The Young Oarsmen of Lakeview Part 8

"Nonsense! Don't croak because you are going to lose the race," shouted Browling.

The Lakeview boys began to look glum.

But now something happened that Wash Crosby had not calculated upon.

Straight from across the lake came the naptha launch belonging to Harry Parker's uncle. In the bow stood Harry, boathook in hand.

When the launch was within three yards of the Crosby craft she came to a halt. Wash Crosby was so interested in watching the race that he did not notice what was going on.

Harry threw the boathook and it caught fast in the steam launch's stern.

Then the naptha launch was moved back, and away she went, carrying the steam launch with her.

She could do this because Crosby did not have on a full head of steam.

Astonished at the turn of affairs, Wash Crosby looked around to see what was the matter.

"Hi! what are you doing?" he bellowed to Harry.

"Hauling you off," returned Jerry's chum. "I know your plot, Wash Crosby; but it is not going to work."

"Let go there!"

"Not much! You'll keep your distance from Jerry Upton's sh.e.l.l."

"I would like to know who made you my master!" stormed Crosby, in a perfect rage.

"If you don't come away I'll report you and get the town to lynch you,"

retorted Harry, valiantly. "Don't you dare to touch that boathook."

However, Wash Crosby did dare. But as long as the line attached was taut he could not loosen it. Then he tried new tactics. He put on a full head of steam.

It was a tug of war between the steam and the naptha launches, and for the moment it was hard to tell which would come off victorious.

But Harry's craft was more powerful than Crosby's, and soon the steam launch was carried far away from the racing sh.e.l.ls.

Wash Crosby was furious and would have eaten Harry up could he have gotten at the lad.

"I'll fix you for this!" he cried and threw a heavy chunk of coal at Harry's head, which the boy dodged.

"Don't try that again, Wash Crosby, or I'll retaliate in a way you least expect."

"You had no right to haul me off."

"You had no right to interfere with Jerry Upton."

Wash Crosby grumbled but could do nothing. Harry calmly proceeded to hold him back until the race was almost over.

In the meanwhile, how was Jerry faring?

With long, quick strokes, he swept on, side by side with Si Peters.

It was going to be a close contest, and the spectators along the lake front went wild with enthusiasm.

"Don't let up, Si!"

"Show the Rockpointers what you can do, Jerry!"

"A dollar that Si wins by a length!"

"A dollar that Jerry wins by two lengths!" At last the two reached Rocky Island, which formed the turning point.

They were still side by side, but Si had the inner turn all to himself, while Jerry had to move about in a much larger area.

This brought Jerry a good length behind Si Peters when the return was begun.

Si Peters saw this and grinned to himself.

"You ain't in it a little bit, Jerry Upton!" he called out, but Jerry did not reply. He was not foolish enough to waste breath just then in talking.

Over the smooth water swept the two long sh.e.l.ls, each boy working with quick and long strokes.

Now the finis.h.i.+ng stake was in view. Si Peters still kept his lead.

"It's Si's race, no doubt of it!"

"Didn't I say Jerry Upton wouldn't be in it?"

"What does Cornfield know about rowing, anyhow?"

But scarcely had the last remark been made when Jerry began to increase his stroke.

Slowly but surely his sh.e.l.l began to overlap that of Si Peters. Now he was half-way up, now three-quarters, now they were even!

"See him gaining!"

"Look! look! Jerry is ahead!"

"He can't keep that stroke! It's enough to kill him!"

"Can't he? Look, he is actually walking away from Si."

Jerry was now "letting himself out."

Like a flash he swept past Si Peters and reached the finish two and a half lengths ahead.

A rousing cheer from the Lakeview boys greeted him, while the Rockpointers were as mum as oysters.

Si Peters looked decidedly crestfallen. For several minutes he had nothing to say. Then some of his friends whispered into his ear.