A Race on the Water.
A week passed, and the Speedwell again rode proudly at her moorings,
in front of the cottage; but her appearance was greatly changed. A
"center-board" and several handy lockers had been neatly fitted up in
her, and her long, low hull painted black on the outside and white on
the inside; and her tall, raking mast and faultless rigging gave her
quite a ship-like appearance.
Frank had just been putting on a few finishing touches, and now stood
on the wharf admiring her. It was almost night, and consequently he
could not try her sailing qualities that day; and he was so impatient
to discover whether or not he had made a failure, that it seemed
impossible for him to wait.
While he was thus engaged, he heard the splashing of oars, and,
looking up, discovered two boys rowing toward him in a light skiff As
they approached, he recognized George and Harry Butler, two of his
most intimate acquaintances. They were brothers, and lived about a
quarter of a mile from Mrs. Nelson's, but they and Frank were together
almost all the time. Harry, who was about a year older than Frank, was
a very impulsive fellow, and in a moment of excitement often said and
did things for which he felt sorry when he had time to think the
matter over; but he was generous and good-hearted, and if he found
that he had wronged any one, he never failed to make ample reparation.
George, who was just Frank's age, was a jolly, good-natured boy, and
would suffer almost any indignity rather than retaliate.
"Well, Frank," said Harry, as soon as they came within speaking
distance, "George and I wanted a little exercise, so we thought we
would row up and see what had become of you. Why don't you come down
and see a fellow? Hallo!" he exclaimed, on noticing the change in the
Speedwell's appearance, "what have you been trying to do with your old
scow?"
"Why, don't you see?" said Frank. "I've been trying to make a yacht
out of her."
"How does she sail?" inquired George.
"I don't know. I have just finished her, and have not had time to try
her sailing qualities yet."
"I don't believe she will sail worth a row of pins," said Harry,
confidently, as he drew the skiff alongside the Speedwell, and climbed
over into her. "But I'll tell you what it is," he continued, peeping
into the lockers and examining the rigging, "you must have had plenty
of hard work to do in fixing her over. You have really made a nice
boat out of her."
"Yes, I call it a first-rate job," said George. "Did you make the
sails yourself, Frank?"
"Yes," answered Frank. "I did all the work on her. She ought to be a
good sailer, after all the trouble I've had. How would you like to
spend an hour with me on the river to-morrow? You will then have an
opportunity to judge for yourself."
The boys readily agreed to this proposal, and, after a few moments'
more conversation, they got into their skiff and pulled down the
creek. The next morning, about four o'clock, Frank awoke, and he had
hardly opened his eyes before he was out on the floor and dressing. He
always rose at this hour, both summer and winter; and he had been so
long in the habit of it, that it had become a kind of second nature
with him. Going to the window, he drew aside the curtain and looked
out. The Speedwell rode safely at the wharf, gallantly mounting the
swells which were raised by quite a stiff breeze that was blowing
directly down the creek. He amused himself for about two hours in his
shop; and after he had eaten his breakfast, he began to get ready to
start on the proposed excursion. A large basket, filled with
refreshments, was carefully stowed away in one of the lockers of the
Speedwell, the sails were hoisted, the painter was cast off, and Frank
took his seat at the helm, and the boat moved from the shore "like a
thing of life." The creek was too narrow to allow of much maneuvering,
and Frank was obliged to forbear judging of her sailing qualities
until he should reach the river. But, to his delight, he soon
discovered one thing, and that was, that before the wind the Speedwell
was no mean sailer. A few moments' run brought him to Mr. Butler's
wharf, where he found George and Harry waiting for him. Frank brought
the Speedwell around close to the place where they were standing in
splendid style, and the boys could not refrain from expressing their
admiration at the handsome manner in which she obeyed her helm. They
clambered down into the boat, and seated themselves on the middle
thwarts, where they could assist Frank in managing the sails, and in a
few moments they reached the river.
"There comes Bill Johnson!" exclaimed George, suddenly, "just behind
the Long Dock."
The boys looked in the direction indicated, and saw the top of the
masts and sails of a boat which was moving slowly along on the other
side of the dock.
"Now, Frank," said Harry, "turn out toward the middle of the river,
and get as far ahead of him as you can, and see if we can't reach the
island [meaning Strawberry Island] before he does."
Frank accordingly turned the Speedwell's head toward the island, and
just at that moment the sail-boat came in sight. The Champion--for
that was her name--was classed among the swiftest sailers about
Lawrence; in fact, there was no sloop that could beat her. She was a
clinker-built boat, about seventeen feet long, and her breadth of
beam--that is, the distance across her from one side to the other--was
great compared with her length. She was rigged like Frank's boat,
having one mast and carrying a mainsail and jib; but as her sails were
considerably larger than those of the Speedwell, and as she was a much
lighter boat, the boys all expected that she would reach the island,
which the young skippers always regarded as "home" in their races,
long before the Speedwell. The Champion was sailed by two boys.
William Johnson, her owner, sat in the stern steering, and Ben. Lake,
a quiet, odd sort of a boy, sat on one of the middle thwarts managing
the sails. As soon as she rounded the lock, Harry Butler sprang to his
feet, and, seizing a small coil of rope that lay in the boat, called
out,
"Bill! if you will catch this line, we'll tow you."
"No, I thank you," answered William. "I think we can get along very
well without any of your help."
"Yes," chimed in Ben. Lake, "and we'll catch you before you are
half-way to the island."
"We'll see about that!" shouted George, in reply.
By this time the Speedwell was fairly before the wind, the sails were
hauled taut, the boys seated themselves on the windward gunwale, and
the race began in earnest. But they soon found that it would be much
longer than they had imagined. Instead of the slow, straining motion
which they had expected, the Speedwell flew through the water like a
duck, mounting every little swell in fine style, and rolling the foam
back from her bow in great masses. She was, beyond a doubt, a fast
sailer.
George and Harry shouted and hurrahed until they were hoarse, and
Frank was so overjoyed that he could scarcely speak.
"How she sails!" exclaimed Harry. "If the Champion beats this, she
will have to go faster than she does now."
Their pursuers were evidently much surprised at this sudden exhibition
of the Speedwell's "sailing qualities;" and William hauled more to the
wind and "crowded" his boat until she stood almost on her side, and
the waves frequently washed into her.
"They will overtake us," said Frank, at length; "but I guess we can
keep ahead of them until we cross the river."
And so it proved. The Champion began to gain--it was very slowly, but
still she did gain--and when the Speedwell had accomplished half the
distance across the river, their pursuers were not more than three or
four rods behind.
At length they reached the island, and, as they rounded the point,
they came to a spot where the wind was broken by the trees. The
Speedwell gradually slackened her headway, and the Champion, which
could sail much faster than she before a light breeze, gained rapidly,
and soon came alongside.
"There is only one fault with your boat, Frank," said William; "her
sails are too small. She can carry twice as much canvas as you have
got on her now."
"Yes," answered Frank, "I find that I have made a mistake; but the
fact is, I did not know how she would behave, and was afraid she would
capsize. My first hard work shall be to make some new sails."
"You showed us a clean pair of heels, any way," said Ben. Lake,
clambering over into the Speedwell. "Why, how nice and handy every
thing is! Every rope is just where you can lay your hand on it."
"Let's go ashore and see how we are off for a crop of strawberries,"
said Harry.
William had pulled down his sails when he came alongside, and while
the conversation was going on the Speedwell had been towing the
Champion toward the island, and, just as Harry spoke, their bows ran
high upon the sand. The boys sprang out, and spent two hours in
roaming over the island in search of strawberries; but it was a little
too early in the season for them, and, although there were "oceans" of
green ones, they gathered hardly a pint of ripe ones.
After they had eaten the refreshments which Frank had brought with
him, they started for home. As the wind blew from the main shore, they
were obliged to "tack," and the Speedwell again showed some fine
sailing, and when the Champion entered the creek, she was not a
stone's throw behind.
Frank reached home that night a good deal elated at his success. After
tying the Speedwell to the wharf, he pulled down the sails and carried
them into his shop. He had promised, before leaving George and Harry,
to meet them at five o'clock the next morning to start on a fishing
excursion, and, consequently, could do nothing toward the new sails
for his boat for two days.