Part 13 (1/2)

”She works like a lady!” exclaimed Dory with enthusiasm.

Having satisfied himself in regard to the working of the boat, he turned his attention to the Missisquoi again. He saw that Pearl Hawlinshed was at the wheel of the steamer. He had evidently learned wisdom from the movements of the Goldwing. He had turned the helm of the steamer, so that she was now headed to the westward.

Probably Pearl had begun to do some reasoning by this time. Instead of running directly for the schooner, he had taken a course to intercept her when she attempted to go to the northward, as he doubtless believed she intended to do.

The Goldwing was now on the starboard tack; and the Missisquoi was running abreast of her, towards the west sh.o.r.e of the lake. Dory contrived to cramp her so that she did not make much headway, and the steamer gained so rapidly on her that she was soon a considerable distance ahead of her.

”Now, d.i.c.k Short, we are going about. When Corny lets go of the weather jib-sheet, I want you to haul on the lee-sheet,” said the skipper when he was ready for the next move.

”Where are we going next, Dory?” asked Thad, confused by the many movements of the skipper.

”No questions now, Thad. Keep your eyes wide open, and you will see for yourself. Let go, and haul! Let go the sheet, Corny! Haul in, d.i.c.k! Be lively about it! You must get the sheet in while the sail is shaking, or you can't do it at all,” said Dory sharply, as he put the helm down.

The Goldwing whirled around like a top, when her helm went down. The hands in charge of the jib-sheets were zealous to do their duty promptly, and in an instant the sails were drawing on the port tack.

But this did not give the course the skipper wanted. He handled the boat very cautiously on account of her bad reputation.

Gradually he let off the main-sheet, while d.i.c.k was directed to do the same with the jib-sheet. At the same time Dory kept the helm up, and the boat fell off until she was headed for the southern side of Garden Island. She took the wind over her port quarter. It came in heavy gusts, the Goldwing careening until her gunwale went under at every flaw.

”I don't know about this,” said Thad.

”About what, Thad?” asked Dory quietly.

”We are about half under water. This is shaky sailing, in my opinion,”

added Thad, as a wave broke against the side of the boat, and drenched most of the members of the club to the skin.

”We may get wholly under water before we get through with this trip,”

replied Dory. ”But she will come up every time she goes down. For my part, I never saw a boat work any better than the Goldwing is doing.”

”But you will drown the whole of us, Dory!” protested Thad.

”She is working first-rate, Thad; and this isn't more than half as lively as it will be before we get across the lake.”

”Are you going across the lake now, Dory?” asked Corny.

”Certainly I am. We are bound for Burlington, aren't we? Didn't you want me to take you home?”

”But we don't want you to drown us, and this boat has a bad habit of not keeping on the top of the water.”

”She will keep on the top of the water most of the time, and the worst you have to fear is a wet jacket.”

Just as the schooner was going in under the lee of Garden Island, another wave broke against her side, and about half a barrel of water dropped into the standing-room.

”There it is again!” exclaimed Thad.

”That's all right,” added Dory. ”No boat can keep all the water on the outside of her in such a sea as this. But she is working beautifully. Do you see that rope, Thad?” continued the skipper, pointing to the line by which the centre-board was handled.

”I see it, but I haven't the least idea what it is for.”

”I want you and Nat to haul up the centre-board, for we don't need quite so much of it while we are going free.”