y!" said Tom Rush. "We should have a glorious
race!"

"But the chances are against us in a race," I replied, confounded by
the temerity of Tom in thinking of such a thing as contending with the
steamboat men on their own ground.

"Not a bit of it, Ernest. The Adieno is the faster boat of the
two--that has been tried a dozen times," added Tom, as much excited as
though the race had actually commenced.

"We must not attempt to beard the lion in his den."

"Why not? We might as well be hung for an old sheep as a lamb. We are
in a scrape, and even Vallington thinks it is a bad one by this time.
The more advantage we gain, the better terms we can make."

"I don't know about it, Tom. I feel as though we had carried this
thing about far enough, and the sooner we get out of the scrape, the
better it will be for us."

"Those are my sentiments. My father is part owner in this boat, and I
think he will not enjoy the idea of our going off on a cruise in her,"
added Bob Hale.

"Pooh! we won't hurt her," replied Tom.

"We don't intend to hurt her; but we are following a business just now
that we don't know much about."

"Don't you know the lake, and don't Vallington know all about the
engine?"

"Neither of us has had any experience."

"That's so," added Bob. "In my opinion breaking away is about played
out. We have made up our minds that we can't have anything more to do
with Mr. Parasyte, and we may as well return to Parkville, and go to
work in a more reasonable way. We can send the circulars to our
parents, and dig out of the difficulty the best way we can."

"I agree to that," I answered. Not that I cared for myself, for my
"breaking away" was a much more serious matter than that of my
fellow-students; but I thought it better for them to get out of the
mud before they sank any deeper into the mire.

"I am willing to do as the rest of the fellows do; but I don't want to
be whipped round a stump when there is no need of it," continued Tom.
"If the Champion chases us, I go for keeping out of the way till we
can retire from the field without any broken heads."

"So far I shall agree with you, Tom," I replied. "I am not in favor of
surrendering, to be kicked and cuffed by these steamboat men, who are
not exactly lambs in their dispositions."

"What's the use of talking?" interposed Bob Hale. "The Champion is not
after us, and it does not appear that she will be."

"It appears so to me," I answered. "I have no idea