Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1860-07-25


not steel, or their lungs bulls hide, and hearts
can't go on pumping hundred miles an hour
long, without bursting. The St. Ambrose
boat is well away from the boat behind there
is a great gap between the accompanying
crowds and now, as they near the Gut, she
hangs for moment or two in hand though
the roar from the bank grows louder and loud
err and Tom is already aware that the St. Am
brose crowd is melting into the one ahead of
them
owe must be close to Exeter! The
thought flashes into him, and, it would seem,
into the rest OF the crew at the same moment
Tor, all at once, the strain seems taken off their
arms again there Is no more drag; she springs
to the stroke as she did at the start; and Mil
lers face, which had darkened for a few sec
onds, lightens up again.
Mler's face and attitude. Coiled up into
the smallest possible space, his chin almost
resting on his knees, his hands close to his
sides, firmly but lightly feeling the rudder, as
good horseman handles tue mouth of free.
hunter, if coxswain could make a bump by
his own eXertionS, surely he will do it. No
sudden jerks of the St. Ambrose rudder you
will see, watch as you will from the bank the
boat never hangs through fault of his, but east.
ly and gracefully rounds every point. you're
gaining you're gainingW he now and then
mutters to the captain, who responds with a
wink, keeping his breath for other matters.
Isn't he grand, the captain, as he comes for
ward like lightning, stroke after stroke his
back fiat, his teeth set, his whole frame work
ing from the hips with the regularity of a
machine! AS the space still narrows, the
eyes OF the fiery little coXSwain flush with eX-
element, but he is far too good judge to hur-
ry the final effort before the victory is safe in
his grasp.
The two crowds are mingled now, and no
mistake; the shouts come all in heap over
the water. Now St. Ambrose, six strokes
more. Now, Exeter, you're gaining pick
her up" "Mind the Gut, Exeter" "Bravo,
st. Ambrose :" The water rushes by, still
eddying from the strokes of the boat ahead.
Tom tancies now he can hear their oars and
the workings Of their rudder, and the voices of
their coXSwaln. In another moment both
Boats are IN the Gut, and perfect storm of
shouts reaGheS them from the crowd, as it
ruShes madly off to the left to the foot bridge,
amidst which ooh, well steered, st. Am
brose y is the prevailing cry. Then Miller
motoness as statue till now lifts his right
hand and whirls the tassel round his head.
"Giye it her now, boys six strokes and we're
into them" Old Jervs lays down that great
broad back, and lashes his oar through the
water with the might of a giant, the crew
catch him up / another stroke, the tight new
boat answers to the squirt and Tom feels a
little shock behind him, and then Il grating
sound as Miller shouts, "Unship oars, bow
and three y and the nose of the St. Ambrose
boat giiIes quietly up the side Of the Exeter,
till ii touches their stroke oar.
Cake care where you're coming to-" 1t is
the coxswan of the bump boat who speaks.
Tom finds himself within foot or two of
him when he looks round; and, being utterly
unable to contain his joy, and yet unwilling to
exhibit it before the eyes-of gallant rival
turns away towards the shore and begins tel
egraphing to Hardy.
"Now, then, what are you at there in the
bows! Cast her off, quick. Come look alive
Push across at once out Of tie way of the
other boats"
81 congratulate you, Jeryis," says the Exc.
ter stroke, as the ST. Ambrose boat shoots
past him. "Do it again next race and l
sha'n't care"
owe were within three lengths of BIazen-
nose when we bumped, says the all-observant
Miller, in a low voice.
"All right" answers the captain "Brazcn-
nose isn't so strong as usual. We sha'n't
have much trouble there, but a tough job up
above, l take it."
"Brazen-nose was better steered than Exc
ter"
"They muffed it in the Gut eli h" said the
captain. 81 thought so by the shouts"
Yes, we were pressing them a little down
below, and their coXswain kept looking over
his shoulder. He was in the Gut before he
knew it, and had to pull his left hand hard, or
they would have fouled the Oxtordshire cor
ner. That stopped their way, and in we
went"
"Bravo! and how well we started too"
eyes, thanks to that Hardy. 1t was touch
ard 90 though; I couldn't have held the rope
two seconds more"
GLOW did our fellows work She dragged
good deal below the Gut"
Miller looked somewhat serious, but even
he cannot be finding fault just now for the
first step is gained, the first victory won; and,
as Homer sometimes mods, so Miller relaXeS
the sternnesS OF his rule. The crew, as soon
as they have found their voices again, laugh
and talk and answer the congratulations of
their friends, as the boat slips along close to
the towing-path on the Berks side, "easy ALL
almost keeping pace, nevertheless, with the
lower boats, which are racing up under the
willows on the OXtordshire side. Drysda es
dog, after one or two feints, makes frantic
bound into the water and is hauled dripping
into the boat by Drysdale, unchid by Miller,
but to the intense disgust of Diogenes, whose
pantaloonS and principles are alike outraged by
the proceeding He-the Cato of the oar
scorns to relax the strictness of his code, even
after victory won. Neither word nor look
does he cast to the eXuting st. AmDrosians
on the bank a twinkle in his eye, and sub
dued chuckle or two, alone betray that
though an oarsman he is mortal Already he
revolves in his mind the project of an early
walk under few pea-coats, not being quite
satisfied conscientious old boy y that he tried
his stretcher enough in that final squirt, and
thinking that there must be an extra pound of
flesh on him somewhere or other which did
the mischief
81 say, Brown" said Drysdale, chow do
you feel 90
GAN right" said Tom 81 never felt jOllier
in my life"
"Ay Jove, though, it was an awful grind;
didn't you wish yourself well out of it below
the Gut 2"
"No, nor you either"
"Didn't | though was awfully baked,
my throat is like lime-kin yet. What did
you think about 2"
"Well, about keeping time, l think" said
Tom, laughing, "but | can remember much"
al only kept on by thinking how | hated
those devils in the Exeter boat and how done
up they must be, and hoping their Number 2
felt like having fit"
AT this moment they came opposite the
Cherwel The leading boat was just passing
the winding post, off the University barge and
the band struck up the "Conquering Hero
with crash. And while mighty sound of
shouts murmurs, and music, went up into
the evening sky, Miller shook the tller-ropes
again, the captain shouted "Now then, pick
her up" and the st. Ambrose boat shot up
between the swarming banks at racing pace
to her landing place, the lion of the evening.
Dear readers of the genter sex you,
know, will pardon the enthusiasm which strs
our pulses, now in sober middle age, as we call
up again the memories of this the most eXcit-