Everything was growing dark. Sometimes the mist before his eyes parted; he caught glimpses of the flaring head of the cox. Sometimes he could see nothing, and heard only the endless shouting, bidding him row faster, always faster. Where were they? Had the race only just commenced? He seemed to have been struggling for hours. The dread grew up in him that he would never reach the end. He would collapse. He——. But still he went on.
Women’s voices! They must be passing the barges, racing down the last of the course. When his sight cleared, he saw them—steep banks of women’s faces, shining and nodding, and fluttering into the far distance.
Christ Church! By Jove, they must be nearly on them. He could feel the turmoil of the beaten water. They were rowing Christ Church down.
“Give her ten.”
The cox was counting hysterically. Peter tried to pick it up. He couldn’t. He knew it. He was going to pieces. His stroke was flagging. And then——. What was that?
“Peter. Peter. Peter.”
As the eight fled by he heard it—a girl’s voice frantically urging him. And a man’s—he heard that, too. “Go it, Peter. Well rowed, old top.”
Only the Faun Man would have called him old top. She was there to see him! His last strength returned. He pulled himself together and swung out. The oars behind him were getting in late; he could feel the boat dragging. It didn’t matter; he’d take her to the head of the river, if he were the only man left rowing.
Bedlam was all about him. The cox bent forward, shrieking at him, trying to make himself heard above the racket. He caught what he said: “Only a foot now.”
What was happening? A jerk! The boat paused and shuddered. It had touched something. Then again it started forward. Someone was telling him to stop. He wouldn’t stop; they’d wanted him to go on before. He was going to make sure. By his side he saw something like a broken bird, trailing in the water. Then he saw eight men, fallen forward, spent and panting. People were cheering. On the bank they were dancing. The cox laid his hands on his oar to stay him. He was grinning from ear to ear. “You silly devil! Leave off!”