PUTTING UP A BIG SCHEME
"Your uncle will be at his regular stand to-night, won't he?" queried
Dick Prescott.
"I expect so," Mart agreed. "What's the matter? Do you want
to go along with us? I guess Uncle Billy would be willing."
At this moment Dick heard a group of younger boys laughing as
they strolled along the street.
Following their glances, Dick saw in the street what is commonly
known in small towns as the "hoss wagon"---a vehicle built for
the purpose of removing dead horses.
"There goes Fred Ripley's bargain!" chuckled one of the boys.
At that moment Fred Ripley himself turned the corner into Main
Street.
"And there's Rip himself," laughed another boy. "Hey, Rip! How's
horse flesh?"
But Fred, flushing angrily, hurried along. "What's up?" asked
young Prescott as the group of boys came along.
"Haven't you heard about Fred's pony?" asked one of the crowd.
"I know he bought a pony," Dick answered.
"Yes; but Squire Ripley had a veterinary go down to the Ripley
stable this afternoon, and look the pony over," volunteered the
ready informant. "Vet said that the pony would be worth a dollar
or two for his hide, but wouldn't be worth anything alive. So
Squire Ripley ordered the pony shot, and that cart is taking the
poor beast away."
"Is your canoe going to be a winner?" asked another boy.
"We expect so," Dick nodded.
"Great joke on Rip, isn't it?" grinned another.
"I can't say that his misfortune makes me especially happy," Prescott
answered gravely.
"Well, I'm glad he was 'stung' on his pony," continued the other
boy. "Rip is no good!"
"There is an old saying to the effect that, if we got our just
deserts we'd all of us be more or less unhappy," smiled Dick.
"Rip won't be so chesty with us smaller boys," predicted another
grammar school boy. "If he tries it on, all we've got to do is
to ask him, 'How's horse flesh, Rip?'"
In spite of himself Dick could not help laughing at the thought
of the mortification of the lawyer's son when he should be teased
on so tender a point. Then Dick asked:
"Mart, is your uncle at his stand now?"
"I reckon he is," nodded Heckler.
"Let's go over there and see him."
"You're going to try to take the ride with us, then?" asked Mart.
"I think so."
"Bully!" glowed Mart, who, like most of the younger boys of Gridley,
was a great admirer of the leader of Dick & Co.
Billy Heckler, a man of thirty, was, indeed, to be found at his
stand.
"Dick wants to go up to Lake Pleasant with us on Monday," Mart
began, but Dick quickly added:
"I understand, Mr. Heckler, that you're going up to the lake without
a load."
"Yes," nodded the truckman.
"Then it struck me that perhaps I could arrange with you to take
up our canoe and some bedding, and also let the fellows ride on
the wagon."
"How many of you are there?" inquired Billy Heckler.
"The usual six," Dick smiled. "If you can do it, how much would
you charge us?"
"Fifteen dollars," replied the driver, after a few moments' thought.
Dick's face showed his disappointment at the answer.
"I'm afraid that puts us out of it, then," he said quietly. "I
had hoped that, as you are going up without a load, anyway, you
might be willing to take our outfit up for a few dollars. It
would be that much to the good for you, wouldn't it?"
"Hardly," Billy replied. "Carrying a load takes more out of a
team than an empty wagon does. You can see that, can't you?"
"Ye-es," Dick nodded thoughtfully. "But, you see, we're only
boys, and we can't talk money quite like men yet."
"Some men can't do anything with money except talk about it,"
Billy Heckler grinned. "Well, I'd like to oblige you boys. What's
your offer, then?"
"We don't feel that we could pay more than five dollars," Dick
answered promptly.
"No money in that," replied Billy Heckler, picking up a piece
of wood and whittling.
"No; I'm afraid there isn't," Dick admitted. "I guess our crowd
will have to content itself with staying at home and using the
canoe on the river."
"The river is a good place," Heckler argued. "Why aren't you
all content to stay at home and use your canoe on the river?"
"Because," smiled young Prescott, "I suppose it's human nature
to want to get away somewhere in the summer. Then we understand
that there are other crew canoes on Lake Pleasant. Of course,
now we've spent a few days in the canoe, we believe we're real
canoe racers."
"If you could call it ten dollars," Heckler proposed after a few
minutes, "that might-----"
"The crowd hasn't money enough," Dick replied. "You see, we've
got to get the canoe back, too. Then we'll have to use money
to feed ourselves up there. I don't see how we can go if we have
to spend more than five dollars to get there."
Billy Heckler started to shake his head, but Mart, getting behind
Dick, made vigorous signals.
"We-ell, I suppose I can do it," agreed Heckler at last. "There's
nothing in the job, but I can remember that I used to be a boy
myself. We'll call it a deal, then, shall we?"
"I'll have to see the other fellows first," Prescott answered.
"I'll hustle, though. The fellows will all have to get permission
at home, too, you know."
"Let me know any time before six to-morrow night," proposed Billy.
"It must be understood, though, that if I get a paying freight
order to haul to the lake between now and starting time, then
my deal with you must be off."
"Of course," Dick agreed. "And thank you, Mr. Heckler. Now,
I'll hustle away and see the other fellows."
Dick sped promptly away. When he reached Main Street he found
the other fellows there. Dick gleefully detailed the semi-arrangement
that he had made.
"Great!" cried Dave.
"Grand, if we can all square matters at home," Tom Reade nodded.
"Well, fellows, you all know what we've got to do now. We'll
meet again at this same place. All do your prettiest coaxing
at home. It spoils the whole thing if anyone of us gets held
up from the trip. Did you hear about Rip's pony, Dick?"
"Yes."
"Served him ri---" began Greg Holmes, but stopped suddenly.
For Fred Ripley, turning the corner, saw Dick & Co., and carefully
walked around them to avoid having to pass through the little
crowd.
"Speaking of angels-----!" said Dave Darrin dryly.
"Don't tease him, Darry," urged Dick in a very low voice.
But Fred heard all their remarks. His fists clenched as he walked
on with heightened color.
"It's just meat to them to see me so badly sold on the pony, and
to know that my father ordered the animal shot and carted away!"
muttered young Ripley fiercely. "Of course the whole town knows
of it by this time. Prescott's muckers and a few others will
be in high glee over my misfortune, but, anyway, I'll have the
sympathy of all the decent people in Gridley!"
Fred's ears must have burned that night, however, for the majority
of the Gridley boys were laughing over his poor trade in horse
flesh.