By this time the news had spread to other boys that Dick & Co. would soon have their war canoe afloat in fine order—–­that Hiram Driggs stood sponsor for the prediction.

That evening Fred Ripley had a somewhat unpleasant talk with his father.

“You’ve no business with pocket money,” said Squire Ripley sternly.  “You have no idea of the value of it.”

“I thought I had made a good bargain,” said Fred sullenly.

“So does every fool who parts with his money as easily as you do,” returned the lawyer.  “Well, enjoy yourself, my boy.  If you’d rather have that paralyzed pony than the money I gave you to enjoy the summer with, I suppose you’re entitled to your choice, though I don’t like your judgment.”

“Of course,” suggested Fred, “since I’ve met with misfortune you won’t be too hard on me.  You’ll let me have a little more money, so I won’t have to go through the summer like a mucker.”

“I’ll give you no more spending money this summer,” retorted the lawyer, adding, grimly:  “If I did, you’d probably go and buy a cart to match your horse.”

In fact Fred felt so uncomfortable at home that, just after dark, he started up Main Street.

“Where’s your horse, Fred?” called Bert Dodge.  “Why are you walking when you own one of the best steeds that ever came out of Arabia?”

“Shut up, won’t you?” demanded Fred sulkily.

Bert chuckled for a while before he went on: 

“Of course, I’m sorry for you, Fred, but it’s all so funny that I can’t help laughing.”

“Oh, yes, it must be awfully funny,” replied young Ripley testily.

“But you can afford it,” said Bert.  “You can get more money from your father.”

“I suppose so,” Ripley assented, not caring to repeat his interview with his father.  “Anyway, I’m glad that Dick Prescott and the rest of his crowd got fooled as badly as I did.  And they can’t get any more money this summer.”

“I guess they must have gotten some already,” Bert rejoined.  “Didn’t you hear the news about that canoe?”

“What news?” asked Fred quickly.

“Why, they’ve engaged Hiram Driggs to put the canoe in good order.”

“Where did they get the money?” asked Fred, his brow darkening.

“I don’t know,” was Bert’s rejoinder.  “But they must be able to raise money all right, for Driggs has the canoe down at his yard, and he has promised it to them in a few days.”

This news came like a slap in the face to the lawyer’s son.  He remained with Bert for another hour, but all the time Fred brooded over the fact that Dick & Co. were to have their canoe after all.

“At that, I don’t know that they will have their canoe,” Fred remarked darkly to himself as he started homeward.

Shortly after midnight Fred Ripley sneaked away from his home, turning his face in the direction of Hiram Driggs’ boatyard.

CHAPTER IV