les of Preston, either. But
we have no right to make accusation without an iota of proof."

"Then you decline to allow the name to be furnished?" blurted
the referee.

"I refuse, sir, for the same reason that you would," Dick answered
coolly. "Only a coward, a knave or a fool will accuse another
person without some reasonable proof to offer. No great harm
has been done, anyway. The drag was found in time."

"Get your canoe out, Hartwell," ordered Mr. Tyndall. "This time,
when we launch them, we'll make sure that both craft are in good
order."

When the "Pathfinder" was hauled up on the float she was found
to be free from any evidences of trickery.

"Now, launch, and we'll watch each canoe until it puts off," announced
Mr. Tyndall. "Captain Prescott, will ten minutes be enough for
you before the sounding of the first gun?"

"Yes, sir."

"I'd rather you gave Gridley plenty of time, sir," urged Bob Hartwell.
"If we can't win from Gridley High School fairly, we don't want
to win at all."

"First gun, then, at three-twenty-eight," called Mr. Tyndall.
"Second gun at three-thirty."

Slowly the "Pathfinder" followed the "Scalp-hunter" out into midlake.

"How does your craft go now, Gridley?" hailed the big chief from
Preston.

"She goes like a canoe now," Dick called back joyously.

Then he set his chums to easy paddling. All six of Dick & Co.
felt a thrill of joy at realizing the difference in the canoe's
behavior.

"We'll win, all right," predicted Prescott joyously.

"If we don't, we'll make motions that look like putting up a hard
fight, anyway," Tom answered him.

"I wish I had my foot on the neck of the cur that rigged the drag!"
muttered Darrin vindictively.

"I don't," Dick answered quietly. "The fellow who rigged the
drag probably wasn't the same fellow who planned the scheme."

"I'm going to provoke a fight with a certain party, one of these
days, anyway," threatened Dave, his brow dark with anger.

"Forget it now," Dick urged. "The fellow whose mind is ruled
by an angry passion isn't in the best form for athletic work.
Banish all unpleasant thoughts, all of you fellows."

By degrees the big chief from Gridley warmed up his braves in
the war canoe. He had them going in earnest, at nearly their
best speed, just as the first gun was fired---a pistol in the
hand of the starter on board the judges' boat.

"We'll go over there in our best style," Prescott called. "Try
to give the pe