Six laughing and not very tired boys piled aboard the wagon that
afternoon, with what looked like a "mountain" of prime birch bark
roped on.
For seven more working days Dick & Co. toiled faithfully, at the
end of which time they discovered that they had about "cleaned"
Katson's Hill of all the really desirable bark.
"Your canoe will be dry enough to launch in the morning," said
Driggs, as he received the last load at his stable. "Come down
any time after eight o'clock and we'll put it in the water."
Were Dick & Co. on hand the next morning?
Dan Dalzell was the last of the six boys to reach post outside
the locked gate of the yard, and he was there no later than twenty-one
minutes past seven.
CHAPTER VI
MEETING THE FATE OF GREENHORNS
At five minutes before eight Hiram Driggs arrived, keys in hand.
"I see you're on time," he smiled, unlocking the gate and throwing
it open. "Now come in and we'll run your canoe out on the river
float."
Even in the dim light of the boathouse Dick & Co. could see the
sides of the canoe glisten with their coating of pitch and oil
that lay outside the bark. The war canoe looked like a bran-new
craft!
"Do you like her?" queried Driggs, with a smile of pride in the
work of his yard.
"Like her?" echoed Dick, a choking feeling in his throat. "Mr.
Driggs, we can't talk---yet!"
"Get hold," ordered the boat builder. "Carry her gently.
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