"That reminds me--" broke in d.i.c.k.
"No it don"t," objected Donald; "we have no time to listen to your anecdotes."
"Do you think we have any chance against them?" asked Jack.
"I would no say we had no chance," replied Donald; "but, in my opinion, "tis no much to brag about."
"That reminds me--" began d.i.c.k once more.
"What, against?" said Donald.
"Oh, let him get it off his mind," advised Jack. "What does it remind you of?"
"It reminds me of the hunter that came over here from New York last fall and met old Uncle Zac Williams back in the country and asked him if there was any hunting around here.
""Plenty of it," said Uncle Zac.
""Where is the best place to go?" asked the hunter.
""Oh, mos" anywhere," said Uncle Zac; "yo" can"t miss. .h.i.t."
"So the hunter went on, and that night as he was going home he met Uncle Zac again.
""h.e.l.lo!" he said, "ain"t you the man that told me there was plenty of hunting around here?"
""I reckon I be," replied Uncle Zac.
""Well, I"ve hunted all around here and I haven"t seen the first thing to shoot."
""Waal, ther wasn"t nothin" ther matter with ther huntin" was ther?"
said Uncle Zac."
"All right," said Donald, when d.i.c.k had finished, "we"ll forgive you this time, but don"t let it happen again."
The boys were in their club room in the attic of Mr. Scott"s house, which had been given over to Rand"s use. By one of the windows was the instruments of a wireless station with which Rand and his chums had experimented, and scattered about the room were golf clubs, baseball bats and other implements and apparatus of boyish sports.
"It isn"t a question of winning or losing," went on Rand. "There would not be any sport in it if we only went in when we thought we would win. We will do our best and if we lose we will cheer our loudest for the winners."
"That"s the talk!" cried Jack. "We may not win success, but we"ll deserve it."
"Then," continued Rand, "we agree to accept the challenge of the Highpoints. How"s this for a reply?"
"TO THE HIGHPOINT PATROL, GREETING:
"The Uncas Patrol accepts with pieasure your courteous challenge to a contest on the Hudson. Time and place to be agreed upon."
"In my opinion," said Donald, "you should say "rowing match" as being more specific."
"All right," replied Rand. "Are there any further additions or amendments? If not, I will declare it approved as read."
"Now, who will volunteer to carry it to Highpoint?"
"I will!" cried d.i.c.k.
"I will make the attempt," announced Donald.
"Lave it to me," said Gerald.
"I"ll take it," responded Jack.
"I ought to be the one," pleaded Pepper. "You know I am not in the race."
"You can"t all go," decided Rand; "how shall we settle it?"
"Take a vote on it," suggested Jack.
"We will each one write a name on a slip of paper and put it in the box," proposed Pepper.
For a moment each boy was busy with paper and pencil and then the ballots were thrown upon the table to be counted by Rand.
"Each one of you has received one vote; you each voted for yourself,"
announced Rand, when he had gone over them. "You will have to draw lots."
"Let"s toss up for it," said Donald. "Toss up your lucky penny, Rand."
"How can you manage that?" asked Jack, "there are five of us and only one penny."
"That"s easily fixed," replied Donald, "Jack and I will toss first and the winner takes the next one."
"Very well," agreed Rand, "what do you say, Jack?" giving the coin a toss in the air.
"Head!" said Jack.
"Tail it is," returned Rand, as he picked it up. "Now, Gerald, it is your choice."
"Head," replied Gerald.
"Tail again," said Rand.
"Faith, thot"s the toime tail came out a head," commented Gerald.
"Now, d.i.c.k."
"Head," replied d.i.c.k.
"Tail again," announced Rand. "Luck is with you, Donald. There is only Pepper left now."
"Only Pepper!" exclaimed that individual indignantly. "What is the matter with me?"