CHAPTER XXIII THE RACE OF THE SLOOPS
"This is as fine a breeze as anybody would want," declared Pepper, asthe _Alice_ went out to take her position for the race.
"There is Mr. Ford's yacht," came from Andy. "The girls are on board andso are Mr. and Mrs. Ford and some others."
"I'll sail past them," said Jack, and did so. All aboard the rich man'scraft waved their handkerchiefs at the cadets.
"I hope you win!" shouted Laura.
"So do I!" added Flossie.
"We'll do our best!" answered the young major, and then sailed out ofhearing distance.
The _Ajax_ was already on hand and in a few minutes more the _Neptune_hove in sight. Both of the boats were in the pink of condition andcaused a murmur of admiration as they moved majestically down to thestarting position.
"I can tell yez wan thing," said Hogan, who was in a small boat withseveral others. "Jack has his work cut out for him this day, so he has!"
"Yes, the other boats will surely give him a hard push for first place,"returned Bart Conners.
"Oh, the _Alice_ has got to win!" cried Harry Blossom, enthusiastically.
The lake front was lined with spectators and the water was alive withrowboats, motor boats and sailing craft of various sorts. Captain Putnamhad hired a good-sized motor boat for the use of himself, Mr. Strong,and a dozen guests; Doctor Pornell had a small steamer, and theimmediate friends of Bob Anderson of the _Neptune_ were out in force ina yacht that was a mass of bunting from end to end. Flags wereeverywhere, and the scene, as the sloops lined up for the start, couldnot have been more animated.
The last directions were given by the judges, and the three sloopscommenced to maneuver for position. Then a cannon was discharged, andover the line shot the _Alice_, the _Ajax_ and the _Neptune_; and thegreat boat race was on.
A shout went up, lasting fully a minute. Then the assembled multitudesettled down to watch the struggle with keen interest.
The breeze was what might be termed a smart one, and each sloop hadevery sail out to its fullest. Each bow cut the water like a thing oflife, sending a fine spray over the deck. For the occasion everybodyaboard the three boats was dressed in a suit of white duck, with whiteduck hat.
The triangular course had been laid out to suit the wind. Scarcely hadthe first half mile been covered when the wind shifted slightly, sendingthe three boats directly forward to the end of the first leg of therace. All were making splendid time, and when the first half of the legwas finished they were practically abreast of each other.
"The _Ajax_ isn't capsizing to-day," remarked Pepper, as they bowledmerrily along. "Fred Century must have put some extra lead in her keel."
"I think he is handling her better," answered Jack. "He has had plentyof practice since the day she capsized."
"Anderson certainly knows how to handle the _Neptune_," said Andy. "Hebrought her around too neat for anything at the start."
"Somebody told me he was the best sailor on Cayuga Lake," said Dale. "Tomy mind, we have more to fear from the _Neptune_ than we have from the_Ajax_."
"Humph! Just now it looks like a tie race all around," murmured Stuffer.Even the excitement of the race could not make him forget his longingfor something to eat, and he was munching on some peanuts he had broughtalong.
On and on rushed the three sloops, until the end of the first leg of thetriangular course was in sight. The _Neptune_ was now slightly inadvance, with the _Alice_ and the _Ajax_ close on her heels.
"The _Neptune_ is ahead!" was the cry. "She is rounding the stake boatof the first leg!"
"The _Alice_ and the _Ajax_ are a tie!"
"No, the _Ajax_ is ahead--she is rounding inside of the _Alice_!"
So the cries ran on. In the meantime the _Neptune_ started on the secondleg of the race, with the _Ajax_ fifty yards to the rear. As said, the_Ajax_ had rounded inside of the _Alice_, thus giving her not a littleadvantage over the Putnam Hall craft.
"Too bad!" groaned Dale.
"I think Fred Century cut you pretty close," observed Pepper to Jack.
"He did, and if he does it again I'll ram our bow into him," answeredthe young skipper.
As the wind had shifted, all of the craft had to do considerable tackingon the second leg of the course. Bob Anderson was certainly a master atthis and drew steadily to the front. Fred Century kept second place,with Jack not more than fifty yards behind him.
Presently the wind appeared to grow "choppy," that is, it came and wentin gusts. This did not appear to suit the _Neptune_, and soon that craftfell back. In the meantime, as if by magic, the _Ajax_ increased herspeed and forged to the front. At this came a wild cheering from thesupporters of Pornell Academy, and the steamer engaged by Doctor Pornellblew her whistle loudly.
"It's nip and tuck between the _Neptune_ and the _Ajax_," said some onshore. "The _Alice_ doesn't seem to be in it."
"Queer, too," said one man. "I thought she looked as good as any ofthem."
"Jack, do you think Reff Ritter put some kind of a drag on us afterall?" asked Pepper anxiously.
"No," was the prompt answer.
"Then why are we falling behind?"
"Fortunes of war I suppose," and the young major heaved a deep sigh.
"We have got to win!" shouted Andy.
"If we can," said Jack. "I think we'll stand a chance on the last leg--ifthe wind doesn't shift again."
The shifting wind had ruffed up the lake bosom not a little, and everand anon the water dashed over the bow of the _Alice_, wetting everycadet on board. But the youths paid little attention to this--they werewilling to be soaked a dozen times over if only they might win the race.
"More wind coming, I think," said Stuffer, pointing to some clouds thatwere piling up.
"I hope it does come," cried Jack. "The _Alice_ is a boat for a good,stiff blow."
When the end of the second leg was reached the _Ajax_ rounded thestakeboat first. The _Neptune_ followed at a distance of a hundredyards. The _Alice_ was now a good eighth of a mile behind.
"Can't we do something to catch up, Jack?" asked Pepper. To stand stilland see the other boats go ahead was maddening.
"Yes," was the young skipper's sudden reply. "Stand by to shift themainsail."
All sprang to obey his order--for to do anything was better than to donothing. Jack had his eyes on a spot ahead on the surface of the lake.He was watching the water very intently and at the same time speculatingon the clouds that were piling up to the westward.
A moment later he gave the order to shift the sail. Over it went with acrack, and the _Alice's_ rudder came around like lightning. The craftquickly veered, leaving the course taken by the two sloops ahead.
"Why, you are out of the course!" shouted Andy. "Oh, Jack, this won't doat all!"
"We'll lose ground," added Stuffer. "Oh, Jack, you're going wrong!" Andin his excitement he threw several peanut kernels overboard and stuffedthe shells in his mouth.
"A soft spot ahead--I am going to keep out of it," was the youngskipper's answer, and he nodded to show what he meant. "They are in it,thank goodness!" he muttered, a minute later.
Then the others understood--and rejoiced. The _Ajax_ had run into a "softspot," so called by sailors--that is, a place where the wind had diedaway. The _Neptune_ followed, and the sails of both craft flapped idlyagainst the masts. The _Alice_ went wide of the "soft spot," and thoughshe felt something of the decrease in the wind, yet Jack managed to keepher sails filled and slowly but surely came up on a reach and overlappedthe _Neptune_. Then she forged ahead after the _Ajax_.
The excitement was now intense, for only a mile and a half of the raceremained to be sailed. The _Ajax_ crawled or rather drifted out of the"soft spot," and then came forward with a rush. The wind clouds now madethemselves felt, especially on board the _Alice_. Jack's face lost itslook of worry.
"This is what we want!" he cried.
For half a mile it was now nip and tuck between th
e _Ajax_ and the_Alice_. But then the wind increased so swiftly that Fred Century had tolower his topsail. With all sails set the _Alice_ drew ahead, racingthrough the water like a thing of life.
"The _Alice_ wins! The _Alice_ wins!" was the cry, and this provedcorrect, for six minutes later the Putnam Hall sloop came over the linethe winner by an eighth of a mile. The _Ajax_ beat the _Neptune_ by lessthan a hundred yards.
The Putnam Hall Champions; or, Bound to Win Out Page 24