“I just guess!” answered the acrobatic youth. “If we hadn’t remained on board your cake would have been dough to-day.” And then he related what had occurred. Not only the young major, but all of the others present listened with interest. Then a rush was made downstairs and to the boat dock.
“The villains!” was all the young major could say. “I really ought to expose them. But as you say, it might get you into trouble,” and he turned to Andy and Pepper.
“I know why Ritter and his crowd are so anxious to make you lose,” said Dale. “I wasn’t going to mention it, but now I think it best. That gang have put money into the hands of Crosby, who runs the store in Cedarville, and he is putting it up against Putnam Hall. They want to win a pot of money, I think.”
“Then the bitterest pill you can make them swallow is to win the race,” cried Joe Nelson.
“That’s the way I figure it,” went on Dale. “Do that and you’ll probably break them.”
“A fellow who bets deserves to lose,” said Joe Nelson, who never wagered on anything.
The chums wondered if they would see anything of Ritter, Paxton and Coulter at breakfast, but those unworthies managed to keep out of sight. From Billy Sabine they learned that Ritter had been excused from getting up because of a headache, and the others had asked for permission to make an early trip to Cedarville.
“They are afraid to show themselves,” said Jack, and he was right; none of the trio mingled with the other cadets until it was time for the great race to come off.
It had been decided that each sloop should carry a crew of five, and Jack had selected Andy, Pepper, Dale and Stuffer to accompany him. This crew went out in the Alice during the morning, and learned from the judges of the race just how the contest was to be sailed. The course was a triangular one, exactly twelve miles in length. The start was to be made at exactly two o’clock and if by six o’clock no boat had covered the course the race was to be declared off for the day and was to be sailed the following Saturday, weather permitting.