“Hi! what are you doing?” he bellowed to Harry.
“Hauling you off,” returned Jerry’s chum. “I know your plot, Wash Crosby; but it is not going to work.”
“Not much! You’ll keep your distance from Jerry Upton’s shell.”
“I would like to know who made you my master!” stormed Crosby, in a perfect rage.
“If you don’t come away I’ll report you and get the town to lynch you,” retorted Harry, valiantly. “Don’t you dare to touch that boathook.”
However, Wash Crosby did dare. But as long as the line attached was taut he could not loosen it. Then he tried new tactics. He put on a full head of steam.
It was a tug of war between the steam and the naptha launches, and for the moment it was hard to tell which would come off victorious.
But Harry’s craft was more powerful than Crosby’s, and soon the steam launch was carried far away from the racing shells.
Wash Crosby was furious and would have eaten Harry up could he have gotten at the lad.
“I’ll fix you for this!” he cried and threw a heavy chunk of coal at Harry’s head, which the boy dodged.
“Don’t try that again, Wash Crosby, or I’ll retaliate in a way you least expect.”
“You had no right to interfere with Jerry Upton.”
Wash Crosby grumbled but could do nothing. Harry calmly proceeded to hold him back until the race was almost over.
With long, quick strokes, he swept on, side by side with Si Peters.
It was going to be a close contest, and the spectators along the lake front went wild with enthusiasm.
“Show the Rockpointers what you can do, Jerry!”
“A dollar that Jerry wins by two lengths!”
At last the two reached Rocky Island, which formed the turning point.
They were still side by side, but Si had the inner turn all to himself, while Jerry had to move about in a much larger area.
This brought Jerry a good length behind Si Peters when the return was begun.
Si Peters saw this and grinned to himself.
“You ain’t in it a little bit, Jerry Upton!” he called out, but Jerry did not reply. He was not foolish enough to waste breath just then in talking.
Over the smooth water swept the two long shells, each boy working with quick and long strokes.
Now the finishing stake was in view. Si Peters still kept his lead.
“Didn’t I say Jerry Upton wouldn’t be in it?”