There, coming after them, as fast as the man could bend to the sweeps, was the boat containing Peter. The craft was forging through the water at a rapid pace and would be up to them in a short time.
“They’re following us!” exclaimed Larry’s rower.
“I guess they’ve found out where the telegraph office is,” said Larry, “and they’re going to try and get there first.”
“Then it’s to be a race,” replied Tony, Larry’s man. “Well, Jim Dexter will find I’m as good a hand at the oars as he is!” With this Tony braced himself and began taking long strokes that sent the boat through the water at a good clip.
“Mind where you steer now,” cautioned Tony to Larry. “Don’t run us on a log or a floating house and I’ll get you to the telegraph place first.”
“I hope you do,” replied Larry, as he took a firm grasp of the rudder. “If the Scorcher beats the Leader I’m liable to lose my job, and so is Mr. Newton.”
The other boat was almost up to them now. Larry could hear Peter urging Jim to greater exertion as the boy sat in the sternsheets and steered, as Larry was doing.
“Ten dollars if you beat ’em!” Peter exclaimed as his boat crept up inch by inch, until it was almost even with Larry’s craft.
“I don’t need any ten dollars to beat him,” said Tony, with a nod at Jim. “He and I aren’t any too friendly and I’d like to wallop him, just for the looks of the thing, to say nothing of helping you out.”
“Thanks,” spoke Larry. “I haven’t ten dollars to offer you, but I’ve no doubt Mr. Newton will pay you well if you get me to the telegraph office first.”