Winner, and she sure is some boat," thought Jack.

"Hello there, sonny, how they biting?" shouted Will Jenkins, as soon as they were within hearing distance.

"Fair," replied Jack as shortly as possible, for he did not relish being called "sonny" by them.

"Say," shouted Fred Jenkins, "are you going to enter the Sprite in the race Saturday?"

"Mebbe."

"Well, it won't be any use; we can run circles round your old tub with this boat."

"She certainly does look fast," replied Jack.

"Fast? She's a streak, and look at her name—that's no lie."

While talking the Jenkins boys had shut down their engine, and the two boats were only about thirty feet apart.

"Well, so long, we'll see you Saturday, if you can manage to keep in sight," taunted Fred, as he threw over the fly wheel of his engine.

The Winner started off at a good speed straight for the canoe. Probably Fred did not intend to run Jack down, but he evidently purposed to come as close as possible without hitting and give him a good scare. But just as he was going to turn to avoid hitting the canoe, something went wrong with the tiller and the next moment Jack was in the water. He could swim like a fish and shaking the water out of his eyes he struck out for the canoe which was floating bottom up a few feet away.

"You clumsy Claudes," he shouted as he caught hold of the canoe. "Isn't the lake big enough for you to turn your old scow in?" Jack was mad clear through, for it had looked to him as though Fred had hit him intentionally. Fortunately, the canoe was so light, that it was not stove in, and he had little trouble in righting it and climbing in. Meanwhile, the Winner had come about.

"Say, Jack, I didn't mean to hit you; my tiller rope stuck and I couldn't turn her," said Fred. "Are you all right?"

"I guess so, but the next time you want to give me a wider berth or I'll be tempted to put a head on you."

"Ho, ho, hear the young bantam! Suppose you learn how to spell able."

Jack said nothing more but paddled about and managed to pick up all but two or three of his fish, while the Winner headed down the lake and was soon lost to sight round the bend.

"Just the same I don't believe he tried very hard not to hit me," muttered Jack as he headed the canoe toward the cottage.

He found that Bob and Mike had just finished packing away the old engine and told them what had happened.

"Begorra," said Mike, "that was a mean trick. If I had them two young saplin's in me hands I'd rap their two heads together, so I would."

"Well," said Bob, "perhaps it was as Fred said and only an accident, but he ought to be taught to be more careful. However no great harm is done and now let's go up to the house and get some supper; I'm hungry enough to eat those fish raw."

Supper over and the dishes washed, it was nearly 9 o'clock, and the boys decided that they would go to bed and be up bright and early in the morning.

It seemed to Bob that he had hardly touched the pillow when some one began to shake him and opening his sleepy eyes he saw Mike standing by his bed, holding a lantern in his hand.

"Jump up and dress quick," he said, "some one is trying to get in to the boathouse. I was smoking a last pipe by the window and saw him sneaking round."

By this time Jack also was awake and in less than a minute they were out of bed and had pulled on trousers and shoes.

"Now, Mike, you slip down by the shore, and Jack and I will go round through the woods. Go easy now, for I want to find out who it is."

The boathouse was about 100 feet from the cottage, and the boys crept quickly through the trees, which were not very dense. It was a bright moon-light night, and as they emerged from the woods and were within about twenty feet of the boathouse, they saw two boys close to the house, evidently trying to get a window open.

"Come on now," whispered Bob, "let's make a rush for them."

Springing from the bushes the two boys darted toward the boathouse, and before the intruders could recover from their surprise, they were grabbed and thrown to the ground. It is not to be supposed that they gave in without a struggle, and for a few moments the fight waged fast and furious. But the Golden boys were strong and the fight was over by the time Mike showed up.

"Ah, I thought so," muttered Bob, as he turned his captive over. "What are you doing here this time of night, Will Jenkins?"

"You let me up," was the dogged reply. "Can't a fellow take a walk without being jumped on?"

"Yes," replied Bob, "but you can't get into our boathouse in the middle of the night, not if we see you first."

"Aw, we weren't trying to get into your old shack. We were only walking by and happened to look in," was the sullen answer.

"I don't believe a word of it," said Jack, letting up his captive, who proved to be Fred Jenkins. "They were trying to get in to find out what we have been doing."

"Now see here," said Bob, letting his captive up, "you hike out of here and what's more you keep away, see?"

"Yis and begorry," broke in Mike, "if I catch yees sneaking round here again sure and it's meself that'll be timpted to throw yees into the drink."

Muttering something about getting even, the two crestfallen boys slunk away.

"Now you byes go up to the house and go to bed," ordered Mike. "I'm agoing to sleep in the boathouse, and if them fellers come back here they'll think the auld bye hisself is after them."

"All right," agreed Bob, "I guess that will be the best plan. Come on, Jack, it is nearly 1 o'clock, and we have a big day's work ahead for tomorrow."

CHAPTER III.
THE STOLEN CAP.

"Say, Bob how fast do you suppose that new boat of the Jenkins boys will go?"

"I don't know, but she is sure some speeder and I tell you what, sonny, the Sprite has got to cut through the wet a whole lot faster than she ever did before if we are going to hang on to that blue ribbon."

It was late Friday afternoon, and Mike and the boys had just finished putting in the new motor.

"Jack," continued Bob, "you run up to the house and get those end caps, will you, while Mike and I run the boat out? Just as soon as it gets a little dark I want to give her a try-out."

Jack rushed off to the house while Mike swung open the big doors, and in a few moments the Sprite was floating at the pier. Just then Jack came running wildly down the path leading from the house, and as soon as he reached the wharf asked eagerly:

"Didn't you say you left those caps in the table drawer in the bedroom?"

"Yes, why, didn't you find them?"

"No, they are not there."

"But they must be. I saw them there this morning," insisted Bob.

"Well they might have been there then, but they aren't there now, that is, not unless I've lost my eyesight, and I seem to see you fairly well," replied Jack grimly.

"O pshaw, you probably overlooked them. Come on back to the house and I'll show you where they are," said Bob starting for the house on a run.

"All right," answered Jack, close at his heels, "I'm from Missouri all right."

In a moment the boys, with Mike bringing up the rear, reached the bedroom and as Bob yanked open the drawer, he said, "Some people never can find anything." But the next moment he started back in dismay, for although he had taken everything out of the drawer, the caps were not there.

"Well that's mighty funny," he muttered. "I declare I saw those caps there this morning."

"Who's loony now?" jeered Jack, as he saw the look of dismay on his