THE RACE
The race had been set for 9 o'clock in the morning, but, with
the sun, there had come up a strong breeze from the west that had
stirred up the water into such a lumpy condition that any kind of
time would be impossible, and the advantage would be all on the
side of the Altons. So the race was put off from time to time in
the hope that the wind would die down so as to equalize the chances,
and it was not until late in the afternoon that the committee
decided to have it rowed, although the wind was still blowing and
the water rough.
The course, as agreed upon, was a straight-away three miles over
a clear stretch of the river from off the Creston landing.
"What have you got there?" asked Dick, as Rand pulled a coin from
his pocket and began rubbing it up on his sleeve.
"That's his mascot," laughed Jack. "It's the coin he found in the
road, and he keeps it for luck."
"Well, I guess it has its work cut out for it, all right," went on
Dick. "He will have his hands full--if it is a he--to keep us in
the procession. Alton has a crew of blacksmiths."
"So much the more weight to carry," replied Rand, who made the best
of everything.
"Not much chance for us," put in Jack.
"Oh, I don't know," returned Rand.
"'Stranger things than that have happened,' as the old woman said
when she kissed her cow."
"You mean as the man said when he married his cook," corrected
Donald.
"Well, there wasn't anything strange about that," returned Rand,
"if she was a good cook."
"Or if her cooking was good," added Jack.
"Are you ready, all?" now called the starter, and each one of
the different crews grasped his oar with quickened tension as the
coxswains responded: "Ready!" and there followed the sharp report
of the pistol.
As the report rang out the oars of the three crews, all like a
piece of accurate machinery, struck the water at the same instant
and the boats leaped forward as if shot from a spring.
At the start the weight of the Alton crew told, and their boat
darted to the front, only to be hugged a moment later by Highpoint,
while the Uncas trailed just behind them.
"Easy, boys, easy," cautioned Gerald. "There are three miles of
it, you know."
The three boats were all together. Alton a bit in the lead, but
without any daylight showing between them. The Uncas last, but
still in the race.
"Shure, 'tis foine, ye'r doing," cried Gerald. "Ye have thim all
scared. See how they are running away from ye!"
For the first mile there was no change, Alton still leading, but
the pace was telling, and Highpoint was creeping up--Uncas still
in the rear.
In the next mile there was still no change in the order, and it
looked like Alton's race, but as the second mile was passed Highpoint
poked its nose in front, Uncas still hugging them. "Now, then!"
cried Gerald, as they entered on the last half mile, "hit it up,
boys; we are still in it!"
"The mascot's working overtime," panted Dick, "but he's making
good."
The boys quickened their stroke in response to Gerald's call, and
inch by inch, the Uncas pulled up on their rivals and, just as the
finish was reached, slid across the line a scant six inches in
front. It was only six inches, but enough, and though the boys
could scarce sit up, their fatigue was forgotten in the joy of the
unexpected victory.
"Tra-la-la," trilled Gerald on his bugle, but its notes were drowned
by the call of the leader of the Highpoints for three cheers for
the Uncas, which were given with a will by both the losing crews.
After cheering each other, until they were hoarse, the three crews
went their ways with an agreement to row another race later in the
season.
"That's one for the mascot," drawled Rand, when the boat had been
rowed to the landing, where the colonel, with Pepper and others,
were waiting for them.
"Well, boys," said the colonel, after he had congratulated them on
their victory, "you look as if you had been doing a day's work on
a farm."
"Well, I don't know," responded Rand. "It was hard work, but I think,
after all, I had rather be the man with the row than the man with
the hoe."
"That reminds me--" began Dick.
"It does, eh?" questioned Donald. "Well, I don't know why, I am
sure."
"That, speaking of roses--" went on Dick.
"Roses!" ejaculated Jack. "Who said anything about roses?"
"Well, talking about roses, anyhow--" continued Dick.
"I don't see anything about here to remind you of roses," contended
Donald.
"Can you tell me," persisted Dick, "what kind of rows never come
singly?"
"The kind you have to hoe," responded Donald, whose father had a
garden.
"I guess that's right, Don," agreed the colonel
"Shad roes," proclaimed Dick.
"Pooh!" sniffed Don; "that has an ancient and fishlike flavor."
"Which reminds me," remarked the colonel, "that I provided some
refreshments, as a consolation for your defeat, but as you won I
suppose you won't care for them now."
"Speaking for myself," said Dick modestly; "it sounds good to me."