The Boy Scouts of the Eagle Patrol | Page 5

lads in the
seashore town, Merritt and Rob had a lot of experience on the water
and some time before had built a speedy motor boat from knock-down
frames. The Flying Fish, as they called her, was entered for the main
event referred to, the prize for which was a silver cup, donated by the
merchants of the town. There were several other entries in the race, but
Rob and his crew, consisting of Merritt and Tubby Hopkins,
confidently expected the Flying Fish to easily lead them all.
"I wonder if the Sam Redding can show her stern to the Flying Fish?"
mused Rob. "I'd like to lake a good look at her."
"Let's go down to Redding's boat yard," suggested Merritt; "she's lying
there on the ways. I don't suppose any one would object to our sizing
her up."
Rob hailed the suggestion as a good one.
"We can call in for Tubby on the way," he said, as he darted into the
house after his hat.
The boys dropped in at Tubby's house on their way to the water-front,
and received from the stout youth some additional details regarding
Sam's boat.
"She's a hydroplane," volunteered Tubby, "and Tom Jennings, down at
the yard, says she's as fast as a race horse."

"A hydroplane?--that's one of those craft that cut along the top of the
water like a skimming dish, isn't it?" asked Merritt.
"That's the idea," responded Rob. "They're supposed to be as speedy as
anything afloat in smooth water."
Thus conversing they reached the boat-building yard of Sam Redding's
father and were greeted by Tom Jennings, a big good-natured ship
carpenter. "Hullo, Tom! Can we see that new boat of Sam's?" inquired
Rob,
"Sure, I guess there's no objection," grinned Tom, "come right this way.
There she is, over there by that big winch."
Report had not erred apparently as to the novel qualities of Sam
Redding's speed craft. She was about twenty-five feet long, narrow and
painted black. She was perfectly flat-bottomed, her underside being
deeply notched at frequent intervals. On the edge of those notches she
was supposed to glide over the water when driven at top speed.
"She certainly looks like a winner," commented Rob, as he gazed at her
clean, slender lines and sharp bow.
"She's got wonderful speed," Tom Jennings confided. "We tried her out
the other night when no one was around. But I don't think that in rough
water she'll be much good."
"No, I'd prefer the Flying Fish for the waters hereabouts," agreed Rob,
"it's liable to come on rough in a hurry and then a chap who was out in
a dry-goods box, like that thing, would be in trouble."
"What are you calling a dry-goods box?" demanded an indignant voice
behind them, and turning, the lads saw Sam Redding with a menacing
look on his face. A little way behind him stood Bill Bender and Jack
Curtiss.
"Oh, I beg your pardon, Sam," said Rob. "I really admire your
hydroplane very much, and I think it will give us a tussle for the trophy,

all right; but I don't think she'd be much good in any kind of a
sea-way."
"That's my business, you interfering little runt," snapped Sam, who,
with Bill Bender and Jack Curtiss to back him, felt very brave; though
ordinarily he would have avoided trouble with the young scouts. "What
are you doing spying around the yard here, anyhow?" he went on
insolently.
"We are not spying," indignantly burst out Merritt. "We asked Tom
Jennings if we couldn't look at your hydroplane, as we were naturally
interested in her, and he gave us permission."
"Well, he had no business to," growled Sam; "he ought to be attending
to his work instead of showing a lot of nosy young cubs my new boat."
"They are capable of stealing your ideas," chimed in Jack Curtiss, "and
putting them on their own boat."
"That's ridiculous," laughed Rob, "as I said I wouldn't want to have
anything to do with such a contrivance except on a lake or a river."
"Well, you keep your advice and your ideas to yourself, and get out of
this yard!" roared Sam, waxing bolder and bolder, and mistaking Rob's
conciliatory manner for cowardice. "I've a good mind to punch your
head."
"Better come on and try it," retorted Rob, preparing for the immediate
onslaught which it seemed reasonable from Sam's manner to expect.
But it didn't come.
Muttering something about "young cubs," and "keeping the boat-yard
gate locked," Sam turned to his chums and invited them to come and
try out his new motor in the shop.
As the three chums had no desire to "mix it up with Sam on his own
place," as Tubby put it, they left the yard promptly,