Hazelton's bull-dog!" he quivered, now utterly frightened +as he caught sight of the gleaming teeth in that ugly muzzle. +"I didn't know that they had brought that beast with them. It's +the lake for mine! If I can only get into the water I can swim +faster than the dog!" + +All this flashed through his mind in an Instant. Young Ripley +started in full flight. + +Close behind him, bounding savagely, came the bull-dog, Towser! + +Trip! Fred's foot caught in a root. Crying out in craven fright, +Fred Ripley plunged to the ground. + +There was no time to rise. Towser, growling angrily, was upon +him with a bound. + +Gr-r-r-r-r! + +Fred, with a shriek, felt the dog's teeth in the back of his shirt. + +"Get out, you beast!" begged young Ripley in a faint voice. + +Gr-r-r-r! was all the answer. Plainly the dog liked the taste +of that shirt, for he held to it tight. + +"Get away---please do!" faltered Fred in a broken voice. "Get +away. Don't bite. Nice doggie! Nice, nice doggie! Please let +go!" + +Gr-r-r-r-r! + +But Towser didn't attempt to bite as yet. For a bull-dog, and +considering how fully he was master of the field at present, Towser +displayed amazing good nature. Only when young Ripley moved did +the four-footed policeman of the camp utter that warning growl. + +"Nice doggie!" coaxed Fred pleadingly. "Good old fellow!" + +To this bit of rank flattery Towser offered no reply. It began +to look as though he would be quite satisfied if only his captive +made no effort to get away. + +"Wouldn't I like to be on my feet, with a shotgun in my hands!" +gritted Fred. + +"Gr-r-r-r," replied Towser, as though he were an excellent reader +of human minds. + +For a few moments Fred lay utterly quiet, save for the trembling +that he could not control. + +During those same moments Towser made himself more comfortable +by shifting himself so that he lay with his paws across Fred's +left shoulder-blade. His teeth remained firmly fastened in Ripley's +shirt. + +"Now, how long are you going to stay here, you beast?" glared +Fred Ripley, though he did not dare emphasize his displeasure +by stirring. It was an instance in which his own displeasure +amounted to infinitely less than that of the dog. + +Over at the hotel Dick Prescott was reading this telegram to his +chums: + +"Letter received. Am communicating with other members of Council. +Will let you know when I have word. Signed Howgate." + +"Oh, you'll get your authorization all right," Laura declared +cheerily. "It's only a matter of form." + +Laura did not tell something she knew---to the effect that at +her request Dr. Bentley had wired Mr. Howgate, urging that the +permission be granted to the boys to race as a high school +organization. + +"May we take you young ladies out in the canoe this morning?" +Dick inquired. + +"Only a few of us, or for very short, trips," Laura replied. +"The fact is, we girls are to play hostess to you this noon." + +"Hostess?" asked Dave, looking puzzled. + +"Yes; we are going to be your hostesses at luncheon," Laura smiled. + +"But I thought you girls were going to skip luncheon in favor +of the picnic meal to-night." + +"Wait until you boys see the luncheon," laughed Susie Sharp, "and +you'll be sure to think we might as well have skipped that meal. +It will be light and shadowy, I promise you. Toast, lettuce +salad, moonbeam soup, sprites' cake, feather pudding and ghost +fruit." + +"Won't there be some dog biscuit?" asked Danny Grin hopefully. + +"You shall have a special plate," Susie promised. + +So the canoe was hauled up on the float and left there, and a +general chat followed. + +At noon, Dr. Bentley joined the young people, talking with them +pleasantly, after which he led the way to the hotel. + +There, in a little private dining room, the boys met Mrs. Bentley +and Mrs. Meade. The luncheon was soon after served. + +It was a dainty meal, though far more elaborate than Susie had +led the boys to expect. + +At the end of the meal a waiter, looking duly solemn, presented +at Danny Grin's elbow a plate holding three dog biscuits. + +"Thank you," said Dan Dalzell politely. "But I shall keep them +for future use." + +Very calmly, notwithstanding Dick's slight frown, Dan placed the +biscuit in his coat pockets, though some of the girls found it +hard indeed not to giggle. + +After the meal the party adjourned to the lawn under the shade +of some fine old elms. A little later a farm wagon, drawn by +a pair of horses, stopped near the group. + +"Now, you must excuse us, boys," announced Laura, rising with +a mysterious air. "We girls have a little errand to perform. +We shall be back before half-past four o'clock." + +"Wouldn't it be better to be back a good deal before that time?" +urged Dick. "You see, we can't carry more than three passengers +at once, and we are to have eleven guests to ferry across the +lake." + +"Why, didn't I tell you?" asked Laura, looking astonished. "My +father said it would be an imposition to ask you boys to make +four round trips this afternoon, and as many more to-night, so +he has engaged one of the hotel launches to take us over, and +to call for us this evening. You don't mind, do you, boys? But +we would like to have you here at half-past four o'clock to go +across the lake with us." + +"We'll be here," Dick promised promptly. + +Six high school boys watched the girls drive off in the farm wagon, +waving handkerchiefs and parasols back to the boys. + +"Two o'clock," remarked Dick, looking at his watch. "Suppose +we take a spin up the lake?" + +"Or go back to camp, to make it more ship shape?" suggested Tom +Reade. + +"What's the use?" inquired Prescott. "We fixed everything as +well as we could before leaving there this morning. As to the +safety of the camp, Harry's dog, Towser, can be depended upon +to look after that." + +So Dick & Co. headed up the lake in their canoe. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +THE LIAR HAS A LIE READY + + +"That's an odd sight, over yonder," announced Dave, pointing shoreward +with his paddle. + +They were now nearly three miles above the hotel landing. They +had entered a section of the country given over to truck gardening. + +"Women gathering in the produce," said Dick, after a glance. + +"I don't like that," uttered Dave in disgust. + +"I thought we had progressed too far, and had become too civilized. +Years ago I know that women used to work in the fields, but I +thought we were above that sort of thing." + +"Perhaps the farmer's sons' were all girls," suggested Danny Grin. + +"I don't like it, anyway," retorted Dave. + +"Nor I," agreed Tom. "To have women at work in the fields makes +it appear as though the men are too lazy." + +The sight on shore was not interesting enough to claim long attention, +so the young canoeists proceeded on their way. + +At a little after four o'clock, however, they were back at the +landing. + +Not long after, eight young women were sighted riding along in +a farm wagon, while Dr. and Mrs. Bentley and Mrs. Meade strolled +down one of the paths. + +The wagon reached the pier first, just as a launch in charge of +one of the hotel employs came puffing out of a boathouse near +by. + +"Come here, boys, and help us unload the wagon," called Susie +Sharp. + +Dick & Co. sprang in answer to her summons. + +"Why, what on earth have you here?" demanded Dave, opening his +eyes wide as he saw the contents of the wagon. + +There were dozens of ears of corn, a sack of new potatoes, cucumbers, +tomatoes, a dozen big watermelons and a bushel of early summer +apples. + +"Sh!" warned Laura mysteriously. "Didn't we promise you we'd +rob some farmer for the feast? Did you think that boys are the +only ones who can go foraging for a country picnic?" + +"You girls didn't go foraging---did you?" gasped Dick Prescott. + +"We surely did," retorted Susie Sharp. + +"Didn't we say we would do so? And doesn't all this stuff prove +it?" + +"Then you paid the farmer for it," guessed Tom Reade wisely. + +"We didn't do any such thing," Miss Sharp insisted. "Did we, +girls?" + +Seven other young feminine heads shook in vigorous denial. + +"We didn't pay the farmer, and we didn't make any arrangement +with him," said Laura quietly, her eyes twinkling with mischief. +"We simply drove out along the road until we came to the field, +and-----" + +"-----Ravaged it," supplemented Belle Meade demurely. "We went +through that field like war, famine and pestilence combined!" + +"Hurry!" called Susie peremptorily. + +So the boys made haste with the vegetables and fruit, transferring +everything to the bow of the launch, where it was neatly stacked. + +"What do you think of that?" Tom demanded of Dick in a whisper +at the first opportunity. + +"The girls are chaffing us," Dick answered knowingly. "Stole +the stuff, did they? That is, stole it in earnest? Nonsense! +They're too nice girls for that! But I guess even nice girls, +like some decent fellows, find enjoyment, once in a while, in +making believe they are doing something desperate. Of course +they didn't really steal this stuff." + +"If they did," muttered Tom, "they'd be the kind of girls we wouldn't +want to know." + +"It's all right," Dick assured him. "Sooner or later the truth +of this joke of theirs will all come out. There are no finer +girls in the country than they." + +By this time the older people had joined them. Dr. Bentley's +party embarked in the launch, taking up all the room there was. + +"Pass us your bow-line, and we can just as well give you boys +a tow," proposed the doctor. "There is no use in your paddling." + +"Thank you very much, sir," Dick answered, "but paddling is just +the fun for which we bought this canoe. We do it because we like +it. And we'll show you how fast we can get across the lake." + +With a toot of the whistle the launch started. Dick gave the +word to his chums. At first the canoe, even under moderate paddling, +went ahead of the launch, though gradually the launch drew up. + +"You boys look as if you were working," called Dr. Bentley. + +"We're doing very little work, sir," Dave answered. "We could +make the canoe go faster than this, but it would hardly do to +run ahead of our guests." + +In truth the canoe slipped rapidly through the water with the +expenditure of only a moderate amount of energy on the part of +Dick & Co. + +In a few minutes the lake had been crossed. A point was found +at which the launch could be backed in. By this time the boys +were on shore, their canoe hauled up, and they stood ready to +help their guests ashore. + +"We've landed a little below the camp," said Dick, "but it won't +take us more than a minute to walk there. After we've taken +you into the camp we'll return for the garden truck." + +Gr-r-r-r-r! came a warning sound through the bushes. + +"Towser!" spoke Harry Hazelton sharply. "I'm ashamed of you!" + +"You ought to be!" came the answer in another voice, and a surly +one, at that. + +"Fred Ripley?" muttered Dick. "What on earth can he be doing +here?" + +Unconsciously all of the picnickers hastened their steps. Then +they came upon a truly ludicrous sight. + +Fred lay where he had been lying ever since ten o'clock that morning. +He was coatless, stretched out face downward, with Towser still +camped across his shoulder, and the dog's teeth still fastened +in his shirt. + +"Come and call this measly dog off!" ordered Fred, in a surly +tone. "This is a fine reward that I get for trying to do you +fellows a friendly turn!" + +Dick, Dave and Tom were the first to get within range and obtain +a glimpse of the extraordinary scene. They halted, gasping, though +their glances swiftly took in the whole affair. They comprehended +what Ripley had been doing, and how the dog had come upon the +marauder. + +By this time the other members of the party came in sight. Fred +still lay on the ground, scowling and fuming over his undignified +position, while Towser still kept an eye open for business. + +"Call this dog off!" Fred ordered again. + +"How did the dog happen to catch you here?" Dick asked quietly. + +"Call this dog off and I'll tell you," snapped Fred. "I was trying +to do you fellows a good turn, but the dog had to interfere and +get hold of the wrong party." + +"You were trying to do us a good turn?" gasped Dick wonderingly. + +"Yes---but it will be the last time, unless you call this dog +off," snarled young Ripley. + +Perhaps it is hardly necessary to say that not one in the party +believed Fred's extraordinary story. + +"Hazelton, get this dog of yours away, or I'll go to court and +secure an order to have the beast shot!" snapped young Ripley. + +But at this moment another voice was heard calling from the roadway: + +"Fred! Fred! Are you there?" + +It was Squire Ripley's voice, though the lawyer himself could +not be seen as yet. + +"Yes, sir; your son is here," Dick answered. "Come and see just +how he is here!" + +"Get your dog off quickly, Hazelton!" urged Fred. + +But Harry, at a slight sign from Dick, didn't stir or open his +mouth to call off his dog. + +Through the brush came the sound of hurried steps. Then Lawyer +Ripley stepped into the group. + +"Fred, what on earth does this mean?" demanded the lawyer, staring +hard. + +"That's just what we thought you might like to find out, sir," +Dick replied. "We've been away from camp all day, and just came +back to this scene, Mr. Ripley. You are something of an expert +in the matter of evidence, sir. Will you kindly tell us what +you make out of this? There is our tent cut down. There are +all of our food supplies in a pile, except what you see scattered +about on the ground. Your son appears to have been headed for +the lake when our dog overtook him and pinned him down. As a +lawyer, Mr. Ripley, what would you conclude from the evidence +thus presented?" + +"Call that dog away!" ordered Mr. Ripley. + +"Willingly, sir," Dick agreed, "now that you have had opportunity +to look into all the evidence that we found. Harry, will you do +the honors?" + +Smiling slightly, Hazelton stepped forward to speak to Towser. +That four-footed guardian of the camp displayed some resentment +at first over the idea of letting go of Fred's shirt. After a +little, however, Hazelton succeeded in getting his dog away and +tied to a tree. + +Fred rose to his feet, his face fiery red while he trembled visibly. + +"What is the meaning of this, young man?" demanded Lawyer Ripley. + +"The meaning," choked the lawyer's son wrathfully, "is just this: +I was coming by this place this morning in the runabout, when +I heard a good deal of coarse laughter down here. I knew the +voices weren't those of boys, and so I knew that something must +be up. I got out of the car and came over here. I saw two tramps +in the camp. They had already cut down the tent, and when I arrived +they were planning to cart the food away. Then they saw me as +I stepped forward. I told them what I thought of them for thieving +in such fashion. Then the tramps got ready to jump on me and +thrash me. Just as I raised my hands to defend myself this dog +came bounding out of the woods and the tramps ran away. Having +no more sense than any other fool dog, the cur pinned me down +and held me here." + +"All day?" asked his father. + +"Yes; I've been a prisoner here for hours," quavered Fred. "And +now these fellows want to make out, before the high school friends +of mine," nodding toward the girls, "that I was the thief and +destroyer." + +"That story is straightforward enough," commented the lawyer, +turning to the others rather stiffly. "Do any of you wish to +challenge it?" + +No one spoke. + +"I'll tell you what I wish, father," broke in Fred angrily. "I +want an order from the court to have that dog seized and shot. +He's a vicious and dangerous brute!" + +"I think such a court order will be easily obtained," replied +Mr. Ripley frigidly. + +Harry Hazelton turned pale, clenching his fists, though he had +the good sense not to speak just then. The other boys all looked +highly concerned. + +"Were you bitten by the dog?" asked Dr. Bentley quietly. + +"I---I don't know yet," replied Fred. "I can't tell." + +"Mr. Ripley," said Dr. Bentley very quietly, "if you contemplate +seeking a court order for having the dog shot, then I suggest +that you permit me to take the young man aside and examine him. +I am a physician, with a good many years of practice behind me, +and any court would pronounce me competent to testify as to whether +your son has been bitten, and, if so, to what extent." + +"I don't choose to be examined here," Fred declared sulkily. +"If I want anything of that sort done our own physician can do +it." + +"Young man," replied Dr. Bentley, "your father is an eminent lawyer. +He is therefore qualified to inform you that if you decline an +examination now as to the presence or absence of injuries on your +body, your refusal would have to be taken into account in contested +court action for the death of the dog." + +"Dr. Bentley is quite right, and he has stated the matter accurately," +replied Mr. Ripley. "Fred, do you desire to be examined now? +If so, we can go away to some secluded spot with the doctor, +and with the dog's owner and any other witness desired." + +"I don't want to do anything now but to get away from here," replied +Fred sulkily. "I want to be rid of Prescott and his friends as +soon as possible." + +"Very good, then," nodded his father. "You may do as you like, +but if you refuse Dr. Bentley's suggestion for an immediate examination +you will stand no chance of securing an order dooming the dog." + +Fred's further answer was an angry snort as he turned away. His +father lingered to say: + +"If your suspicions that my son was here improperly are anywhere +near correct, then you are entitled to my most hearty apology. +Fred is a peculiar and high-strung boy, but I believe his impulses +are right in the main. I will add that I believe his account +of how he came to be in this strange plight. He took the car +early this morning. I am just returning from a spin in our larger +automobile. I saw my runabout at the edge of the road and it +occurred to me to stop and see if my son were here. Is there +anything more to be said about my son's peculiar experience here?" + +"Nothing, thank you, Mr. Ripley," replied Dr. Bentley, after a +sidelong glance at Dick. + +"Then I will bid you all good afternoon," replied Squire Ripley, +raising his hat to the women. + +Dr. Bentley watched the lawyer out of sight, then turned to Hazelton +with a smile. + +"Harry," remarked the physician, "your dog won't be shot by order +of the court." + + + + +CHAPTER XV + +AT THE GREATEST OF FEASTS + + +It proved a glorious affair, that picnic by the edge of the lake. + +Tom and Dan took Clara and Susie out in the canoe to watch them +as they fished. + +The other four boys fell to with a will, reweaving in new guy +ropes and erecting the tent again. + +Then firewood was gathered in armfuls and several campfires started. + +Just before dark the canoe came in with a cargo of nearly four +dozen fish. + +These Tom and Dan took to one side and quickly cleaned. Just +as Dick and Dave were beginning to realize with some embarrassment +that they had nowhere near enough dishes for such an affair, the +man from the launch appeared with two baskets of dishes. He then +brought up three folding tables and proceeded to set them up, +next bringing on campstools. Dr. Bentley had overlooked nothing. +Last of all paper lanterns were strung from the trees, and just +at dark these were lighted. + +Potatoes were set to boil in a kettle. Embers were raked down +and corn still in the husks was set in the embers and covered +up to roast. Some of the girls sliced more tomatoes than the +whole party could eat. Cucumbers, too, were prepared. + +Fish were broiled on grates over the fires. All was ready just +before dark. + +Dick gave the launch man a hearty invitation to join them at supper, +the latter shaking his head, expressed his thanks and hurried +away. + +What an appetizing meal it was! Nothing seemed to have gone wrong. +It was a merry party indeed that sat down around the tables. + +Suddenly there came an interruption. "Camp! Oh, I say---camp!" +called a gruff voice from the road. + +"Here!" called Dick, rising from the table. "Who is it?" + +"Any girls there?" demanded the same voice. + +"Several," Dick acknowledged. + +"Having a picnic, are you?" demanded the strange voice. + +"The best ever!" Dick replied heartily. + +"Lots of fresh vegetables, too, eh?" + +"Ye-es," Dick assented slowly, and with a peculiar feeling. He +recalled the laughing talk of the girls about "stealing," and +now wondered what was about to happen. + +"I guess they're the girls I want, then," continued the voice +of the unseen speaker. + +Dick & Co. felt a swift spasm of uneasiness, for that voice sounded +as though it might belong to the law. + +A moment later a roughly dressed man moved down into the circle. + +"My name is Dobson," said the new comer, looking hard at the girls. +"I reckon you were in my truck garden this afternoon, weren't +you?" + +"Why---er----ye-es," admitted Laura, the first to find her voice. +She rose and faced Mr. Dobson with a look of budding uneasiness. + +"Took lot of my vegetables, didn't you?" pressed the farmer. + +"Ye-es," faltered Laura, "but-----" + +"Excuse me, miss, but there aren't many kinds of 'buts' about a +transaction of that kind," insisted the farmer. + +Here, Dr. Bentley, who had looked less concerned than anyone else +present, broke in: + +"Your name is Dobson?" he asked. + +"Not Gibson, then?" pressed the doctor. + +"Course my name isn't Gibson, if it's Dobson," retorted the farmer. +"There is a man named Gibson who lives 'bout a quarter of a mile +from my place." + +"Then I imagine I shall have to take you one side and have a little +conversation with you," smiled the doctor, rising. "Will you +follow me?" + +The farmer nodded without speaking and the two men walked away. + +Ten minutes later Dr. Bentley returned to the young people. + +"I appeased the farmer's wrath," he announced, with a laugh. +"And now, young ladies, if my judgment is worth anything, I think +it is about time to let the cat out of the bag." + +Eight high school girls flushed and looked rather confused. + +"Why, has anything wrong been going on?" inquired Mrs. Bentley +anxiously, while Mrs. Meade waited breathlessly for the reply. + +"Nothing extremely wrong," replied Dr. Bentley. "I will explain +what happened. Some of these young ladies, having heard that +boys occasionally rob orchards or gardens for a feast, laughingly +promised the young hosts of this evening that they would steal +the necessary vegetables for to-night's supper. Now, while some +boys may sometimes do such things, it is needless to add that +no boy with a good home and a mother's training is likely to become +engaged in such petty pilfering. I don't believe the boys for +a moment credited the girls with any real stealing." + +"We didn't," spoke up Dick promptly. "We knew there was a string +to the joke somewhere." + +"These young ladies consulted me," went on Dr. Bentley. "Of course +they wanted the whole matter kept very quiet, and they made me +promise secrecy. I told them that I didn't like their plan at +all, but they coaxed, and I will admit that I yielded to their +coaxing very much against my best judgment. They wanted to be +able to say that they hadn't paid the farmer, or made any arrangement +whatever with him. That much is true. They didn't approach the +farmer---they sent me. I went to Farmer Gibson and made the +arrangement with him for the supplies, paying him in advance a fair +price for whatever the young ladies would take out of his garden. +Yet, in spite of my care in the matter, and my very explicit +directions to them, it seems that they went astray, and descended +upon the truck garden of Mr. Dobson, instead of that of Mr. Gibson. +Mr. Dobson, not having received any pay, very naturally objected to +being looted of his vegetables while Mr. Gibson received the money. +But I have been able to explain matters in a satisfactory manner +to Mr. Dobson, and have sent him on his ways" + +Eight very crestfallen high school girls listened to this recital. + +The boys, had they not felt a manly sympathy for their discomfited +friends, would have laughed outright. + +"I am glad that it is no worse," said Mrs. Bentley in a relieved +voice. "At the same time, it was a very silly performance." + +"It was," nodded the doctor, who turned to the girls to add: + +"My dears, as you succeeded this time in making me your very reluctant +accomplice, I am in no position to say very much to you. But +I trust you all realize the situation and its outcome, and that +you will never allow yourselves to be made ridiculous again in +any such way." + +"I don't believe we shall," Laura replied. "We felt ashamed of +ourselves afterwards, but we were silly enough to feel because +we had pledged ourselves to forage for fruit and vegetables that +the joke must be carried out." + +"Tom Reade," snapped Susie Sharp, "you are just bursting with +laughter that you can hardly hold back." + +"Not I!" Tom denied promptly. "I am congratulating myself that +we boys had sense enough not to take seriously your claim that +you had been robbing anyone's garden. As it happened, you did +that very thing, but you didn't know it, and you didn't mean to." + +There was an embarrassed silence. Then Dick proposed: + +"Let's have a good-natured laugh all around and forget the whole +thing." + +That relieved the awkwardness of the situation. After that a +watermelon was cut and brought to the tables. + +"Gridley, ahoy!" called a voice across the dark waters. + +"Who's there?" called Dick. + +"Preston High School Canoe Club. May we visit your camp?" + +"Shall I invite them over?" asked Dick, looking at Mrs. Bentley +and then at the girls. + +Receiving their consent, he called out: + +"Come in, Preston High School! Welcome!" + +A soft splashing of paddles showed where the visitors were coming +in to shore. Dan Dalzell taking the camp lantern, ran to meet them. + +A moment later six Preston lads were stepping ashore, one after +the other. Dick, having excused himself at table, came forward +also to greet them. + +Two of the Preston High School boys were already acquainted with +Laura Bentley and some of her friends. Introductions followed +rapidly. + +"Drop into the Gridley seats and have some of the watermelon," +Dick pressed the visitors, he and his chums standing in order +to do the honors of the occasion. + +"It looks as though we had been trying to invite ourselves to +a banquet," laughed Hartwell, "big chief" of the Preston High +School "Indians." "We didn't mean to seem as rude as that, Prescott." + +"All I know," smiled Dick cordially, "is that you are all heartily +welcome. Can we stir up a fire and broil some fish?" + +"Don't think of it, thank you," begged Hartwell. "We've had our +suppers---dinners, the hotel folks insist on calling 'em. It's +jolly enough for us to be allowed to join you and see the watermelon +passing around." + +"Chug! chug! Puff! puff!" sounded the returning launch. Dick +glanced apprehensively at Dr. Bentley and the ladies. Did the +coming of the launch mean that it was about time for the pleasant +evening to break up? + +"Might I ask where and how you find such delicious watermelons +in this neck of the woods?" inquired Brown, of the Prestons. + +"Ask the young ladies," piped up Danny Grin, thereby getting himself +much disliked for at least the next thirty seconds. + +"Dr. Bentley and the young ladies obtained the melons from a farmer," +explained Tom Reade, giving Dan an unseen poke in the small of +the back. + +"These melons look good enough to steal," laughed Hartwell, and +was unable to understand the total silence that greeted his assertion. + +"Help wanted from a couple of you boys!" called the voice of the +launch man. + +Four of Dick & Co. raced down to the water's edge. They came +back, staggering under a big bucket covered on the top with bagging. + +"What is this?" asked Dick. + +"Ice cream," explained the doctor. "Mrs. Bentley's suggestion." + +"We fellows of Preston High School feel ashamed of ourselves for +having intruded," exclaimed Hartwell. "May we be permitted to +withdraw?" + +"At any time after ten o'clock," smiled Mrs. Bentley graciously. +"We shall be very much disappointed if you leave us at present." + +There was a clatter of dishes and spoons. Mrs. Bentley and Mrs. +Meade presided over this part of the camp feast. + +"We needn't ask you Gridley fellows if you've been having a good +time," declared Hartwell presently. "But we hadn't any idea that +we should intrude on an affair of this sort. In fact, while business +must be barred now, I will admit that business was the object +of our call." + +"What sort of business?" inquired Dick Prescott. + +"We came to challenge you fellows to a race," explained Big Chief +Hartwell. + +"A race?" chuckled Dave. "Queer how you've bit us where we live!" + +"Do you think you can beat us in a canoe race?" asked Hartwell. + +"Yes," Dick rejoined. "All we need to arrange is the date. We'll +beat you on any date that you name! That isn't brag, please +understand! It's merely the old, old Gridley High School way." + +The young ladies applauded this sentiment merrily. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI + +A SCALP-HUNTING DISAPPOINTMENT + + +"Want to try us out, Gridley?" hailed Big Chief Hartwell, from the +Preston High School canoe. + +It was nearly ten o'clock the next morning, but Dick & Co. had +just finished putting their camp to rights after breakfast, for +they had slept late after the feast. + +"Do we want to try you out?" Dick answered laughingly. "Why, +we don't have to do that. We shall be ready to hand you a beating, +though, at any time you ask for it. We can't help beating you, +you know. It's the Gridley way!" + +"Brag is a good dog," derided Brown from the bow seat of the Preston +canoe. + +"We keep both dogs here," Dave shouted tantalizingly. + +"Are you coming out to wallop us?" Hartwell insisted. + +"Yes; if you insist upon it," Dick agreed. "But we don't like +to do it." + +"Get into your canoe and come out and see how much of your brag +you can make good," was Hartwell's calm reply. + +"What? Now?" Prescott inquired. + +"'Now' is always the best time to do a thing," declared Mason, +of Preston High School. + +"Oh, no," smiled Dick, with a shake of his head. "You fellows +have been out for some time this morning. You'll have to give +us time to warm up properly." + +"I didn't suppose Gridley needed a little thing like that," Hartwell +taunted. "You Gridleyites are such sure winners, you know, that +you ought not to need such a little thing as preparation." + +"One of the reasons why Gridley wins," Dick retorted, "is that +we always use common sense when entering sporting events. So +we'll ask you to oblige us with a gift of our rights in the matter. +In fifteen minutes we'll be ready for you." + +Gently the canoe was launched in the water. Harry, with a remembrance +of yesterday's events, called Towser, saying sternly: + +"Stay right here, boy, and watch. Maybe you'll get the rest of +Rip's shirt to-day." + +"And maybe he won't," chuckled Dave. "That's what I call holding +out false hopes to a dog. Rip won't venture within five miles +of here to-day. Yet perhaps Towser will bag some other game for +us." + +"Into the canoe with you, you loitering braves!" called Big Chief +Prescott firmly. + +Away went the Gridley war canoe, gliding smoothly. + +"Our craft is the 'Pathfinder'," called Hartwell, across the water. +"What do you call your boat?" + +"The 'Scalp-hunter'," smiled Dick. As a matter of fact he and +his friends had forgotten to name the canoe, but he supplied the +name on the spur of the moment. It made a prompt hit with his +chums. + +"You don't believe you can win any race with such paddling as +yours, do you?" Hartwell called derisively. + +"We don't show all our fine points to the enemy until the battle +is on," was Prescott's amiable answer. "Even then you won't see +all our best tricks; you'll be too busy paddling to keep in sight +of us." + +Only very gradually did Dick allow his crew to warm up to their +work. The Preston boys soon paddled over to the middle of the +lake, and there lay resting. + +"Now, we'll go back and give them a brush," Dick murmured to his +chums. "Don't exceed any orders that I give in the brush. Don't +be at all uneasy if we find the Prestons going ahead of us." + +"Haven't we got to win?" queried Dave. + +"Especially after all the brag we've been throwing in their +direction?" Tom supplemented. + +"We'll win if we can do it easily," Dick answered. "Otherwise +we won't." + +"Then what becomes of our Gridley talk?" asked Greg. + +"The difference is that this isn't a real race to-day," Prescott +explained. "This is only a brush, and we're in it only to see +what the Preston boys can show us about canoe handling." + +At a rather slow, easy dip, the "Scalp-hunter" ranged up near +the "Pathfinder." + +"All ready there, Gridley?" called Hartwell rather impatiently. + +"As ready as we're going to be," said Dick. + +"Flying start, or from a stop?" + +"Either," Dick nodded. + +"Then," proposed Hartwell, "move along until your prow is flush +with ours. When I give the word both crews paddle for all they're +worth. Steer for the two blasted pines at the lower end of the +lake." + +"That's good," Dick agreed. + +Very gently the war canoe ranged alongside, her bark sides, +well-oiled, glistening in the sunlight. The Preston canoe was not +of bark, but of cedar frame, covered with canvas. + +Hartwell evidently wanted a wholly fair race, for he even allowed +the "Scalp-hunter's" prow the lead of a couple of feet before +he shouted: + +"Go it!" + +Amid a great flashing of paddles the two canoes started. The +Preston High School craft soon obtained a lead of a foot or so, +and held it. Now the contest was a stubborn one. Gridley gained +two feet more. + +"You see," called Dick in a low voice, "this is the Gridley way." + +"Is it?" Hartwell inquired. "Hanky-pank!" + +Plainly enough the last two words were a signal. Though the Preston +High School boys did not make much visible change in their style +or speed of dip, the "Pathfinder" now gained perceptibly. Within +a minute she had a lead of a clean ten feet, and seemed likely +to increase the interval. + +"Why don't you come along, Gridley?" called back the big chief +in the leading canoe. + +"Too early," smiled Dick. Nor did he allow the Gridley boys to +increase their speed. Presently the "Pathfinder" led by two lengths. + +"Why didn't you tell us," Hartwell demanded over his shoulder, +"that the much vaunted Gridley way is 'way to the rear?" + +"We haven't reached the pines yet, have we?" Dick asked. + +"No; and you won't, to-day, unless you push that clumsy tub of +yours along faster." + +"Don't wait for us," Dick answered goodnaturedly. "We'll be here +after a little while." + +"We'll wait for you when we land," laughed Hartwell. "Mumble +bumble!" + +Another secret signal, surely, for again the "Pathfinder" began +to increase the distance from the Gridley rival. + +"We'd better stop, and pretend we're only fishing," muttered Tom +Reade, but Dick kept grimly silent. He was watching every move +of the Preston paddlers. + +"Why, they're leading us four lengths," muttered Darrin, in an +undertone. But Prescott appeared unworried. + +"We'll try to brace our speed, by and by," Dick answered. + +"And so will the other fellows," Tom surmised. "They're not going +at anything like their pace as yet." + +For a quarter of a mile the canoes held the same relative position. + +"Now, liven up," Dick called softly. "One, two, three, four! +One, two, three, four!" + +Catching the rhythm, Dick & Co. put in some good strokes, their +paddling becoming faster and stronger. A length and a half of +the interval was closed up. + +"Porky-poo!" ordered Hartwell. + +Answering, the Preston High School boys paddled as though fury +now possessed them. They held the pace, too. + +"Hit it up hard, now," Dick commanded. "One, two, three, four!" + +Never had Gridley responded more nobly on any field of sport or +other contest than now. The paddles flew, their wet blades gleaming +in the air, only to disappear under the water again. Each recovery +was swift, prompt rhythmic! + +But Hartwell's crew was also showing the stuff of which it was +made. + +"Stop paddling---back water!" shouted Hartwell finally. + +The "Pathfinder" lay on the water, motionless, only two yards +from the shore on which stood the blasted pines. + +At that same instant the Gridley High School "Scalp-hunter" was +a trifle more than seven lengths astern. + +"That was good and warming," smiled Big Chief Dick, as the second +canoe came up. + +"Yah, yah, yah!" retorted the Preston High School boys, betraying +their delight in derisive grins. + +"Where is that wonderful, all-conquering way you were telling +us about?" chaffed Hartwell. + +"You'll find out when we race," smiled Prescott calmly. + +"When we race?" repeated Preston's big chief. "Didn't we race +just now? Or do you consider that it wasn't a race just because +you weren't in it?" + +"It wasn't a race," Dick answered. "Merely a brush." + +"Brush?" repeated Hartwell indignantly. "Didn't we challenge +you fellows, and didn't you accept? Also, didn't you lose?" + +"We lost the brush," Dick admitted. + +"You lost the race to us," Hartwell declared stoutly. "Preston +High School beat Gridley High School by several lengths!" + +"Hardly that," Dick retorted coolly. "Preston High School merely +distanced some boys from Gridley High School. You didn't defeat +a Gridley High School canoe crew." + +"Why didn't we?" the Preston High School big chief questioned. + +"Because, if you recall all the chat we had last night, the +'Scalp-hunter's' crew isn't yet official. We haven't been +authorized by the Athletic Council of Gridley High School." + +"Is that the way you get out of it?" blurted Hartwell. + +"No," Dick smiled. "That's the way we get Gridley High School +out of the charge of defeat. As soon as we're authorized to represent +Gridley High School as an official canoe crew, then you may claim +any victory you can obtain over us. But you haven't beaten our +high school yet for the reason that we don't officially represent +Gridley High School. Isn't that all clear?" + +"I suppose so," Hartwell assented disappointedly. "But we took +it that we were racing the Gridley High School Canoe Club." + +"Then after this you want to do more thinking," Dick laughed. +"But don't feel too disappointed, Preston. Just as soon as we +receive sanction from our Athletic Council we'll give you a race +in earnest, and a chance for all the glory you are able to take +away from us." + +There was some further good-natured talk, after which the two +canoe clubs separated. + +Dick guided the "Scalp-hunter" back to camp. There, as soon as +the canoe had been hauled ashore, Dave Darrin threw himself on +the grass, remarking: + +"This morning teaches us something! We're in no class with those +Preston High School boys. We've no business racing, in the name +of our school, before next summer!" + + + + +CHAPTER XVII + +THE GOOD WORD BY WIRE + + +"We'll race within a few days," Dick declared serenely. "We've +got to race soon, for our funds won't hold out long and we can't +stay here all summer." + +"The Athletic Council will thank us for losing the race," murmured +Greg Holmes, ironically. + +"We won't lose," Dick maintained, "unless you fellows throw the +race against Gridley." + +"Throw the race?" echoed Tom Reade indignantly. "Dick Prescott, +do you think we'd do a thing like that?" + +"I'm sure you wouldn't," their big chief admitted coolly. + +"Do you mean to say that we didn't do our best this morning?" +questioned Danny Grin. + +"Our very best?" added Hazelton. + +"We all did the best that was in us---this morning," Dick went +on. "But we'll be a lot better prepared when we get into a real +race." + +"I don't believe I can paddle any harder than I did at the finish +this morning," Reade argued. "In fact, I know I can't. My back +aches yet with the work that I did." + +"I don't doubt it," Dick smiled. "I know that my back aches." + +"Then how are we going to win in any other race against Preston +High School?" Darrin asked curiously. + +"Did you fellows study the paddling work of the Prestons this +morning?" Prescott asked. + +"I saw their paddles ahead of us all the time," Greg murmured. + +"That was a good place to have their paddles, for study," Dick +laughed. "Couldn't you see, from their paddling, why they beat +us with ease?" + +"No! Could you?" challenged Tom. + +"Yes. The Preston fellows dip their paddles better than we do. +They dip so that the blade always cuts the breeze, instead of +meeting it. When they recover they turn their paddles so as to +slip them out of the water without throwing any back strain on +the canoe's progress. I was studying their paddling work all +the time, and I hoped that you fellows were doing the same." + +"The Prestons have a lighter, swifter canoe, anyway," contended +Dave. + +"I think they have some advantage over us, that way," Dick nodded. +"At the same time I am certain that we ought to beat Preston +by beating their style of paddling." + +"Beating their style of paddling?" echoed Reade. "Why, according +to what you've told us we can't even equal their paddling." + +"We're going to equal it," Dick answered, "and we ought to beat +it. At two o'clock, fellows, we're going out for two hours of +drill. Then I'll try to explain what I think I saw of the Preston +superiority in dipping and recovery. If I really observed correctly, +then we ought to be able to do much better, for I also think I +see how to improve on the Preston High School paddle work enough +to make their performance look almost clumsy." + +"If you can do that," proclaimed Hazelton ungrudgingly, "then +you're a wonder, Dick." + +"We shall see," smiled the big chief. + +"And if we don't see straight," mumbled Reade, "then Preston will +hand us such a wallop that we won't even have the nerve to take +up a challenge from Trentville High School." + +For the rest of the morning Dick & Co. were much more thoughtful +than usual. They had met defeat---a thing they didn't relish. +Yet they knew, in advance, how much worse they would feel if +they met a defeat when officially entered as a Gridley High School +crew---for the honor of their school was dear to them all. + +The noonday meal was over before one o'clock. Dick would not +allow the "Scalp-hunter" to be put in the water a minute before +two. He wanted to be sure that digestion had proceeded far enough +so that they might do their best. + +At the time appointed, however, he took the crew out on the water, +and there carefully explained what he thought he had learned of +the better paddling style of the Preston High School boys. + +"You certainly did see a whole lot that I didn't see," Reade admitted, +"and I believe that you saw it straight, too, Dick." + +"We can certainly shoot the old canoe ahead faster, already," +Dave murmured delightedly. + +"Now, Dick, what are the improvements you thought you might have +on the Preston style?" Danny Grin asked eagerly. + +"To-morrow will be time enough to try out improvements, or any +kind of frills," Prescott answered patiently. "For this afternoon +let us confine ourselves to paddling as well as the Preston High +School fellows do it. To-morrow we'll see if we can't do better +than they do." + +After a little more practice it was surprising how much more easily +they took to the new style of paddling. + +"Rest on your paddles for a few minutes," Dick ordered. "Get +in some deep breaths. Then I'm going to pump up your speed to +the best that you can do with the new stroke. We'll try to go +to the hotel landing flying." + +When all was ready Prescott gave the word. + +"Now, your best speed, and all the strength you can properly put +into the work. Go! One, two, three, four! One, two, three, four!" + +Across the lake sped the canoe, Dick & Co. fully aware that they +were now traveling at a speed that had been impossible to them +that same morning. + +"Stop paddling! Back water! Stop backing!" + +With deft movements of his own paddle, Dick swung the canoe in +gently against the float. + +Out of the boathouse near by came Bob Hartwell. + +"I've been watching you fellows," he called. + +"That's fair enough," Dick answered. + +"You're doing some better than you did this morning," Hartwell +went on. "You've almost got our stroke." + +"Almost?" repeated young Prescott, raising his eyebrows. "Haven't +we improved a good deal on your Preston High School action?" + +Bob Hartwell began to laugh. + +"You fellows from Gridley are always world beaters, aren't you?" +he demanded good-humoredly. "At first, I thought it was all brag +on your part, and that you fellows were suffering from enlarged +craniums complicated with bragitis. But now I begin to see that +you talk confidently just in order to convince yourselves that +you can't be beaten at anything. And I don't know that it's such +bad 'dope,' either, as the sporting writers put it." + +"Let's hear you try some," urged Dick. + +"Brag?" asked Hartwell. "No; I don't believe I have mastered +the idea well enough to do any really sincere bragging as yet. +However, if you ever beat us at anything except brag, then I'm +going to try to copy your form in the boasting line." + +By this time Dick & Co. were dragging their canoe up onto the +float. + +"I hope Rip isn't sneaking anywhere about these grounds," muttered +Danny Grin. + +"Who's Rip?" Bob Hartwell asked curiously. Then: "Oh, I beg your +pardon for being too inquisitive," as he saw Dick frown at Dalzell. + +"I'm going to remain on the float, while you fellows go up into +the hotel grounds," said Tom. + +"All of you go, and I'll stay and watch your canoe," suggested +Bob Hartwell. "That is, if you're willing to trust me as sentry." + +"Of course we're willing," Dick responded. "But it's only right +that one of our own crowd should do such work. Are you coming +up with us, Hartwell?" + +"Why, yes," Bob answered, "if I can't be of any service to you +here." + +Slowly the boys sauntered up through the walks. Then out on the +porch came Manager Wright, waving a yellow envelope. + +"That's probably the answer from the Athletic Council of Gridley +High School," Dick explained, turning to Hartwell. "You don't +mind if I run on ahead and leave you, do you?" + +"You may run on ahead and leave me if you're as handy at running +as you are at bragging," chuckled Bob. All of the boys in the +group were soon at the porch. Mr. Wright descended the steps +to hand Dick the envelope. + +Dick tore open the envelope hurriedly. + +"It's all right!" he called gleefully. "Mr. Howgate sends this +word:" + +_"'Athletic Council approves and sanctions your representing Gridley +High School on the water with your Canoe Club. Wish you success! +Be careful not to risk lowering Gridley's standard in sports +through recklessness.'"_ + +"When do Gridley and Preston race in a regular event?" demanded +Bob Hartwell promptly. + +"Mr. Wright has been most kind to us about several matters," Dick +answered. "I'd like to ask him what date will be most satisfactory." + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII + +"WON'T WIN AGAINST A MUDSCOW" + + +"How can we help Mr. Wright by racing?" queried Hartwell. + +"By enabling me to advertise a canoe race between high school +boys as an attraction to bring added guests to this hotel," the +manager explained for himself. "Let me see. This is Thursday. +If the race were to be held day after to-morrow---saturday---would +that give both crews time enough to get ready?" + +"Saturday will suit Gridley," Dick answered promptly. + +"And Preston also," guaranteed Bob Hartwell. + +"At three in the afternoon on Saturday?" asked Mr. Wright. + +"Yes, sir," Prescott nodded. "But will you have sufficient time +to advertise, Mr. Wright?" + +"Plenty of time," replied the manager, "if I send my letters away +by tonight's mail. I will advertise in a Gridley paper, and also +in Preston and Trentville. I will send copy to papers in a few +other towns as well, and I will see to it that the railway folks +know about it. Fortunately the railway people will attend to +their own advertising, as it will give them some chance to bring +extra passengers. Now, boys, does either crew wish to draw any +expense money to help in preparing for the race?" + +"Preston High School doesn't want any expense money, thank you, +sir," Bob declared quickly. "Our fellows all have abundant funds." + +"The Gridley High School crew is a lot of near paupers," Dick +admitted with smiling candor. + +"Then you may have-----" + +"Thank you, Mr. Wright," Prescott went on. "I don't know that +we could use money if we had it, but in any case I am certain +that we couldn't accept it from the hotel management without risk +of sacrificing our standing as amateurs. We might be ruled out +as 'professionals' for accepting money for the race." + +"Pardon me," broke in Mr. Wright, as a bellboy handed him a telegram. +As he read the message a smile appeared on his face. + +"Perhaps this will put a different aspect on the matter," beamed +the hotel manager. "This telegram is from Mr. Howgate, and says:" + +_"'Am mailing you check for forty dollars. Please allow Prescott, +Captain Gridley High School Canoe Club, to draw on you for that +amount, for boat uniforms and other expenses. Money voted by +Council from High School Athletic fund.'"_ + +"That's thoughtful," murmured young Prescott, wholly taken aback. +"However, I don't believe we shall need the money." + +"You ought to have some sort of uniform," suggested Hartwell. "We +Preston chaps have canoe uniforms." + +"We can paddle just as well without special uniforms," smiled +Dick, + +"But how would it look for good old Gridley High School?" hinted +Bob generously. "Remember, in appearance, as well as in performance, +you have the prestige and honor of your school to consider." + +"I think you will do well to accept the money and get uniforms," +Mr. Wright declared thoughtfully. "You will have to telegraph +for them in order to have them here by Saturday." + +"I have the A.B. Lollard catalogue up in my room," suggested Hartwell +"I'll run up and get it, and you fellows can look it through and +make a quick decision." + +"When you have the choice of uniforms made," said Mr. Wright, +"write your telegram and bring it to me to sign. The Lollard +people know me, and will honor my order." + +Now that matters had been arranged so as to be strictly within +amateur usages, Dick, Dave and the others found that they had +a new cause for interest as they glanced through the bewildering +display of uniforms offered in the catalogue. + +When the choice had been made Dick turned to young Holmes to say: + +"Greg, run down to the landing to relieve Tom, and ask him to +hurry up here. We want him, too, to approve our selection or +to state his disapproval." + +Reade arrived with a breathlessness that testified to his having +run all the way. Needless to say, he heartily agreed with his +chums as to the uniform selected by them. + +The uniform chosen was not expensive. It consisted of sleeveless +cotton shirts, white cotton trousers, knee-length, and with a +red stripe down the sides, and thin, light boating shoes. + +The total cost, per boy, was three dollars and eighty-three cents. +Certainly not an expensive canoeing uniform! There would be +some express charges to pay in addition. + +"You'll have about fifteen dollars left for anything else that +you may need," suggested Mr. Wright. + +"Yes; but we don't wish to spend it," Dick replied. "It is only +the thought of the Gridley High School that makes us decide on +any uniform at all." + +"You couldn't have been more modest," smiled Bob Hartwell, as +he thought of the more expensive uniforms of his own crew. + +The telegram was prepared. Mr. Wright signed it and sent it away. +Then he hastened to his office to prepare his own advertising +matter. + +As the Gridley girls were nowhere to be seen about the grounds, +Dick did not inquire for them. Instead he and his chums hurried +back to the lake, where they put in another hour in hard practice. +Prescott kept his crew out on the lake, in about the middle, +where his low---spoken directions could not be heard from the +shore. + +"Are we going to win, now?" asked Dan Dalzell. + +"How can we help it, when we are to wear such dazzling uniforms?" +queried Reade. + +"We've got to do a lot of hard work tomorrow, and on Saturday +morning," Dave added. "I doubt if we yet paddle anywhere near +the Preston High School performance." + +"We'll work hard to-morrow," Dick agreed, "but after that we will +have to be satisfied with what we've done. Saturday morning we +don't want to do any hard work. Just enough exercise to keep +our muscles supple for the real fray of the afternoon." + +"We ought to stay out longer now," urged Hazelton. + +"Do you fellows think so?" asked Dick thoughtfully. "It seems +to me that we've done enough hard canoe work for to-day. We don't +want to go stale from too much training." + +"But we can't---we mustn't lose the race on Saturday," almost +groaned Dave Darrin. + +"Then we'll do better not to overtrain," said Dick quietly. "Unless +I hear a big kick I'm going to turn the canoe toward our camp." + +There was no objection, though some of the members of Dick & Co. +frowned slightly. They had great confidence in Dick's judgment, +yet he seemed to them over cautious in training. + +"I wish it were Saturday night," murmured Tom Reade, lying on +the grass full length, after they had landed. + +"So that you'd know how it feels to be licked and to have your +school licked, too?" inquired Danny Grin. + +"Stop that talk!" ordered Tom gruffly. "We're not going to be +beaten. We'd hardly dare show our faces again in Gridley if Preston +High School took us into camp." + +"Then how will the Preston fellows feel if we distance 'em?" Greg +inquired. + +"Oh, it won't matter as much over at Preston," Tom replied coolly. +"Preston hasn't such a big reputation for winning athletic events +as Gridley has." + +"The more I think of it," muttered Dave, "the more I marvel at +our cheek. We are barely more than freshmen. As yet we've entered +the sophomore class only by promotion. Yet we get away from home +and immediately start in to fight under the Gridley colors, just +as though we were real juniors or seniors! My, but I'll hate +myself if we get walloped Saturday afternoon!" + +"We'd all dislike ourselves," smiled Dick Prescott calmly. "That +is why we haven't any thought of allowing ourselves to be beaten, +either by Preston or Trentville." + +"I wonder if Trentville is as good as Preston?" asked Tom curiously. + +"We can't tell until we see them work," suggested Greg. + +"Who's going to eat, and when?" asked Dan. That started the crowd +to making preparations for the camp supper. It was prepared in +good time, and six healthy boys sat down to enjoy it. After that +came a period of blissful idleness. Then, more or less reluctantly, +the youngsters set about washing the dishes and setting the camp +straight in general. + +"Better throw some wood on the fire; it's getting pretty dark," +suggested Dick. "I'll get the lantern and light it." + +Gr-r-r-r-r! came the voice of Towser, in the near distance. +It was followed by barks and yelps, all in the voice of Hazelton's +bull-dog. + +"What trouble has the pup gotten into?" demanded Harry, throwing +an armful of wood on the campfire, then wheeling sharply. + +Gr-r-r-r! Wow-wow! Woof! sounded closer at hand, accompanied +by considerable noise in the underbrush. + +"That pup's in trouble," declared Tom sagely. "Come along, fellows! +Bring the lantern, Dick!" + +Six boys, headed by Dick with the lantern, went to meet the bull-dog. +They came upon Towser, growling in a most excited manner, threshing +something about him in the bushes as he came toward them. + +"Hold still, boy!" commanded Harry. "What is it, old chap?" + +Then he came upon the dog. In the darkness it was not easy to +make out what ailed Towser. But Prescott came closer to the dog +with the lantern. + +"Towser has his foot caught in a steel trap. I'm afraid his leg +is broken," quivered Hazelton, as he threw himself on the ground +beside his pet. "Hold still, boy! Let me take it off of you." + +The dog permitted himself to be held while Tom Reade pried open +the jaws of the steel fox trap, the chain to which the pup had +dragged over the ground. + +"That's a queer accident," commented Greg Holmes. + +"Accident?" flamed Harry. "This thing is no accident. It was +done on purpose, and I wouldn't need but one guess to name the +two-legged cur that did this!" + +All of the boys understood at once that Hazelton was accusing +Fred Ripley of setting the trap. + +Towser, as soon as released, limped a little, but proved that +his leg was not broken, though it had been cut in the trap. + +"Woof!" he exploded angrily, as soon as he found that he could +run about on his injured leg. Then, showing his teeth, he growled +menacingly and bounded through the woods, Dick & Co. following +pell-mell. + +"Towser knows that his enemy is still near!" called Harry exultantly. +"Come on, fellows! We'll catch that sneak!" + +A bull-dog's strong point is not his scent. He led the boys to +the roadway, then halted, growling, plainly at fault. + +Perched up in a tree not fifty yards away, well hidden by the +foliage, were Fred Ripley and another youth. For a few moments +they listened breathlessly to the pursuit, then appeared to feel +more at their ease. + +"You didn't work the trap trick quite right," whispered Fred to +the youth in overalls beside him. + +"Better luck next time," whispered back the stranger. "But no +matter. I see how we can fix the canoe so that it couldn't win +a race against a mudscow!" + + + + +CHAPTER XIX + +WHAT AILED GRIDLEY? + + +"There's an automobile full of Gridley folks coming up to the lake +to-day!" cried Susie Sharp excitedly as she ran to meet her girl +friends at the landing stage. + +"How do you know?" asked Laura eagerly. + +"Mr. Wright has just received a telephone message, asking that +arrangements be made to give them supper here. They're going +back in the evening." + +"Dick will be so pleased!" cried Laura. "All of our boys will +be delighted, I imagine," replied Susie dryly. + +"Of course; that is what I meant," explained Laura, flushing slightly. + +"I know. You think that Dick Prescott is the only boy at Lake +Pleasant," teased Miss Sharp. + +"Stop that!" begged Clara Marshall. "Don't talk nonsense." + +At one end of the float lay the "Pathfinder." At the other end +lay the "Scalp-hunter," as shining as a thorough overhauling and +a coating of oil could make her. + +Over the latter canoe the Gridley High School girls had posted +themselves as a sort of guard of honor. + +Not that there was any suspicion that either of the canoes would +be tampered with. High school and college sports are "clean." +No underhanded tricks are resorted to by competitors for the sake +of winning. + +In the boathouse near by sat the members of both crews, mingling +on the most friendly terms. With them were some of the officials +of the race. + +Dotted along the water front of the hotel grounds were many little +groups of waiting spectators in chairs, on campstools or sitting +on the grass. + +In the morning buoys had been set on the lake at each end of a +measured course. The course was to be a mile, around the upper +buoy and returning to the starting line. The usual rules of boat +and canoe racing were to apply as to clear water, fouling and +the like, as well as the right of way at the upper buoy in case +the rival canoes were close together. + +"It's half-past two o'clock now," announced the starter, glancing +at his watch. + +"At two-forty," stated the referee, "I shall order both canoes +into the water. As soon after that as each crew captain chooses +he may put his men aboard and take such warming-up work as he +may wish. At two-fifty-six the first gun will be fired, and both +crews must come promptly to the judges' boat for alignment. At +exactly three the second shot will be fired---the starting signal. +Has either captain any questions to ask?" + +Neither captain had any questions. + +"Let me know, time-keeper, when it is two-forty," said the referee, +going toward the door. "Both captains will be on the alert to +avoid delays." + +As the referee glanced out he saw that at least four hundred spectators +were on hand. Two stage loads of men, woman, boys and girls had +already arrived from Preston. Trentville also had sent a delegation. + +"What's all that yelling with 'Gridley' in it?" cried Dick, jumping +up and moving toward the door. + +He was followed by his chums. They reached the float in time +to see the automobile bus from Gridley coming down to the water +front. In it were some thirty people of all ages. + +"Oh, you Prescott!" yelled one irrepressible young man, through +a megaphone. "Don't you dare make fools of us this afternoon! +Gridley must win!" + +"Don't worry!" Dick shouted back, waving his hand. "Gridley is +going to win!" + +"Yes, sirree!" called Bob Hartwell, laughingly. "Preston High +School guarantees Gridley to be a winner---for second place!" + +People now came crowding down upon the float to such an extent +that Mr. Wright had to use the services of four hotel employs +in coaxing them to keep back out of the way of the crews. + +"No further admittance to the float, ladies and gentlemen!" called +the hotel manager. "Keep it clear for the use of the crews!" + +"Remember, Prescott," shouted a voice, "nothing but a win!" + +"That's the Gridley way," Dick called back. + +"Crew captains!" shouted the referee. "Ready to launch your craft! +Time for a bit of preliminary practice." + +"Take hold and launch!" cried Bob Hartwell, running forward. + +Over into the water went the Preston High School canoe with a +splash. The Preston boys began to fill their places. + +"Gridley, stand by to launch!" called Prescott, "Slide her in, +easily!" + +As graceful as a thing of life the big war canoe slipped into +the water, then lay there like a swan. Dave Darrin took hold +of the bow-line, the pretty craft resting lightly against the +float. + +"Aren't you going to take your men out and warm them up, Prescott?" +asked Referee Tyndall. + +"No, sir; only for the last five minutes. We want only work enough +to start the blood to moving well." + +So only Dave stood by the canoe. Hatless, the Gridley High School +boys paced up and down the float, awaiting word from Big Chief +Prescott before embarking. + +"I wish Dick would put our boys to work at once," murmured Belle +uneasily. "Look what a fine showing Bob Hartwell's Preston fellows +are making out there." + +In truth the Preston boys were making a splendid showing with +their brisk, steady, sturdy paddling. Many a cheer went up from +shore for them. + +"Time for us, Gridley," announced Prescott, when some minutes +had passed. + +Alertly his chums sprang to their posts. In a twinkling they +were seated, each with his paddle in hand, holding lightly to +the float. + +"Shove off," said Dick, in a very low voice. As the "Scalp-hunter" +started for the middle of the lake a wild Gridley yell broke loose. + +But none of the boys paid heed. Each had his ears alert only +for the orders of the captain. + +Somehow, as the canoe moved out, each one had the same feeling. +The "Scalp-hunter" was not moving quite as it should do. + +"There is at least one of you fellows who isn't doing all he should, +or just as he should," Dick murmured quietly. "Which one is it?" + +There was no immediate response, though all five of the boys gave +renewed attention to their work. Still, all of them had the same +uneasy impression that there "was a screw loose somewhere." + +"It's just as though we had a drag holding us back," Dick muttered +disappointedly. + +"Perhaps it's only because we're not quite warmed up yet," Tom +hinted. + +"No; it isn't that," Prescott responded. "I wish I knew just +what does ail us. Take the second speed, fellows, and each of +you watch his dip and recovery. Remember, it's the disciplined +paddling that wins a canoe race." + +At the next speed they went forward a little faster, to be sure. +Yet there was a decided lack of speed or a pull-back somewhere. + +"Don't lose your nerve, Gridley!" floated Hartwell's voice over +the water as the Preston canoe shot by at a wind-jamming speed. + +"Want a tow, Gridley?" hailed someone from shore. + +"Next speed, fellows! Hit it up hard," called Dick Prescott. +Perspiration from extreme nervousness broke out on his forehead. + +Strive as he would, the crew captain of the Gridleys could not +shake off the gloomy depression that assailed him. Something +was wrong---radically wrong! The "Scalp-hunter" was not showing +a winning gait! + +"Best speed---and work, fellows!" called Dick, as quietly as ever, +though in his voice there was a note almost of despair. + +Now, indeed, the Gridley craft sped through the water. Yet all +of her crew, and many people on shore, realized that the war canoe +was not showing a prize-taking gait. + +How Dick, Dave, Tom and the others worked, bending all their energies +to the task! Yet all felt the same awful doubts. + +Bang! The first gun had sounded. + +"Down to the line, fellows!" Dick called. "Put in all the steam +you can. I was wrong not to have warmed you up before. Get your +blood to moving. One, two, three, four! Hump it! Hump it!" + +Their bodies streaming with perspiration, breath coming fast, +their faces deeply flushed, Dick & Co. bent to their paddling. +They were moving fast, yet not as fast as they should be moving +and back. + +"What on earth can ail our boys?" cried Laura Bentley anxiously +as she watched. + +"They're moving fast," replied Clara Marshall. + +"Yet not the way they should move," Laura insisted. "There's +nothing about them of the easy, brisk form that Preston High School +shows to-day." + +"Don't hint at defeat!" shuddered Belle Meade. "We might be able +to stand a Gridley defeat, but the boys couldn't." + +Preston's canoe now rested on the water, ready to be aligned at +the referee's order. Gridley's craft seemed to be straining as +she neared the line. + +Suddenly three sharp, short, shrill blasts sounded from the whistle +of the judges' launch. + +"Prescott!" roared the referee. + +"Now, what's up, I wonder?" Dick asked himself, with another +sinking feeling at heart. + +The judges' boat was making fast time toward the Gridley High +School entry. + + + + +CHAPTER XX + +"DINKY-BAT! HOT SAIL!" + + +"Captain Prescott, what is wrong with your boat?" demanded Referee +Tyndall, as the judges' launch stole up close. + +"Something seems to be wrong with us, I'll admit, sir," Dick made +answer. "I'll be greatly obliged to you, sir, if you'll tell me +what it is. + +"What are you towing?" asked the referee bluntly. + +"Towing?" repeated Dick in bewilderment. + +"That's what I asked," repeated the referee. "When you came down +on this last spurt I'm sure that at one moment I saw a length +of line rise above the water astern of you. Then, further back, +I saw something else jerked to the surface." + +"Why, we can't be towing anything," Dick insisted. "You saw our +canoe launched." + +"Late start, if you don't line the canoes up at once, referee," +warned the time-keeper. + +But Mr. Tyndall had his own views. + +"The starting time will be delayed," he announced sharply. "Captain +Prescott, take your canoe to the landing stage." + +"All right, sir." + +"Captain Hartwell you will follow." + +"Very good, sir." + +Going in to the landing stage Dick gave his crew an easy pace, +yet they were soon alongside the float. + +"Now, take your canoe out of water, Gridley," commanded the referee, +stepping ashore from the launch. "I want a look at the craft." + +Dick & Co. lifted the war canoe to the float bow first. Just +as the stern cleared the water a cry went up from scores of throats. + +For the referee had grasped a line made fast to the bottom of +the canoe near the stern. + +Hauling on that line he brought in several yards of it---then, +at the outer end of the line came a light blanket, dripping. +Through the middle of the blanket the end of the line had been +secured. + +Dick Prescott gasped. His chums rubbed their eyes. Bob Hartwell, +who had landed, looked on in utter consternation. + +"For the love of decency!" gasped Referee Tyndall. "Who rigged +on a drag like that." + +The blanket, towing below the surface, was a drag that could be +depended upon, perhaps, to delay the canoe at least one length +in every dozen that her crew could put her through the water. + +"None of our fellows did that trick," Dick declared hotly. "You +saw us launch our canoe, Mr. Referee, and she was clear when +we launched her." + +"I naturally wouldn't suspect the Gridley crew of rigging a drag +on the Gridley canoe," remarked the referee dryly, as he followed +the line back to the canoe. "See! Some scoundrel managed to +twist a screw-eye into one of your frame timbers underneath. +The line is made fast to the screw-eye. Captain Prescott, that +could have been done by someone hidden under this float while +your craft lay alongside. He could bring his mouth above water, +under the timbers of this float. Then, with his hand and arm +hidden under water the same rascal could easily reach out and +fasten in the screw-eye." + +"Prescott," gasped Bob Hartwell, in a disgusted voice, "I hope +you don't believe that any of our fellows, or their friends, could +be guilty of such contemptible work!" + +"Hartwell," Dick answered promptly, resting a hand on the arm +of the Preston High School boy, "I am offended that you should +believe us capable of suspecting Preston High School of anything +as mean as this. Of course we don't suspect Preston High School!" + +The referee himself now twisted the screw-eye out of its bed in +the canoe frame. Then he gathered up the wet cord and blanket +and hurled the whole mass shoreward. + +"I'd pay twenty-five dollars out of my own pocket," the race official +declared hotly, "for proof against the scoundrel who tried to +spoil clean sport in this manner!" + +Nearly all of the crowd of spectators had now surged down close +to the float. + +"I think we could make a pretty good guess at who is behind this +contemptible business," snarled Danny Grin, his face, for once, +darkened by a threatening frown. + +"Who did it?" challenged Referee Tyndall. Dalzell opened his +mouth, but Prescott broke in sharply with the command: + +"Be silent, Dan! Don't mention a name when you haven't proof." + +"Can it possibly be anyone from Preston?" asked Hartwell anxiously. +"If it is, I beg you, Dalzell, to let me have the name---privately, +if need be. I'd spend the summer running down this thing." + +"I know whom Dalzell has in mind, Hartwell," Dick rejoined. "It's +no one from within a good many miles of Preston, either. But +we have no right to make accusation without an iota of proof." + +"Then you decline to allow the name to be furnished?" blurted +the referee. + +"I refuse, sir, for the same reason that you would," Dick answered +coolly. "Only a coward, a knave or a fool will accuse another +person without some reasonable proof to offer. No great harm +has been done, anyway. The drag was found in time." + +"Get your canoe out, Hartwell," ordered Mr. Tyndall. "This time, +when we launch them, we'll make sure that both craft are in good +order." + +When the "Pathfinder" was hauled up on the float she was found +to be free from any evidences of trickery. + +"Now, launch, and we'll watch each canoe until it puts off," announced +Mr. Tyndall. "Captain Prescott, will ten minutes be enough for +you before the sounding of the first gun?" + +"Yes, sir." + +"I'd rather you gave Gridley plenty of time, sir," urged Bob Hartwell. +"If we can't win from Gridley High School fairly, we don't want +to win at all." + +"First gun, then, at three-twenty-eight," called Mr. Tyndall. +"Second gun at three-thirty." + +Slowly the "Pathfinder" followed the "Scalp-hunter" out into midlake. + +"How does your craft go now, Gridley?" hailed the big chief from +Preston. + +"She goes like a canoe now," Dick called back joyously. + +Then he set his chums to easy paddling. All six of Dick & Co. +felt a thrill of joy at realizing the difference in the canoe's +behavior. + +"We'll win, all right," predicted Prescott joyously. + +"If we don't, we'll make motions that look like putting up a hard +fight, anyway," Tom answered him. + +"I wish I had my foot on the neck of the cur that rigged the drag!" +muttered Darrin vindictively. + +"I don't," Dick answered quietly. "The fellow who rigged the +drag probably wasn't the same fellow who planned the scheme." + +"I'm going to provoke a fight with a certain party, one of these +days, anyway," threatened Dave, his brow dark with anger. + +"Forget it now," Dick urged. "The fellow whose mind is ruled +by an angry passion isn't in the best form for athletic work. +Banish all unpleasant thoughts, all of you fellows." + +By degrees the big chief from Gridley warmed up his braves in +the war canoe. He had them going in earnest, at nearly their +best speed, just as the first gun was fired---a pistol in the +hand of the starter on board the judges' boat. + +"We'll go over there in our best style," Prescott called. "Try +to give the people on shore something worth looking at---they've +waited long enough to see something! One, two, three, four! +One, two, three, four!" + +In absolute precision the Gridley High School boys moved at their +work, their swift, deft, strong strokes sending the birch bark +craft darting over the water in a fashion that brought a cheer +from shore. + +"Deep breathing just as soon as we're at rest at the line," Dick +warned his chums. "At the start try to make the first breath +carry you for four strokes!" + +In a short time the referee had the canoes with their noses at +the line, and at an interval from each other satisfactory to him. + +"Thirty seconds to the start!" called the time-keeper. "Twenty +seconds!" + +In the Gridley canoe each boy sat bent slightly forward, his paddle +raised at the proper position. + +"Ten seconds!" called the starter. Then----- + +Bang! Away shot the canoes. Over all other sounds could be heard +Dick's low-toned: + +"One, two, three, four! One, two, three, four!" + +The Preston boys heard him, and Dick noted, with amusement, that +they unconsciously adapted their own stroke to his count. + +"Cut that numeral business," grunted Bob Hartwell, across the +water. "You're queering our fellows." + +"They mustn't listen to our signals," Dick laughed back. "One, +two, three, four!" + +"Come on, fellows; get ahead of that Gridley crowd, where we can't +hear 'em," urged Hartwell. "Hanky pank!" + +At that the Preston canoe managed to get a slight lead. Dick +did not vary his count, however. He had no objection to being +led slightly to the upper buoy. + +Soon, however, Preston High School made the distance two lengths. +Dick began to count a bit faster. + +"Put a little more steam on, fellows," he urged. + +So the gap was closed up somewhat. But Hartwell, glancing back, +called: + +"Mumbleby hoptop!" + +Whatever that signal meant the Preston boys were now paddling +a stronger and slightly swifter stroke. Dick, too, increased +the stroke. + +Despite it all, however, Preston was now securing more and more +of a lead by almost imperceptible gains. Dave Darrin, in the +bow seat of the war canoe, eyed the water interval between the +two canoes with a frowning glance. + +"More steam!" Dick urged. As the Gridley canoe went creeping +up on the rival craft, Hartwell muttered another of his ridiculous +code signals. + +"Preston hasn't let itself out yet, and we're next door to panting +already," Tom Reade told himself, with a sinking heart. "We were +fools to enter as a school crew without more practice!" + +At this time Dick Prescott was the only one in the war canoe who +serenely ignored all doubts. Of course he couldn't be sure that +he would win. In fact, all the chances appeared against him. + But the absurd habit, as it seemed to others, of feeling that +Gridley could not be beaten, was strong upon him. + +More than half way to the upper buoy Preston High School led by +more than two lengths. + +"Get on, Gridley! Get on! Do something!" came the distant yet +distinct yells from shore. Many spectators, in carriages, or +on bicycles, were following the rival crews. + +"Prescott, what ails you?" came a wailing cry from shore. + +There were other discouraging calls, too. Had Dick been less +strong in his faith in Dick & Co. he might have gone to pieces +under the nagging. + +Bob Hartwell, glancing smilingly back over one shoulder, saw the +Gridley boys working. + +"We've got 'em stung, fellows," called the Preston High School +big chief to his crew. "Take it easy, but don't let 'em gain +anything. We won't try to increase the lead until we're on the +last half of the home stretch." + +A hundred and fifty yards from the upper buoy Dick passed the +word: + +"Now, hump a bit. We want to worry 'em as we get to the buoy. +Make it hot for Preston! One, two, three, four!" + +Some of that distance was covered. As Preston rounded the buoy +Hartwell and his crew came face to face with Gridley, about to +round it. + +"One, two, three, four!" almost drawled Dick. He had already +passed the signal to his own men, not one of whom obeyed his slow +count, but on the other hand, Preston High School for the space +of about fifteen seconds, slowed to that crawling count. + +"Brace up, you dubs! Paddle!" roared Hartwell. "Never mind that +funeral march. Dipperty-dip!" + +Preston recovered from its brief trance and shot ahead. But Gridley +was already around the buoy and coming fast. + +Half way home from the upper buoy found Preston going strongly, +two and a half lengths ahead of Gridley High School. + +"Oh, you, Prescott, get up and run!" came the dismal, desperate +advice from shore. + +As he mentally measured the distance, now, to the finishing line, +Dick Prescott's eyes flashed. + +"Now, your reserve power, fellows!" he called in a low, tense +voice. "Make every stroke count! Full muscle! Never mind your +backs! One, two, three, four!" + +A splendid showing Gridley made. Soon the lead of the rivals +was less than two lengths. + +"Steam-ho!" called Hartwell. "Hot sail!" + +Preston's paddles flashed in the sunlight in unison, in the best, +swiftest stroke they had yet shown. Over on shore the Preston +boosters let their lungs loose in cheering yells. + +"Wait for a tugboat, Prescott!" + +"You're up against the real thing, Gridley!" + +"Come on in, Hartwell! The other canoe is tied to the shore!" + +"More steam!" ordered Dick. "More steam! Your best, prize winning +stroke now." + +Again Hartwell glanced backward. Now the prow of the war canoe +was less than half a length from the stern of the Preston craft. + +Up and up it came. Hartwell, in a burst of energy, shouted his +prize signal: + +"Dinky-bat! Hot sail!" + +The new spurt carried Preston High School ahead once more. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI + +NATURE HAS A DISMAL STREAK + + +"Come on, Prescott!" + +"Or else sink!" + +"Don't come back to Gridley!" + +The cries from shore, as the Gridley boosters noted the effects +of the fine Preston work, were not encouraging. + +"Preston High School wins!" + +Indeed, it looked as though Hartwell's craft must be the winner. +Shorter and shorter became the distance to the finish line. + +True, Big Chief Dick was bringing his prow close up to the stern +of the "Pathfinder" once more, but Preston evidently had a little +reserve steam left as yet. + +"Go it, Hartwell! Go it! You win! Hurrah!" + +Suddenly over the water traveled Dick Prescott's command: + +"Now, then, Gridley! Break your backs!" + +This time there was no counting, nor was there any need of any. +From Dave back to Dick all six bent their full strength and wind +to the task of making the "Scalp-hunter" dart over the water. +It was a grueling, killing pace that Dick had set for his crew, +but it did not need to last long. The finish line was close at +hand. + +Hartwell saw the "Scalp-hunter's prow steal up on a level with +the centre of his own canoe. + +"Go it, fellows---one last, big spurt!" he yelled. + +A sudden yell from shore told another story. The war canoe's +nose was now six feet further along than the bow of the Preston +canoe. + +"Come on, Dick! Come on! Come on!" + +"Speed! The last swift dash!" yelled Dick Prescott. "Bend to +it!" + +Hartwell tried to call to his crew, but could not make himself +heard. The yelling from the shore, and from the boats nearby +drowned out all other sounds. + +The two canoes seemed to be rivaling express trains in their speed. +Then the cheers of one faction drowned the groans of the other. + +Gridley High School had shot across the finish line by a length +and a half lead over Preston High School. + +Just as the "Pathfinder" left the line astern there came from +the Preston craft a sound like the report of a pistol. + +One of the Preston braves had snapped his paddle off just above +the blade. + +As the "Scalp-hunter" swung about, Dick saw that broken-off blade +floating on the water. + +"I'm glad that paddle didn't snap until you had crossed the line," +Dick panted. "If it had, the real result would have been in doubt." + +"Your crew won, Prescott!" called Bob Hart well in a husky voice. +"Congratulations!" + +"Thank you," returned Dick. "You're surely a generous enemy." + +"Rivals, this afternoon, but enemies never!" protested young Hartwell. + +Now a blast from the whistle of the launch recalled the two canoes. +Standing in the bow of the launch, Referee Tyndall announced +so that those on shore might hear plainly: + +"Gridley wins by a length and a half!" From the shore came a +wild cheer. There was also a frenzied waving of handkerchiefs +and of parasols. Though the Gridley boosters might be few in +number, they were great in enthusiasm. + +As the "Pathfinder" started in for the landing float a crowd made +a rush to meet the canoes. It was not, however, the Preston craft, +that the crowd wanted, for this was a Gridley crowd. + +Noting the fact with his keen eyes, Dick gave the word for easy +paddling. Then he swung the war canoe about, heading toward camp. + +That proved not at all to the crowd's liking. + +"Come back, Prescott! This way, Gridley! We want you!" + +"Why don't you land, Dick?" queried Tom Reade. + +"What! Land at the mercy of that crowd!" exclaimed Prescott. +"That is a Gridley crowd. They're so pleased over our winning +that what they'd do to us might be worse than what they'd have +done if we had lost." + +"Where are you going?" asked Dave, somewhat disappointed. + +"Camp is good enough for us, I guess. It's a safe place, anyway," +Prescott replied. + +A few minutes later the "Scalp-hunter" touched lightly on the +beach in front of camp. + +Towser greeted them with a joyous bark. + +"So you've been watching the race instead of the camp, have you?" +demanded Tom, eyeing the dog in mock reproach. + +"Oh, but I'm tired!" muttered Darrin, after they had beached the +canoe. "This green grass looks inviting." + +He threw himself down at full length on the grass. + +"Up, for yours," commanded Dick, grasping him by one arm and pulling +Dave to his feet. "Don't you know that your blood is almost at +fever heat after the strain of the race? Do you want to get a +chill that will keep the whole camp up to-night?" + +"I want to lie down," muttered Darrin. "And I want to sleep." + +"Then get off your racing clothes, put on your other clothes, +then roll yourself well in your blankets and lie down in the +tent," Dick ordered. "That's what I'm going to do." + +Now that the strain was over every member of Dick & Co. found +himself so weary that the putting on of ordinary clothes was a +process which proceeded slowly. After a while, however, all six +had rolled themselves in their blankets and lay on the leaf-piled +floor of the tent. + +All but Dick and Harry were asleep, presently, when an automobile +stopped near the camp. + +"Anyone at home?" called Referee Tyndall, poking his head in past +the flap of the tent and viewing the recumbent lads. "All here? +That's good. I'm a committee of one, sent over here by the Gridley +folks at the hotel. They're ordering a supper and they want you +boys to come over promptly. You're to be the guests of honor." + +"Will you be good enough to present the Gridley people with our +best thanks," returned Dick promptly, rising to greet the referee, +"and ask them very kindly to excuse us? Assure them, please, +that we're in strict training, with more races to come, and that +banquets would perhaps spoil us for the next race." + +"I'm afraid I'll have difficulty in getting that message through," +protested Mr. Tyndall. "Your Gridley friends are bound to have +you over at the hotel." + +"They can't get us there with anything less than the state militia," +declared Dave, who had awakened. "We can fight and whip any smaller +body of armed men that tries to drag us away from our rest. +Our friends are good to us but can't they understand that we ache?" + +"You _do_ look rather played out," assented Mr. Tyndall, after surveying +the various wrapped bundles of high school boy humanity. "But +can't you raise enough energy to come over in an hour?" + +"If the Gridley people are really our friends," protested Tom +Reade, opening his eyes, "they'll let us sleep through until to-morrow +morning. We nearly killed our tender young selves in that last +big spurt, and now we must rest our bones and aching muscles." + +"But what can I tell the folks at the hotel?" begged Mr. Tyndall. + +"Tell 'em that we appreciate their kindness," laughed Dick. + +"All right. I'll tell them---something," murmured Mr. Tyndall, +as he turned away. + +"Up, all of you fellows!" commanded Dick Prescott. "This doesn't +look very gracious on our part, when an entertainment has been +arranged for us. We'll go, and attend to our aches to-morrow." +But when the referee of the afternoon noted how stiffly they +all moved he found himself filled with compassion. + +"Don't you try to come over, boys," he urged. "You're too stiff +and sore to-night. Some people, myself included, don't realize +that fifteen-year-old boys haven't the bodily stamina of men of +twenty-five. You did a splendid bit of work this afternoon, +and now you're entitled to your rest." + +"We'll get over there, somehow," Dick promised. + +"No; you won't. Don't you try it. The Gridley visitors would +be brutes to try to drag you out to-night. I shan't let you go, +and I shall tell the home folks that you're enjoying a well-won +rest." + +"But don't you let any of the Preston High School fellows know +how crippled you found us," begged Dave Darrin. + +"What would you care, if I did?" laughed Mr. Tyndall. "You fellows +won the race, didn't you? And I'll wager that the Preston boys +are feeling a whole lot worse than you are. Don't come! Good +night." + +"Tyndall is a brick to let us off," sighed Tom gratefully, as +he sank down once more. + +Later on Dick & Co. emerged from the tent, started a fire, and +had supper, though they did not pay great attention to the meal. + +"I wouldn't want to race every day," grunted Reade, as he squatted +near the fire after supper. + +"If we did," Dick retorted, "we'd speedily get over these aches +and this stiffness." + +For an hour or so the boys remained about the fire. Dan Dalzell +was the first to slip away to his blankets. Hazelton followed. +Then the movement became general. Soon all were sound asleep. + +Nor did any sounds reach or disturb them for hours. Not one of +the sleepers stirred enough to know that the sky gradually became +overcast and that there was a distant rumbling of thunder. + +Hardly had the campfire burned down into the general blackness +of the night when an automobile runabout, moving slowly and silently, +stole along the roadway. + +In it sat the son of Squire Ripley. Fred, having brooded for +hours over the failure of his scheme to make Dick & Co. lose the +canoe race, had at last decided to pay a stealthy, nocturnal visit +to the camp of the boys he disliked, with the express purpose +of doing whatever mischief his hands might find to do. + +His father's family car and automobile runabout were both at the +hotel garage, and at his disposal. Soon Fred Ripley was speeding +away over the country road in the automobile runabout. + +As he neared the camp he extinguished the running lights, then +went on slowly so as to make no noise. At last he stopped the +car. + +Gr-r-r-r! came out of the darkness. Faithful Towser was still +at his post. He came forward slowly, suspiciously out of the +darkness. He may have recognized his enemy, for Towser came close +to the car, showing his teeth in an ugly fashion. + +Fred lost no time in starting his car forward. "I wish that pup +would have the nerve to get in front of the car," he muttered +as he drove slowly away from the camp. "What fun it would be +to run over the brute! I don't dare to get out of the car while +he's on guard. I forgot about him for the time being, though +goodness knows I've cause to remember him." + +Towser uttered one or two farewell growls. Two hundred yards +further on Fred let out the speed in earnest, at the same time +switching on the electric running lights. + +"I'll come back late to-night," Fred reflected. "I'll leave the +machine a little way down the road, and come up here on foot. +In the meantime I'll think of some scheme to get square with +Dick Prescott and his crowd. I'll hunt up a good stout club, +too, and then if that confounded dog is troublesome I'll settle +him." + +For an hour or more Fred ran the car at random over one country +road after another. + +"I wonder if that pup ever goes to sleep," he muttered. "I'd +really like to know. If I'm going back that way to-night I'd +better be turning about, for there is a bad storm coming." + +Turning the car, he drove swiftly back again. In about twenty +minutes he reached a part of the road directly above the camp. + +Overhead the lightning was flashing brightly. Heavy thunder followed +each flash. Large drops of rain were falling, but Fred, bent +on his evil errand, did not mind. At any rate he was not afraid +of lightning. Aided by the flashes he searched along the side +of the road until he found a branch of a tree that he shaped into +a club with his knife. + +"I won't wake Prescott's muckers," he reflected, "and I want to +be sure to attract the dog's notice if he is on guard." + +A broad, white streak of lightning showed the tent from the road +as Ripley, armed with the club, drew nearer to it. + +Fred halted. "They're all asleep, the muckers!" he muttered. +"I'm glad of that. Where is that dog? Why doesn't he come around? +I'm ready for him now." + +Fred stole stealthily along, keeping a sharp lookout for the bull-dog. + +Suddenly the sky was rent by a vivid flash of lightning so glaring +that the lawyer's son covered his eyes with his hands. + +Bang! Crash! Almost instantly the thunder followed the flash. + +"It's time to be getting out of here if I don't want to get drowned +on the way back to the hotel," Ripley decided. "I'll have to +postpone getting square with Prescott. Besides, the storm will +waken those fellows and I don't want to be caught here." + +There came another flash, that descended near the water. The +crashing noise of the thunder came at the same instant. + +Fred, facing the tent, saw the bolt strike the ridge pole. Evidently +the current ran down one of the poles, for he saw the bluish white +electric fluid running over the ground, coming from inside the +tent. The tent sagged, then fell. + +"Gracious!" shivered this evil traveler of the night. "It will +be a wonder if that bolt didn't stretch them all out. I wonder +if it killed Dick Prescott and his crowd?" + +Uncontrollable curiosity seized upon Fred. Turning about he ran +toward the tent. Violently he tugged at the canvas. As he lifted +it another sharp flash showed him the six Gridley High School +boys lying motionless in a row. + +"The lightning did finish them!" gasped young Ripley, overcome +with fright and awe. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII + +FRED IS GRATEFUL---ONE SECOND! + + +For some moments Fred Ripley stood there, spellbound, regarding +the still figures of Dick & Co. with fascinated fear. + +Most of the time he stood in darkness, but as the flashes of lightning +came he again saw the six motionless figures. Even the fearful +crashes of thunder failed to arouse the sleepers. + +"Oh, this is grewsome!" gasped Ripley at last, the coward in him +coming to the surface strongly. "I can't stand this any longer!" + +Unconsciously he spoke aloud, his voice rising to a wail. Then +as he let the folds of canvas fall, a voice inside called angrily: + +"Quit that! I want to get out." + +It was Dave Darrin's voice, and Dave was the quickest-tempered +one of the six boys. + +Fred knew that it behooved him to get away from the spot at once. +There was a wriggling under the canvas. Ripley turned to flee. + +Gr-r-r-r! Towser stood barring his path. + +"Hurry up, Darrin!" appealed Fred, as Towser moved closer, showing +his teeth. "Hurry! Or this dog will chew me up." + +"Who's there?" called Darrin, thrusting his head out of the collapsed +tent, then drawing the rest of his body after. + +Another flash of lightning showed Ripley's frightened face. + +"Oh, you, is it?" uttered Dave in a tone full of scorn. + +"Hurry and quiet this bull-dog!" the lawyer's son insisted. + +"Don't worry," retorted Darrin calmly. "Towser wouldn't sink +his teeth very deep in you! He's a self-respecting dog." + +Now that one of the members of the canoe club was on the spot, +the bull pup displayed less ferocity. He contented himself with +eyeing Fred, ready to spring at a second's notice. + +"What has happened?" demanded Dave, looking rather bewilderedly +at the tent. + +"Your shack was struck by lightning," Fred answered glibly, and +then, ever ready to lie, he added, "I was passing by in the car, +in a hurry to get back to the hotel, and I saw the thing happen. +The lightning ran along the ridge-pole, then down into the tent +and out at the sides along the ground. I'm afraid same of your +fellows have been struck. At first I thought all of you had been +killed, so I ran down here to investigate." + +But Dave paid little heed to the last part of this statement. +He had seized hold of one side of the canvas, holding it up. + +"Dick!" he called lustily. "Tom, Greg, Dan, Harry!" + +There was no response. The thunder continued to boom louder than +ever. + +"Hold this canvas up," Dave Darrin ordered sharply, and Ripley, +knowing that Towser was eyeing him, obeyed. Inside crawled Darrin, +shaking each of his friends in turn and calling to them. + +"I can't wake 'em! I can't get 'em to speak," reported Darrin, +crawling out again, his face white with anguish. "I'm afraid +they've been-----" + +"Yes," nodded Ripley, in a hoarse voice. "They're dead!" + +"How did you say you got here?" demanded Dave suddenly. "In a +car?" + +"Yes." + +"Then we'll prop the canvas up to let air inside the tent, and +then you'll drive me to the Hotel Pleasant as fast as you can go!" + +"Maybe I won't," jeered Fred. + +"Maybe you will," retorted Dave Darrin indignantly. His voice +rang with righteous contempt. "Either you'll stand by at a time +like this, or I'll fall upon you tooth and nail---with the very +able help of the dog!" + +Gr-r-r-r! approved Towser, again showing his teeth. + +"I---I'll take you!" quavered Ripley. + +"Of course you will," nodded Darrin. "Wait till I see if the +lantern is all right." + +He crawled into the tent, found the lantern and struck a match. +Curiously enough the lantern had not been injured. Placing the +lantern outside, Darrin sharply commanded his chance companion +to aid in propping the canvas so that those underneath could get +air. + +"Now, come along," ordered Darrin, when this had been done. "Towser, +watch the---the gentleman!" + +Thus they started up the slope, when they heard a growl just ahead +of them. In the same instant Towser, uttering a yelp, turned +and darted away as fast as he could go. + +"Now, we'll see whether you'll boss me," grunted Fred Ripley, +brandishing the club that he held in his left hand. "Your dog +is no good any more." + +"Neither will you or I be any good any more if we don't keep our +nerve," uttered Darrin quietly, as he turned the lantern's rays +against the object in their path. "There's only one thing in +the world Towser would run away from, and that's just what is +ahead of us---a mad dog!" + +At this instant Fred, too, caught sight of the object in their +path. A large dog, of doubtful breed, stood before them, its +head down, but its bloodshot eyes watching them cunningly. It's +dripping jaws carried conviction that the animal was rabid. + +Fred did not cry out or stir. He was too frightened to do either. +But Dave very stealthily put down the lantern. Then, his muscles +wholly steady, he snatched up an eight-foot pole that lay on the +ground. + +"Now, come on, you beast!" challenged Darrin, making a slight +thrust with the pole. + +Enraged at the challenge, the rabid dog sprang forward, its mouth +wide open. Without faltering, Dave made a thrust that jammed +the pole hard into the animal's mouth. + +Staggered by the blow, the dog fell back on its side. It never +rose again, for now Darrin used the pole as a club, raining down +blows upon the dangerous animal until he was sure that there was +no life left in it. + +"Darrin, that was wonderful nerve of yours!" gasped Fred with +admiration wrung from him in spite of himself. "And you saved +my life!" + +"I wasn't thinking of that," said Dave grimly, as he picked up +the lantern. "Don't you believe I'll ever brag about having saved +your life. Now to the car, and be quick." + +Fred, stung by the contemptuous answer, felt his resentment raging. +He darted forward so swiftly that he might have been able to +leap into the car and get away with it, had not something else +happened. + +For Towser, though he had run away from a rabid specimen of his +own species, had circled about. Now he leaped into the automobile, +growling, just as Fred would have sprung in. + +"That's right, Towser. Hold the sneak!" called Dave, arriving +on a run and leaping into the car. "Now, Ripley, hang you, do +some quick and honest work!" + +"Kick that dog out of the car first," pleaded Fred. + +"I won't," Darrin retorted. "The dog is my guarantee for your +good behavior to-night." + +As soon as might be they ran around the lower end of the lake, +then raced for the hotel. + +There Dr. Bentley was aroused. While he was dressing he sent +a bell-boy to order his own big car. + +Just when Ripley vanished from the scene no one about the grounds +or the hotel seemed to know or care. + +Dr. Bentley, dressed in record time, came down. + +"Now, we'll drive fast, Darrin," the doctor announced, as he dropped +his bag into the car and seated himself at the wheel. "Struck +by lightning, did you say? It was a fearful storm, but it is +stopping now." + +Ere they reached the camp the stars were out. There was no sign +of nature's dangerous mood. + +Dr. Bentley first of all ordered that the canvas be lifted and +cast aside. The tent was badly wrecked and burned, though the +rain had prevented the rising of flames that might have burned +the bodies of the five unconscious boys. + +"Throw your coat off, Darrin, and do the work of four men for +a few minutes," said Dr. Bentley tersely. + +"I'll do the work of a hundred," replied Dave, "if I can find +the way." + +After some minutes of hard work Tom Reade opened his eyes. Shortly +after this the puffing of one of the hotel launches was heard. +For the doctor, while hurrying into his clothes, had left word +with Mrs. Bentley what to do. The launch brought another and +much larger tent, with cots, bedding and other things, as well +as four capable workmen. + +Greg came to next. Neither he nor Reade, however, were good for +much at the time. By the time that the new tent was up, and the +cots arranged those who were still unconscious were carried in +there. Then Greg and Tom were helped into the drier quarters. + +It was Dick who longest resisted the efforts to bring him to +consciousness. At last, however, he opened his eyes. + +"It was a mercy that none of you were killed," uttered Dr. Bentley +devoutly. "A little bit more of the current and you might have +been done for." + +But now that he had attended to his young friends, Dr. Bentley +did not think of returning to the hotel. He remained through +the night, despite the fact that his charges became steadily stronger +and at last went sound asleep. + +In the morning, before eight o'clock, the launch was over again +on that side of the lake. This time it brought Mrs. Bentley, +Mrs. Meade and the girls, as well as a lot of daintily prepared +food fresh from the hotel kitchen. + +"This is a mighty pleasant world!" sighed Dick Prescott, full +of luxurious content. + +"Yes when you have some good friends in the same world with you," +Tom added. + +Dave and Dan slipped away to remove the body of the rabid dog +killed during the night. + +The tent they had brought with them from Gridley would never be +of service again, so Dick & Co. were highly delighted when informed +that Manager Wright begged them to accept the use of this larger, +finer tent, and also of the cots, during their stay at the lake. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII + +TRENTVILLE, THE AWESOME + + +As the "Scalp-hunter" swung around the upper buoy and headed down +the course she had a lead of a clean two lengths over the Trentville +High School canoe. + +There was a larger crowd on the lake to-day and more steam and +gasoline craft were out. + +As Dick & Co. shot down the line, still leading, steam and pneumatic +whistles broke forth into a noisy din. + +Over on the western shore, on the grounds of the larger hotel, +only one little knot of Gridley people stood to watch and cheer. +These were the Bentleys, Mrs. Meade and the same group of girls +that had watched the other race. + +No excursion had come up from the home town to-day, for no one +in Gridley had believed that their high school youngsters could +defeat the seasoned Trentville High School canoe crew. + +Only two days before Trentville had won from Preston High School +by nearly five lengths. + +What show was there for Dick & Co. or for Gridley High School? + +Hence the smallness of the Gridley crowd present. + +However, some hundreds of people who looked on were eager only +to see the best crew win, as they had no ties binding them either +to Gridley or to Trentville. + +But the unexpected had happened. + +In the first place, when the Trentville canoe and crew arrived +at the lake Dick Prescott had insisted that Preston High School +and Trentville High School race together first. + +Thus he had opportunity to watch the Trentville work. Moreover, +by delaying his own race against Trentville, Dick had had more +time to train and drill his crew into form, both as to paddling +and endurance. + +He had profited well by these opportunities. To-day, from the +outset, he had handled his crew so that a slight lead over Trentville +had been maintained. This had been gradually increased, and now +that the buoy had been turned with such a handsome lead, none +on shore or in the other boats believed that Trentville High School +had any further chance. + +Pascal, however, who captained the Trentville canoe, had another +view of the matter. It was Ted Pascal's third summer in a canoe. +He had drilled more than one crew, and knew all the ins and outs +of the sport. + +"I guess Prescott thinks he has the whole thing, by this time," +smiled Pascal to himself. "Poor chap. He's a nice young freshman, +and I hate to fool him. But we'll soon begin our work. The Gridley +crew must be well tired by now." + +Presently Ted Pascal passed the word quietly over the heads of +his perspiring but confident crew. + +"Tighten up a little bit, now---a little bit at a time," was the +message Pascal gave his followers. + +By the time that the home course had been half covered it was +noted that the "Slip-over," as the Trentville craft was named, +was creeping up fast on its rival. + +Dick, too, quickly became aware of this. + +"Trentville is showing a lot of new form, fellows, and coming +right up on us," Dick called quietly. "This race isn't won! +The fact, we're near to losing it. Form! form! muscle! Don't +fumble again, Hazelton! One, two, three, four!" + +But still the Trentville High School craft continued to creep +up on them. The Gridley High School girls on shore became so +anxious that they forgot to wave their handkerchiefs and cheer. + +"More push! Power, as well as speed," Dick panted, for now the +grueling speed was beginning to tell on even the leader of Dick +& Co. + +The prow of the "Slip-over" now passed the stern of the +"Scalp-hunter." Reade saw this, too, and uttered a groan. + +From the shore and the boats holding spectators came new volleys +of cheers, for most of these spectators were wholly impartial, +and wanted only to see an exciting race. + +"Let yourself out, Gridley!" boomed a voice over the water. + +Dick and Co. were doing their best---or what amounted to much +the same thing---believed that they were, at any rate. + +Yet the Trentville canoe crept steadily up, then led by a quarter +length, a half length. It looked as though the Trentville crew +would soon be a length ahead of the Gridley boys. + +Everyone of Dick's chums was desperate. So was Dick himself, +but he kept as cool as possible. + +"Bring our prow up!" he called steadily. "No matter what happens, +bring our prow up flush with Trentville!" + +By some miracle the Gridley boys found strength enough left in +their arms and backs to accomplish this feat. + +Then the "Scalp-hunter" dropped behind again, an inch at a time. + +"We caught 'em once!" called Dick in an even voice. "We must +do it again. One, two, three, four! Hump! hump! Put in the +power!" + +By inches the "Scalp-hunter" crawled up, but Dick & Co. felt +completely exhausted. + +"You've been doing well, kid," called the even voice of Ted Pascal +over the water, "but you can't do any more. We take this race!" + +"Do you?" dared Dick. + +"Yes; you're all in, and we have reserve steam left." + +"Have you?" snapped young Prescott. "Then now is the time to +prove it." + +Taking a deep breath, Dick Prescott shouted: + +"Remember what Gridley demands! No defeats. Dash ahead, Gridleys! +Now---go in and kill yourselves for the honor of your school!" + +Dick was far from meaning that literally, but his quick eye had +measured the remaining distance of the course. + +He was captain enough to know just what each of his men could +endure, and for how long they could stand up under it. + +"Life is of little use to the vanquished!" Dick shouted on. "Go +in to win---kill yourselves!" + +At an earlier point on the course it would have been fearfully +bad leadership. It would have resulted in disaster had any of +Dick & Co. had any form of serious physical weakness. + +But Dick Prescott knew his boys! + +"Kill yourselves!" he shouted out again, as he saw the two canoes +running neck and neck. "For the honor of Gridley High School!" + +Right noble was the response, though flesh and blood could not +stand this new and savage grilling for long. + +"Wake up, Trentville!" shouted Ted Pascal, when he saw the +"Scalp-hunter" gaining. "Wake up! Let out all of your steam! +Push!" + +Dick Prescott said no more. His straining gaze was now fixed +on the finish line. Not one of his chums even glanced at the +imaginary line. All their thoughts, like all their glances, were +on their paddles. + +"A final dash, now!" called Dick. "Slam up the pace for Gridley!" + +But Trentville was showing its boasted reserve steam. + +Close as they now were to the finish, Pascal had no thought of +permitting defeat to come to his crew. + +No dinning of whistles was there now. Every spectator waited +breathlessly for the outcome that would be reached in the next +few seconds. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV + +CONCLUSION + + +Then the end came. + +Pascal sank back on his seat with a groan when he had put in the +last dip of his paddle that could do any good. + +Frantic indeed was the cheering, and now once more came the deafening +screech of whistles. + +From the judges' launch, as soon as the din had died down a bit, +came the announcement through a megaphone: + +"Gridley High School wins by three quarters of a length." + +Dick heard the news, then ordered quietly: + +"Paddle---easily." + +A turn of his own blade swung the prow around so that the "Scalp-hunter" +glided in toward the hotel landing float. + +To-day he had no jubilant mob of Gridleyites to fear in the excess +of their joy. Only some very gentle friends of their own town +came hurrying forward to congratulate them. + +But Dr. Bentley gripped Dick's arm as soon as that young man stepped +from the canoe. + +"Bring your crew along and follow me, Prescott," whispered the +physician. "You are a limp-looking lot. That was a wild, splendid +finish, but I fear you may have put it too hard to your crew. +I want to examine you all, to make sure that not too much harm +has been done by your desperate 'kill yourself' order." + +Dr. Bentley led the way to the boathouse, while a hotel employ +took charge of the "Scalp-hunter." + +He listened briefly at each boy's heart, then made them all sit +still for ten minutes. At the end of that time he examined them +again as to heart beat. Half an hour later he made a third examination. + +"I don't believe anyone of you has sustained any lasting injury," +said Dr. Bentley at last. "But, Prescott, don't you ever dare +give a 'kill yourself' order again. That is my order, and an +emphatic one. You may recall that I happen to be medical director +of the Gridley High School Athletic Association. If you youngsters +ever try a pace like that again, then undoubtedly you will all +be disqualified from future athletic events. Don't forget." + +After that lecture Dick & Co. were allowed to sponge with hot +water, rub down and put on ordinary clothing. Then they went +forth to meet their friends. + +Ted Pascal, however, was the first to rush forward. He had been +waiting for their appearance. + +"Prescott, you're a great fellow as a crew captain!" the big +chief of the Trentvilles declared. "I was sure we had you beaten, +and even now I can't imagine how you left us to the rear. But +it was a great race, and I congratulate you!" + +"And we all thank you for your good will," Dick answered promptly. +"Truth to tell, Pascal, I thought, too, that you almost had us +beaten." + +"Almost?" echoed Ted. "Why not wholly?" + +"Because Gridley is never quite beaten. It's our way, you know---one +that was adopted by a past generation of Gridley boys and has +been lived up to ever since." + +"I've heard a lot about that 'Gridley way,'" laughed Ted Pascal, +"but to-day was the first time that I've ever had it played on me." + +"Do you play football?" asked Dick. + +"No." + +"Baseball?" + +"I tried, but couldn't make the nine," Pascal confessed. + +"Then I don't know that you're likely to have the 'Gridley' way +played upon you again not unless you meet some of our girls in +a tennis game." + +The two crews mingled, passing some ten minutes in talk and in +good-humored chaff. But at last Dick broke away and drew out +from the canoe talk as he saw Laura, Belle, Susie and the other +girls awaiting them at a point farther up in the hotel grounds. + +"I know the girls have been waiting to speak to us," Dick told +his chums, "and they've been mighty kind to us. Come along." + +"We thought you would never get around to talking with poor mortals +like us," Laura admitted, as the boys joined the high school +girls. + +"It was mainly your father's fault," Dick laughingly, protested. + +"How was that?" + +"You'll have to ask him. Perhaps we're not at liberty to reveal +what the Athletic Association's medical director had to say to us." + +"Especially when it's in the nature of a 'roast,'" added Danny +Grin. + +"If my father was severe with any of you I am certain that he +had good reason," replied Laura gravely, though her eyes twinkled. +"But what a splendid race you made against Trentville and at +one time we felt sure that you were beaten." + +"We all felt the same way at one time," Tom Reade interjected. + +"All except Dick," added Darry. "Why, if anyone were to kill +Dick Prescott, Dick would insist on the fellow coming around the +next day and proving his death." + +"It was a splendid race, anyway," Belle glowed. "Do you notice +anything, boys?" + +"Where?" asked Tom, looking blankly around. + +"Anything about us?" Susie put in. + +"Nothing," drawled Tom, "except that you're the finest, daintiest +and sweetest-looking lot of girls we know. But that's true every +other day in the week." + +"We didn't ask you anything like that," Susie pouted, "though +doubtless it's all true enough. But don't you notice what we're +all wearing?" + +"I think I see what you mean," Greg suggested hopefully. "Each +one of you is wearing the Gridley High School pin." + +"Correct!" assented Susie warmly. "But can't you guess why we're +wearing the pins? It's because when Gridley boys can win such +a race as you won to-day it's a real honor to wear the pin." + +"And a bigger honor to have it worn on our account," Dick laughed. + +"I was waiting to see who would be the first boy to say something +really nice!" cried Clara Marshall. + +"Have you heard of any more canoe clubs coming this way---high +school clubs with which you could arrange races?" asked Laura. + +"No," said Dick, with a shake of his head. "Even if there were +a dozen coming here I'm afraid we'd have to lose the chance." + +"Why?" asked Belle quickly. + +"Because we can remain here only two or three days longer." + +"Oh, that's a shame," broke in Susie. "Do you really have to +go back to Gridley?" + +"Yes," said Dick solemnly. + +"Is the reason one that you may properly tell us?" Laura inquired. + +"It's one that we're not ashamed of, because we can't help it," +Prescott rejoined. "Our vacation up here is nearly at an end +just because our funds are in the same plight---nearly at an end, +you see." + +"Oh, what a shame!" cried Clara sympathetically. + +"To be short of money is more than a shame," blurted Tom Reade. +"It is a crime, or ought to be. No one has any right to be +poor---but what can we do?" + +"Oh, well, there are plenty of pleasant times to be had in good +old Gridley in the summer time," Dick declared stoutly. "And +we shall have our canoe there." + +While chatting the young people had been walking up through the +hotel grounds until now they stood just behind the stone wall +that separated the ground from the road. + +"Why---look what's coming!" urged Dave Darrin, in a voice expressive +of mock interest. + +All looked, of course. + +Fred Ripley, his hat drawn down over his eyes, came trudging along. + +In one hand he carried a dress suit case, and from the way his +shoulder sagged on that side, the ease appeared to be heavy. + +On young Ripley's face was a deep scowl. + +"Judging from his appearance," suggested Tom Reade, "Rip is walking +all the way to the Land of Sweet Tempers. Probably he's doing +it on a wager, and is just beginning to realize what a long road +lies ahead of him. I wonder if he'll, arrive at his destination +during his lifetime?" + +Fred's shoes, usually so highly polished, were already thick with +dust. His collar, ordinarily stiff and immaculate, was sadly +wilted and wrinkled. His whole air was one of mingled dejection +and rage. + +"I wonder what can have happened to him?" asked Susie curiously. + +"I think his conscience may be chasing him," smiled Dick. + +What really had happened was that Squire Ripley had been present +when his son had made a very disrespectful answer to a white-haired +man, one of the guests at the Lakeview House where the Ripleys +were stopping. + +In a great rage the lawyer had decided to send his son home for +that act of gross disrespect to the aged. + +To make the punishment more complete, Mr. Ripley had ordered his +son to make the long journey on foot over the hills to the railway +station. Only enough money had been handed the young man to buy +his railway ticket home. The dress suit case had been added +in order to make his progress more difficult. + +"A young man who cannot treat the aged with proper respect must +be dealt with severely," said Lawyer Ripley to his son. "You +will reach home fagged out from your long tramp. For your fare, +until your mother and I return, you will have to depend on such +food as the servants at home can spare you from their larder. +Don't you dare order anything from the stores to be charged against +me. Now, go home, drowse out your summer in the hot town and +reflect on what a mean cad you have shown yourself to be to-day." + +While Fred was thinking this all over he glanced up suddenly, +to see fourteen pairs of Gridley eyes fixed upon him. The young +people, as soon as they found themselves observed, immediately +turned their glances away from the sullen looking young pedestrian +from their school. + +"I wonder what has happened to Fred Ripley?" Susie repeated, when +the object of their remark was some distance away. "Something +has gone very wrong with him. A blind man could see that much." + +During this time Fred was thinking to himself: + +"If the guv'nor subjects me to this degradation just for one sharp +answer to an old man, what would that same guv'nor do to me if +he knew all the things that I've been engaged in up here at the +lake? What if he knew that I hired that farmer's son to swim +under the float and attach that drag to the canoe? What would +the guv'nor do if he knew that I tried to wreck Prescott's outfit?" + +Fred shivered at the mental prospect of his father's stern, grim +wrath. + +But young Ripley, as sometimes happens, wasn't caught just then. +He would go on for the present planning mean tricks against those +whom he had no just reason to dislike. Yet his time was sure +to come. + +Soon after Dick & Co. were compelled to bid adieu to Lake Pleasant. +They had had a splendid time, and had acquitted themselves with +great credit in this entry into high school athletics. They had +had pleasure enough to last them all the rest of the summer in +memory. + +The cost of transporting their canoe, on the homeward trip, was +borne out of the funds of the Gridley High School Athletic Council. + +Dick & Co. entered three more canoe races against high school +teams that summer. All these were run off on the home river, +and Dick & Co. had the great glory of winning them all "the Gridley +way." + +After the summer, came the opening of the school year again. +Our readers may learn what happened to Dick & Co. in their sophomore +year in the second volume of the "_High School Boys Series_," +which is published under the title, "_The High School Pitcher; +Or, Dick & Co. on the Gridley Diamond_." + +As to what befell our young friends in the summer vacation which +followed their sophomore year, all that is told in the second +volume of the "_High School Boys Vacation Series_." That +interesting volume is published under the title, "_The High +School Boys' Summer Camp; Or, The Dick Prescott Six Training for +the Gridley Eleven_." It will be found to be a splendid story +of real American boys who know how to get the most out of both +work and play, and to make each year of life a preparation for +a better year to come. In this volume the friends of Dick & Co. +will find these six sturdy boys leading a life full of healthy +excitement and adventure in the woods. + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 12728 *** |