“Paul, I fear you have been working too hard,” returned Alf. “Your disposition is decidedly mean to-night. As for those mugs, why, they’re ours already. Tom and I have spent our young lives in overcoming obstacles, and to-morrow’s task will be just pie for us. Won’t it Tom?”
“Correct,” replied Tom, lazily. “We dote on obstacles; eat ’em alive, we do.”
“Have you seen the obstacles?” asked Rand. They shook their heads. “Well, Muscles was down there this afternoon getting them ready. One’s a ladder. He’s going to tie that across the river. Then he’s going to hitch a lot of barrels together——”
“I can just see you trying to pull your canoe over a lot of silly, wobbly barrels!” laughed Dan.
“That’s just what you will see,” replied Alf, with much dignity. “What else, Paul?”
“I don’t know; that’s all I saw. But I guess he has some other stunts up his sleeve for your amusement, Alf.”
“The more the merrier,” said Alf. “Can’t have too many for us, can he, Tom? Obstacles are our long suit. By the way, just how do you get a canoe over a barrel in the water, Tom?”
“Don’t you know?” Tom seemed surprised. “Why, you—you— Ask Dan.”
“I suppose,” said Dan, “you have to get out and lift it over, don’t you? I never tried it.”
“Exactly; you lift it over.” Tom waved his hand carelessly. “That’s all you have to do; just lift it over, Alf.”