t for
Bridgeboro arose as Wingate Chase spurted to get the inner turn about
the island. He gained fast now and as the distance between the two
canoes shortened the air was rent with deafening yells for Bridgeboro.

The two contestants were abreast when suddenly amid the uproar could be
heard a voice, a voice singularly matter-of-fact and sensible, uttering
words which if not of excitement seemed at least pertinent to the
occasion, "How are they going to go around that blamed thing when it's
sailing up the river?"

Alas, it was too true. The most unusual development which could
possibly complicate an athletic event had occurred; the turning point
had deserted the race and was sailing majestically up the river. It
had already sailed a hundred feet or so before the watchers on the
mainland discovered the fact.

As for the striving contestants they were too intent upon the race to
perceive the strange turn of affairs until the wild mirth upon the
"mainland" apprised them of it. They must have looked funny enough
from the shore frantically pursuing the fugitive turning post, and the
unhallowed joy of the spectators was only increased by Pee-wee's heroic
efforts in the emergency as with a long pole he strove to stay the
progress of the recreant island. Failing in these herculean efforts,
he still tried to save the day by shouting to the racers.

"_Keep up_! _Keep up_!" he yelled. "You can go around it. You're
going faster than the island is. _Don't give up_! It makes it all the
more exciting. It's like--like--like--kind of--like running up an
escalator! Don't stop! Keep it up, it's an escalator race!"

It certainly made it "all the more exciting." As for the inhabitants
of the island, they were carried away in more than one sense. Townsend
lay flat upon the ground in a spasm of silent laughter. Several others
of the new Alligator Patrol sat on the edge of the stern and rock-bound
coast, their legs dangling in the water, and seemed in danger of
falling in, so gymnastic was their merriment. As for the occupants or
the grandstand, they probably thought (if they were able to think at
all) that ten cents was a small price to pay for such an exciting race.

Only one occupant of the fleeing island was up and about and fully
conscious. With his companions lying flat or doubled up and screaming
so that the woods along shore echoed with their insane mirth, our hero
stood amid the chaos, shouting to the racers at