backed into mid-stream,
and turned towards home, Parson steering no longer by rudder but by word
of mouth. As it did so, a distant report announced that the schoolhouse
boat had reached the winning-post; whereat the Parrett partisans set up
a loud defiant shout, which they maintained during the entire homeward
progress of their ill-starred boat.

Among the few who remained on the scene of the accident were Gilks and
Silk, both pale and agitated.

The latter, as has been said, was painfully interested in the result of
the race. To him the defeat of Parrett's meant more than the mere
disappointment of a hope or the humiliation by a rival. It meant the
loss of a good deal more money than he possessed, and the miscarriage of
a good deal which he had expected with absolute confidence to win. No
wonder then that his face was white and his voice trembling as he
rounded on his friend.

"You fool!" exclaimed he, with an oath.

It was rather hard surely on Gilks, who may have encouraged his friend
to rely on the victory of the Parrett's boat, but who certainly was as
much astounded and mortified by the accident as he was.

"There must be another race," said he, hurriedly. "They can't take this
as decisive, I tell you. They _must_ have another."

"You wouldn't have said so if the right boat had won," said Silk, with a
sneer.

"I can't make it out," said Gilks, looking very miserable.

"Fools never can," snarled Silk, turning on his heel.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN.

FOUL PLAY.

Willoughby reassembled after the eventful boat-race in a state of fever.
The great event which was to settle everything had settled nothing, and
the suspense and excitement which was to have been set at rest remained
still as unsatisfied as ever, and intensified by a feeling of rage and
disappointment.

As boys dropped in in groups from the course, and clustered round the
school gate, one might have supposed by their troubled faces that
instead of a rudder-line having broken both crews had been capsized and
drowned.

The Parrett's partisans particularly were loud in their clamour for a
new race, and many of them freely insinuated foul play as the cause of
the accident.

The schoolhouse, on the other hand, indignantly repelled the charge, and
dared their opponents defiantly to meet them again. And amidst all this
wrangling and bickering, the Welchers dispensed their taunts and
invectives with even-handed impartiality, and filled in just