"If you corner me like that," muttered Driggs, "I'll have to take
your ten dollars. Now put the rest of the money back in your
pocket, and divide it among your crowd whenever you're ready.
Wait a minute until I make out a receipt for repairing the canoe.
I'll put the receipt in your name, Prescott."
Driggs wrote rapidly, then reached for another paper.
"And now," he laughed, "since you're so mighty particular about
being exact in business, you may as well sign a receipt for the
money paid you for the bark."
Signatures were quickly given.
"Now, I reckon you boys want to get out to your canoe," the builder
hinted.
"Yes, but we can't take Dick with us," Tom declared. "Not with
all that money belonging to the company in his pocket. Dick,
before you step into the canoe you'd better leave the money with
Mr. Driggs, if he'll oblige us by taking care of it."
Driggs dropped the money in an envelope, putting the latter in
his safe.
"Call and get it when you're going away," he said.
"Some day, when we recover, Mr. Driggs," said Dick earnestly,
"we're going to come in and try to thank you as we should."
"If you do," retorted the boat builder gruffly, "I'll throw you
all out. Our present business deal is completed, and the papers
all signed. Git!"
Driggs followed them out to show them how to launch the canoe
with the least trouble.
"Have any of you boys ever handled a paddle before?" inquired
Hiram Driggs.
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