"May we be permitted to
withdraw?"
"At any time after ten o'clock," smiled Mrs. Bentley graciously.
"We shall be very much disappointed if you leave us at present."
There was a clatter of dishes and spoons. Mrs. Bentley and Mrs.
Meade presided over this part of the camp feast.
"We needn't ask you Gridley fellows if you've been having a good
time," declared Hartwell presently. "But we hadn't any idea that
we should intrude on an affair of this sort. In fact, while business
must be barred now, I will admit that business was the object
of our call."
"What sort of business?" inquired Dick Prescott.
"We came to challenge you fellows to a race," explained Big Chief
Hartwell.
"A race?" chuckled Dave. "Queer how you've bit us where we live!"
"Do you think you can beat us in a canoe race?" asked Hartwell.
"Yes," Dick rejoined. "All we need to arrange is the date. We'll
beat you on any date that you name! That isn't brag, please
understand! It's merely the old, old Gridley High School way."
The young ladies applauded this sentiment merrily.
CHAPTER XVI
A SCALP-HUNTING DISAPPOINTMENT
"Want to try us out, Gridley?" hailed Big Chief Hartwell, from the
Preston High School canoe.
It was nearly ten o'clock the next morning, but Dick & Co. had
just finished putting their camp to rights after breakfast, for
they had slept late after the feast.
"Do we want to try you out?" Dick answered laughingly.
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