The Young Oarsmen of Lakeview Part 5

The Cut.w.a.ter was put on a different track, and they began to move across the lake, it being Jerry's idea to cross and recross at a distance of every six or seven hundred feet.

Twice did they come close to each sh.o.r.e without seeing anything of Harry.

"Gone down, suah's you're born!" said Blumpo, and the tears started out of his big, honest eyes.

"I am afraid so," returned Jerry, "and yet--hark!"

He put up his hand and all were instantly on the alert. The wind had gone down somewhat, and from a distance came a low cry. "It's Harry's!" said Jerry. "Hullo, Harry!" he yelled, with all the power of his lungs.

He waited, and an answering cry came back from toward the center of the lake. It was very weak, showing that Harry was almost exhausted.

The course of the sloop was instantly changed, and they strove to reach the spot before the boy should go down.

Jerry was the first to see the form floating about amid the whitecaps.

"Keep up, Harry!" he called encouragingly. "We will soon have you on board."

"I can't keep up any longer," gasped his chum. "I am played out." And throwing up his arms, Harry disappeared.

Tying the end of a long rope about his waist, Jerry leaped overboard. He struck the spot where Harry had gone down and felt in every direction for his chum.

His hand touched an arm, and then he held Harry fast and brought him to the surface. The poor boy was too weak to make the first movement.

"Haul in on the rope, Blumpo!" called Jerry.

Turning the tiller over to Dora Vincent, the homeless youth did as directed.

Jerry, with his burden, was soon brought alongside.

It was no easy matter to hoist Harry on deck in the storm, but at last it was accomplished, and Jerry followed his charge.

Harry was unconscious, and he was taken to the cabin, where Dora and the other girls did all in their power for him; and then the Cut.w.a.ter was headed for Lakeview, two miles distant.

The hurricane, or whatever it might be called, had by this time spent itself. The rain ceased and before the lake town came into view the sun shone once more as brightly as ever.

Clarence Conant came on deck looking very much annoyed. He felt that he had played the part of a coward, and knew he would have no easy time of it to right himself in the eyes of the young ladies.

"The--ah--truth is, I was very sick," he explained to Jerry. "I got a--ah--spasm of the--ah--heart."

"Sure it wasn't a spasm in your great toe?" said Jerry, with a grin.

But Clarence never smiled. It would not have been good form, you know.

As soon as the dock was reached, Jerry left Blumpo to tie up and went to Harry. He found his chum able to sit up. He was very weak, but that was all.

"It was a close call for me, Jerry," said Harry, with a shudder. "I owe you my life."

"It was a close call all around," replied our hero. "We can be thankful that we are here safe and sound." Harry felt too weak to walk, so a carriage was called to take him home. Jerry went with him, while Blumpo went over to the grocery store to tell of all that had happened.

Clarence Conant was utterly left. He tried to excuse himself to Dora Vincent and the other young ladies, but they would have nothing to do with him.

"The next time I go out it will be with somebody who can manage a boat, and who is brave enough to do it, even in a storm," said Dora, and walked away with her lady friends.

"Beastly bad job, beastly!" muttered Clarence to himself. "And my best sailor suit utterly ruined, too! Oh, why did that storm have to come up on us?"

But this was not the end of the matter for the dude.

The row-boat that had been smashed was a valuable one belonging to the Lakeview Boat Club. They did not care to lose the cost of it, and so called on Conant to pay for the same.

At first he refused, but when they threatened arrest he weakened. It took nearly three weeks of his salary to square accounts, and then the young man was utterly crushed. He never went sailing again.

It did not take Harry long to recover from the effects of his outing on the lake. Inside of a week he was as well as ever. Blumpo took good care to tell every one of all that had happened, and on every side Jerry was praised for his daring work in saving the Cut.w.a.ter and his chum.

We have spoken of the match to take place between Jerry and Si Peters of Rockport. This was postponed for two weeks on Si's account.

Si Peters was a tall overgrown youth of eighteen, and was generally considered to be the best oarsman on the lake.

Consequently, when a match was arranged by the clubs to which they belonged between the pair it was thought, even by many Lakeview people, that Si Peters would win.

Si had one great advantage over Jerry. His father was rich, while Jerry's father was poor. Consequently, while Jerry had to help on the farm during idle hours Si Peters could go out and practice, and, thus get himself in perfect condition.

It was this fact that made Si think he was going to have an easy time defeating Jerry.

But, unknown to him, Jerry got more time than he thought. Harry was anxious to have his chum win, and spoke to his father about it.

Now, Mr. Parker and Si Peters' father were not on good terms, and the former readily agreed to a plan Harry proposed.

"Mr. Upton," he said one evening, when he met Jerry's father down in the town, "I would like to hire Jerry to work for me every afternoon for a couple of weeks."

"All right, Mr. Parker," said Jerry's father, promptly. "When do you want him to come?"

"To-morrow, if he can. I'll pay you five dollars a week."

"Very well. You can pay Jerry."

So it was settled, and every afternoon the young oarsman went over to the Parker place, which bordered on the lake.

Here Jerry would practice in secret in a little cove seldom visited by any boats.

As the time grew close for the race between Jerry and Si Peters the boat clubs began to bet on their favorites.

So sure were the Rockpointers that they would win, that they gave the Lakeview people heavy odds.

Together the two clubs put up as a trophy a silver cup, which later on would be engraved with the name of the winner.

Of course, Jerry's father soon found out what his son was doing.

But he would not break his bargain with Mr. Parker, and so let Jerry practice every afternoon, feeling sure that Jerry would not take the money the rich manufacturer had offered.