“I should think they would have gone to your assistance in their boats,” replied Tom.
“So they would, under ordinary circumstances; but no boat that was ever built could have lived a moment in the surf that was breaking over the bar when we ran on to it. I don’t understand to this day how Mars managed to get through it. I have seen him swim a good many times since that day, and in smooth water he doesn’t seem to be any better than any other dog. It is when the wind is blowing and the white caps are running that he shows what he can do. Uncle Joe was so well pleased with the dog’s performance that as soon as he could find his owner, he offered to buy him. Of course the man didn’t want to sell, but he was poor, and when he thought of the comforts that the hundred dollars which uncle counted out before him would buy for his wife and children, he came to the conclusion that we could have the dog. He’s mine now, for Uncle Joe gave him to me as soon as the bargain was struck.”
“Did you get any caribou?”
“Plenty of them, and, would you believe it? we had to take along a supply of food for that dog the same as we did for ourselves. He wouldn’t look at any thing except salt meat or codfish. I really believe he would have starved with a meal before him that would have made any other dog’s mouth water. But he is civilized now, and takes his rations like other white folks. He’s got a history, Mars has, and if his adventures and exploits were written out, they would make a good-sized book.”
A loud and hearty greeting from the two boys who were standing on the dock in front of the boat-house, put a stop to the conversation. Tom and his cousins expected that the first thing Joe Wayring did would be to acquaint his two friends with the fact that a plot had been formed to keep the best man from winning at the next canoe meet, and to throw the different races to those who could not by any possibility win them fairly; but again they were disappointed. Joe did not say a word on the subject, and the reason was because it was too serious a matter to be discussed in the presence of boys with whom he was so little acquainted.
“A dog that will fetch a bone will carry one,” was Joe’s mental comment. “Tom and his cousins may be friendly to us, and then again, if there is any truth in this report, they may have brought it to me on account of some spite they have against those from whom they got it. It’s best to keep on the safe side, and so I will hold my tongue until I have a chance to speak to Hastings and Sheldon in private. We have received warning, and if they beat us, it will be our own fault.”
“We were just going over to ask you three fellows to come out and take a spin with us,” exclaimed Hastings. “We have had our eyes on you, and to tell you the truth, we don’t quite like the way you handle those paddles of yours.”
“Of course we don’t ask you to do your best—indeed we would be foolish to expect it,” chimed in Sheldon. “But still we should like to try a few short races with you, if you don’t mind.”
“We shall be glad of the chance to see how much we lack of being good canoeists,” said Loren, readily. “We’ll walk back and go around the foot of the lake—”
“Oh, no,” interrupted Joe. “That’s too hard work, and besides it would take up too much time. There’s my skiff. We can put her into the water and step the mast in a minute, and she’ll take you over flying. Come in here; I want to show you something. We three belong to the committee which was appointed to draw up a programme for the meet,” added Joe, taking a folded paper from a little writing desk that stood in one corner of the boat-house, “and here’s what we shall submit to the club at the next meeting.”