turned Darrin.

"I'm not going to balk at it," retorted Dick, flushing just a
bit. "But you spoke of it first, Dave, and I think you ought
to have first chance at the reward."

"Tell you what I'll do," proposed Darrin, seriously. "We'll toss
for it, and the winner has the try."

"I'll go you," nodded Prescott.

Herr Schimmelpodt, regarding them both seriously, saw that they
meant it.

"Boys, boys!" he remonstrated. "Don't think of it yet!"

"Why not?" asked Dick.

"You would be killed," remonstrated the big German.

"Is that the best opinion you have of us, after the way you've
been praising us athletes for two years?" laughed Prescott.

"I'll toss you for it, Dick," nudged Dave.

"What's this?" demanded Mr. Macey.

"Prescott and I are going to toss for it, to see who shall have
the first chance to climb the spire and flagstaff," replied Dave.

"Nonsense! Out of the question," almost exploded Mr. Macey.
"It would be like murder to allow either of you to try. That's
work for a regular steeplejack."

"Well, what is a steeplejack?" demanded Dick. "He's a fellow
of good muscle and nerve, who can stand being in high places.
Either of us could climb a flagpole from down here in the street.
Why can't either of us go up there, just as well, and climb from
the steeple roof?"

"Prescott, have you any idea of the strength of the wind up there?"
demanded the real estate man. "It's blowing great guns up there!"

"Get some one to toss the coin, and either you or I call," insisted
Darrin.

Some one told Mrs. Macey what was being proposed.

"Oh, stop them!" she cried, leaning forward from the runabout.
"Boys, boys! Don't do anything wildly rash like that! I'd sooner
lose the scarf than have lives risked."

"She needn't worry," sneered some one in the crowd. "The High
School dudes are only bluffing. They haven't either o' them the
sand to do a thing like that."

Both Prescott and Darrin heard. Both flushed, though that was
all the sign they gave.

"Herr Schimmelpodt, you must have a cent," suggested Dick. "Toss
it, will you, and let Darrin call the turn."

Grumbling a good deal the German produced the required coin.
He fingered it nervously, for a moment, then flipped it high in
the air.

"Tails!" called Dave.

It came down heads.

"Oh, well, the best two out of three," insisted Dick.

"That fellow's nerve is going already," laughed some one. "He's
anxious for the other fellow to get the