“It’s their boat!” exclaimed the excited Alvin. “They are hurrying off.”
“Let’s chase them!” added Chester, catching the glow of his chum.
“All right! Light up and cast off.”
Like a Swallow Skimming Close to the Surface.
Chester quickly fixed the lights, sprang from the taffrail to shore, untied the loop of rope, flung it on deck and leaped after it. Alvin had opened the forward deck, which covered the engine, climbed down and around to the front and started it. Then throwing in the clutch the boat quickly caught the impulse, and the Captain steered away from shore. While lying against the bank the nose of the launch was pointed up the river, and since the noise showed that the other boat was speeding down stream, it was necessary to head in that direction. The sweeping circle carried the craft far out into the moon glow and the Captain turned on full power, sending the boat southward like a swallow skimming close to the surface.
“They got the idea yesterday that the Water Witch is faster than the Deerfoot. That was a cute idea of Calvert, but they will soon learn their mistake. Do you see anything of her lights?”
Chester stood beside him in the cockpit, with one hand grasping the top of the wind-shield, while he peered into the sea of illumination through which they were plunging.