l with excitement, two of the boats were to "foul," and
the oarsman of one, in the most tragic and thrilling manner, was to fall
over into the astonished lake. Then, amid the screams of the girls and
scenes of wild commotion, he was to be rescued, put into his empty boat
again, limp and dripping--and then, to everybody's amazement,
disregarding his soaked garments and half-drowned state, he was suddenly
to take to the oars in gallant style, and come in first at the close,
rowing magnificently.

So ran the plot--a fine one truly. The five conspirators were
delighted, and each fellow solemnly promised to stand by the rest, and
not to breathe a word about it until the "sell" should be accomplished.
So far, so good. Could the joke be carried out successfully? As the lake
was public property, it was not easy for the two "fouling" boys to find
opportunities for practising their parts. To make two boats collide at a
given instant, so as to upset one and spill its occupant in a purely
"accidental" way, required considerable dexterity. Ben Buster had a
happy thought. Finding himself too clumsy to be the chief actor, he
proposed that they should strengthen their force by asking Donald Reed
to join the conspiracy. He urged that Don, being the best swimmer among
the boys, was therefore best fitted to manage the fall into the water.
Outcalt, on his part, further suggested that Ed Tyler was too shrewd to
be a safe outsider. He might suspect, and spoil everything. Better make
sure of this son of a lawyer by taking him into the plan, and appointing
him sole judge and referee.

Considerable debate followed--the _pros_ urging that Don and Ed were
just the fellows wanted, and the _cons_ insisting that neither of the
two would be willing to take part. Ben, as usual, was the leading
orator. He was honestly proud of Don's friendship, and as honestly
scornful of any intimation that Don's better clothes and more elegant
manners enhanced or hindered his claims to the high Buster esteem. Don
was a good fellow, he insisted,--the right sort of a chap,--and that was
all there was about it. All they had to do was to let him, Ben, fetch
Don and Ed round that very day, and he'd guarantee they'd be found true
blue, and no discounting.

This telling eloquence prevailed. It was voted that the two new men
should be invited to join. And join they did.

Though Donald generally disliked practical joking, he yielded this time.
As nobody was to be hurt, he