Page:Castlemon--Joe Wayring at Home.djvu/126

 the words of indignant protest that arose to Ralph's lips and Loren's. "Who comes in for the paddle race?"

"I do," said Noble.

"And who is put down for the upset race?" continued Tom.

Bob Lord said that he was; and a young fellow named Scott volunteered the information that his friends had decided that he ought to be allowed to win the portage race, because he came so near winning it fairly the year before.

"Then it seems that my cousins and I are to be left out in the cold," observed Tom, who was mad enough to break things.

"By no means," some of the boys hastened to explain. "There are some handsome prizes offered for the sailing races, and we intend that you shall win them if we can make you do it."

"Don't want 'em," said Tom, gruffly. "Couldn't enter for them if we did."

"Why not?"

"Because we bought our canoes for exploring purposes, and not for sailing. We received such contradictory advice from those to whom we applied for information, that it was all we