The village lay across and down the lake some two miles, a tiny hamlet boasting of three or four stores, a blacksmith shop, and a station, from which an occasional train rambled away to the north on an unimportant branch line. Mr. Haskins smiled.
“There isn’t much for them to do over there,” he said. “They might buy root-beer and candy and make themselves sick, but that’s about all.”
“What we want is something they can go at hard,” said Mr. Langham, frowning over the problem. “Something that’ll leave them healthily tired out.” Another silence followed and then Sam asked:
“Would it do them any harm to sleep out of doors, sir?”
“Sleep out of doors? Why, on wet ground, yes, I presume it would.” He looked questioningly at Sam.
“I was thinking that we might have a hike, sir.”
“A hike,” repeated the Chief thoughtfully. “I don’t know, Craig. You see——”
“That’s what they need, Chief,” said Mr. Gifford. “What’s your idea, Sam?”
“Well, I thought we might select a place say five or six miles away, divide the fellows into two parties and set out with blankets and grub and see which party could get there first. There might be some sort of prize or reward. Of course, it would mean sleeping outdoors——”
“But if the parties started out together it would just be a race, wouldn’t it?” objected Mr. Gifford. “Pretty strenuous, I’m afraid, Sam.”