"But why are not they suppressed, Professor?" asked the newcomer in Columbia.
"It happens that their fathers are prominent men in town, and powerful politically."
"I see; that explains it. But I hope there will be something done soon to strike terror into the hearts of this clique of prank lovers, for they will go from bad to worse. Some one was telling me about the way they cut off the electric light at the school, when the assembly room was crowded with people. While that was humorous in a way, it might have led to serious results. Columbia might be a pretty nice town to live in only for this spirit of mischief that seems rampant."
"There goes the starting signal!" exclaimed the old music-master, forgetting everything else in his eagerness to see Columbia win, for he loved the boys with whom he was thrown much in contact.
Frank, as he noted the four contestants from the home town, smiled broadly.
"Not much choice in that bunch, I take it. Shut your eyes and point and you'd be sure to hit a candidate for the ugly job up the river. I wonder which of those four boats has a dab of nice bottle-green paint on her bow about the water line? Queer that Columbia should be represented by such a set of fellows; but all the same, I suppose there are many who hope we win."
He hastened to find his crew. The powerful little launches would not take much time rounding the island, and coming down the home stretch. And after that race had been decided the eight-oared one was on the stocks.
One by one he picked up his men and sent them to where the shell lay guarded in the boathouse. It had been thought best to keep it there until needed, because of the crowds around, and the possibility lest some scoundrel injure its fragile skin when attention was directed to some exciting race.
Coach Willoughby was giving the last instructions, and the crew listened with considerable respect, for they had learned that this old Princeton graduate knew nearly every little wrinkle connected with successful boating.
Frank caught his eye fastened doubtfully upon Jones. He knew that the experienced athlete feared the man would break down before the end came. Frank had looked the matter over carefully and decided just what must be done if "Jonsey" collapsed. Should it come at some distance away from the finish he would be made to go over the side, for they could not carry "dead wood;" some other boat would pick him up, if so be he was unable to swim to the shore.