Laura Belding was not of a revengeful nature. She hadn't even Bobby
Hargrew's desire to "get even" with an enemy. But the mystery of what
had happened to her in the haunted house troubled her mind.
Once Jess had mentioned that she thought she had seen Hester Grimes take
an electric car for the city the night of the M. O. R. scare at
Robinson's Woods. Laura could not help wondering what Hester had been
doing up there.
The auto veil Laura had brought back with her was ecru-colored, and was
an expensive one. It was strange that anybody should have left such a
thing up there in the old house. Not many girls, at least, could have
afforded to purchase such a costly veil and then throw it away.
The Grimeses often hired a car; but then, plenty of girls Laura knew
wore automobile veils who had never ridden in a car! It was merely a
fashion in apparel. So she kept silent about the veil--never even
mentioned it to her chum, or to her brother, or to Lance Darby--and bided
her time.
The basket-ball game had made the remainder of the team very angry with
Hester Grimes. Only Lily Pendleton stood by her. Hester declared to
everybody who would listen that the "game was fixed" and that the
Central High team had no chance of winning.
"I guess that's so," said Bobby Hargrew, who overheard Hester say this.
"You fixed it all right. I watched you. You'd queer anything you went
into. It's lucky you're not rowing in the eight-oared shell. We'd have
less chance of winning the girls' boat race than we have, if you were!"
"Well, Miss, they certainly cannot accuse _you_ of harming their chances
of winning," snapped Hester Grimes. "You're out of it!"
And that was so! The girls' eight-oared shell was without its little
coxswain. Bertha Sleigel could not manipulate the steering apparatus of
the long boat as Bobby had. And the boat races--rather an informal affair
preceding the mid-summer aquatic sports--would come on in a fortnight
now.
Bobby Hargrew had been very good in school for some weeks. Even Gee Gee
could find no fault with her behavior. But it was more on Laura's
account than for any other reason that the irrepressible held herself
in. She did not forget that Laura had interceded with Mr. Sharp for her.
The eight-oared crew was to use a second-hand boat; they owned no boat
of their own, but hoped to purchase one, or have one presented to them,
before the mid-summer sports on Lake Luna.
Professor Dimp, who coached the boys, having been a famous stroke in his
own college, coached the girls as well. He was a very severe
disciplinarian; but he had picked the crew for the big shell with
judgment and skill.
And to make up a crew is no small matter. As far as physical
conformation goes in the choice of a crew for an eight-oared scull, tall
girls were preferable to short, well built to thin, and heavy girls to
"feather-weights." Saving in the cox, the girls were all chosen for
their mature physique and long arms.
And Professor Dimp chose the crew and selected their positions with as
much care as he gave to his boys' crew. One cannot take enthusiastic
girls hap-hazard and make a winning crew.
First of all the professor chose Celia Prime for stroke oar. Scores of
girls can follow time, or stroke, after practice; but some who make the
best rowers could never in this world "set the stroke" for a crew. Celia
proved herself to be an accomplished stroke, with first-rate form, great
pluck, and not easily confused. She could maintain the same number of
equally well rowed strokes, whether rapid, medium, or slow; and she
could spurt when necessary without throwing the rest of the crew into
disorder.
At Number 7 a well-tried oarsman is needed, too, and the professor
selected Laura Belding for that onerous position. Number 7 is supposed
to take up the stroke duly and to give finish to the action of the crew.
A crew that does not work in perfect unison cannot by any possibility be
a winning crew.
As selected by Professor Dimp, the girls' crew was as follows:
Celia Prime, stroke
Laura Belding, No. 7
Dora Lockwood, No. 6
Nellie Agnew, No. 5
Roberta Fish, No. 4
Mary O'Rourke, No. 3
Dorothy Lockwood, No. 2
Jess Morse, bow.
They missed Bobby Hargrew dreadfully; but the crew practised as
frequently as possible, hoping to break Bertha in as coxswain, and get
her seat shifted to the best place possible for the balancing of the
boat. But Bertha was not like Bobby--and she was pounds heavier!
The eight-oared shell of the girls of Central High would compete with
similar boats from both of the other Centerport High Schools and with
boats from the Highs of Lumberport and Keyport. The three cities being
located upon this beautiful inland lake, the young folks were all more
or less familiar with aquatic sports. But never before the establishment
of the Girls' Branch Athletic Association had the girls of the several
cities competed.
The newspapers of the three towns gave plenty of space to amateur
athletics, and the big men of the educational boards had taken up the
girls' athletic work with vigor, too. Those interested looked forward to
many field days and exhibitions during the ensuing months. But outside
of their school work the crew of this particular eight-oared shell had
little thought for anything but the approaching race.
The boathouse and landing where the shell was kept was right beside the
girls' bathing place and athletic field. Naturally, too, it was near
Colonel Richard Swayne's handsome place. As the girls were rowing in one
afternoon after practice they saw the Colonel, with a veiled lady in a
wheel-chair, on the bank. They seemed to be watching the girls pulling
in so easily; but whether the Colonel approved of them, or not, they did
not know.
"And he's got _oodles_ of money!" sighed Roberta Fish. "Wish he'd give
us some for our athletic field."
"But he won't," said Dora Lockwood. "He says we make too much noise. We
disturb his daughter. She can't sleep much, they say, and afternoons we
spoil her forty winks."
"It is too bad if we really _do_ disturb her with our noise," said
Laura, thoughtfully.
"You'll never get any money out of the Colonel, Laura," declared Jess.
"I will!" returned Laura, firmly. "You wait and see. Rome wasn't built
in a day."
"Huh! but it wouldn't ever have been built at all if Romulus and Remus
hadn't made a commencement," scoffed her chum.
The races were held on Saturday afternoon of that week. There were
paddling races, four-oared shell races, and eight-oared shell races.
There were many classes of contestants; but interest centered mainly in
the events in which the high school boys and girls participated.
The girls' eight-oared shell race was the last number on the program. It
was a straight-away half-mile race--not too long, or too short, for girls
of the age taking part in the sport.
The five boats got into position with some skill and they got a better
start than in the boys' races. The crowds gathered on shore and on the
boats lining the course cheered the girls as they shot away over the
bright water.
It was a warm and beautiful day and the water was as calm as a millpond.
It was "fast water" indeed!
The crew of Central High were looking their best and "feeling fine."
They caught Celia's stroke instantly and, at the swinging pace she set,
their boat darted through the water, keeping well up at first with the
leading shell.
On so short a course the first few strokes, even, sometimes tell the
tale. The Keyport crew took the lead at the start, but both East High
and Central High of Centerport were close after the leader. The Central
crew, indeed, for some rods were only half a length behind the Keyport
shell.
It was a pretty fight, and the voices of the spectators grew in volume
as the five shells shot along the course.