"Where's your horse, Fred?" called Bert Dodge. "Why are you walking when you own one of the best steeds that ever came out of Arabia?"
"Shut up, won't you?" demanded Fred sulkily.
Bert chuckled for a while before he went on:
"Of course, I'm sorry for you, Fred, but it's all so funny that
I can't help laughing."
"Oh, yes, it must be awfully funny," replied young Ripley testily.
"But you can afford it," said Bert. "You can get more money from your father."
"I suppose so," Ripley assented, not caring to repeat his interview with his father. "Anyway, I'm glad that Dick Prescott and the rest of his crowd got fooled as badly as I did. And they can't get any more money this summer."
"I guess they must have gotten some already," Bert rejoined.
"Didn't you hear the news about that canoe?"
"What news?" asked Fred quickly.
"Why, they've engaged Hiram Driggs to put the canoe in good order."