am.

"Well, can we make her go faster?"

"You can if the speed is in her."

"Well, do you think the speed is in her?"

"I can't say just yet," said Sam, who was not to be moved from his
cautious position. "Here come your friends," he added as the boys and
girls were seen approaching the dock.

Mr. Button grumbled over the delay which had been caused by the failure
of the young people to return, but as no one except Fred understood
just what he was saying slight attention was paid him.

Meanwhile at Sam's command the engine was started, and the Black
Growler, free from the dock once more, soon was noisily and speedily
making her way down the mighty river.

"Why didn't you beat that other boat?" demanded Miss Susie of Fred.

"That wasn't what we were trying to do."

"Well, what were you trying to do?" demanded the girl.

"Testing our boat and at the same time trying to find out what time
they could make in the Varmint II."

"Well, did you find out?"

"We found that she can go," answered Fred somewhat dolefully. "Sam here
says that we can beat her if we can go faster than she does."

"That's exactly what I say," spoke up Sam.

"How many legs have you got, Sam?" asked George abruptly.

"Six," answered Sam.

Both girls looked up in surprise. Miss Susie said, "He's a regular
centipede. What does he mean?"

"What do you mean, Sam?" said Fred. "Miss Susie doesn't understand you.
How many legs really have you got?"

"I have told you once," retorted Sam. "I have got six here and about
fifty in New York."

The girls stared blankly at each other and then as the boys laughed,
Miss Susie said, "What's the joke?"

"No joke," said Fred. "It's just a fact."

The attention of the party, however, was speedily attracted by the
sight of a little boat that was approaching, flying a white flag at the
stern.

"Oh, I know what that is," said Miss Susie confidently. "That means
that somebody is sick on board and that they are signaling us to help
them."

"Huh!" grunted Mr. Button.

"That's not it," responded George.

"Well, what is it then?" demanded the girl.

"It means that somebody on board has caught a muscallonge and they are
bringing it in. If any boat catches one it usually puts straight for
home and it isn't backward in letting the world know what has happened."

"Have they got the fish with them?"

"Why don't you ask them?" laughed George, handing the girl a megaphone
as he spoke.

Quickly taking