y of Gridley high school girls,
at Lake Pleasant, and Laura and Belle Meade would be of the number.

"We'd cut a fine dash at Lake Pleasant," Dave Darrin laughed.
"Which hotel would we honor with our patronage? Terms, from
fourteen to twenty-five dollars a week. We've about enough money
to stay at one of the hotels for about two hours, or at a boarding
house for about nine hours. When shall we start---and how shall
we get there with our canoe?"

"We have about fifty dollars in our treasury, from the birch bark
business," Dick mused aloud, "but that won't help us any, will it?"

"Why, how much would it cost to have the canoe taken up there
on a wagon Danny Grin asked.

"Not less than fifteen dollars each way," Dick replied.

"We'll give it up," said Tom. "There's nothing in the Lake Pleasant
idea for us."

"I hadn't any idea we could do anything else but give it up,"
Dave observed, though he spoke rather gloomily.

Dick was still thinking hard, though he could think of no plan
that would enable them to make a trip to Lake Pleasant and remain
there for some days.

It was a Saturday afternoon. It had been a hot day, yet out on
the water, busy with their sport, and acquiring a deep coating
of sunburn, the boys had not noticed the heat especially. Now
they mopped their faces as they strolled almost listlessly along
the street.

"I want to go to Lake Pleasant," grumbled Danny Grin.

"Going to-night, or to-morrow morning?" teased Greg.

"If I had an automobile I'd start after supper," Dalzell informed
them.

"But not having a car you'll wait till you're grown up and have
begun to earn money of your own," laughed Harry Hazelton.

"What do you say, Dick?" asked Dan Dalzell anxiously.

"I say that I'm going to put in a few days or a fortnight at Lake
Pleasant if I can possibly find the way," Dick retorted, with
a sudden energy that was quite out of keeping with the heat of
the afternoon.

"Hurray!" from Danny Grin.

"That's what I call the right talk," added Darrin.

"How will the rest of us get along with the canoe while you're
gone?" questioned Tom Reade.

"You don't suppose I'd go to Lake Pleasant without the rest of
the crowd?" Dick retorted rather scornfully.

"Then you're going to take us all with you, and the canoe, too?"
Tom demanded, betraying more interest.

"If I can find the way to do it, or if any of you fellows can,"
was young Prescott's answer.

That started another eager volley