“That would hardly look nice,” replied Jerry. “Come on, let’s all go together. It will soon be over. Who’d have thought we could have butted into the lime-light so soon?”
Having received the cup and stowed it safely away Jerry was about to steer the Dartaway back to Deer Island when he was hailed by Mr. Smith.
“Oh I say, you’re not going away, are you?” asked the skipper of the Tortoise.
“I think we’d better be getting back,” replied Jerry. “We have to straighten out the camp.”
“Nonsense,” said Mr. Smith. “The fun’s not half over. Why there’s no end of good things to eat over there. The committee made arrangements to dine all contestants, and I’m sure you boys are the chief ones after the handy way in which you won that race. Really now, you must stop a bit with us.”
“I guess we’d better,” said Bob, in a whisper. “It wouldn’t be polite to refuse.”
“You were willing enough when it came to sliding out of the cup proposition,” said Jerry, “but now, when there’s something to eat, you’re right on the job, Chunky.”
“Guess we might as well,” put in Ned. “I could dally with a bit of chicken myself.”
“Well, far be it from me to stand in the way,” said Jerry, and, throwing the wheel around he followed the Tortoise, which, with the other boats, was making toward shore.