I have seen that boat before," muttered Fred. "Can any of
you fellows make out the name?"

George hastily took the field-glasses and gazed earnestly at the
swiftly moving boat. "I can make out some of the letters, Fred," he
said slowly. "I can see V--a--r, the next letter looks like n."

"What's that?" demanded Fred abruptly.

"I can't make out the whole of it yet," answered George. "I don't see
what Varn spells anyway."

"You better look again," suggested Fred. "I think I know the boat. I
guess it's the Varmint."

"That's it," said George quickly. "Only there's something right after
the word. I can't just see what that is."

"Here, let me take those glasses," said Grant quickly. "I don't believe
you can find anything. Your mother told me that she doesn't want any
better evidence that your clothes are hanging in the right places in
the closet than for you to say that you had looked for them and they
aren't there."

"Listen to the words of our modest friend," said George as he handed
the glasses to his comrade. "Grant is a good boy. The only difficulty
with him is he doesn't realize how good he is."

"If he doesn't," spoke up John, "it isn't because he doesn't try."

"Keep still, fellows," said Grant, waving his hand at the other Go
Ahead boys. "I'm just about to find out what the name of that
motor-boat that is beating us--"

"'Beating' us nothing!" interrupted Fred. "Can't you see that she isn't
gaining a foot?"

"I can't even see her name yet," said Grant. "You had better slow up a
bit, Pygmy. That will give you a good excuse."

In response, Fred increased the power of the fast moving motor-boat.

"I have it. I have it," called Grant exultantly a moment later. "It is
Varmint II."

"It is what?" demanded Fred quickly as he glanced behind him for a
moment.

"Varmint II, that's what it is," said Grant positively. "What do you
know about that?"

Fred was silent a moment before he replied. "Two years ago when I was
visiting at my grandfather's I saw the Varmint run away from all the
boats in the race. This must be a new one and if she's swifter than the
other one then there will be some race, let me tell you. I'm going to
try her out a little now."

In accordance with his words Fred changed the course which the Black
Growler was following until he was nearer the rival boat. It was plain
now that the crew of the Varmint II were deeply interested in the Black
Growler. They were watching her movements