., but I don't think it will be necessary
to-night. Besides, if any one pays the men to keep watch it should
be myself, and not you, old chap."

"Imagine Pete Herring and fellows like that offering to pay men for
watching another boy's boat!" sputtered Percival "I see them doing it!"

"Well, no harm has been done, fortunately, Dick, and with you I do
not think it will be repeated. Come, let's go back to bed."

There was no further disturbance during the night, and in the
morning nothing was found to be the matter with Jack's boat beyond
what had been done before, and this could be easily remedied.

Percival watched Herring and others very closely to see if he could
detect anything suspicious in their looks, speech or actions, but
they were evidently prepared and on guard, for he could see nothing
which would warrant his bringing an accusation against them.

He did not tell Jack that he suspected them, but, nevertheless,
determined to watch them closely to see if there were any ground for
his suspicions other than they had bad reputations and did not like
Jack.

Matters went on as usual in the camp during the day, the boys
dividing their time between study and recreation, with a little
drill and some gymnasium practice, considerable apparatus having
been erected at one side of the camp for that purpose.

Jack had a friendly race with Percival, first in his own boat and
then in his friend's, and beat him in both, but nothing could
induce him to race with Herring, and no one could say that he was
afraid of his boat, for it was clear that he could do marvels with it.

He was willing to race with Harry and Arthur, with Billy Manners
and Jasper Seymour, and even with young Smith, to whom he allowed
odds, but he declined all offers to compete with Herring or any of
his kind, much to their chagrin and anger.

"You're afraid!" growled Herring with his customary sneer, but Jack
did not pay the slightest attention to the charge, and the other
boys laughed, this making the bully more angry than ever.

Nothing was said about patrolling the camp at night, and the boys
had an idea that the doctor did not know what had happened the night
before, and would, therefore, take no precautions.

They were considerably surprised, therefore, when they discovered
that Buck, as the cook was often called, was corporal of the guard,
and had the house servants for his assistants.

They kept watch at turns during the night, but nothin