Each
of his chums had a frequent turn at it, and at the other positions
in the canoe, until all were expert at any part of the work.
"But there is one big drawback about having this canoe," Greg
remarked one day.
"What's that?" asked Dave.
"There are no canoes to race with."
"There are up at Lake Pleasant," Dick replied.
"But we can't take the canoe up there," Tom Reade objected. "It's
twenty-four miles from Gridley."
"Couldn't we walk there and carry the canoe on our shoulders?"
suggested Dave.
While they were discussing this, the canoe lay on the float.,
whence they were soon to take it into the boathouse.
"We can try it now," suggested Dick.
Getting a good hold, Dick & Co. raised the war canoe to their
several shoulders. They found they could accomplish the feat,
though it wasn't an easy one.
"We'll have to give up that idea," Tom remarked rather mournfully.
"Without a doubt we could carry the canoe to Lake Pleasant, if
we had time enough. But I don't believe we could make five miles
a day with it. So to get the canoe up to Lake Pleasant on our
shoulders, and then back again would take over two weeks."
Dick was unusually thoughtful as the boys strolled from Driggs'
yard up to Main Street. Lake Pleasant was a fine place to visit
in summer. He knew that, for he had been there on one occasion.
On one side of the lake were two hotels, each with roomy recreation
grounds, with piers and plenty of boats.
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