to see them coming. "Look, Nita!" he cried, seizing
his sister's arm and drawing her to the edge of the water. "From the way
they are all lined up I should judge this is nobody's race yet. That's
the kind of a thing I enjoy--where there is occupation at the end. And
look----"

"Look at Betty," cried Anita, interrupting him. "She can swim better
than I can, and I thought I was pretty good." There was no conceit in
this remark--it was simply a statement of fact.

Out on the water the girls and boys knew the time had come when they
must show what was in them. Grace and Amy, with the discomfited Will,
had fallen to the rear, and the race lay between the other five. Allen
was leading, and the two young judges on the bank had just decided that
either he or Frank would be the winner. Then it happened! The two girls
gathered all their energy, that splendid reserve strength they had kept
so well in check--summoned every ounce of vitality they had and gave it
full rein.

Their muscles, trained to outdoor life, gallantly responded to the call.
They passed first Frank, then Allen, who stared after them stupidly. You
see, the boys were not believers in miracles. However, they rallied
their reserved strength and shot ahead until they were even with the
girls again.

The goal was close before them. Now, if ever, must come the last
desperate spurt. Could they make it? They must! they must! The thought
kept hammering itself over and over in the girls' consciousness. They
were so near now--they couldn't lose--oh, they couldn't!

And the girls were right. Anita almost fell into the water in her
excitement as the four swept on, swimming as though they had just
touched the water.

"Mollie! Betty!" she cried. "Go it--for the cause!"

Whether this encouragement reached the ears it was intended for is
doubtful. Suffice it to say, the girls followed her instructions to the
letter.

Conway stretched forward eagerly as the swimmers rushed on toward the
mark. Four hands closed over the fallen tree trunk almost at the same
instant--but not quite. Mollie reached the goal a fraction of a second
ahead--the race was hers.

As the dripping contestants drew themselves up upon the bank, Anita and
Conway rushed forward eagerly. "Mollie had it!" they cried together, and
Nita added:

"I don't see how you ever did it--it was the closest thing I ever saw."

For a few seconds the swimmers were too spent even to congratulate the
winner. But when t