k Bender, and, a moment later, he was standing
on his head in his rather insecure place, his feet waving aloft in the
air.

"Come back here!" cried Dick, as he slowed down the engine. "Do you want
to fall off and drown?"

"No," replied Frank, as he assumed his normal position.

"But, you see, I never stood on my head on a motor boat before and I
wanted to do it. I want to get all sorts of practice, for I'm going to
join a circus some day, and there's no telling what stunts they may want
me to do."

"Oh, you and your circus!" exclaimed "Bricktop." "You're always talking
about it!"

Which was the truth, for Frank took every chance that came to him to
indulge in acrobatics of one form or another. He was continually turning
cart wheels, standing on his head or his hands, twisting himself into
knots, from which it seemed impossible that he could ever get loose, or
bending himself until he resembled an animated horse shoe. He was "as
limber as an eel," the boys used to say.

"That's all right," responded the amateur circus performer, "I'll be in
a show some day, with a suit of green and gold spangles, and you fellows
will be paying money to see me. All except Dick. I'll give him a free
pass."

"Thanks," answered Dick with a laugh, as he started the engine on full
speed again.

"Say, wouldn't it be great if we could only make a trip to New York this
way," remarked Fred Murdock.

"Yes, this boat would look nice traveling over dry land the best part of
the way," said Dick with a smile. "If this lake only opened into a river
or a canal we might do it, but it's out of the question now."

"Why don't you go in your automobile?" suggested Simon, with a curious
look at Guy.

"That's so, I never thought of it," replied Dick. "I believe I will if
dad will let me."

"Take us along?" asked Frank. "Maybe I could get an engagement there in
one of the theatres. I can do quite a lot of turns now."

"My car's too small for this bunch," replied the millionaire's son.

"Hire a touring car; you have lots of money," spoke up Guy, with a
covert sneer.

"Good idea!" exclaimed Dick, not noticing the tone of the remark. "I
believe I will. Would you fellows all go?"

"Would we!" was shouted in a chorus. "Don't ask us twice," said Fred.

"All right; it's a go!" went on Dick. "I'll see about it at once."

With Dick, to think was to act shortly afterward, and that night he
asked his father for permission to take a crowd of his frie