OVER THE RIVER
"Say, but you fellows have this room fixed up in great shape!"
complimented Jack Sanderson.
"Yes, it's pippy!" declared Ward Platt after another glance around the
apartment. They had called on Frank and Andy in the permanent apartment
that had been assigned to them, and their expressions of admiration
were called forth by the various ornaments and pictures with which the
Racer boys had decorated their study.
"Yes, it's sort of so-so," admitted Frank. "We brought these things
with us, and we thought we might as well stick them up. It makes it
sort of home-like."
"I should say it did," agreed Jack, as he looked at a pair of fencing
foils.
"Do you use these?" asked Ward, indicating two pairs of boxing gloves.
"Oh, Frank and I put them on for fun once in a while," admitted Andy.
"You may need 'em if Gerald Welter keeps his word and gets into a fight
with you," said Jack with a smile at Frank.
"Oh, I'm not worrying. But I haven't seen him lately. Where has he
been?"
This was several days after the rescue of Tom Crawford from the river,
and during the interim our heroes had settled down into the life and
ways of Riverview Hall.
"Oh, Welter," answered Ward. "I heard he went off on a little spree
with Luke Moss. They came in late and were caught by Thorny. He made
them stay in their rooms three days."
"So, that's the how of it," commented Frank. "Thorny seems to be right
on the job."
"You'd have thought so if you'd seen him bullying that little Miss
Morton," commented Andy. "By the way, Frank, what did she have to say
to you that day you met her?"
"Yes, and who was the pretty girl with her?" Jack wanted to know.
"That was Grace Knox," said Frank, "and Miss Morton was telling me
about her money troubles with Thorny. It's a shame, and I'm going to
see if dad can't do something about those bonds," he added to his
brother, when he had related the circumstances.
"I believe he could," declared Andy. "It's worth trying, anyhow. But
say, speaking of money matters, when is that millionaire coming here to
invest in Riverview stock?" he asked of Jack. "I wish he'd hurry up,
for if we're going to have any money to spend on the gridiron or in
getting a racing shell we'd better do it before cold weather sets in."
"I haven't heard anything about that lately," replied Jack. "But I
don't believe it will pan out in time for this year. We used to row
pretty late on the river though, much later than is usual at other
schools or colleges. We have a fine course here."
"But no boats," said Frank regretfully. "Well, I've got to do some
boning. Don't let me stop the talk though; go right on."
"No, we've got to go," announced Jack. "I'm not as well up on
to-morrow's Latin as I ought to be." Thereupon the two visitors took
their departure and Frank and Andy did some studying.
"I'm going for a row to-morrow afternoon," said the elder lad, after a
period of silence. "Want to come?"
"What are you going to row in?"
"Bill Spalter said I could take his boat. It isn't so bad, though it's
awful slow and heavy. I'd almost go rowing in a tub, just to get on the
water again."
"So would I. I'm with you."
Jack and Ward had some lessons to make up the next day, and could not
join our heroes. Frank and Andy hastened down to the river, the waters
of which were sparkling in the sun.
"Gee, but it's a fine day!" exclaimed Andy. "I'd like to have some fun."
"With--er--lobsters, for instance?" asked Frank with a sly smile,
referring to the time when a joke was turned on his brother, as related
in "The Racer Boys."
"Not on your life--no! But say with that bully Welter. I saw him
to-day, and he sneered at me."
"He didn't try to make you tip your cap, did he?"
"I should say not! I'd have tackled him if he had, though he's bigger
than I am."
"Leave him to me," said Frank significantly.
They rowed leisurely down the river, for they had finished their
lessons early that day and had several hours to themselves.
"This is a clumsy old tub, but it's great to be out in even this," said
Frank. "Oh, if we only had our boats here!"
"I wonder if we couldn't send for them?" ventured Andy.
"It's a little too late this year, but if we stay I've a good notion to
do it. Pull a little on your left, we're drifting too near the bank."
Andy did as requested, and, as he looked over his shoulder to see the
course, he uttered an exclamation.
"Here comes the Waterside eight! Look how they pull! I wonder if Tom
Crawford is in it?"
"That isn't a freshman shell," declared Frank.
"Why not?"
"Freshmen can't row like that. It must be the varsity. I believe it
is! Say, they're all right," and Frank paused in his rowing to gaze
admiringly at the oncoming shell. Truly it was a pretty sight.
Nearer and nearer it came at a swift pace. Unconsciously both Andy and
Frank ceased rowing and their boat drifted with the current. They were
nearer the oncoming shell than they realized, especially since the
coxswain changed his course slightly to avoid a floating log.
Suddenly above the voice of the steersman monotonously counting the
strokes there came a cry.
"Hey, you fellows! Look where you're going! Do you want us to run
you down?" The hail came from the shell, and the tones were almost
insulting.
"Gee! We _are_ pretty close," said Andy in some alarm. "Pull over,
Frank."
The two lads dipped their oars in the water, but the current had them
in more of a grip than they counted on. The rowers from Waterside had
not ceased their swift strokes and the knife-like shell was fairly
tearing through the water.
"Look out! Look out!" yelled several of the scantily-clad rowers. The
shell was between the heavy drifting log and the big clumsy rowboat
containing Frank and Andy. To steer the shell very much to either side,
at the rate it was going, would mean almost certain capsizing.
"What ails you boobs, anyhow?" howled the coxswain. "You ought not to
be allowed on the river without a nurse. Get off our course!"
The men had ceased rowing but the shell was still shooting forward
under its momentum. A flush came to Frank's tanned face.
"We've got as good a right on this river as you have!" he cried.
"They're from Riverview!" cried a rower. "Soak 'em!"
"Pull away," advised Andy in a low voice.
But it was too late. On came the shell. The rowboat was rapidly
drifting and in spite of the efforts of the brothers the two craft came
together broadside. There was a splintering of wood and the oar of the
bow rower was smashed. The shell careened violently.
"Look out! We're going to capsize!" yelled the excited lads, while the
coxswain hurled a volley of abuse at Frank and Andy.