has to sit steadily and attend strictly to business."

"A war canoe! Isn't it great?" chuckled Dan, as he started to
help himself to a seat.

But Tom grabbed him by the coat collar, pulling him back.

"First of all, Danny Grin, shed that coat. Then ask Dick which
seat you're going to have. He's the big chief of our tribe of
Indians."

"Better all of you leave your coats here," suggested Driggs.
"You can get 'em when you come back. And you can keep the canoe
here without charge, so you'll have a safe place for it. Some
fellows, you know, might envy you so that they might try to destroy
the canoe if you left it in a place that isn't locked up at night."

When the boys were ready, in their shirt sleeves, Dick assigned
Dave Darrin to the bow seat. The others were placed, while Prescott
himself took the stern seat, from which the steering paddle must
be wielded.

"All ready, everyone," Dick called. "Dave, you set the stroke,
and give us a slow, easy one. We mustn't do any swift paddling
until we've had a good deal of practice. Shove off, Dave."

Darrin pushed his paddle against the float, Dick doing likewise
at the stern. Large as it was, the canoe glided smoothly across
the water.