It was nervous
waiting for Betty and her chums-- those four minutes-- but they
finally passed.
"Ready?" asked the starter again.
"Ready," answered Betty, her voice trembling in spite of herself.
There was a sharp crack of the pistol, and the Gem shot ahead, as
Betty let the clutch slip into place. The race was on!
CHAPTER XVI
FIGHTING FIRE
"Betty, do you think we can win?"
It was Mollie who asked this as she stood beside her chum at the wheel
of the Gem. The boat was churning through the water, gradually
creeping up on the craft that had gotten away ahead of her. Behind
came other boats, starting as the crack of the official pistol was
heard.
"Of course we'll win!" exclaimed Betty, as she changed the course
slightly. She wanted to keep it as straight as possible, for well she
knew that the shortest distance between any two points is in a
straight line.
"We wouldn't miss that lovely prize for anything," called Grace from
up forward, where she was helping Amy look after the laboring motor.
A number of prizes had been provided by the regatta committee; the
chief one for this particular race was a handsome cut-glass bowl, that
had been much admired when on exhibition at the club house.
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