he return was
begun.

Si Peters saw this and grinned to himself.

"You ain't in it a little bit, Jerry Upton!" he called out, but Jerry did
not reply. He was not foolish enough to waste breath just then in
talking.

Over the smooth water swept the two long shells, each boy working with
quick and long strokes.

Now the finishing stake was in view. Si Peters still kept his lead.

"It's Si's race, no doubt of it!"

"Didn't I say Jerry Upton wouldn't be in it?"

"What does Cornfield know about rowing, anyhow?"

But scarcely had the last remark been made when Jerry began to increase
his stroke.

Slowly but surely his shell began to overlap that of Si Peters. Now he was
half-way up, now three-quarters, now they were even!

"See him gaining!"

"Look! look! Jerry is ahead!"

"He can't keep that stroke! It's enough to kill him!"

"Can't he? Look, he is actually walking away from Si."

Jerry was now "letting himself out."

Like a flash he swept past Si Peters and reached the finish two and a half
lengths ahead.

A rousing cheer from the Lakeview boys greeted him, while the Rockpointers
were as mum as oysters.

Si Peters looked decidedly crestfallen. For several minutes he had nothing
to say. Then some of his friends whispered into his ear.

"You must do it, Si," said one of the number.

"All right, I will," replied Peters doggedly, and hurried to the judges'
boat.

"I claim a foul!" he cried out loudly.

Every one was astonished, and none more so than Jerry.

"Where were you fouled?" asked one of the judges.

"Up at the turning point."

"That is a falsehood!" cried Jerry indignantly. "I never came anywhere
near you."

"I'm telling the truth," said Si Peters. "If he hadn't fouled me I would
have beaten with ease."

CHAPTER VIII.

A PRISONER OF THE ENEMY.

At once a loud murmur arose. Some sided with Jerry, while others took Si
Peters' part.

From hot words the boys of the rival towns almost came to blows.

In the midst of the quarrel a row-boat came down the lake carrying two
elderly and well-known gentlemen, both residents of Rockpoint. Curious to
know the cause of the trouble, the gentlemen came up to the judges' craft,
now moored along shore.

"Peters claims a foul up at the turning point," said some one of the
gentlemen.

"You mean up at the island?"

"Yes."

"There was no foul there. Was there, Greenley?"

"None at all," replied the second gentleman.

These assertion