For three days after this the boys were kept busy fixing up their craft. They put the new saluting cannon in the bow, strung new rudder lines, which had been strained during the squall, and cleaned the engine. They were burnishing up the brass work, one afternoon, when some one entered the boathouse.
“Where are the three boy sailors?” a hearty voice asked.
“Come in!” cried Jerry, and Captain Jenkinson entered.
“Hard at work, eh?” he asked. “That’s right, can’t take too much care of your boat and engine. They do better work the more time you put on them, and you never can tell when you may need an extra bit of speed.”
Captain Jenkinson told the boys of some informal races that had been arranged among the owners of motor boats. There were half a dozen, he said, who had entered their craft, and he asked if the boys did not want to take part in the contest.
Of course they were delighted, and the captain said he would arrange to have them formally entered. The races were to take place in the cove the next Tuesday. The course was a triangular one, about three miles in all, and the prize was a silver cup.
In the interval the boys found time to take several short cruises. They found their craft was working well, and, in several little impromptu contests, they “put it all over the other boats,” to use Bob’s expression.
There were seven entries for the race, including the Dartaway. As Captain Jenkinson’s boat was so powerful, and outclassed the others so much, he did not enter but allowed the judges to use her.
“Do you think we have any chance?” asked Ned, the morning of the contest.
“Sure,” replied Jerry, who was going to steer. “I don’t say we’ll win, but we’ll come near it. You and Bob want to keep the engine well oiled. Guess I’ll rig up a spare set of batteries, in case of accident. I’ll have ’em ready to switch on in a second if the magneto or the regular batteries fail.”