CHAPTER IX.
A RACE ON THE ICE, AND WHAT FOLLOWED.
After the events just narrated several days passed quietly enough atPutnam Hall. In the meantime the weather continued clear, and the boystook it upon themselves to clear off a part of the lake for skating.Then, one night came a strong wind, and the next morning they found aspace of cleared ice nearly half a mile long.
"Now for some fine skating!" exclaimed Tom, as he rushed back to theHall after an inspection of the lake's smooth surface. "We can have allthe racing we wish."
"It's a pity Sam can't go out yet," returned Dick. Sam was back to theschool, but his cold had not entirely left him.
"Never mind; here are several new magazines he can read," returned Tom,who had been to town with Snuggers on an errand and had purchased themat the stationery store.
"I would just as soon read now," said Sam. "The magazines look mightyinteresting."
Just then Fred Garrison came in, accompanied by George Granbury. Theyhad been down to Cedarville to purchase some skates and a new pair ofshoes for George.
"Hullo, what do you think we saw in Cedarville!" cried Fred, as soon ashe caught sight of the Rovers.
"Lots of snow," suggested Tom dryly.
"Yes--and more."
"A mighty dull town," suggested Sam.
"We saw Dan Baxter."
"What was he doing?"
"He was walking down the street. And who do you suppose was with him?Mr. Grinder!"
"Grinder!" came simultaneously from Tom and Dick.
"Yes, Grinder. And they seemed to be on good terms with each other," putin George.
"I could hardly believe my eyes at first," went on Fred. "But there theywere, as plain as day."
"It's very odd," mused Dick. "What should bring them together?"
Nobody could answer that question.
"I don't believe they are up to any good," said Tom.
"I hope Grinder doesn't join hands with Baxter in plotting against us,"came from Dick.
The matter was talked over for some time, but no satisfactory conclusioncould be reached, and presently the boys separated, some to go skatingand others to attend to their studies for the morrow.
Down at the lake the scene was an animated one. Boys were flying inevery direction, and mingled with them were a dozen or more girls and afew grown persons. George Strong, the head teacher, was there, enjoyinghimself fully as much as the pupils who loved him.
"I'll race you, Mr. Strong!" sang out one of the older boys, TomMardell.
"Done, Master Mardell," was the teacher's answer. "To yonder rock andreturn." And in a moment more the pair were off.
"Hurrah! A race between Mr. Strong and Tom Mardell!" came in a shoutfrom a number of the students, and soon there was a general "lining up"to see how it would terminate.
"Go in, Tom!" shouted Tom Rover. "Don't let him beat you!"
"Mr. Strong is behind!" came presently. "Tom is going to win out, sure!"
On and on went the skaters, until the rock was gained. Then Tom Mardellturned so suddenly that he ran full tilt into the teacher with whom hewas racing. Both spun around and came down on the ice with a crash.
"Oh!" gasped Mardell. "I didn't mean to do that!"
"I--I know you didn't!" panted Mr. Strong. "You have finished the racein fine shape, I must declare!" And then he arose slowly to his feet andMardell followed. But nobody was seriously hurt, and in a moment moreboth skated off hand in hand.
Dick was looking for Dora Stanhope, and presently she appeared, in apretty fur coat and a jaunty fur cap. He put on her skates for her, andthey skated off, with many a side wink from some of the boys.
"Dick's head over heels," said one lad, to Tom.
"Well, I guess you'd be, too, Urner, if you could get such a nice girlto notice you," returned Tom dryly. And then he added: "You mustremember we are all old friends."
"Oh, I know that; and I was only joking."
A grand race, open to all comers, had been arranged by the students ofthe Hall and of Pornell Academy, a rival institute of learning, whichhas already figured in other volumes of this series. The Pornell boyswere out in force, and they were sure that one of their number would winthe silver napkin ring, which was the first prize, and another the storybook, which constituted the second prize.
Of this race a gentleman from Cedarville, named Mr. Richards, was to bethe starter and judge. The course was a short mile, down the lake andback again. The Pornell boys to enter were named Gray, Wardham, Gussy,and De Long. The contestants from Putnam Hall were Tom Rover, FredGarrison, Tubbs, and a lad named Hollbrook.
"Are you ready?" asked Mr. Richards, after lining the boys up andtelling them of the conditions of the race.
There was a dead silence.
"Go!" shouted the starter.
Away went the eight skaters, side by side each striking out bravely.Fred was in the lead, with two Pornell boys a close second, while TomRover was fourth.
"Go in, Tom, you must win!" sang out Dick excitedly.
"Hurrah for Tubby!" came from several others. "He's crawling up!"
"Go in, Gray!" came in a shout from some Pornell sympathizers. Gray wasone of the pair striving for second place. Now he shot ahead, and in asecond more was close upon Fred Garrison's heels.
The pace was truly terrific from the very start, and long before theturn was gained De Long and Hollbrook dropped out, satisfied that theycould not win.
Gray, the leader of the Pornell contingent, was a tall, lanky, andpowerful fellow, and every stroke he took told well in his favor. Theturning point was hardly rounded when he began to crawl up to Fred, andthen he gradually passed him.
"Hurrah! Gray is ahead!" shouted his friends.
"Here is where Pornell wins the race!" added one enthusiasticsympathizer.
Fred's pace had been too sharp from the very start, and now he slowlybut surely dropped back to second place, and then to third.
But then Tom Rover began to crawl up. He had held himself slightly inreserve. Now he "let himself out." Whiz! whiz! went the polished pair ofsteels under him, and soon Wardham, the fellow who had held secondplace, was passed, dropping behind Fred, thus taking fourth place. ThenTom came up on Gray's heels.
"Hurrah for Tom Rover!"
"Go it, Tom, don't let him beat you!"
"Go it Gray, Tom Rover is at your heels!"
Gray did not dare to look back, but at the latter cry he did his best toincrease his speed. So did Tom, and while the finishing line was still ahundred yards distant he came up side by side with Gray.
"It's a tie!"
"No, Gray is a little ahead yet!"
"Go in, Gray, don't let him beat you!"
"Tom Rover to the front! Go it, Tom, for the glory of old Putnam Hall!"
A wild yelling broke out on every side. On and on went the two boys,with Fred Garrison not two yards behind them. That the finish would be aclose one there was no question. The line was but a hundred feet away;now but seventy-five; now but fifty. Still the leaders kept side byside, neither gaining an inch. Surely it would be a tie. The yellingincreased until the noise was deafening.
And then of a sudden Tom Rover shot ahead. How it was done nobody knew,and Tom himself couldn't explain it when asked afterward. But ahead hewent, like an arrow shot from a bow, and crossed the line six feet inadvance of Gray.
"Hurrah! Tom Rover has won!"
"Told you Tom would do it!"
"Three cheers for Putnam Hall!"
"And Fred Garrison came in only one yard behind Gray, too, and Tubby isa pretty good fourth."
"This is Putnam Hall day, thank you!"
The cheering increased, and Tom was immediately surrounded by a host ofadmirers.
Gray felt very sore, and wanted to leave the pond at once, but before hecould do so Tom skated up to him and held out his hand.
"You came pretty close to beating me," he said. "I can't really say howI got ahead at the finish."
"I--I guess my skate slipped,
or something," stammered Gray, and shookhands. Tom's candor took away the keen edge of the defeat.
The Putnam Hall boys were wild with delight, and insisted upon carryingTom on their shoulders around the pond. A great crowd followed, andnobody noticed how this made the ice bend and crack.
"Be careful there!" shouted Mr. Strong warningly. "There are too many ofyou in a bunch!" But ere he had finished the sentence there came anotherloud cracking, and in a twinkle a section of the ice went down, plungingfully a dozen lads into the icy water below.
The Rover Boys In The Mountains; Or, A Hunt for Fun and Fortune Page 10