"What do you say ?" he whispered to the others.
"Do you think you can beat him ?" asked Pepper.
"I can try." "Then go ahead," said Jack.

"You don't care, do you, Andy ?" "Not at all--if Fred can beat him," was the reply from the acrobatic youth.
"All right, I'll race!" called out Fred.

"But you will have to carry four, the same as myself." "Humph!" growled Ritter.

"I don't know about that." "I'll go, Reff!" cried Mumps.
"So will I!" added a cadet named White.
"All right, jump aboard," cried the bully, and Mumps and White lost no time in doing as bidden.
"Where do you want to race to ?" asked Fred.
"Up to Dorsett's Point and back." "All right.

Are you ready ?" "Yes." "Then let her go!" yelled the owner of _Skimmer_; and in a moment the iceboat race had started..