e all
fair swimmers. And that crew was not the only one that redoubled its
practice after the disastrous race at Gillings College.

Each class crew did its very best. The coaches were extremely stern with
the girls. Ardmore had a reputation for turning out champion crews, and
the year before, on their own water, the Ardmore eight had beaten
Gillings emphatically.

"But if we can win races only on our own course," _The Jasper_, the
Ardmore College paper declared, "what is the use of supporting an
athletic association and four perfectly useless crews?"

They had all been so sure of victory over Gillings--both the student
body and the faculty--that the disgrace of their beating cut all the
deeper.

"It is fortunate," said the same stern commenter, "that our races
with Hampton, and again with Beardsley, will be on Lake Remona. At
least, our crew knows the water here--on a perfectly calm day, at
any rate."

"I see Merry Dexter's fine Italian hand in _that_," Ruth declared, when
she and her chums read the criticism of the chief college eight. "And if
it is true of the senior shell, how much more so of our own? We must be
ready to risk a little something for the sake of pulling a good race."

"Goodness!" murmured Helen. "When we're away off there in the middle of
the course between the landing and Bliss Island, for instance, and a
squall threatens, it is going to take pluck, my dear, to keep us all
steady."

"I tell you what!" exclaimed Jennie Stone.

"Tell it, if you're sure it won't hurt us," laughed Helen.

"Let's get the coach to have us circle the island when we're out in
practice. It's always a little rough off both ends of Bliss Island, and
we should get used to rough water before our final home races."

For, before the season was over, the four Ardmore eights would compete,
and that race was the one which the three under-classes particularly
trained for.

Jennie's suggestion sounded practical to her chums; so there were three
already agreed when it was broached to the freshmen eight. The coach
thought well of it, too; for there was always a motor boat supposed to
be in sight of the shells when they were out at practice.

This was in April, and, in Ardmore's latitude, a very uncertain month
April is--a time of showers and smiles, calms and uncertain gales.
Nevertheless, so thoroughly were the freshmen eight devoted to practice
that it had to be a pretty black looking aft