hats at once?" asked Harry
gravely.

"Well, since you buckle me down, no," was the low reply. "What's the use?
Can't wear but one at a time." "That's as true as you live," returned
Jerry.

The three boys talked over the subject of an outing for some time. All
thought it a glorious idea, and Jerry said he would go if he possibly
could.

All this time Jerry and Harry were rowing up the lake at a moderate rate
of speed. Jerry loved the water, and spent nearly all of his spare time in
the vicinity of the lake.

Presently Harry grew tired and Blumpo took his place at the oars.

"Here comes the Cutwater!" cried Harry, a few minutes later.

The Cutwater was a large sloop owned by one of the gentlemen living in
Lakeview. As she came past, those in the row-boat noticed several young
ladies on board, who were sailing the boat under directions of a young man
named Clarence Conant.

Clarence had but little idea how a boat should be managed, and as the
sloop went by Harry's face grew troubled.

"Jerry, what do you think of that?"

Jerry stopped rowing for a moment to look at the sloop.

"A good lot of sail up, especially if it should blow up stronger," he
said.

"Just what I think."

"That Clarence Conant don't know nuffin' about sailing," snorted Blumpo
Brown. "The ladies better beware how they go out with him."

"I agree with you, Blumpo," said Jerry, gravely.

The sloop now disappeared from sight around a turn in the lake at which
several islands were situated.

A few minutes later the row-boat drew up to a small dock at the end of a
well-kept garden.

This was Mrs. Fleming's place, where Harry intended to stop on an errand
for his mother and father.

He sprang on the dock and hurried toward the house, saying he would not be
gone more than five minutes.

The two boys waited for him to return, and during the interval Jerry
caught sight of the Cutwater up the lake and watched her progress with
interest. The wind was getting stronger and the sloop carried more sail
than was good for her. Soon she again disappeared, and Jerry turned toward
the house, wondering what kept Harry so long.

"Must have been invited to lunch," was Blumpo's comment. "Pity he didn't
ask us in, too."

"No, he wouldn't stay and leave us here," replied Jerry, "Most
likely--hullo!"

Jerry sprang up in the row-boat in amazement. Down the garden path leading
from the front of the house to the dock came a beautiful black horse on a
gall