d strength for those
forty yards. But don't let our tutes gain. Look! look!"

But they were coming up--only by inches, to be sure, but coming.

We rushed past Youngster's Wharf. Clump stretched out his body as if to
pull us on.

Hurrah! hurrah! Their bow is a foot beyond our stern.

"Hi! hi! hi! Yah! yah! Hurrah! hurrah! My young--"

Splash!!!

Clump had pitched in sure enough, head first. But there was no stop to
our engines. Our tutors were four feet behind; but they were working
with a last hope and mad effort.

"One more, boys!"

Cr-u-a-nk! we touched the spar, slid over its roundness as it sunk
beneath our keel, and were on the soft beach--Victors!

We were crazy with joy, and completely used up. The boys jumped from
the boat and threw themselves, laughing hysterically, on the sand.

Our tutors only said, in tones of mingled chagrin and exhaustion, "Boys,
we are beaten, well and fairly;" and they pushed off again to pick up
Clump.

I do not know any successes or honours of after-life sweeter or more
satisfying than that boat victory.

Until bedtime, we remained just tired and happy enough to sit quietly
and talk over the events of the afternoon.

In resuming study for the few days before Saturday, we had in
anticipation for that time a fishing party on the rocks, for bass, which
were beginning to bite sharply, and for which our bait was lobster and
the crabs that were found under the small rocks at low tide.

In talking over the project together, Drake said he would not go this
time, but would wait to see our luck. Alfred Higginson expressed
neither assent nor dissent with the general arrangement, and of course
we supposed he was to be of our party, until Saturday came and we were
ready to start, poles, bait and basket in hand, when he was not to be
found. We wondered at his disappearance, but had no time to hunt him
up. Drake was there to see us off. The Captain and Mr Clare, who were
going with us, told Drake they thought that boat-race had proved too
much for him. He laughed, but was not as ready at an answer as usual.
Indeed, he appeared rather low-spirited. However, we started on our
excursion without a suspicion of the affair which prevented both fellows
from joining it. It afterwards appeared that Drake had addressed the
following note to Alfred Higginson on the day before the boat-race:--

"Cape ---, June 17, 1816.

"Alfred Higginson,

"Our quarrels have gone nea