"Just who it is, Toby," replied the other. "Say, can't you hike down to
the boathouse and meet us there?"

"Now?" demanded Toby, his voice beginning to show signs of wabbling.

"As soon as you can get there," was what Max answered.

"Hey! what's on the carpet now, tell me, Max?" demanded Toby, quickly.

"Keep cool," warned the boy in the booth. "Steve is here with me in the
drug store. We've got a scheme for a little outing in our canoes, and
want to put it up to the rest of the bunch. How about coming down,
Toby?"

"S-s-sure I'll b-b-be there!" exclaimed the other.

"Then make a start soon," and with that Max rang off, because he knew
Toby would hold him indefinitely if once he got started asking questions
and stuttering at the same time.

He soon had another boy on the wire, this time Bandy-legs. And the
response was as rapid and favorable in this quarter as it had been with
Toby. From the tone of the inquiries Max made, the boys understood there
must be something out of the common on tap, and their curiosity was
therefore excited. They would have been at the place of meeting, even
though they found it necessary to crawl out of bedroom windows and slide
down the post of the front porch; which in neither case was required,
for both Toby and the other chum had plenty of freedom.

When Owen, who, being an orphan, lived at his cousin's house, had been