Page:Castlemon--Joe Wayring at Home.djvu/113

 accommodating enough to do the work for us—why, I say let him do it."

Tom continued to talk in this way for a long time, and to such good purpose that when they reached home his cousins had forgotten their fears and even expressed much interest and curiosity regarding the course of action that Matt Coyle might see fit to pursue. If he followed Tom's suggestion and built his shanty on the shore of Sherwin's pond, they might expect to hear from him before many days more had passed away.

"I hope that if Matt does take it into his head to do any thing, he'll run off Wayring's sail-boat," said Loren, gazing proudly at his own beautiful little sloop, which rode at her moorings in front of the boat-house. He had brought her up there on purpose to beat the Young Republic, which was said to be one of the swiftest boats on the lake; but the first time they came together under sail, the Republic had run away from her would-be rival with all ease, and it began to look as though the "Challenge Cup" would become Joe's own property. He had won it twice, and if he won