"That's what I get for telling a girl. They can never keep a secret. Helen understood that I didn't want anyone to know what I thought. You see Ralph, I have no real proof outside of a laugh, and that's rather weak to hang a fellow. But Lanky is going to burrow around until he discovers who it was. He's sworn a solemn vow never to rest until he learns," laughed Frank.
"Yes, and then?" asked his companion.
"Like as not there'll be some sort of a mix-up, especially if it proves to be Lef. Lanky has been sore on him for a long time, and declares he's itching to teach him a lesson, given half an excuse. School's out now, and he can't be hauled up before the Head, you see. I know Lanky, and between you and the lamppost I guess he's going to learn what he's after, sooner or later."
The boys had been walking along as they talked, and were now in front of Frank's house. Ralph looked wistfully over the fence, for there was something about the place which appealed to this homeless lad; but even though Frank asked him several times to come in and eat lunch with him he declined, for Ralph had more or less pride.
"Perhaps," he muttered to himself as he walked hastily away toward his forlorn boarding place, "I may have a home some fine day, and forget this awful feeling. Oh! I hope it will be so. And a mother, too—what that means to me no person can ever know. I try to imagine it, and every time break down. How slow the days go; and will I ever hear from Europe and find that I have a mother who is coming to me as fast as steam will let her."
At four o'clock there were many hundreds of people along the river watching the animated scene. Never in all its history had the Harrapin witnessed such a collection of water craft.
Perhaps, hundreds of years back some gathering of the red tribes may have dotted its waters with birch bark canoes and heavier dugouts. It would be difficult to picture such a scene however, gazing at the jaunty shells in which sinewy lads were shooting up and down stream; noisy little power-boats that could spin along like magic; besides all manner of other craft, including many cedar canoes, both single and double.
On this day every boat almost that could carry two had a girl as a passenger, and their merry laughter and calls encouraged the practicing athletes in their endeavor to outdo previous records.
Frank found his crew on hand, and evidently in the pink of condition, at least as growing boys went.
The trainer soon had them in the new shell, and talked earnestly to them before starting the craft out for a few trial spins before its last heat over the full course.