"They're not in our class."
"That's a poor excuse. If you can beat them do it good and proper. Then they won't want another race. Row 'em, is what I say."
"Same here!" came from a number of others, until the 'varsity four, for very shame's sake, was obliged to agree.
"Well, we'll accept their challenge," declared the captain of the four, after a hot discussion several days following the riot. "We'll give 'em a race, but it will be a walkover for us."
"Don't be too sure," said Tom Crawford, who had watched the improvised crew of Riverview on the river.
The surprise of Frank and his chums may be imagined when, a couple of days later, they received a communication from Waterside. It was brief, but to the point.
"If you still wish to enter into a race with us," the letter said, "we will accept your challenge. Our committee will meet with one from your school to arrange details."
"Well, wouldn't that jiggle your oars!" cried Andy.
"It puts 'em just where we want 'em, though," declared Jack.
"Yes, I guess we'll have a race after all," said Frank. "That free-for-all fight wasn't so bad as it seemed."