ace had been finally arranged went abroad; for
hardly a boy but who would wish with all his heart and soul that he had
been lucky enough to be in the game.

"Now, let's see that list of yours, Jack!" said Nick, after the
excitement had in a measure subsided, and they could talk coherently
again.

"Yes," observed Josh quickly, "you don't suppose Buster would be able
to sleep a wink unless he knew there was going to be heaps of eatin'
stuff along. For goodness sake, get out your list at the grocer's,
Jack, and let him run it over. If Buster keeps on losing flesh, what
in the world d'ye suppose the blessed old _Comfort's_ going to do for
_ballast_?"

"There you go," declared Nick, reproachfully, "hitting me below the
belt as usual. Ain't I only thinking of the rest of you when I bother
myself about such a thing as grub? Some people have to be tempted with
dainties, to take their daily rations. As for me a cup of coffee, huh,
give me some bread or crackers, a rasher of bacon with eggs, a potato
baked in the ashes of a camp fire--and I'm as happy as a king."

"Oh, yes," Josh went on, persistently, "I admit all that, provided the
_quantity_ is there. Quality seldom enters into your calculations,
Buster. But say, Jack, let's get busy. We've only got one more day,
then comes Sunday, and the morning after----"

"We're off!" cried George, as he cast a fond look toward his swift
speed boat; and then glanced around in a way that told how much he
pitied these poor "chumps" who actually imagined they had a ghost of a
chance to win the long race.

So for an hour and more they put their wise heads together, and conned
the lists Jack produced. Many changes were suggested, some of which
were made, after they had been discussed _pro_ and _con_; for Jack was
open to conviction, though as a rule there was little that he had
forgotten, or that could be bettered in the program.

Then each couple started to examine the boat in which they purposed
taking that long dash toward Dixieland. It was of great importance
that as few accidents as possible occur while on the way south. For,
although an accident in itself would not penalize the contestant, if it
happened to occur during the eight working hours there must be a loss
of time that would lessen the chances for winning out.

"There's only one thing I wish," remarked Herb, as they talked over
these matters, and jotted down a few ideas connected with the race.

"What might t