The boys made no reply, but looked curiously at each other, as though they were not competent, to settle the question.
"Nevers for one," said Redman.
"Very well; Nevers, we all know, is a good boatman, and has always won the races. Who shall be the other?"
No reply was made, and the princ.i.p.al waited some time for a suggestion.
"Grant has had considerable experience with boats, his father informed me," continued Colonel Brockridge.
"Grant! Grant!" shouted the boys.
"Grant shall be c.o.xswain of the other boat, then. What do you say, Grant?"
"I am very willing, sir, if the fellows desire it," replied Richard, modestly.
"Very well. The race shall come off at four o"clock. Each leader shall have two hours to train his crew. The course shall be round Green Island and home, making a pull of about three miles. You shall draw lots for the choice of boats, though I don"t think there is a particle of difference between them."
The choice was between the Alice and the Emma, as the two club boats had been named. Nevers drew the first choice, and selected the Alice, and of course Richard was obliged to be satisfied with the Emma.
"The c.o.xswains shall select their own crews. Now, draw for the first choice."
Nevers drew the prize this time also, and named Redman as his stroke oarsman. Richard took Bailey for the same station, and they continued to select alternately till each had taken his twelve oarsmen. The c.o.xswain of the Alice had a decided advantage over his rival, for he had a complete knowledge of the capacity of each boy, and had before taken part in several races on the lake. Richard was aided in choosing by his friends whom he had selected, and when they stepped into the boat, he was well satisfied with his crew.
"We shall get beaten," said Bailey, in a low tone, as they shoved off the Emma.
"What makes you think so, Bailey?" demanded Richard, with a smile.
"Nevers is a great boatman. He knows all about a boat, and when he was in command he always won the race."
"Don"t you croak, Bailey," laughed Richard. "I have seen a boat before to-day, and I tell you we shall not get beaten."
The c.o.xswain spoke in a loud tone, so that all his crew could hear him, for he knew that the first requisite of success was confidence.
"I hope so," said Bailey. "I would rather any other fellow in the school should beat you than Nevers. It will be a feather in his cap."
"Don"t croak, Bailey. Just believe that we shall beat, and we shall."
"I hope we shall. Nevers first got ahead of all the fellows in boating.
His success elected him to his first office in the company, and if he beats you in this race, he will be captain at the next election. The boys will all stand by the fellow that beats in any thing."
"There, Bailey, if you say another word, I shall wish I had chosen some other fellow. You will defeat us if you keep on croaking," added the c.o.xswain, earnestly.
"I"m not croaking. I only want you to understand what you have got to do; and I will do all I can to help you win the race. What are you going up here for?" demanded Bailey, as the boat"s bow was pointed down the river, which was the outlet of the lake.
"You ask too many questions, Bailey. If you will leave this thing to me, I will agree to whip Nevers all to pieces," said Richard, who did not like the discipline on board the Emma.
"All right, Grant. Let him alone, Bailey," said one of the boys in the middle of the boat.
"Where"s the other boat?" asked Richard. "I see her; she has gone up the lake. That"s just what I wanted her to do. I have a little business to do here before we go into the race."
He ordered the crew to cease rowing, and, to the surprise of his companions, ran the boat up to the sh.o.r.e. As he had intimated to them that questions were not agreeable to him, they asked none, and waited patiently till his movements should explain themselves.
"Now, Bailey, will you go up to the store-house, and bring down some black lead, and the brushes they use to clean the stoves. Don"t let any body see you, and don"t say a word to any one."
Bailey did not very clearly understand what this request had to do with winning the race, but he ran off with all haste to execute the mission intrusted to him. While he was gone, Richard improved the opportunity to develop his system of rowing to his companions. He had attended a great many boat races on the Hudson, had belonged to a boat club in Whitestone, and had clear ideas upon all matters connected with the business of boating.
On the return of the messenger, the articles he had brought were thrown into the stern sheets, and the boat shoved off. Again, to the surprise of the crew, Richard took them down the river, half a mile, till they came to a sandy sh.o.r.e, where he grounded the Emma.
"Now, tumble out, fellows," said Richard, "and take your oars with you."
The boys wondered more than before at the singular proceedings of the c.o.xswain, and Bailey so far overcame his respect for discipline again, as to suggest that they should have no time to practise with the oars, if they spent the precious moments in this stupid manner.
"Shut up, Bailey; I have more to lose in this race than you have," said Richard, rather curtly. "If the fellows don"t believe in me for this business, I am willing to step one side, and let any other one take hold who thinks he can do it better than I can."
"Go ahead, Grant!" shouted the crew. "We are all satisfied, and so is Bailey."
"I won"t speak another word, Grant," said Bailey. "I only wish I had as much confidence as you have."
"Bear a hand lively, my lads," added Richard, as he seized the painter of the boat; "I want to get her out of the water."
The boys took hold with a will, and the Emma was soon placed high and dry upon the beach. She was then turned over.
"There, fellows," said Richard, as he pointed to the foul bottom of the boat, "do you expect to win a race with the craft in that condition? In fifteen minutes we will have her in the water again, as clean as a lady"s parlor."
By direction of the c.o.xswain, the crew fell to scrubbing the bottom of the boat with an earnestness and zeal which soon removed every trace of moss and gra.s.s. She was then permitted to dry for a short time, and the bright October sun soon completed their work. The bottom was then covered over with black lead, and rubbed with the brushes till it shone like a newly-polished stove. The boys used their muscle upon the brushes, being relieved every minute by fresh hands.
"Now, my lads, we are in condition to win the race. Shove her off,"
said Richard, whose energy inspired the whole party with resolution and confidence.
The Emma was afloat again; the boys took their places, though not till Richard had rearranged them by their weight, so that the boat was in perfect trim when she started. For an hour and a half Richard trained them in rowing, till the stroke exactly suited him, and they fully understood all his signs and signals.
"Now, fellows, mind your eyes, and we are sure to win," said the wide-awake c.o.xswain, as the gun fired that was to call them to the stake boat. "I never saw a better set of rowers in my life, and I am as well satisfied with you as though we had been pulling together for a year."
"Bully for you, Grant," said one of the boys at the bow.
The Emma pulled leisurely up to the large sail boat, on board of which were the colonel, the a.s.sistant teachers, and as many of the boys as she would comfortably accommodate.
"Are you all ready?" shouted the colonel, as the Alice and the Emma took their stations.
"All ready, sir," replied Richard, cheerfully.
"All ready, sir," added Nevers, confidently.
Both parties were impatient for the contest to begin, and both were almost certain of winning the victory. Even the boats seemed to share in the spirit of their crews, and anxious to have the fetters removed that they might bound away upon the errand of conquest. Each had appropriate flags at the bow and stern, and one with a taste for boats would have been delighted by the appearance of the trim craft.
"Ready for the signal!" shouted the colonel again.
"Down with that flag in the bow, Carter," said Richard to the bowman, as he took down the color in the stern.