CHAPTER XV
FUN ON THE RIVER
That day a number of the boys from the camp down the river came up on the invitation of the Hilltop boys to pay them a visit, and to compete for various prizes offered by the doctor, and some of the people of the neighborhood who had gone to the other camp on the occasion of the regatta.
"Some of our boys took away prizes from you the other day," said Percival who received the visitors, "and it is only fair that we should give you a chance to capture something from us."
"We won't from you or Sheldon," replied one of the visitors, "but we will try to compete with the rest of your boys. There is no use trying to beat you, however."
"You won't if you don't try, at any rate," said Dick. "We are glad to see you, at any rate, and we will endeavor to make you enjoy yourselves."
Percival arranged a program, and at the suggestion of the leader of the visitors, although he would have liked not to do so, included Herring in an exhibition of swimming, and a match with four or five others, boys from both camps.
There was a three-legged race between Billy Manners and Seymour as one set of three legs, and two of the Rocky Hill boys as the other, which caused considerable amusement.
Billy's left leg was strapped to his partner's right so that they had really to run out of step in order to keep step, which seemed a paradox, but it was really the only way in which they could get along at all.
"When I put out my right leg do you put out your left," Billy cautioned his partner, "and put out the tied legs together. Keep out of step, in fact, and don't try to go too fast. This is the sort of race where you cannot be too quick if you want to win."