s, found it impossible to keep up the pace. "Don't let Spouter and
Dan hold you back!"

There were numerous cries of encouragement for all of the skaters as
they swept forward toward the starting point. Here a line had been drawn
on the ice, and the cadets stood at either end, some with their watches
in their hands to time the winners.

"I'll bet Dan Soppinger wins!" cried one of the cadets. "He's the best
skater on the lake."

"Well, Spouter Powell is a good skater, too," returned another.

"Huh! what's the matter with the Rover boys?" burst out a third cadet,
round-faced and remarkably fat--so fat, in fact, that he had not dreamed
of participating in the contest.

"I don't know much about how they can skate," was the reply. "They
weren't here last winter, you remember."

"Yes, I know that," answered Fatty Hendry.

"Here they come!"

By this time the skaters were half way on the return from the blasted
pine. Spouter Powell and Dan Soppinger were still in the lead, but Walt
Baxter was crawling up steadily, while Jack and Randy were close behind.

"Say, this is going to be a neck-and-neck race!" cried one of the
cadets, Ned Lowe by name. He had wanted to race himself, but knew that
his skates were too dull for that purpose.

"Stand back! Give them plenty of room!" exclaimed Professor Brice, and
he took measures to clear the cadets away from the finishing line.

Quite a crowd had assembled to witness the contest, not only cadets, but
also some folks from the neighboring town of Haven Point, and also a
number of young ladies from Clearwater Hall, a seminary located some
distance away.

The skaters had still a distance of several hundred yards to cover when
it was seen that Spouter Powell was gradually falling behind. Then Jack
Rover forged forward, followed by his Cousin Randy.

"The Rovers are crawling up!"

"See, Jack Rover and his Cousin Randy and Dan Soppinger and Walt Baxter
are all in a line!"

"This certainly is one close race!"

The excitement increased as the racers drew closer to the finishing
line. Walt Baxter was panting painfully, showing that he had used up
almost every ounce of his strength.

"Oh, dear! I do hope the Rovers come in ahead," whispered one girl
skater to another. She was a tall girl, remarkably good looking and
dressed in a suit of brown, with furs.

"So do I hope the Rover boys win, Ruth," answered her girl companion,
"now that my Cousin Dick has fallen behind."

"It's