Page:Castlemon--Joe Wayring at Home.djvu/138

 you, any way; and where are you going on foot? Why didn't you come over in your canoes, so that we could have a little race all by ourselves? Come on. Sheldon and Hastings are down to the boat-house waiting for me."

"We came over to ask a favor of you," replied Tom, as soon as Joe gave him a chance to speak. "Would you mind taking in our names at the next meeting of the canoe club?"

"On the contrary, I shall be pleased to do it," answered Joe, readily. "You have been pretty sly since your canoes came to hand, but we know more about you than you think we do," he added, as he led the way through the carriage-porch and down the terraced bank toward the boat-house.

"I don't quite understand you," said Tom.

"I mean that we have watched you while you were taking your morning and evening spins up and down the lake, and we have come to the conclusion that some of us are going to get beaten. I'll say this much for you,