eans as
others that his boat, without the accident, would have won the race. He
had been astonished and even disheartened by the performance of the
rival crew, who had stuck to him in a manner he had not looked for, and
which had boded seriously for the final result.

It was this reflection, more even than the thought of the broken line,
which troubled him that evening. Could it be possible that his luck was
deserting him?

His companions were troubled by no such suggestion. Indignation was the
uppermost feeling in their breasts. Whoever had done the deed, it was a
vile action, and till the culprit was brought to justice the whole
schoolhouse was responsible in their eyes.

"I wonder a single one of them can hold up his head," exclaimed Game.

"I hope to goodness Bloomfield won't demand a fresh race. _I_ won't row
if he does," said Ashley.

"And the worst of it is they'll try to make out now they would have won
in any case. I heard one of them say so myself this very afternoon."

"Let them say what they like," said Ashley. "Nobody will believe them."

Perhaps these hot-headed heroes, had they been able to overhear a
conversation that was going on at that very time in the captain's study,
would have discovered that at any rate it was not the immediate
intention of the schoolhouse to insist that the victory was theirs.

Riddell had recovered somewhat from his rough handling that afternoon,
but he looked pale and dejected as, along with his friend Fairbairn, he
sat and discussed for the twentieth time the event of the day.

"It's quite evident we must offer them a fresh race," said he.

"Yes, I think so," said Fairbairn. "It's hard lines, for I expect it
won't be easy to get our men up to the mark again after they are once
run down."

"We can't help that," said Riddell. "It's the least we can do."

"Of course. But I don't see, Riddell, old man, that we are bound to
hang down our heads over this business. Whoever did it did as mean a
trick to us as ever he did to them. I'd like to have him a minute or
two, even if he was my own brother."

"Well," said Riddell, "to my mind it seems like a disgrace to the whole
house, and the least we can do is to offer to row again."

"Oh, rather; that's settled. I say," added Fairbairn, "I'd give
anything to get at the bottom of it. I saw the boats locked up last
night, and I was there when they were taken out this morning. I can't
imagine how it was done."