“But how would it look for good old Gridley High School?” hinted Bob generously.  “Remember, in appearance, as well as in performance, you have the prestige and honor of your school to consider.”

“I think you will do well to accept the money and get uniforms,” Mr. Wright declared thoughtfully.  “You will have to telegraph for them in order to have them here by Saturday.”

“I have the A.B.  Lollard catalogue up in my room,” suggested Hartwell “I’ll run up and get it, and you fellows can look it through and make a quick decision.”

“When you have the choice of uniforms made,” said Mr. Wright, “write your telegram and bring it to me to sign.  The Lollard people know me, and will honor my order.”

Now that matters had been arranged so as to be strictly within amateur usages, Dick, Dave and the others found that they had a new cause for interest as they glanced through the bewildering display of uniforms offered in the catalogue.

When the choice had been made Dick turned to young Holmes to say: 

“Greg, run down to the landing to relieve Tom, and ask him to hurry up here.  We want him, too, to approve our selection or to state his disapproval.”

Reade arrived with a breathlessness that testified to his having run all the way.  Needless to say, he heartily agreed with his chums as to the uniform selected by them.

The uniform chosen was not expensive.  It consisted of sleeveless cotton shirts, white cotton trousers, knee-length, and with a red stripe down the sides, and thin, light boating shoes.

The total cost, per boy, was three dollars and eighty-three cents.  Certainly not an expensive canoeing uniform!  There would be some express charges to pay in addition.

“You’ll have about fifteen dollars left for anything else that you may need,” suggested Mr. Wright.

“Yes; but we don’t wish to spend it,” Dick replied.  “It is only the thought of the Gridley High School that makes us decide on any uniform at all.”

“You couldn’t have been more modest,” smiled Bob Hartwell, as he thought of the more expensive uniforms of his own crew.

The telegram was prepared.  Mr. Wright signed it and sent it away.  Then he hastened to his office to prepare his own advertising matter.

As the Gridley girls were nowhere to be seen about the grounds, Dick did not inquire for them.  Instead he and his chums hurried back to the lake, where they put in another hour in hard practice.  Prescott kept his crew out on the lake, in about the middle, where his low—–­spoken directions could not be heard from the shore.

“Are we going to win, now?” asked Dan Dalzell.

“How can we help it, when we are to wear such dazzling uniforms?” queried Reade.

“We’ve got to do a lot of hard work tomorrow, and on Saturday morning,” Dave added.  “I doubt if we yet paddle anywhere near the Preston High School performance.”