“I’m doing the best I can,” was the reply, but Jim gritted his teeth and tried to get a little more power out of his strokes. It was seemingly useless, however, for Tony with the regularity of clockwork was sending his boat through the water at a good clip.
“I can’t let him beat me!” exclaimed Peter, while an ugly look stole over his face. “If I don’t get my copy there first I’ll be discharged. I’ve got to beat him, by fair means or foul.”
The distance between the boats was fast widening. Larry’s was three-quarters of a length ahead now.
“I’ve got to do it!” exclaimed Peter in a low tone.
Then, with a sudden yank on the tiller ropes, he shifted the rudder so that the bow of his boat was pointed straight at Larry’s craft.
“Look out!” cried Tony, who saw the movement. “You’ll upset us!”
Larry, hearing the shout, turned to see Peter’s boat racing toward him. He tried to steer out of the way, but there was no chance. An instant later the two boats came together with a crash. The gunwale of Larry’s boat was cracked, and the force of the impact was so heavy that his craft careened until the water came over the other rail.
“We’re upsetting!” cried Tony, throwing himself to one side in an endeavor to prevent what seemed certain to happen.
Nor could he avoid it, for a second later the boat turned turtle, throwing the two occupants into the water.
“You did that on purpose!” cried Tony, as he began to strike out vigorously toward Peter’s boat.