How it was done nobody knew, and Tom himself couldn't explain it when asked afterward.

But ahead he went, like an arrow shot from a bow, and crossed the line six feet in advance of Gray.
"Hurrah! Tom Rover has won!" "Told you Tom would do it!" "Three cheers for Putnam Hall!" "And Fred Garrison came in only one yard behind Gray, too, and Tubby is a pretty good fourth." "This is Putnam Hall day, thank you!" The cheering increased, and Tom was immediately surrounded by a host of admirers.
Gray felt very sore, and wanted to leave the pond at once, but before he could do so Tom skated up to him and held out his hand.
"You came pretty close to beating me," he said.

"I can't really say how I got ahead at the finish." "I--I guess my skate slipped, or something," stammered Gray, and shook hands.

Tom's candor took away the keen edge of the defeat.
The Putnam Hall boys were wild with delight, and insisted upon carrying Tom on their shoulders around the pond.

A great crowd followed, and nobody noticed how this made the ice bend and crack.
"Be careful there!" shouted Mr.Strong warningly.