Songbird and Sam received an invitation to go for a ride in a gasolene launch owned by Stanley.
"Suits me!" cried the would-be poet.

"I can row any time, but I can't always ride in a motor boat." "Same here," said Sam.
A number of craft were on the river, including one containing Jerry Koswell and Bart Larkspur.

Koswell scowled as he saw Tom and Dick rowing near by.
"We'll give 'em a shaking up," he said to his crony, and turned their rowboat so that it bumped fairly and squarely into the craft manned by Tom and Dick.

The shock was so great that Dick, who had gotten up to fix his seat, was nearly hurled overboard.
"See here, what do you mean by running into us ?" demanded the oldest Rover on recovering his balance.
"Sorry, but it couldn't be helped," answered Koswell.

"Why didn't you get out of the way ?" "We didn't have to," retorted Sam, "and if you try that trick again somebody will get his head punched." "Talk is cheap," sneered Larkspur.
"Say, I heard you fellows have been boasting of how you can row," went on Koswell after a pause.
"We haven't been boasting, but we can row," answered Tom.
"Want to race ?" "When ?" "Now." "I don't know as I care to race with a chap like you, Koswell," answered Dick pointedly.
"You're afraid." "No, I am not afraid." "Let us race them," whispered Tom to his brother.