doesn't stand any show in the race. Now if you had found that out
before you had bought the boat, Fred, just think how much money,
time, labor, trouble, perplexity, sleeplessness, loss of
appetite--"

"Never that," broke in Grant, shaking his head. "All the other
things, yes, but loss of appetite, never. Just look at him!"

John insisted upon relating his experiences and increased the
interest of his friends in spite of their efforts to appear
indifferent when he said there were three young people on board
the Varmint, who were expecting to spend the summer on an island
near Fred's grandfather's and were also confident that the boat
race was to be the supreme event of the summer.

In spite of his declaration that he was not anxious, it was plain
to his friends that Fred was somewhat cast down by the glowing
reports which his companion had brought concerning the swift
rival motor-boat.

"To-morrow we'll be on the 'ragin' canawl,"' said Grant. "Now
then, I want to know if there is any fellow in this crowd who
knows anything about the world's great canals."

"We don't know anything," said Fred. "We heard you talking this
morning, but how much of what you said is true nobody knows, not
even yourself."

"It's all true," retorted Grant. "As I told you I wasn't willing
to start on a trip like this without knowing something about what