"No," said Jimmy. "David hasn't tried yet."
"I guess I can't dip that many times," said David, preparing for his trial. "Patsy says it's one of the hardest things to do and shows actual strength. I can't measure up with much success against Jimmy."
But nevertheless he climbed to the position on the bar. "Count for me," he said to Frank, and Frank began, while David swung up and down with the regularity of a pendulum. He passed Jimmy's figures without a bit of effort apparently, reached twenty, and then the boys began to open their eyes. He did not stop at twenty, but kept it up without fatigue until he reached the great number of forty-two times. Then he stopped, but looked as though he might have continued for five minutes longer.
"Hats off to David Powers," said Frank, which, seeing that they had no hats on, was not a thing difficult of accomplishment. "Isn't he the dandy little dipper?"
"He certainly is," agreed Jimmy. "How on earth do you do it?"
"Oh, I'm built for it," said David, looking down at his twisted legs. "Patsy says all my strength has gone to my arms and shoulders. He says the record for the dip is 66, made five or six years ago by one of the football fellows."
"I'll bet you beat it before you get through," said Frank, admiringly.
"I'd like to."
"Then the record you made would go down over on the wall there to stay until some other fellow did better."
"I don't think I can ever do it, but as it is one of the few things I can do, I'll keep busy at it," said David.