The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1900-12-21

them on their mettIe. and again the
boat quivered as eight broad backs
heaved simultaneously. Inch by inch
and stroke by stroke they crept ahead.
Again Bruce glanced at the other
crews and saw the varsity stroke la
boring desperately to make up what
had been lost, and farther back he saw
the sophomore crew now permanently
IN third place. A great sob of Joy
shook him; then his eyes went back to
that bright patch of water, and his oar
blade bit more tiercely as it struck the
surface of the lake. The little cock
swain was fairly beside himself. He
shouted aloud in his joy.
Its half over, boys" he cried as
they flashed by the old windmill on the
shore Just Keep it up, and we've got
'em dead. Strokc-st roke-strokew
Yes, but could they keep it up? Al
ready Bruce's wrists were beginning to
grow numb, and his legs shook on the
slow recover.
And still a mile to go!
His heart thumped and pounded. and
the hot breath came gasping through
his open lips. He could hear No. I
groan at every stroke, but there was
no thought of quitting. Death rather
than that
But will we never reach the half
mile" he wondered.
Even as the thought entered his head
the cockswain called:
only half mile more, and we're
length ahead"
Oh, luckless boat! Scarcely had the
words left his lips when No. 3 caught
crab. The starboard side of the shell
sank almost to the waters edge as the
unfortunate oarsman tried to drag his
blade out by main force. At once the
speed was checked, and the other boats
drew up rapidly. But Bruce kept his
head and never let the stroke vary Il
fraction OF a second The cockSwain.
too. remained cool. His calm voice in
this moment of CONSERVATION rcaS-
sured the rowcrs, who quickly re-
spOnded to his monotonous stroke
stroke stroke" as Bruce'S blade caught
the water. In a moment all were row
ing again as evenly as before the acct
dent but the varsity was almost
abreast of them. The danger of defeat
after victory had seemed SO sure made
the freshmen almost mad. They tug-
gcd at the sweeps as if thew would
break them in twain. Mon animated
by such a spirit could not be beaten.
ana soon they were forging 10 The
front again. As they entered ON the
last quarter mile they were more than
half length tn the good and still gain
ING slowly. But the strain was begin
ming to tell. Bwcc's arms were numb
to the elbows, Ills breath came in quick
pants aud Il haze seemed To have set
tied over him which dulcd tue pain III
his aching muscles. but made his worl,
only mechanical Forward ana back
ward forward and backward. his body
sWaycd. willie the shrul voice Of the
/ cockswaiu sounded faint and far away.
IF could only stop for an Instant
he thought; only stroke" And then
/ he fell to thinking of what he would
give if he could rest for one stroke
+ 50, yes, $40, even week from his sum
mer vacation, and he dreamed of how
he would lie on the cool grass under
/ the trees during that vacation, too
blissfully lazy to moye-aud all the
while his weary body Swayed back
4 ward and forward. backward and for
ward without ccasing. He was arous-
ed by that strident voice. now grown
/ strangely hoarsc. How he hated it. 1t
was shouting:
only a hundred yards more, fellows,
Now give her tcn-one, two three
And as the tired crew responded to
the appeal their light boat again leapcd
/ forward. When the ten was over, there
/ was open water between them and the
varsity. while the sOphomOreS had