“Stop! stop!” cried Andy, in alarm, as he saw the rowboat being sent in close to the swimmers.
“Get out of the way!” roared Reff Ritter, ungraciously.
“Don’t run us down!” called out Fred. “Turn out, Ritter!”
But Ritter would not turn out. Instead he sent the boat closer to shore. All in the water tried to avoid the craft, some swimming to one side and others ducking beneath the boat. The race was completely broken up.
Hogan heard the cries, but he was too anxious to win the race to pay much attention. Suddenly the rowboat shot beside him and struck him a sharp blow in the shoulder. With a gasp the Irish cadet threw up an arm and then disappeared from view.
“Emerald is struck!” cried Andy.
“Oh, I hope he isn’t hurt,” added Jack
“It was his own fault,” said Ritter. “Why didn’t he get out of the way?” Now that the damage was done he was somewhat scared himself.
“It was your fault, Ritter,” answered Dale.
The rowboat drifted over the spot where Emerald had gone down, and all of the other cadets looked in that direction. The Irish lad was nowhere to be seen.