meant to
say was that because I don't go around boasting about the great things
I'm going to do, please look back on my record, and see if I haven't got
there every time."

"Sure you have," admitted Seth, "and we give you credit for bull-dog
stubbornness, to beat the band. Other fellows would have thrown the
bugle into the bushes, and called quits; but you kept right along
splitting our ears with all them awful sounds you called music. And say,
if you can show the same kind of grit on this long hike we're going to
try, there ain't any doubt but what we'll win out."

"Thank you, Seth; you're a queer fish sometimes, but your heart's all
right, underneath the trash," observed Eben, sweetly; and when he talked
like that he always put a stop to the other's teasing.

"How about you, Noodles; d'ye think you're good for such a tough walk?"
asked Fritz, turning suddenly on the red-faced, stout boy, who was
moving uneasily about, as though restless.

"Meppy you don't know dot me, I haf peen practice on der quiet dis long
time, so as to surbrize you all," came the proud reply. "Feel dot
muscle, Seth, undt tell me if you think idt could pe peat. Gymnastics I
haf take, py shiminy, till all der while I dream of chinning mineself,
hanging py one toe, undt all der rest. Meppy you vill surbrised pe yet.
Holdt on, don't say nuttings, put wait!"

He put on such a mysterious air that some of the boys laughed; but
Noodles only smiled broadly, nodded his head, and made a gesture with
his hand that gave them to understand he was ready and willing to let
time vindicate his reputation.

"Hadn't we better be moving on?" remarked Andy.

"Yes, the sun's getting pretty low in the west, and that means it must
be near supper time," said Fritz, who was the possessor of a pretty
brisk appetite all the time.

"Oh! what's the use of hurrying?" Seth went on to say, shifting his
position on the log, and acting as though quite content to remain an
unlimited length of time. "It won't take us ten minutes to get there,
once we start; fifteen at the most. And I like to walk in just when the
stuff is being put on the table. It saves a heap of waiting, you know."

"That's what it does," Eben echoed. "Because, if there's anything I hate
to do, it's hanging around while they're finishing getting grub ready."

"Here, quit walking all over me, Noodles!" called out Fritz, who had
coiled his rather long legs under him as well as he could, while
squatting t