eve's whereabouts,
looked down the tank, saw him and started pell-mell after him. Again
Steve went under, swam cautiously toward the side until he could see the
white tiles within reach and then edged back the way he had come. He
tried to reach the shallow end of the tank before taking breath, but the
effort was too great, and when he stuck his head out for an instant he
found that those at the edge of the tank had been following his
under-water progress and were shouting and laughing down at him from
above. More than that, however, their interest had appraised Sawyer of
his whereabouts, and even as Steve, blinking the water from his eyes and
replenishing his lungs, looked about him, his pursuer almost reached
him.

Scorning concealment now, Steve made straight for the shallow end of the
pool. Swimming like his was a revelation to many of those who saw it and
a hearty burst of applause followed him all the way to the ladder, which
he gained several yards in advance of Sawyer. Steve darted up the rungs
and ran to the side of the tank, the fellows scattering out of his path.
Sawyer pulled himself out of the water and followed, puffing with anger
and exertion.

"Oh, let him go, Eric," advised Fowler. "You can't catch him."

"Yes, forget it," advised others.

But Sawyer had no idea of forgetting it. "I'll break his silly head for
him," he growled as he followed Steve around the edge. Then began a
chase that was both exciting and amusing. Egged on by the laughing
spectators the two boys raced around the pool, Steve managing to keep
always one lap ahead, slowing down when Sawyer showed signs of faltering
and sprinting when the older boy, gathering fresh energy, went on again.
It was a stern chase with a vengeance and might have lasted all night or
until one or the other dropped in his tracks had not one of Sawyer's
comrades taken a hand in the game.

Steve, breathing hard but good for many more circuits of the track, came
trotting along one side of the pool where the youth in question stood
with Fowler. There was a clear space of three feet between him and the
edge, but just as Steve drew abreast the older chap stepped forward in
his path, and Steve, trying to dodge around him, slipped on the tiling
and fell sidewise into the water. Sawyer, with a grunt of triumph,
plunged in from the opposite edge and was on Steve in a twinkling.

"Now, you fresh kid," exclaimed Sawyer angrily, seizing Steve's neck in
a big hand as so