The races were run amid great enthusiasm as the sailors saw the possibility for the winner gradually narrow down until the coveted pennant lay between but two ships, the “Connecticut” and the “Minnesota.”
“You have just a half hour to rest up before the first heat of the big race,” said Sydney, as he and Phil walked toward the hospital tent after the 440-yard run.
Phil felt the strain of his two races. He had won the 220-yards by a narrow margin, but had been cleverly outstripped in the longer race by a sailorman from the “Minnesota.”
Sydney had acquitted himself with credit; he had taken second place in two of the jumping contests.
“You seem to be a hot favorite for the 100-yards, Mr. Perry,” said the doctor, with a smile of admiration at the well-knit figure before him, as he directed his nurses to rub the strained muscles to keep them in shape for the final contest. “I hear the pennant lies between your ship and the ‘Minnesota.’”
Marshall came into the tent, and unabashed at the rebuke administered by Phil earlier in the day, began his argument anew:
“I know you don’t like Lazar any too well,” he said in an undertone, “and because he suggested this, you immediately became angry, but let me show you a perfectly fair way of doing it, without blocking anybody. Say Lazar can win, then leaving yourself out of the count, some one will run second. Now don’t try to catch Lazar, but keep ahead of the man who threatens him and takes second place. If you overexert yourself to pass Lazar you may give out and be beaten by two or three men. That is surely fair in a contest between ships.”
“But suppose I feel confident I can beat Lazar and win,” answered Phil dryly.
“That’s too much to expect, Perry,” said he earnestly. “After running as you have it’s only natural that you cannot be in as good condition as if you hadn’t run, and we must take both first and second place in this last race to be sure of beating the ‘Minnesota.’ She leads us now by nearly ten points. Can’t you do this for your ship?”
Phil was silent. He believed the proposition as far as Marshall was concerned was prompted solely by a desire to see his ship win, but as coming from Lazar it was a slur on his manliness. The latter had hinted at blocking off the fast runners, pocketing them by keeping ahead and preventing their passing him, thus insuring a win for Lazar if he succeeded in getting off quickly, which was his greatest asset; he was the quickest starter Phil had ever seen. But even in the form outlined by Marshall, although it might not be considered unfair, yet it was unsportsmanlike and savored of jockeying.