the advantage from them at the start. It's a race,
fellows! Let's pitch in now, and overtake the outlaw crew!"

Brad knew that the greatest danger lay in one of the boys becoming so
worked up that he would miss a stroke, and "catch a crab," in boating
language. This would cause him to break the stroke of the entire crew,
if it did nothing more serious; and give the race to their rivals.

And so he continued to speak warning words to them as he regulated his
motions, and the stroke in turn.

"Easy there Sid, old fellow; don't try to rush things. Keep in line
with Fred, because he's the stroke oar, you know. That was a fine one.
Again and yet again, boys! Now we're on even terms with 'em, and we're
bound to go ahead, believe me!"

"Like fun you are!" called out Buck Lemington, being close enough to
catch what Brad was saying.

Perhaps Buck added just a little more speed to his motions, rendered
desperate by the fact that thus far he and his fellows had not been
able to keep the other shell from gradually cutting down the lead they
had in the beginning.

No matter what he did, he must have helped stop this gain on the part
of Brad's crew. Now the two boats were rushing swiftly down the river,
neck and neck, as it were, and going at a speed that seemed marvelous
to these boys, unused to anything of the sort.

For a short time both crews seemed to be working with clock-like
regularity; and it would have won the praise of an old boating man just
to have watched them. Of course this could hardly last, for they were
both sadly lacking in practice; and at almost any second one of the
sixteen lads was apt to be taken with a sudden cramp, or miss his
stroke, throwing his crew into confusion, and perhaps upsetting the
boat in the excitement.

But they could all swim now, even Bristles Carpenter; so the worst that
could happen, should such an accident overtake them, would be the loss
of the race, and the consequent disappointment.

To have those fellows with Buck Lemington crowing over them, would be a
bitter pill to Brad's crew. And they were really doing their level best
to avoid such a punishment.

There was the town of Mechanicsburg right ahead of them. Brad hoped
that the river might be quite free of boats that would interfere with
the passage of the two fleet racers. To have to dodge any pleasure
craft would mar the sport, and give one or the other an unfair
advantage.

It was a square race, and Brad wanted to s