Yet Tom was no more excited than were the other members of Dick
& Co. All took a hand, and all tried to work so nimbly that they
got considerably in the way of one another. Yet at last the canoe
was ready to be picked up and carried to the lake's edge.

"Here's even a painter to tie it to a tree with," shouted Dave.
"Say! Whoever bought this canoe knew all about one!"

"Don't anyone try to get into the craft yet," ordered Dick, as
the canoe was slid out upon the water, Prescott holding the painter,
which he tied around a sapling growing near the water's edge.
"We want to make sure that this canoe is waterproof. If it stands
twenty minutes without taking in water we'll know it's all right."

Since they couldn't board the canoe, these delighted boys joined
hands, dancing about in a ring. Then, suddenly, they started
off in burlesqued figures of an Indian war-dance, whooping like
mad.

While the excitement was at its height, Reade suddenly seized
Hazelton by his collar, rushing him to the lake. Into it went
both boys, Tom ducking Harry's head under the water.

"Wha-a-at's that for?" sputtered Hazelton as soon as he could
talk.

"Because you needed it," replied Tom soberly. "Will you kindly
do as much for me? We were all such chumps that we cheated ourselves
out of the best black bass fishing to-day that ever mortal saw.
So we all ought to be ducked."