“’Rah for Gary!”
The great race had begun!
[CHAPTER XXI]
THE GREAT RACE
For a time it seemed that the race would come to an ignominious end then and there, for the other canoes, or such of them as were paddled by two or more fellows, followed so closely that at the end of the first hundred yards they were on both sides of the contestants and even in front of them!
“Get out of the way, can’t you?” bawled Gary. “Give me room!”
Poke, a length and more behind, was not bothered by the convoy, and chuckled at Gary’s dilemma. But Joe Cosgrove came to the rescue. Joe was sculling in a tub.
“Keep back there!” he shouted. “Keep back of the race or I’ll call it off!”
“If they don’t get back I’ll claim a foul!” shouted Gary, encouraged by the referee’s support.