Page:Stanwood Pier--Crashaw brothers.djvu/228

208 The lake widened, the shores grew more wooded; Edward relaxed all his muscles and  closed his eyes. Gradually the talk of the others quieted; they were approaching the  starting-point, and that meant a general tendency toward silence.

“Get ready, fellows,” said Durant at last.

Edward stood up with the others and with them let drop his blanket. They all stood there stripped to the waist, sixteen of them, brown  and strong. The two coxswains, who were just as lightly clad, looked puny in the midst of  them.

The St. Timothy’s crew brought their boat alongside first and got into it, then paddled  off and waited for St. John’s. Pretty soon both boats were lined up for the start; the oarsmen  slid forward with oars at the full reach and  waited for the word.

“Ready, St. Timothy’s?” shouted the referee from the launch.

“Yes, sir,” replied Durant.

“I wish he’d hurry,” thought Edward; it was like sitting for the photographer to take