s
lucky, old fellow," said Fred, cheerfully. "Anyhow, that was a bright
thought about Black Joe; and it would be a jolly story to tell if it
did turn out that way."

"Why, right now you more'n half believe it yourself, Fred!" cried
Bristles.

"It's worth thinking about," was the noncommittal answer Fred made.

"Oh! by the way," his visitor suddenly exclaimed, "while I was on my
way over here I met Corney, who said he'd heard the Mechanicsburg
fellows got their boat last night."

"Good for that," remarked Fred, with satisfaction. "Now both crews can
get busy, and whip themselves in shape for that big race later on. I
expect we'll do much better next time. Colon wasn't himself at all,
after being nearly drowned only the day before. But he'll come around
all right; and when he's in trim there isn't a huskier fellow in the
Riverport school."

"We practice again this afternoon, don't we?" asked Bristles.

"That was the programme last night, Brad told us," replied Fred.

"Well, I only hope I get relief from this cloud that's hangin' over my
head all the time," Bristles went on, sighing again. "It's just like
the toothache, Fred; you suffer, and know it means goin' to the
dentist's chair; but how you hate to go and get her yanked out! But
once you make up your mind, and the job's done, how glad you feel you
went; eh? Well, some bright day, I'm hoping, I'll feel just as happy as
if I'd had a tooth drawn," and Fred was compelled to smile at the
homely way his chum illustrated the condition of his feelings, though
he understood just how Bristles felt.

CHAPTER XIII

A CALL FOR HELP

"I hope you take a notion to get your mother to go around there some
time to-day," Fred went on to say, as his visitor got up to leave.

"Perhaps I might," Bristles admitted; though he shook his head as if
the idea did not wholly appeal to him.

"She could smooth things over a whole lot, you see," Fred continued;
"and then, if by some luck, another of the little gems has disappeared
since your aunt sent that note over, your mother would be able to show
Aunty how unjust she had been when she hinted that you'd taken the
others."

"Yes, it looks that way, Fred; and I'm obliged to you for giving me the
hint," said Bristles. "But I want to think this over again. I'm going
back home and stay there the whole morning, doing some high and lofty
work with my head. What's the use of having brains if you can't make
'em work for you. So-l