you afraid to meet us in the water?" Hi asked.

"Afraid? No," Dick retorted. "But why didn't you fellows spring
this on us earlier? Next week Thursday will be graduating day."

"Well, we can swim the Saturday after," Hi proposed.

"But we'll be graduated then. We won't be Grammar School boys
any more," protested Dick.

"Is that the way you're going to get out of the challenge that
we've issued?" Martin demanded scornfully.

"No; and you certainly know better," Dick retorted. "But how
can we hold a school contest when we're no longer enrolled in
the school that we're supposed to represent?" Dick insisted.

"You can if you want to," Hi sneered. "But I can see that you
fellows don't care about meeting us in a swimming contest. All
right; then I'll go back and tell the North Grammar fellows that
Central funks.

"There's a way that we can arrange it, I think," put in Dave Darrin,
who had been listening intently. "Dick, why can't we get Old
Dut to authorize us to represent Central Grammar within a day
or two after graduation? If he says it's all right, then surely,
even though we have just graduated, we'll be able to represent
our old school."

"We can talk that over with Mr. Jones," Dick nodded.

"My idea is that you fellows are afraid to say 'yes' to our challenge,
sneered Martin.

"You may go on thinking that, if it gives you any pleasure," said
Dick coolly. "But if you really want our answer, we'll give it
to you on Monday afternoon."

"The Monday after Christmas?" jeered Hi.

"We'll give you our answer next Monday afternoon," Dick rejoined
a bit stiffly.

"Is the South Grammar to be in this?" asked Dave.

"No; we don't want that crowd," Hi answered quickly before Rodgers
could speak.

"Then the contest won't be for the championship of Gridley, will
it?" Dick inquired.

"Yes, it will," Hi assured him.

"I don't see how it can be, when it's only between two out of
the three Grammar Schools in the town," Dick argued.

"The challenge is issued only to Central Grammar," wound up Hi,
turning to leave. "And if you haven't accepted before Monday
evening, we of the North Grammar will hold that you have backed
out and don't dare meet us. Oh, by the way, Prescott, you'd better
look out for Ripley and Dodge. They mean to get square with you
for what happened last night."

"Get square with me for it?" laughed Prescott, unafraid. "All
right, but that's rather rich! Why, I had nothing to do with it."

"They