navigate the boats through that shallow canal at all. They'll just stick
fast, because they'll be so low down in the water; and chances are we'll
have to spend all our vacation slobbering around in that mud trying to
coax them along. Go slow, fellows; bring just as little as you possibly
can in the morning. If there's any doubt about it being a real necessity,
why leave it at home. We're all scouts and true comrades, ready to share
and share alike; so, no matter what happens, no one will go without."

Of course there were many persons who came down to watch the loading of
the supplies, for half of Stanhope was interested in the expedition; and
groups of envious boys could be seen in various nooks, taking note of all
that went on, while they wished they had such good luck.

No one was allowed on board who had no business there. Of course when any
of the fathers or mothers of the boys who were going happened along, they
were only too proudly shown through both boats, and had everything
explained by half a dozen eager scouts. But a couple of guards stood at
the gangplank, and no boy was allowed aboard unless accompanied by his
parents; and even then a strict watch was kept, because there were some
pretty mean fellows in town, who believed in the motto of "rule or
ruin." When they were not allowed to play, they always tried their best
to see to it that no one else played, either.

"There's Ted Slavin and Ward Kenwood sitting up on the bank over there,
Paul," remarked Jack, about half an hour before the time when the scouts
would have to be going home to their suppers.

"I've been watching them," replied the scout master; "and from the way
they carry on, laughing when they put their heads together, I had just
about made up my mind that they were hatching up some mischief."