The Boys of Columbia High on the River/Chapter 7
CHAPTER VII
THE LAST TRY-OUT
"I just got a letter," said Ralph, as Frank joined him.
"I see you have; but it isn't from over the water, because it has no foreign stamp on it," remarked the other, shrewdly.
"You're right, Frank. But it had the money in it, as usual. This is just after the first, you know," continued Ralph.
The freshman, who would enter the sophomore class next year, did not live in Columbia. He had come from a small place called Scardale, and boarded, being one of the pay pupils at Columbia High School.
There was a strange mystery connected with his life, and Frank had helped bring this very close to a settlement. Ralph had been adopted by the Wests when a mere baby, taken from the poorhouse in fact. Since the preceding summer, every month a remittance of forty dollars had come to him, with a few lines in typewriting in the first enclosure, wishing him success in obtaining a coveted education.
It turned out that this money came through an uncle of Frank's, a lawyer in New York. Finally it was discovered through the assistance of a man named Sam Smalling, that the baby had been left at the poorhouse at the instigation of one Arnold Musgrove, a gentleman who was now traveling with his wealthy widowed sister in Eroupe.
This lawyer uncle of Frank's was now chasing after the couple abroad, and Ralph anticipated hearing welcome news when Judge Allen found a chance to talk privately with Mrs. John Langworthy, as the lady was called.
"Well," said Frank, smiling, "you know we expected that it would turn up. Uncle has a fund to draw upon, and I suppose one of his clerks had orders to attend to it as usual while he was away. That shouldn't worry you, Ralph," and Frank threw an arm across the shoulders of his younger friend as he spoke.
Ralph's strange position had appealed strongly to the generous lad, who had never known the time when he was without the loving care of both father and mother. And Helen, too, was interested in him, since they were in the same class at school.
"Tell me about the boat. I was so busy up at the house looking over my things, that I didn't get down until too late. I wondered what all the noise was about, too. Was it stolen, really, and where did you find it, Frank?" he asked, eagerly, for Frank was his warmest friend and advisor, and Ralph loved him like a brother.
"Oh! you couldn't guess in a year. Where but on top of the new sky-scraper building they are putting up downtown;" and then, as Ralph expressed the utmost astonishment, Frank proceeded to tell him the particulars, not forgetting to explain what connection Minnie had with the discovery of the boat's lodging place.
"Of course though, it would have been found when the men went up to work. I don't think the fellows who played that prank really wanted to do anything more than have some fun at our expense. Perhaps they were some of our friends, and laughed secretly while they pretended to join in the scramble of a hunt. So I guess that after all Lef Seller and his crowd didn't happen to be in this game," remarked Frank.
"No, because he never stops at anything when he tries to get even with a fellow. I met Helen, and she was telling me about your upset last night, and that you had a sort of an idea Lef was the one responsible for it," Ralph went on.
"That's what I get for telling a girl. They can never keep a secret. Helen understood that I didn't want anyone to know what I thought. You see Ralph, I have no real proof outside of a laugh, and that's rather weak to hang a fellow. But Lanky is going to burrow around until he discovers who it was. He's sworn a solemn vow never to rest until he learns," laughed Frank.
"Yes, and then?" asked his companion.
"Like as not there'll be some sort of a mix-up, especially if it proves to be Lef. Lanky has been sore on him for a long time, and declares he's itching to teach him a lesson, given half an excuse. School's out now, and he can't be hauled up before the Head, you see. I know Lanky, and between you and the lamppost I guess he's giong to learn what he's after, sooner or later."
The boys had been walking along as they talked, and were now in front of Frank's house. Ralph looked wistfully over the fence, for there was something about the place which appealed to this homeless lad; but even though Frank asked him several times to come in and eat lunch with him he declined, for Ralph had more or less pride.
"Perhaps," he muttered to himself as he walked hastily away toward his forlorn boarding place, "I may have a home some fine day, and forget this awful feeling. Oh! I hope it will be so. And a mother, too—what that means to me no person can ever know. I try to imagine it, and every time break down. How slow the days go; and will I ever hear from Europe and find that I have a mother who is coming to me as fast as steam will let her."
At four o'clock there were many hundreds of people along the river watching the animated scene. Never in all its history had the Harrapin witnessed such a collection of water craft.
Perhaps, hundreds of years back some gathering of the red tribes may have dotted its waters with birch bark canoes and heavier dugouts. It would be difficult to picture such a scene however, gazing at the jaunty shells in which sinewy lads were shooting up and down stream; noisy little power-boats that could spin along like magic; besides all manner of other craft, including many cedar canoes, both single and double.
On this day every boat almost that could carry two had a girl as a passenger, and their merry laughter and calls encouraged the practicing athletes in their endeavor to outdo previous records.
Frank found his crew on hand, and evidently in the pink of condition, at least as growing boys went. The trainer soon had them in the new shell, and talked earnestly to them before starting the craft out for a few trial spins before its last heat over the full course.
Among those who looked on and speculated as to the chances of the several crews were enthusiasts from Clifford and Bellport. Frank had also discovered several whom he knew belonged to one or the other of the rival crews.
When he mentioned this fact to Coach Willoughby the other laughed and nodded.
"Come to get a line on what you boys can do," he remarked; "but we'll fool them nicely, all right, depend on it. Remember the stroke I told you, Frank. On no account go above it to-day; but in the race, when I give the signal, you can speed up."
He had been selected as the starter of the race. After that it was expected that he would return once more to his duties as Columbia's coach, keeping tabs of his wards by chasing along the river road on a motor-cycle, and shouting his suggestions through a megaphone.
The umpire would accompany the contestants on board a motor-boat, so as to watch every move made as much as possible. His was the duty to warn any man when a foul seemed in danger of being committed, and to remove any boat crew from the race in case a deliberate one was attempted that had a bearing on the result.
Scores of voices rang out here and there. The river itself was mostly given up to the practicing contestants, others being content to hug the shores, and slip out of the way when a team came dashing along like a streak.
Canoeists paddled bravely against the current, or came spinning down on its bosom like flying corks.
Above the clamor and laughter and little feminine shrieks could be heard the strident voice of the trainer as he called:
"Now, increase your stroke gradually, coxswain! Hit the water, Number Four! Once again, and a little harder this time! Row easy, all! Leave off pulling!" and over and over the rounds, while the eight rowers were striving to make themselves as much of a machine as possible, with Frank bending backwards and forwards as though he were the pendulum of a clock.
In one section of the water there was a tremendous lot of enthusiasm. Here several fellows in bathing suits were practicing the difficult art of navigating ordinary tubs, with a small paddle of the regulation size to aid them.
Buster Billings seemed to be the more expert and master spirit of the lot. The fat boy somehow just took to this sort of thing, and could make his tub whirl along downstream in a bewildering series of turns, but with a speed that quickly distanced his competitors.
"If Buster can keep up the good work to-morrow, Columbia will be sure of one prize, anyhow," everybody was saying, with great good humor; for the sight of the whirling, bobbing tubs, constantly threatening an upset, had been laughable.
"There, they are off at last!" shouted an enthusiastic student who wore the colors of Columbia High about his hat.
The eight-oared shell was seen speeding up the river. Cheers accompanied its passage from numbers along the banks. Several men in a motor-car were apparently timing the quarter, and half. They were from Clifford, and had a deep interest in getting a pointer on the abilities of the oarsmen in the Columbia shell.
If the eight lads could hold out on that two-mile heart-breaking pull up to Rattail Island, they would have it easier on the return. Here the current assisted, and terrific speed could be maintained.
On shore the coach was riding his motor-cycle, and his voice bawled constant directions, that were readily carried out by the wide-awake crew.
So, finally they came to the island, and rounded its upper reach. Frank had on various occasions sounded every foot of water here, and located every hidden rock, so that he was quite familiar with his ground as he carried the boat around on the cross current, and then swung for the return voyage.
"Well done, coxswain! Good for you! A splendid turn! Now, steady all, and increase again slowly!" came from the shore; and the words of praise from that veteran Princeton graduate thrilled Frank pleasantly.
Every boy who owned a watch was timing the heat. Various nods of satisfaction were exchanged as comparisons were made with recognized river records. The automobile from Clifford went off in a cloud of dust.
"They don't seem over joyous, those chaps," remarked Coach Willoughby, as he looked after the machine, and grinned; "perhaps you overdid it a little, boys, and put on too much steam. They are figuring whether their fellows can equal it."
"We can do better than that, sir," said Frank, confidently.
"You bet we can," gasped Launcelot Jones, or "Jonsey" as he was usually called, and who was one of the eight.
Coach Willoughby glanced sharply at him but said nothing just then. A little later, as Frank was dressing in the boathouse he remarked to Lanky:
"What did you think of our trial heat, Lanky?" The other looked around cautiously, as if to make sure that no one might hear.
"It was all to the good, but if there is going to be a weakness developed anywhere to-morrow, I think I can put my finger on it," he said, uneasily.
"I know who it is. I saw Coach Willoughby look at him when he was so out of breath. I only hope Jonsey doesn't collapse. From what the trainer said I imagine he means to swing him around to-night, to brace him up. He also whispered that we must try to favor Jonsey all we can to-morrow," observed the coxswain.
"That's possible in many little ways. You know they say a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. I wish we had some one else to put in; but it's too late now, because he would be a greenhorn," said Lanky.
"Oh! Jonsey is a clever oarsman. He seems to lack in stamina a bit. But I imagine our experienced trainer has a few wrinkles up his sleeve, and will know what to do to brace our weak brother up for the great occasion. By the way, Lanky"
"Now, I know right well what you're about to spring on me. I told you to do it, but I reckon the same will sound like a chestnut soon. I'm on, Frank. Just as soon as I fix this flowing tie to suit my taste, and please the eyes of the dear girls who throng outside, I'm going to prowl around and take a look at motor-boats!"
"Thinking of buying one, and want to get posted, eh?" asked the other, winking.
Lanky grinned amiably, as he started for the door.
"I'm just now interested in the way they make the various type of bows on the craft; and want to learn how much green paint and varnish they are guaranteed to detach from the side of a rowboat in case of a collision!"
"Oh! I see!" exclaimed Frank, laughing; "well, good luck attend your search!"