Sweeping around a little curve came the two canoes, the juniors a short distance in the lead. Their faces were sober and they paid no attention to the cheering crowd on the bank. With a spurt of speed, the senior crew overtook the juniors and passed them, but the juniors steadily regained the ground and crept up on the seniors, who were already doing their best. Nearer and nearer the goal they came, almost together. Juniors and seniors on the bank were almost holding their breath. Now the juniors were on a line with the seniors. Now they had passed them. Could the seniors regain the advantage?
“Oh, dear,” said Helen, “not much time now; hurry up, seniors! Just a little more speed, Pauline!”
The seniors redoubled their effort, but it was too late. The junior canoe shot past the goal more than its length ahead of the seniors. Such rejoicing of juniors followed! Cheering and clapping of feminine hands greeted the crew as it disembarked. Isabel was hugged, pounded and shaken till she cried for relief. “Why, girls didn’t you expect us to beat? I told you so!”
“We were afraid that it was just your optimism,” said one.
“It was just my determination! I was so scared at first for fear we would not that I resorted to suggestion for the crew and auto-suggestion for myself.”
“Gracious! Isabel is studying psychology this year, girls.”
“Oh, don’t think it was all psychology. Not a bit of it. We have practiced early and late. I’m sure I’ll be paddling is my sleep for a month.”
“Well, Isabel,” said Pauline, coming up and holding out her hand, “we’ll have to fold our tents like the Arabs and quietly steal away, won’t we?”
“Not a bit of it. Think of that party tonight! Say, Pauline, I owe you an apology for my ordering over the telephone in that way, but I was only trying to make myself believe that we would win. I can scarcely realize it yet, though we practiced day and night to do it against such foes.”
“That is very nice of you to say so, Isabel. We did our level best, and you earned your victory. Now, for the party! But we really ought to give it.”