, don't I?" burst out Bumpus,
who seemed to be carrying "a chip on his shoulder," these days, as some
of the boys declared.

"Course you do, Bumpus," said Step-hen, coming to the defense of the fat
boy in rather a strange manner, Bumpus thought; "I wouldn't be surprised
if you could give Giraffe a race, and beat him out. He never will be a
first-class scout when it comes to the water tricks; though if you hung
up a whole ham as a price it might make him stir himself some."

Of course Giraffe was indignant.

"Why, I could beat Bumpus with one hand tied behind me!" he declared.

"Oh! you don't say so?" mocked Step-hen, who for some reason seemed
desirous of arousing the feeling of rivalry between these two scouts,
and egged them on as a boy who loved to see dogs fight, would sick one
on the other. "Mebbe, you'd be willing to back up that assertion right
now, and prove your boast?"

"I'm willing, if he says he wants to try it out!" snapped the aroused
Giraffe, who at any rate was not lacking in spunk.

Bumpus, too, seemed to be fully aroused. The other boys crowded around,
with wide grins, because they fancied it would be rather a comical sight
to see a race between the fat boy, who had only recently learned to
swim, and made a tremendous splashing in the water; and Giraffe, who was
a clumsy water dog at best, with one arm tied down to his side.

Just then Bumpus happened to look at Step-hen. He could not help
noticing how unduly the other seemed tickled at the prospect. And then
and there a sudden terrible suspicion gripped hold of Bumpus.

Now, there could be no particular reason why Step-hen should want to see
him enter for this queer water race, unless he had some deep motive
behind it. What could that motive be? Did the artful scout expect to
find a chance for searching his, Bumpus' clothes, while he was in the
lake, engaged in an exciting competition with Giraffe; and all the other
fellows having their attention centered on the race?

"Oh! he believes he can find out something that way; and he's just
pushing me in over my head so I'll leave my clothes on the bank, and he
c'n search 'em!" was what Bumpus was now saying to himself.

Indignation filled his honest soul. Thank goodness he was too smart to
fall into such a silly little trap. Step-hen would have had all his
trouble for his pains.

So Bumpus, looking the other straight in the eyes, went on to say:

"Come to think of it, we'll have to call the ra