looked toward the dock which he was rapidly nearing in his boat.
The next moment he gave a whistle of surprise.

"Ah, ha! No wonder!" he cried. "The girls? So that's why you
fellows were fixing up, and getting yourselves to look pretty. And
you let me monkey with the motor, and get all grease and dirt while
you-- Say, I guess we'll call off this eating stunt," and he swung
over the steering wheel.

"Oh, I say?" protested Innis.

"Don't be mean?" added Paul. "We haven't seen the girls in some
time, and there's three of 'em--"

Dick laughed. On the dock, under the shade of an awning, he had
caught sight of three pretty girls from town--girls he and his chums
knew quite well. They were Mabel Hanford, in whom Dick was more
than ordinarily interested, Grace Knox, and Irene Martin.

"I thought I'd get a rise out of you fellows," the young millionaire
went on. "Trying to get me in bad, were you!"

The boat swerved away from the dock. The girls, who had arisen,
evidently to come down to the float, and welcome the approaching
cadets, seemed disappointed. One of them had waved her handkerchief
in response to a salute from Paul.

"Here, take some of this and clean your face," suggested Paul,
handing Dick some cotton waste from a seat locker.