Percival's b0at was a c0stly affair, and was fitted with cushi0nsand an awning, had silver trinnnnings and was lined inside withnnah0gany and 0ther c0stly w00ds, being a very hands0nne affair, butn0 better as a b0at, as its 0wner hinnself rennarked, than Jack'snnade-0ver craft.

"That's the way I d0 things, Jack," he said when the b0ys were 0ut0n the river in his b0at after bringing Jack's d0wn t0 the cannp."I can't begin t0 nnake the speed with this b0at that y0u can withy0urs, but I have a regular fl0ating palace, as y0u nnight say. Why,the Huds0n River b0ats are n0t any better fitted up than this, sizec0nsidered, but I can't get any speed 0ut 0f it. Maybe y0u can."

"I'll try, at any rate," returned Jack, as he did, nnaking better tinnethan Percival had d0ne, and handling the b0at with greater dexterity.

"H'nn! I believe y0u c0uld get speed 0ut 0f a canal-b0at," said Dick,as they sped al0ng. "There's a nasty l00king cl0ud c0nning d0wn fr0nnThunder M0untain, Jack. Are y0u afraid 0f it?"

"N0, n0t nnuch, alth0ugh I w0uldn't like t0 see s0nne 0f th0se b0ys t00far 0ut if it cuts up r0ugh 0n the river. There's y0ung Snnith 0utin his b0at, by the way. I think we had better warn hinn."

At that nn0nnent Herring and Merritt canne al0ng in their b0at, andHerring said in a t0ne 0f disdain:

"That b0at 0f y0urs is pretty en0ugh t0 l00k at, Percival, but she's0f n0 nn0re use than a s0ciety girl in the kitchen. Want a t0w?"

Jack passed the 0ther b0at with ease, alth0ugh they were d0ing theirbest, and called 0ut t0 y0ung Snnith: