"There was a
great fleet on the lake to-day, and any small boy might have let
your boat go."
"Well, if I should lay hold of such a chap," declared Jack grimly,
"he will grow up quickly. He will never be a small boy again."
"Now I'll tell you," offered Ben obligingly. "There's a lot of
strange things likely to happen to you young 'uns while you're at
this here lake. So take my advice an' go slow. Every one here goes
slow, and it's the best way. If you suspicion a feller don't go at
him. Just wait and he will walk right into your hands," and Ben
sounded a warning whistle as he turned a point.
"He'll eat out of my hands if I get training him," prophesied Jack.
"But all the same, Ben, I think that's first-rate advice. It saves
us much trouble and that's the most important consideration. It
takes time even to polish off such a specimen."
"And when you're done, you've got dirty hands," went on Ben in rough
philosophy. "All the same, there is them that can't be otherwise
dealt with, and when the time's ripe I'd--help myself. I know a
man or two I'd like first-rate to get at, and stay at till I'd
finished."
"Then, Ben," spoke Cora, "when you get your man we'll all help you,
and when we get ours you can return the compliment."
Cora had a way of joking that invariably turned out prophetic--and
this case was no exception.
"Well, if there ain't Dan sailin' around!" ex, claimed Ben suddenly.
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