me the prize. I don't excel as a
rower."

"Who is expected to win?"

"Conrad Carter confidently counts on securing the prize. There is no boy
in Arden that can compete with him, except--"

"Well, except whom?"

"Andy Grant."

"I don't know," said Andy, thoughtfully. "I can row pretty well--that
is, I used to; but I am out of practice."

"Why don't you get back your practice?"

"I have no boat."

"Then use mine," said Valentine, promptly.

"You are very kind, Val. How many days are there before the picnic?"

"Five. In five days you can accomplish a great deal."

"I should like to win the ten dollars. I want to go to the city and look
for a place, and I don't want to ask father for the money."

"Ten dollars would carry you there nicely, and give you a day or two to
look around."

"True; well, Val, I will accept your kind offer. Is Conrad practicing?"

"Yes; he is out every afternoon."

"I can't go till after supper."

"Then begin this evening. You know where I keep my boat. I will be at
the boathouse at half-past six, and you can meet me there."

"All right. You are a good friend, Val."

"I try to be, but it isn't all friendship."

"What else, then?"

"I want Conrad defeated. He is insufferable now, and if he wins the
prize he will be worse than ever."

Prospect Pond was a little distance out of the village. It was a
beautiful sheet of water, and a favorite resort for picnic parties.
Conrad Carter, Valentine Burns, and two or three other boys and young
men had boats there, and a man named Serwin kept boats to hire.

But the best boats belonged to Valentine and Conrad. It was rather
annoying to Conrad that any one should have a boat as good as his own,
but this was something he could not help. He consoled himself, however,
by reflecting that he was a better oarsman than Valentine.

He had been out practicing during the afternoon, accompanied by John
Larkin, a neighbor's son. John stood on the bank and timed him.

"Well, John, how do I row?" he asked, when he returned from his trial
trip.

"You did very well," said John.

"There won't be any one else that can row against me, eh?"

"I don't think of any one. Valentine has as good a boat--"

"I don't admit that," said Conrad, jealously.

"I would just as soon have his as yours," said John, independently; "but
he can't row with you."

"I should think not."

"Jimmy Morris is a pretty good rower, but he has no boat of his own, and
would