As there were six competitors, the judges awarded six points for first place in each dive, five for second, four for third, three for fourth, two for fifth, and one for sixth place.  And in two of the dives second place went to Margery Burton, while one of the Boy Scouts, Jack Perry, was second in the other four.

To the disgust of the other boys, Margery was placed third in the four dives in which Jack Perry beat her, and Dolly, a good, but not a really wonderful diver, was fifth in every one of the dives, beating at least one boy in each.  So sixty-six points altogether went to the Camp Fire Girls, while the Boy Scouts, who had expected to finish one, two, three, had to be content with forty-eight, and were soundly beaten.

“That girl that was first is a wonder,” said Hastings admiringly to Miss Mercer.  “I take it all back, Eleanor.  But I didn’t think you’d have anyone as good as she is.  Why, she’s better than you are, and I always thought you were the nearest to a fish of any girl I ever saw in the water.  She could win the woman’s championship with a little more practice.”

“Maybe you won’t crow so much over us after this,” said Eleanor, with a laugh.

“Not about the diving, certainly,” said Hastings, generously, “But that’s tricky, after all.  The life saving is going to be different There strength figures more.  I really think my boys ought to give a handicap in that.”

“Not a bit of it,” said Eleanor.  “Women have been taking handicaps from men too long.  They’ve got so that they think they can’t do anything as well as a man.  This Camp Fire movement is going to show you that that’s all over and done with.”

“Well, we’ll go through the tests first,” said Hastings.  “Then your girls will know what they’ve got to beat, anyhow.”

The tests for life saving were to be conducted on a time basis.  From a boat a certain distance out in the lake a boy or girl was to be thrown overboard, and, at the same moment, the competitor was to leap in after the one who represented the victim and take him or her to shore, the winners being those who did it in the shortest time.  Again, as there were to be six competitors, the first place was to count six points, the second, five, and so on.

First, the boys went out and went through their exercise in fine style.  Although the boy who played the part of victim could swim, he made no move to help himself, simply staying perfectly still and letting his “rescuer” take him in.

Then, when the three boys had finished, with only five seconds between the fastest and the slowest, Eleanor and Hastings rowed out with the three who represented the Camp Fire Girls, and, as “victim,” Zara!

Zara had insisted.

“I really would be drowned if they didn’t save me,” she said, “so it will be a real test.”

And, with that added spur, each of the three girls actually managed to beat the fastest time of the boys.  Margery was first, Bessie was second, and Dolly third.  Hastings, as soon as he discovered that Zara could not swim, was full of admiration.