“I guess not,” said Ned. “If we took our airship they might. But some of them are sure to have cars themselves, and with the lake so near it would be a wonder if there wasn’t one or two motor boats owned by the students. We’ll take her along.”
“That is, if we go,” observed Jerry with a smile.
“Oh, we’ll go!” declared Bob, as they reached the boathouse.
“Got enough gasoline?” asked Jerry, as he took the tarpaulin cover off the _Neboje_.
“Plenty,” announced Bob, looking at the gauge. “We’ll only go for a little run, as I want to get back in time for----”
“Grub!” broke in Ned with a laugh, and then he had to dodge the bailing sponge which the stout youth threw at his head.
Ned caught the sponge and threw it back at Bob, but with such poor aim that it struck Jerry in the face, and, being wet, it was not the most desirable object in the world to receive in that fashion.
“Here! What are you doing?” roared Jerry, wiping his dripping face. “I’ve had my bath this week. Cut out the rough stuff!”
“I didn’t mean that,” came from Ned. “It was Bob’s fault.”
“Well, I wouldn’t have if you hadn’t ragged me about my eating. And I wasn’t going to say anything about grub, either. I meant I wanted to get home early so I could talk more to dad about Boxwood Hall.”
“Go on! You’re going to see a girl!” scoffed Jerry.
Bob flared up again, but quiet was finally restored and, the boathouse doors having been thrown open, Ned pressed the button of the self-starter and the _Neboje_ swung out into the river which ran near the Hopkins’ house.
As the chums, comfortably seated in their craft, were getting under way, they heard a hail.
“Hold on, boys--wait a minute--got something to tell you--don’t go away without me--it’s great news--come on back--slow down--turn off the gasoline--shut off the spark--swing her around--whoop!”
“No need to look to tell who that is,” Jerry remarked.
“Yes, it’s Andy Rush,” said Bob, as he glanced at a small and very much excited boy who was dancing about on the dock.
“Oh, yes, I guess so,” assented Jerry. “Andy’s all right if he does talk like a gasoline motor.”
“I wonder what news he has,” ventured Bob.
Ned swung the boat about, and Andy, whom my older readers will remember, got aboard. He was panting from his rapid-fire talk.