"However did she get
in?"
"It surely is! See her go! And there--there is that man from
Peters'," exclaimed Bess to Cora, "and he, too, is in the race."
"They can beat anything on the lake," declared Hazel. "See her go!"
"See him go!"
In a few seconds those who had so mysteriously entered, the race
were far up in the line with those who had first started. The girl
was wonderfully graceful, and the man showed marked skill at the
paddle. He was trying to keep close to her, that was evident, but
at a cheer from the shore and from the outlying boats the girl shot
ahead and was soon out of hearing of the man, who evidently was her
companion.
"She will beat him--she will beat them all!" declared Cora, and this
was the opinion of most of the thousands of spectators.
"But if she does," faltered Belle, "do you suppose she will go to
the stand dressed like that to receive the prize?"
"We shall see," said Cora. "At any rate this combination is far
more interesting than the real race."
A red canoe was alongside the girl in the light one. For a few
moments it seemed she would be outdone. Then, with a clever light
dip of her paddle, that scarcely seemed to touch the water, the Fern
Island girl was again ahead.
The first course had been covered and the boats were turned back for
the final run.
"The man has dropped out," said Belle, "See there he is just
floating along.
Pages:
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86