"Then it struck me that perhaps I could arrange with you to take
up our canoe and some bedding, and also let the fellows ride on
the wagon."

"How many of you are there?" inquired Billy Heckler.

"The usual six," Dick smiled. "If you can do it, how much would
you charge us?"

"Fifteen dollars," replied the driver, after a few moments' thought.

Dick's face showed his disappointment at the answer.

"I'm afraid that puts us out of it, then," he said quietly. "I
had hoped that, as you are going up without a load, anyway, you
might be willing to take our outfit up for a few dollars. It
would be that much to the good for you, wouldn't it?"

"Hardly," Billy replied. "Carrying a load takes more out of a
team than an empty wagon does. You can see that, can't you?"

"Ye-es," Dick nodded thoughtfully. "But, you see, we're only
boys, and we can't talk money quite like men yet."

"Some men can't do anything with money except talk about it,"
Billy Heckler grinned. "Well, I'd like to oblige you boys. What's
your offer, then?"

"We don't feel that we could pay more than five dollars," Dick