St. John, eager to win for the sake of finding favor in Marion"s eyes, exerted himself to the utmost, and soon forged ahead.
"Oh, Jack! he is going to beat," cried the girl, in disappointment. "I am too much of a load for you."
"The race has but started," he replied. "Wait until we turn the rocks and then see who is ahead."
On and on went the two boats, St. John pulling strongly, but somewhat wildly--a pace he could not keep up. Jack rowed strongly, too, but kept himself somewhat in reserve.
When half the distance to the Sister Rocks was covered St. John was four boat-lengths ahead.
"Ha! what did I tell you!" he cried. "I will beat you, and beat you badly, too!"
""He laughs best who laughs last,"" quoted Jack. "Marion, sit a little more to the left, please. There, that"s it--now we"ll go along straighter."
"I wish I could help row," she said. "But that wouldn"t be fair. But, oh, Jack! you must beat him!"
Slowly, but surely, they approached the Sister Rocks. Being ahead, St.
John turned in, to take the shortest cut around the turning-stake, if such the rocks may be called.
"Too bad, Jack, you will have to go outside," cried Marion.
"Never mind, I"ll beat him, anyway," answered our hero, and now let himself out.
The added strength to his stroke soon told, and before long he began to crawl close to St. John"s craft. Then he overlapped his opponent and forged ahead.
"Hurrah! you are ahead!" cried Marion excitedly, but in a voice her cousin might not hear. "Keep up, Jack; you are doing wonderfully well."
Our hero did keep up, and when he reached the first of the Sister Rocks he was more than two boat-lengths ahead.
He knew the rocks well, and glided around them skillfully, with just enough water between the rocks and the boat to make the turning a safe one.
"Now for the home stretch!" he murmured, and began to pull as never before. He felt certain he could defeat St. John, but he wished to make the defeat as large as possible. "He"ll find even a n.o.body can row," he told himself, with grim satisfaction.
To have Jack go ahead of him drove St. John frantic, and as he drew closer to the rocks he became wildly excited.
"He must not win this race--he a mere n.o.body," he muttered. "What will Marion think if he wins?"
The thought was maddening, and he pulled desperately, first on one oar and then on the other. Around the rocks the waters ran swiftly, and before he knew it there came a crash and his craft was stove in and upset. He clutched at the gunwale of the boat, but missed it, and plunged headlong into the bay.
When the mishap occurred Jack was paying sole attention to the work cut out for him, consequently he did not notice what was taking place. Nor did Marion see the disaster until several seconds later.
"St. John will----" began the girl, and then turned deadly pale. "Oh, Jack!" she screamed.
"What"s the matter?" he cried, and stopped rowing instantly.
"Look! look! St. John"s boat has gone on the rocks and he is overboard!"
she gasped.
"How foolish for him to row so close," was Jack"s comment. And then he added, in something like disgust, "I reckon the race is off now."
"We must go back for him," went on Marion. "See, he has disappeared."
The girl was right, the weight of St. John"s clothing had carried him beneath the surface. The swiftly running water had likewise caught him, and when he came up it was at a point fifty feet away from the nearest rock.
"He will be drowned, Jack!"
"Help! help!" came in a faint cry from the spendthrift. "Help me, Jack!
Don"t leave me to perish!"
"Keep up, I"m coming!" answered Jack readily, and as quickly as he could he turned his boat and pulled in the direction where St. John had again sunk from sight.
The spendthrift was but an indifferent swimmer, and the weight of his clothing was much against him. Moreover, he was scared to death, and threw his arms around wildly instead of doing his best to save himself.
He had gone down once, and now, as Jack"s boat came closer, he went down a second time.
"Oh, Jack! he will surely be drowned!" gasped Marion, and she placed her hands over her eyes to keep out the awful sight.
"Look to the boat, I am going after him!" cried our hero suddenly, and leaping to the bow, he dove into the bay after the sinking young man.
[Ill.u.s.tration: LEAPING TO THE BOW, HE DOVE INTO THE BAY AFTER THE SINKING YOUNG MAN.--_Page 92._]
He had been afraid of bringing the craft closer and hitting St. John.
Now he struck out boldly, and then made a second dive, coming up close to the spendthrift"s side.
St. John wished to cry out, but the words would not come. Espying Jack, he grabbed for the lad and clutched him around the throat.
"Don"t hold on so tight!" cried Jack in alarm. "I will save you. Take hold of my shoulder."
But St. John was too excited to be reasoned with, and instead of letting up, he clung closer than ever, so that soon both were in peril of going down.
"Let up, I say!" repeated Jack, and then, drawing up one knee, he literally forced the young man from him. Then, as St. John turned partly around, he caught him under the arms and began to tread water.
By this time Marion was at the oars, her temporary fear vanishing with the thought that not only St. John, but also Jack, was in peril. With caution she brought the rowboat closer.
"Catch hold there," said Jack, and seeing the boat, St. John made a wild clutch for the gunwale, nearly upsetting the craft.
"Don"t--you"ll have me in the water next!" screamed Marion. Then Jack steadied the boat, and St. John scrambled in over the stern, to fall on the bottom all but exhausted, and so frightened that he could not utter a word. Jack followed on board.
"Oh, St. John, what a narrow escape!" gasped Marion, after Jack was safe. "I thought you would surely be drowned!"
For the moment St. John did not speak. He sat up, panting heavily.
"The race is off," said Jack. "Shall I go after your boat, St. John?"
"I don"t care," growled the spendthrift, at last. "Where is she?"
"Caught between the rocks."
"Let Old Ben get the boat," put in Marion. "Both of you had better get home with your wet clothing."