“I won’t go without you,” said Harry.
“I would like to be on that yacht myself,” said old Jack Broxton, as they presently came in sight of the Defender, anchored a short distance from the starting point of the race.
“We’ll run up and I’ll hail the captain,” said Harry.
This suited everybody, and it was done. The captain of the Defender was on deck seeing to it that everything was in order for the race. He greeted Harry with a pleasant wave of his hand.
“Can we come on board and take a look around?” asked Harry.
“Yes, but you won’t have time to waste,” was the captain’s reply. “We’ve got to get down to the starting point soon.”
The Whistler was run up alongside, and Harry and Jerry leaped on board of the Defender. They shook hands with the captain, and also with Frank Lee, the captain’s nephew, a bright boy of their own age.
They were much interested in the magnificent yacht and all of her appointments, and laughed greatly when Frank Lee snatched off their caps and placed caps on them with the name of the Defender above the peaks.
“Now you fellows belong to the crew!” cried Frank Lee.
“All right, we’ll help you beat the Spray,” returned Jerry, quickly.