Everybody knew what this meant, and consequently the eyes of the entire multitude began to be fastened on a particular place up at the bend. Here arrangements had been made by those in charge of the race, whereby the news would be flashed to those far down the stream which one of the rival boats had managed to make the turn ahead.
"Which are the signals?" one boy asked, as though he had become slightly confused, owing to the excited condition of his mind; and which, after all, was not to be wondered at, with all that racket around him, and his pulses thrilled with the hope he hugged to his heart that Riverport might win.
"Red if Mechanicsburg is ahead, and blue if Riverport turns first!" someone obligingly called out.
"There goes the flag up!" shrieked a voice just then.
There was a tall pole at the bend, and they could see some dark object mounting rapidly upward. The flag was bunched in some manner, to be released when it reached the top of the mast And how those few seconds did seem like hours to the anxious hearts of the onlookers, who were holding their very breath in suspense.
Then a mighty shout broke out that was like the great billows dashing on a rock-bound coast:
"It's blue! Riverport turns first!"
"Oh! you Mechanicsburg, how we pity you right now!"
"A runaway! They'll never be in sight when we cross the line!"
"The easiest thing ever! Football, baseball, and now rowing; why, you're not in it at all, Mechanicsburg!"