what was
wanted to make the scene one of utter confusion and Babel.

"I tell you we'd have beaten them hollow," shouted Wibberly to the
company in general.

"No you wouldn't!" retorted Wyndham; "we were ahead and our men were as
fresh as yours, every bit!"

"Ya--boo--cheats! Told you there'd be no fair play with such a pack,"
shouted the Welchers.

"Look here, who are you calling a cheat?" said Wyndham, very red in the
face, edging up to the speaker.

"You, if you like," shouted Pilbury and Cusack.

"I'll knock your heads together when I catch you," said Wyndham, with
lofty disgust, not intending to put himself out for two juniors.

A loud laugh greeted the threat.

Meanwhile, fellows were running up every moment. Some who had been
waiting for the boats at the winning-post had only just heard the news,
and came in red-hot with excitement to learn particulars.

"It's all a vile dodge," howled Wibberly, "to get their boat to the head
of the river."

"I'll bet anything the precious captain's at the bottom of it," shouted
another. "He'd stick at nothing, I know."

"Yes, and you'll see, now they'll funk another race!"

"Who'll funk another race?" roared the hot-headed Wyndham. "I'll row
you myself, you asses, the lot of you."

Another derisive laugh followed at the speaker's expense.

"It's not our fault if your line broke," cried a schoolhouse boy. "It's
your lookout. You should have seen it was right before you started."

"Yes. You wouldn't have been so anxious for a new race if it was our
line had broken," said Wyndham.

"Yes, we would. We're not afraid of you!"

"Yes, you are."

"No, we aren't. You're a set of cheats. Couldn't win by fair means, so
you've tried foul."

"I'll fight any one who says so," retorted Wyndham.

How long the wrangle might have gone on, and to what riot it might have
led, cannot be told. It was at its hottest, and a general fight seemed
imminent, when a diversion was caused by the sudden appearance of Parson
running at full speed up the path from the river.

There was something unusual in the looks and manner of the Parretts'
coxswain, which even his misadventure that afternoon was not sufficient
to account for. He bore tidings of some sort, it was evident, and by
common consent the clamour of the crowd was suspended as he approached.

Among the first to hail him at shouting distance was Telson.

"What's up, old man?" he cried.

Parson rushed on a dozen