A LAST RACE—GOOD-BYE TO THE RIVAL OARSMEN.
“Hurrah, here they come!”
“It’s going to be a dandy race, Harry.”
“Indeed it is, Dick.”
“There comes Hosmer!”
“Here comes Pinkney!”
“What’s the matter with Villelet?”
“He’s all right!”
The conversation took place on the bank of the Hudson River, not far
from Poughkeepsie.
It was the day of the great intercollegiate boat races.
The single-shell race had just been ordered.
Among the number to compete in this race was Jerry Upton.
Our hero was rich now—that is, his folks were, which amounted to the
same thing.
On trial it had been proven what a villain Alexander Slocum was. All of
his masquerading in the west under the name of Darnley was exposed, as
well as his fraudulent land schemes in the east. The real-estate
manipulator was sent to prison for a term of years, and the property in
California was divided up between Jerry’s father, Nellie Ardell and
several others who held an interest in it.
The land was found to be within the city limits of Sacramento, and the
Upton share was computed to be worth forty-five thousand dollars.
Mr. Upton was offered forty thousand dollars for it, but by the advice
of Colonel Dartwell, who became his intimate friend, he concluded to
keep it.
“The investment is bringing in good interest,” he said, “and as it was
Jerry who did the work in getting it, the lad shall have it just as it
stands when I and my wife die.”
Immediately after these matters were settled up, Jerry began to study
for college, and Harry did also, and both made the entrance examination
with ease.
Jerry was a fine scholar and he was also one of the best oarsmen in his
class. Harry likewise rowed a good deal, although not near as much as
formerly.
It was a perfect day and the river was, filled with pleasure boats,
loaded down to the rails with sightseers. The banks of the stream were
likewise lined with the crowds which had poured in to see the various
college oarsmen compete for the supremacy in aquatic sports.
In the crowd on shore was our old friend Blumpo Brown. Blumpo was now in
business at Lakeview, letting out pleasure boats, of which he owned
several, and he was unusually prosperous. Just at present he was wearing
the colors of Jerry’s college and “whooping her up” for our hero
whenever the chance presented itself.
At the given signal the single shells took their places at the starting
point.
The participants were the pick of the single-shell men, and Jerry
realized that he would have a struggle to win.
A puff of smoke, the report of a gun, and they were off!
“A fine start!”
“Hosmer leads!”
“He will lead to the finish!”
“Pinkney is a close second!”
“Jerry Upton is third!”
“My! but they are cutting the water!”
“Two to one that Hosmer wins!”
“Three to one that the record is broken!”
“Foah to one dat Jerry Upton wins dis race!” cried Blumpo Brown, waving
a big college flag over his head. “Dat boy don’t know what it is to
lose!”
“Hear that chap talk!”
“Pitch him overboard to cool him off!”
“Dat’s all right, it’s Jerry Upton’s muscle dat’s talkin’, not me!”
growled Blumpo.
Down the straight course came the single-shell oarsmen, each back
bending to a long and powerful stroke.
The quarter stretch was past with Hosmer still in the lead.
Behind him came Pinkney and Jerry, side by side.
Then came the half stretch. The leaders still held the same positions.
“Told you Hosmer would win!”
“Jerry Upton is falling behind!”
It was true. Pinkney had increased his stroke and was crawling up slowly
but surely to the leader.
“Pull, Jerry, pull,” yelled Harry.
“You dun got to win dat race, suah!” screamed Blumpo.
Jerry heard them, but paid no heed. He was rowing the race of the
year—the race that would make his college chums shout with joy or look
glum for the balance of the season.
And now the three-quarter mark was past. A quarter of a mile more and
the race would be over.
“See! Pinkney is drawing up to Hosmer!”
“Pinkney leads! Hosmer has dropped away behind!”
“Pinkney first and Jerry Upton second!”
“Villelet is crawling up!”
“He has passed Pinkney!”
And so the shouting went on. The end of the course was in sight. How the
oarsmen were pulling! But now look at Jerry.
How like a flash his back bends! How powerful is that broad stroke! How
quick his recovery!
In vain Pinkney tried to hold his lead. Jerry means to win and nothing
can hold him back.
He fairly flies past Pinkney and comes in a winner by a length and a
half. His friends go wild.
“Hurrah for Jerry Upton!” shouts Harry.
And the cheers echo and re-echo along the water and back to the distant
hills.
Blumpo dances a breakdown for joy.
“I told you he could do it,” he cries. “Da can’t beat our Jerry nohow!”
“That’s right, they can’t!” adds Harry. “Hurrah! hurrah! hurrah!”
Jerry leaves his shell, and is hoisted up upon the shoulders of his
friends and marched around the town.
That night he is given a big reception by his fellow students. It is the
happiest moment of his life.
And here we will leave him and Harry and Blumpo, and all of the rest,
shouting as do our hero’s many friends:
“Hurrah for the Young Oarsman of Lakeview!”
THE END
TRANSCRIBER NOTES
In this .txt file, all words in italics are preceded and end with a _ tag
while all words in mixed or small capital letters are displayed in all
capital letters.
Misspelled words and printer errors have been corrected. The original
spelling has been retained, except in case of obvious inconsistencies.
Where differences occur, the majority occurence prevails, e.g. Dick
Lanning to Dick Lenning, Islin to Islen, and Rockport to Rockpoint.
Inconsistencies in punctuation have been maintained.
Some illustrations were moved to facilitate page layout.
End of Project Gutenberg's The Young Oarsmen of Lakeview, by Ralph Bonehill