The boys were able to overhear the comparisons which were made,
some of them favorable to one boat and some to the other.
The Go Ahead boys, however, were so deeply interested in the
sight of their rival that they gave slight heed to the comments.
They were keenly watching the young men on board, but in a few
minutes they were beyond the sight of the dock and the Varmint II
consequently no longer could be seen.
"I tell you, Sam is right," said George positively. "Those
fellows on that Varmint II are a hard crowd. If they have been
betting as much money as Sam says they have, it may be that
there's some reason for his being afraid that some accident may
happen to the Black Growler."
"It wouldn't do any harm to keep pretty close watch anyway,"
suggested Grant. "Whatever the weather is I think it will be
better to run her into the boat-house every night and put double
locks on the doors."
"We'll do more than that," said Sam. "We'll have somebody on the
lookout. I guess it wouldn't be very much of a job for you boys
to divide the night up into watches. I'll stay on duty until
eleven or twelve o'clock and from then on until six wouldn't take
more than an hour and a half from each of you."
"We'll do that," said Fred quickly. "That's a good suggestion,
Sam."
"But if we have the Black Growler fast inside the boat-house how
can any one get at her?" inquired John.
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