round, drove poorly, toeing his ball
badly, and dropping it almost off of the course and just short of the
second bunker. West's second drive was a loft over Halfway Bunker that
fell fairly on the green and rolled within ten feet of the hole. From
there, on the next shot, he holed out very neatly in eighteen. Whipple
meanwhile had redeemed himself with a high lofting stroke that carried
past the threatening dangers of Masters Bunker and back on to the course
within a few yards of West's lie. But again skill on the putting green
was wanting, and he required two strokes to make the hole. Once more the
honor was West's, and that youth turned toward home with a short and
high stroke. The subsequent hole left the score "the like" at 22, and
the seventh gave Whipple, 25, West 26.

"But here's where Mr. West takes the lead," confided that young
gentleman to Joel as they walked to the teeing ground. "From here to
Lake Hole is four hundred and ninety-six yards, and I'm going to do it
in three shots on to the green. You watch!"

Four hundred and ninety-odd yards is nothing out of the ordinary for an
older player, but to a lad of seventeen it is a creditable distance to
do in three drives. Yet that is what West did it in; and strange to
relate, and greatly to that young gentleman's surprise, Whipple
duplicated the performance, and amid the excited whispers of the
onlookers the two youths holed out on their next strokes; and the score
still gave the odd to West--29 to 30.

"I didn't think he could do it," whispered West to Joel, "and that makes
it look bad for your uncle Out. But never mind, my lad, there's still
Rocky Bunker ahead of us, and--" West did not complete his remark, but
his face took on a very determined look as he teed his ball. The last
hole was in sight, and victory hovered overhead.

Now, the distance from Lake Hole to the Home Hole is but a few yards
over three hundred, and it can be accomplished comfortably in two long
brassie drives. Midway lies The Hill, a small elevation rising from
about the middle of the course to the river bluff, and there falling off
sheer to the beach below. It is perhaps thirty yards across, and if the
ball reaches it safely it forms an excellent place from which to make
the second drive. So both boys tried for The Hill. Whipple landed at the
foot of it, while West came plump upon the side some five yards from the
summit, and his next drive took him cleanly over Rocky Bunker and to th