Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1904-10-29
THANK you,' answered Harold,

yacht improved a little in speed
Then, gathering his few things to-
gether, he started off on his homeward
trip. 1t was long run up the river,
and night was coming on. But the
wind was favorable and blowing
steady breeze. Ahead of him were
dozen other boats heading up stream,
too, all bound for home. The Ice King
brought up the rear of the pretty pro-
ceSSiOn.
In half an hour Harold had passed
all the boats in the procession except
one. This craft was SO far ahead that
he doubted if it had been in the races.
1t was probably some craft belonging
to one of the yacht clubs farther up
the river and was making solitary
trip to some distant point.
Steadily, however, the Ice King over
hauled her, gaining so rapidly on her
that Harold concluded that the owner
Of it was in no hurry to complete his
journey. Fifteen minutes later he
studied the outline of the sail ahead
and then muttered half aloud, "It's
Chetson in the Snow Buntingw
Immediately he felt the blood mount
ing to his forehead, and his eyes flash
ed. The winner Of the prize was half
mile ahead Of him and going in the
same direction. Silently the Ice King
crept up on the boat ahead, and then
Harold shouted:
"Hello, Chetson! Let's have another
race! If can't beat you this time I'll
take back all said and thoughtv'
Chetson turned abruptly and saw his
rival creeping upon him. His face
darkened. There was no chance to
evade the challenge.
I'm only going a few miles farther
and them
ooh, we don't need more than few
miles! I'll pass you before
These words stung, and the Snow
Bunting was hauled up in the path Of
the wind and given the full benefit of
it's power The Ice King likewise shift
ed her course little, and the two
scudded along at rapid pace. The
wind had gradually increased in the
last half hour, and both boats labored
and groaned heavily under the strain
imposed upon them.
The Snow Bunting was no inferior
craft. 1t was a worthy rival to the Ice
King. 1t had been built by noted
constructor and designer, and it had
all the modern Improvements which
money could purchase. Harold knew
this and had been made aware Of it in
the race for the prize. But despite this
he felt that his craft could outsail her.
So it proved in short time. Inch by
inch and foot by foot he gained on his
adversary. But it was a close and long
race. Both navigators were warmed to
the fray. Harold had tauntingly insin-
uated that the race for the prize had
not been a fair one. In the heat of the
moment he had said that Chetson had
deliberately threatened his boat to win
the race by foul.
All this ranked deep in the heart of
Chetson, and Harold even felt the ne
cessity of apologizing to himself for
his words. eff l can't beat him now I
was wrong, and I'll tell him So But
can and will beat him!'
Faster and faster the boats flew, the
wind joining in the race by adding
strength to the power which drove
them onward. Town and village were
passed in quick succession, and still
they kept on their course. The Ice
King was boats length behind it's
rival, and there it hung on the flank of
the Snow Bunting for two miles. Then
it crept up and gradually pushed it's
nose even with it's rival.
The sun had Set and darkness was
falling over the rivers surface, but nei-
Their navigator noticed the fight Of
time or the change in the landscape.
They saw only each other and the
white sails bellying out before the
breeze. Neither spoke nor changed his
position all inch.
They were soon past all towns and
farmhOuses, and the banks Of the river
were lined with dark, frowning fringes
Of woods and forests. Back from the
river as far as the eyes could see there
were broken woods, swamps and forest
clad hills.
Once or twice out of the shadows of
the woods dark objects appeared, and
in subconscious way they felt rather
than saw that wolves were rushing at
them. But what fear had they for
wolves or any other species Of wild
animal of the woods? No four footed
creature of field or forest could ever
hope to keep pace with their yachts.
The Ice King was now making one
of it's Marvellous spurts of speed. 1t
lifted itself by it's sails clean from the
ice, and for long distance the run
ners seemed never to touch the sur
face. Its nose shot forward one, two,
three, four, five feet. then a dozen
feet, and in five minutes it was a boat
length ahead and still increasing the
lead.
Harold held his breath His jubila-
ton was now intense. His old animos-
ity returned. He could not refrain
from turning and smiling at his cha
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