"Not yet," said one of the other clique. "Let Dick Grant alone. He knows what he is about. He don't half try yet."
The crew of the Emma could not yet see the Alice over the stern of the boat, and we doubt not they shared the anxiety and despondency of their friends on shore. But no sooner had the boats rounded the island, and commenced on the home stretch, than Richard's vibrating body began gradually to move more rapidly, and just in proportion as he increased the movement, the Emma lessened the distance between herself and the Alice.
"Steady, fellows; don't get excited. Dip a little deeper," said Richard, in a quiet, cool tone. "We are doing splendidly, and you shall see the Alice over the stern in about three minutes."
Nevers, as in the fight with his rival, began to be very much excited when he saw that he was losing ground. He spoke quick and earnest words to the crew of his boat, who had been doing their utmost from the beginning, urging them to increase their exertions. Richard had not permitted his crew to do their best at first, but had kept in their muscles a reserve of strength for the final emergency. The party in the Alice had no such reserve power, and their efforts to increase the speed of the boat were put forth at the expense of a proper attention to skill and precision.
The boats were now side by side, and they continued in this relative position until they were within half a mile of the stake boat. The race had become intensely exciting, and again the two cliques on shore were breathless and silent with interest. Neither party had any thing to indicate the success of its favorite.
Even yet Richard had not put his crew to their utmost. But the decisive moment had arrived, and his body began to sway backward and forward with increasing rapidity, and a quarter of a mile more gave him half a boat-length's advantage over his rival.
"Steady, fellows; keep cool," said he, in a loud whisper. "Don't miss a stroke, and make every one tell all it will. Now you see her over the stern—but pull steady."
The Emma was a length ahead of the Alice when Richard finished these remarks. The boats were within an eighth of a mile of the end of the course, and the murmuring applause of the Grant party on shore began to reach the ears of the contestants.
"Pull! Pull!" shouted Nevers, filled with rage and vexation. "Pull with all your might, fellows. We can beat him yet, if you only stick to it."
He increased the rapidity of his motions, but his crew were unable to keep up with him. Their stroke was unsteady; some of them forgot to feather their oars, and some scarcely dipped the blades in the water.