d, Fred," answered his cousin briefly.

"Believe me, this is going to be some race!" came from Randy, who was on
the other side of Jack, with his twin brother next to him.

"I don't care who wins so long as I'm not last," responded his twin
merrily.

Over twenty cadets had started in the contest, and soon the line, which
had been fairly even for a few seconds after the whistle had sounded,
began to take on a straggly appearance, as some skaters forged ahead and
others fell behind.

"Don't give up! Everybody keep in the race until the finish!" cried
Professor Brice encouragingly. "Remember, a race isn't over until the
end is reached."

Thus encouraged, those who were in the rear did their best to overtake
those ahead. But gradually the skaters divided into three groups; eight
in the lead, six but a short distance behind them, and the others
several yards further to the rear.

In the front group were Jack and his cousin Randy, while Fred and Andy
were less than ten feet behind.

The distance across Clearwater Lake was about half a mile, but the
blasted pine tree was located some distance down the shore, so that the
race would be close to a mile and a half in length.

Spouter Powell was in the lead when the first group of skaters came up
to the pine tree. Dan Soppinger was close behind him, with Jack and
Randy following. Behind Randy came Walt Baxter, another cadet who skated
remarkably well. The others of the first group were gradually dropping
back to the second contingent. Spouter Powell touched the tree with his
finger tips, and was followed almost immediately by Dan Soppinger. As
they turned to go back to the starting point, they were followed by Jack
and Randy.

"Hi, you fellows! what do you mean by skating so quick?" piped out Andy
Rover gaily.

"We'll leave the tree to you, Andy!" shouted his twin.

"I don't think we'll win, but, anyway, we won't be last," came from
Fred, as he and Andy touched the tree.

"Well, we can't have everything in this world," was the philosophic
reply from the other Rover boy.

It could be seen that the race had now narrowed down to the five who
were in the lead. Of these, Spouter Powell and Dan Soppinger were less
than two feet apart, while only a yard to the rear came Jack, Randy and
Walt Baxter.

"Go it, Randy!" sang out Andy, as he dropped still further behind. "Go
it! I know you can win!"

"Keep it up, Jack!" yelled Fred, who, being the smallest of the four
Rover