“I—–­I don’t understand,” faltered Dick Prescott.

“Then see if this will help you to understand,” proposed Driggs, drawing a roll of bills from his pocket and laying down the money.  Here you are, seventy dollars and sixty cents.”

“But we didn’t propose to sell you any bark,” Dick protested.  “All we expected to do was to bring you in good measure to pay you for all your kindness to us.”

“Kindness to you boys?” demanded Driggs, his shrewd eyes twinkling.  “I hope I may go through life being as profitably kind to others.  Boys, the bark you’ve sold me will enable me to make up several canoes at a fine, fat profit.  Take your pay for the goods you’ve delivered!”

Dick glanced at his chums, who looked rather dumbfounded.  Then he picked up the bills with an uneasy feeling.

“Thank you, then,” young Prescott continued.  “But there is one little point overlooked, Mr. Driggs.  You did the canoe for us at cost, though your price to any other customer would have been thirty dollars.”

“Oh, we’ll let it go at that,” Driggs suggested readily.  “I’m coming out finely on the deal.”

“We won’t let it go at that, if you please, sir,” Dick Prescott retorted firmly.

Dick placed a ten dollar bill on the desk, adding: 

“That makes the full thirty dollars for the repairing of the canoe.”

“I don’t want to take it,” said Driggs gruffly.

“Then we won’t take any of this money for the bark,” insisted Dick, putting the rest of the money back on the table.

“If you corner me like that,” muttered Driggs, “I’ll have to take your ten dollars.  Now put the rest of the money back in your pocket, and divide it among your crowd whenever you’re ready.  Wait a minute until I make out a receipt for repairing the canoe.  I’ll put the receipt in your name, Prescott.”

Driggs wrote rapidly, then reached for another paper.

“And now,” he laughed, “since you’re so mighty particular about being exact in business, you may as well sign a receipt for the money paid you for the bark.”

Signatures were quickly given.

“Now, I reckon you boys want to get out to your canoe,” the builder hinted.

“Yes, but we can’t take Dick with us,” Tom declared.  “Not with all that money belonging to the company in his pocket.  Dick, before you step into the canoe you’d better leave the money with Mr. Driggs, if he’ll oblige us by taking care of it.”

Driggs dropped the money in an envelope, putting the latter in his safe.

“Call and get it when you’re going away,” he said.

“Some day, when we recover, Mr. Driggs,” said Dick earnestly, “we’re going to come in and try to thank you as we should.”

“If you do,” retorted the boat builder gruffly, “I’ll throw you all out.  Our present business deal is completed, and the papers all signed.  Git!”

Driggs followed them out to show them how to launch the canoe with the least trouble.