Part 29 (1/2)
”Oh, excuse me, I didn't er's fault”
”If you are going to race, start in!” ordered Dunston Porter
”Well, what's the prize?” queried Roger, doing his best to keep out of Shadow's reach
”The felloins gets the hole in the doughnut,” returned Dave, gaily
”All ready! Line up!” ordered Dunston Porter, and after a general scramble and amid much merriment, the boys lined up Then came the order ”Go!” and all of theoal
At first Ben, who had taken but little interest in the horseplay just enacted, kept well to the front Ben had always been a good swimmer, and many a time he and Dave had raced each other in Crumville Creek
”You felloon't be in it!” he shouted merrily
”Don't you be too sure of that,” returned Luke ”This race isn't over yet”
”You fellows had better save your wind,” spluttered Phil, who at that instant careat splashi+ng of water, and suddenly Ben disappeared from view
”Hey, you! Who fouled ht ht to be put out of this race”
”Must have been a whale, Ben,” answered Roger, ain,” was the answer And then all of the boys stopped talking and with renewed vigor bent to the task of trying to win the race
Soon half the distance to the rock was covered Ben was still in the lead, with Roger and Phil close behind hiave up all hope of winning
”Here is where I leave you fellows,” announced Phil, and htly in advance of Ben
”Hi! hi! don't leave er, and he, too, put on a burst of speed, followed a second later by Dave
On and on, through the cool, clear waters of Mirror Lake plunged the four boys The goal was now less than fifty feet away
”O !” caer is up to him,” announced Mrs
Basswood
”Those four lads are pretty well bunched up,” remarked Dunston Porter
”Shadow and Luke have dropped out of it,” announced Belle ”Gracious, how those others are swi! Wouldn't you think it was for a prize of a thousand dollars?”
The four who had reoal, a large flat rock that was joined to the mainland by a series of other rocks
”Here is where I win!” declared Ben, and threw hith left to him
”Not er
”Also yours truly!” added Dave