"But—but—you don't mean we can't win the contest," stammered Nipper nervously, looking at Mr. Bassett.
"Win! Win! Why, lads, you've won in a walk. Hasn't he, gentlemen? We haven't seen anything as good as this, have we?"
"We certainly have not," said Mr. Adams. "Of course, the boys win. They get the $100 prize, but that's a mighty small amount for such ingenuity. If it wasn't for that German inventor you could have made thousands of dollars out—"
"Pshaw, we only wanted first prize," exclaimed Nipper Knapp. Then he shouted, "Hi, fellows, we win, and we'll have our motorboat Whoope-e-e-e! Three cheers." And all, including the men, joined in: "Hip—hip—hoo-ray!" the noise of which didn't bother the moths in the least as they kept on fluttering toward the light and disappearing into the trap.
CHAPTER X
THE BOY FROM ARIZONA
"Say, fellows, I have the idea we—"
"Jiminy!" interrupted Jiminy Gordon. "Romper's got an idea—first he ever had in his life. Come, spit it out, and if it isn't any better than the rest we've been listening to, we'll maul you—won't we, fellows?"
"Bet we will," said Bud Weir.
"We'll duck him in the creek," threatened Nipper Knapp.