The added strength to his stroke soon told, and before long he began to crawl close to St. John's craft. Then he overlapped his opponent and forged ahead.
"Hurrah! you are ahead!" cried Marion excitedly, but in a voice her cousin might not hear. "Keep up, Jack; you are doing wonderfully well."
Our hero did keep up, and when he reached the first of the Sister Rocks he was more than two boat-lengths ahead.
He knew the rocks well, and glided around them skillfully, with just enough water between the rocks and the boat to make the turning a safe one.
"Now for the home stretch!" he murmured, and began to pull as never before. He felt certain he could defeat St. John, but he wished to make the defeat as large as possible. "He'll find even a nobody can row," he told himself, with grim satisfaction.
To have Jack go ahead of him drove St. John frantic, and as he drew closer to the rocks he became wildly excited.
"He must not win this race—he a mere nobody," he muttered. "What will Marion think if he wins?"
The thought was maddening, and he pulled desperately, first on one oar and then on the other. Around the rocks the waters ran swiftly, and before he knew it there came a crash and his craft was stove in and upset. He clutched at the gunwale of the boat, but missed it, and plunged headlong into the bay.
When the mishap occurred Jack was paying sole attention to the work cut out for him, consequently he did not notice what was taking place. Nor did Marion see the disaster until several seconds later.
"St. John will——" began the girl, and then turned deadly pale. "Oh, Jack!" she screamed.