"It's no farther for you than for Jack," answered the girl. "Come, are you ready?" There was a pause, and then St. John said that he was. "And you, Jack?" "All ready, Marion." "Then go!" cried the girl. The four oars dropped into the water and off went the two boats, side by side. St. John, eager to win for the sake of finding favor in Marion's eyes, exerted himself to the utmost, and soon forged ahead. "Oh, Jack! he is going to beat," cried the girl, in disappointment. "I am too much of a load for you." "The race has but started," he replied. "Wait until we turn the rocks and then see who is ahead." On and on went the two boats, St. John pulling strongly, but somewhat wildly--a pace he could not keep up. Jack rowed strongly, too, but kept himself somewhat in reserve. When half the distance to the Sister Rocks was covered St. John was four boat-lengths ahead. "Ha! what did I tell you!" he cried. "I will beat you, and beat you badly, too!" "'He laughs best who laughs last,'" quoted Jack. "Marion, sit a little more to the left, please. There, that's it--now we'll go along straighter." "I wish I could help row," she said. "But that wouldn't be fair. But, oh, Jack! you must beat him!" Slowly, but surely, they approached the Sister Rocks. Being ahead, St. John turned in, to take the shortest cut around the turning-stake, if such the rocks may be called. "Too bad, Jack, you will have to go outside," cried Marion. "Never mind, I'll beat him, anyway," answered our hero, and now let himself out. The added strength to his stroke soon told, and before long he began to crawl close to St. John's craft. Then he overlapped his opponent and forged ahead. "Hurrah! you are ahead!" cried Marion excitedly, but in a voice her cousin might not hear. "Keep up, Jack; you are doing wonderfully well." Our hero did keep up, and when he reached the first of the Sister Rocks he was more than two boat-lengths ahead. He knew the rocks well, and glided around them skillfully, with just enough water between the rocks and the boat to make the turning a safe one. "Now for the home stretch!" he murmured, and began to pull as never before. He felt certain he could defeat St. John, but he wished to make the defeat as large as possible. "He'll find even a nobody can row," he told himself, with grim satisfaction. To have Jack go ahead of him drove St. John frantic, and as he drew closer to the rocks he became wildly excited. "He must not win this race--he a mere nobody," he muttered. "What will Marion think if he wins?" The thought was maddening, and he pulled desperately, first on one oar and then on the other. Around the rocks the waters ran swiftly, and before he knew it there came a crash and his craft was stove in and upset. He clutched at the gunwale of the boat, but missed it, and plunged headlong into the bay.