"They mustn't listen to our signals," Dick laughed back. "One, two, three, four!"
"Come on, fellows; get ahead of that Gridley crowd, where we can't hear 'em," urged Hartwell. "Hanky pank!"
At that the Preston canoe managed to get a slight lead. Dick did not vary his count, however. He had no objection to being led slightly to the upper buoy.
Soon, however, Preston High School made the distance two lengths.
Dick began to count a bit faster.
"Put a little more steam on, fellows," he urged.
So the gap was closed up somewhat. But Hartwell, glancing back, called:
"Mumbleby hoptop!"
Whatever that signal meant the Preston boys were now paddling a stronger and slightly swifter stroke. Dick, too, increased the stroke.
Despite it all, however, Preston was now securing more and more of a lead by almost imperceptible gains. Dave Darrin, in the bow seat of the war canoe, eyed the water interval between the two canoes with a frowning glance.
"More steam!" Dick urged. As the Gridley canoe went creeping up on the rival craft, Hartwell muttered another of his ridiculous code signals.