"The Whites seem confident," said he, and as he spoke his companions, who had been lounging about the boat in various attitudes, started up quickly to hear what was coming, "but I will bet the contents of the next box I receive from home that the Blues beat them. I'll even bet that the Zephyr is not rowed over two hundred yards of the course," he added, with a knowing shake of his head.
"You will?" exclaimed Johnny.
"Yes, sir. I suppose we are all friends. We all wear the same colors."
"Speak out, Simp," exclaimed one of Johnny's passengers. "You know you can't keep it any longer."
"And it is a wonder he has kept it as long as he has," said another.
"I think I have held my tongue pretty still since you fellows poured that bucket of water over me for telling the professors who it was that knocked the pickets off the fence," replied Simpson. "But I will tell you this, for it is much too good to keep. Bob's oar is cut half in two."
As Simpson said this he leaned back on his elbow in the stern-sheets and looked from one to the other of his companions to see what they thought about it. To say that they were astonished would not half express it. True they had heard of numerous plots, in all of which Simpson was implicated, to injure the Zephyr so that she could not be pulled in the race, but the boat and everything belonging to her had been so closely watched that Bob and his friends were positive that no advantage had been taken of them.
"Yes, sir," repeated Simpson. "Bob's oar will break the very first time he lays out his strength on it."
"Did you cut it?" asked Johnny, as soon as he had recovered from his amazement.
"No, I didn't; but I know who did. It was Mr. Layton, Gus's father."