“We’re going to lose the lead!” cried Harry Blossom. “Too bad!”
“Are we?” came from Dave Kearney. “Not much! How is that for a spurt?”
As he spoke the captain of the Putnam Hall crew spoke to his fellows, and in a twinkling the time of the stroke was increased. Straight to the front leaped the boat, until the stern was even with the bow of the rival’s craft.
“They are going ahead!”
“Hurrah for Putnam Hall!”
“Pull, Pornell, pull! You’ve got to win!”
So the cries ran on and the crew of the Pornell boat did their best to increase their stroke. But they could not overtake Putnam Hall and when the line was crossed the latter was the winner by two lengths and a half.
A wild din went up. Horns tooted, rattles clacked loudly, and cheer after cheer rent the air.
“That’s the way to beat ’em!”
“Pornell wasn’t in it from start to finish!”