“When will that be?” asked Greg.  “And that’s all we’ll get out of him, no matter how how much we talk!” muttered Tom Reade.

“Here comes Hi Martin,” announced Greg.  “He has Bill Rodgers with him.”

“It can’t be about baseball, anyway,” said Dick.  “I think Hi has his fill of that game.”

“Good morning,” was Martin’s greeting, as he and Rodgers approached.  “I have a message for you from North Grammar.”

“Deliver it, and we’ll sign on the book for it,” retorted Reade.

“We’re not satisfied to rest the claims of the North Grammar on baseball alone,” Hi went on.

“I shouldn’t imagine you would be,” Dick smiled.

“Therefore we are going to challenge you to another form of contest.”

“A talking match?” Tom wanted to know.

“No, sir.  I bear from the North Grammar boys a challenge to Central Grammar to meet us in swimming matches in the river.  The contests must be so arranged as to show which school may hold the championship in swimming.  Are you afraid to meet us in the water?” Hi asked.

“Afraid?  No,” Dick retorted.  “But why didn’t you fellows spring this on us earlier?  Next week Thursday will be graduating day.”

“Well, we can swim the Saturday after,” Hi proposed.

“But we’ll be graduated then.  We won’t be Grammar School boys any more,” protested Dick.

“Is that the way you’re going to get out of the challenge that we’ve issued?” Martin demanded scornfully.

“No; and you certainly know better,” Dick retorted.  “But how can we hold a school contest when we’re no longer enrolled in the school that we’re supposed to represent?” Dick insisted.

“You can if you want to,” Hi sneered.  “But I can see that you fellows don’t care about meeting us in a swimming contest.  All right; then I’ll go back and tell the North Grammar fellows that Central funks.

“There’s a way that we can arrange it, I think,” put in Dave Darrin, who had been listening intently.  “Dick, why can’t we get Old Dut to authorize us to represent Central Grammar within a day or two after graduation?  If he says it’s all right, then surely, even though we have just graduated, we’ll be able to represent our old school.”

“We can talk that over with Mr. Jones,” Dick nodded.

“My idea is that you fellows are afraid to say ‘yes’ to our challenge, sneered Martin.

“You may go on thinking that, if it gives you any pleasure,” said Dick coolly.  “But if you really want our answer, we’ll give it to you on Monday afternoon.”

“The Monday after Christmas?” jeered Hi.

“We’ll give you our answer next Monday afternoon,” Dick rejoined a bit stiffly.

“Is the South Grammar to be in this?” asked Dave.

“No; we don’t want that crowd,” Hi answered quickly before Rodgers could speak.

“Then the contest won’t be for the championship of Gridley, will it?” Dick inquired.