weakened. It took
nearly three weeks of his salary to square accounts, and then the young
man was utterly crushed. He never went sailing again.

It did not take Harry long to recover from the effects of his outing on
the lake. Inside of a week he was as well as ever. Blumpo took good care
to tell every one of all that had happened, and on every side Jerry was
praised for his daring work in saving the Cutwater and his chum.

We have spoken of the match to take place between Jerry and Si Peters of
Rockport. This was postponed for two weeks on Si's account.

Si Peters was a tall overgrown youth of eighteen, and was generally
considered to be the best oarsman on the lake.

Consequently, when a match was arranged by the clubs to which they
belonged between the pair it was thought, even by many Lakeview people,
that Si Peters would win.

Si had one great advantage over Jerry. His father was rich, while Jerry's
father was poor. Consequently, while Jerry had to help on the farm during
idle hours Si Peters could go out and practice, and, thus get himself in
perfect condition.

It was this fact that made Si think he was going to have an easy time
defeating Jerry.

But, unknown to him, Jerry got more time than he thought. Harry was
anxious to have his chum win, and spoke to his father about it.

Now, Mr. Parker and Si Peters' father were not on good terms, and the
former readily agreed to a plan Harry proposed.

"Mr. Upton," he said one evening, when he met Jerry's father down in the
town, "I would like to hire Jerry to work for me every afternoon for a
couple of weeks."

"All right, Mr. Parker," said Jerry's father, promptly. "When do you want
him to come?"

"To-morrow, if he can. I'll pay you five dollars a week."

"Very well. You can pay Jerry."

So it was settled, and every afternoon the young oarsman went over to the
Parker place, which bordered on the lake.

Here Jerry would practice in secret in a little cove seldom visited by any
boats.

As the time grew close for the race between Jerry and Si Peters the boat
clubs began to bet on their favorites.

So sure were the Rockpointers that they would win, that they gave the
Lakeview people heavy odds.

Together the two clubs put up as a trophy a silver cup, which later on
would be engraved with the name of the winner.

Of course, Jerry's father soon found out what his son was doing.

But he would not break his bargain with Mr. Parker, and so let Jerry
pr