Hi sat down quietly. He didn't like Teall especially, but he
disliked Prescott, and perhaps here was a chance to serve Dick's
discomfort.

"If they'd only swim away for a little stretch!" whispered Ted.

"I see," nodded Hi Martin rather pompously. "Too bad, isn't it?
Now, Teall, you and Prescott both come from mucker schools, and
I don't know that I ought to butt in any. But I don't mind seeing
you torment Prescott a bit. You wait. I'll go in, and maybe
I can challenge those fellows to swim down the pond that will
take them away from this point."

Ted's face had flushed sullenly at Hi's remark about "mucker schools."
At another time Teall might have been ready to fight over a
slighting word like that. Just now, however, he craved help against
Prescott more than anything else.

"All right," urged Ted. "You decoy that crowd away from here
for a few minutes, and maybe I won't do a thing to them!"

"I'll see what I can do for you," returned Martin, going down
to the edge of the pond.

"How's the water, fellows?" called Hi.

"Fine," returned Dick with enthusiasm.

"Room enough in the pond for another?" Hi asked.