he said.

"Honest?"

"Honest Injun!"

They let him go, and he departed hastily up through the field.

"Tell, will he?" queried Harvey, as Benjamin departed.

"Guess not," replied John Ellison. "He's got enough. He'd like to,
though. He don't like you city fellows any better than father does. He
hasn't got anything against you, either. He's too lazy to paddle. Come
on, Jim, let's follow him up. Well be on hand to-morrow, if there's no
trouble."

The brothers took up their canoe and left the party.

"They're all right, those Ellison chaps," said Harvey; "all except
Benny. He's no good. Come on, fellows, let's lock up, and no walking in
to town, remember. Running's good for the wind. Coming along, Tim?"

"No, I'm going to sleep in the cabin," replied Tim Reardon, "and see the
start in the morning."

"Guess I will, too," said Allan Harding. So the two remained, while the
troop of canoeists set off soon after, on the run back to Benton.

The following morning, the first of a double holiday, came in bright and
clear. Little Tim and his companion were early astir, and cooking a mess
of oatmeal from the cabin's scanty stores over a cracked sheet iron
stove.

"There they come," cried Tim presently, as the sounds of fresh, boyish
voices came from outside. "Hooray! I wish 'twas a yacht race, though.
Wouldn't I go along?"

By nine o'clock the four canoes were fully equipped, drawn up in line
off the cabin, and the canoeists, paddles in hand, arms bared, and
sweaters tied around the thwarts, were ready to start. Jim and John
Ellison were there, a sturdy pair of farm lads; Jack Harvey, apparently
much over-matching his mate in physique, but with something in the
slighter figure of Henry Burns that indicated resource and staying
powers; Tom and Bob, old and hardened canoeists; and George and Arthur
Warren, clean-cut and athletic.

"Ready for the horn!" called Harvey, holding his paddle in his right
hand and a long, tin horn in the other.

"All ready!" sang out the canoeists.

Harvey put the horn to his lips and blew a loud, full blast. The paddles
struck the water with a vigour, and the race was begun.

The three canoes shot ahead of Harvey's at the start, owing to the
slight delay caused him in dropping the horn.

"Let them lead, Jack," said Henry Burns, quietly. "It's a two days'
race. Take it easy."

"That's so," said Harvey, half pausing in a stroke in which he had
started to exert his strength to the utmo