as little wonder if
she could not keep up the gruelling work. She had no reserve force, as
Wyn had.

The latter dashed over the mark with undiminished speed. Polly only
halted long enough to congratulate her.

"It's dear of you to be glad, Polly, when I know you wanted the prize,"
cried Wyn. "But we couldn't both have it."

"You have helped me enough to-day, Wynifred," replied Polly, softly.
"Now father and I will go home. He told me how it would be, if he came
down here; but at least we won the big prize, thanks to you, and money
means so much to us now!"

The day was not over yet for the Go-Aheads and the Busters, although the
races were finished. Somehow the news was spread among the campers on
Gannet Island and Green Knoll that there was to be a "grand treat" at
the ice-cream tables, and they gathered "like eagles to the kill,"
Frankie poetically declared.

The waiter brought heaping dishes of cream, there were nice cakes, and
Tubby's unctuous smile at one end of the table radiated cheer. They were
all very jolly and nobody asked who was to pay the piper until the
waiter gravely brought Dave Shepard the check and a slip of paper.

"Hi! did _I_ order this feed?" demanded Dave, startled by the size
of the check.

"I was ordered to give the check to you--and the paper," quoth the
waiter, calmly.

"Gee, Dave! somebody's stung you!" croaked Tubby, with his mouth still
full.

Dave unfolded the paper slowly, and read in his own handwriting: "I bet
an ice-cream treat all around to the Go-Ahead girls that your curiosity
would not permit you to leave this alone."

"You don't deny your own handwriting; do you, sir?" queried the waiter,
with a perfectly grave face. "I served the company on that order, Mr.
Shepard."

"That Wyn Mallory! She got me!" groaned Dave, and paid up like a man.

"But what's the use of trying to put a joke over on those girls?" he
said to Tubby afterward. "They're always turning the tables on a
fellow."

"Very good table, too--very good table," agreed Tubby, smacking his
lips. "But you're so reckless with your promises, Dave."

Mr. Lavine's man took the _Happy Day_ and the canoes back to camp,
while the whole party of young folk piled aboard the larger
_Sissy_. They had a fine time sailing down the lake and reached the
Cave-in-the-Wood Camp at late supper time.

There was still light enough on the water for the voyagers to see a boat
rocking on the waves in the little cove where Polly