Yet perhaps Towser will bag some other game for us." "Into the canoe with you, you loitering braves!" called Big Chief Prescott firmly.
Away went the Gridley war canoe, gliding smoothly.
"Our craft is the 'Pathfinder'," called Hartwell, across the water.
"What do you call your boat ?" "The 'Scalp-hunter'," smiled Dick.

As a matter of fact he and his friends had forgotten to name the canoe, but he supplied the name on the spur of the moment.

It made a prompt hit with his chums.
"You don't believe you can win any race with such paddling as yours, do you ?" Hartwell called derisively.
"We don't show all our fine points to the enemy until the battle is on," was Prescott's amiable answer.

"Even then you won't see all our best tricks; you'll be too busy paddling to keep in sight of us." Only very gradually did Dick allow his crew to warm up to their work.

The Preston boys soon paddled over to the middle of the lake, and there lay resting.
"Now, we'll go back and give them a brush," Dick murmured to his chums.