"Then begin this evening. You know where I keep my boat. I will be at the boathouse at half-past six, and you can meet me there." "All right. You are a good friend, Val." "I try to be, but it isn't all friendship." "What else, then?" "I want Conrad defeated. He is insufferable now, and if he wins the prize he will be worse than ever." Prospect Pond was a little distance out of the village. It was a beautiful sheet of water, and a favorite resort for picnic parties. Conrad Carter, Valentine Burns, and two or three other boys and young men had boats there, and a man named Serwin kept boats to hire. But the best boats belonged to Valentine and Conrad. It was rather annoying to Conrad that any one should have a boat as good as his own, but this was something he could not help. He consoled himself, however, by reflecting that he was a better oarsman than Valentine. He had been out practicing during the afternoon, accompanied by John Larkin, a neighbor's son. John stood on the bank and timed him. "Well, John, how do I row?" he asked, when he returned from his trial trip. "You did very well," said John. "There won't be any one else that can row against me, eh?" "I don't think of any one. Valentine has as good a boat--" "I don't admit that," said Conrad, jealously. "I would just as soon have his as yours," said John, independently; "but he can't row with you." "I should think not." "Jimmy Morris is a pretty good rower, but he has no boat of his own, and would have to row in one of Serwin's boats. You know what they are." "He couldn't come up to me, no matter in what boat he rowed," said Conrad. "Well, perhaps not; I don't know." "Well, you ought to know, John Larkin." "My opinion's my own, Conrad," said John, manfully. "All the same, you are mistaken." "If Valentine would lend his boat to Jimmy we could tell better." "He won't do it. He will want it himself," said Conrad. "As matters stand now, I think you will win the prize." "I think so myself." It may be thought surprising that nothing was said of Andy Grant and his chances, but, in truth, his boy friends in Arden had never seen him row during the last two years. As a matter of fact, he had been the champion oarsman of Penhurst Academy, but this they did not know. During his vacations at home he had done very little rowing, his time being taken up in other ways. "I wonder whether Andy Grant can row?" said John Larkin. Conrad laughed. "He can hoe corn and potatoes better than he can row, I fancy," he said. "He's a first-rate fellow," said Larkin, warmly. "He's poor and proud, that's what he is. I called at the farm this morning and he insulted me." "Are you sure it wasn't the other way?" "Look here, John Larkin, if you don't treat me with more respect I won't associate with you." "Do as you like," said John, independently. "I'd just as soon associate with Valentine or Andy." "My father can buy out both their fathers."