continued on her way without increasing her speed. There were
calls from the deck where the boys noticed several young people
standing near the rail. It was plain that there was great admiration on
each boat for the beauty and speed of the other. There were calls and
cheers, and waving of handkerchiefs to express their feelings. Perhaps
it was in part due to this fact that the Black Growler soon began to
pull away from the larger boat and not long afterward the Caledonia was
left far behind.

"That's the kind of a boat I'm going to have when I get rich!" said
George enthusiastically. "I should like to spend about four months a
year on board a craft like that."

"That's all right," spoke up Grant, "but I think after about two months
of it you would want something else. You see I know you better than you
know yourself."

"Yes, I see," retorted George sharply. "You make me think of what Josh
Billings said that 'it's a good deal better not to know so many things
than it is to know so many things that ain't so!'"

"Never you mind, fellows," spoke up Fred. "This boat suits me all
right. You wait until you see that cup the Black Growler is going to
win."

"I hope we shan't have to wait too long," said John dryly.

"You'll wait until the race comes off," declared Fred. "I'm not taking
any cups before I win them, but when the time comes you wait and see me
run away from any boat that tries to keep up with us. I have been on
the St. Lawrence before and unless there is something a good deal
better than I have ever seen there, we shall simply show our heels to
any motor-boats on the river. And they say there are more motor-boats
between Clayton and Ogdensburg than anywhere else in America."

"How many?" inquired John.

"I have been told that there are more than a thousand."

"Well," said George, "I'm deeply impressed by the modesty of Peewee. He
simply thinks this boat will outclass nine hundred and ninety-nine
others that will be madly chasing him all summer long, trying to keep
pace with him."

"But he hasn't won the cup yet," said Grant quietly.

"That's right. That's right," spoke up Fred, pretending to be annoyed
by the bantering of his friends. "There are always some people that try
to take the joy out of life. I heard of an old man the other day who
was so disgruntled that when he met a friend on the street who saluted
him with a hearty 'good morning' this old man looked all over the sky
to make sure he couldn'