CHAPTER XX
THE CANOE RACE
Dave Shepard, at the wheel of the Happy Day, ran directly behind the judges’ boat and stopped.
“Who won?” cried the boys, in chorus. “Where does Number Sixteen stand?”
“How can we tell you until all the boats are in?” returned one of the gentlemen, smiling.
“Of course we know,” declared Dr. Shelton. “And you are quite right to cheer them, boys. The Coquette is ’way ahead of everything else–those two girls are corkers!”
Instantly the Busters and the Go-Aheads began to cheer anew. The older members of their party aboard the Sissy Radcliffe took up the chorus. Wyn Mallory and Polly Jarley had beaten out the other catboats in the dingy old craft, and had won the twenty-five-dollar prize.
“It’s all for you, dear,” cried Wyn, when Polly kissed and thanked her. “Of course I don’t need the money, while you and your father do. You’ll take it from me–for friendship’s sake, dear?”
“Yes, Wyn. From you,” returned the boatman’s daughter, with trembling lips.
“And now you are coming to try for the canoe prize, too? That will be a five-dollar gold piece. But you will have to fight all us Go-Ahead girls for it. I shall beat you myself, if I can,” laughed Wynifred.
Dave had rushed the motor boat over to the landing and he got Wyn’s and Polly’s canoes into the water. The whistle had blown for the girls’ canoe race the minute before, and the other girls were out on the lake.