d the _Coquette_ in the free-for-all
catboat race?"

"I shouldn't wonder. She's a fast boat if she _is_ old and
lubberly-looking. And Dr. Shelton has offered twenty-five dollars for
the winning boat."

"It takes two to work a catboat properly, too. That is the
understanding," said Wyn, thoughtfully: "a crew of two."

"Hope they win the race!" declared Frank, generously.

"So do I. And they've got Polly's birch canoe aboard. She will enter for
the girls' canoe race, I am sure."

"All right," said Frank. "If you don't win the prize in _that_, my
dear, then I hope Polly does."

"Why, I haven't a chance beside Bess, I am sure."

"That's all right. Bess is too erratic. One day she paddles well and the
next she is 'way behind. It's her temperament. She's not a steady old
warhorse like yourself, Wynnie."

"Thanks," laughed Wyn. "How about Polly? What do you call _her_?"

"I don't know. I admire her vastly," said Frank. "But Polly puzzles me.
And I haven't seen her working at the paddle much. I only know that in a
skiff she can out row any of the Busters."

"I fancy she can paddle some, too. And her canoe is as light as a
feather. All those birchbarks are."

"The judges may handicap her, then. But, hullo! what's that Dave Shepard
up to?"

Wyn turned to look at her next-door neighbor. Dave was writing upon a
slip of paper. Once he looked across at Frank and Wyn and saw that the
two girls were watching him.

He seemed confused, started as though to tear the paper up, and then hid
it under a coil of rope at his feet. But he was very particular to hide
every particle of the paper.

"What you doing there, Dave?" demanded Frank, with plain curiosity.

"Oh, nothing," responded the youth, and rose up, stretching his arms and
yawning. It was plain that he did not wish to be questioned.

"What was that paper?" pursued Frank.

"Oh--that--er----It's of no consequence," declared Dave, and walked aft
so as not to be further questioned.

"Now, he can't fool me!" cried Frank, under her breath. "It _was_
something of consequence. I--I'm going to see."

"I wouldn't," said Wyn.

"Why not?"

"Well--whatever it is, it isn't ours."

"Pooh!"

"And he evidently didn't want us to see it."

"For that very reason I am going to look," declared Frankie. And the
moment Dave was out of sight she sprang across the deck and lifted up
the rope enough to pull out the paper.

The moment she scanned it, Wyn saw Frankie's face turn