“Beating their style of paddling?” echoed Reade.  “Why, according to what you’ve told us we can’t even equal their paddling.”

“We’re going to equal it,” Dick answered, “and we ought to beat it.  At two o’clock, fellows, we’re going out for two hours of drill.  Then I’ll try to explain what I think I saw of the Preston superiority in dipping and recovery.  If I really observed correctly, then we ought to be able to do much better, for I also think I see how to improve on the Preston High School paddle work enough to make their performance look almost clumsy.”

“If you can do that,” proclaimed Hazelton ungrudgingly, “then you’re a wonder, Dick.”

“We shall see,” smiled the big chief.

“And if we don’t see straight,” mumbled Reade, “then Preston will hand us such a wallop that we won’t even have the nerve to take up a challenge from Trentville High School.”

For the rest of the morning Dick & Co. were much more thoughtful than usual.  They had met defeat—–­a thing they didn’t relish.  Yet they knew, in advance, how much worse they would feel if they met a defeat when officially entered as a Gridley High School crew—–­for the honor of their school was dear to them all.

The noonday meal was over before one o’clock.  Dick would not allow the “Scalp-hunter” to be put in the water a minute before two.  He wanted to be sure that digestion had proceeded far enough so that they might do their best.

At the time appointed, however, he took the crew out on the water, and there carefully explained what he thought he had learned of the better paddling style of the Preston High School boys.

“You certainly did see a whole lot that I didn’t see,” Reade admitted, “and I believe that you saw it straight, too, Dick.”

“We can certainly shoot the old canoe ahead faster, already,” Dave murmured delightedly.

“Now, Dick, what are the improvements you thought you might have on the Preston style?” Danny Grin asked eagerly.

“To-morrow will be time enough to try out improvements, or any kind of frills,” Prescott answered patiently.  “For this afternoon let us confine ourselves to paddling as well as the Preston High School fellows do it.  To-morrow we’ll see if we can’t do better than they do.”

After a little more practice it was surprising how much more easily they took to the new style of paddling.

“Rest on your paddles for a few minutes,” Dick ordered.  “Get in some deep breaths.  Then I’m going to pump up your speed to the best that you can do with the new stroke.  We’ll try to go to the hotel landing flying.”

When all was ready Prescott gave the word.

“Now, your best speed, and all the strength you can properly put into the work.  Go!  One, two, three, four!  One, two, three, four!”

Across the lake sped the canoe, Dick & Co. fully aware that they were now traveling at a speed that had been impossible to them that same morning.