"Oh, a race!" exclaimed Alice Strobell. "Won't that be fine!"
"There won't be any danger, will there?" questioned Annie Larkins, anxiously.
"No danger whatever, so long as we keep far enough apart," answered Randy. "And we'll do that, because we expect to leave them far behind."
"Not much you won't leave us behind!" retorted Fred. And then he added: "Are you ready?"
"Wait a minute until we have the young ladies seated just right," answered Andy. And then, turning to the two girls in the boat with him, he continued gaily: "Now sit right in the center of the boat, please; and be sure to have your hair parted exactly in the middle;" and at this both girls shrieked with laughter.
With their passengers seated to their satisfaction, the four Rovers prepared for the race.
"Where are we going to race to?" questioned Jack.
"I don't know," answered Randy. "Can any of you tell me?" he went on, appealing to the pupils from Clearwater Hall.
"You might race to the near end of Foxtail Island," suggested Ruth, and pointed to an island some distance down the lake.
"That suits!" cried Jack.