"I was watching the other fellows," said Jerry.
"That's the way to do," was the comment. "Now take it easy to the float."
There was talk all through Randall that night of the performance of the eight.
"I think we have just the right crew now," confided the coach to Dr. Churchill, when he went to dine with the venerable head of Randall.
"Ah, I am exceedingly glad to hear that. It will be a source of gratification to the alumni who have so generously provided for the racing material. And you say our boys nearly won from Fairview? How many innings did the game go? What was the score, and did Parsons pitch?"
"Ah--er--my dear Doctor,--er--we were talking about the crew," said the coach, delicately.
"Oh, yes, so we were," admitted the good doctor, in some confusion. "I was thinking of football, was I not? And so we have a good crew. Hum! Very well. I am so occupied with my translations of those Assyrian tablets that I fear my mind wanders at times."
At times! Ah, Dr. Churchill, more often than "at times" did your mind wander! But what of that? It was keen enough on all occasions, though running in various channels, as many an old graduate will testify.
The practice at Randall went on. There were sore hearts, but it could not be helped when the lads who thought they should be picked for the tentative crews, or for the singles, were passed by. For Mr. Lighton was impartial, and insisted on only the best no matter at what cost.
Perhaps sorest of all was Boswell, he who had been displaced from what had come to be regarded as the varsity eight, though, as the coach pointed out, there might be changes in the Fall. Boswell was ordered into what was termed the "second" eight, but refused to go.
"I may not row at all," he said loftily to his crony, Pierce. "Or I may go in the singles."
"I would," suggested the latter. "My word! A man's his own boss in a single."
Examinations came, with all their grilling and nerve-racking tendencies, and were more or less successfully gotten through with by our friends and their chums. Then came the long vacation.
"Yes, we'll get together in a couple of weeks. I've got to spend some time with the folks."
"I'll write when I have the camp site all arranged for."