Each of his chums had a frequent turn at it, and at the other positions in the canoe, until all were expert at any part of the work.
"But there is one big drawback about having this canoe," Greg remarked one day.
"What's that ?" asked Dave.
"There are no canoes to race with." "There are up at Lake Pleasant," Dick replied.
"But we can't take the canoe up there," Tom Reade objected.

"It's twenty-four miles from Gridley." "Couldn't we walk there and carry the canoe on our shoulders ?" suggested Dave.
While they were discussing this, the canoe lay on the float., whence they were soon to take it into the boathouse.
"We can try it now," suggested Dick.
Getting a good hold, Dick & Co.

raised the war canoe to their several shoulders.

They found they could accomplish the feat, though it wasn't an easy one.
"We'll have to give up that idea," Tom remarked rather mournfully.
"Without a doubt we could carry the canoe to Lake Pleasant, if we had time enough.

But I don't believe we could make five miles a day with it.