tically remarked
Tom Reade, as he came up, blew the water from his mouth and took
a few strokes. "In fact, the water's too fine."

"Too fine?" queried Dave. "How so?"

"Why, it makes a fellow feel so fine," retorted Tom, "that I'm
afraid it will make us all winners, and then there won't be any
glory for either school."

The North Grammar boys now splashed in. Len Spencer, who had
just seen to the placing of the further stake boat, now returned
in the launch.

Both the squad race and the individual contest were to be for
a quarter of a mile straightaway, with the start from a moored
raft down the river.

"Every one pile aboard!" called Len, the launch that he was on
gliding in at the pier. Wet swimmers dropped into the launch
until it was filled. Then another small gasoline craft took aboard
the left-overs. The crowd preferred to remain at this end of
the course to see the finish.

"It won't take North Grammar long to wind your crowd up in the
water," declared Hi Martin, as he and Dick stood at the end of
the pier watching the departure. Both were already in their bathing
costumes.

"Maybe not," Dick assented. "Yet you mustn't forget one fact,
Hi."

"What is that?"

"You mustn't forget that our fellows have already got their winning
gait on this season."

"Humph! We'll see."

"It won't take us long, either," Dick continued. "There, the
fellows are piling on the raft."

From the distance the spectators could see the two swimming teams
lining up on the raft. They could also make out that Len Spencer
was addressing the boys from the raft.

Bang! It was the warning shot. Spectators along the Gridley
shore crowded close to the bank to get a better view.

Bang! At the second shot fourteen boys dived into the water almost
in the same second. Fourteen heads came up, one after another,
and the young swimmers settled down to their work. A launch followed
along on each side of the course, to pick up any who needed help.

"It was thoughtful of some one to provide launches for the Central
swimmers," leered Martin.

"I hope neither launch will be needed for any of our fellows,"
Dick responded. "If either school has to have a fellow picked
up, then of course that's the school which loses the race."

Hi didn't answer. Despite his confident brag, he was now very
anxious over the outcome.

Along came the swimmers, all doing well, making a fine showing
for a crowd of fourteen boys whose average age was only four