“She is every bit as long,” came from Paul Singleton. “And her sails are every bit as big.”
“Sloop ahoy!” came a hail from the approaching craft.
“Ahoy, the Ajax!” answered Jack Ruddy.
“Is that the new boat from Putnam Hall?”
“Yes.”
“We thought it might be,” went on Fred Century, as he came closer. “This is the new boat from Pornell Academy.”
“Yes, we know that,” answered Jack. “Fine-looking sloop, too,” he added.
“Do you want to race?” asked another youth aboard the Ajax.
“Well, we didn’t come out to race,” answered the young owner of the Alice. “We just came out for a quiet sail. We’ve got to be back to the Hall by six o’clock.”
“Oh, they are afraid to race you, Fred,” said another boy aboard the Ajax. “They know you can beat them out of their boots.”