waiting for their appearance.

"Prescott, you're a great fellow as a crew captain!" the big
chief of the Trentvilles declared. "I was sure we had you beaten,
and even now I can't imagine how you left us to the rear. But
it was a great race, and I congratulate you!"

"And we all thank you for your good will," Dick answered promptly.
"Truth to tell, Pascal, I thought, too, that you almost had us
beaten."

"Almost?" echoed Ted. "Why not wholly?"

"Because Gridley is never quite beaten. It's our way, you know---one
that was adopted by a past generation of Gridley boys and has
been lived up to ever since."

"I've heard a lot about that 'Gridley way,'" laughed Ted Pascal,
"but to-day was the first time that I've ever had it played on me."

"Do you play football?" asked Dick.

"No."

"Baseball?"

"I tried, but couldn't make the nine," Pascal confessed.

"Then I don't know that you're likely to have the 'Gridley' way
played upon you again not unless you meet some of our girls in
a tennis game."

The two crews mingled, passing some ten minutes in talk and in
good-humored chaff. But at last Dick broke away and drew out
from the canoe talk as he saw Laura, Belle, Susie and the other
girls awaiting them at a point farther up in the hotel grounds.

"I know the girls have been waiting to speak to us," Dick told
his chums, "and they've been mighty kind to us. Come along."

"We thought you would never get around to talking with poor mortals
like us," Laura admitted, as the boys joined the high school
girls.

"It was mainly your father's fault," Dick laughingly, protested.

"How was that?"

"You'll have to ask him. Perhaps we're not at liberty to reveal
what the Athletic Association's medical director had to say to us."

"Especially when it's in the nature of a 'roast,'" added Danny
Grin.

"If my father was severe with any of you I am certain that he
had good reason," replied Laura gravely, though her eyes twinkled.
"But what a splendid race you made against Trentville and at
one time we felt sure that you were beaten."

"We all felt the same way at one time," Tom Reade interjected.

"All except Dick," added Darry. "Why, if anyone were to kill
Dick Prescott, Dick would insist on the fellow coming around the
next day and proving his death."

"It was a splendid race, anyway," Belle glowed. "Do you notice
anything, boys?"

"Where?" asked Tom, looking blankly around.

"Anything about us?" Susie put