"Cou—couldn't hel—help it," panted Jerry. He was all but winded, for the pulling had been too much for him.
"The Rovers win! The Rovers win!" was the shout that went up, and in the midst of the hubbub Dick and Tom crossed the line, winning by at least six lengths. Koswell and Larkspur were so disgusted that they did not even finish, but stopped rowing and turned away from the float.
"The Rovers win," announced Frank Holden. "A fine race, too," he added. "Let me congratulate you," and he waved his hand pleasantly to Dick and Tom.
"I got a pain in my side, and that made me miss the stroke," said Jerry Koswell lamely. "Some day I'll race them again, and win, too."
"You should have won this time," growled Dudd Flockley when he was alone with his cronies. "I dropped twenty dollars on that race."
"I never thought they could row like that," was Larkspur's comment. "I don't think I want to row against them again."
Dick and Tom were warmly congratulated by all their friends. It had been a well-earned victory, and they were correspondingly happy. Koswell was sourer than ever against them, and vowed he would "square up" somehow, and
