Page:Dave Porter at Oak Hall.djvu/121

Rh "Let us go out on the river, too."

"Oh, it's too warm to row," said the sneak of the school.

"You mean you are too lazy, you little beggar!" answered the bully, with a laugh. "But you needn't row. Rasmer said he would hire out that gasoline launch of his. Come on up and get that."

"Do you know how to run it?"

"To be sure I do. Didn't I have a launch of my own at home? Come ahead." And off the two boys started to a boating establishment run by a man named Ike Rasmer.

Reaching the boathouse, Roger managed to get a fair-sized rowboat without trouble, and also two pairs of oars. He and Dave were just entering the craft when Phil Lawrence hailed them.

"Want anybody along?"

"To be sure, Phil!" cried Roger.

"Yes, come ahead," added Dave, and soon Phil was in the stern, and ready to do the steering with a little paddle he picked up for that purpose.

"I don't know much about rowing," said Dave, after they had pushed off. "Roger has promised to give me some pointers."

"Well, Roger can do it," answered the big boy of the school. "He can handle a rowboat as well as any of us."