Tom laughed loudly.
“Did you really think I was in earnest when I told Matt yesterday that I thought he had been shamefully treated?” said he, as soon as he could speak. “Why, Ralph, I thought you had more sense. I said that just to make him mad. If I succeeded, he will do the work that we would otherwise have been obliged to do ourselves.”
When they reached the drug-store they found Prime waiting for them. After he had treated them to a cigar apiece, he led them through a rear door into a store-room, where they discovered a dozen or more fellows perched upon boxes and barrels, each one puffing vigorously at a cigar or pipe. They were engaged in a very earnest conversation which they brought to a sudden close when the door opened.
“Here they are,” exclaimed Prime, as the boys arose to their feet and took their pipes and cigars out of their mouths. “Tom Bigden, and his cousins Ralph and Loren Farnsworth, gentlemen. I believe you have met some of my friends before at lawn parties, ball matches and the like,” added Prime, addressing himself to the new-comers.
“I had the good fortune to meet them yesterday at Miss Arden’s,” said one of the boys, Frank Noble by name, advancing and shaking Tom and his cousins by the hand. “And I also had the pleasure of putting them to their speed one day last week, when I happened to catch them out on the lake with their canoes. You ought to make a good one,” he added, turning to Tom. “I could see by the way you made that Shadow spin through the water that you’ve got the muscle. All you want is practice. If you keep it up, you can go in next year with some hope of winning.”
Tom was somewhat disconcerted by these words, and so were Ralph and Loren, if one might judge by the blank look on their faces. It was clear to them that there were others besides themselves who wanted prizes, and who looked to their friends to assist them in winning those prizes.
“I thank you for your compliment and for your words of encouragement,” replied Tom, concealing his disappointment as well as he could, and turning to shake hands with another boy he had met at the lawn party on the previous day, “but I am going to win the portage race this year.”
“And if I don’t come in first in the paddle race, it will not be because I do not try my level best,” added Loren.
“And I’m going to give somebody a pull for the upset race,” chimed in Ralph.
It was now Noble’s turn to be astonished. He looked inquiringly at Prime, and Prime looked at Tom and his cousins. The latter saw very plainly that while they were laying their plans they had interfered with arrangements that had already been made by the boys by whom they were surrounded, but they were none the less determined to have their own way in the matter. Tom, who could hardly conceal the rage that had taken possession of him, resolved then and there that he would stick to his programme, no matter what promises he might be obliged to make to the contrary. He was like an Indian, in one respect: When he wanted a thing he wanted it with his whole heart, and he wanted it immediately. He wanted a prize to show to his city friends when they came to visit him, and he wanted the honors that prize would bring him.