CHAPTER XIII
THE SKATING RACE
"Look at that!" cried Jack.
"See it go!" shouted Bert.
"How did it happen to get away?" the ever-questioning George wanted toknow.
"By Jove!" murmured Bruce. "He'd ask questions if it was the end of theworld. He'd want to know why it hadn't happened before."
"Wow!" came from Tom, as he started after the disappearing iceboat."That's bad! I'm responsible for it." He started off on a run, as thoughhe could catch the skimming craft.
"You'll never get her!" yelled Bruce to him. He had taken off hisskates, and hurried up beside Tom.
"I've got to get her!" cried our hero. "She may run against the bank andgo to smash."
"You can't stop her. She's too far off. Look at her veer! She'll capsizein another minute!"
Indeed the unguided craft was slewing about, making quick turns and bigcircles as the wind blew her. Then Tom cried out:
"I'm going to catch her. Lend me your skates, Bruce."
"You can't skate as fast as that boat is going!"
"I can try. Besides I'm not going to do all skating."
"What then?" asked Jack, curious to know what scheme his chum had in hismind.
"This!" and Tom pointed to the small sail he had been going to rig onthe craft when she went off by herself. "I can hold this at my back bythe mast, and the wind will blow me along."
"Good!" cried Bruce, who understood. "That's the idea Fairfield, hereare my skates."
Tom soon had clamped them on his feet, and then, holding the improvisedsail at his back, he headed for the runaway iceboat. The sail was almostlike the regular ones skaters use.
Tom soon developed great speed, for the wind was strong and directlyat his back. The others started to run after him. The iceboat was somedistance ahead, but Tom was rapidly overhauling her.
"I'll get her before she goes to smash," he murmured hopefully. The boatsuddenly heeled over, and Tom thought surely she was going to capsize.But she righted, and then went off on a new tack. Tom saw his chance.
"I can quarter across and get aboard, if she doesn't veer again!" hecried, and he altered his course. Nearer and nearer he came to theiceboat, until he saw that he would soon pass her. "If only she doesn'tveer around," he murmured hopefully.
Fortunately, however, the wind held in that direction for a few minutes,and the main sheet of the sail was caught in such a way as to hold thecraft steady.
"Now to do some skating on my own hook!" cried Tom, as he cast aside thelittle sail. He struck out with all his strength and speed, and, as hecame close to the boat, with a leap and a spring he hurled himself intothe blanket-covered cockpit, landing with a thud.
It was the work of but a moment to seize the rudder, and put the boatabout, so that she was in control, though even as Tom did this shenearly capsized.
"Whoa, now!" he called, as to a restive horse, and then, settlinghimself down, he sent the boat back on a series of tacks to pick up hischums.
"Say, did you see him skate!" exclaimed Bert Wilson in admiration, as hecalled attention to the burst of speed on Tom's part.
"I should say yes," admitted Jack. "If we have a race I'll back Tom."
"He looks like a winner," commented Bruce quietly.
Tom brought the iceboat up to his chums, and they got aboard. Jacksteered while Tom took off the skates he had not had time to remove, andthen he went to where he had dropped the little sail.
"I guess we'll get along without it," he remarked. "We're going fastenough."
"I never thought you'd get the boat in time," spoke Bruce admiringly."Where'd you learn to skate, Fairfield?"
"Oh, I could make pretty good time ever since I was a small lad, but Isort of broke my record today, I guess."
They were soon back at the boathouse, having talked on the way of thelittle accident and of Tom's skill.
"You'll enter for the class races, won't you?" inquired Reddy Burke ofTom, a little later, when Bruce had told of the Freshman's skill.
"I'll be glad to."
"They'll come off in about a week if the ice holds," went on thered-haired athlete.
Practice for the skating races was soon under way. The affair was tosettle the championship of the school. Later, intercollegiate contestswould be held.
"Going to try?" asked Nick of his crony, when the notice of the icesports was posted. "I hear Fairfield is a wonder."
"What do I care? I can skate some myself, and if I can't win, maybe Ican spoil his chances."
"How?"
"Oh, I haven't made up my mind yet."
It was a cold, clear day, the ice was firm and smooth, and it was justright for a skating race. The elimination trials had been held, and therepresentatives of each class selected. There were four each from theFreshmen, Sophomore, Junior and Senior divisions. Tom, of course, waspicked, and so was Jack, and, somewhat to the surprise of many, SamHeller also represented the first year lads.
"Look out for him," advised Jack to his chum, when they were gettingready. "If he skates near enough to you he may try some mean trick."
"I'll watch out, but I'm not worried."
"I wonder if he'd be mean enough to squeal to our Latin prof. about thewarning letter you wrote?" went on Jack. "I've often thought of that.He's equal to it."
"Oh, I don't believe Heller would dare do a thing like that," spoke Tom."I'm not alarmed. There, I guess my skates are sharp enough," for thetwo had been putting an extra edge on the steel runners in anticipationof the contest.
There was a big crowd present to watch the skaters, who were lined up,receiving their last instructions from the officials. Clamps were beingtightened, straps made more snug, and the last little attentions beinggiven.
"All ready?" called the starter.
"Ready!" answered the lads in turn.
"Look out for Sam. He's quite near you," warned Jack to his chum, in alow voice. Tom nodded and looked across at the bully, who had his headturned away.
"Go!" cried the starter, and his pistol cracked out on the frosty air.