felt completely exhausted.
"You've been doing well, kid," called the even voice of Ted Pascal over the water, "but you can't do any more.

We take this race!" "Do you ?" dared Dick.
"Yes; you're all in, and we have reserve steam left." "Have you ?" snapped young Prescott.

"Then now is the time to prove it." Taking a deep breath, Dick Prescott shouted: "Remember what Gridley demands! No defeats.

Dash ahead, Gridleys! Now---go in and kill yourselves for the honor of your school!" Dick was far from meaning that literally, but his quick eye had measured the remaining distance of the course.
He was captain enough to know just what each of his men could endure, and for how long they could stand up under it.
"Life is of little use to the vanquished!" Dick shouted on.

"Go in to win---kill yourselves!" At an earlier point on the course it would have been fearfully bad leadership.