The Gridley crew must be well tired by now." Presently Ted Pascal passed the word quietly over the heads of his perspiring but confident crew.
"Tighten up a little bit, now---a little bit at a time," was the message Pascal gave his followers.
By the time that the home course had been half covered it was noted that the "Slip-over," as the Trentville craft was named, was creeping up fast on its rival.
Dick, too, quickly became aware of this.
"Trentville is showing a lot of new form, fellows, and coming right up on us," Dick called quietly.

"This race isn't won! The fact, we're near to losing it.

Form! form! muscle! Don't fumble again, Hazelton! One, two, three, four!" But still the Trentville High School craft continued to creep up on them.

The Gridley High School girls on shore became so anxious that they forgot to wave their handkerchiefs and cheer.
"More push! Power, as well as speed," Dick panted, for now the grueling speed was beginning to tell on even the leader of Dick & Co.
The prow of the "Slip-over" now passed the stern of the "Scalp-hunter." Reade saw this, too, and uttered a groan.
From the shore and the boats holding spectators came new volleys of cheers, for most of these spectators were wholly impartial, and wanted only to see an exciting race.
"Let yourself out, Gridley!" boomed a voice over the water.
Dick and Co.

were doing their best---or what amounted to much the same thing---believed that they were, at any rate.
Yet the Trentville canoe crept steadily up, then led by a quarter length, a half length.