ding, bearing the glistening and carefully kept shell on their
shoulders, a cheer started that gained force as it ran along the crowds
lining the banks of the river, until it died away far in the distance.

It had been decided to use the up-river course. And as the stake boat,
which was to mark both the start and finish, was directly opposite
Riverport, the turning point upstream must be just a mile and a half
away; for the course was intended to represent exactly three miles,
which was considered a long enough pull for young crews.

The first half would be against the strong current of the Mohunk, now
pretty high for the beginning of summer; but when the two rival boats
had made the turn, they could come down with greater speed. It was this
rush along the home stretch that all of the spectators were most
anxious to witness. And this accounted for the throngs on both shores
of the river near where the boat containing the judges of the race was
anchored.

It was now getting very close to four o'clock, and everybody began to
breathe with eagerness, and possibly a little anxiety. No matter how
loud the adherents of each school may have shouted for their colors,
when it came right down to a question of supremacy the opposing crew
began to loom up as a very dangerous factor; and they felt a faintness
come into their hearts while watching the splendid way the rival eight
carried themselves.

"They're getting them placed in line!" shouted a small fellow, who
carried a megaphone almost as long as himself, and through which his
voice carried as far as a mile, when he strained himself to give a
yell.

This was a cousin of tall, long-legged Colon, and whose name of
Harrison had long ago given way to that of Semi-Colon, to distinguish
him from his big relative.

"Look at poor old Buck Lemington; would you?" remarked another, close
to the bevy of girls around Flo Temple and Cissy Anderson. "He's in an
ugly humor to-day, because he threw away his chance to be pulling an
oar in our boat, and went off to get up a boat club of his own."

"And then smashed his shell on a snag the first thing," continued
Semi-Colon, who had heard what was said.

"Wasn't it just like him to try and say poor Clem Shooks was to blame,
when everybody knows it must have been only Buck's fault, because he
didn't remember about that stump under the water," one of the girls
remarked.

"And I even guess he'd have cared precious little if our boat had be