"Here is where I leave you fellows," announced Phil, and made a sudden spurt that soon placed him slightly in advance of Ben.
"Hi! hi! don't leave me this way!" yelled Roger, and he, too, put on a burst of speed, followed a second later by Dave.
On and on, through the cool, clear waters of Mirror Lake plunged the four boys. The goal was now less than fifty feet away.
"O my, see how hard they are swimming!" came from Laura.
"Ben was ahead, but I think Roger is up to him," announced Mrs. Basswood.
"Those four lads are pretty well bunched up," remarked Dunston Porter.
"Shadow and Luke have dropped out of it," announced Belle. "Gracious, how those others are swimming! Wouldn't you think it was for a prize of a thousand dollars?"
The four who had remained in the race were now less than five yards from the goal, a large flat rock that was joined to the mainland by a series of other rocks.
"Here is where I win!" declared Ben, and threw himself forward with all the strength left to him.