Fifteen yards from the finish Fred's paddle broke. It snapped off short
in his hand and as a result, the canoe almost upset. It seemed as if
their splendid effort was to go for nothing. Herbert and Franklin,
seeing the plight of their rivals, were endowed with new hope that they
might win their relay after all. The hope thus aroused gave them just
strength enough to urge their canoe forward across the line. Herbert
lifted his paddle and touched the canoe in which Hugh and Thomas waited
so impatiently, and then sank back against the thwart exhausted.
The disaster to Fred was nearly fatal. The canoe rocked dangerously and
though it did not turn over, it lost every bit of its momentum.
"Sit down, Fred!" shouted George. "I'll paddle."
One man against two is a severe handicap, however, even if those two are
well nigh exhausted. It must be remembered also that George too, was
nearly fagged out. In spite of his usual lightheartedness, he had an
indomitable will, however, and not one of the boys had more nerve than
he.
He dipped his blade deep into the water, brought the bow of the canoe
around so that it pointed in the proper direction, and urged it forward.
Meanwhile the other canoe had passed them and crossed the line at least
five yards in the lead.
Grant and John were off like a flash, however, and the advantage the red
team enjoyed was not insurmountable by any means.
"That was tough luck, boys," exclaimed Mr. Maxwell earnestly to Fred and
George. "You two certainly deserved to win that relay."
"You surely did," echoed Franklin Dunbar. "That was about the toughest
luck I ever saw."
"Fred's too strong," laughed George. "It's awfully hard to get any
paddle that he won't break."
"Don't pay any attention to what he says, Mr. Maxwell," urged Fred. "He
thinks he can tease me; personally, I think he's crazy."
"I hope not," laughed Mr. Maxwell.
"He's fresh though," insisted Fred.
"Not now," puffed George. "My breath's gone and I'm all in."
"That was a great race," insisted Mr. Maxwell. "I don't remember ever
having seen a better one."
"We were about twenty-five yards ahead of them at one time, you know,"
said Herbert. "I thought we would win easily."
"So did I," exclaimed Fred. "You kept drawing away from us all the time
and I thought we wouldn't even be in it. I wanted to paddle harder all
the time but Pop here wouldn't let me. He insisted that we keep up a
steady gait and sprint at the end."
"My system was all right, wasn't it?" demanded George.
"It surely was. You didn't count on the paddle breaking, though."
"Oh, yes, I did. I knew that if you exerted all your strength that any
paddle would snap; that's the reason I wanted you to save it until the
end. Suppose you'd cut loose over the other side of the island and the
paddle had broken there. We'd have been in a nice fix, wouldn't we?" and
George winked solemnly at their three visitors who seemed much amused at
his efforts to secure a rise from his companion.
"Oh, dry up!" exclaimed Fred shortly, and George laughed gleefully at
having accomplished his purpose.
Meanwhile the two other canoes were rounding the first turn.
"Sprint, John! Sprint!" Grant urged the moment they had started. "Catch
up to them and hang right on to them all the way around."
Paddling with all their strength Grant and John succeeded in catching up
with their opponents. When the bow of their canoe was within a few feet
of the stern of the other they eased up a bit and contenting themselves
with allowing their rivals to set the pace, they kept their position
with bulldog determination.
Thomas and Hugh sprinted. Grant and John followed suit. If the leading
canoe slackened its pace the one behind did the same. Like a shadow the
two Go Ahead boys dogged their opponents' course.
Such a proceeding always worries the leader. To know that a step behind
him is some one who follows him like grim death and who cannot be shaken
off by any means whatsoever, is bound to have its effect in the long
run. The pace-maker is irritated and bewildered and sometimes
demoralization follows as a result.
Grant was aware of this and he intended to make the most of it. He knew
that if Thomas and Hugh discovered that it was out of the question to
pull away from the pursuing canoe their confidence would be shaken and
once this quality is lost, a great asset is gone.
It is easier to follow the pace than to make it. Another advantage is
that the one behind can watch his opponent and note everything that he
does. The leader, on the other hand, cannot tell what his rival intends
to do and must always be on his guard lest he be taken by surprise.
Thomas and Hugh worked desperately. Evidently they had decided that
their best chance was to tire out the boys in the canoe that followed
them so relentlessly. With this object in view they started a sprint
when they had covered about one-third of the course and they kept it up.
Their team-mates had tried to sprint the entire distance, and failed.
Could these two do it? George and Fred had been content to allow their
rivals to gain on them, but not so Grant and John. Their one idea was to
hang on and hang on and hang on, until the time should come when an
opportunity offered itself for a quick dash into the lead. This chance
had not yet presented itself.
The four boys worked like demons. Down the whole length of the island
they raced, neck and neck. The same amount of open water showed between
the two canoes all the way along. It almost looked as if the first canoe
was towing the other. Maintaining these same positions they approached
the last turn.
"Now, String!" said Grant in a low voice. "When they take this curve,
I'm going to shoot in between them and the shore. Be ready."
"All right," replied John, without looking up from his task for an
instant.
The leading canoe now turned and began to round the point of the island.
Close behind them followed Grant and John. Thomas and Hugh were not far
from shore, so that Grant would not have much room to pass, if indeed
such a thing was possible. Just before the canoes entered the
straightaway leading to the finish line, the two Go Ahead boys made
their bid for the lead.
Grant in the stern swung the canoe in between the other and the shore.
The space was limited but their chance had come. It was now or never.
"Now, String!" cried Grant. "Let 'em have it!"
It seemed impossible that the two boys could work any harder than they
had been. Every one seems to have some reserve strength, however, no
matter how much he may have used before, and it was this store that
Grant and John called upon now.
Inch by inch they crept up. Soon Thomas from the stern of his canoe
could see out of the corner of his eye the bow of the blue team's canoe.
"Paddle, Hugh!" he cried. "Paddle for all you're worth!"
It was a desperate contest, but Grant and John were not to be denied.
The difference that setting the pace or following it made, was just
enough to give them a slight advantage. As far as skill and strength
were concerned, the four boys were remarkably well matched.
Down the home stretch they dashed, and little by little Grant and John
gained. They gained steadily also, and it was evident that if the course
were long enough they would be returned winners. But could they catch
and pass their rivals before the finish line was reached? That was what
worried Fred and George, who screamed themselves hoarse in their
eagerness to spur their comrades on.
No open water showed between the boats now. A few yards more and the red
team was but three-quarters of a length ahead. Soon this was reduced to
half a length and still Grant and John gained. The line was but a few
yards distant now however. Could they do it?
The veins stood out on their foreheads. Between their clenched teeth
their breath came in gasps. Still they struggled on, still they gained
slowly, almost imperceptibly and nearer and nearer they came to the
finish.
"If the course was only a few yards longer," groaned George as he
watched the stirring finish from the canoe.
A moment later and the two racers were almost on even terms. It was
nearly impossible to tell which one was in the lead now, so evenly were
they matched. The tape was only a few feet away. With one final effort
the four young racers urged their canoes forward; they broke the tape
and shot on past. The race was over.