om above Clump's head. The boats were side by side then.
Notwithstanding the eagerness with which I swayed forward with every
pull of the oars, and the frenzy that filled me, as in a moment more I
saw our tutors' boat drawing slightly ahead, I had to laugh at the
antics of Clump, who was rushing from side to side of his floating
staging, dancing up and down like a rheumatic lunatic, tossing his arms
wildly about his uncovered head, his face a kaleidoscope of grimaces,
while he shouted to each one of us by name, in encouragement, in
entreaty, in fear: "Oh, Massa Drake! pull, pull!" "Massa Walter! Massa
Walter! dus you let 'em beat!" "Day'se gwine ahead! Oh dear! oh dear!
oh dear!"

His voice was lost in another moment. We were nearly half across the
bay, and our tutors' boat a full length ahead. I saw that my crew were
too excited to do their best, so I called to them: "Boys, steady now!
Keep cool, cool. Only think of what your arms are doing."

"There, that's better already! We're gaining! Hurrah! Stick to it!"

"Come, boys," called Mr Clare. "Come, we can't wait for you longer!"

I believe that lent five pounds of extra strength to every arm in my
boat.

We were nearing Leander's Rock. Ay! and we were steadily gaining on our
tutors.

They, too, saw that, but could do no better. Having a steersman, gave
our boat an advantage of rounding the Rock closely.

We gained distance. In five minutes we were thirty or forty feet ahead.

But then, terrible to see, our adversaries made a spurt, and were coming
up again, hand over hand.

They gained, _gained_, gained, until their stern was opposite Harry's
oar-blade. I was almost wild with excitement. I called upon the boys,
with every entreaty I could think of, to pull harder; urging on Alfred,
who was evidently the weakest oar, and whose strength seemed waning.

But our tutors could not pull harder. They had done their best. Could
we but keep our speed.

So we went, without widening or lessening the distance between us, for a
hundred yards. But was it possible for us to hold out? How I prayed we
might! We neared Clump again. The comic sight cheered me. Truly, if
hopping about and entreaties could help us, what aid must that old
nigger give us. I almost expected to see him soar off to us, he looked
so like a crow taking flight.

"Fellows! keep a morsel of extra strength to use when we pass Clump,
then just let us put forth our utmost breath an