“We ought to,” smiled Dick.

“Come along, then,” invited Hi, starting with a side stroke.

Dick & Co. started in irregular fashion, Darrin and Reade soon spurting on ahead of Martin.

“How long can you tread water?” inquired Hi, after they had reached the neighborhood of the elm.

This sport is always interesting to boys who are good swimmers.  Forthwith some endurance tests at treading were started.  Then Hi showed them all a few “stunts” in the water, some of which Dick & Co. could duplicate easily, and some which they could not.

Thus the minutes slipped by.  Hi, for once in his life, went out of his way to be entertaining to Central Grammar boys.  But, at last, he muttered to himself: 

“I guess Teall has had plenty of time for his tricks.  If he hasn’t, then all afternoon wouldn’t he time enough.”

“Hello, Hi,” called Dick.  “Where are you going?”

“Back to dress,” Martin replied.  “I’ve been in long enough.”

“I guess we all have,” Dick nodded, himself turning back.  His chums followed.

“I don’t know whether I’ll dress or not,” remarked Tom Reade, as he shot ahead of the others.  “If I find I don’t want to dress, then I’ll just sit on the bank and dry my skin before going in again.”

Continuing his spurt, Tom kept on until be reached the log from which the first diving had been done.  He waded ashore, looked about in some bewilderment, and then called over the water: 

“Say, fellows, just where was it that we left our clothes?”

“Why, barely a dozen feet back of the log,” Dick called from the water.

“Hardly ten feet from where my clothes lie,” added Hi Martin, his face solemn, but with an inward chuckle over the rage of six boys that he knew was soon to follow.

“But where are your clothes, Martin?” asked Tom, staring about him.  “Where is anybody’s clothes?”

The look in Hi’s face changed rapidly.  He took a few swift, strong strokes that bore him to shore.

Then, indeed, Martin’s wrath and disgust knew no bounds.  For his clothing was as invisible as that of the Central Grammar boys.

Chapter IX

HI MARTIN TRIES TO MAKE TERMS

“Confound that fellow Teall!”

This angry expression slipped past Hi’s lips unguardedly.

By this time Dick Prescott was on shore.  His quick, keen glances took in the patent fact that some one had removed all the discarded clothing from sight.

“So Ted Teall was around here, and you knew that he was going to take our clothing?” demanded Dick, flashing a searching look at Hi Martin.

When too late, Hi Martin saw how he had put his foot into the mess by his indignant exclamation.

“And, knowing that Teall was going to slip away with our clothing,” Dick went on, “you went into the water and lured us away to the lower end of the pond.  That was what you did to us, was it, Martin?”