"That's the same thing," laughed George.
"Not by a jugful."
"Why isn't it?"
"Why, they may not be goin' so very fast and yet if our boat isn't in good shape it may be that they'll keep ahead of us and beat us."
"Well, that's just what you're here for," said Fred; "to see that nothing does happen to us or to our boat."
"Are you goin' to take them girls along that you had yesterday?" inquired Sam abruptly.
"Do you mean in the race?" asked Fred.
"What did you think I meant?"
"Well, we're not going to take them."
"Then maybe there'll be a chance to win out. I wouldn't promise anything with them on board, especially one of them. She's all right, but she would want to steer the boat and talk to the crew when it might be that the whole race was dependin' on what we were doin' right then and there."