Part 16 (1/2)
”You don't seem to be doing any thing, Dory,” added Thad, as his body followed his head out at the door.
”Don't disturb me, please, but call the fellows. I want them in the standing-room, so as to trim the boat, and make her sail better,”
answered the skipper, as he went on with his calculation.
He had time to make only a mile before the steamer would be down upon him. He was about abreast of Stave Island now. Less than a mile south of it were two ledges, on which the water was not more than six feet deep.
Going to the southward, vessels must keep Juniper Light open to the westward of Colchester Reef Light, in order to avoid these reefs. There were no buoys on them, for they lay outside of any usual course of vessels bound up and down the lake.
The experience of the Missisquoi in getting aground the day before would render her pilot wary about following the Goldwing. The two reefs were half a mile apart; and the pursuer must either keep away from them, or run the risk of getting aground on one of them. The Goldwing could go over either of them in perfect safety, for she drew only three feet with her board up.
Dory was satisfied with his calculation, and he was reasonably confident that the Missisquoi would not get within a quarter of a mile of the Goldwing; but, if this expedient failed, he had another to which he intended to resort.
The other members of the club had come out into the standing-room, and seated themselves as they had been required to do the day before. They were all wide awake; but they had been cautioned by Thad not to disturb the skipper, and they were silent till he spoke to them.
”You have come to life again, fellows,” said he when he had fully arranged his plan.
”So have you, Dory,” replied Corny. ”Thad said we were not to speak to you, or we should bust your calculations. We all thought you had the blues.”
”I suppose you know the steamer that is following the Goldwing,” replied Dory. ”It is the Missisquoi, and she is after us again to-day. I have been thinking how we should keep out of her way.”
”How are you going to do it?” asked Corny. ”We may enjoy the fun if we know something about it.”
The skipper explained his plan in full, and his companions were quite interested in it. There was no chance for a race while only a four-knot breeze favored the Goldwing. With a good stiff breeze the skipper believed he could beat the steamer; but, in the absence of such a wind, he must resort to strategy. But strategy was quite as exciting to his companions as a race. It afforded the opportunity for one craft to come out better than the other.
The wind was sensibly freshening, but the Goldwing did not need any more wind just then. She was almost up with Stave Island Ledge, and her skipper was disposed to wait and see what his pursuer would do. As he approached the dangerous reef,--dangerous to any craft drawing more than five feet,--he started his sheets, and stood to the eastward of the rocks.
The Missisquoi was within an eighth of a mile of the Goldwing, and the skipper saw that Captain Vesey was at the wheel. He seemed to know about the reef, and sheered off. Probably he had discovered by this time that Pearl Hawlinshed knew even less than he did about the difficulties of navigation in Lake Champlain.
CHAPTER XV.
THE STRATEGY OF THE CHASE.
Dory Dornwood had accomplished all that he intended by his plan. The pilot of the Missisquoi would not dare to cross the ledges, and it would be necessary for her to go nearly a mile to the southward to get around them. Dory calculated that his manoeuvre had given him two miles the start of the steamer.
Captain Vesey and Pearl Hawlinshed seemed to be holding a consultation.
Dory imagined that Pearl was trying to persuade the captain to venture in among the rocks. If so, he was not successful; for the Missisquoi did not come any nearer to the ledge.
”What is she going to do next, Dory?” asked Corny Minkfield, while the boys were waiting for the next move of the steamer.
”That's more than I know,” replied Dory, chuckling at the success of his plan. ”I think Captain Vesey had enough of getting aground yesterday, and he don't want to spend the day laid up on one of these ledges. I believe the steamer would go over Champion Rock all right; but her captain is shy, and I don't think he will come any nearer than he is now.”
Dory had headed the Goldwing to the east. As he had predicted, the wind was increasing, and the schooner carried quite a bone in her teeth. It looked a little like a game of chess, where each player has to wait a long time for the other to make his move. The captain and his pa.s.senger appeared to be still engaged in the discussion in the bow of the boat.
Dory thought he could quicken their movements; and, hauling in his sheets, he stood to the south.
”There she goes!” exclaimed Thad, as the steamer started her propeller again.
”I think we can keep her moving,” replied Dory. ”She will go to the southward as fast as we do, to head us off. We can play this game as long as she can.”
”But who wants to stay here all day fooling with that steamer?” said Corny.