“Hey, Tom, give me a ride; will you?”
“What for?” called back our hero.
“I’ve got to go down to Millford for a man. I’ve got a job,” answered Dent.
“Then you’d better walk,” answered Tom. “It’s good exercise for you.”
“Aw, say, stop and take me aboard,” begged Dent.
“Not much!” shouted Tom. “I’m not going to take any chances on stopping this engine now, just when it’s going good. You walk!” and as Dick steered the boat out from shore Tom opened wider his gasolene throttle to increase the speed of the boat, which he had checked when Dent hailed him.
“Aw, say, you’re mean!” charged the lazy lad as the craft got farther and farther from shore. “You wait; I’ll get square with you yet!”
“Think he will?” asked Dick, glancing anxiously at his chum.
“Of course not. In the first place he won’t dare, and in the second he’s not smart enough to think up something to do to me, and if he is, he’s too lazy to carry it out after he’s planned it. Dent can’t worry me.”
The two chums kept on down the river toward the main part of the town, for Tom’s home was on the outskirts.