The girls of Central High were both disappointed and chagrined. But they cheered l.u.s.tily for the winners (all but Hester) and were cheered fairly in return. Yet Laura and her friends knew that their team had made a bad impression upon the spectators and instructors because of Hester's foul playing.

"That girl spoils everything she gets into," declared Jess Morse, to Laura and Nellie. "I don't see why Mrs. Case lets her play on the team.

We certainly have got a black eye here."

"I'm sorry for Hester-she has such a temper," sighed the doctor's gentle daughter.

"I do not know whether I am sorry for her or not," said Laura, sternly.

"It will be a long time before these girls over here at the East End of town will forget this game. It is bad enough to be beaten; but to be beaten by a member of our own team is what hurts."

"Is that so, Miss?" exclaimed Hester's harsh voice behind her. "Didn't think I'd over-hear you, did you? You look out, Laura Belding, that you don't get beaten in another way. I should think you'd had lesson enough--"

A sudden flush sprang into Laura's face.

"What do you mean by that, Hessie?" she cried. "What lesson do you refer to?"

But Hester merely tossed her head and went on. Laura was thoughtful for the remainder of the way home. She was thinking of the veil she had brought away with her from the haunted house.

CHAPTER XX-THE EIGHT-OARED Sh.e.l.l

Laura Belding was not of a revengeful nature. She hadn't even Bobby Hargrew's desire to "get even" with an enemy. But the mystery of what had happened to her in the haunted house troubled her mind.

Once Jess had mentioned that she thought she had seen Hester Grimes take an electric car for the city the night of the M. O. R. scare at Robinson's Woods. Laura could not help wondering what Hester had been doing up there.

The auto veil Laura had brought back with her was ecru-colored, and was an expensive one. It was strange that anybody should have left such a thing up there in the old house. Not many girls, at least, could have afforded to purchase such a costly veil and then throw it away.

The Grimeses often hired a car; but then, plenty of girls Laura knew wore automobile veils who had never ridden in a car! It was merely a fashion in apparel. So she kept silent about the veil-never even mentioned it to her chum, or to her brother, or to Lance Darby-and bided her time.

The basket-ball game had made the remainder of the team very angry with Hester Grimes. Only Lily Pendleton stood by her. Hester declared to everybody who would listen that the "game was fixed" and that the Central High team had no chance of winning.

"I guess that's so," said Bobby Hargrew, who overheard Hester say this.

"You fixed it all right. I watched you. You'd queer anything you went into. It's lucky you're not rowing in the eight-oared sh.e.l.l. We'd have less chance of winning the girls' boat race than we have, if you were!"

"Well, Miss, they certainly cannot accuse _you_ of harming their chances of winning," snapped Hester Grimes. "You're out of it!"

And that was so! The girls' eight-oared sh.e.l.l was without its little c.o.xswain. Bertha Sleigel could not manipulate the steering apparatus of the long boat as Bobby had. And the boat races-rather an informal affair preceding the mid-summer aquatic sports-would come on in a fortnight now.

Bobby Hargrew had been very good in school for some weeks. Even Gee Gee could find no fault with her behavior. But it was more on Laura's account than for any other reason that the irrepressible held herself in. She did not forget that Laura had interceded with Mr. Sharp for her.

The eight-oared crew was to use a second-hand boat; they owned no boat of their own, but hoped to purchase one, or have one presented to them, before the mid-summer sports on Lake Luna.

Professor Dimp, who coached the boys, having been a famous stroke in his own college, coached the girls as well. He was a very severe disciplinarian; but he had picked the crew for the big sh.e.l.l with judgment and skill.

And to make up a crew is no small matter. As far as physical conformation goes in the choice of a crew for an eight-oared scull, tall girls were preferable to short, well built to thin, and heavy girls to "feather-weights." Saving in the c.o.x, the girls were all chosen for their mature physique and long arms.

And Professor Dimp chose the crew and selected their positions with as much care as he gave to his boys' crew. One cannot take enthusiastic girls hap-hazard and make a winning crew.

First of all the professor chose Celia Prime for stroke oar. Scores of girls can follow time, or stroke, after practice; but some who make the best rowers could never in this world "set the stroke" for a crew. Celia proved herself to be an accomplished stroke, with first-rate form, great pluck, and not easily confused. She could maintain the same number of equally well rowed strokes, whether rapid, medium, or slow; and she could spurt when necessary without throwing the rest of the crew into disorder.

At Number 7 a well-tried oarsman is needed, too, and the professor selected Laura Belding for that onerous position. Number 7 is supposed to take up the stroke duly and to give finish to the action of the crew.

A crew that does not work in perfect unison cannot by any possibility be a winning crew.

As selected by Professor Dimp, the girls' crew was as follows:

Celia Prime, stroke Laura Belding, No. 7 Dora Lockwood, No. 6 Nellie Agnew, No. 5 Roberta Fish, No. 4 Mary O'Rourke, No. 3 Dorothy Lockwood, No. 2 Jess Morse, bow.

They missed Bobby Hargrew dreadfully; but the crew practised as frequently as possible, hoping to break Bertha in as c.o.xswain, and get her seat shifted to the best place possible for the balancing of the boat. But Bertha was not like Bobby-and she was pounds heavier!

The eight-oared sh.e.l.l of the girls of Central High would compete with similar boats from both of the other Centerport High Schools and with boats from the Highs of Lumberport and Keyport. The three cities being located upon this beautiful inland lake, the young folks were all more or less familiar with aquatic sports. But never before the establishment of the Girls' Branch Athletic a.s.sociation had the girls of the several cities competed.

The newspapers of the three towns gave plenty of s.p.a.ce to amateur athletics, and the big men of the educational boards had taken up the girls' athletic work with vigor, too. Those interested looked forward to many field days and exhibitions during the ensuing months. But outside of their school work the crew of this particular eight-oared sh.e.l.l had little thought for anything but the approaching race.

The boathouse and landing where the sh.e.l.l was kept was right beside the girls' bathing place and athletic field. Naturally, too, it was near Colonel Richard Swayne's handsome place. As the girls were rowing in one afternoon after practice they saw the Colonel, with a veiled lady in a wheel-chair, on the bank. They seemed to be watching the girls pulling in so easily; but whether the Colonel approved of them, or not, they did not know.

"And he's got _oodles_ of money!" sighed Roberta Fish. "Wish he'd give us some for our athletic field."

"But he won't," said Dora Lockwood. "He says we make too much noise. We disturb his daughter. She can't sleep much, they say, and afternoons we spoil her forty winks."

"It is too bad if we really _do_ disturb her with our noise," said Laura, thoughtfully.

"You'll never get any money out of the Colonel, Laura," declared Jess.

"I will!" returned Laura, firmly. "You wait and see. Rome wasn't built in a day."

"Huh! but it wouldn't ever have been built at all if Romulus and Remus hadn't made a commencement," scoffed her chum.

The races were held on Sat.u.r.day afternoon of that week. There were paddling races, four-oared sh.e.l.l races, and eight-oared sh.e.l.l races.

There were many cla.s.ses of contestants; but interest centered mainly in the events in which the high school boys and girls partic.i.p.ated.

The girls' eight-oared sh.e.l.l race was the last number on the program. It was a straight-away half-mile race-not too long, or too short, for girls of the age taking part in the sport.

The five boats got into position with some skill and they got a better start than in the boys' races. The crowds gathered on sh.o.r.e and on the boats lining the course cheered the girls as they shot away over the bright water.

It was a warm and beautiful day and the water was as calm as a millpond.

It was "fast water" indeed!

The crew of Central High were looking their best and "feeling fine."

They caught Celia's stroke instantly and, at the swinging pace she set, their boat darted through the water, keeping well up at first with the leading sh.e.l.l.

On so short a course the first few strokes, even, sometimes tell the tale. The Keyport crew took the lead at the start, but both East High and Central High of Centerport were close after the leader. The Central crew, indeed, for some rods were only half a length behind the Keyport sh.e.l.l.

It was a pretty fight, and the voices of the spectators grew in volume as the five sh.e.l.ls shot along the course.