The Rival Campers Ashore

announced that the race was resumed, there was a do-or-die expression on the faces of Tom Harris an

ly won, even though they were beaten. On the contrary, here was a contest worth the winning, now that the odds were against them. Their first piqu

nd Arthur Warren. They seemed tireless. Their muscles, trained and hardened, worked like well oiled machinery. In vain the Warren brothers strove to keep up the pace. They were forced finally to fall

addled; for ever and again one of them would glance back over his shoulder; after which he wou

oo many years of it, not to be able to set a stronger pace. But they can't catch us in

bing the water savagely. "I'm going to m

es that did, indeed, exceed the speed at which Tom and Bob were travelling. But spurts such as that would not wi

ir stroke fell off slower and slower. Heavier built somewhat than Tom and Bob, their muscles, hardened and more sluggish wit

nd Henry Burns, seeing they were gaining on the leaders, would take no more chances on questionable rapids, but carr

rst day's contest was at hand, and presently Harvey, after a glance at his watch, lifted the horn to his lips. Four blasts sounded far up and down the still waters, a

Henry Burns had done well. But Tom and Bob had accomplished even more. Scarcely more than an eighth of a mile intervened between their craf

ch had been at the sound of the horn, the boys met together now and sh

said Tom Harris, good-naturedl

ed cotton "A" tent, and quickly pitched the four tents on a level piece of ground, in a semi-circle. The tents were flimsy affai

h bacon for frying, and bread and potatoes. They soon had a fire going in the open space in front of the four tents, with a log rolled close to it, and the coffee-pail hung on a crotched stick, s

earied. Twilight was upon them when all was ready, and they had removed the feast away fro

ther hotel keeper, if he had had to supply it. Then, when they had startled the cattle in near-by pastures with a few songs, heartily if not so musically bawled, they were ready to tur

is companion, who had scarcely got his eyes open. Harvey gave a yawn, stretched and

surprise, Tom and Bob already up and their

lunge?" a

enry Burns. "

ady for the day's race. So said Jim and John Ellison, when they were out, some minutes later. But Henry Burns gave a sly wink at Harvey, as his sharp eye observed the motions o

oftly. "We'll give it to 'em hard at t

ashore. There they set up a pole cut for the purpose. It marked the turning point of the race. At the signal, the Elliso

ould stop for nothing more till they reached camp. They had covered some fifteen miles of water, up stream against

was by consent the one to give the signal. The Ellison brothers would

ter together at the sound of the horn

still to go on against the current up to the turning point. Moreover, the leading canoe quickly caught a patch of swift running water, which the Ellisons had carried around the day befor

ow, the second and third canoes gained on the leaders in the calm, still, sluggish places.

s of Tom and Bob and Henry Burns and Harvey being nearly abreast, and the four strai

enotes a sunken rock, and by sheer skill and watchfulness turned their canoe aside ever and again with a quick sweep of the paddles, to avoid a treacherous place, where

for a moment in some rapid; and once, when the canoe of Tom and Bob would h

preceding day, however, Tom and Bob had shown the proof of their superior training

s comrade; "they ought to win, but we've given th

en-but not to the cano

t quickly over the brink, go swiftly down the smooth incline into the rougher water. All at once, the canoe seemed to be checked abruptly and han

ugh the frothing, fretting rapids into clear water beyond. Their pace was not abated much as they got into their swing again, and, one by one, they passed the Ellisons. The latt

m, anxiously watching up stream as far as he could see. That he was intensely excited was evident by the way

close by him, suddenly. "

urprise. "How you startled me! I'm watching for the canoes-d

queried the girl. "You can see up

the old mill occasionally did that work, also, as well as grinding corn. Many of the logs were not of sufficient size to support even the girl's light weight, but sank beneath her, wetting her

tending in a long irregular line from a point up the shore down toward the dam, to a point just above the la

a yell and nearly pitched

e coming!" he cried. "W

behind the other-but the second canoe, to Little Tim's disappointment, that guided by Jack Harvey. Tom and

e on, Jack! Come on, Henry! You c

panion, and espying who the occupants of the second canoe we

ng in slightly toward the point on shore where the

e seen, about abreast, the four boys plying

encouragement to Harvey and Henry Burns to come on. Surely if there had been any impel

, to make the carry. Henry Burns and Harvey headed in to do likewise. But now Bess Thornton, catching Tim suddenly by

the stream, and with a strong current, toward an opening in the dam. This was the long flume, a steep, long incline, down which the water of the stream raced with great velocity. It was built to carry rafts of logs through from time to time-a chu

hrilly for them to watch. Surprised, they ceased their

t calico frock, gave a laugh and dived into the stream. A moment more, she reappeared a few feet

. "You'll get drowned there.

n her side as she

'll beat the others. I've

Burns and Harvey, seeing the girl's apparent peril, uttered each

he straightened out and lay at full length, so as to keep as nearly as she could at the surface. She disappeared, and they waited what seemed an age, but was scar

f the stream, some miles below. Now he was stumped by a girl no bigger than himself, and he felt his knees wabbling in uncertain fashion at the thought of attempting the flume. And there was his big friend, Harv

gleaming, rushed smoothly and swiftly into the opening of the sluice-way. Then h

I'll show yer.

m the boom and made a long swim under water. When he reappeared, he

r over the edge of the dam. It seemed as though there had been hardly time for him to be borne

histle that denoted his surprise at the odd turn of affairs, and said shortly, "Got to do it now. We

rface. They hardly saw the sides of the flume as they shot by. Almost instantly, it seemed, they were in the tumbling, boiling waters at the foot of it, Henry Burns crou

t on. Then, as they swept past a jutting of ledge that bordered the lower

her, Henry! You're way ahead. They're

o on they emerged into smooth water. Away up the bank, Tom and Bob, dismayed, sa

to view, shot across the finishing line, and the race was won. Standing on the bank, they watched t

y sat outside the camp a little later, "but yo

ay?" he added, turning to the girl who, with Lit

ess Thornton, her eyes twinkling. "My, but wasn

nothin'," sa