“Barrington Spink, for instance?” suggested Dan.
“Crickey, Dan! I believe he found those plans of yours. Jim Stetson declares that Barry and that mechanic of his are building a regular wonder of an iceboat. He’s going to call it the Streak o’ Light.”
“Well, we can’t help that,” returned his brother, gruffly. “If he beats us, he beats us! That’s all there is to it.”
“But it isn’t fair if he has based his construction on your invention.”
“Humph!” grunted Dan. “I won’t be the first inventor who has been beaten out of his rights; will I?”
They spied the mast of the motor iceboat after a long tramp. She was nearly a mile from the bank of the river.
They hired a pair of horses from the neighboring farmer, and got down on the ice and out to the stranded boat.
“Won’t be much more iceboating on the Colasha this winter if this snow remains,” Billy declared.
“Don’t you be too sure of that,” returned Dan. “If there comes a slight thaw, and then she freezes——Wow!”
“My goodness me!” gasped Billy, seeing the prospect at once. “Then she’ll be all ‘thank-you-ma’ams’ and the boats will bound like rubber balls. Say! if that happens there’s bound to be some fun.”