Lester Chadwick

“ And then with one last spurt, a spurt that seemed to wrench the very roots of their hearts, a pull that seemed to tear their very muscles loose, the lads in the Randall shell sent their boat over the finish line a winner—a winner by half a length—a winner! ”

“ Camp and cottage life on Crest Island was endless delight to the boys, even with the hard practice they put in occasionally. I say “occasionally” advisedly, for they did not forget, nor did Mr. Lighton or Mr. Pierson want them to forget, that they were on their vacations. Truth to tell, the girls took much of the time of our heroes. And this was as it should be. We can never be young but once, if I may be pardoned that bit of philosophy [158] in a story book—a bit that is not original by any means.
“Well, thank our lucky stars, we don’t have to grind away in the boat to-day!” ”

“ If it was the intention of Boxer Hall to indulge in a race with our friends the river champions gave no intention of it at this time. They rowed on slowly, being some distance down the stream. The water was wide at this point, and there was room for several craft abreast, even with the long oars in the outriggers which set well out over the gunwales.
“Watch out for a sudden spurt,” advised Frank, in a low voice to Jerry, who nodded in his coxswain’s seat, and got the tiller ropes in a firm grasp. ”

“ The Fairview lads, in the bitterness of their hearts, for they realized that it was overtraining, and, in a way, over-confidence that had made them third, rowed up to the float, disembarked and walked away in silence—at least there was silence until Bean Perkins yelled:
“Three cheers for Fairview—she knows how to take a licking the same as Randall!” ”

“ Boswell ran out. There was a cheer from the float—from the crowds along the river bank.
“Come on, Tom!” cried Joe. “You and your crew are next. Oh, for the love of Randall win that race! Boxer Hall has eight points now—the four and the double. But if we win the eight and the single we’ll have twelve, and be the champions.”
“Then we’ll win!” cried Tom, desperately, as he clasped Ruth’s brooch in his hand and raced out. ”

“ Lighton for all eyes to be in the boat, hardly a [75] lad of the eight but glanced enviously at the smoothly-swinging shell, that looked so trim and so neat. For, in spite of the work expended on the second-hand craft, it showed what it was.
“But it won’t be long before we have a better one,” thought Tom.
“Row easy, all,” came the command from the coach, when the Boxer Hall boat had passed around a bend of the stream.
The stroke was slackened, to the relief of all, for, though they were sturdy lads, rowing was a form of exercise to which they were not much accustomed, especially in a shell. ”

“ He looked over at the Fairview shell, and noted that Roger Barns, the coxswain, was closely regarding the Randall eight.
“They’re sizing us up,” thought Jerry. “Well, we may not be such a muchness now, but by Hector! When we start in regular training this Fall, if we don’t make ’em sit up and notice which side their tea is buttered on I’m a Dutchman, and that’s no wallflower at a dance, either!” and Jerry shut his lips firmly and felt delicately of the tiller lines, shifting the rudder slightly to learn that the shell was in good control. ”

“ A CLOSE FINISH
“Come on now, fellows, hit her up again! All together and I want every man to sing! Ready now!” and Bean Perkins, the official cheer-leader, the “shouter” of Randall, signalled with his megaphone to his cohorts who were lined up near the boathouse, in and around which the various crews or single-shell men were gathered. “Tear it out now!” commanded Bean, and that glorious old Latin song—“Aut Vincere, Aut Mori!”—“Either We Conquer or We Die!” welled out over the river. It was the song that, time and again, had urged Randall on to victory. ”

“ My chief anxiety at present is to get you in the way of taking the proper stroke, to teach you how to sit, how to slide in the moving seats, how to bring your whole weight where it will do the most good, and how to depend on the toe stretchers. Your wind will take care of itself when you get down to hard practice. If it doesn’t—well, you can’t row in an eight, that’s all.”
The old graduate glanced sharply at the lads, and, noting a look of anxiety on their faces, he hastened to add:
“But I’m sure it will come out all right. Don’t think about it. Now then, hit up the stroke a little.” ”

“ Soon only the ticking of the fussy, little alarm clock was heard, mingled with the rattle of paper as books were leafed or as the lads wrote out their lessons. Even the clock stopped after a bit, and the sudden silence was so startling that Phil exclaimed:
“She’s run down! Hope nothing’s the matter with her,” and he picked up the timepiece with an anxious face.
“Probably got toothpickitis,” suggested Tom. “Give it a shake.”
Phil did so, with the result that a piece of toothpick did fall out, and then the clock went on ticking again. ”

“ His name was Reginald Boswell.
“Why, yes, Reggie,” said Tom, in the drawling tones affected by the other, “we count on having single shells. Are you going to compete?”
“Aw, say, I wish you wouldn’t call me Reggie. I hate that name!” exclaimed the lad, who was completing his Freshman year. “Cawn’t you call me just—er—Boswell?”
“How would Bossy do for short, me lad?” asked Bricktop. “Not that you’re a calf, you know; but Bossy has a sweet sound, thinkest thou not so, my comrades?” and he appealed to his chums with accompanying winks. ”

“ He had been to the spring for a pail of water, and, on his return he noticed on the porch of the Tyler cottage a number of trunks and suitcases. Then a flutter of dresses caught his eye, and he heard a chorus of musical laughter.
“The girls have come!” cried Tom, and he raced for his own camp, as he had on a pair of old trousers and a disreputable sweater, and wanted to get in more presentable shape for making them welcome.
“The girls have come!” he cried, springing into the midst of his chums with such force that he spilled half the water. “The girls have come!” ”

“ Tom peered out from under the cot, and made up his mind, if worst came to worst, that he would roll out, and grab up the heavy stove poker he saw.
“That will make a pretty good club,” he reasoned. “Hang it all! why didn’t I tell the fellows? If this Mendez does me up he may hide my body here, and the fellows will never know what became of me. I ought to have told them—and yet I did it this way to keep Ruth’s secret. I meant it for the best.”
Again Tom listened. The fumbling at the lock of the door continued.
“If that’s Mendez he doesn’t seem to know how to open his own door,” mused Tom. ”

“ And, by the way, fellows, we’re going to camp on Crest Island this Summer.”
“We are?” cried Phil.
“I like the nice, easy way he has of laying out our vacation plans for us,” remarked Sid.
“Just as if he was our manager,” added Frank.
“Well, I only thought it would be handy if we want to practice rowing,” went on Tom, holding back the other reason. “We could get a boat, and drop down to college here every day or so, take out the shell and have a spin. If we want to beat Boxer Hall we’ve got to do some tall hustling, and practice like all get-out!” ”

“ Just row along then, and don’t make any allusion to a race,” advised Mr. Lighton. “If they want to pick up and come in, let them. Only—don’t let them win!” he added, significantly. “Even if it is only a friendly brush.”
“Let them win! I should say not!” declared Frank. “Be ready to pick me up quick now, fellows, when Jerry gives the word to spurt.”
“Aye, aye, sir!” echoed Bricktop Molloy, from his position behind the stroke oar.
“And say, we don’t want to let those fellows do us, either,” went on Percy Pineford, coxswain of the second eight. “Let’s beat the varsity and Boxer Hall, too.” ”

“ The four chums—the “Inseparables,” as they were called, slipped off their lounging jackets—at least Sid and Phil did, for Tom already had done so—and soon all were on their way to Sunny River, on the bank of which the various buildings of Randall College were situated. Over the soggy campus they took their way, meeting no one, for no one else seemed to have the courage to venture out. ”

“ I’d hate to believe that any Randall man would be guilty of such a thing.”
“So would I,” added Phil.
“Oh, well, I only mentioned it as a supposition,” said Tom, in self-defense. “Anyhow, Bossy sure does practice hard in his single. I guess that trainer of his knows his business.”
“Yes, he’s a good trainer,” admitted Frank. “I’ve heard of him, but it’s pretty near the limit for a fellow to have a private trainer. It’s too much like putting on lugs.”
“It is that,” said Phil. “And I suppose, when we get back in the Fall, about all we’ll hear will be Bossy and his shell.” ”

“ Then came the approach of the college season. Several cottages on the island were closed. The girls said farewell to Madge, for they must spend some time with their own folks, and one day Tom remarked:
“Say, fellows, let’s break camp. It’s no fun here without the girls.”
“That’s right,” agreed Sid, and so the tents were struck, and our heroes went their several ways to enjoy what was left of their vacation before again gathering at Randall. And in that time nothing new developed about the missing cups and jewelry. Nor was any word heard of the pawnbroker or Mendez. ”

“ Tom went on to camp, and his absentmindedness caused his chums no little wonder, until Sid exclaimed:
“Oh, it’s all right—Tom’s got the symptoms.”
“What symptoms?” demanded our hero.
“The love symptoms. A lovers’ quarrel made up is worse than falling in at first. Look out!” for Tom had shied a shoe at his tormentor.
“Practice to-day,” announced Frank, the next morning. “Mr. Pierson said he’d be over early and we’ve got to go down and get the shell. He’s going to put us through a course of sprouts to-day.” ”

“ Lighton [254] the next morning, the lads found that he agreed with them.
“Mr. Pierson and I have talked it over,” he said, “and we have come to the conclusion that to make a shift in the varsity eight now would be fatal. We must stand or fall by what we have. It is too late now. And, mind you, I am not so sure that even if there was more time that I would make a shift. I’m certain, in my own mind, that we have a championship boat. Now it’s up to you lads to confirm my belief in you.”
“And we will!” cried Tom, a sentiment that was echoed by his chums. ”

“ Wouldn’t anyone have a grouch if he’d practiced in the shell all Summer, and rowed his heart out, only to be beaten by Boxer—and not in a regular race, either? Wouldn’t he?”
“You’re no worse off than the rest of us,” declared Frank, sharply. “We feel it just as badly as you do, Tom.”
“You don’t act so. You’ve been sitting here as mum as oysters!” came the bitter retort. It was the nearest in a long time Tom had come to a breach with his chums.
“What was the good of talking?” asked Sid. “Talking and shooting off a lot of hot air isn’t going to make the varsity eight the head of the river ”

“ Mendez, the Mexican, had been seen around Haddonfield several times since Tom and Ruth had met him on the island, and he seemed to be selling his wares, there being little need of his remaining on the island as caretaker all day. Whenever he met [129] Tom, he was very polite, but our hero cared no more for the swarthy man than he had at first.
“He’s altogether too nice,” decided our hero, though he realized this was nothing against the man. Certainly there seemed to be nothing to point suspicion to him, any more than to Boswell, and the four chums did not dare make an untoward move. ”

“ That fussy alarm clock is bad enough—I don’t know why we tolerate the old thing anyhow—but when you two get to scrapping, and this confounded rain never lets up, why it’s the extreme edge, so to speak.”
“It is the rain, I guess,” spoke Tom Parsons, in a low voice. “It’s enough to get on anyone’s nerves. A straight week now,” and he drummed on the wet window-pane, while Phil turned over on an old sofa, that creaked dismally, and tried to get a better light on his book. ”

“ He looked sharply at the man, as the latter gave the surprising information about trophies, and then, in a low voice, said to his companions in the barge:
“Let’s go ashore, fellows.”
“What for; to be insulted again?” asked Tom. “I’m not going to stand for that fellow’s insinuations. Who is he, anyhow?”
“I don’t know,” answered Frank, “and for the very same reason that I, neither, do not intend to stand for any imputation, I want to go ashore. Give way!”
They urged their heavy craft shoreward. ”

“ We didn’t see any of his stuff!”
“Oh, so that’s the reason,” replied Tom. “Well, I guess it was a good one, Frank.”
“Those Boxer Hall lads will be up in the air all right when they learn that their trophies are gone,” suggested Sid. “I wonder if there were any of the ones they won in the last meet?”
“They didn’t get many,” chuckled Frank. “But it will be quite a loss to them. However, it’s none of our funeral. I wouldn’t trust any of my jewelry to a man who would go off and leave it in a motor-boat for a night and a day.” ”

“ The two racing machines were now moving swiftly along, being about on even terms. Now and then, seemingly in response to a signal from their coxswain, the Fairview lads would hang back a bit, allowing the Randall shell to creep up. [120] Evidently it was a little trick, played with the hope that Randall would spurt, and give her rivals an opportunity to sweep ahead of them in splendid style, thus winning the impromptu race. If such was the intention Randall did not bite at the bait, for Frank, in a few whispered words to Jerry, advised him not to signal for a quicker stroke. ”