by craft she came to a
halt. Wash Crosby was so interested in watching the race that he did not
notice what was going on.

Harry threw the boathook and it caught fast in the steam launch's stern.
Then the naptha launch was moved back, and away she went, carrying the
steam launch with her.

She could do this because Crosby did not have on a full head of steam.

Astonished at the turn of affairs, Wash Crosby looked around to see what
was the matter.

"Hi! what are you doing?" he bellowed to Harry.

"Hauling you off," returned Jerry's chum. "I know your plot, Wash Crosby;
but it is not going to work."

"Let go there!"

"Not much! You'll keep your distance from Jerry Upton's shell."

"I would like to know who made you my master!" stormed Crosby, in a
perfect rage.

"If you don't come away I'll report you and get the town to lynch you,"
retorted Harry, valiantly. "Don't you dare to touch that boathook."

However, Wash Crosby did dare. But as long as the line attached was taut
he could not loosen it. Then he tried new tactics. He put on a full head
of steam.

It was a tug of war between the steam and the naptha launches, and for the
moment it was hard to tell which would come off victorious.

But Harry's craft was more powerful than Crosby's, and soon the steam
launch was carried far away from the racing shells.

Wash Crosby was furious and would have eaten Harry up could he have gotten
at the lad.

"I'll fix you for this!" he cried and threw a heavy chunk of coal at
Harry's head, which the boy dodged.

"Don't try that again, Wash Crosby, or I'll retaliate in a way you least
expect."

"You had no right to haul me off."

"You had no right to interfere with Jerry Upton."

Wash Crosby grumbled but could do nothing. Harry calmly proceeded to hold
him back until the race was almost over.

In the meanwhile, how was Jerry faring?

With long, quick strokes, he swept on, side by side with Si Peters.

It was going to be a close contest, and the spectators along the lake
front went wild with enthusiasm.

"Don't let up, Si!"

"Show the Rockpointers what you can do, Jerry!"

"A dollar that Si wins by a length!"

"A dollar that Jerry wins by two lengths!" At last the two reached Rocky
Island, which formed the turning point.

They were still side by side, but Si had the inner turn all to himself,
while Jerry had to move about in a much larger area.

This brought Jerry a good length behind Si Peters when t